Anointing was familiar to Old Testament believers. The king was anointed, so Saul and David were anointed by Samuel. The priests also were anointed as part of their consecration service. The word "Messiah is just the Hebrew for anointed, even as the word "Christ" is the Greek for the same. These titles of the Lord would at once convey to the mind of a believing Jew the thought that Jesus was God's anointed priest and king. And wherever we find anointing with oil, or even oil itself referred to, we may be almost confident that there is some typical allusion to the Holy Spirit.

So in Lev. xiv., the chapter that contains the ceremonial law respecting the cleansing of a leper, we find that there was first the application of the blood, and afterwards the oil. Verse 14, "And the priest shall take some of the blood of the trespass offering and the priest shall put it upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand and upon the great toe of his right foot". Thus the blood is applied, its value is put upon the leper, then follows "And the priest shall take some of the log of oil, and pour it into the palm of his own left hand, and the priest shall dip his right finger in the oil that is in his left hand and shall sprinkle of the oil with his finger seven times before the Lord, and of the rest of the oil that is in his hand shall the priest put upon the tip of the right ear of him that is to be cleansed, and upon the thumb of his right hand and upon the great toe of his right foot, upon the blood of the trespass offering".

Thus the oil comes from the hand of the priest to the blood-sprinkled leper, just as the Lord Jesus the Great High Priest having put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, first received from the Father the gift of the Holy Ghost, and then poured out that gift upon those whom He had washed from their sins in His own blood. So it is written, "ye have an unction from the Holy One".

I want you specially to notice that the oil was put upon the blood. It is in virtue of the full value of the atoning death of Christ being secured to the believing sinner, that he receives the gift of the Holy Ghost. It was not first the oil and then the blood, but first the blood and then the oil. First the sinner is justified through faith in the blood of Christ, then being justified he is sealed with the Holy Spirit. So we read in Eph. i. 13, "in whom after that ye believed

ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise". Thus the "we," believing Jews and the "ye," believing Gentiles were made one, sealed with one Spirit, baptized by one Spirit into one body; both having priestly access by one Spirit to the Father. Being thus made one with the risen Christ, they are no longer regarded as Jews or Gentiles, all such distinctions are done away in Christ, having believed in Him, the Jew is no longer a Jew, the Gentile is no longer a Gentile, he is in the Church of God, the body of Christ, the new creation, where Christ is all in all.

Notice also that the leper could no more be received as a cleansed worshipper before Jehovah without the oil, than without the blood. "If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of His." Where the blood is, there is the oil.

Look at another illustration in Lev. viii. Here in ver. 12 we see the anointing oil poured upon the head of Aaron the High Priest, answering to the anointing in Resurrection of the Lord Jesus, as it is written "Thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above Thy fellows". (Ps. xlv. 7.)

But in verse 30, we read, "And Moses took of the anointing oil, and of the blood which was upon the altar, and sprinkled it upon Aaron and upon his garments, and upon his sons and upon his son's garments with him ".

Here the same oil that was poured without measure upon the head of Aaron the high priest is also given, though in an inferior measure, to Aaron's sons. They receive the unction from the Holy One, they are sharers of the same anointing. But here as with the leper in the day of his cleansing the oil is not separated from the blood.

Here there is not the same definiteness as to the order as there is in Lev. xiv. because, there it was the cleansing of the defiled, whereas here it is setting apart for priestly service; but there is the same inseparable connection between the two.

Whether therefore I look at myself as a leper cleansed, or as a priest consecrated for service in the sanctuary, I see that it is in either case by blood and by oil. Not by oil without the blood, nor by blood without the oil, but by both together.

"By one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us." (Heb. x. 14, 15.)

Thus we see that the Holy Ghost is the common

heritage of God's children, "What, know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God." (1 Cor. vi. 19.) This is the statement of a fact, true of every saint. The possession of the Holy Ghost is no more dependent on our experience, than the forgiveness of sins. We have redemption and forgiveness, not by our feelings or experiences, but apart from these on the ground of the shed blood of Christ, even so have we the indwelling of the Spirit of God. So in 1 Cor. vi. 19, already referred to, having stated THE FACT of the believer's body being the temple of the Holy Ghost, the Apostle goes on to say "and ye are not your own for ye are bought with a price ".

Thus the purchase price, even the precious blood of Christ is still kept in close connexion with the anointing, as in the type the blood is not separate from the oil.

Had you or I been writing this verse we should probably have said "Know ye not that your bodies are the temples of the Holy Ghost".

