But such is flesh! The effect of the law upon Christ was very different. The law was against every man except Himself—but so far from its being against Him it did Him honour. It was, to a certain extent, a description of Himself; for, having no sin in His flesh, he could obey the law, and He found it a path for His feet, and walked in it perfectly all His lifetime here below. But what was the effect of the law upon Christ? The light which was in Him, to which, in its measure, the law did homage, showed Him also man's state of rebellion and his coming judgment; and this was sorrow to his heart. Instead, therefore, of its being to him a pleasure to judge others, his heart was full of sorrow on their account; and He gave Himself for them.

May the children of God judge themselves in this also; whether the effect of the light of the ruin, and apostasy, has been to them the means of self-exaltation, or of profound humiliation, for the dishonour done to God and to Christ (in which we have our full part), and for the state of ruin amidst which the objects of divine affection are found. Are the histories of the church fables? Or, however defective, are they the writings of sober men? And are we to learn a lesson from them? Has there been a need, felt, owned, acted upon, for the reformation, in order to bring afresh into due prominency the foundations of the faith. Is it true that there are churches many and opposed to each other, and yet, amidst the wide choice, there seems to be none which, in the world's dotage, will suffice for either rationalist or religious? If I speak these things as a man, according to man's range of thought, there is enough to condemn and humble. But if I see in scripture predictions of such a state of things and of God's judgment upon it, I ought, I admit, to be thankful for the light of His precious_word, but I ought to be humbled on account of it. It is a privilege, no doubt, to have the light by which I know these things beforehand, but what can I say of the sin itself all around me; sin which God has predicted, which He is about to judge sin which I cannot remedy-sin of the body of which I find myself a part? I ought to humble

myself: I do humble myself before God, and with so much the more of liberty of spirit and heart, because He has given me grace to see that He is for me, spite of all. But can I stop there? No, I must announce it to the children of God. But if I announce it, it is not, certainly, as a glory, nor as a distinctive privilege. There may be some that have ears to hear, though there are many who deny and reject this truth. But can one be content, can one boast over the ignorance of those who will not regard it? No. That would not be like Christ nor like His Spirit. Christ has no pleasure in such things; nor can His Spirit in him who, while he feels the privilege of truth possessed, lose sight of the fact of individual fellowship with the system about to be judged. If I am of the church, as a body on earth which has failed, my distinctive privilege, in regard to the sad truth of ruin all around, consists in readiness, while vindicating God and condemning man, to humble myself for all, to confess the sin of those who cannot see it, and to bewail their loss and the dishonour done to Christ by their state.

I would that the experience of Jeremiah were now ours; and I freely confess, that I fear God does not see the state of soul suitable to the light He has given us in His word. God forbid, that any of us should find in that sad truth of the ruin, a subject of self-exaltation, as if we were not livingly interested in, and forming part of, what is ruined, and as if the honour of Christ and the blessedness of His people were not involved. That the revivals of late in Europe have always been connected with such humiliation of spirit, and that they stop when the sense of blessing given has led, in any place, to forgetfulness of that state of humiliation,-a sense of which, first brought with it the blessing,—is a fact of large deduction.

Again, that the truth of the Lord's return should be recognised as the only true hope of the church, and that the man of God should find therein his joy and consolation is good and altogether according to the will of God. Also, that a child of God should taste the love of God in the fact, that, in a day like the present, this hope

should be his own portion to enjoy, is easily understood; but that this truth should produce in us nothing but joy, is not true. This truth casts its light upon a dark world in rebellion against Christ, which has grieved and vexed His Holy Spirit, and is lying under the of power the wicked one. Its light reveals many a sad cell of darkness in the world's church; and if one contrasts the days of its infant joyfulness with those of its old age, what a force and energy in the one, what folly and decrepitude are now visible in the other! Is it the same body? Alas! it is the same body which was set in witness, in the responsibility of witness,-on the day of Pentecost; but, taken possession of by an adversary, it can scarcely be recognised for the same. was the place of the manifested presence of God, heavenly, full of love, apart from the world, a constant judge of the flesh and of all the devices of Satan. Are these the features which we trace now? I see not how the soul which loves Christ which loves the members of His body to whom His honour is dear, can avoid, in the light of the hope of His return, feeling that there is much to humble, all around, though that hope will bring with it the position of the highest individual blessedness.

