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1653 East Main Street

Rochester Hew York 14609 USA

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Walking -WITH God' -B

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HALDANB

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H34
1900

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WALKING WITH GOD

THOUCiHTS ON THE ASSURANCE OF
SALVA'IION.

JOHN HALDANE,

Author of " Is the Sabbath Binding on the Cliristian Conscience Y '

TORONTO:
WILLIAM BRIGGS,

-9-33 Richmond Street West.
1900.

6T75/

Ml
III

Kntbubu aooonling to Act ot the Hurliiiuieiil ot Canada, in the ye»f onu
thousand nino hiindrwl, by John Hat-danh, %t tb.; Dopartnient, of
AuricultuTH.

Ill

Ik;
he
til
fii
u/
of

To th^. fier. \fark TurnhuU, A.M.,

h'ni'Jor of ,SV, Oi'oT'f's, ^hvl^rich :

My IJkak IlKCTou.-lt firtoids iiumiuicIi pUvisuiv to
dodicatf my Troatne, •' Wulkini,' with (J.ul," to you,
bociius*' of the vvurni iiitrrt'st you pers.ituillv take in
the subject, of it. Yc.ur kirnlly aitju-cciatiou of tli.i
manuscript «'ml)ol(lciis me to its pul)licatioii.

It is ri<,'ht to do our l«>.sl to prcM'ut our icligioii laps-
ing into a listhjss, self-deluding formalism, and to ui^sert
lier right to our thoughtful consideration i)v showing
her inherent power, not only to provid.- a remedy for
the evils of our present life, hut t<» assure us <.f a peace
fid serenity of mind in regard to our momentous /ti-^re-
(t/i!er— aduty beneficial alike to the writer in the evenirn'
of his lift- and t<> the deeply-intereste<i readt^r.
Believe me,

My dear Keotor,

Very faithfully yours,

John Ham>ank,

ToKONTo, Foh. 14th, 1900.

VVALKINC; WITH GOD

" Nearer, my OJod, to 'I'liee !
Nearer to Tliee !"

"And Knooh walked with Hod: and lie was not; for (iod
took him." (<Jen. v. 24.)

BRILLIANT oem in the dark histoiy oi"
the first .stage of thi.s world, recording the
fall of Adam,* hi.s hiding from God, the
murder by his first born of a " believing"
brother,! and the general depravity of
man,:|: ending with the flood — a sentence concise,
but comprehending much. It brings up the great
tjuestion of human life, with the central power for
regulating aright all its activities. It exhibits an
encouraging examplar to him " who wills," of the
blessings of the Covenant of Grace, couched first
in the mysterious promi.se that the seed of the

*Gen. iii. 6. i Gon. iv. S. :; Jvide 1 }, 15; (Jen. vi. 7.

WALKING WITH GOD

woman would >»ruise the head of the .serpent:*
njore fully explained by St. I^iul to the Roinan.s,
iii. 19-81, and who, moreover, so declared to the
(/oi-inthians, " As in Adam all die. so in Thrist shall
all be made alive."f

It introduces moreover a type of those who will
be alive at Christ's second advent, and who, the
same apostle declares to the Thessalonians, "will
be cau^rht up in the clouds to meet the Lord in
thi'air.";

To a rational and thoughtful man the blessing-
of all blessino-s is the privilege of walkino- with his
(Creator as his Heavenly Father, and he regards
with the deepest anxiety whether he be ju.stified
in believing that the privilege extends to him :
because, judging the world generally by conversa-
tion and otherwise, he cannot see that people act
as if they feel themselves entitled to it, for if they
<lid he can hardly credit the fact that they would
appear to be so indifferent -man v. indeed, so "callous
—to it.

Their apparent apathy produces within himself
a feeling that it is an unwarrantable presumption
in him to entertain the idea that he stands on
higher ground, and is entitled to individual con-
sideration. The general habits of life are extremely
depressing, and he regards the ([notation from

(Jen. iii. 15.

t I Cor. XV. 22. 1 1 Thesx. iv. 17, IH.

THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION.

mo-
his

}!^cripture us iipplicablc only lo ii liifrhur class of
the race.

In the <le|)tlis of his thouohts the veil that has
hitlierto darkeiu-d his vision of the Creato)-. oh-
scurinfi" Him as unappioachahle, and far ivnioved
from man, nilino- with nn(|Uestionab!e power, now
rises, and it dawns upon him that althouj^h, as a
creature, he has no ri^ht of »[Uestion, " Why
hast Thou made me tlius^"* he has a ri<>-ht hv
nature to ask. ' To what purpose hast Thou madr
me i" "I desire to know Thee, wiio tiiou art, and
I pray for light and a responsive spirit to enable
me to fulfil T!iy will in this darkened world." He
thus elaims a natural i-ioht to approach iiis
Creator, and to \m^ for help in *ise of a ditlieulty
throuo^h an enemy. Aoaiji, fiv^ni his own innate
feelini>s of a father, that, if overcome by an enemy,
he would not be denie<l access to Him, to implore
for forgiveness, and rcstoi-ation to His favor, on
expressing chie penitence for his foil}-. Moreover.,
as regards liis Creator, judging from the impulsive
desire of a man to foil the scheme of .m evil
designer, and to recover his abducted son, some-
times at a great cost, so he believes that the Great
(Creator must desire to foil his enemy, and to
recover his i-uined creature, man, tliough nece.ssarily
at a great ccst for satisfying the offended dignity

* Hrsniane !\. '2(1.

WALKING WITH GOD

of His moral law— the more so, as man is capable
of being restored to His service by imparting to
him a new spirit, as the works of a valuable watch,
stopped by the breaking of its mainspring, may
be again regulated, and set in motion, though not
by ujending the old spring, which has become
useless, but by putting in a new spring.

iNgain man, thus recovered, becomes' a most
glorious demonstration of His infinite holiness and
justice, and pre-eminently of His intinite goodness,
before all Other intelligences: and now a new
creature of more value because more reliable by a
severer trial, and more loyally devoted by a bond
of gratitude, strengthened by the remembi-ance of
liis evil plight, the gravity of which can only be
measured by the solemn value of the sacrifice
demanded.

Such serious thoughts are so far good as afford-
ing strong grounds for a favorable reception of
the Covenant of Grace ; but peace of mind can only
be reached by an authoritative revelation of how
far they are reconcilable with the infinite justice
of God, and our thoughtful inquirer now turns with
true earnest ncss to the Scriptures for guidance.
Here, to his satisfaction, his doubts, based on a
human standard, are removed, and he is told, and
feels as if the words were addressed to himself
individually, " My thoughts are not your thouglits,

1
j

THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

neitlier arc youi \ ys luy ways, saith the Lord.*
For as the heav ;ii.-i are hioher than the eartli, so
are my ways higher than your wa}-s, and my
thoughts than 3'our thoughts," and he earnestly
prays, " Oh, send out thy light and thy truth : let
thein lead me."-f-

And here he reads, among other encouraging-
invitations, " Come unto me, all ye that labour and
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest,":): and in
the concluding words of Scripture, " The Spirit and
the Bride say, Come/'sl^ Moreover, he considers
thoughtfully how Jesus Christ Himself instinicted
His disciples how to address God when approaching
Him in prayer: "When ye pray," He said, say,
" Our Father which art in heaven." Here the
idea of fellowship is sweetened with all the
endearments of home associations, so congenial
to the human heart. Again, "I am the vine, ye
are the branches," " Abide in me, and 1 inyou."1i

Moreover, to allay any doubt whether the in-
vitation was restricted to any particular class of
men, he further reads, as declared a^'ain by Christ
Himself, " For God so loved the world " (the ruined
world) " that he gave his only begotten Son, that
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but
have everlasting life," ** and still again, " I am not

* Isaiah Iv. S, !). tP.salm xliii. 3 X Matt. xi. 28. S Ht-v. xxii. 17.
: Matt. vi. 9. 'St. Jolin xv. 5, 4. **-1oliii iii. 10.

WALKING VVJTIl c;ou.

^•<niie to cull tlu" risrhtcous, but sinru-rs to repent-
ance."* ■ If a man love me, he will keep my
words: ami my FatluT will love him, taul we will
come unto him, ami make our abode with him."f

The thou.i,ditl'ul man thus sees, and is convinced
<•" the authority of Scripture, that, as the air is
common to all. so are tliese invitations to IVllow-
Hhip with their Creator. IVlievino- such a con-
nection to be of all others, by compari.son, the most
de.sn-able, he lunubly clain.s his high privilege.
Feehng elevated aboNe the darkening clouds "of
l.fe, from its whirl of fashion, its all absorbing
busmess anxieties, its delirious passing pleasures
and endjarrassing extravagances, he is convinced
that the nearer he approaches the model ,,uoted
the more pure will be his self-satisfying enjoyment
and the more perfect will his manhood become for
<|ualifying him for the great pin-poses of his ex-
istence; and he feels assured that, if only f.-.ithful
to himself, he will be enabled to reach this great
object. He fondly anticipates that the happx-
results to him.self will be that from a nascent con^
sciousness of the love of God he will realize a
maturing confidence in His protecting guidance
amidst his surrounding ditfieulties, as experienced
by Kmg David, who says, " He will not be afraid
of evd tidings : his heart is fixed, trusting in the

"*Matt. ix. la (Si. John xiv. 28.

THL ASSURANCE OF SALVATION.

Lord."* He foels assured tlutt, in al' liis ])(r-
plexities about the present oi- the future, he will
receive a responsive assistariee : and aorain, it> his
relations to man, that he will experience, l\v in-
te}:jrity (jf action and Christian courtt-sy, the
respect an<l ocni.-il o(j()d-will of all outsi<le. and the
hifrh esteem and coi-dial affection of his family circle.

Now, how is a connection to product- so olorious
an end to be forjne<l '. M.'inkin<l ufncrallv are
strangers to it. How few comparatively walk
throuoh life with a eon.^cious assurance of (Jod's
approving' countenance, and tlnMr ultimate salva-
tion. How few even of well-dis|)osed persons will
ventui'e further than a "hope,"' an<l yet this is a
very .solenni thought, foi- true i-elieion. as its name
really imports, demands the unclou<led and un-
bounded confidence of the creature in the Father-
hood of his Creator, strenothened with unfei,i,med
oratitude and rejoicing" in the promi.ses of His
revealed Covenant of Grace.

Cod is pleased with the siujple confidence of man
in His promises, He is displeased with the least
shallow of distrust.f He claims our perfect love
and faith in Him as our Father in Heaven.

Acceptable wor.ship requires, therefore, that the
worshiper is sincerely earnest in his petitions and
convinced that he is addressing a reconciled and

Ppalni cxii. 7.

t Hebrew xi. 0.

WALKING WITH GOD

reliable God who will answer him according to his
best interests. Any other worship is van,.

If such be true, and true it undoubtedly is, our
subject becomes one of the deepest importance-
yea, one of individual interest.

The simple story of the Hio-hhmd lad is to the
ponit. Asked by some Kno-Iish tourists, would he,
for a valuable consideration, if they tied him safely
with a rope, allow himself to be held over the pre-
cipitous rock to search the birds' nests for e.^^s
he answered, thouohtfully, " Yes, if my father his
•hold of the rope." Child-like unclouded confi-
dence. He doubted not his father though conscious
perhaps of many acts of disobedience meritinc- his
displeasure. Such a faith in God is one Mdiicli
many an anxious soul desires to realize. Let us
look into it. If the parent tie be so strong and so
lovino-ly trusted, how much more so should that of
our " Father in Heaven be ( "

Can the fond mother e'er foryet
The infant whom she bore ;

And can its plaintive cries be heard
Nor move compassion more ?

She may forget. Nature may fail

A parent's heart to mo\'e ;
But Zion on my heart shall dwell

In everlasting love.

-Par. xxir., line ■'>

1
f

THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATIOX V.\

ng to his

iy is, our
rtance —

is to the
ould lie,
11) safely
the pre-
■01- e<,^g8,
ther has
d conti-
onscious
itiiig his
3 whicli

Let us
\ and so

that of

■

Wf! •■).

