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N honoured servant of God, eminent for the practical holiness of his life, used frequently to say, with a look of real distress, as he returned from listening to some excellent doctrinal sermon or lucid exposition of truth, "Large meshes! large meshes! This is the great fault of our evangelical teaching; nets with such large meshes will never do their work."

Often, since he went to his rest, are we reminded of these words as we listen to the subject of holiness brought before mixed audiences, both by ministers and laymen, with much loving earnestness. We hear consecration of heart and life pressed upon others by those who doubtless know it for themselves, but fail to explain what the words involve, or to point out dangers to be avoided, bad habits to be conquered, weak points to be strengthened, and practical precepts to be literally obeyed.

room for vagueness and admit of no possible excuses, are far removed from a style of language which deals with abstractions and, in not a few cases, resolves itself into sentiment.

We may be told that the true motive power once given, all the necessary consequences will follow; the mainspring set right, every wheel will move obediently and doubtless this is true. But local hindrances may clog the motion, while the propelling force is true; and accuracy will be maintained by minute provisions, as well as central power. What should we think of a train that started with a perfect locomotive and full steam power, but no rails to regulate its progress? Is it not thus in the spiritual life? The same Holy Ghost who gives the mighty impetus, provides the inspired guidance; the same Hand that unlocks the springs of the new life, points out the exact channels in which that life will find its outlet. Or, to speak more plainly, the convert, who is told to put off the old man" and "put on the new," is not left to discover what are the sins to be repudiated and what the graces to be manifested, but, with the directness of Scripture precept,

There is surely nothing superfluous in Scripture; and the fine nets of Bible teaching, the minuteness and directness which leave no

and "malice," natural to fallen man, are brought to light with their opposite virtues in specified contrast. The "corrupt communication" is forbidden, the words "to the use of

edifying" enjoined; the "bitterness" is "to be put away," the "tender-hearted" kindness taking its place; the "filthiness" and "foolish talking" and "jesting" to be replaced by the "giving of thanks," and all this in an epistle remarkable for the depth of its doctrinal teaching and the height of its spiritual revealings.

This is but a sample of New Testament morality, giving itself forth as the fruit and outcome of the new life-the Christ life spoken of in all its pages.

Shall we look at the "walk with God," the true holiness in its Old Testament form, and find the same lines laid down for a life of sanctified separation, though perhaps less of the hidden springs and Resurrection power revealed, because the Son of God was not yet manifested? But these precepts are still left for our guidance, and these minute directions. for our daily life, because He came not "to destroy, but to fulfil" all the previous declarations of His Father's will.

Let us take, for example, the Book of Proverbs, and picture to ourselves an individual, or a community, conforming exactly to its detailed instructions: would the result be suited or unsuited to a life of wholehearted consecration ? Would holiness be less developed and spirituality less free in its aspirations? Or may we not rather say that the Godly principle would be exhibited among men according to the pattern shown to its possessor in the mount of God and in the Word of God; communion and obedience closely linked together.

May we be allowed to select two plain, practical precepts out of the Book we have already named, as illustrations of the definite bearing of God's Word upon the regulation of every-day life. Often and often is it remarked that "good Christian people have no mercy upon those whose time is their bread," but keep them waiting for hours, or tell them to call again to suit their own convenience, when a simple order, or a few words of advice are all they require. One unambiguous precept of Holy Writ stands out before us to check this inconsistency. "Say not unto thy neigh

bour, Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give, when thou hast it by thee." The words that immediately precede these ought to correct a still more serious evil. "Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it." Again and again have we heard the sad remark from the small shopkeeper, or the toil worn dressmaker, "I should be in no difficulties if only I could get my money. Mr. owes me a large bill; Mrs. has promised to pay me, but I have been waiting for months and they are Christians too!" Surely those who bear that sacred Name are equally guilty whether they withhold that which is already in their hand, or lay themselves under a debt which they may be unable to discharge. Scriptural holiness touches the life of man or woman at every point.

