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sealed with that holy Spirit of promise." Now it is very evident that we who first trusted in Christ are to be to the praise of God's glory-i. e. we who trusted after hearing the word of truth, the gospel of our salvation. Then, it is added, we were sealed (made safe) in Christ by the Holy Spirit, after that we believed. We consider this passage most blessedly calculated to remove any difficulty a child of God may have respecting Eph. ii. 8. It would require two or three numbers of our little paper to contain a full answer to your lengthy epistle. We hope, however, to return to it on a future occasion, if the Lord tarry, for it is a pleasure to answer one who writes so lovingly, and evidently according to honest conviction. Meanwhile, we believe your desire to insist upon "faith unto salvation" being a gift, arises from the supposition that otherwise there would be merit in believing. We think this is the chief warp in the minds of those who hold what are called "Calvinistic views." But the truth is, there is no praise due to belief. We do not consider it a meritorious thing on the part of a criminal to accept a free pardon! We can only add further, on this occasion, that, if the Lord will, we purpose continuing our investigations of that which is written on this solemn theme. The manner of the reception of the word of life, and the new birth, are mysteries beyond our present comprehension-all we can hope to do is, to receive whatever the Lord has taught us in his word.

C. BOARDMAN.-It appears to us there is an essential difference between our Lord's promise-" Ye shall be baptized (baptizo) with the Holy Ghost," and God's prophecy by Joel," I will pour out (ekcheo) of my Spirit," &c. You think these Greek words, as having reference to one event, may be taken as equivalents, and so strengthen your position that baptism may be by pouring. We think not, and for these reasons. Of course, Peter's declaration on the day of Pentecost was true, but it was true on the principle that the less is included in the greater. The immersion of the disciples of Jesus, with the Holy Ghost, was a higher fulfilment of the prophecy than had entered the heart of any prophet of old. The Old Testament promises were given to an earthly people, and will be fulfilled literally to that earthly people. Upon them, God's Spirit was and will be poured or put. When the Seventy Elders were appointed by Moses, God said, "I will take of the Spirit which is upon thee, and will put upon them," &c. (Num. xi. 17.) The amazing gift of God on the day of Pentecost is far above this. For, certainly, the Holy Spirit was put upon the disciples; but they were all filled with the Holy Ghost." (Acts ii. 4.) Joel's prophecy had the very highest fulfilment yet, in another sense, it was only a partial fulfilment, as the rest of the quotation in Acts ii. shows. The word by the prophet is—" I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh." This, we know, will not be completely fulfilled till Israel is restored, and blessing to the world.Your remarks about "Rahab," have no support from Scripture. The inspired narrative does not countenance your inference that Rahab "identified herself with God's army;"in all her conversation with the spies she identifies herself with the inhabitants of the country; otherwise, she speaks of God's people with reverence, and asks for mercy for herself and relatives at the hands of Joshua's messengers. The Harlot is not commended, in the Epistle of James, for "outgeneraling" the Canaanitish soldiers; but because she received Joshua's messengers, and sent them out another way.

It is a grief to us, dear brother, to find ourselves at issue with one whose labours in the Lord have been so widely owned. Be assured, all we have had to say, has been said in love.

MNASON. We quite agree with what you say respecting the practical failure of "the Brethren " as to visible unity;

and would glady insert your letter, but are deeply convinced that argument only, without appeal to Scripture, is very profitless.

W. G. W., BLACKHEATH.-) -It seems evident to us that "the Brethren " are entirely without Scripture warrantry for putting away in such a case as yours. Surely you have cause to rejoice if you have suffered persecution or reproach for Christ's sake. We trust you have found fellowship with a few who call upon the Lord out of a pure heart. So that we keep in separation from evil, and communion with the Head is maintained, we need not many companions till the Lord comes.

E. C., MANOR PARK.-We are much cheered by your letter, and rejoice with you in your experienced faithfulness

of the Lord.

