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sinners, dead in trespasses and sins, He would elect some to be in His presence, holy and blameless, in the blessed relationship of sons, who or what can hinder? Who shall disannul the eternal purpose of God? Where is the power that shall frustrate His plans?

The christian reader will do well to get a very firm grasp of the truth on which we have been dwelling. It is the eternal purpose of God to have us in His presence, "holy and without blame." And not only so, but it is the joy of His heart to have us there before Him. We hear Him saying, "It is meet we should make merry and be glad."

The sense of this must assure the heart and set it at perfect liberty. "Perfect love casteth out fear." God would not have us in His presence with a single trace of fear or misgiving in our hearts. He must have us perfectly at home, perfectly at ease; and therefore He makes us fit to be there.

But we must remember that it cost God something to carry out His purpose, and gratify His heart with respect to us. For we were sinners-guilty, ruined, hell-deserving sinners-" Dead in trespasses and sins," "Walking according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the Spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience; among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others."

Now, the question is, how can a holy, sin-hating God, who is of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on iniquity-how can such an One have to

do with us? If He cannot allow a single taint of sin in His holy presence, how can we be there? The enemy would raise this question. He would use the truth of divine holiness and human guilt and vileness, as an insuparable barrier to the carrying out of God's eternal purpose, to have us in His presence, "holy and without blame."

But, blessed for ever be the God of all grace! He has, triumphantly and gloriously, answered this question. He has removed every barrier, and silenced, for ever, the enemy and the avenger. "God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son." And, then, we have the other side of this great subject, Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up."

"As

Here, the full, glorious truth shines before us. The Son of God was given-given in love-perfect love. But, the Son of man was lifted up-in righteousness— perfect righteousness. This is the solid foundation of the whole matter. God loved the world; but sin must be judged, must be utterly and eternally condemned. It will not do to take up merely one side of this stupendous question; we must have both. If God were to bring us to heaven in our sins, where were the righteousness? If He were to send us to hell, because of our sins, where were the love?

Mark the answer- -the glorious answer to the question-the triumphant solution of the difficulty! God gave His Son, in love, and bruised Him, in righteousness. He loved the world, but He hated sin; and when we behold the Son of God and Son of man hanging on the tree, we read, in characters divinely deep and broad,

God's love to sinners, and His eternal hatred and condemnation of sin. "Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God."

Yes, reader, sin must be punished, must be judged, must be eternally banished from the divine presence; and hence, ere ever God's marvellous counsels of grace could be carried into effect-ere ever His purpose could be made good, He had to give forth from His bosom, the Son of His love, and bruise Him on Calvary's cursed tree. Thus it is that "grace reigns through righteousness, unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord."

Magnificent utterance ! The very gist and marrow of the gospel! "Grace reigns"-not at the expense of but "through righteousness;" and this, "unto eternal life;" and all, "by Jesus Christ our Lord." The Lord be praised for such "a Solid Foundation.",

A SONG AMIDST THE SHADOWS.

"Until the day break and the shadows flee away, turn my beloved, and be thou like a roe, or a young hart upon the mountains of division." (Marg.) Song of Solomon ii. 17.

"He saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them and about the fourth watch of the night He cometh unto them. and saith unto them, Be of good cheer: it is I be not afraid."

:

"These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world." John xvi. 33.

"Is it well?... and she answered, It is well." 2 Kings iv. 26.

SORROW and trial, Lord, Thou'st said
Must be our portion here:

And to Thy word our hearts would bow,
E'en though it cost us dear;

The darkest cloud will beam with light,

If Thou, Lord, drawest near!

"Tis well"! E'en though our path should lie
Through trials sore and deep;
And from our seeds of earthly joy,
A harvest sad, we reap!

Not always theirs the happiest lives,
Who never need to weep!

Earth's fairest things must pass away,
The sweetest and the best

We must be taught how vain to seek
On earth continued rest:

To draw some flowers' fragrance forth,
They must be sorely press'd!

'Tis well we should be free from earth,
'Tis better, happier far:

E'en though through life's long stormy night,
We see no cheering star;

"Well"; if we mount to heaven upon
Affliction's fiery car!

It needs, our souls should pant, and yearn-
And earthly streams grow dry,

And in our greatest depth of need,
No more our wants supply-
To find the unfailing fountain head,
Soul thirst to satisfy!

And blessed is the "want" which makes
Our hearts from this world flee;
And when the earthly pitcher breaks,
The heavenly light to see;

Blessed the storm, however dark,
Which drives us nearer Thee.

O Abba, Father; Saviour-God!
Such sorrows must be blest;
FAITH Owns amidst the darkest scenes

Thou'rt working for the best.

And in Thy wisdom as Thy love,

Our hearts find perfect rest!

A. S. O.

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CORRESPONDENCE.

81. "M. H.," Twickenham. "The day of visitation" in 1 Peter ii. 12, refers to any dealing of the hand of God with unconverted people. You may often see the truth of this passage illustrated. When worldly people get into trouble, they often betake themselves to the Lord's people-to the very persons against whom they had spoken evil. When the rich man lifted up

his eyes in hell, he begged that Lazarus might be sent to minister to him. The principle is of very wide

application.

82. "W. G.," Merthyr. Scripture is silent on the point. You must simply wait on God to give you unity of judgment. Do not force anything, but cultivate a meek and lowly spirit. The Lord will make it all plain before you, if the eye be single. It is good, safe, and pleasant to wait on Him. May He graciously bind your hearts together in true brotherly love, and then you will delight to yield to one another, where there is no divine principle involved. We should just like to give you all, as a sweet portion for your own souls, Psalm cxxxiii. and Philippians ii. May you ever realise and illustrate these precious scriptures!

83. " Cipher." We are much struck with your signature. May you ever, in the sense of your own nothingness, abide at the right side of your significant figure; thus you will be peaceful, happy, safe, strong, victorious.

As to your question, there is some difference between "regeneration" and " new birth.' The former occurs only twice in the Greek New Testament, namely, in Matthew xix. 28: "In the regeneration (waλieveσia), when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory." Here the word obviously refers to the new order of things which shall obtain when our Lord Christ takes the kingdom. Now, we could not apply

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