done this. Had not Christ risen, we should be yet in our sins. A resurrection at the last day, again I say, is defeat. Look at it in Rev. XX. It is not worthy to be called a resurrection. It is the guilty one brought up to judgment. But a resurrection like Christ's is victoryand the resurrection of 1 Cor. xv. is such. It is before the last day, at "Christ's coming;" and it is a resurrection from the dead, as His was, for it is only "of those that are His." May we wait for this, dear brethren! We may remember the energy of one in the Church of God who, knowing his part in this "resurrection from the dead," sought to know more and more the power of it (see Phil. iii). But we are cold and feeble. man. FRAGMENT. THE Gospel of God's Son is good news: good news of His person: blessed expression! All until the gospel was a claim upon A claim can never be good news. The gospel never alters the claim of God upon man, but maintains it; and shews that all is over with man, because he never can meet that claim, But the gospel brings in the power of God: power on behalf of man : not power to help man to meet the claim of God upon him. But it reveals the righteousness of God, consequent upon man being altogether without strength. Thus peace flows into the soul, when it ceases from everything else and submits to the revealed righteousness of God, which is upon every one that believeth. While a person is looking for help, he is under law, and has never been in God's presence. The thought of help may be held while a person is looking forward to some future meeting with God; but if I am in the presence of God NOW, help will not do. I am lost. I want now righteousness and pardon: and I want it now. And the soul will not have solid peace until it is in the presence of God, righteous and pardoned. The apostle says, "The Gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation, because therein is the righteousness of God revealed." A righteousness which is declared unto all, to Jew and Gentile, yea, to every creature, and which is upon all them that believe. 304 No XIII. 1 PETER IV. 14-16. "As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: but as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy, for I am holy." But for simple faith in God and the consciousness that the Spirit of God is still guardian in the church, one would not know how or what to speak in these days. If you speak of grace, and dwell upon the fulness and freeness of it, there are so many hearts that will delight in it after a carnal manner, and use it as a cloak for evil; not merely those who do, as Jude says, "turn the grace of our God into lasciviousness," but who will cover over a deep spirit of worldliness, excuse themselves much obedience on the ground of grace. Indeed, this is the prevailing leaven of these days. It is the root of that latitudinarian spirit which is tolerant of many evils and much disobedience. On the other hand, if you speak of holiness of walk, many souls put themselves under legal bondage, which robs them of their joy and peace, or at the best makes them the slaves of their own frames and feelings, or promotes that self-righteous spirit which fills the heart with intolerant pride. Still the truth must be told; and it will have its fruit in some hearts. In the passage above we see the most touching appeal to the heart of a saint; and these two principles, grace and holiness, exactly in unison. The appeal is not to bondmen or servants, but to children. "As obedient children;" and it is from "Him which hath called you." Grace has brightly shone in these two facts, "He hath called us," and "whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first-born among many brethren" (Rom. viii. 29). That is, He hath called us, and has made us His children. The appeal is this, seeing He who has thus acted in such grace, and brought us into such relationship, is Himself holy, so should we be holy. And there is grace in this appeal, for He desires that we should be before Him in joy and love; which could not be without holiness. This our God has secured to us in Jesus, "having chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love" (Eph. i. 4). But God has now separated us unto Himself from an evil world, and from our own evil too, hence the present appeal to be "as obedient children." The principle is this, the children should be as the Parent. God is holy; hence His children are to be holy. As holiness is a characteristic of the Father, it should also be a characteristic of the children. Now, if this principle had more weight in our minds, our chastenings would be found much more fruitful; for surely that soul that longs after holiness will profit more than the careless soul, by the varied chastenings of the Father's hand. "For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but He for our profit, that we might be partakers of His holiness (Hebrews xii. 10). Many are apt to contrast grace and holiness, but there can be no contrast between any of the attributes of God. All His attributes express Himself, and He is One. Grace, indeed, shines most in this, that we sinners of the Gentiles should be reconciled unto God, and built up with the Jews a holy temple in the Lord, etc. (see Eph. ii. 11-22; see also same chapter all through, especially verses 4, 7, 10). "Grace reigns through righteousness" (Rom. v. 21). I am sure of this, if we would serve the Lord, we must be holy. Not in self-righteousness, but "as obedient children." As those that wish to be as He is. Every exhortation to His children, and every recognition of them is full of this principle-holiness. As, "To the saints," "holy brethren," "redeemed from all iniquity, to be a peculiar people," etc. One could dwell very much upon this important subject; and I trust the Lord may lead our souls more into it. For it is evident, from the Word, and from past experience, that God's work is accomplished by means of holy and godly people. A true position and clear knowledge of truth will not suffice; holiness is what God looks for. The reason is evident, since to do God's work he must have the soul walking with himself, in communion with his mind. Witness the contrast between Abraham and Lot. Let brethren in Christ everywhere look well to this, for there is lack of power: much truth abroad; but it seems to have little power in separating souls from evil. For when we see light spreading, if that "light in them be darkness, how great is that darkness." There seems to be lack of power for obedience to the truth when it is seen. Why is this? 2 Tim. ii. 21 implies there is such a thing as meetness for the master's use. And this is the meetness"being purged from these" (vessels of dishonour) not having knowledge. Let us remember this, "the Lord knoweth them that are His; and let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity." I doubt not the Lord is doing a work among souls; and if we would share the rewards of such a work, we must see to it that we are found "in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God." "As workers together with Him, giving no offence in anything" (see 2 Cor. vi.) FRAGMENT. LEADING HEADS OF PSALMS. Psalms i. ii.-The righteous man flourisheth; and the Lord of the inheritance set up. The order is blessed: first, righteousness established in Him who was separate from sinners; then the men of the earth set against the Just One; but His triumph in resurrection, and the inheritance given to Him, and given by Him to those who overcome in and by him. See Rev. ii. 26-27. Compare John xvii. 22. No XIV. NOTES ON THE PRAYERS IN PAUL'S EPISTLES. IN the Epistles of the Apostle Paul we may find five prayers for the saints, which follow in remarkable order. 1. In Ephes. i. 15-23: Fundamental principles of truth are shown. 2. In Ephes.iii. 14-21: The family relationship, knowing the love of Christ. 3. In Phil. i. 9-11: Practical walk and blessing. 4. In Col. i. 9-14: A present deliverance and redemption. 5. 2 Thess. i. 11, 12: Counted worthy to suffer. We thus perceive a beautiful succession in these prayers. EPHES. I. 15-23. FIRST PRAYER. 17. "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." The soul is here led into immediate association with His glory present and future. "The Father of glory." We being now united with Him in glory, having been already quickened: yet how few are alive to all this! 18. "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints." Wisdom, revelation, and understanding, connected with knowledge, are needed, in order to enter into all this. The Ephesians were addressed as in a lower standing than the Thessalonians. They were "in God the Father." But here it is that "the Father of glory may give," etc. Paul asks these two things, wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, that they may be |