T. T., WOOLPIT.-We thankfully acknowledge your kindness in making our little paper known.

W. G., HEREFORD.-Your kind letter cheers us. We praise God our Father, through Jesus Christ our Lord, that His children rejoice in the truth, and that so many in our day have their hearts open to receive the mind of Christ, and seek to be conformed thereto. The Lord keep you and the dear Christians with you, and bless you with all spiritual blessings, for His Name's sake.

W. H. H., DERBY-We very much rejoice that you are enabled to speak so favourably of your Scripture Meetings. You have deep truth before you in the Epistle to the Romans. May every child of God among you have entire confidence in the guidance of the Holy Ghost. We pray for your little fellowship, "that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him."specting your enquiry as to the intercession of Christ, and the way it affects us now, we hope to consider it in a future number, if the Lord will.

-Re

A. B. C. writes as follows:-"If our union with Christ is in resurrection and not in incarnation, how are we crucified and buried together with Him? This is a difficulty with some unlearned ones, who believe the former but are not able to answer the latter. I wish your valuable paper were a weekly one. The time is too short before our Lord comes-for a month to elapse before one can get an answer to important queries on that coming."--We would offer the thought that, believers are crucified and buried with Christ, as associated with him, rather than as united to him. Union is a principle of life, not of death. Yet it might be correct to say we were united with him in death, but not united to him. It is only in the new life we are united to Christ. "By one Spirit are we all baptized into one body." If these remarks do not meet your difficulty, we shall be glad to hear from you again.It is quite out the circulation were greatly increased, we might perhaps be of our power to issue our little sheet more frequently. If led to publish twice a month.

CHRISTIANS in the Neighbourhood of the Strand are invited to the

Scripture Reading Meeting at 335a, side-door, Monday, at Seven. Also to the meetings for Prayer at the above Christian Meeting Room, on Monday and Wednesday midday, from past 1 to 2.

To facilitate the obtaining of PRECIOUS TRUTH, packets will be sent post free to any part of the United Kingdom, by remitting, in advance, as follows: - Two copies for 2d., Five for 3d., Ten for 5d. Send Stamps Address either of the Publishers as below.

Published for the Proprietor, by

Job Caudwell, 335, Strand, London, WC.
Arthur Hall, 25, Paternoster-row, London, EC.

Smart & Allen, 2, Londonhouse-yard, Paternoster Row.
George Gallie, 99, Buchanan-street, Glasgow.

Printed by John Evans, 335a, Strand, London, WC.

PRECIOUS TRUTH.

"WHAT SAITH THE SCRIPTURE?''—(Rom. iv. 3.)

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Concerning our own individual walk, beloved,-Let us be well assured that the mind of our Lord about it is, progress. The language of the Apostle Paul, speaking of himself simply as a christian, was this

:

I have a very special object in addressing you personally from month to month in the opening page of this little periodical. My desire is to induce in you a "Not as though I had already attained, either were already more earnest longing after spiritual progress. The perfect but I follow after, if that I may apprehend [lay hold tendency in us is to settle down, either in despondency of] that for which I am apprehended [laid hold of] of Christ through past failures, or in contentment with a stand- Jesus. Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: point to which we may have attained. I find it to [i.e. not fully, he wanted to get hold of more knowledge of be a common failing among believers, to mistake ado, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth Christ, and the power of his resurrection] but this one thing I a resting-place for the end of the wilderness journey. unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark It is written of Israel, for our warning, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." (Phil. iii. 12-14.)

"The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play."

Many a prize has our gracious Master in store for And this is quoted as a warning against idolatry- those who thus reach forth, and press forward. Sal(see 1 Cor. x. 7.) I believe that idol worship is in-vation is not the prize. That we have already through separable from the self-satisfied condition of soul in- faith in his name. It is a gift, without any doings dicated in the above scripture. But the Lord has prizes to give. He The Israelites had

set up a golden calf. And, alas! many christians worship a similar object in various forms; its name is "covetousness, which is idolatry." (Col. iii. 5.)