But I would call your attention to this, that nowhere do we get the idea of a plurality of temples. God has but one temple. All our bodies forming part of the one great living temple, the living Spirit of God dwelling in each member. "Your bodies are the members of Christ." This union will not be severed even by death, "for He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken our mortal bodies because of His Spirit which dwelleth in us". (Rom. viii. 11.) Yes, "bodies of our humiliation" though they be, they are precious redeemed bodies. Be careful of them, and see that they be in no wise dishonoured, for they are the members of Christ and the temple of God. "Now He that hath wrought us for the self-same thing (that is for resurrection glory) is God, who also hath given us the earnest of the Spirit." (2 Cor. v. 5.)

I have thus been endeavouring to show from Scripture, that if a man is "justified by the blood of Christ " he is also a possessor of the Spirit of Christ. That, that Spirit dwelling in him, is the "anointing" to enlighten, the "earnest," or pledge of the coming glory and the seal by which God marks him as His, and secures him for the inheritance for which he is purchased. "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are sealed till the day of redemption." Here we need His blessed presence in all these characters, for we are in the wilderness absent from

the Lord. But by-and-bye we shall be at home. There we shall not need Him as the Comforter, for our tears shall be all wiped away, neither shall we know Him as the "Earnest," for we shall be in full possession of the inheritance. But still shall we have "for ever "His abiding presence and our communion shall never cease to be the communion of the Holy Ghost, communion with the Father and the Son,

In conclusion, we hear sometimes believers praying to God to send down His Holy Spirit. Blessed be God, He does not answer us according to the measure of our intelligence, but according to the riches of His own grace. God does not tell us to pray FOR the Holy Ghost, but to pray IN the Holy Ghost, because we have the Spirit and He dwells in us. Now, some run to extremes, and say the Holy Spirit is not in heaven but on earth, thus localizing the presence of God's Spirit. We cannot with our finite understanding comprehend what a spirit is. Therefore God helps us by the use of such a figure as anointing, or pouring forth of oil or water; to an understanding of the acting of His Spirit. The Holy Spirit links us to Christ on the throne of God. He is the fountain head of the Spirit, from whose fulness we receive the streams, the holy Unction. Thus the Apostle speaks of his being enabled to overcome through "the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ". (Phil. i. 19.) This point is illustrated in 2 Kings iv. There we find a woman in trouble about debt. The prophet instructs her to borrow empty vessels, not a few. She then took the pot of oil which she possessed and poured out into the empty vessels till all were filled. Then, and not till then, the oil stayed. Thus God would teach us that there is no limit on His part to the supply of His Spirit. Our responsibility is to "be filled with the Spirit". (Eph. v. 18.) Where there are emptied vessels there will soon be a filling with the Spirit.

But if there be vessels filled with pride, worldliness, selfishness, envying, or strife, there can be no filling with the Spirit.

This does not mean that His Spirit ceases to dwell within us, but being grieved, His power and presence is little if at all manifested. He dwells in us to comfort us, but we won't listen to His comfort. To teach us, but He has only one theme and that is Christ, and we little care to hear about Him, and so the Spirit is grieved and His manifestation of His presence is quenched.

I believe this truth of the indwelling of the Holy

Ghost is the cardinal doctrine, the very speciality of the present age. But Satan has succeeded in thoroughly setting it aside, so that the church has for centuries been praying for the Spirit instead of owning and trusting in His presence.

And just as there is no scripture for the church praying for the Holy Ghost, so there is no instance of praise to the Holy Ghost. There is praise to God and to the Lamb, but none in Scripture to the Holy Ghost. Has God omitted to mention His Spirit in such doxologies Certainly not, but the truth is that whether it be praise or prayer, only that is truly acceptable which is indited by the Spirit and which ascends in the power of the Spirit.

THE LORD'S SUPPER.

"For as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till He come."

Now "the Lord Jesus, the same night in which He was betrayed took bread and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, take eat, this is My body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me".

"The bread which we break, is it not the Communion of the body of Christ."

"PARTAKERS of that one bread" we have a com

mon source of sustenance, the Christ, of whom the bread is a type, the crucified, of whose broken body the broken bread telleth.

We eat of the broken loaf. The loaf must be broken that each may feed. "The corn of wheat," must needs fall into the ground and die, if it is to bring forth fruit-so Christ must needs suffer, and rise again from the dead, if He has to bring many sons to glory. Our eating of the broken bread showeth forth then our faith in Christ's death, as meeting our soul's need. Each one partaking, tells forth his or her appreciation of His sacrifice, and all partaking, jointly show their common unity in the common salvation, and this God loveth, for every sacrifice of praise is a sweet savour unto Him, of the exceeding preciousness of His wellbeloved, who fulfilled His will, and, at His commandment, laid down His life a propitiation for sin.

Moreover, we not only glory in our individual safety through His dying for us, but we rejoice in God, because we learn how that God is glorified in sin being put away, and also how that, effectually, He who died and is risen, will, because He has the right, subdue all things for God. Oh! 'tis a joyous thought that the once Crucified shall claim the right over all, and

eventually bring all into order and make the whole creation to cease its groaning, and this because He laid down His life and made expiation for sin.

