dependence on all that is of the flesh, and to wait on the Lord in the assurance of His power to use the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty-even by "the worm Jacob" to thresh mountains; to go on patiently, not seeking the praise of men, or, in any wise, our own will, or our own glory, but the favour and the praise, and the will and glory of our Father only, this is the fruit of the Spirit, transforming us into the likeness of Christ.

It is by this life of simple dependence that we can most effectually glorify God, and therefore it is from this excellency that our adversary will as often as he can, cast us down. To lead us into it, our gracious Lord again and again has to humble us, disappointing our vanity and ambition, and exhibiting to us melancholy proofs of power and usefulness decaying, in proportion as the pride of gifts takes the place of simple and childlike subjection and dependence. His strength is indeed made perfect in our weakness, and in the true knowledge of this, we can echo the words, "Most gladly therefore will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake for when I am weak, then am I strong." (2 Cor. xii. 9-10.)

:

It ought not to be hard to learn this lesson! If the Son of God with all His inherent and infinite power maintained His chosen place of dependence, and submitted himself perfectly in all His service, from day to day, to His Father's will, how wonderful is the pride which in our hearts lifts us up in self-sufficiency, and claims the glory of the fruit which He bestows! May we learn more perfectly the wisdom of fellowship with our Lord; and in taking His yoke upon us, find rest to our souls! To live habitually in subjection of spirit to Him, attempting nothing in our own strength, denying ourselves in all our pride and self esteem, this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning us. Thus humbling ourselves He will honour us, and we shall learn the secret of effectual service, and partake of that blessing which maketh rich and with which He adds no sorrow. We shall thus live with a single eye, and the whole body full of light, having no dark part, and shall be building up work which in the day. of final accounting for our service, will not be burned up, but will" abide," and be crowned with the full M. W. reward of His precious smile and praise.

"REVELLINGS AND SUCH LIKE."

THESE

GALATIANS v. 21.

THESE are the last words of that black list of the works of the flesh, recorded in the Epistle to the Galatians. While many are mentioned by name, others fall under the comprehensive expression-" and such like". They are alike in their source and in their object their source is the corrupt heart of man—their object the gratification of his desires. In the carliest page of man's history it is written, "All flesh had corrupted his way on the earth"; and the history of the human family has been the history of this corruption. "God made man upright, but he has sought out many inventions." Some of the inventions which man has sought out, are recorded in Scripture; but they are there spoken of as the "works of the flesh". God instituted marriage for man's comfort and blessedness: man sought out adultery for the gratification of his own lust. God gave man the vine, to produce wine to cheer man's heart; but man turns this blessing into drunkenness; and lest he should have troublesome thoughts of God, he invented "revellings," in order that by gratifying his senses-his ears by music-his taste by wine, or other things,-his thoughts might be turned away from God: "the harp and the viol, the tabret and pipe, and wine, are in their feasts; but they regard not the work of the Lord, neither consider the operation of his hands".

Hence we find that it has been during the time of revelling that men have encouraged themselves in wickedness, and most deeply insulted God. Let us take an example from the old Testament (Dan. v.): "Belshazzar the king made a great feast to a thousand of his lords. While he tasted the wine, he commanded to bring the gold and silver vessels which his father Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the temple which was in Jerusalem. Then they brought the golden vessels that were taken out of the temple of the house of God which was at Jerusalem; and the king, and his princes, his wives, and his concubines, drank in them. They drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver," &c.

It was during the revelling that there "came forth fingers of a man's hand, and wrote over against the candlestick upon the plaister of the wall of the king's palace" these words, as a message from God to him, "God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it.

-

It is true that men do not now see the hand sent forth nor the writing written, in the midst of their revellings, because God has once for all recorded his judgment of revellings, they are a work of the flesh, and they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But how often is the heart sick, how often is the conscience uneasy in the midst of revelling, as if the handwriting were seen on the wall. How constantly does revelling leave a wretched void after it is over, to prove that the pleasure it promises perishes in the using.

Let us take a New Testament example of revelling, Mark vi. "And when a convenient day was come, Herod on his birthday made a supper to his lords, high captains, and chief estates of Galilee: and when the daughter of Herodias came in, and danced and pleased Herod and them that sat with him, the king said unto the damsel, "ask of me whatsoever thou wilt, and I will give it thee". And he sware unto her, "whatsoever thou shalt ask of me," I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom. And she went forth, and said unto her mother, What shall I ask? And she said, The head of John the Baptist. And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked saying, I will that thou give me by-and-by the head of John the Baptist in a charger."