Now, God is invisible. He "is a Spirit: aii<l
they that worship him must worship him in spirit
and in truth." * But spirit is a pure, subtle essence,
incapable of discernment by our senses. How,
then, can guilty, earthly man ever hope to realize
the blessed privilege of personal communion with
Him \ of coming, as it were, in touch with Him ?
J)o our relations with each other help us to any
conception of the idea ?

Suppose a young man has never, through
domestic circumstances, seen his father. He knows
him only through his acts and by correspondence.
Arrangements have been made for his comfort,
maintenance and education, which unmistak'ably
identify the provider as his father, and of whose
existence he has not the slightest doubt. Though
separated by distance their minds come, as it were,
nito contact through correspondence, by means of
which their thoughts are interchanged, and they
quite understand each other. The son takes
pleasure in acknowledging in detail each apart-
ment with its comfortable arrangements, and the
father feels a secret pride and gratification with
his son's recognition of his kindness. They are
drawn closer to each other in mutual confidence
and affection. The father makes known his in-
structions and his wishes. His son obediently

.John iv. 24.

\v.ii.Ki\hi \viT/f con

responds, chiefly when satistied with the loving
forethought on the pait of his lather for rtdvancing
his present and his future interests: an.l their
mutual relations may, moreover, be confirmed by
the favorable report of a relial»lf middleman,
whom the father has sent to interview his son in
verification of his letters, with fresh assurances of
his own o(.od-will. How difierent would be their
relations if the son were indifi'erent to his sur-
r()undings._ and so insensible to kindness as to
grudge, except for form's sake, to take any notice
»)f them.

Siniiiarly we get a knowledge of the Creator
through liis works, His revelation, His Son. One
very important distinction, liowever, exists, that,
whereas distance actually separates the father and
son, the Creatoi-, though invisible, is onniipresent,
thus adding a deep solenniity to the comparison in
favor of our subject.

Let us exan'ne His works. This involves very
much. They are wonderful, indeed, but practically
disregarded : yea, even unknown by the many.
Indeed, a great many, from their waking moments
till their return to rest, are so absorbed in their
i-espective businesses in the great struggle of life,
that they seem to have no time to consider the
works of God, and thereby one of the main means
of becoming ae<juainted with their Creator is lost.

THE ASSUKANCl'. 01- SALVATION. I')

he loving
iflvancing
mill tlioir
firinod by
iddloinan,
lis .son in
iranees of
1 1)0 their
I his snr-

0S8 US to

my notice

L' C 'ri'ator
ion. One
ists, that,
itlior and
iiipresent,
)arison in

Ives very
radically
le many,
monients
in their
le of life,
sider the
in nioanH
)r is lost.

Indeed, th.y are inorr instructive to a certain ex-
tent than Hi.s Word, ^^'e moiv readily Jind easily
ac(|uire kno\vled<;(,- tlwouMh (,m- sens.-s. His works
are ever before iis, and, indeed, all ..nr operations
for life art! dep^.-ndent u])oii them.

Kin^- David, with ;i compjiratixfly limited
knowled<re of science, rejoiced in meditatin-;- on the
works of God. \'.-iliiin- his downfalls and viewin<;
them, with tho.s.' of St. l\nd's. .is evidences of the
degradation to which even a ^-odly man can
<le.scend whcji walking; by himself. I.-t us re^r.-ird
him as he walks with (lod. His i».s{dms are
nitorspoi-se<I with .solenm th(Miylits on th.- works
of the f,'reat Creatoi-, an.l he o-ives vent to his
e.vcited feelino-s in many hymns, clothed in
beautiful poetic imaucy, Th.- l()4th I'salm oiv.'s
evidence of his devout mind an.l his deep interest
in Nature. • Uh'ss the Lord, O my soul. O Lord
my God, thou art very uroat : thou art clothed
with honoui- and majesty." Then follows an
interestincrih'tailed narration of His various work.s.
Though not ver.sed in the <lepths of a.^tl•onomy. he
e.N-claims, 'The heavens declare the ylorv of God;
and the hrmament sheweth his handywork."*
There is no speech nor language where theii- voice
is not heard. Their daily silent, undeviating
courses are more insti-uctive than lii<rh-s(aindinfr

won Is.

I'>.i!,i

WALKING WITH GOD

The " Benedictu.s " hymn in the niorninj^ service
ol" the Church of En^dand brin<jjs up a panoramic
view of Nature, <;ivinn^ language to its different
agents and powers, and calling upon all to join in
one universal praise of the gi'eat Creator.

Tl.cre is no accounting for what we sometimes
meet with in life. The author once heard, at a
vestry meeting, a learned professor object to the
use of this hymn as monotonous, and dealing too
much with the frost and snow. As Jie millionaire
despises the shillings and pence wh^^li led up to his
wealth, he seemed to despise the elements of true
knowledge. But the impassioned soul loves details.
The concpieror feels proudly happy in narrating
particularly the varied incidents of his campaign.

Milton, referring to his blindness, touchingly
lingers over the objects of sight. " Not to me
returns day, or the sweet approach of even or
morn ; oi" sight of vernal blooms, or sunnner rose, or
Hocks, or herds, or human face divine." We love
to dwell on the varied acts of kindness of a bene-
factor, or the heroic deeds of an illustrious patriotic
ancestor. 80 the man of intelligence, with pleasing
gratitude, lovingly and reverentially lingers in de-
tailing the different works and powers of (Jod, and
calls upon them " to praise and magnify His name
together." By our estimate of a son who, as before
supposed, indifferent to his father's kindnesses,
grudged, but for form's sake, to notice them, let

THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATWX 17

g service

anommic

(litferont

;o join in

unietinics
a I'd, at a
ict to the
wYiwg too
lilljonaire
up to his
,s of true
.'H details,
iarrating
npaign.
lucliin^ly
t to me
eveji or
V rose, or
We love
f a bene-
patriotic
I pleasing
ers in de-
God, and
lis name
as before
ndnesses,
tlieni, let

us judge ourselves oi anyone who fails to recognize
with admiring and loving gratitude the works of
God.

It may be that scientific knowledge is beyond
the reach of many, yet a knowledge sutHcient to
teach us the eternal power and (Jodhead of the
Creator may be reached by all. And first, as we
may suppose the young man before referred to
would likely engage himself in looking over the
apartments provided for him by his father, let us
survey our habitation— this earth. The genei-al
aspect commands our admiration when we V)ehold
the beautiful landscapes of land and water, diversi-
fied with dales, hills and mountains covered with
vegetation, ranging from the giant trees, with their
luxuriant foliage, to the lichen clinging to the rocks,
enlivened with the various birds and animals suited
to their respective climates. Again, when we look
up to the sun by day and the silent moon and tlie
twinkling stars in the depths of night, wo feel
awe-stricken with solemn thoughts. We wonder
not that they were objects of .savage worship.

Such is the habitation provided for us by our
bountiful Creator.

If the young man feels grateful to his father for
providing him with a home suited to his conditions
in life, not only such as may be deemed necessary,
but one of pleasing interest, how much do we owe
to our Heavenly Father <

WALKING WITH GOD

,Ijt!t ii^'loHceii'l into particuhirs, tiikin<,^ !ulvjintat;o
of ^^cioncu ftH far hh it inny bo iiitellij^iblc to all.

Kirst, we tlii<l that oui cartii is only one of n
systein, cotJsistinj^ of ei^^ht i)lanets, which move
round a connnon cyf^\ive—th(' Siui. The first four
are Mercury, Venus, the Earth, Mars. The next
four, tlie least of which is lar<if(U' than the previous
four unit(!tl, are Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune.
Between these are sniall bodies called planetoids,
numbering, as far as i<nown, about one hundred.
Most planets are surrounded by satellites. Our
earth has one, the Moon : Jupiter has four : Saturn
eif^ht ; Uranus eight ; Neptune two. There are,
moreover, comets which move in very eccentric

circles.

The small diagram on the page opposite may
assist the reader.

Let us particularize :

The sun is 1,250,000 times larger than our earth,
and 700 times larger than all the planets together.

Thou material (iod !

And representative of the unknown,
Who chose thee for his shadow ! Thou chief star !

Centre of nuiny stars ! VVliich niak'st our earth
Kndurable, and temperest the lives

And hearts of all who walk within thy rays !
Sire of the seasons ! Monarch of the climes

And those who dwell in them, near or far,
Our inborn spirits have a tint of thee !

E'en as our out\\a!d aspects, thou dost nso

And shine, and sit in glory.

— ayron.

mi
Th

Ivantago
> all.

one of a
ch move
tir^it I'oni"
riie next
previous
Neptune,
lanetoids,
hundred.
les. Our
•; Saturn
here are,
eccentric

)site may

)ur earth,
together.

' star !
earth

r//E ASSURANCE OF SALVA/'IOX iO

iyron.

A solenni and instructn-e .scene for a thoughtful
mind ! Well may we exclaim, " What is man that
Thou art mindful of him ? "*

" And when on joyful wing,
Cleaving tlie sky,
Sun, moon and stars all passed,

I'pward I fly ;
Still all my song shall be,
Nearer, my God, to Thee,
Nearer to Thee."

ivA/-h-i\a WITH COD

The nearest, ]\Iercury, is about 4.'),()()0,000 inileM
from the sun.

Our Earth is about 92,000,000 miles from the sun.

The farthest, Neptune, is about 2,8()2,000,000
miU's from the sun.

By tlie law of j^ravitation every Ixxly has an
attractive force in proportion to its wei^rjit and
distance. Each acts wliile it is acted upon.

Their revolutions are effected by centripetal an.l
centrifugal forces.*

The times and swiftness of revolution are de-
pendent on distance from the central power.

The nearest, Mercury, revolves in 88 of our tlays.

The farthest, Neptune, revolves in 164 years.

Our Earth in about IJOo days, markino- one year,
iToinc at the rate of about 68,000 miles an hour, or
120 times more swiftly than a cannon-ball. It
revolves also on its axis every twenty-four hours,
marking one day, at the rate of 1,000 miles an hour,
to places on the equator.

Our Moon, about 240,000 miles distant from the
earth, revolves in its orbit in about thirty days,
marking one month.

* Centripetal i.s due to tlie force of tin; sun, the common
central jmint. Centrifugal to tlie power by which the botly
was first projected into H|)ace in a straight line. Revolution to
the two forces acting simultamHnisly, resulting in a curvilinear
elliptical orbit.

THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

000 link's

11 the sun.
12,000.000

V has au
iight i\w(\
11.
petal ami

ii aro <lt-
er.

our (lavs,
years,
one year,
II hour, or
-ball. It
)ur liours,
's an hour,

; froin the
irty days.

I he common
oil the l)Ofly
devolution to
a eurviliiieai

*' .Soon as tlie evenin;; shades prevail,

The moon takes up her wondrous tale ;
And nightly to the list'ning earth
Repeats the .story of iier birth."

An Oi'EN Bihle:

Before us is a scene, not of the iniaoination, but
a reality, deinaiulino- continuous!}- the suporintend-
ino- providence of oinnipotent wisdom, verifyinc,'
Christ's remark, " My Father '.vorketh hitherto."

Our chief interest lies in the earth. Lookin<r
into it particularly we find it parcelled out aniony-
tribes, nations, kino;doms, who.se inter-relations are
respected and governed by international law, and
wliose respective individual relations are protected
by national, civil, municipal and domestic laws, in-
spired all from the common centre of all law — God
Himself— the Eternal Ruler of all*

The diiferences between the creature and the
Creator are so inconceivable that we gladly avail
ourselves of any steppino-stone to help our
conception.

An idea througli our senses may enable us to
utilize the fugitive idea of infinity in forming
some little comprehension of our own comjiarative
littleness. Let a man consider how much of the
ocean he could raise by his own physical strength ;

•Acts xvii. 23-28.

IVALKINu nirif COP

and then, referring to tlic diagram ol* tiie .sobir
syHteni, let him beliold among the planets our earth
with its oceans, its rocky mountains, and its liabita-
tions of man, revolving in its orbit in the hands of
Omnipotence as a very liglit thing. He will then
be sensible of his own insignificance.

Similarly, by the diagram, let him weigh his
wisdom and other mental powers, chiefly that of
love, with those of his Creator, who is essentially
//0?t;, whose every act results from the concentrated
co-operation of all His attributes, and in the true
interests of all his creatures,

He will then see a door opening to the wonders
of His Covenant of Grace, as revealed in Scripture.