Beloved,-We must keep the eye of faith upon our Leader, even our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath saved us from our sins, and is now our Shepherd. The Children of Israel said respecting their leader, "As for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what has become of him." (Exodus xxxii. 1.)

Moses had gone up to meet God on Mount Sinai Jesus has ascended to God our Father! And, alas! how many of His people have said in effect, by their lives, We wot not what has become of him. Oh, what a contrast between the scene on the Mount, and that at the foot of it! While the Israelites were giving themselves to idolatry, the Lord was instructing his faithful servant how his people should serve Him, the only true God! And when the Lord threatened to consume the rebels, Moses was found pleading for them, even the ingrates who had so soon deserted him! What a spectacle! But, oh, think of the baseness of deserting for a moment our glorious and gracious Lord, who has delivered us out of Egypt, not only with signs and wonders, but by the sacrifice of Himself!

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of ours.

says

"Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be." (Rev. xxii. 12.)

What poor thoughts we have about the "Lord of Glory!" Surely, when we think of it, Our Lord must be very rich. If it were not so, yet he is very loving and gracious, and it would be worth a life-long struggle to press forward, learning of and following after Him, if but to hear from his gracious lips the words, "Well done, good and faithful servant." But, indeed, our Lord is very rich. He made the worlds-He has gone to prepare many mansions-He has in store many crowns-He is, in truth, "Lord of Glory."

I know you may answer me that after all, to be with Him, to see His face-will more than compensate (infinitely so) for the most earnest efforts we can make down here. And it is well that himself, Jesus our Lord, should be our supreme object, even as to the question of reward

"For more than all I long

His glories to behold,

Whose smile shall fill the radiant throng
With ecstacies untold."

This is the true response of every regenerate heart. But our God, in his excellent grace, furnishes us with Dear Brother, dear Sister-Do you know any every kind of inducement-seeking in every way to covetous and worldly christians? Warn them, en-draw us by progressive stages to the end of the pathtreat them, show them of the wondrous love of Jesus, and pray for them. But what a joy it is that in the midst of our sorrowing over the grievous failures of such, we can think of our great Advocate who "ever liveth to make intercession" for them.

way of faith-"For we walk by faith, not by sight." We know not how soon the journey will end. The shout of the Lord, as he descends from heaven to call his redeemed ones, may be heard by us to-day, to-night, or a year hence. It may be we shall first

fall asleep in Jesus. The Lord knoweth. In any event, happy are we, for we are "accepted in the beloved." It is but a little w. ! and the trial of our faith will have come to an end.

"Wherefore, gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation [appearing] of Jesus Christ." (1 Pet. i. 13.) When worldly men run in a race, they tighten their waistbands-they "gird up their loins." also are to

We

"Run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is

set down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Heb. xii.

1, 2.)

With such an example, such a Sustainer, and such a reward before us; let us lay aside every weight,

and the sin which doth so easily beset. Whatever the persuasion to stop short-however few may continue with us in the race-let us run with patience, laying aside the weights (encumbrances) even though they be golden ones—and the sins, however specious, remembering that "whatsoever is not of faith is sin." (Rom. xiv. 23.) We must be well girt with the girdle of truth.

In conclusion-Let us never forget that if we are stedfast, our God will clear away all doubts. I have one Scripture more for you at this time, and it presses upon me as specially given of the Lord. It is

this

“The darkness is past, and the true light now shineth." (1 John ii. 8.)

Ponder this well, beloved, for Our Lord Jesus Christ's sake. Yours ever in Him,

THE EDITOR.

A MORE THAN CONQUEROR.

(A few thoughts expressed at the Scripture Meeting, 335a, Strand, Monday, April 2, 1866.)

Acts vii. 54-60. Stephen rejected of men, received of God. One of the primary principles taught in the scene described in the above passage, was that the clearest testimony may bring out the fiercest opposition. It has ever been so; the servant of the Lord must not, therefore, be surprised if violent persecution arise. Indeed, the Lord has warned us to expect it, and bidden us rejoice in it.