Does not this narrative make our blood thrill with horror? A young woman thus bearing to her mother as a prize, the head of an innocent and righteous man. Surely none who entered to partake of that revelling, ever anticipated so horrid and revolting a scene. It is true that out of the heart proceed murders (Mark vii. 21), but it is "revellings and such like" which call them out into action. First of all, the wanton dance in the presence of so many men, had tended to throw aside all female modesty: and when that was gone, she was quite prepared to be partner with her guilty mother, who hated John for daring to interfere with her adulterous intercourse with Herod. "She desired to kill him, but she could not." So long as John lived, he was the

witness against the sin of Herodias. He was no less the witness against the corruptions of the court-against "revellings and such like," "for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly". Herod's conscience was not easy, but it was defiled, it was deadened by the surrounding scene. When hand joins in hand in revelry, it is hard even for an honest conscience to make a stand. But Herod's was a guilty conscience, not easy under the word of John who had told him, "It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife". There is no resolution where there is an uneasy conscience. "The king was exceedingly sorry: yet for his oath's sake, and for their sakes which sat with him, he would not reject her." There was no fear of God before the eyes of Herod,—he was surrounded by other objects, he regarded his own honour and he feared his own guests. He was sorry to commit murder, but then his honour appeared to be at stake, he had pledged his oath and he would not break that, no not even to prevent murder. And what was John in the eyes of all the guests of Herod, but the hinderer of their pleasures because the faithful reprover of their sins. Had Herod faltered, he would have been laughed at as the enemy of revelry and mirth; and where there is no fear of God, a man would rather murder an innocent man, than lose his character with men by breaking the law of honour as it is called. John was murdered, and the revelling went on.

And so it was again in the case of Him of whom John was the forerunner. The world rejoiced because Jesus was crucified. So long as He was in it, He hindered its joys. Reader, did it ever occur to you that the world has joy now because Jesus is not in the world, because the world has rejected Him? Let Him only appear and its laughter will be turned into heaviness,it will be "woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep". But it may be you are seeking in revelling a cure for an aching heart and discontented soul. Jesus knows you will not find it there, and therefore in pity he says, "Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest". He can bind up the broken heart; yea, He Himself is God's remedy for human sorrow and misery. God gives joy even in this world,-the fruit of the Spirit is joy; not the joy of this world, but joy in the Lord. There is not an ache but sin has caused it. And God's remedy for human misery is to put away sin. Jesus is the

Lamb to take away sin. Look to Him as such. He, the Son of God, has shed His blood; that blood alone can put away sin. It cleanses from all sin.

He that has come to Jesus needs no longer to seek happiness in any other object. He can rejoice in him as present salvation, he can rejoice in hope of glory,he can rejoice in present trials,-he can rejoice in God himself, now revealed as love in the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. He can no longer seek his joy in "revellings and such like". He may have tried them once, and that trial has been sufficient to prove how vain and unsatisfying they are. He desires to live the rest of his time in the flesh, not to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. He can say with the Apostle, "The time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead".

Men think it strange that others go not on with them in "revellings and such like"; but they who have got their joy in Jesus, would think it strange indeed to be seeking for it anywhere else than in Him. May your joy be joy in the Lord; and then God's commandment is, "Rejoice evermore". J. L. HARRIS.

A

FAITH-WORK.

S we often hear in the present day of persons undertaking work "in faith," it may be well to say a few words on what are the essential features of faith-work. Under the test of the trials and difficulties of the path, a great deal that was thought to be of faith has failed; but what is of faith cannot fail. It is backed by the omnipotence of God, on whom faith rests, and upon whom faith builds. Alas, how many there are who speak about it, yet know little of what it means! Hence the painful importunity of "urgent appeals," telling men that if they come not to the rescue "the work of faith" will come to the ground. Let us, then, ask ourselves, Is our faith in man or in God in man's readiness to help on 'a good cause," or in God's unfailing promise to those who trust in Him, and in Him alone?

66

We would mention some of the tests of the work of faith.

1st. It is a work of obedience. It is no self-willed service or self-appointed task. It is obedience first to a general command, and then to a personal call. To this twofold aspect of obedience we would attach great importance. Many fail because, although the work undertaken is in every way a right work, they have not received it as their own appointed work direct from God. "Go, do all that is in thine heart; for God is with thee" (2 Sam. vii. 3), Nathan said to David. And what more natural! But David was not the man to build the house for God, neither was that the time.

2nd. It is a work of patient waiting. When we know a thing is right in itself, and our heart moves us to undertake it, nothing is perhaps harder than quietly to wait on God in earnest, persistent prayer for days, or months, or years, till He makes it plain that it is OUR work. Patience at the commencement in dealing alone with God is a grand test of having patience to carry on what in patient waiting has been begun. The soul becomes habituated to deal with God and to wait.