Overwhelmed with an idea of his own compara-
tive worthlessness, he here reads that God so sym-
pathized with His ruined creatures that He sent
His only begotten Son to assume our nature, in
order to effect our redemi)tion and restoration by
keeping perfectly as our substitute the covenant of
works which we had Ijroken, and by sufiering the
death penalty of Eden for our transgression of it.
And, wondrous indeed, lie learns that when Christ,
on one occasion, was infonned that His mother and
His brethren desii'ed to speak to Him, He an-
swered, " Who is my mother or my brethren ?
And looking round about him he said, Behold my
mother and mv brethren! Foi- whosoever shall do

(

r/IK ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

the .solar

our earth

Its habita-

3 hands of

will then

^veifjli his
ly that of
issentiall}'
icentrated
1 the true

e wonders
Scripture.

com para -
»d so syni-
;t He sent
nature, in
)ration by
Dvenant of
fierin<; the
ision of it.
len Christ,
lother and
n, He an-

brethren (
Behold my
i^r shall do

the w^ill of (iod, the same is my brother, and my
sister, and mother.'"*

What higher object of life can be presented t<^
any rational man than to attain an lionor so
<,a'eat ?

Now some, indifferent to any object beyond the
passino- thin{i;-s of life, some influenced by its
fascinating pleasures, some absorbed in business
schemes, may view this wondrous .scene with
comparative apathy, or it may be some even with
an intellectual interest, but not with aiiy moral
advantage. A man may be shown the splendid
arrangements for a puljlic celebration, and he may
be pleased with a detailed account of the delicacies
on the festive board, and feel gratified e\ en with
their fragrance: Init without actually ])artaking of
them his physical condition would in no way be
bettered, so this scene before him nnist bo taken in
by the intellect and digested by the affections before
his spiritual nature can be advanced by it. Know-
ledge may be heaped up as wealth often is, yielding
to their respective owners nothing beyond the
pleasure of accunuilation. They may never derive
any personal benefit from its use.

Let the reader, anticipating his higher life, when
his disembodied .soul will traverse boundless .space,
allow his mind, leaving its earthly tenement, to

* .Mark iii. ,S2-:i5.

\VALKL\G WITH GOD

view our solar system. Beholding the far-oft'
ponderous orbs by means of his amplified vision, he
would see them revolvino; in their vastness, with
oreat wonderment. As he nears our earth, revolv-
intij with its oceans, its mountains and its inhabi-
tants, with inconceivable velocity, he stands amazed
with a wondrous interest; but approaching the
sun, he stands aghast at an object more than one
million times larger, viewing the tremendous per-
turl)ations on its surface, its whirlpools of fire, its
volcanic eruptions, with bellowing incandescent
clouds — a siglit unknown on earth.

His narration, far exceeding all others relating
to adventures on earth, ^\■ould be listened to with a
ra])turous attention. It would give rise to solemn,
suggestive thought. As a system consisting of
parts acting and being acted on is dependent on
each part contributing its individual influence, the
({uestion arises, were the whole orbs forming our
solar system simultaneous!}^ projected into space
by the onniipotent Creator :*

Again, when we consider tlu; deep knowledge
necessary for determining the delicately adjusted
distances of those bodies from each other and from
their great connnon centre — the sun— to maintain
their mutual relations, and to prevent collisions
from which such awful consecjuences would result,
we may well wonder at the incomprehensible

THE ASSURANCE OF SALVAT/OA'

lie far-oft'
vision, he
less, with
h, revolv-
:.s inhabi-
Is amazed
liint;- the
than one
lous per-
)t' tire, its
mdescent

> relating;
to with a

solemn,
istino- of
ndent on
lence, the
n\\\\r our

1 to space

iiowloda'c
adjusted
and from
maintain
collisions
Id result,
ehensible

wisdom of the oreat Creator. Each bod v. during
thousands of years, has revolved undeviatin^rly in
its orbit, producing one harmonious whole, giving
fjvidence of being governed by an omnipotent
Kuler, under one unalterable, eternal iaw.

Moreover, measuring the inconceivable evils
which woul<l result from any breach of the law
governing the natural world, the lial)itation pro-
vided by God for His intelligent creatures, how
(>an wo possibly form any idea of a breach of His
moral law for the government of them in their
duties to himself and to each other.

If even an asteroid, deviating from its orbit,
would disturb the general harmony of Nature, and
lead to disaster mucli to be dreaded, every breach
of the moral law must similarly lea<l to disturli-
ance tending to the dishonor of God, the misery
'if the transgressor, and the disquietude of many.

And here let us consider. As God has appointed
the sun to be the central power of attraction to
the various bodies revolving round him, He is
Himself the central power of attraction to those
made after " His own image." If thev have devi-
ated from Him, a superhuman iuHuence from
Himself is necessary to recall those of the eccentric
wanderers " who will," in order to enable them to
regain and maintain their connection with Him.
Such is afforded by the Covenant of Grace.

n'A/.h'i.w WITH con

But for tlu" security of all under His government
it is absolutely necessary to exclude all " who will
not" l>y an irresistible coercion in eternal im-
prisonment.

Sin, then, however jjrlossed over wilh human
errino- imao;inations, is the avowed enemy of God
and man; and it is utterly impossible that any
man who indul<]jes in it, or rather, who does not
shrink from its pollutin<r juid bli<;htin,ir touch a.--
from a malig'nant, moral poison, can walk with
God, for "can two walk to»(ether who are not
agreed / " *

And lastly, has our earth alone beeii guilty of
disloyalty to its C'reator ? the only one upon which
He lias chosen to demonstrate His eternal attri-
butes—justice and holiness, and pre-eminently of
all others. His infinite goodness— by a sacrifice so
great as Jesus Christ Incarnate, and Him crucified.

And now, looking upwards, we view with awe
in the depths of space innumerable twinkling stars.
While a sight of wonderment, they do not seem
in the distance to affect directly our earth, but
astronomy teaches us that each, like our sun, is
tlie centre of its own system, and that the light
of some, travelling at the rate of 100,000 miles a
second, is only after 1,000 years reaching us, in-
volving the idea that space is infinite. We learn,

•' Amos iii. H.

■»

THE A SS URA NCE ( )/•' SA 1. 1 'A T/ON

{government
1 " who will
eternal iui-

;ilh huinuu
LMuy of (Jod
e that any
ho does not
\\g touch a^;
walk with
ho arc not

en guilty ol'
upon which
ternal atti-i-
Miiinently of
I sacrifice so
ini crucified,
w with awe
nkiinii- stars,
io not seem
V earth, but
our sun, is
lat the lif^ht
,000 miles a
'Inner us, in-
. We learn.

moreover, that the sun, with all his attendants, is
i-evolviiig round howm' unknown centre.

In a lecture at the Iloyal Institution, Sir Koljert
Ball stated that w«! now Unow th<> existence of
.S0,()()(),()00 of stars or suns, niany of them mucli
more ma^jnificent than the one which gives light
to our system. The majority of tln'in are not
visible to the eye or even i'(!cognizable by the tele-
scope, but sensitiz(Hl ])hotographic plntes have re-
vealed their cxist(;nce beyond all doubt or (juestion,
though the inost of them are inconceivably distant,
thousands or tens (jf thousands of times as far off'
as our sun. A telegraphic message, for example,
which would r(?ach the sun in eight miiuites would
not reach some of these stars in 1,<S00 vcars. An
average of only ten planets to each sun indicates
the existence within the narrow range to which
human observation is still confined of at least
."}00,000,()00 of separate worlds, many of them
doubtless of gigantic si/e, and it is nearly incon-
ceivable that those worlds can be wholly devoid of
living and sentient beings upon then), probably
mortal in our sense, as all matters must decay —
certainly finite; and then what is the relative
position of mankind ?

How awful the over- ruling God ! How insignifi-
cant is man !

As the young man before referred to fxamines

WALKING WITH L.Oi)

I'urthcr the different tilings sent by his father, and
feels drawn to him more closely in confiding' affec-
tion as he discovers the usefulness of each, and its
adaptation to his wants and his comforts, so let \is
examine tlu; varied ruling and contril)Utin<x agents
of Nature, and we will find ourselves drawn gradu-
ally more closely to God, not only b.s the jj^reat
Creator, but much more as our Heaveidy Father,
when we mark His benevolent forethou<'lit in pro-
viding so liberally, not onl^ for all our {)ossible
wants,' but for our gi-atifieation and happiness.
Space forbids going deeply into j)articulars, as this
small treatise is only intended to promote a dtisire
for more eidarged views b\' consultino- si)ecia.i
works on each subject brought up for ti ought.

The first objects that strike our notice are the
sun and moon. They are the two rxillng powers of
«»ur earth. They set in motion and govern its whole
machinery. "And God made two great lights; the
greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to
rule the night. . . . Ami God said, let them
be for signs, and for seasons, and for davs and
vears. *

They <letermine our standards of time — the
moon our month ; the sun our day, our year, our
seasons—they regulate our chronometers.

Though the earth, relatively to the sun, changes

♦Ctii. i. u. ic.

iiea\

a se

tion

a cy

tial

ocea

■i

are

;

tOW]

mys

the

THE .\SSURA.\Xli OF SALVATION

■i father, and
ifidinii' ufFec-
each, and its
rts, so let us
utin^ njients
niNvn iinuhi-
*.s the great
I'lily Father,
>ii<;l)t in pro-
our possihle
1 happiness,
ulars, as this
note a (hisiiv
ltin<4' special
lOiiiiht.
)tice are the
Mj powers ot"
ern its whok^
it Holits ; the
jsser lit;'ht to
lid, let them
)r days and

if time — the

)ur year, our

ers.

sun, chanfjes

its position every hour, the noon at any place
will come to-day at the smihc moment it <lid
thousands of years before.

Difi'erent celestial revolutions harmonizinir deter-
mine certain i)eriods called solidunar cycles. These
rejrulate the chronometer of heaven. Advanced
astronomical science shows them to be identicnl
with the my.'^terious times of the prophet Daniel,
thus authenticatino- him, a man unacipiainted with
astronomy, as a true prophet from (lod. The
intelligent student may trace out the woi-ks of tlie
great Creator upon a higher scale of study by fol-
lowing out the fultilment of pro})heeies on the
pages of history. Let him consult (iuinne.ss by
reading his work '' Light on the Last Days."

By their joint iuHuences the slow secular altera-
tion of the direction of the earth's axis in succes-
sion to every point in a eircle in the northern
heavens marks a period of 25,<S50 years. Tliere is
a second motion of our earth's axis called " nuta-
tion," by the influence of the moon alone, making
a cycle of nineteen years.

Their joint influences cau.se the " tides." .so essen-
tial for purifying the great reservoirs of water, the
oceans, into which innumerable rivers and streams
are continually depositing the filth of villages,
towns and cities. They exercise a mighty "nd
mysterious electrical and magnetic influence o.cr
the whole earth. They are the causes of eclipses.

IVALKLVG Win I GOD

The sun is the fountain of lii;ht .ind heat— the
cnlivenino- inlhience of nature. Without him the
crimson tide would sta<;nate in the veins of ani-
mated bein<,^s. " No lon^'er would the tig tree
blossom, nor fruit he in the vine. The labor of
the olive would fail, and the field could yield no
meat. The flocks must be cut oti" from the folds,
and there would be no herd in the stalls."* " He
penetrates the beds of metal, and finds his way to
the place of .sapphires."

His light, that inestimaWe and indispensable
blessing, reaches us in about eight minutes, or at
the rate of 200,000 miles a .second, a velocity ".ncon-
ceivable when it is calculated that, travelling with
the swiftness of a cannon-ball, it would take thirty-
two years to reach us, or with that of sound seven-
teen years. Passing through the air as a protect-
ing medium, his rays are prevented from blinding
us by their force and effulgence. He is the source
of cheerfulness. " While he enlr /ens nature with
his presence he cheers it with his gifts. To him
the rose owes her blushing beauties and the violet
its modest V)lue."

Thb: Healthb'ulness of Sunshine.

" It is really astonishing how few people there
are who properly estimate the hygienic value of the

* Habakkuk iii. 17.

