There is a friend that sticketh closer | than a brother, Prov. xvii. 24 ; Jno. xv. 14. He wondered that there was no intercessor, Isa. lix. 16. He ever liveth to make intercession. Heb. vi. 25. He hath made Him to be sin for us who knew no sin, 2 Cor. v. 20. Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more, Heb. x. 17; Micah vii. 19. The Son of Man came to give His life a ransom for many, Matt. xx. 28. None of them can redeem his brother, Psa. Ixix. 7. I have redeemed thee, Isa. xliv. 22-24. Nor give to God a ransom for him. Psa. xlix. 7. Neither wilt Thou suffer Thine Holy One to see corruption, Psa. xvi. 10. For I know that my Redeemer liveth and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth, etc., Job xix. 25-27. MRS. MENY. Up and down. ver. 26. Quiet. ver. 30. Great waters. ver. 22. Their desired haven. ver. 30. MRS. M. GOD'S ARM. Thou hast with Thine arm redeemed Thy people. Psalm 1xxvii. 15. A mighty arm. Psalm lxxxix. 13. A strengthening arm. Psalm lxxxix. 21; Luke i. 51. A holy arm. lii. 10. x. 6. li. 5. Hast thou an arm like God? Job xl. 9. He shall hide me. Thy hidden ones. Psalm lxxxiii. 3. Col. iii. 3. Ye shall be hid. Zeph. ii. 3. Thou shalt hide them. Psalm xxxi. 20. xxxii. 7. Psalm SHARERS WITH CHRIST. In wealth. Rom. viii. 17; 1 Cor. i. 5. In joy. John xv. II. In sufferings. Phil. iii. 10. In glory. I Thess. ii. 12; 1 Cor. xv. 43; Phil. iii. 21. Miss MCP. CONTRAST AND SIMILARITY OF CHRIST'S TEACHING. Lengthened interview between one of the most respectable and one of the least respectable. John iii. and iv. Specially useful to us in noticing Christ's different dealing, and yet it is the same truth that saves. Jno. iii. iv. A man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, came to Jesus Psalm xcviii. I; Isaiah by night and said unto Him, Rabbi we know that thou art a teacher. John iii. A woman of Samaria-no name given -she a sinner, I must needs go through Samaria. Sixth hour-noon. The woman saith unto him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. John iv. Christ does not waste time but comes at once to the root of the matter. "Ye must be born again.' "IIe would have given thee living water." Both make the same mistake, thinking it literal birth and water. How can a man? hast thou that living water? Christ reiterates the truth three times: Born again, verses 3, 5, 7. Water, thrice in verse 14. From whence then Contrasts between earthly and heavenly, and culminating in everlasting life. Born of the flesh is flesh. Drinketh of this water shall thirst again. Born of the Spirit is spirit. Come, see a man. Search. Result. Unbelief, ridicule. A great company of priests were obedi- They went out of the city and came to Him. She has the honor of being Christ's first missionary. Results-Many of the Samaritans believed on Him, for the saying of the woman. Many more believed because of His own word. See also Acts viii. 5, 6. MISS E. BILBROUGH. SCRIPTURE CONTRASTS. In me (that is, no good thing. in my flesh), dwelleth Rom. vii. 18. Ye are For in Him dwell. Water that I shall give him shall never complete in Christ. thirst. But have everlasting life. And this not purchased or earned, but given. eth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. Col. ii. 9, 10. There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus. God so loved the world that He gave. Rom. viii, 1. We must all appear beIf thou knewest the gift of God. fore the judgment seat of Christ. (That One of the first consequences of talk-is, the believer cannot come into judg ing with Jesus. Ignorance shewn. Art thou a master of Israel and know-ment or condemnation; but his works, est not these things? Ye worship ye know not what. Sin revealed. This is the condemnation, men loved darkness rather than light. Go call thy husband and come hither. Faith the ground work. as a believer, must be manifested before the judgment seat of Christ, as the context implies.) 2 Cor. v. 10. Without Me ye can do nothing. John xv. 5. I can do all things through Christ, which strengtheneth me. Phil. iv. 13. Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to Believe and believeth seven times to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace. 2 Tim. i. 9. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. Phil. ii. 12, 13. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. John xvii. 16. Use the world, as not abusing it. I Cor. vii. 31. Wherefore, let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 1 Cor. X. 12. I give unto them (My sheep) eternal life, and they shall never perish. The woman at once boldly among hers. John x. 28, II TAIN GLORY. Draw not nigh hither; put off thy | MOUNTAIN GLOOM AND MOUNshoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. Exod. iii. 5. Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith. Heb. x. 19, 22. For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Heb. x. 4. The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin. I John i. 7. Sin dwelleth in me. Rom. vii. 17. He that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. I John iv. 16. He weakened My strength in the way. Ps. cii. 23. The mighty God. Isaiah ix. 6. Upholding all things by the Word of His power. Heb. i. 3. A Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief. Isaiah liii. 3. These things have I spoken unto you, that My joy might remain in you. John xv. II. In His days shall the righteous flourish. Ps. lxxii. 7. In the world ye shall have tribulation. John xvi. 33. and The mountains of Scripture will repay the climber. MORLEY PUNSHON. 1. Aaarat.-Sin, and sorrow, saving grace. Gen. vii. 1 ; viii. 1, 15-22. The typical sacrifice. Gen. xxii. 14. 2. Moriah. 3. Horeb.-The call of Moses. Exodus ii. 10, 12. 4. Sinai.-God and man face to face. Exodus xxxiv. 28-35. 5. Pisgah.-Visions of home. Deut. iii. 27. 6. Nebo.-Rest for the weary. Deut. xxxiv. 1, 8. 7. Carmel.-The battle of the Gods. I Kings xviii. 21. 8. Mount of Transfiguration.-Divine fellowships. Mark ix. 2, 8. 9. Calvary. Glory breaking through the gloom. Matt, xxvii. 45. 10. Olivet.-Memories and anticipaT. W. HANDford. tions. Acts i, 12. SABBATH OBSERVANCE. The Sabbath must be remembered. Ex. xx. 8. xx. 8. The Sabbath must be hallowed. Ex. The Sabbath must be secure from ordinary secular occupation-day of rest. Ex. xx. 9. The Sabbath must be employed in divine worship, private and public. Isa. lxvi. 23; Acts xx. 7. The Sabbath must be hailed as honorable of the Lord, and held in delight as a day of gladness. Isa. lviii. 13; Psa. cxviii. 24; Acts xx. 7; 1 Cor. x. 16, The Sabbath must not be dishonored by frivolous recreation or pleasure. Isa. lviii, 13. The Sabbath must not be disturbed by unseemly noise and tumult. Hab. ii. 20; Matt. xxiv, 20; Heb. iv. 9. The Sabbath must not be outraged by gala spectacles, etc. Isa. lviii. 13; I's. lxv. 1, 2, 4, 7. THE SABBATH. It must not be profaned by traffic for gain. Neh. xiii. 15-22; Isa. lviii. 13; John ii. 13, 17. It must not be polluted by any vice or dissipation. Isa. lvi. 2. It may be used in acts of social intercourse, imperative travel, visiting the prisoner, sick or poor in religious instruction or charity. Matt. xii. 13; Luke xiii. 10, 17; xxiv. 13, 31. It may be employed in any work of necessity or mercy. Mark ii. 23, 28. VERY SHORT AND VERY LONG. There are some things very short, and some things very long. God in His Word tells us of both of these, and bids us look at them. 1. Life is very short. God speaks of it as a shadow, I Chron. xxix. 15; a weaver's shuttle, Job vii. 6; a flower, Psalm ciii. 15; a leaf, Isa. lxiv. 6; a handbreadth, Ps. xxxix. 5; a vapour, Jas. iv. 14; a sleep, Ps. cx. 5; a flood, Psa, cx. 5. Is not life then short? If it be like these, it must be short indeed. 2. Time is very short. It is made up of many lives, yet it is short. The time is short, says Paul, 1 Cor. viii. 29; the world passeth away, says John, 1 John A few years will end all. ii. 17. 3. The sinner's joy is short. It is but for a moment, says Job, xx. 5. The fashion of this world passeth away, I Cor. vii. 31. It fades away, and leaves nothing behind it but grief, 4. The saint's sorrow is short. It is but for a moment, 2 Cor. iv. 17. It may be heavy and hard to bear, but it is soon oyer, and it leaves no shadow behind. 3. The life to come. It is everlasting life, John iii. 16; there is no death in this life, and no end. He who gets it, What must it gets it for ever and ever. be to have ETERNAL life! 4. The saint' joy. At God's right hand are pleasures forevermore, Ps. xvi. II; the joy which the ransomed of the Lord obtain is everlasting joy, Isa. XXXV. IO. How blessed to have joy like this—joy that shall never end. The 5. The sinner's sorrow. It is endless, endless. The fire is everlasting, Isa. xxxiii. 14. The torment is day and night, forever and ever, Rev. xx. 10. darkness is the blackness of darkness forever, Jude 13. How sad to lie down in such sorrow-to have, these everlasting burnings for our home! PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST, This is presented in type in the Old Testament. It is unfolded in the New. The first notice of Priesthood is that of BLESSING. Gen. xii. 18-20; Hebrews vii. 1-3; Luke xxiv. 50-51. The second typical setting forth of Priesthood is that of FRESENTATION. Exodus xxviii. 