"If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you." "Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach

you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of Man's sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy; for, behold, your reward is great in heaven."

If, like Stephen, we be full of the Holy Ghost, and keep the eye of faith on Jesus in the glory, we shall have a joy like his. Stephen was so occupied with the glory of God and Christ, that he seems scarcely to have noticed the enraged assembly, gnashing on him with their teeth. How blessedly did Divine grace conform Stephen to the likeness of

Jesus in his death-praying for his murderers. And as the Lord commended His spirit into the Father's hands, so Stephen committed his spirit to the Lord. Thus are we taught, by the dying act of Stephen, to honour the Son, even as we honour the Father.

The Lord Jesus Christ foresaw the deep waters His servant would have to pass through, and He furnishing him with special grace for a special trial. blest Stephen with this vision of Himself beforehand, The Lord sees the end from the beginning. His grace will not fail us, though, alas! we may fail to avail ourselves of it.

Jesus was seen in the place of favour-and of power-the Right Hand of the Majesty on High. As He said "All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth."

It was also remarked that this was the great final, or closing act of the rejection of their Messiah by the Jews: they had rejected the testimony of John the Baptist, then that of Jesus and that of the Father through the miracles of Jesus, and lastly that of the Holy Ghost in the persons of the Apostles and Stephen. It is an interesting fact, that Stephen saw the Lord standing-an attitude implying readiness to come then again to earth, if his people would but receive the testimony and turn and repent; but afterwards, when the Holy Ghost is addressing the same people, and that, too, by one who was present at the stoning of Stephen, it is said the Lord Jesus had sat down at the right hand of God-the attitude footstool. (Heb. i. 3, 13.) of rest-resting there till his enemies be made his

In the subsequent conversion of Saul, we Stephen's prayer far exceeded. And so have the last prayers of many departed saints. The meeting closed by contemplating the believer's departure, like Stephen's-a falling asleep.

CONTRASTS BISHOPS.

When we think of what a "state-bishop" in this country is, with his high-sounding titles, his emoluments, his offices of state, his palaces, servants, and and with his mitre-we would fain persuade ourselves carriages;-when we picture him in his lawn-sleeves that such an one must be ignorant of all that God has said in his word, as to what a bishop should be. Yet, in the "Form of Ordaining and Consecrating Bishops" (so-called) as printed in the "Book of Common Prayer," that most touching address delivered by the Apostle Paul to the elders or bishops of the church at Ephesus (Acts xx.) is quoted in its entirety! We cannot refrain from repeating a part of it here, though we have before alluded to it.

"I take you to record this day," [said the Apostle,] "that I am pure from the blood of all men. For I have not Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the floes shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you Overseers, t feed the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. For I know this, that after my departing shall grierçev wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise speaking perverse things, to dres away disciples after them. Therefore watch, and remember that by the space of three years, I ceased not to warn everyone night

and day with tears. And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified. I have coveted no man's silver, or gold, or apparel; yea, ye yourselves know that these hands have ministered to my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have showed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak; and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."

This passage of Scripture, and others equally condemnatory to himself, must a state-bishop listen to, according to the state-formulary provided in the Prayer-book, when the ceremony, therein called consecration, is performed over him! He hears from the Inspired Word that a true bishop ought to labour with his hands, as Paul did, "to support the weak," instead of receiving or desiring silver, gold, or apparel from others; and having heard this, he accepts the title of Lord, and rides away from a Lordly cathedral, to his Lordly palace, and takes his seat with the proudest Lords of the world!

Does such an one ever read Matt. xxiii.? Can he not see himself reflected in that Scripture? For the hierarchical systems of this age are, in many respects, a reflex of Judaism in the days of the Lord's ministry on earth; with this important difference, however, that the scribes and Pharisees were in the appointed place of authority, whereas on the part of their modern imitators the assumption of power is without any justification whatever!

