a way of speaking. Granted that it be, to some extent, a figure, what is it a figure of? What does the comparison imply? That we cannot be sanctified, except we be crucified with Christ. Crucifixion means something humiliating and painful. To be crucified is not to be lifted up with self-conceit. To be crucified is not to be agreeable to the world. People listen to an address on that topic, and then go home saying, "It was very nice." Now it is not very nice to be crucified, if you understand what it means. It is an awful, fearful thing; but it is the only way of deliverance.

Do you consent to that? Will you let the hand of God take hold of you and put you with Christ on the Cross, and thus break you off from yourself, from the past, from "the old man," which means the man that you were-from that old fellow that you hate, and that makes you so miserable? Are you willing to do this at the cost of crucifixion? Then there remains one thing-that you should give yourself up, that you should trust yourself to the Saviour, for Him to nail you with Him upon His Cross. Ah, brethren, we have often shrunk, have we not, from giving ourselves up in that way? We have understood the subject well enoughunderstood it so well that we have kept aloof from it, because we had a very clear conception that it was going to put an end to our darling selves. But that is the way, and there is no other way.

Do you not see, however, that it is the very greatest blessing we can imagine, and that God has given us infinitely more in Christ than we ever thought or dared to dream of? What is it that troubles a man when he is in earnest about salvation? I do not mean only his salvation in a strictly personal, selfish sense, his escape from the wrath of God,--| I mean when he wishes to be a better man, a good man, a pure man, a loving man, a useful man, a patient man. What stands in the way? You see the forgiveness of God in Christ. You even see at the end of the road the glory of heaven gleaming down upon you. But then you say, What am I to do with "the old man"? Well, what have you tried to do with him? Have you lectured him, and has it done him any good-or any harm, I might rather say? Have you given him a good scourging on

Sundays? Was he any better on Monday morning? You can do anything you please with the old man, short of crucifying him with Christ, and all to no purpose. You may shut yourself up in a dark cell, and whip him from morning to night, and night to morning; that will not drive him off. Only one thing will do it: nail him to the Cross of Christ. Take the death of Christ for your death, even as you take the life of Christ for your life. Then this thing is done.

Done! What do I mean? Done in such a sense that you have nothing further to do? You have this to do: to live by faith in the Son of God. And the very instant you turn your eyes from Him to yourself, then you lose the power of His death, and the power of His life. It. is a life of faith, of trust, of watchfulness. It is a life of deliverance and of victory-the way of dying to self. Do you think Christ just came to save us from dying? Surely He did in a sense-to save us from being separated from God for ever, to save us from the second death. But He also came to teach us to die, to enable us to die to the world and to the law; that is, it is no longer as a task-master with whip in hand, saying, "Do this; do not do that, or you will see what will get you That is not Christian living. It is Jewish living, and not the highest type of it either.

When we say that people are dead to the law we do not mean that they are to live in lawlessness. Not at all. They are under law to Christ, as the Apostle says,--the law of liberty, because the law of love. They are not above the law any more than under the law. They are in the law, being in Christ, and the law is in them. But from the old task-master, Christ brings deliverance through His death, and there is no other deliverance. The master may whip the poor slave who is dead, but that does not hurt him; he is dead to that master. And the Apostle goes on to show how we have died to the law that we might belong to another, even Christ, and bring forth fruit unto God. Henceforth we live by the life of Christ, and therefore the old nature cannot hurt us.

I do not think, for my part, that the Bible teaches anywhere that the old nature is clean gone. It does not teach, either, that we are to be constantly holding it by the throat and grappling with it. We are to live, as it were, outside of it. The flesh is there, but we are not to live in the flesh,

but in the Spirit, the Apostle says. The flesh is flesh, and nothing else; it cannot be anything else. An illustration may help us to understand the muchdisputed passage in Rom. vii. Suppose a bar of iron-let us say a poker, if you like-were to say: "I am dark; I am cold; I am hard; I am unbending." All that would be very true. Now you just put it into a glowing fire, and after a little while what is it? It is no longer black, it is red; it is white. It is no longer cold, it is fearfully hot. It is no longer unbending, it is pliable. But suppose it could speak, it would still go on saying, "I am hard; I am cold; I am unbending. But I am in the fire, and as long as I am in the fire I am not all that, but something else. And I do not want to live outside the fire."