THE ASSURASCE OE SALVATION

1 lu'iit— the
)ut Iiim the
eins of uiii-
ho fig tree
lie labor of
lid yield no
n the folds,
,11s."* " He
i his way to

idispensable
iniites, or at
ocit^ "ncon-
velliiig with
take thirty-
ouiid seven-
9 a protect-
Diii blinding
s the source
nature with
ts. To him
id the violet

aiNE.

people there
value of the

sun's rays. A valuable lesson on this point may
bo learned by observing the lower animals, none of
which ever neglects an opportunity to bask in the
sun. And the neiuv)* man appronches to his primi-
tive condition the nujre he is inclined to follow the
example of the animals. It is a natural instinct,
which civilization has partly destro\'ed in the
human race. The etfect of sunshine is not merely
thermal : its rays have chemical and electrical
functions. It is more than possible that sunshine
produces vibrations and changes of })articles in the
deeper ti.ssues of the body as effective as those of
electricity. Many know by experience that the
relief it afibrds to wearing pain, neuralgic and
inflammatory, is more effective and more la.sting
than that of any application whatever. Those
who have face-ache should prove it for themselves,
sitting in a sunny window, where the warmth falls
full on the cheek. For nervous disability and in-
somnia the treatment of all othei-s is rest and .sun-
shine." — The Familij Doctor.

How healthful a sun-bath !

The sun's heat, the chief power for producing
terrestrial changes and motion, is enormous. " It is
calculated that 20,000 tons of ice would be melted
in one hour on one square mile at noon at the
equator, during which time the whole earth re-
ceives 50,000,000 times as much heat — sufficient, if

(

:\'i

n'ALhJNu niTJ/ Gon

t'veiily tlistiibiitod over tli«3 surfaco, to boil a frozen
ocean sixty mile.s deep in tlie course ol' a year."

He orij[(inatos and governs the Hystenia of our air
currents and water circuiation. "To produce otu-
day's steady rain over a surface iMpial, say to the
County of Middlesex, England, demands a forcr
•'fjuivali'iit to the mechanical power necessary to
raise J ,000,000,000 tons to the lieight of thre.-
miles." What force then is necessary for the con-
stant watering of the whole world ? The sun and
moon are, respectively and unitedly productive of
many wonderful ])henomena, too numerous to bring
forward in m detailed form, but which may bo
studied with nnich interest and pr(»Ht from books
on popular philosophy.

If the sun's power in relation to our earth is so
wonderfully great, what is the aggregate of his
forces upon id! the planets which revolve round
hini '.

He vtrrily appears the material god of our solar
system. Our air is wonderfully framed and admir-
ably constituted for the very important purposes it
is meant to answer. It is a compound fluid, inde-
pendent of a((ueous \apours and various exhala-
tions, and it is ordinarily composed, as stated by
Professor Jameson, of 7')'-").') nitrogen, or azotic ga.-^,
23'32 oxygen gas. 1'08 acjueous vapor, O'lO carbonic
(acid gas) per cent. It extends upwards about

an-.

yy/A" yissuA\L\'cj, or sali-a/jox

oil a frozen
a year."
18 of our ail
pro* luce oxw
I, say to the
ids a t'orc<'
iceessary tu
it of thre«'
for the con-
'he sun and
roductive of
3US to brinjj;
I'll may U'
from book?;

• wu'tli is so
■gate of liis
volve round

of our solar
land admir-
b purposes it
liuid, inde-
ous exhala-
LS stated by
r azotic gas,
ilO carbonic
vards about

forty-tive luile.s. Its lower region containw chiefly
nitrogen and oxygen with exhalations from the
earth; itsupi)er region, a large proportion of hydro-
gen, a lighter gas, occasionally set on fire by elec-
tricity, and th»' api)arent cause of aurora borealiH
and tire balls. Its j)rincipal constituent, nitrogen,
is totally unfit for animal life. Oxygen in itself,
is eiiually so, with contrary cti'fcts. The two, in
the proportion state«l, constitute the vital element
for the maintenance of animal life ; but this pro-
portion is continually subject to change by the
hitter's exhaustive demands. It is es.sentiul, how-
ever, to their existence that the ])roper proportion
be maintained. Everyone knows how suH'ocatinLr
a small, crowded room becomes : again, that a
burning taper under a glass receiver will become
extinguished. A supply nuist be provided for
the exhaustion. 'J'he vegetable creation chiefly
furnishes it. Under the action of the sun, as Sir
FI. Da\y says, " When the leaves of vegetables
perform their healthy functions they purify the
air." Moreover what the tides and the currents
with its saltness are to the ocean for its purifica-
tion, the air currents, the storms and tlie tiery
meteors, chiefl}- in the upj)er regions to whicli
noxious exhalations ascend, are to the air.

The omniscient Creator could alone have pro
vided the reipiired ren)edy, so essentially necessary

W'ALK/XG WITK GOD

for nuiintainiiig the existence of man, by such a
delicate adjustment of the disturbed proportions.
The air is the medium through which, by refraction
and retlection of the sun's rays, we are protected
from tlieir otherwise unendurable heat and daz/ling
brightness; moreover, from the sudden, unpleasant
changes from darkness to light at sunrise, and from
light to darkness at sunset. By its weight and
condensing power the air is forced and compressed
into the lungs, while by its elastic and expanding
property it is tin-own out again in the act of
breathing. The two processes of inspiration and
expiration generally alternate with each other,
while the body is at rest, about twenty times a
minute. A full-grown person resj)ireK about
4S,000 cubic inches in an hour.

The weio-ht of the superincumbent air is equal
to 15 lbs. on every s(|Uare inch, or about 40,000 lbs.
on the body of an ordinary man; but by the
wisdom of the (\-eator the elasticity or spring of
the internal air within all bodies balances that
which is without ; so much so that instead of being
a crushing and intolerable incumbrance it gives an
agreeable impetus to our movements.

Air is indeed the essence of what life is made,
and its properties are so invaluable that it demands
a separate special treatise. Human, animal and
ve<«-et.able life dei)end upon it. By it fire, so

THE ASSURAiXCK Ol- SAIA'ATIOX

, by such a
proportions,
y refraction
•e protected
md dazzling
, unpleasant
se, and from
weiirht and

compressed
1 expandin<jj

the act of
)iration and
each other,
iity times t\
)ires about

air is equal
it 40,000 lbs.
Imt by the
or sprin<;' of
dances that
ead of being
e it o'ives an

life is made,
t it demands

animal and
■ it fire, so

essential to life, is fed and cherished. It possesses
power also for dissolvino- bodies whieii would prove
injurious to the world, by reducing them to their
tir.^t principles. Through it the human voice, the
sound of music, the warbling of birds, and tlie
perfume of roses, the violet, and the honey.suckle,
are conveyed to our organs of sense. }jy it we are
warned of evils by the sound of danger in the
ilistance. It forms the wondrous mii-age. It pro-
duces the raiid)ow. It is the hiojiwav of the
birds. It fills the canvas of the siii[)s. It hnpels
machinery.

It is the medium for carrying out the working
of our water .system. The circulation of water is
to the globe what the circulation of blood is to the
animal frame. " AH the rivers run into the sea, yet
the sea is not full : unto the place from where the
rivers come thither they return again." The power
recpiired for the work, and actually exerted by
the sun, is, as before shown, enormous.

And water it.self is another ble.ssino' from our
Ikmntiful Creator. While essential to life it ad-
ministers to our wants, our conveniences and our
plea.sures, in its varied forms of li(iuid, ice, vapour
and steam. Interesting, indeed, are its constitution
and the arrangements for its circulation throu<di
nature, which, as stated, is as necessary as the
circulation of blood in the animal system. It also.

3()

U'ylLKIAG WITH GOD

in consideration of its iniportjince, is entitled to a
special treatise, to trace out its sonrees, its rivers,
its reservoir, the ocean.

The earth, our bountil'ul "mother," unfolds her
precious treasures, while she provides a liberal
supply of food convenient for oiu' physical frames.
She Ijrings forth her stores of delicious and tempt-
ing fruits in eveiy variety, and with exuberant
benevolence she captivates us with her beautiful
and fragrant flowers in .scattered profusion, many
of them yielding perfumes of sweetest scent. Every
plant is an instructive organism from its embryo
state to its maturity.

Again, the animal kingdom claims special atten-
tion. Not only are they given to us for food and
clothing as necessaries, but for luxuries, even to
the honeycomb from the industrious bee and the
nuich-valued material from the silk-worm. More-
over, by a provident Creator they are intended for
performing many of our arduous labors, .and add-
ing very materially to our comforts and pleasures.
The intelligent student will realize a gratified
curiosity in studying their different .s])ecies, their
peculiar habits and .structures suited to their respec-
tive environments in air, earth and water.

Geology, too, unfolds the wondrous treasures of
the earth. In her bosom are stored building
material metals, and beds of fuel .so e.ssentiallv

rUl-: ASSURANCE OF SALVATIO.X

jntitled to a
>s, its livers,

uiifoMs lior
es a liberal
sicul frames.
^ and tempt-
li exuberant
er l)eautil'ul
usion, many
icent. Every
\ its emlnyo

ipecial atten-
I'or food and
ries, even to
l)ee and tlie
orm. ^Fore-
intended for
3rs, and add-
nd pleasures.
2 a gnitified
■i])ecies, their

their respec-
iter.

treasures of
'ed building;
10 essentially

necessary for the purposes of lift — truly admirable
stores !

But best, indeed, is man, for whom all is pro-
vided, endowed, as he is, with necessary organs
to find out his Creator, with intellect to know Him,
and with affections to love and to adore Him.

■•These arc Tliy glorious woik.-;, I'areiit of good \
Almighty, Thine this iinivei-.sal frame,
Tims woiidroiis fair : thy.sclf how womlroiis then I
Unspeakahle. ■'

If such is earth with all its treasures, what must
heaven be '.

Here let us stop for thouoht.

Whilst his moral nature stamps man as the lord
of creation and indicates the great possibilities of
his momentous future, his physical organism and
his relations to life are wonderfully adapted to
carry out the puri)oses of his being. To under-
stand aright the arrangements pro\ided for him,
let us imagine liini nUrnc, devoid of the sympathies
of a conunon humanit\-, unknowing and unknown,
solitary and cheerless. How far otherwise is the
wise provision by a benevolent Creator for his
present happiness, and the development of charac-
ter to suit him for his great future.

What better conceivable method for this purpose
than the division of the race into families ?

WALKING WITH GOD

To carry out this Nature asserts her authority.
She has implanted in the breast of each an ever-
controllino- desire to build up his individual house-
hold. How pathetic Christ's remark, " For this
cause shall a man leave liis father and mother, and
cleave to his wife, and tlu'}' twain shall be one
flesh."

By the division into families a man passin<r
throufih the stances of infancy, youth, manhood,
and old age, when incapable of the activities of
life, acipiires an education fitted for his chief end.
"To glorify (lod, and to enjoy Him for ever.''
What better o-nardians than parents in infancy (
What more instructive object les.sons than parents
for imparting a sense of duteous love to the Great
Creator '. What better connection than with
brothers and sisters to learn the duties of manhood I
What more deej)ly felt consciousness can old age
acquire of the Fatherhood of God. in view of .soon
leaving life, than a man's own innate; feelings of a
father to his son, chiefly the returning penitent
])rodigal '.

Again, in numhood. how })leasing by the division
of labor is the cono;enial and beneficial intercourse
of society. What a wonderful blessing is language
for the interchange of thought, instructive or
expressive, of schemes for ameliorating the evils of
life, or of mutual confidences, or of warm afi'ection.

THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATIOX

• iiutliority.
ch an ever-
dual bourse -
"For this
mother, and
liall be one

lan passin^^
I, nianhootb
ictivities of
5 chief end.
1 for ever.'"
in infanc}' '
ban parents
o the Great
tlian with
•f manhood (
can old a^e
iew of soon
eelings of a
nu' penitent

the division
intercourse
is lanjjfuage
itructive or
; the evils of
nw affection.

or of reei])rocated love ! or especially of thought in
connection with our hij^her nature, our Christian
duties, the benevolent Fatherhood of God, our
eternal future !

