to notice and choose such, and draw them to Christ. SUNDAY MORNING, JANUARY 11, 1874. "Then said Jesus unto those Jews who believed in Him, If ye continue in My Word then shall ye be my disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free." -JOHN viii. 31, 32. It was usual with the Lord Jesus Christ to speak of things according to the truths of God, both as affecting those who were hearers of the Word only, and as affecting those who were "doers of the Word and not hearers only." Sometimes He would say, "Why call ye me Master and Lord, and do not the things which I say?" Again, "Not everyone that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven." And hence the Holy Spirit inspired James to urge the importance of being "doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving your ownselves." Hence in all things is set before us the distinction between the word of life, and every false way. Here the line is drawn; and there the line is drawn. Here, the Holy Ghost tells us, is the way of life, which " is above to the wise, to depart from Hell beneath;" and that we are either going downward or going upward. Naturally all are going downward, but if we are drawn upward we are leaving the world and going to Jesus Christ. Some of the Jews were repeatedly calling in question what He said, and seeking a sign—something which could give satisfaction to their natural mind. Jesus Christ gave His reply in those words which would show us, if we are taught of God, that all the religion of Jesus Christ is opposed and contrary to nature. "The wisdom of the world is foolishness to God." Everthing which belongs to this must fall before God. The present practise of men in a profession is to cut and carve the truth of God to please the natural mind; but that won't stand. "Let God be true, and every man a liar." Nothing short of the work of God will stand. Jesus Christ is drawing the line here. He said to those Jews who believed on Him, "If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed," and the sequel shows that the faith of many (though they believed on Him) was not of God, not saving faith; because they were ignorant of their need of a Saviour: they could save themselves; they were ignorant of their natural bondage: they manifested for a time a consenting to the words of Christ, but their hearts had not been prepared, not dug by God; and they endured but for a time. Hence they said, We, the children of Abraham, we, the temple of the Lord, we were never in bondage to any man; how sayest thou we shall be made free? Now, if it is not a similar spirit this damning spirit of pride-which prevails amongst professors, both Church people and Dissenters, I know not what it is. God grant it may not prevail with any of us; God purge us from thinking more highly of ourselves than we ought to think. effect of God's teaching is to kill us that we may be made alive, to make us the beggar on the dunghill that we may be lifted up and set among the princes of His people. Then, if we are so taught, what a humbling lesson! Such can never say "Stand by thyself, come The not near to me, I am holier than thou." The Spirit of God 66 Seldom moves a man to say No; rather to say, Why me? "Why was I made to hear Thy voice, While thousands make a wretched choice, God taught Jacob this lesson; hence he said, "I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which Thou hast showed unto thy servant." David also learned it. "Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that Thou hast brought me hitherto ?" Now, what have we learned of this? It is good to remember these examples, that there may be a coming to the spirits of just men, made perfect. Look at Abraham, the father of the faithful, who was called the friend of God-"I am but dust and ashes." Surely his children would have the same spirit, and would do the works of Abraham "they that are of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." This is faith which conforms to the image of God's dear Son, to which they are predestinated. He "made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled Himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." We need not wonder that the Holy Ghost inspired the Apostle to urge, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus." There was just the opposite mind in the Jews-" We were never in bondage to any man, and how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free ?" 66 Then said Jesus to those Jews who believed on Him, If ye continue in My Word, then are ye My disciples indeed," evidently proving that where there is continuance in the Word of God, there has been a vital change made in the heart. Such have been born again, “by the word of God, that liveth and abideth for ever; that the root of the tree or plant is made manifest by the fruit. It is as if He said, If you bear those fruits, there SO in will be the proof that My word has taken possession of your heart, and that it is I that reign there as your God and your salvation. It is God the Spirit who takes possession of the heart and kindles those new desires, which no others are partakers of. "The words I speak nnto you, are spirit and are life.' This foundation, if laid in the heart, cannot be destroyed. "If the foundation," of these living words spoken in the heart, "be destroyed, what can the righteous do?" "This is the word, which by the Gospel is preached unto you." 'Now, when God puts this into the soul, the effect of it will surely be, as said in the nineteenth Psalm, "converting the soul" from what it is by nature, to what it is by the Spirit of God; and those who have that vital change know the word of God as a word of truth-"profitable for reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness.” "Now what in holy writ He says, In part or in the whole, The selfsame truths, by various ways, He teaches in the soul." But we often feel a coldness and indifference in the soul, an evil heart of unbelief, departing from the living God. How then do matters stand with us? Put gold in one scale, and the fear of God in the other-put earthly ricnes in one scale, and the blessedness of being a child of God in the other, and which would weigh the heaviest ? This would soon test us, whether we are warned by these things or not. It was quite visible in Noah's case, in Moses's case, and others. How much better is it to have our eyes attracted to unseen objects, than to be looking at things that are seen; "for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things that are not seen are eternal." As it is God only who puts this into the heart, it is God alone who keeps it up; and he will keep it up. It is God's work, and God's work is perfect; and if there is a continuing in the word of God in the exercise of our souls, there is a crying, a longing, a panting after the promises of God in the blessed substance of them; but "who can understand his errors ?" "If ye continue in My Word, then shall ye be My disciples indeed." If Jesus says this, it will not turn, in the living soul, on the powers of nature; but it will turn back, on the power from whence it comes, -Lord teach me; make me a continuer in thy Word. "This people," He says, "have I formed for Myself; they shall show forth My praise." He will not give His glory to another. Do you want to take a little of it? This is wandering from God, departing from the living God. "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God; but exhort one another daily, lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." You and I are either on the one side of the line or the other. That we are prone to evil, inheriting such a nature as we do, is a truth; but all the evil is condemned by the Spirit of God, and will sooner or later be condemned by us; and we shall be thankful for the putting forth of his power, and for whatever means He may be pleased to use, to bring us to Him. "If ye continue in My Word," that is in every part of the teaching of His Spirit, then, "as new born babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby." The continuance may be summed up in being brought to call upon the name of the Lord. "This is the generation of them that seek Thee." I once knew a young man who had listened to some things spoken, and said, "I have prayed, and cried, and done all I could to obtain mercy, and all is of no use, and now I have given it up." I felt the following words, and my reply was something to the same effect, "Everyone that asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh findeth, and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened." He was discouraged and gave up; but if our seeking be by grace, we are made to lay hold on the power, wisdom, mercy, and grace of God, and shall be taught to sing from the heart "Grace taught my soul to pray, And pardoning love to know; 'Twas grace that kept me to this day, K |