One more lesson from the Book of God. We often mourn over heart-burnings and misunderstandings among those who ought to "love as brethren," a hasty sentence, or an exaggerated report, allowed to smoulder until the spark bursts into a flame, or to be carried from one to another, until "chief friends" are separated perhaps for life. Why is this of frequent occurrence among us? The overlooking of one plain command accounts for hundreds of such cases. "Debate thy cause with thy neighbour himself; and discover not a secret to another." The spark has fallen and it must be stamped out, the report has reached us and it must be dealt with. "If thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone; if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother." This is the counsel of the Master sounding in our cars, but "the duty is diffi cult and we are timid;" or, our brother is in the wrong and should make the first concession ;" or, " some one else might attempt conciliatory measures and make things easier for us!" Time goes on, the breach grows wider, "whisperers repeat the scandal," and the enemy gains a fearful advantage.

We might multiply instances of this preceptive teaching, reaching to every emergency, and touching all the hourly routine of

a Christian life, but we need scarcely add more to explain what we mean by "large meshes." Beautiful expressions and spiritual phraseology which may include all this instruction in the mind of the speaker, but are often a mere abstraction or vague generality in the ears of the hearer.

Numbers of sincere and well-meaning Christians are slipping through the meshes, both from their own ignorance of Scripture and the indefinite sounds to which they listen, which leave on their mind a shadowy picture of goodness with no sharp edges or

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defined forms. We want a Christianity which digs deep for its foundation and rises high in its superstructure, soaring in its aspirations and minute in its details-a Christianity which takes the Bible alike into its devotions and its business transactions.

May God teach us that the Book which makes us "wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus, is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works."

ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS IN OUR LAST NUMber.

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I. The question was suggested (a) partly by the difficulty, which the writer (in common with some who have attempted these questions) had often felt as to the title Generations of the Heavens and the Earth, considered as representing the contents of Gen. ii. 4 to end of v.; and (b) partly by the comment of Rashi on Gen. ii. 7, "And he breathed into his nostrils," etc. "He made him from the things below, and from the things above-body from the things below, and spirit from the things above." The remark suggested the thought that our fallen world—and in fact the fall itself-was the result of a certain combination of things visible and invisible. The battle field of these various forces was man. His bodily desires, and the tree of knowledge, and the serpent were the means of bringing forth sin. The Lord God who formed him of the dust of the ground, intended that through probation by things below, he should rise to things above. For the time, however, probation seemed to bring forth failure.

From above there came the promise of redemption, not immediate, but in "the fulness of time." The mixture of good and evil which "this present evil world displays " was the outcome, "the generations, of the heavens and the earth." The moral world, as depicted in Gen. iv., is not so very different from that in which we now live.

2. Probation by temptation was part of the plan of man's life in Paradise, "The tree of knowledge of good and evil" was within the reach of our first parents. The tempter was not shut out of the garden. But without Divine permission, he could not have entered in.

3. From the fact that God placed man in a world where temptation was possible, we learn (a) as to the

fall, that it was conceivable, as a contingency, and therefore, in the Divine foreknowledge, was a thing foreseen; (b) as to redemption, that the cost of it must have been reckoned, if the Creator intended to carry out His expressed purpose, "Let us make man, after our likeness, and let them have dominion." Therefore our Redeemer is "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." (c) As to the Divine foreknowledge of the fall and of redemption, it is unquestionable. The only question is, whether the circumstances narrated could have produced any other result; as the resistance of man to temptation, and his growth in holiness by Divine intercourse and training, without any previous fall into sin. Upon this question, we are, perhaps, incompetent judges. It raises the further problem, which the writer has never felt himself able to solve, whether the common assumption as to the existence of unfallen angels is correct. Can a responsible finite being, who has never known sin, be eternally fixed in the choice of holiness? If so, his holiness is apparently either necessary and mechanical, or else Divine. But man in his final destiny is set above angels. And if angels are unfallen by the law of their creation, why are they clothed in white raiment? Sinless man needed no clothing. White raiment is the covering of redemption for pardoned sin. It is easy to raise questions on what might have been," which take us out of our depth. "The secret things belong unto the Lord our God; but those things which are revealed belong unto us." And He hath "called us unto His kingdom and glory."

4. To grow in likeness to our Maker means the formation of a character which is "holy and just and good." We know of no character except that which