But alas 1 as evidence of our corrui)t nature, how
often do we find discords in families, and our
organs intended for good employed for evil ! How
often do we find the arm given to protect raised
to connnit deeds of violence ! How often do we
find our tongues, graciously given us for sweetening
life, used as instruments for vilifying character
and hurting the feelings of others I

Let us pursue this interesting subject further,
for the especial duty of man is to study man.

"The proper study of miiukiiid is niaii."

How pleasing to see our friend face to face, to
observe by ourselves his changing features and move-
ments which animate conver.sation ; to view the
beautiful landscape in all its varied aspects of
mountain, hill and valley, with meandering streams
and clothe<l with beauteous foliage and grateful
shades, resonant with the warbling notes of birds
and fragrant with the [)erfumes of the varied
flowers. How wonderful to watch the sun rising,
pursuing his dail3'' course, and his gorgeous setting ;
to regard thoughtfully the moon " looking down
alone.'' and the innumerable stars glitterinrr in the

WALKING WITH GOD

depths of ilHniitablo space. What a <;lorious privi-
lege when our souls, Ieaviii<^ their earthly habita-
tions, can traverse the world i'roni pole to pole, and
visit the celestial bodies which demonstrate more
forcibly than lan;j;ua<j^e the infinite perfections of
the <^reat Creator! How pleasinj^dy instructive
when W(; cati iiidtdoe in thoughts beyond the ken
or restraints of man, but in secret connnun ion with
God, layinj^ the foundation-stones of a perfect man-
liood : A^ain, how pleasantly a<j;'reeable to have it
in our power to recall by memory many of the
happy scenes of youth, the j)leasantries of social
life, and to live over a^ain the never-to-be-forgot-
ten (gather ino-.s of the home circle.

Moreover, what a boon is the power of corre-
spondence. When the necessary engagements of
life separate the members of a family, or intimate
relations or frien<ls, how ])leasing to be able to
recall by correspondence the many pleasing reminis-
cences of the past, and to interchange thoughts
on the interesting events of the day ! Again, with-
out the means of correspondence how could the
business of life be carried on ?

The tlumghtful man, availing himself of all his
privileges, is daily adding to his stores of knowledge
and accumulating resources within himself which
make him independent altogether of outside
attractions.

THE ASSURANCl'l OF SALVATION

lorious privi-
•tlily luibita-
> to pole, and
istrato more
erfections of
iiiHti'iictive
;)ii(] the ken
iiiunioii with
|)erfect man-
)le to have it
many of the
■jes of social
to-bi'-forgot-

er of corre-
aiiements of
, or intimate
1 be able to
sing reminis-
ige thouo-hts
Again, with-
\v could the

elf of all his

)f knowledge

imself which

of outside

Our inquirer is now personally convinced of the
truth of Solomon's conclusion, who, surfeited with
the gaieties and pleasures of life, exclaims:

" haj)})y is the m.'ui who hears

Instiui'tioii's wfirninjL,' voi(;(>,
And wlio (olcstial wisdom makes,
His early, only ehoiee.

For slie Iia.s treasure.s grealof far,

Than east or west unfold,
Arid her rewards more precious are,

Than all their st(jres of gold.''

— Par. xi. /, :> ; Vrw. in. 13-17.

It is true that the sentence, " In tlie sweat of thy
brow shalt thou eat bread," entails a great drau^i-ht
upon our best efforts and tiirjc ; in souk; cases, com-
paratively greater because of misfortune, in others
unnecessarily grievous because of extravagances ;
but in mercy it is remedial to the prudent, who in
their daily intercourse with each other, through
the interchange of their respective lal)ors, errdsrace
every opportunity of cultivating a character of in-
dustry, charity and integrity.

Alas! the thoughtless, by a perversity of character,
often, as before mentioned, onploy the powers and
opportunities given to them for good to the injury
of others and their own ruin.

Yea, many well-dispose<l persons often forego
the present pure enjoyment of the blessings offered

IVALk'INC WITH GOD

tiiom.and iiuliil<;-c inan liabitual iiK']anch()ly,\vhicli
they think more bocoiniii^' eiTin<( Tnortals, aii«l
more consistent with a relijjiious life. Tliey aiv
ever seeini;- clouds rising' in the horizon of their
vision contrary to Scripture doctrine. " Rejoice in
the Lord ahvay ; and a<,'ain I .say, rejoice."

Surely it is more consistent with reason to take
all the pleasure we can out of a present n-ood than
to cloud it with an imaginary prospective evil. If
to-day is sunshine let us enjoy it to the full, with-
out fancyino' a possible storm to-morrow; as the old
Roman poet advises, who .says, " Cai'pr d'u'iu " (enjoy
the day), or rather as Christ counselled, "Take
therefore no thought for the morrow ; for the mor-
row shall take thought for the things of itself.
Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."*

That "His n ime is near His wondrous works
declare ; " but we feel consciously brought more
closely to our Creator, and in touch, as it were, with
Him through Jesus Christ His Son. He was
promised in Eden as " the seed of the woman " to
" bruise the head of the serpent." His arrival was
foretold by prophets, chiefly by Isaiah, over 700
years before the event. He says, " Behold a virgin
shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His
name Innnanuel."t Again, " Unto us a son is given
and the government shall be upon His shoulder

' Matthew vi. 34. + Isaiah vii. 14.

TIJE ASSURAXCJ-: OF S.lLVAriOA 4:i

neli(>lv, whicli
Tiioi'tals, an<l
['e. They are
rizon of their
" Rejoice in
oiee."

reason to take
eiit ii'oo'l than
ctive evil. IV
the full, with-
(jw ; as the oM
' (lie m" (Q.\\]oy
Lselled, "Take
' ; for the inov-
ings of itself,
reof."*

)nclrous works
brouo'ht more
IS it were, with
5on. He was
he woman" to
lis arrival was
5aiah, over 700
Beliold a virgin
1 shall call His
a son is given
His shoulder ;

i. 14.

and his name shall be called Wonderfnl, Counsellor.
The mighty CJod, The everlasting Father. The Prince
of Peace."*

He is ihe central figure of the world's histor\-.
The Romans eiu-olled their lie>- nmon<: their <"-ods
with the ideal investiture of divinity. He was
then their idol, with his human senses supposed t«)
he intensified by his elevation : and a worshipper, by
a necessary reaction, became more .selfish, or more
cruel, or more .sensual, as his idol was supposed to
have been while on earth.

As our body receives warmth or cold from the
body with whicli it comes in contact, so the wor-
shipper the .spirit of his idol, chiefly under the
emotional influence of prayer,

Contrariwise, the Head of the Christian church,
very (Jod of very God, assumed humanity for its
purification and assimilation to Him.self. glori-
ous thought : Yea, and ever blessed be His holy
name.

Man cannot see God and live, but Jesus Chri.st.
the expi-ess image of His per.son, deigns in gracious
condescension to visit us veiled in human form,
and, wondrous and inconceivable indeed, to work
out our salvation by His life and death; more-
over, to leave after Him an exemplary standard of
perfect humanity for our imitation.f

* Isaiah ix. (j. t Hebrews i. ;i.

WALKING WITH GOD

As God-inaii He constrains our deepest reverence,
because our Creator, and excites om- wannest
affections by His sympathies as man.

He is of all other conceivable beings the nreatest
friend ol* man, in whose name and for whos(! sake
alone we are entitled to ask for or expect to receive
any bl(!ssin<;'. Who else, or wliat other object, more
worthy ^of our thoughtful and pleasintj meditation '

'• 'J'lioiigli now ii.seciicUul upon lii^ili,
Ifo bends on earth ii hrothtjr's eye ;
Pai'takoi' of tlio hiiinaii name,

He knowy tlie frailty of our frame."

" And I," said He, " If 1 be lifted up, will draw
all men unto me." *

But whilst our honest inciuirer after truth feels
lost in adinirint^ awe while contemplating the
power, the wisdom and the goodness of the great
Creator, in beholding His works, and from the
perusal of His Word, he sees clearly from his own
consciousness and his knowledge of general life
that man, the chief 'and main object of His works,
is out of correspondeuc vitli Him \

What Should ise the Case ?

If any subjects, by comparison, should interest a
man, these should surely be his Whence, and his

* John xii. 32.

77/ A' ASSfAWXC/i OF SAIAAUON

est reveruncf.
our wannest

s the ;;reiitost
)!• whose sake
i)eet to receive
r ol)ject, more
"• 111 .litation '.

ve ;
If."

Up, will draw

er truth feels
inplating the
5 of the jLjreat
iiid from the
from liis own
' f^eneral life
)f His works.

.SE {

uld interest a
ence, and his

/A'/v',nnd his lf///7Ar/'— his Whenw, the'uTeat IJein*--
who made him, and in whose hands hisiuvsentand
his ele.ual future are centred : his Here, when con-
sidered in relation to the whence and to his
whither his .solenni Whither, when re<4arde<l as his
Hnal, eternal hou.se.

What is thr Hkal State of Thincs '

While the .scriptural seven thou.sand (Isk ah
xix. i.S) will ever be found in fuUilment of the
counsels of Jehovah, many wise in their estimate
of comparative values of earthly things, seem in-
<lisposed to consider aright spiritual things. They
seem unconcerned about any difierenee between
them and their Creator. Some even view relicjous
subjects with dislike: .some as not more than of
secondary value, and that, too, only when not
interfering with the conveniences of life. Some,
no doubt better dispo.sed, think seriously, but with
a confusion of thought unpro<luctive of much
good. Their system of religion, of a purely moral
character, is based ujjon their ideal standard of
possible human perfection— a very unsatisfactory
one. Others indeed, on a profes.sedly higher scale,
based on a gracious amnesty from (Jod through
Jesus Christ, but so clouded with human sugges-
tions as to render it suitable to the service of two
masters — God and mannnon — incapable of yielding
any personal comfort.

/r.//,A'/.V(/ WITH COD

IixU'tMl, tho main ohjt'ct seems to l>e to e.seape a
hell ratluM- tlian to <,'ain a heaven, inconsistent
altof^ether with tlie eharaeter of tnie ieli;;ion—
supreme love to Ood. Lookiutr anxiously to such
an inheritance, ol' which it is said, " Kye hath not
seen, nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the
heart of man to conceive what (iod hath prepared
for those who love him," is a very influential
factor in the biiihlin;; up of a pure character.

Do we ever he.-ir as earnest conversations about
such an inheritance as we hear about prospects of
a valuable earthly estat(! ?

Rousino- liimself from his reverie, our iii.iuirer
is determined to reach the truth, undisouised and
free from human inventions and delusive form-
alisms. As a descendant from guilty Adam, he
considers thouoht fully his fallen condition. From
his survey of nature he is satisfied that its liar-
monious uniformity is dependent upon law eter-
nally uniform, and that any deviation would load
to disaster. Similarly, or rather much more so,
as formerly considered, that any deviation from
the moral law, founded upon eternal principles,
constitutin][T His essential character, must be dis-
honoring to the Creator, injurious to His cr(>atures.
and specially, as he now sees, to himself, and that
any transgres,sor must necessarily be punished, foi'
example sake, and exclude<l forever from His

TlfE ASSURANCr. OF SA/AA/'/OX

l»e to <;.seilJ)C II

, iiicoiisi.stont
nie ieli;;ion —
ioiisly to HiU'li
■ Kyu liath not
tcrt'd into the
liMtli jnepartMl
iry influential
liaracter.
Tsations about
it prospeetM ot"

', oui' iiuiuirev
lulisuuist'd an<l
ielusive Torni-
ilty Adam, lie
idition. From
J that its har-
jpon law oter-
ion would lead
uich more ho,
k'viation from
nal principles,
•, must be dis-
) His cn^atures.
luself, and that
le puinshcd, foi'
ver from HIh

kin«;dom. Such would be hi.s conchi.sion.s froni a
liuinan standard of jud<;ment. He now reads the
Scriptures as ji I evelation from heavtMi. H<^ may
have read them from his yoiith, but with such a
monotonous vagueness that they have art'ordod
him but little .-atisfaetion. Indci'd, lie lias heard
and rend their truths so blurred by human sp(.'cious
ur<j;;uments and disturl)in<;- sophistry that his faith
in them had become shakt-n and unsteadv. Now
\\v reads iji earnest for him.self. The ))i(>j)het
Isaiah aids him in his .search by the encoui'a<;in^'
utter, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith
the Lord ; thou^^h your sins be as scarlet, they .shall
l>o as white as snow : thouoh they l)e i-ed like
crimson, they shall be as wool."*

A^Min he fancies him.stdf a listener i)er.sonally to
tile conversations between Jesus Christ and
Xicodeimis, and from the lips of Christ Him.self he
learns that a man nuist "be born a^min," and that
unless born a^ain he cannot enter the kinndom of
heaven, but that "God so loved the world " ( le
ruined world), " that he ^'ave his only lie^^otten n,
that who.soever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlaatint,' lifi' "+ \o;ain, " I am not
come to call the righte' out sinners to repent-
ance.":;; Moreover, the prophet Jeremiah an-
nounces, "After those day. s, saith the L-n-d, I will

* Isniiih i. 18. • .Folin iii. ;?, 16. ^ Matt. ix. \\\.