3rd. It is a work of trust. The work has been taken individually from the hand of God as a personal command, and then, as he who undertakes it does so as an agent, and not as a master, he has no sense of responsibility, save that of faithful service, whether liabilities be small or great; hence he is always in peace, for he knows Him on whom he trusts. He goes not to war at his own charges; He is a servant. This

makes the yoke easy and the burden light. As God tests our obedience, so He tests our trust, as He did Israel's in the wilderness, wherein they ever failed saying, "Can He?" "Will He?" Well may we ponder over Ps. lxxxviii. 7, 8, 17-19, 22, 32, 40-42, 56, 57; also cvi. 13, 24, 25.

4th. It is a work of trial; i.e., of proving. God brings everything to the test; and especially is this true of faith. Abraham believed God, and God put his faith to the test; first in waiting long for Isaac, and then in commanding him to offer Him up. But Abraham staggered not through unbelief. He had waited for Isaac, and his waiting-lesson had taught him so much of God, that he could contemplate Isaac dead and burnt on the altar and yet not mistrust the power and purpose of God to bring him back from the dead, "whence also he received him in figure". Alas! how many seek at the hand of an Egyptian, as Abraham did from Hagar, that which can alone be rightly expected in the path of faith. They then bring Ishmael into the house, a deeply significant episode in Abraham's life, which illustrates the working of the flesh, of law, and of bondage in the pathway of the life or work of faith; but Faith will hear the stern command, "Cast out the bondwoman and her son".

Much more might be added on this deeply important subject by which to test our ways; but may all that is not of faith in the living God cease to call itself "a work of faith," and may those who undertake work for God sit down and fully count the cost. If they have wherewithal to meet its claims, and have the Lord's approval, let them go forward; if they have not the wherewithal, but can trust the Lord of all for all that "the tower" will cost (Luke xiv. 28), let them go forward; if they have neither the one nor the other, let them take heed how they trust in the popularity of a cause, and in the goodwill of their fellow-Christians, lest it prove a reed of Egypt, that pierces the hand that leans on it. Let not such work, however right in itself, be termed faith-work; for it is not.

up

The Bible teaches us the reality of God; and faith is a reality when it lays hold of Him in the line of obedience and of promise. All else is presumption; for it is not based on the written Word, received in the power of the life-giving Spirit. How many vainly take David's sling and stone, as David might have put on Saul's armour! They have not proved them, and therefore the sling and stone fail in their hands, as the sword of Saul would have failed in David's. David went forth with a sling and a stone "in the Name of the Lord God of Israel," and that Name was a strong tower, God failed him not when he ran to meet Goliath. This is faith-work.

HOW

THE ANOINTING OF THE LORD JESUS. OW much readier we are to find out truth, than when it is found out; to sit down and enjoy it in communion with the Lord. This is sad and rebuking, when we think on it. And there are some truths, that to know them, without enjoying them, is very especially thus humbly and condemning. Of this character, I feel that which I am now meditating on to be. And I have been asking my soul how much of joy in it I know; and indeed it is miserably little. May the Lord, by the Spirit, greatly enlarge our little stock.

I am thinking on God's value and our value of Jesus. The anointing, whether of a priest, or a king, was God's putting him into office, and endowing him. with certain virtues or attributes in the Spirit, for the place He had called him to fill. It was his formal consecration, expressive, too, of the value which God then put into him. (See Ex. xxix., Lev. ix., 1 Sam. xvi. 13, 2 Kimgs ix. 6.) Two anointings, or endowments by the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, are looked at by Isaiah- -one for His ministry of grace, and one for His ministry of glory, or the kingdom. (Isaiah lxi.) He received the first, for the ends of His first advent (Luke iv. 18), He will receive the second, for the ends of His second advent (Ps. lxxxix. 20-29.) Thus the anointing forms, symbolically, what is in Christ. It is His name. "Because of the savour of thy good ointments, thy name is as ointment poured forth." It is Himself. It is what God has appointed Him to do or to hold, and His endowments for such service and honours. It is what God has made Him, to act for us. Accordingly when we, in our way, anoint Him, it is an expression of our sense of all this value-of what He is to us, and has for us. We cannot put anything into Him. That is God's anointing, God has put all into Jesus. But we can, by faith, have a sense of what is in Him-we can value the value God has put in and on Him. And, when we do so, we, in our way anoint Him also. Thus in Ps. xlv., His garments smell of myrrh, aloes and cassia, shed on him out of our ivory palaces, or boxes of perfume (verse 8) and the two women anoint Him, in like manner, expressing their sense of His value (Luke vii. Matt. xxvi.) The offering of the wise men was a kind of anointingThey offered gold, frankincense, and myrrh, which like anointing was the expression of their value for Him, as king of the Jews-of the glory which then lay in that babe of Bethlehem, and they present the