in their testimony: " they have corrupted themselves: their spot is not the spot of His children"; Philadelphian faithfulness is everywhere giving place to Laodicean lukewarmness and ignorance concerning the Truth of God and the doctrine of Christ. The hand of the Lord is manifestly stretched out in judgment upon the kingdoms of the world because of national apostasy and national sins. Yet His eye resteth upon the people of His choice, and His right arm effectually secures them from Babylonian defilement and Babylonian shame. From one end of the earth to the other come tidings of gracious revival and blessing, as the banner of the living Christ is being displayed, and His ransomed children are being drawn together, apart from sectarian fetters and sectarian influences, to recognise their oneness and portion in Him.

There can be no union in Christian work, and Christian testimony, pleasant and right in the eyes of the Lord, that is not first and essentially union in the Truth. The insignia on the Banner of Antichrist, inscribed by the hand of God Himself is, "Strong delusion and belief of the Lie" but the insignia on the Banner of Christ is― "Sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the Truth." (2 Thess. ii. 11, 13.) If we would see the Word of the Lord run and be glorified through us, we must be absolutely subject to that Spirit whose weapon that Word is, and who, because He is the Spirit of Christ, successfully opposes the spirit of antichrist-and, because He is the Spirit of Truth, successfully saves us from the deceits of Satan, and guides us into all the Truth of God.

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"The hour of trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth, assuredly approaching, and the call of Him who is holy and true-the Faithful and True Witness of the Holiness and Truth of God-to all whom His Father hath given Him out of the world, is—“ Behold, I come quickly; hold

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that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." (Rev. iii. 10, 11.) Forfeiture of the stephanos, or victor's crown, is the inevitable result of unfaithfulness to the Truth of God. We can have no assurance of having become partakers with Christ unless we "hold fast the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end." In the midst of abounding evil, every believer is therefore charged to

Hold Fast

i.e.

(1) The Faithful Word according to the teaching: according to the doctrine of Christ: the only sound method by which it is legitimate or possible to convict the gainsayers. (Titus i. 9, R.V.)

(2) The form of sound words:-the true pattern of healthy instruction in the things of God according to apostolic precedent. (2 Tim. i. 13.)

(3) Our profession :-our confession or acknowledgment of faith in the great High Priest who has passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God. (Heb. iv. 14.)

(4) The confession of our hope that it waver not: - knowing that He is faithful who hath promised-being fully persuaded that what He hath promised He is able also to perform. (Heb. x. 23, R.V.)

(5) The confidence and the rejoicing of our hope firm unto the end-the boldness or outspokenness concerning the hope in which it is our joy to glory. (Heb. iii. 6.)

(6) That which we have already :-the little strength for service: the faith and patience through which we have been enabled by grace to keep His Word, and not to deny His name. (Rev. ii. 25.)

(7) That which is good:-i.e. valuable or virtuous in the sight of God: that which is venerable and trueeven whatsoever is established as the Truth of God, in opposition to the Lie of Satan, according to the Scriptures of Truth. (1 Thess. v. 21.)

CHAPTER II.

RELIGION-NATURAL AND SPIRITUAL.

"That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”—JOHN iii. 6.

"The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."-1 CORINTHIANS ii. 14.

THERE are many systems of religion in the world,

but all the principles that govern and pervade them may be divided into two classes-natural and spiritual. There is a religious principle which has its origin in the heart of man; and there is a religious principle which has its origin in the heart of God. The one constitutes a Natural Religion; the other constitutes a Spiritual Religion.

Independent of all systems, sects and denominations, yet co-extensive with them all, we see that in the mind of God there are only two kinds of religion in the world. Just as the Bible divides all mankind in their relation to God into two classes, and two only: the saved and the unsaved; the children of God and the children of the Wicked One; so the Bible recognises only two kinds of religion: the religion of the natural man, and the religion of the spiritual man.

The word "religion" occurs but a very few times in the English version of the Scriptures, and these are in the New Testament. In one instance (Gal. i. 13, 14) it is the translation of a word which specifically refers to the "Jew's religion":-Joudaismos; that is the rites and ceremonies of Judaism. In the other instances it is the translation of a word (threskeia) which signifies a ceremonial observance, and which is applied both to

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the religion of the natural man, and the religion of the spiritual man.

In Acts xxvi. 5, Paul thus speaks of his religion before his conversion :-"After the most straitest sect of our religion, I lived a Pharisee." In Col. ii. 18 the same word is translated " worshipping":"Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels "—(Gk. "the religion of angels") -which Cruden paraphrases as follows:-" Do not imitate those who affect to humble themselves before the angels, and to pay them a superstitious worship."

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In James i. 26, 27 the religion of the natural man is contrasted with the religion of the spiritual man :-“ If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain. Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father, is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world."

This latter verse is often quoted as evidence that, irrespective of doctrine, it is a practical religion which is acceptable in the sight of God. Yet if the context be carefully read, it will be seen that there is just the same connection between doctrine and life here as in other places, and that a practical religion that is pure and undefiled in the eyes of God can only be manifested by those who have received with meekness the engrafted Word, which has saved their souls and established them in doctrinal truth.

In the language of the world, the word "religion" bears a variety of interpretations. The following five definitions of it are taken from Webster's dictionary:

(1) Religion, in a comprehensive sense, includes a belief in the being and perfections of God, in the revelation of His will to man, in man's obligations to obey His com

mands, in a state of reward and punishment, and in man's accountableness to God; and also, true godliness or piety of life, with the practice of all moral duties.

(2) Religion, as distinct from theology, is godliness or real piety in practice.

(3) Religion, as distinct from virtue or morality, consists in the performance of the duties we owe directly to God, from a principle of obedience to His will.

(4) Any system of faith and worship. (5) The rites of religion.

The use of the term in relation to professing Christianity, the Christian religion, i.e., the religion of the Bible,-may be taken to include both the inward thought and the outward expression of that relationship to God which is the result of the acceptance, either actually or professedly, of those facts and principles which constitute the articles of the Christian faith.

It is a significant fact that in the very forefront of the history of fallen humanity, we have "natural religion and "spiritual religion" brought together in direct antagonism and contrast. As soon as Adam and Eve have been banished from Eden, and the flaming sword has been placed at the gate turning every way to keep the way of the tree of life, the subject of inspiration is the all-important question-How can a guilty sinner find access into the presence of a holy God? Grace has provided the only way; but Nature in her blindness presumes to think she has found a way of her own.

We see two brothers growing up side by side: the two first men born into the world, Cain and Abel, sons of the same mother, and both professing worshippers of the one true God. Alike in their outward appearance it may be, but altogether dissimilar in heart, and desire, and life. "Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground." (Gen. iv. 2.)