That is just it. You may say, you ought to say, "In me"-the Apostle gives the explanation at once" that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no good thing." He goes on to say, "I am carnal, sold under sin," &c. (read to end of Rom. vii.). Very well, how is he going to live? Surely not in the flesh and in the spirit at the same time. His choice is made: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus." And here comes something entirely new-" For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh"-the flesh and the law always go together" God, sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and as an offering for sin, condemned sin in the flesh, that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit."

That is deliverance; that is what we want; that is the way to make all things new. Sometimes a man is very anxious to have things made new. He is so perplexed and miserable that he goes to the extent of committing a crime against himself and against God-doing away with himself. "Let anything come, but let me have something new. Let me escape from this world and from myself." Well, there is a better way than that, but it is still a suicide! We must kill self. And we cannot do it except by crucifying it. Nor can we crucify it except by accepting the death of Christ as our death. There is a sense of self-preservation that has kept many a man from murdering himself. But when it comes to the Christian's suicide, self-preservation is the wrong thing. It stands in the way.

What do I mean then? That you are to deny yourself every kind of enjoyment, and then set up for a self-denying Christian? No, not at all; the question is not denying this or that to yourself, but denying yourself.

It is you who have to be crucified. And then all things are made new. You enter into a new world; a world not of death, but of life through faith. People want to jump at once from the mountain of forgiveness to the mountain of holiness, without going into the valley of death that lies between. No, you must go down into the valley of death with Christ; then you will rise with Christ upon the mountain of holiness and joy.

There are three words that must go together; if they have not gone together at once they must follow each other afterwards :-Conversion, Consecration, and Crucifixion. Conversion is turning round to God; consecration, giving yourself up to God. We have heard a great deal of these, and we cannot hear too much, but there is something further to say :

"Consecration, Consecration!' ever ringing through my head;

But my pen upon the paper other letters traced insteadCrucifixion, Crucifixion! was the word the Spirit said." Yes, that is the last word-nay, the last but one. Through crucifixion, resurrection and everlasting blessedness, beginning now. Conversion without consecration is one delusion; consecration without crucifixion is another.

(To be continued.)

"IT has been maintained of late that the absence of a high and consecrated life in these times is to be traced to vague and indefinite views of religious truth, and to the fact that the authority of theological systems has ceased to sway this generation. This cannot be doubted. But the predominating cause is in one sentence: Christian persons have lost conscience as to the imperious necessity of communion with God in the daily reading of Scripture, and by means of private, closet prayer. Herein lay the sources of strength and wisdom in Stephen Grellet. As well expect nature to flourish without God's atmosphere, as for the soul of man to think and feel rightly when out of fellowship with God."William Guest.

THE CHRISTIAN LIFE-A DIALOGUE.

XX.

(Continued from page 233.)

"YOUR incident is interesting and helpful; but doubt and unbelief haunt me, much as I long to possess that purity of heart and power to please God which I see so much enjoined and spoken of in the Bible generally, but especially in the New

Testament."

"In reply, let me first say what I have often repeated, that the power promised is ministered as we need it. The grace is in Christ (2 Tim. ii. 1), and if we are walking in fellowship with Him, He ministers to our need as it arises. We want also to be fully persuaded that it is the Will of God to give

us that which He demands."

"You will say then, "Believe, and you will receive."

"I do. But I go further. Believe that you have, and you will do. The order is instructive. 'Ye are a temple of God. The temple of God is holy, which temple ye are' (1 Cor. iii. 16, 17). 'Ye are holy,' God says. This is His first message to the true and loving believer. But He adds by the pen of Peter, 'Be yourselves holy in all manner of living,' and then comes the promise, 'Ye shall be holy, for I am holy (1 Pet. i. 15, 16). This is God's order, 'Ye are,' 'Be what I have reckoned and constituted you to be.' The enforcement both of the promise and the command come with peculiar force and sweetness after the title here given to us, Children of obedience' (1 Pet. i. 14, R.V.)"

"I see the order; but what am I to understand by a 'pure heart'? Our Lord puts it foremost in His teaching at the commencement of His ministry, 'Blessed are the pure in heart' (Matt. v. 8)."

in the present life as that God shall see nothing to condemn."

Granting this, what are the limits to the reception of such a state as will answer our Lord's requirements?"

"There are no limits to the power of God to give, nor to His willingness; the limit is in ourselves. A pure heart may, first of all, be defined as a heart cleansed from all the idols which it is so prone to cherish and retain-see Ezek. xxxvi. 25-27. This remarkable and much-quoted passage throws great light on the subject we are speaking of. The besetting sin of Israel was idolatry; and to wean them from this was the object God had in view in all His dealings with them. Whatever be the period to which this promise refers, it is full of meaning to the Church of God in all ages; for the New Testament warns us against our liability to idolatry as much as the Old."