And so as "partakers of that one bread," we celebrate the victory of our Lord, who by dying hath obtained such an excellent name. The glory of His victory is exhibited in grace to His foes now, but will be manifested in judgment hereafter, upon such of them as reject His proferred mercies. And as "one body" with Him, we shall be associated with Him in glory, though sufferers now for His name's sake, for such is His calling.

"After the same manner, also, He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, this cup is the New Testament in my blood; this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Why do we partake of the cup? ing, which we bless, is it not the blood of Christ?

"The cup of blesscommunion of the

Now "the life is in the blood," and His life was taken from the earth. His pouring out of His soul unto death was that propitiation for sin might be effected, and God declareth His righteousness for the remission of sins unto all, and upon all them who have faith in His blood-"My blood of the new Covenant," is His title for it--the blood of the old Covenant could never take away sins or purge the conscience, but the blood of Christ, who through the Eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, effectually removeth sins, purgeth the conscience of, and perfects for ever all those who are separated unto God.

As the blood of the passover Lamb was a warrant to those assembled within the blood-sprinkled house, to eat the feast in peace, so now to us, the blood of Jesus Christ God's Son, which cleanseth us from all sin, is warrant and title to eat of the bread, the memorial of His body, from whence the life-blood poured, given for us.

We partake then of the one cup, participants of the value of His shed blood. He died for me, He died for us, the personal, the collective cry.

The blood of the new Covenant, which God has ratified and included us in, has opened for us a way into the very holiest, into the very presence of God. It brings us to where God wanted us to be, giving us "perfect soundness" in His presence, perfect liberty to worship God, boldness to draw nigh, with thankful hearts, to praise Him.

And when we consider our former estate, our separation from God, our disinclination towards Him, and the doom that would inevitably have been our portion, does it not cause abounding gratitude, to remember, in the drinking of the cup, that all this has passed by and that we can never come into the judgment, never suffer the wrath of God, for He who drank the cup of wrath for us, hath effectually cleared us, and "who is He that condemneth" those for whom Christ died, whom GOD hath justified? The cup of wrath was His-the cup of blessing is ours. "What shall I render unto the Lord for all His benefits towards me? I will take the cup of salvation, and will call upon the name of the Lord."

Let us not lose the joy of this communion. The Lord invites all His people to His table. If I am absent I must give my reasons to Him for it; He invited me, and if I don't go I must tell Him why, for He is a great King.

I go then to His table at His bidding, He has prepared the provisions, and will delight to see me eat. If I am not hungry He will feel it, and ask me why? If I don't attend to Him speaking, but am occupied with the other guests, I shall lose some special portion He wanted to give me, for He is very careful not to pass unnoticed any who come in.

And if others say, if our children say, "Why do ye thus?" Of what avail to you is the breaking of bread? We answer, "It is the Lord's Supper," He has bidden us come and feast with Him, and so we come together, happy at such a gracious provision being made for us. In it we are showing forth our Lord's death till He come again. He loves to have us thus assembled and it is a proof to the world that we are a people belonging to the Lord who died and is risen again. A waiting people, comforted by the Spirit of the Lord shed forth abundantly on them now, and living in daily hope of His return to take them away to the Home He has prepared for them in His Father's house. A. O. M.

"THE HIGHER LIFE."

PROMINENT among the religious movements of

the day is one popularly called "The Higher Life," "Perfection," "Perfect Love," etc. From the very nature of its professed object, "the advancement of Scriptural holiness," (understanding thereby holiness of life in the believer) it claims the attention of every

renewed soul, especially of those whose earnest cry is, "more, Saviour, like Thee". Having met with some of its earnest advocates, many of whom we esteem much in the Lord, we have been led to consider their views; and after much prayer and study of the Word regard them as unscriptural. Believing that this question is troubling many of the Lord's little ones, we wish to point out the plain teaching of His Word.

One feature of the movement is the emphasis placed upon experience, it being by many considered unanswerable to say, "I know it to be true, because I have experienced it;" while most say they can point to the time and place they experienced the blessing. Now while we do not in any measure doubt the testimony, as to the fact of such experience, we certainly do object to the interpretation of it.

With many, that which was regarded as a second blessing was simply conversion; the trust had been in self, or works; Christ was apprehended; full salvation seen; and the soul led to rest in His work. With others, it was the assurance of faith; the realizing the fact of their personal salvation, from the promise of His word. With others, it was the apprehension of some great truth, which seemed to give new light and life to the soul. While some we fear, were simply self deceived. Perhaps the root of this deception was a failure to distinguish between the Spirit and His fruit; and a forgetfulness of the fact that we have to encounter "the wiles of the devil". It is an error much to be regretted, the belief that the Spirit reports His presence to the senses: a belief that lies at the root of much fanaticism, such as that of Irving. It is well to remember that the Spirit does not testify of Himself but Christ.