WALKING WITH GOD

put my law in tlieir in\viir<l parts, and write it in
their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall
be my people."* And still attain, Jesus told His
disciples, " It' I ^o not away, the Comforter w^ill
not come to you ; but if I depart, I will send him
unto you."t " When ho, the spirit of truth, is
come, he will guide you into all truth."^: All
human suggesticms to the contrary, he views as
utterly, by comparison, inadnn'ssible. With " such
lights " he searches deeper, and disregarding all
human controversies upon subjects of (piestion, he
simply seeks for such further information as may
show him his way to perfect peace and oneness

with God.

A man, sleeping unconsciously in an apartment
of a burning building, when i-oused by the alarm
cry of fire, <lelays not with (piestions about its
origin, or the movements of others, Init imploringly
asks for information by what way to escape if his
usual entrance is in llames, and he never falters
till he has reached a place of safety. Then he
may take leisure for further inquiries.

Our inquirer still feels embarrassed, however,
in claiming to have reached a higher stage in
religion than many, apparently very near the
seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to
Baal, as cvidenctnl by their professions and habits

* .Jer. \xxi. ^i.'i. i 'J<'liH xvi. 7. JJniiii xvi. K?.

THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATIOX

nd write it in
lud they shall
esus told His
Jomforter will
will send him
t of truth, is
truth."t All
, he views as
With " such
sreuiirdin<^ all
)t' question, he
nation as may
e and oneness

an apartment
hy the alarm
ions about its
nit imploringly
to escape it' his
e never falters
t'ety. Then \\v
ies.

issed, liowever.
igher stage in
very near thf
ed the knee tc
ions and habits.

They conduct family worship, go regularly t<»
church, respond devoutly to the prayers, appear
elated with enthusiasm on festival days, and arc
foremost in works of benevolence. But thesi',
wiien asked the crucial question as to their
expectations of the great future, seem to give an
evasive answer, or at least to express only a hope
that all will l)e right. This is most unsatisfactory
and depressing, as the (,'hristian religion assures
us of a i)resent joyous peace and a future heavenly
home. Something nnist be wi-on*'".

His personal anxieties urge him to loc^k into
this with all .seriousness in order to reacli a true
solution of his embarrassment. First he desires
to clear the subject of all extraneous matter, for, as
before mentioned, there are many classes of pro-
i'essing Christians. It is now as it was in the
days of Christ : the })roportionate number of
true Christians is small. He counsels in His noted
sermon, and where true religion was supposed to be
found. " Enter ye in at tlie strait gate : for wide
is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to
destruction, and many there be which go in thereat :
because strait is the gate, and narrow is the wav,
which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find
it."*

Leaving out the apathetic, the formalist, the

)!iii xvi. i;?.

Matt, vii. la. 14.

WALKING WITH GOD

moral philosophy Christian, for each of whom
more suitable treatises are necessary, he limits the
number for his investijjjation to those who, like
himself, have reached the anxious stage of our
reliii-ion, but who cannot conscientiously say that
they feel conscious of enjoying its wondrous
privileges.

We may form, he thinks, a more correct idea of
the Covenant of Grace by a proper discrimination
between things temporal and spiritual. For this
purpose he begins by examining human contracts
in all their bearings.

Agreements in relation to our movable property
may be proved by parole testimony, but signature
is necessary in the case of landed property, before
a witness, who, in further security from possible
fraud, is required to be sworn to the fact by a
proper officer of court. In a will two witnesses
are necessary, who declare that they sign the docu-
ment at the request of the testator, in his presence,
and in the presence of each other.

But the spiritual gift of the Covenant of Grace
demands what alone is capable of its reception— a
pure disposition of soul. The conferring and the
reception are beyond human evidence. The com-
pletion is proved by results — known and read of
all men (2 Cor. iii. 2) and conclusively by the Holy
Spirit (Romans viii. 16).

THE ASSURANCE OE SALVATION

jach of whom
7, he limits the
lose who, Hke
i stage of oui-
oiisly say that
its wondrous

correct idea of

discrimination

tual. For this

uman contracts

)vable property
>% but signaturt>
property, before
^ from possible
the fact by a
two witnesvses
Y sign the docu-
in his presence,

venant of Grace
its reception — a
ferring; and the
3nce. The com-
>wn and read of
ely by the Holy

Again a written offer of sale of landed property,
based on the payment of its equivalent price, may
be delivered, duly signed by the vendor, for accept-
ance by the vendee, but he would only thereby
acquire a right ad rem. (fo the property), not to the
usufruct until he pays down the price, and signs it.
Then, and not till then, he accjuires a right in re
(in the property) and to all the advantages and
privileges accruing to ownership.

And still another view may be taken, for the
subject is one of such vital importance that it
should be viewed from every standpoint. An in-
sidious cloud is ever darkening our vision and
disturbing our minds— a blinding innate feeling of
self-power to earn, in part at least, our own salva-
tion, and the necessity of putting forth every effort
for this purpose.

Now there is a kind of sale of property which

may explain :

An own • > ,ay sell by taking back a mortgage

I tor the pi Such a transaction may be cai-ried

I ')n satisfactorily as between man ami man, but not

f as between God and man. Yet many, with a con-

: fused idea of what is human and what is divine,

^ profess thus to sign the Covenant of Grace. They

sign it rightly, as they think, by giving a mortgage,

as it were, for the due fulfilment of the required

duties as the price. Of those there are tv:o classes.

')2

]VALKl2\C WITH uOn

One comprelu-ndino: those who, ignorant of tlie
intrinsic vaUic nf riul.teousness an.l the inherent
evil of sin, ro<rar.hn<r Clod as marking .lovvn all
absentees from religious services, are most scrupul-
ous in their regular attendance on them at homr.
and abroad, with liberal donations to charitable
institutions of every kind. I'hey live a (luiescent
life under the sanction of a moral phdosophy ;
indeed, thev Hatter themselves as being good
examplars to society. They have no disturbing
thoucrht of their great future, though they have
no comforting assurances of it. They regard tin-
Covenant of Grace in the view of a supplementary
act as modifying the stern demands of the Cov-
enant of Works. Another of those who, more
sensitive in their ideas of good and evil, try
hard to comply with the supposed requirements.
But they never feel satisfied, for, even in their own
estimation, their performances are bo imperfect
that they seem rather to deepen their obligations
than to discharge thetn. Their experiences are
ever perplexing, and tend sometimes to despondency
of ever acquirhig the unchallenged ownership of the
blessings promised. Bot' classes of mortgagors ar.>
wrong. They are both travelling roads parallel t<.
the broad highway to riiin.

THE ASSURANCE 01- SA/J-A'I70\

5.S

oraiit of the
the inherent
n^ down all
nost scrupul-
lem at honu;
to charitable
'6 a (juiescent
philosophy :
bein^ good

10 diHturbinj.':
rli they have
;y regard the
upplenientary
s of the Cov-
je who, more
and evil, try

requirements.

11 in their own
so imperfect

sir obligations
speriences are
;o despondency
vnership of the
mortgagors arc
)ads parallel t

:(t

How Does the Case Staxd <

Our God-man substitute, Jesus Christ, by His
death on the Cross, discharged the iudirment of
Kden against us. By His perfect fulfilment of the
law while He lived on earth He earned for us the
i;race of God. Thereby we are transferred from
the jurisdiction of the Covenant of Works to
that of Gmre. What are the terms of its law (•
Follow me with perfect faith. " I am the way.
the truth, and the life." " Abide in me and T in
you." " i am the vine, ye are tlie branches. As
the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it
abide in the viae, no more can ye except ye abide

in me

By virtue of My life on earth and My death as
your substitute I will present you at last as blame-
less. " Let not your heart be troubled. Ye believe
in God, believe also in me."f

St. Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, declares,
■ There is therefore now^ no condeumation to them
which are in Christ Jesus."^

While human transactions may be carried on by
the interchanging of equivalents, we have no eiiuiva-
lent whicli we can offer to God. He is Himself l>y
creation owner of ourselves and of all wo possess.
As transgressors we have nothing to oti'er for a stay

* St, .John XV. t St, .lohii xi

R...m.

lljlllHl '-r.

■■%

WALKING WITH GOD

of judgment, less for amnesty, and much less for
Grace, offering reconciliation and favor. After our
Fall, upon which judgment proceeded, it would
surely be thoughtlessly impious to offer, in our
degenerated state, good works as having any sup-
posed merit to earn the grace of God— as an
equivalent for its inestimable worth.

In human transactions, indeed, to offer counterfeit
money to a creditor in satisfaction of his judgment
would be consi<lered insulting.

" Vain are the hopes the sons of men

Upon their works have built ;
Their hearts by nature are unelean,

Their actions full of guilt.
Silent let Jew and Gentile .stand,

Without one vaunting word,
And humbled low confess their guilt,

Before heaven's righteous Lord.

" No hope can on the law be built
Of justifying grace ;
The law that shows the sinners guilt

Condemns him to his face.
Jesus, how glorious is Thy grace,

Whc in Thy name we trust

Our f a receives a righteousness

Thai makes the sinner just."

—Pat. xlvi. ; Horn. ill. i:>. iJ ; Par. xiv.

The only acceptable return we can offer are con-
trition unfeign. d and the unconditional surrender
Qf Qi^rp.elves, soul and bo<ly, to Him as our Heavenl\

THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATIOX

nuch less for
)r. After our
led, it would
offer, in our
ving any sup-
God — as an

for counterfeit
his judgment

111,

uilt,

guilt

/. v.K :,: ; Par. xiv.

n offer are con-
onal surrender
s our Heavenh

Father, under the ruling influences of a truly faith-
inspiring gratitude. Indeed, such an offering would
be alone appropriate for our enjoyment of the bless-
ing proposed. It is true that the gracious Donor,
in the exuberance of His mercy, may extend the
acceptance of His gifts to the term of life, but until
His Covenant of Grace is accepted, on its own
terms, no man is entitled to its promised jn-ivileges.
His life before acceptance is overshadowed with
very dark clouds, relieved only by the flickering
faith of a covenant of mercy in offer.

Some there are who consider themselves «,'ntitled
to take an " enlarged view " of the Covenant of
Grace, by thinking that, in consideration of the
weakness of human nature, it is permissive of a
relaxation of the stern demands of the Covenant of
Works, and that, through the infinite mercies of
God, many for Clirist's sake shall be saved.

This is a very grievous, nay, impious error.

The Covenant being remedial is entitled to a
very strict and delicate interpretation. Christ
Himself, as before quoted, said expressly, " Except
a man be born again he am not see the kingdom
of God," and his di.sciple, John, with characteristic
finality, "Whosoever is born of God doth not con\-
mit sin ; for his seed remainetii in him : and he can-
not sin, because he is born of God."*

* i John iii. <».

.)i)

WALKING WITH GOn

Oui- iiKiuiivr, bent upon clearinji- away every
cloulit, reviews with deeper earnestness the charter
of our reli<?ion, tlie Covenant of CJrace, as describe<l
by St. Paul in Romans iii. 19 to lil.

Here the ottended Creator offers by a Covenant
of Grace to each ruine<l man an amnesty, nay,
reconciliation, comprehending the re-implanting
the image of Himself which he had lost, beyond
his own e,ffort to regain, or the power of any
mortal man to restore. He who accepts with
gratitude will, nay, must realize a personal con-
sciousness of pardon and reconciliation. His
acceptance in simple faith meets with the appro-
bation of his Creator, while hesitating doubts of
acceptance n)eet with much disapprobation, for
they call in question His honor.*

With such enlightenment from Scripture the
inconsistency that any anxiously serious man
should fail t<j realize a present joy, and an assur-
ance of his future salvation, is perplexing to every
thoughtful man. Our incpiirer tries still further
to reach a solution of the mystery by a pos8il)le
case in life.