"The passage is often quoted by those who believe that the root of sin and uncleanness is removed altogether from the hearts of those who are fully consecrated to God, and are under the influence of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost."

"Let us see whether we can gather its meaning from the words here used by the prophet. A heart of flesh is promised in exchange for a heart of stone (v. 26). This, although called a new heart, animated by a new spirit, is still a heart of flesh. Now the flesh is never spoken of in the Bible except as weak, and having a tendency and liability to corruption; so that it surely cannot mean a heart so clean that God sees nothing in it that is deficient as respects purity and holiness."

"I see your argument, and cannot deny its force; but does not this tend towards a leaning to the side of weakness, which you so often condemn?"

"No; for I put no limit to the power and will of God, and He demands of us that we look continually to His side of the question. Be of good courage;'

"This clears the ground somewhat; but the difficulty lies in the use of so strong a word to describe a state of such varied conditions as that of the heart."

"It does; but manifestly it cannot be intended to convey the thought of such absolute purity here

as to all things that have to do with our life. As I have said before, 'With the word of a king-the King-there is power' (Ecc. viii. 4). And His words of command are words of promise, also. Let me believe that my heart can be cleansed from idols, let me trust Christ to do it, and then believe, further, that it is done. This is the faith, accompanied by perpetual watchfulness, which brings blessing all along the line."

"As you have referred to the New Testament teaching as respects idols, I recollect that Paul calls covetousness idolatry (Col. iii. 5), and both Paul | and John utter the warnings, 'Free from idolatry' (1 Cor. x. 14). 'Little children, keep yourselves from idols' (1 John v. 21)."

"These and many other like passages tell us of our weakness of heart in its best and purest state, and teach us that it is only when abiding in Christ that we can be kept from the evil of sinning (1 John iii. 6, 9)."

"Before you go further will you let me know what you consider as 'the idols' which the heart is so apt to retain ?"

"They are many. The first is self. The name is enough to strike terror to the heart. Who has gauged its depth, detected its subtlety, or wholly silenced its clamour? It is no dumb idol; its din and noise, as well as its hateful and many-headed forms, are odious to every one who is seeking to live the Christ-life. Further, whatever object stands between us and Christ is an idol; whatever occupies the heart which cannot be instantly submitted to His approval is an idol. Who can tell how oft he offendeth?' was the cry of the man of God of old (Ps. xix. 12). 'I know nothing against myself yet am I not hereby justified" was the equally plain disclaimer of all absolute purity of the most remarkable man that ever lived (1 Cor. iv. 4)."

"But, is there any distinction between a clean heart' and a 'pure heart;' for I observe that the latter expression is most common in the New Testament?"

"Though they seem to be synonymous a distinction may be intended, from the circumstance that the New Testament was written after the Great Sacrifice had been offered on our behalf, and the claims upon us for holinesss are now made very manifest. If so, a pure heart must be a heart freed from all unholy and impure desires; not idols only, but evil desires." "But do not desires refer to thoughts, and how can we be free from these ?"

"I give you two replies. (1) If Christ dwells in the heart (Eph. iii. 17), can He not keep it pure? Are not His presence and the desire of evil incompatible? (2) If we abide in Him, are we not at the fountain of all cleansing? It is then surely that we experience the promise, 'The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin,'-cleanseth and keepeth us clean (1 John i. 7)."

"What does St. Paul mean by the statement, 'The end of the commandment is love, out of a pure heart, a good conscience, and faith unfeigned'? (1 Tim. i. 5).”

"The mention of the three things here enjoined, and their connection confirms, in my judgment, the view I have given. Love is the prominent and distinguishing affection of the renewed heart. Purity is its hallowing fire, and a good conscience its safeguard. They may be intertwined into a threefold cord, and if so it will not easily be broken."

"One more question: What does the Apostle mean by the use of the word, "mortify," especially in that remarkable passage Col. iii. 5'?”

"Mortify means, as we all recognise, Put to death.' By many-perhaps the majority—it is interpreted to mean, as often as these and other corruptions arise, 'Put them to death.' The Greek word here used, however, is far stronger and has a much more definite meaning. The most careful and dependable readers of the text agree that it means mortify now--once for all-by a definite act of faith, all these things. They no longer belong to you. 'Reduce these members which are upon the earth to a state of death as regards their actions and desires-as here specified-vers. 5, 6. With these you have no concern. Your members are now members of Christ, partakers of His Resurrection, renewed after His Image'-(Alford.) The subject is unspeakably important. Ponder and pray over it, and we will go into it again." (To be continued.)