We wonder men do not tremble at the words of Him who is LORD of all, and who will soon come in judgment!

Yet we sincerely pity, while we present the solemn truth. Alas! for the blindness that prevails through

the "traditions of men." Alas! for the blind leaders of the blind. From our heart, we pity them. Yet the words of the Lord Jesus are "Shall they

not both fall into the ditch ?"

But let us not be misunderstood. God forbid that we should pass judgment on any one who holds the office of a "Bishop of the State," as touching the question of salvation. There was a Simon the Pharisee, who invited the Lord to his house. We call to mind also Joseph of Arimathæa and Nicodemus, and others, belonging to the order the Lord denounced so bitterly, who we have no doubt were saved. Yet, because they persisted in clinging to their party, in spite of their convictions, they had to listen again and again to those bitter words, "Woe unto you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!"

The Lord alone can judge the heart. Faithfulness in Christian life and walk is, however, quite another thing. On this subject the Master has given us the light of his own instruction for our guidance.

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheeps' clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles" (Matt. vii, 15-16.)

Paul warned the elders at Ephesus (bishops really ordained by the Holy Ghost) both against wolves from without and perverse and selfish teachers from within. State-bishops may be either one or the other;

but if, when tested by the Word of God, their actions are found in complete contrast with the lives of the pastors given by our Lord Jesus Christ (Eph. iv. 11), Christians must be warned against them. But we have not yet stated the worst feature of the case. We feel sure that there are many real Christians who follow on with "Church-of-Englandism" only because they do not know of anything better. We sympathise with all such, and pray that the Word of God may deliver them. May all who read these words be led to search into the truth for themselves, earnestly praying God for the guidance of his Holy Spirit. We especially commend to prayerful consideration that which we have now to unfold.

The following is copied verbatim from the "Form for Ordaining Bishops :"

"Then the Archbishop and Bishops present shall lay their "hands upon the head of the elected Bishop kneeling before "them upon his knees, the Archbishop saying, Receive the Holy "Ghost, for the office and work of a Bishop in the Church of "God, now committed unto thee by the Imposition of our "hands, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the "Holy Ghost. Amen."

Before being ordained as a state-bishop, the candidate has of necessity undergone "the Form and Manner of Ordering of Priests," from which we quote as follows:

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"Receive the Holy Ghost for the office and work of a Priest "in the Church of God, now committed unto thee by the Imposition of our hands. Whose sins thou dost forgive, they are forgiven; and whose sins thou dost retain, they are "retained!"

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believe one word of what they profess to do? None Do those who go through these AWFUL forms, but the Apostles ever had the power of imparting the gift of the Holy Ghost. There was no need, neither was any provision made, (to be found in Scripture,) for communicating the gift of the Holy Spirit, through HUMAN agency, after the power of God in man had been in that way fully manifested in the persons of the Apostles. That display of it evidently ceased with them. Afterwards, it is simply stated that ALL who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are "sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise," (Eph. i. 13.) Respecting gift, or manifestation of the Spirit, we are taught that the Holy Ghost worketh in all true believers, "dividing to every man severally as He will." (1 Cor. xii. 11.)

After the Apostles' days there was no longer power given to Christians to appoint one another to any kind of ministry. There is no provision in Scripture for any such appointments on the part of man. The Lord Jesus Christ is the ACTIVE Head of the Church, and continually raises up servants to ministry, in contravention of, and outside of all human arrange

ments.

"Unto everyone of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. Wherefore he saith, when he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.... Evangelists; and some Pastors and Teachers; For the perfecting And he gave some Apostles, and some Prophets: and some of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying [or building up] of the body of Christ." (Eph. iv. 12.)

How long does the Lord perpetuate ministerial gifts? Let Scripture answer.

"Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." (Eph. iv. 13.)