Suppose a grandfather is in deep sympathy with
a grandchild, destitute and homeless through the
extravagant folly of his father, who has been
roughly excluded, with all his family and his be-

* Hel.. xi. 0.

>• away every
3SS the charter
e, as describe* I

i3y a Covenant
amnesty, nay,
re-iinplantiny-
il lost, beyond
power of an}'
accepts with
persona.l con-
jiliation. His
ith the appro-
tins doul)ts ol'
)probation, for

Scripture the

serious man

, and an assur-

exino- to every

c^ *■'

es still furthei-
' b}' a possil)le

sympathy with
ss throut^h the
who lias been
ilv and his oe-

/■///i" ASSURANC/': OF SA/A'ATIOX

longings, from the ancestial home and any claim to
it. He ortl'rs him restoration to forfeited favor
and comforts. 'J'he surprised grandson doubts the
invitation as incrod'l)le. He consults a reliable
friend ac(juainted with all the circumstances. By
him he is assured of the sincerity of his gj-and-
father and tlu^ authenticity of the invitation on the
terms laid down, namely, change of habits in accord
with the family circle and the cultivation of a dis-
position for the enjoyment of its pleasures.

Being convinced, he cordially accepts the in-
vitation and responds. Then, and not till thev, he
teds restored. Here a perfect faith precedes and
produces an (issaredfrclhig as cause and effect.

This supposed case gives a right direction to his
thoughts. The two cases, however, are only analog-
ous on .some points. There is an e.s.sential dis-
tinction to be observed.

The case supposed is with human beings, gov-
erned by human feelings. The case for considera-
tion is between God and man. whose miml is now
out of correspondence with God.

As the grandson sought the counsel of a friend,
the anxious man in his doubt seeks also for friendly
advice, but the only reliable medium between God
and man is the Holy Spirit, as clearly shown bv
St. Paul*

* J Cor. ii, !0. \l.

WALKING WITH GOD

He is ottered to all. His office is not only tc
give a clear idea of the Cospel, but to instil a new
spirit for its due reception, to change the spirit ot
man, now out of correspondence with (Jod, by nii-
planting a new spirit in accord witli Him, to re-
implant, indeed, the lost "image of (iod," a work
which can be effected by Him alone.

As the microscope, and it alone, makes objects
clearer and bring ■ to light things otherwise invisi-
ble, so the Holy Spirit enlightens us in thing-
spiritual. He shows us the love of God He gives
a new coloring to the Scriptures. He awakens us
to a reality of our natural state, and the true valm
of the grace ottered, by implanting a new spirit
which, gradually developing, exterminates the oM
carnal dead spirit and gives joy, peace, godliness
and assurance of future bliss.

He plainly sees that the cause of many anxious
minds failing to secure their much-desired object
the not feeling an assurance, is due to their stop
ping short in the middle of the proper ctuirse to b.
pui^ued for that end. We must not only believ.
in the mission of Christ, but that whosoever be-
lieveth in Him shall have eternal life. They ar(
anxiously but wrongly awaiting some special but
uncovenanted manifestation of the Spirit, som.
divine afflatus such as was ottered at Pentecost to
the Church as l}eing necessary to establisli it in its

is not only to
to instil a new
go the spirit ot
itli (}o<l, by ini-
itli Him, to rt'-
i dod," a work

, makes objects
(therwise invisi-
is us in things
God He gives
He awakens us
d thi^ true vahu'
ig a new spirit
minates the oM
peace, godliness

>f many anxious
h-desired object,
le to their stop-
3per course to bt-
not oidy believr
,t whosoever be
1 life. They av
some special but
the Spirit, souk-
1 at Pentecost to
establish it in it?

THE ASSURANCE OF SALVAT/iW

5<»

Hrst efforts to gain a foothold in an idolatrous
world, by affording indubitable evidence of the
mission of its Founder being from (Jod. It is
unnecessary now.

The word of (Jod is His only witness. There is
no other. The office of the Holy Spirit now is to
iini)lant a new spirit by the enlightenment of its
truths. His services ai-e offered to all who desire
theui, i)ut we must be submissively responsive to
His teachings The daily sensible changes of our
affections and desires froin evil to good is evidence
of His ministrations in our behalf, and warrant the
conscious assurance of our adoption into the
family of God, and the rightful enjoyment of all
its privileges. The Holy Spirit can alone effect
the change. Believing tlii.s, it seems only consistent
with rea.son to assume that the Being who
awakens us to spiritual life and implants a new
spirit will follow up His work to a completion
—our restoration, and our assurance of it. It is
scriptural, *

Our in(juirer desires to discover aright the part
we have to follow up. He consults St. Paul, who
says, "Therefore we conclude that a man is justi-
fied by faith without the deeds of the law." • But
the same St. Paul, in writing to the Philipi>ians.
says, " Work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling." t

''Phil. i. «J. t Romans iii. 2S. t I'liil. ii. 12.

(iO

WALK /NO WITH COD

Theso .iiKjtations, ap[mrently incoiisistont, mUHt
1).; reconcilublo, lor St. \\\\\\9. yea is yea, ami
his nay is nay. By reading' further he Hnds fol-
Unvint,' the hitter (potation : "For it is God who
worketh in you to will and to <lo of his own (;ood
pleasure." He considers the case of the supposed
<(randson. The niovinj; power was tlie unexpectc!
love of his grandfather, who, in addition to his
invibatioij, sends the nieans for facilitating tin
return of his grandson. The grandfather may thu.s
he said to work on his grandson lM>th to will and
to do of his good pleasure.

In counselling a young man to avail himself ol'
all his evident advantages through friends to I'is.
to ilistinction, we would urge him in tlu^ mor-'
graphic language," work out your destiny," though
we merely expect him to put himself in the wayot
usin '• his advantages.

Now, the love of ( Jod is as the sun that slnnes.
numifest to all. A thoughtful man studies a blade
of grass. He traces its fibrous structure. He can-
not discover its life, but he wonders at its inherent
power of sustaining the life of animals. He ex
amines a stalk of wheat yielding food for man
He regards with a deep interest the various trees
yielding their delicious fruits; and finally, witli
much admiration, the tlower whose beauty ami
fragrance specially bespeak the goodness of God in

01)

I UK ASSURAXCl: Oh s \ J.l\-] J /(}\

(il

coiKsistt'iit, must
ea is yea, aiul
ler he Hnds fol-
r it is Ood who
)i hi.s own good
of the .supposed
s the unexpected
addition to his
facilitatinj^: tlu
Ifather may tluis
lK)th to will anil

avail himself ol
h friends to risi
im in the mor-

destiny," thoui,Hi
;elf in the way ot

sun that shineN.
,n studies a blade
ucture. He ean-
rs at its inherent
mimals. He ex-
iT food for man.
the various trees f
ind finally, with |
hose beauty and
jodness of God in

M> richly provi.linj,^ for man's physical nature. I5ut
111 Ilis revealed will he nwuls unmistakable declara-
tioii.s of Hi.s inliiute love, sunnned up in the com-
■lehen.sive word.s, ■ .bvsii.s Christ Incarnate, and
iiim crucitiefl."

Love is the ori<,nnatin<;- and rulincr power here ; so
i! is in the case supposed. How is it receive<l '
The orand.son considers (houohtfully his compara-
tive deirradation, to which a ^rrowin;;- apathy, so
<'"iumonly foUowiiiu- a do'-nfall, had nearly
'•••ndered him porhai)s imenslble, he reali/-."s
tlic attractive advanta<;es ottt.n d liii,. and on an
■ issuranc- from his friend of t" ,s,nc.'i-ity of the
invitation, he thankfully accepts it. iJe is now
Muite prepared to leave his home and to pve up his
present connections of every sort, and anxiously
and carefully be^dns to cultivate the habits of tUo.se
with whom he is to be associated in terms of the
invitation.

The man who accepts the Covenant of Grace
should act similarly in accordance with its tertn.s.
Even so must the serious seeker aftei- truth acpiit
hmiself. But dealing with spiritual, not human,
[ideas, ho nuist continue with his spiritual counsellor
and guide, who is alone reliable to instruct and in-
fluence him. He is not ju.stified in waiting witli
anxious expectancy for a special divine afflatus, but
it 18 his duty to study the Seripture.s. wliich contain

WALKING WTIH GOD

the whole subject, most devoutly, earnestly praying
for aid to reach a deep and practical knowledge
of them. He must thus co-operate, without which
assistance may be denied him.

It is true that some, like St. Paul, were visited
with overpowering manifestations of the Holy
Spirit, but they were intended in the un(iuestion-
able providence of God for special general service.
No private individual has any right to expect more
than is covenanted for.

As the earth, with moisture and heat, germinates
and maintains life physical ; so the Word of God,
with the influences of the Holy Spirit, germinates
and maintains life spiritual.

Our inquirer now sees that the subject is rising
to the enlarged proportions of an assurance on the
solid foundation of cause and effect ; and that any
failure must be due to a faltering faith on our
part A sincere faith is the very core of a true
reception of the Covenant. Of this he is the more
assured when earth-born mists from the habits
and arguments of his associates in life are con-
tinually clouding the mind, and demand his anxi-
ous and careful investigation to meet them in
their every variety. He thus argues with himself :
The otter, Grace, is without price— without
money.* It is consistent that we should pray to

* Koni. iii. 24 ; Isa. Iv. 1

THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATIOX

•nestly praying
cal knowledge
without which

il, were visited

of the Holy

:he inKiucstion-

(••eneral service.

to expect more

leat, germinates
. Word of God,
irit, germinates

ubject is rising
ssurance on the
; and that any
ig faith on our

core of a true
i he is the more
rom the habits
in life are con-
imand liis anxi-

meet them in
es with himself :

price — without

should pray to

realize its full meaning and value ; not that we
may, by any personal efforts, be enabled to earn it,
liecause, forsooth, it is unpurchasable.* The honest
I acceptance of the Covenant on its own terms will
: strengthen us to do Covenant of Grace works. Again
we read, " God is love." f His love is free to^all,
as the sun that shines. His royal gift, worthy of
Himself, is not to be tarnished by any human
i-estrictions. Earth-born clouds may obscure our
mental vision, but an honest iufpiirer after truth
earnestly prays for light, and he will assuredly
receive a favorable response. Simple Grace is
intelligible in itself to him who.se eye is single ; +
hut clogged with human inventions, it is confusing
and perplexing.

The offer is Grace, the condition Faith. The
condition of faith is in the grace. Our estimate of
the grace determines the strength and purity of
the faltli. Faith in ourselves to earn a title to
faith, and thereby to grace, lowers the true value
and power of grace. True faith, the outcome of
our self-conscious, utter inability, clings with per-
fect confidence to grace; and St. Paul declares
" There is therefore now no condemnation to them
which are in Christ Jesus." §

Now, a human contract, after signature by one
of the contracting parties, cannot be in any way

Rom, iv. 4, 5. I John iv. 8. .^Matt. vi. 22.

§Roui. viii. I.

