self-love, and boasting, and spirit of fierce democracy, which still have their place amongst those who have "the form of godliness, but denying the power thereof"; and preservation to the "man of God" is pointed out in the exhortation, "but continue thou in the things which thou hast learned"; and in the assertion of the inspiration of all scripture, and its perfectness, "that [thus] the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."

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The second of Peter goes over the same subject, as to its main features, as the Epistle of Jude, with the same result in judgment upon the evil. But there is this characteristic difference, that it dwells on the comparison between the false prophets" of a former dispensation -the leaders in Israel's apostasy and the "false teachers," who are presented as the active instruments of the more fearful evil in this. But, whilst these "false teachers" are leading the van in corruption, and the "scoffers" are saying, "Where is the promise of his coming?" the saint is called to listen to the words, "ye, therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware, lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ."

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The first of John predicts "the coming of antichrist," and gives, as his ecclesiastical or religious character, that he will deny the Father and the Son. But, that it might not be imagined that the springs of this evil were altogether future, it is added, " even now there are many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.' Here, again, the place of security is marked in the most simple and perfect way-" If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father." Neither "antichrist," nor the " many antichrists," could harm them

there.

The epistles to the seven churches, in the Revelation, in their moral bearing, evidently present the same general progress of decay, while the prophetic part opens into a wider scene; and in them blessing, and safeguard,

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and overcoming, are connected with an ear to hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches"—and, if it might be, a recovery of "first love."

But there are yet to be noticed one or two points in the beautiful closing verses of Jude. Verses 21 and 22 present the practical every-day business of a saint; and the more so as the evil day comes on. "Ye beloved,

building up yourselves on your most holy faith" (that is, its character, in contrast with "turning the grace of our God into licentiousness"), "praying in the Holy Ghost, keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, unto eternal life." Like Enoch, the prophet of the epistle, "walking with God," in the quiet and holy intimacy of one who had the attestation that he pleased God;" though, for a while, in the midst of all the evil, whose coming judgment he predicted, but waiting for his own translation to a sphere alike above the evil and the judgment, which the coming of the Lord with ten thousands of his saints would execute.

Verses 22 and 23 give the blessed and necessary action of grace, which, not satisfied with self-preservation, seeks, to the end, the rescue of others. The Spirit and the bride say, Come." And they also add, "Let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come; and whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely."

But there is also this beautiful character in grace, that, while it compassionates the entangled and lingering, as the angels did Lot, it maintains the most uncompromising separation from the evil" hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." In Christ are the two presented in their perfectness; a compassion that knows no limits to the sinner, combined with infinite separation from the sin.

How divinely perfect is the word of God! And how increasingly precious to the saint, as the night of error and corruption is darkening every ray of light around!

One is not sent to the happiest saint of God, to learn, from the testimony of his experience, what are the privileges and hopes to which he is called by the grace of

God. These are alone learned in their perfectness from the scriptures of truth, illustrated in the blessed person of Christ, and revealed in living power to the soul by the Holy Ghost.

Neither is it necessary to go to the men who are wise in the affairs of the world-for the world it is still, despite of its formal adoption of the name of Christ-to learn its character and course. The true reflections of things in heaven and on earth are alone to be found in the divine mirror of the word. The saint, apart from the world, with the Bible in his hand, as one shut up in a camera obscura, sees brought beneath his gaze every movement and figure in the busy complicated scene around him, with a clearness that none of its actors can discern. Thus, and thus only, is it safe to know the world."For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."

"Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen."

Death and Resurrection are the two great principles of Divine Grace: but, antagonistically, Human Energy and Combination are those in which Human Nature, since its fall, delights.

By the Death and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus, Life, peace, and hope, were found for our souls; by practical fellowship therewith, through the spirit, our life and service are moulded and sustained;-while it is the realising this which maintains our recognition of God, as the End and object of our Being-" whose service is perfect freedom."

Human Energy and Combination have no power to emancipate from Satan-neither can they even raise to the level of divine thoughts;-of the nature which fell in Eden, they will constantly be found to be roots of bitterness to the people of God-and, through Satan, subjects of pride to fallen man, his great implements in the last scenes of the coming apostasy against God and his Christ.

No. XV.

THE SON OF GOD.

"The only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father."

No. I.

I AM sure that I dread reasonings where affections should animate us, and the withdrawing from the place of living power into any thing like a region of notions or theories. But the mysteries of God are all of the highest practical value, in either strengthening for service, comforting under trial, or enlarging the soul's communion.

The Apostle speaks of himself and others as "ministers of Christ," and also as "stewards of the mysteries of God." And so all of us, in our measure. We are to be "ministers" i. e. servants in all practical personal readiness and devotedness; patient, diligent, and serviceable in labours; in all of which, some of us may know how little we are in comparison with others. But we are also to be "stewards," and that, too, of "mysteries," keeping uncorrupt and inviolate the peculiarities of divine revelation. Reasoning men may not receive them. The cross was foolishness to such, and "the princes of this world," the men of philosophy who professed themselves to be wise, knew not "the wisdom of God in a mystery." But that mystery is not to be surrendered to them in any wise. Our stewardship is of such—and it is required of stewards, that a man be found faithful (see 1 Cor. iv. 1, 2).

The guardianship and witness of the personal glory of the Son of God, is a chief part of this high and holy stewardship. I observe St. John guarding that glory with a jealousy quite of its own kind. There are, for instance, measures and methods recommended, when Judaizing corruptions or the like are to be dealt with. In the Epistle to the Galatians, where the simplicity of the Gospel is vindicated, there is a pleading and a yearning in the midst of earnest and urgent reasoning. But in John's epistles, all is peremptory. There is a summary forcing out, or keeping out, all that is not of that unction of the Holy

One, which teaches the Son as well as the Father, which will admit no lie to be of the truth, and which distinctly says—“ he that denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father."

This diversity of style in the wisdom of the Spirit has its value, and we should mark it. The observing of days or the not eating of meat are things which really depreciate the full glory and liberty of the Gospel. But they are to be borne with (Rom. xiv.). But depreciation of the Person of the Son of God would not be thus borne with, or have a decree passed in its favour after this manner.

A mere journeying from Egypt to Canaan would not have constituted true pilgrimage. Many a one had travelled that road without being a stranger and pilgrim with God. Nay, though the journey were attended with all the trials and inconveniences of such an arid, unsheltered, and trackless wild, it would not have been divine or heavenly pilgrimage. A merely toilsome, self-denying life, even though endured with that courage, that moral courage, which becomes God's strangers on earth, will not do. In order to make that journey, the journey of God's Israel, the ark must be in their company, borne by a people ransomed by blood out of Egypt, and tending, in their faith of a promise, to Canaan.

This was the business of Israel in the desert. They had to conduct the ark, to accompany it, to guard and to hallow it. They might betray their weakness and incur chastening and discipline in many a way, and on many an occasion; but if their direct business were given up, all was And this did come to pass. The tabernacle of Moloch was taken up, and the star of Remphan, and this was despite of the ark of Jehovah; and the camp had, therefore, their road turned away from Canaan to Babylon or Damascus (Amos v. Acts vii.).

gone.

And what ark is in the midst of the saints now for safe and holy and honorable conduct through this desert-world, if not the name of the Son of God? What mystery is committed to our stewardship and testimony, if not that? "He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you,