1, 4, 29; Heb. ix. 24. The third representation of the Priesthood of Christ may be called ATONEMENT. Levit. xvi. 7-10, 14-16, 20-22 and 27; John i. 29; Hebrews ix. 26, and xiii. 11, 12. This is the order in which priesthood is according to the mind of God, but the opposite order is that in which it is apprehended by the mind of man. These are some of the things that are very short. But there are other things that are long. They are forever and ever. Blessing is the thing set before the 1. God Himself. He is from everlast-mind of God, but we know that sin ing to everlasting, Psalm xc. 2. His life must first be put away, and the persons is throughout all eternity, for He is the to be blessed must then be presented King eternal and immortal, 1 Tim. i. 17. faultless, before blessing comes. Hence How well for us to have this God for our we must first be reconciled to God by God. the cross-atonement, before we share 2. God's Love. The mercy of the the blessings of the intercession of Lord, says David, is from everlasting to Christ. His intercession only for beeverlasting, Psalm ciii. 17. The love of lievers. Hence Abraham receives blessGod changes not. His grace never grows ing through priesthood and is strength. old. ened for the conflict before him. Gen. xii. 21-24. Hence priesthood amongst Israel (one types I Cor. x. II) was given after they were redeemed by blood. Exodus xii. and Levit. viii. Hence in building Tabernacle the priesthood begins after the brazen altar which is the type of the cross. Exodus xxvii. 1-8; xxviii. 1. Hence the intercession for the fig tree, which is a standing type of the Israelites and not of the Gentiles, of the believer and not the unbeliever. Luke xiii. 6-9; Matt. vii. 16-20. Christ is now exercising the priesthood of intercession and of blessing, based upon his atonement, for those who trust him. It is all powerful. Heb. vii. 25. It avails for sins. John i. 7-9 and ii. 1. It gives aid in temptation. Hebrews ii. 16-18; Luke xxii. 31, 32; Mark xvi. 7. It is full of sympathy. Heb. iv. 14-16. It gives strength and joy. As Abraham was openly fed with bread and wine. So we take these elements of the strength and joy ministered to us by the Holy Ghost through the word. John vi. 33, 53-58. REV. R. ČAMERON. PRIESTHOOD OF BELIEVERS, All through the letters to the Churches Christians are spoken of as priests, but no one person or class of persons more so than another. The officers and teachers of the church are never called priests, See 1 Peter ii, 5, 9; Rev. i. 6; V. IO; XX. 6. It is evident that the believer can never participate with Christ in making atonement for sin, that was once made and never to be repeated. Hebrews ix. 26; x. 10-14, 17-18. In what respects are we priests. it will be found that Aaron s sons were priests by virtue of their relationship to him, so we by our relationship to Christ -we possess his life, (John i. 4, 12-14) as they possess the life of Aaron. The breastplate with special garments and the Urim and Thummim were alone given to Aaron. Levit. ix. 7-14. He was also anointed abundantly before the sin offering was made, ver. 12; the sons after, and in a limited way, ver. 30. Both were consecrated by blood, ver. 23-24 They were not to enter upon their priestly work till the eighth or resurrection day—33-35; ix. 1. So Christ after His resurrection, and we also after risen from the dead. Eph. ii. 5, 6; Col. iii. 1. 1. In offering praise. Hebrews xiii. 15; Hos. xiv. 2. xiii. 16'; Phil. iv. 16. Hence giving is 2. In doing good and giving. Heb. an act of worship. I Cor. xvi. 1-2. 3. In discerning between the clean and the unclean x. 10-11; Ezek. xxii. 26. See New Testament Exhortations to believers. Heb. v. 14; Rom. xii. 9. 4. In pronouncing clean. Levit. xiii. 6, 13. So John xx. 23. They pronounce clean, forgiven, all the sinners who believe, and unclean, (their sins retained) all who do not believe. Acts x. 43: xiii. 38-39. vi. 22-26. So we. 5. In blessing. Levit. ix. 22-23; Num. Matt. v. 44; Rom. xii. 14; 1 Cor. iv. 12. This we do in preaching gospel. Rom. xv. 29; Rom. 1. II. We should always seek to be a blessing to all whom we meet. 6. Intercession. It is our privilege. Examples in days of Christ. John iv. 46-53; Matt. xvi. 21-28; Mark ii. 4-12. Amongst apostles. Acts xii. 3-7; Rom. i. 9; 1 Thess. iii. 10; James v. 14-16. So we may pray for saved and unsaved friends. REV. R. CAMERON. FALLING LEAVES, Where there is little faith there is little joy, Luke xxiv, 25, The grand test of discipleship is not knowledge, but love, 1 John iv, 7, The believer must not only say "Lord teach me," but "Lord lead me," Ps, xxv, 4, 5, When we reign over sin, what liberty! -when sin reigns over us, what bondage? Rom, vi, 14, the inexhaustible fount in whence you Never trust to grace received, but to received it, 2 Cor. xii. 9. The law discovers our ruin, but cannot provide the remedy. Jesus alone can do that. Rom. viii, 3. Those who are most holy are most lovely; for the beauty of the Lord is His holiness. Psalm xcvi. 9. There is joy with peace in believing, but nothing but perplexity in unbelief. Acts viii. 37, 39. |