Thus the pretence of imparting the Holy Ghost in these days by laying on of hands is fully exposed. If Christians were only true to the Lord and themselves, in refusing everything which has for its object MAN's aggrandisement down here, they would be delivered from all such delusions as we are pointing out. Moreover, when God entrusts POWER to his servants, He displays that power in them SUPERNATURALLY; this is an important rule, which may be traced throughout the Bible. We refer to Moses, to the Old Testament prophets, and to the Apostles. When the Holy Ghost was communicated by the specially chosen servants of the Lord, those who had power to impart the gift, gave PROOF of their divine commission by working miracles. Let us claim manifest proof of the possession of divine power from those who profess to impart divine gifts, and the door is immediately shut against all pretenders.

And now let us look at the other delusion-that of communicated power to forgive or retain sins. The occasion on which the Lord Jesus Christ gave that extraordinary and solemn authority is stated in the Gospel by John only.

"Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive yo the Holy Ghost. Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.” (John xx. 19-23.)

"THE DOORS were SHUT." It was an exclusive company, the Lord's own specially called Apostles. Then, notice, "HE BREATHED ON THEM, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost; whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose sover sins ye retain, they are retained." It is all one sentence. There was a quality which none now possess, given through that breathing on them by the Lord Jesus. Unless a man has seen the risen Jesus, and has been breathed on by Him, receiving a special commission from the lips of his Lord, it is impossible

for him to remit or retain sins.

But if State-bishops will pretend to give such power to their clergy, and the latter will pretend to exercise it, then we turn upon them, and demand the meaning of this sentence in their Litany, repeated by them every Lord's Day?

"Remember not, Lord, our offences, nor the offences of our "forefathers; neither take thou vengeance of our sins: spare us, good Lord, spare thy people, whom thou hast redeemed "with thy most precious blood, and be not angry with us for

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Fever"!!!

So those who say they have power to remit sins,

pray continually for themselves and the people, that the Lord will not take vengeance on sins supposed to be remitted! and this occurs in the service after the Absolution of sin has been pronounced by the priest !!

Out of their own mouths are they convicted of an absurdity so monstrous, that if committed in any secular matter, those who practise it would be exposed to the derision of mankind. Alas! how infinitely worse is the case, seeing it pertains to the professed service of God!

saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." (2 Cor. vi. 18.)

"Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate,

THE SCENE NEAR BETHANY.

AN ANALOGY.

In the Tenth chapter of the Gospel by John, we see Jesus as the rejected of the Jews. They assert that he has a devil, and accuse him of speaking blasphemy; they press him for plain statements as to who he is, and then try to stone him for those very same plain statements.

out of their hand, and went away again beyond Jordan into the "Therefore they sought again to take him: but he escaped place where John at first baptized; and there he abode. And many resorted unto him, and said, John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true. And many believed on him there."

We see here, in starting, a striking analogy, (or resemblance in some of its circumstances,) to the present state of things. Jesus is still the rejected of the Jews; they subsequently "sought to take him,” and thought they had done so when they crucified him; but-" He escaped out of their hand," i.e. at the Resurrection. And where has He gone? Beyond the Jordan-beyond the River of Death or Judgment; and there He is abiding. And many, in faith, are resorting to Him there, and are being taught by Him, while the favoured people have completely lost his ministry, unless they, individually, also resort to Him where He is. The testimony John the Baptist had given proved of great value in leading many to belief in Christ; and it is the testimony of believers in Christ now which is mainly used by God to gather souls to Jesus. Those who believe in Jesus should rightly apprehend themselves as with him beyond Jordan (beyond "Death" and "Judgment")" risen with Christ."

While the Lord Jesus is abiding beyond the Jordan, Lazarus is sick, and a message to that effect is sent to Him. But Jesus abode "two days still where He was." And to whom do the hearts of believers, lingering here in the Valley of the Shadow of Death, turn, when their dear ones are suffering, and separation seems probable ?-to the Lord in the glory.

We know that if He were to come, who

is our Life, sick ones could not die. But the Lord is still abiding his two days-(two thousand years? the Lord knows,) and suffers his redeemed to fall asleep,

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