THE WORD OF GOD.

THE child of God needs no human testimony to convince him that the Scriptures are the Word of God. They so fit into his daily experience, and take up the thoughts and feelings of his mind, that he is conscious that the Author must be the living God. For He only could thus speak of the secrets of his heart, and the inmost recesses of his soul. He finds his joy and peace flow only in the channel where they are said to flow. His sorrows come as the appointed way is departed from. Man, the world, and the things that are seen, are found to be exactly that which the Word

describes them to be. So perfectly true is the statement, that their emptiness and uncertainty are every day painfully experienced.

Further, the simple way in which Scripture history, prophecy, and promise are given, shews the fidelity of the Writer; while all the parts, from the beginning to the end, are so interwoven as to present one perfect and harmonious whole. Which fact demonstrates, beyond a question, that although many channels of communication were employed, and at various times, and under widely different circumstances, yet, that one mastermind suggested and arranged the whole. This being so, it is evident that the Author can be none other than the only wise God Himself. How true then are these inspired words, "Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet

done, saying, my counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure" (Is. xlvi. 9, 10).

Precious book! God's inspiration! Oh! that thou wert my only lamp, my constant light. Oh! that my feet were ever directed to keep thy precepts, and my heart to trust thy promises.

The word of God is something to be received and listened to as well as studied. We may ask for, and with meekness receive teaching by the Holy Ghost, as well as apply our minds in searching the Scriptures. The word is for the conscience not less than the understanding. Many forget this to a degree, and thus come to regard the word almost exclusively as a thing about which their mind must work, and thus, in result, come to force their own meaning upon it, instead of waiting upon the Lord to open their understandings by His Spirit. When we come to the Scriptures of God it should be in this spirit, "Speak, Lord, for Thy servant heareth," as sheep who hear the Shepherd's voice and follow Him; they know His voice, they know when He speaks. "To obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams." We want our ears wakened morning by morning. True, the word is for study; but oh! what grace is needed to keep the mind in meekness of waiting and reception, lest we go beyond, or fall short of the Lord's word, lest we force, or distort, or trample upon it. Surely all the divisions and strifes among Christians-those schisms in the body-which are our disgrace, and doubtless are our shame, are more or less traceable to a state of insubjection to the WORD -a disposition of impatience, or self-sufficiency—a want

of meekness to receive the Lord's teaching. We do not properly remember that it is God's word, and not man's. If we remembered this as we ought, we should come to the word like one who said, "My soul standeth in awe of Thy word;" and so solemn should we feel it to be that we should be afraid of disputing with one another about its meaning it would be our grief and shame to hear Christians arguing for and against this view and that view, and more deeply so at witnessing their unholy joy when one triumphs over another. God's word tries us in more ways than one, and though it is all plain to him that understandeth, it tries the posture of our souls much in waiting, and listening, and receiving. May the Lord keep our hearts, and those of the most advanced, in meek waiting upon Him for instruction; for the meek He will guide in judgment, the meek He will teach His way.

CHRIST THE ESSENCE OF THE SCRIPTUres. How I wish for myself, and desire to fix it on the consciences of others, that the one thing needful is the knowledge of CHRIST (John. xvii. 2). Many seem to think that when they believe in Jesus, and are resting in His atoning death, they know all; but joy and peace are to be multiplied through a growing acquaintance with CHRIST (1 Pet. i. 2). Every leaf of the Bible testifies of CHRIST: it is like a rose that is just opening under the genial warmth of the sun; each separate leaf emits the fragrance of the rose: the rose is not perfect without each leaf, and each leaf has fragrance only as being a part of the whole rose; so with the Bible, it is the testimony of JESUS in every leaf. HE is

the very essence of the written word; it has no value, no savour, apart from HIM; and when our hearts are really alive to discover CHRIST, to learn CHRIST, then, through the Spirit's teaching, each chapter will be fragrant with the perfume of His Name.

"Wouldest thou know that the matters contained in the word of Christ are real things? Then never read them for mere knowledge sake, Look for some beams of Christ's glory in every verse. Account nothing knowledge, but as it is seasoned with some revelation of the glorious presence of Christ by His quickening Spirit. Use no conference about spiritual truths for conference sake, but still mind the promoting of edification. Use not duties for custom and mere service sake, but for nearer communion with God." -Dorney.

CONFESSION.-Confession, to be effectual, must be sincere and from the heart. How few of us there are who like to confess our own peculiar failings; and of those that do, there are still fewer who act as though they believed what they confess. But real confession, when the Spirit of God makes our sin a burden to us, is not only a duty, but a relief also. By making a conscience, and a daily business of confession, under the prayerful meditation of the Word of God, we may save ourselves much sorrowful experience. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John i. 9.) "I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin" (Ps. xxxii. 5).

NOAH AND HIS SONS.

GEN. ix. 8-29.

THIS passage presents some serious instruction. Noah received his name through the spirit of prophecy (Gen. v. 29). He found grace in the eyes of the Lord. He was a just man, and perfect in his generations. He walked with God (Gen. vi. 8, 9). God's testimony concerning him was, "Thee have I seen righteous before Me." "He was a preacher of righteousness;" and by faith," warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house, by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith" (Heb. xi. 7). Coming out of the ark his sacrifice is accepted. God blesses him and establishes the covenant, of which the rainbow was a token, between Him and every living creature that came out of the ark. Notwithstanding all this present grace, Noah falls into open sin. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. But by means of all this does God take occasion to open a great mystery. The sin of Noah is the means of discovering what sort of a heart was in his son Ham. The godliness of the father, training up his children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, would check and restrain, though it could not change the evil nature of Ham, but at length it breaks out. In Ham and Japheth we see produced the peaceable fruits of righteousness; they anticipate in their doings the first commandment with promise, Honour thy father, &c. Ham's deed is not without its significance. It marks a heart filled with bitterest hatred and scorn, destitute altogether of that