Ir is related that on one occasion an eloquent African, a freedman, was declaiming against Southern slavery in a Northern city. But the iron had so entered into his soul, and the prospect of emancipation seemed so far off, as to make his address brimful of despair. A negress was in the audience. She rose; stood silent; her tall, magnificent figure, arrested all eyes; then, as the orator poured forth his hopeless lamentations, she stretched out her long arms, and, raising her head and voice, cried out, "Frederick Douglas, is God dead?" It was as the voice of a Hebrew prophetess, and brought back hope to the heart of the speaker. May such a voice evermore be heard in the heart of all doubters-whether as to God's love or God's power.

BOUND THEREFORE FREE! THERE are glorious paradoxes in the life of a child of the Eternal. The very life itself, springing out of death, and manifesting itself through "dying," is a paradox,-a picture, in one grand whole, of that which every part of it is in detail. Such an one as "Paul the Aged" touches some of these lesser points, and traces them in clear outline before our view, and each almost is a paradox!

"As unknown, yet well known."

"As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing."

"As having nothing, and yet possessing all things," The point where the several lines of most paradoxes meet is beyond the ken of human vision. The centre towards which the opposing radii converge, and in which they are one, is further than the wisdom of man can measure. "The world seeth Me no more," spake the Incarnate God, "but-ye see Me." The Invisible again becomes visible, and "unspeakable words" that which may be understood. For "faith is the giving substance to things hoped for, and the proving of things not seen." What to unregenerate man, and to the unspiritual man, is but an incomprehensible contradiction, and a stumbling-stone; to the man whose eyes are opened, to a child filled with the Spirit, is but two wondrous sides of one great truth being folded and unfolded to him by his Father, as he is able to bear it; a roll written within and without with writing. And as this is true in the first instance, of the world and the Church, so is it also true, in lesser degree, among those within the pale of real Christianity. Faith is the vision by which we behold invisible realities; and all the Church of Christ, in some measure, possesses faith; for it is by believing only that any enter into life. Yet the power of vision must not only be possessed, but exercised, to be of any avail; and Christians in how many places are asleep?-the eyes of their faith are fast closed. Thus, practically, they assume the place assigned by the Christ to "the world," and they "see" Him "no more;" and understanding not, they stumble at His word. Again, faith must be exercised in the right direction; yet how often, when the eyes are open, instead of looking upward, they are gazing upon the earth, too negligent to look higher and behold; therefore God's great mysteries become "as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal" in their ears. Even worse than this-worse than sleep, or sloth-how often will

we deliberately place things before our opening eyes, and between us and the God-given Object of our vision. Little things, very little-if kept near enough the organ of sight-will do almost all that blindness would do, to keep us in the dark concerning the unseen things of the Lord.

Christ, turning to those who believed on Him, said, "But ye see Me," "Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom." Is this true of all of us believers? Are we always and every where beholding, looking up into the face of our Lord and Master, and knowing more and more of the mysteries He will reveal by His Spirit? When it is not so, God's paradoxes become to us also unmeaning realities. For JESUS only is the solution of the high, deep thoughts of JEHOVAH; and seeing Jesus alone will show us "great and mighty things" that we know not, and unveil "hidden things," which our finite power could never discover.

Just now, in this age, we stand on the threshold of the revealing of many of the paradoxes of God. One, He opens out a little to this soul; and another a little more to that; or rather shall I say that He is opening eyes that slept, and raising eyes that were cast down, and above all sweeping away obstructions from the vision of believers? So that which was in existence from all eternity, and made manifest in this last time, in this closing of the dispensations, they are beginning to behold, to see, to know; and the children of the King Immortal and Invisible are entering once more in some measure upon the possessions of their birthright.

And yet, as yet the clearest vision beholds but glimpses, the strongest faith grasps but tremblingly. In the breaking of the dawn of God's great paradoxes on the soul who dare speak? In the glimmerings of the day that is coming, who may say "I know?" yet we must testify that we have seen, even though it be but "through a glass darkly," and strangely now "in part." Just as a gleam of what it may be, a spark of the great glory that it is, would I give a word on the paradox before us. For the "riddle" is still dark, but we know the "face to face" revelation of the Hereafter follows in its train.

BOUND, THEREFORE FREE! Chained, therefore unfettered! Enslaved, therefore emancipated! Nothing so wonderful after all. Perhaps not, if you place the first act in the past, and the next in the