To illustrate, the Word teaches that the Comforter is given to dwell with the believer, to guide, (John xvi. 13), and teach (John xiv. 26).

In this His office work, the Spirit opens the eyes to see the things of God, and often impresses the believer, as to his duty and life: now the danger is, of regarding all impressions as from God, and forgetting that the flesh and the devil are both active. The spiritual Christian will bring everything, therefore, to the test of the Word, rejecting as not of the Lord, that which is contrary to its voice. So with feelings. "Joy, peace, etc.," are not the Spirit, they are only "the fruit of the Spirit," (Gal. v. 22). Nor must we suppose all

joy, all peace, is of the Spirit, for the Word plainly teaches the reverse. We must ask, does it spring from a right source? Does it rest on the Word? So with the experience, of itself it is no authority as establishing a doctrine. Hence it is the Word to which we appeal, and the Word must decide in all things.

Just here, however, we would call attention to the fact that all Christians are living below, their privileges; and that all without exception are praying for more faith, more love, more of the Spirit; the expression of the heart's longing growing out of a sense of failure instinctive to all.

I. The Word plainly teaches that there are differences in the attainments of Christians; that as to their practical life here there are distinctions that can not be ignored.

Thus, for example, some Christians are weak, others strong. "We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak." (Rom. xv. 1.) Some are established, (Acts xvi. 5); others not, (Rom. i. 11). Some would receive a reward, others suffer loss. "If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire." (1 Cor. iii. 14, 15.)

Again, some are "babes in Christ," (1 Pet. ii. 2); others are 66 'young men," (1 John ii. 13); others "fathers," (1 John ii. 14). Besides these and other distinctions, there is one great one mentioned in 1 Cor. iii. 1, which is the root of all the rest, viz: carnal and spiritual, or fleshly and spiritual. "And I brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ."

In the believer there are two natures, that which he receives from Adam, variously called, "the old man," (Eph. iv. 22); "sin," (Rom. vii. 17), and "the flesh," (Gal. v. 17); and that which he receives from Christ, which the word calls, "eternal life," (John iii. 36), the new man," (Eph. iv. 24), and the "Spirit" (Gal. v. 17). Hence the appetites, affections, and desires of the old nature exist side by side with the desires, affections, and hopes of the new. This results in conflict, of which we have a picture in Romans vii.

Now a carnal Christian is one whose life, or actions are controlled by the flesh, a spiritual Christian is one who is controlled by the Spirit. No regenerated soul is entirely carnal, and none entirely spiritual, because we

are not always watching, nor are we always conscious as to the character of our motives: often they are mixed; sometimes what is begun in the Spirit is finished in the flesh, while often they are all of the flesh.

In the passage quoted, it is not of them in all things that Paul speaks, when he calls them carnal, but in respect to that of which he was writing, the divisions of the Church. They were sectarian, governed by a party spirit, which he characterizes as of the flesh, so that in that they were carnal, although in other things they might be spiritual. In the very nature of the case some watch more than others, while others are more fully led by the Spirit. Disposition, circumstances, training, and knowledge, all influence in this, so that such distinctions as we have pointed out do exist. Largely, if not entirely, they are due to the difference in our apprehension of Christ and His work, and our knowledge of His Word.

II. The Scriptures plainly teach that all Christians as to standing are perfect.

It may be well to explain here, in what sense the words standing and state are used in this article. Standing, we use to express what we are in Christ. State, that which we are in our actual experience and condition here. This distinction is necessary to the right understanding of the word, in which we have the truth presented from both standpoints. Thus, speaking of what we are as to standing, the Word says, "Ye ARE dead;" and presenting the same truth from the standpoint of state it says, "reckon yourselves dead".

In Heb. vi. 1, we find an exhortation given to "go on to perfection;" a passage that has been sadly misunderstood both as to its meaning and application. Paul was writing to Hebrews, and exhorts them to leave the "beginning of the Word of Christ," (see margin) and go on to perfection. The Jews had in germ the doctrines of Christ, seven of which are mentioned by Paul, none of which are the Christian aspect, but all the "beginning of the Word," as held and taught among the Jews. Christ now is the foundation, (1 Cor. iii. 10), but he is not once mentioned in the list, nor is any distinctively Christian doctrine. "Repentance from dead works," is now "repentance toward God;" while dead works are purged from the conscience once for all by the blood of Christ, (Heb. ix. 14; x. 2). "Faith toward God" is now "towards Jesus Christ." "The doctrine of baptisms"