It

To individualise that hope down to the measure of one's own future joy, and to forget to enjoy it in sympathy with the heart of Christ, which takes in God and all that is dear to Him, is not a proof of manhood in any.

We are Christ's, and, as so blessed of God, we have to own responsibility to His name on the earth; and, as led by the Spirit of Christ, have to feel for His honour and name, and not merely to seek our own individual joy and

comfort.

As God has bowed down in grace and mercy to us, they that are in the Spirit find it easy and natural to themselves to bow down in humiliation before Him and for one another. For self is abased in the presence of grace. The flesh, however, will shew itself in another way, and either not feel the need of humiliation or, admitting it, be occupied in demanding humiliation from others, rather than interpose itself to bear the

burden. To deny the suitability of humiliation, and not to feel that which produces it, is one and the same thing as forgetfulness of that supreme fulness of grace which has found us, notwithstanding the misery of the fallen state of all around. It shows a want of sympathy with the heart of Christ, in respect of that which is to Him such dishonouring ruin. On the other hand, to be occupied with pressing that others should humble themselves, is not a proper expression of the sense of our ́own failure, nor of our own state of weakness. For if all have need to confess, and if we are in a low estate, who am I, to take a position of strength and to demand of others humiliation, instead of humbling myself before God, and for them if need be. No: I can, in very humbleness, and in the sense of ruin and weakness, humble myself for my own part in the evil, and for the sins of others, and then rest counting upon God to do what still remains to be done. Whereunto we have already attained, let us mind the same thing, let us walk by the same rule; and if in any matter, a man be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto him.

FRAGMENT.

LEADING HEADS OF PSALMS.

PSALM Vi.-Righteousness expressed in deep sorrow and bitterness under chastisement from the Lord. This bitter indeed, because joy and communion with the Lord is hindered; but in the spirit of righteousness, the appeal is to the mercy of the Lord. In that day the enemies of the righteous prevailed; but when the chastisement was past, then too did their power

cease.

Mark the difference between the bitter experience in this Psalm, because it was the Lord, and the uninterrupted joy of Psalms iii. iv., because it was only man; and therefore joy and communion with the Lord was unhindered. This intelligence is very blessed. It is the very contrast with unrighteous men; communion is unknown to them, the want of it is no sorrow; but they have no escape to the sanctuary in the day of trial at the hand of man, and under this they sink,

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No XIX.

THE LAMB'S WIFE.

IN the Apocalypse, the Lord is much spoken of as "the Lamb"-a title which suggests the thought of suffering and atonement. But in this Book of the Apocalypse, He is neither suffering nor doing the work of atonement. All that is over and perfected, as we know; He is rather exercising Himself in His strength, judging and conquering. This may, therefore, at first surprise us, that He should so generally, in the progress of the action in this Book, be called "the Lamb." But, like all else in the oracles of God, this is only beautiful and perfect in its way and season, when considered a little.

Redemption is conducted by either blood or power. The blood of our Redeemer, or our kinsman, acts towards God, as I may express it, His power acts against Satan. The blood of Christ ransoms us from the righteous judgment or demand of God; the power of Christ rescues us from the captivity of Satan.

This is sure and simple; but, then, there could be no rescue or deliverance from Satan, if there had not been a ransom given or paid to God. And hence it is, that our Redeemer gets His title to go forth and deliver, from the blood which He had shed to atone; and thus, in the Apocalypse, where He is acting as our Redeemer by power, He is ever kept in sight as "the Lamb."a

We are all, I may say, familiar in our thoughts with

The ordinance of the jubilee gives us something kindred with this. The trumpet which announced its approach was sounded on the day of atonement. That is, all the restoring virtues of that mystic 50th year was declared to derive itself out of the atonement or cross of Christ, from the act of reconciliation to God through the blood of Calvary (see Lov. xxv.) So the stone and shepherd of Israel comes from the sorrowing Joseph, who had been hit by the archers (Gen. xlix.)