WALKING WITH GOD

modifie*! by the other before si^niin*,' it without
incurring the charge ot* forgery. Much more so, our
charter, the Covenant of Grace, signed, sealed and
delivered by God to Abraham, the repre)<entatir<'
of the human race, cannot, in consideration of its
solemn importance, admit of the least alteration by
man, each of whon\ is bound personally to sign it.
because entailed to such (nily as would be of
like disposition with himself. *

Hei-e it may be asked. How can a man sign it '
The Jew signed it under his symbolic dispensation,
by the right of circumcision : the C^n-istian signs
it under the Christian dispensation, by its anti-
type. " in the putting off the body of the sins of tht-

flesh." t

The faith required is in God alone. It is not
to be enlarged with any idea of being required in
ourselves, the occasion of darkness and much dis-
comfort to many. We are not called upon to havi-
faith in ourselves, by ascertaining through a course
of self-examination whether by an anxious pre-
paration we are by good deeds yet in a tit an-l
proper condition to warrant our right to accept s^
valuable a gift by signing the Covenant. Such a
construction of the faith required would be utterly
at variance with the spirit of theCovenaii. Christ
himself expressly declared, " I am not come to call

Rijiii. iv

10. 17. I Col. ii. 10, 11: Romans ii. '28.29: Phil, iii

linir it without
ich more so, our
jjned, sealed and
; t'epre)<entatir<'
ideration of its
ist alteration by
nally to sign it.
s would be oi"

1 a man sign it '
)lic dispensation,
I Christian signs
ion, by its anti-
jf the sins of tlu'

tlone. It is not
being required in
3s and much dis
led upon to hav<
through a cours<

an anxious pre-
^'et in a lit an-i
ight to accept S' •
(venant. Such i

would be utterly
Covenant. Christ
1 not come to call

IS ii. '28.29: Phil. iii. -

TNE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION 65

the righteous, but sinners to repentance."* The
proper frame of mind is penitence. Tlie beggarly
condition and contrition of the prodigal son, who
in his plight arose, and with the voice of nature
exclaimed, " I will arise and go to my father, and
will say unto hini, Father, I have sinned against
heaven and Ijefore thee, and am no more worthy
to be called thy son." f As the retui-n of the
prodigal l)rought about through his father a
restoration to his home and its comforts, the sign-
ing of the Covenant will bring alxjut a favorable
change in the penitent, qualifying him for the
service of his Creator by the convincing assurance
of His love.

The wretched prodigal,

In misery lying low,
Whom vice had sunk from high estate,

And plunged in want and woe :
" While I, despis'd and seorn'd," he eries,

" Starve in a foreign land,
The meanest of my father's house

Is fed with bounteoiis hand.

"I'll go, and with a mourning voice

Fall down before His face :
Father, I've sinned "gainst heaven and thee.

Xor can deserve thy grace,"
He said, and hastened to his home.

To seek his father's love ;
The father sees him from afar.

And all his bowels move.

'Matt. ix. 13.

t l.ukc XV. IS. 1!».

WALKING WITH GOD

He lan and fell upon his neek,

Kniliraocd and kiss'd his sou.
The grieving prodigal bewail'd

The foUieH he had done :
" No more, my father, can I hope

To tind paternal grace ;
My utmost hope i.s to obtain

A servant's humble place."

'• Bring forth the fairest robe for him,"

The joyful father said,
" To him each mark of grace be shown

And ev'ry honor paid ;
A day of feasting I ordain,

Let mirth and song abound ;
My son was dead, and lives again.

Was lost, and now is found."

Thus joy abounds in paradise,
Among the hosts of heaven,

Soon as the sinner quits his sins,
Repents, and is forgiven. *

— Liih XV

t.i-Jo ; Par. xl.

An authoritative .•iml instructive object-les.son,
for a clear umlerstanding of the subject.

Now, this faith, the only possible power for
effecting this, is the result of due continued medi-
tation on the works of God and His revealed will
under the promised influence of the Holy Spirit,
His awful wisdom, so clearly demonstrated in the
creation and government of our solar system,
attracts and engages our intellects, and His

THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

(57

ini,

IWIl

/.,'-, '.5; Par. xf.

! object-lesson,
ect.

ble power for
)ntinued inedi-
3 revealed will
e Holy Spirit,
latrated in tht-
solar system,
jcts, and His

bountiful goodness, so clearly shown in His con-
siderate provision for the welfare of His creatures,
especially in His inestimable gift under the Cove-
nant of Grace, captivates our affections, and our
whole soul becomes subjected to a heart-felt ser-
vice. But meditation is as necessary to produce
this result as putting food into our mouths and
swallowing it, is for bodily strength by digestion.
Now, spiritual things can be lai.l hold of by spirits
only ; and it is to be noted that, although we reach
truth readily by our .senses, as a matter of fact
things .seen lose their freshness through time ;
whereas by faith they are constai.tly brought up
before the mind and become daily more vividly
impressed upon it, through its different faculties
brought into exercise for their fuller develop-
ment. Thus faith is more likely to arou.se and
intensify our better, our higher feelings.

The Covenant of Grace is now in force, and he
who signs it is a member, and entitled at once to
all its privileges.* He who does not sign it, but
keeps on doubting, is not a member, and never will
be till he signs it. Otherwi.se the Covenant is a
fiction, and meaningless. He ijiay have signed it
by proxy in infancy, and continued a nominal
niember as a matter of custom ; but he must sign
It himself .spiritually and in earnest faith.

* John iii. 2.

WALKI.\0 WITH COD

"^'thought by some that a ■"-;^;^,'™;';.
teel conscious of Leiug a true ,no,ubc ot th,. .0 <,
nant and a ,,artici|.ator in its pnv.loges, >. su

L\ and Kuilty of an uuwarra,. tabic
onnnonateu ana j-,""''j y«,.;,.;,irp

^ *•„„ ■ Imt he lia» the warrant 01 ScuiJ^nrc.
assumption. ^ 't "le n .^^ ^^ ^^

Indeed, one ot bis h .t dutu. ^ j' ; ^^, ^^

..esult of bis new -«"'--'»P:, ^,^ .^^t X Lord

^r°"-tdr:ini-rK^oic!/^^^

:l"?Vlat"nr'Bu ti, rruitof the Spirit is love.
;;,"::!;:!:: '■t.Ui., precedence of an the other

''tr;,....- by ..ur own experiences, such r^^joicing
• , 'ino t« our cracious Kenefactor A bene-

r:'v:"S/feeUn«swon,dbe.^^^^^^^
;^ responsive .r—^^^^^^^^^

rrrt^it a gratefu'i and joyful

recognition of His mercy.

Do 1 delight in sorrow's dress V

Saith He who reigns above ;
The hanging head and rueful look.

Will they attract my love i;

'Phil-iv. 1. tOal. V.22.

THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION

3 claiiii"^ v,o
thf Co\tv
•es, iH seU"-
ran'iiptah'lt'
Scrips ure.
•cjoicc as a
il writes to
in the Lord
nd again in
lirit is ^^'ve,
1 the other

cii rejoicing
or. A bene-
re n reliev-
r, \\(mld feel
or still dis-
in his perse-
l be gratified
ilness. So we
(table tribute
I and joyful

Ivct such as feci oppression's load

Thy tender pity share,
And let the helpless, homeless pooi

Be thy peculiar care.

(;o, bid the hungry orphan be

With thy abundance blest ;
Invite the wanderer to thy gate

And spread the couch of rest.

Let him who pines with piercing cold

By thee be warmed and clad ; ,
He thine the blissful task to make

The downcast mourners glad.

Then bright as morning shall come forth

In peace and joy thy days,
And glory from the Lord above

Shall shine on all thy ways.

— Par. xxviii.

Again, it is thouglit that assuming such a rejoic-
ing spirit is not only an extravagant self-conceit,
but a hindrance to pure morality. But what i3
our experience ? Suppose a drunkard has enter-
tained the idea of reformation, even on human
principles and arrangements. He is pressed by a
friend to attend his Temperance lodge. He feels
half-persuaded to join, but hesitates. So long as he
does so he will keep on indulging, till summoning
all his determination he takes his last " drink " and
signs the pledge. He assumes tlie " badge." He now
feels himself under a powerful influence to abandon

U'ALKINu WITH GOP

his evil habit— yea, lie rejoices in a conscious
deliverance from its tyrannous dominion over him.
and he feels daily more strengthened by an in-
creasing acquaintance with the principles of the
society he has joined, and by the nascent conscious-
ness of the comparative happiness of his new life.

The soul's stirring hope of the benediction, "Well
done, good and faithful servant," with the prospect
of a heaven so glorious, is not only the cause of
rejoicing to the Christian, but a most iiiHuencing
power, not only to maintain the title to it, but to
(pialify more perfectly for its pure enjoyment.

Indeed, we have scriptural authority, for St. John
<leclares, " Beloved, now are we the sons of
( }od. . . . And every man that haih tliis hope
in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure;"* and
with characteristic finality, " Whosoever is born of
( Jod doth not commit sin : for his .seed remaineth in
him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of (;od."t
So that the consciousness of salvation is not an un-
warranted presumption, a, self-conceit, but a
('ovenant privilege, a. powerful factor in forming
Christian character, and a solemn duty enjoined in
Scripture. Indeed, the first Psalm in the Morning
Service of the Church of England is most appro-
priate, " O come, let us .sing unto the Lord, let us
heartily rejoice in the strength of our salvation."

*1 John iii. '1, 3, t I John iii. 9.

THE ASSURANCE OE SALVATION 7t

A severe teat it is of a truly religious service, for
without this consciousness, its appropriate impul-
sive feelinu-, the service is one of the lips, not of
the heart ; conse<iuently not a religious service, and
more honored in the breach than in the observance.

Our inquirer is now satisfied that the reason for
so many having no comfort of a conscious salvation
is due to erroneous and undetined ideas of the
Covenant of Grace. He now tries to account for
it in the face of the solemn declaration of " The
Creed." This professes a detailed account of the
principles which make up a system : "I believe in
(.Jod, . . . Jesus Christ, . . . and the Holy
Ghost," . . . with the relative position of these'
personal powers in carrying out its object, . . .
"the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the
dead, and the life everlastinir."

Now a Hindoo might unconvn'uedlij (juote
these words in giving a history of the Christian
religion, but surely a professing Christian must
feel that he is personally forgiven, that he person-
ally will be raised up again, and tliat he personally
will enjoy eternal life, otherwise his avowed
<leclaration before God and the congregation is of
no more religious value than the Hindoo's state-
ment. It is rather, indeed, a solemn mockery.
Real Christianity is not a creed. It is a life.

Here again he is satisfied that many, a great'

MKH

WALKING WITH GOD

many, mistr .• > .< ... ice, and pro through it more
as "atat . " laVr," ''hau as a sincere expression of
the hc.irt and consequently not as a religious act,
and ati'ording no personal comfort.

Similarly as regards the model Lord's Prayer.
What child in Christend'-n ' *■ been taught this

prayer? What professedly Christian man or woman
does not daily offer it ? Tho address, " Our Father,
which art in heaven," indicates that the wor.shipper
considers himself a member of a family having
one connnon Father, their Creator, to whom
they can confidently apply as their only Pro-
vider and Protector. And the fir.st three peti-
tions give evidence of a truly filial devotion, in-
spired by a perfect faith and loving confidence in
His government. They are the expressions r£ an
impassioned soul. A worshipper who uses them
aright could not help feelin*^ an inward conscious-
ness of oneness with God, and he would have no
hesitation in answering at once n luestion as to
his future salvatijn, that he felt an assurance of it.
P.ut the general result "s quite otherwise. From
the dail> nida i of tl many v is evident that
they seem to say the prayer, as has been remarked
in regard to Wq creed, as a duty of the character
of "statute labor," in acc'>rdance with the manner
in which some of them perhaps were taught in
infancy. Indeed, were soaie of them honestly t

TFfE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION 7:i

confess the triitli, they by a habit earnestly pray

For what they leally do not desire to be granted

tlienj. How can tlie worldly man or the sensualist,

or the indillerent, a large element of society, pray,'

• Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven," not

according to, but rather contrary to. their real

wishes.^ Indeed, if a man believes himself to be

outside the pale of God's family he only stultiHes

himself by using the prayer. He should in his

supposed exclusion be pleading for adnn\ssion

into it.

We pity an otherwise intelligent heathen, bow-
ing down to the idol which his own hands have
made. More so have we reason to pity a professing
Christian bowing down before God in the attitude
.'lid with the solemn expressions of prayer, im-
ploring for what he habitually treats with a care-
less indifference. The former attributes knowledge
to hi,^ lifeless tigure, the latter ignorance to the
Omiuscient. Yes, true again, the .solemn address
and petiti often simply mouthed with an

artificial .solemni , and unaccompanied by the
desir. of the heart, are meaningless and vain :* and,
as Mr. Ruskin well remarks, " Better, much better,'
unsaid. True prayer is th( ' nguage of the soul—
not of the lips."

Again, take the spiritual ej;iculation. " The grace
*J.'imcs i. 7.

WAJ.KiM' \virn con

ol' our Lord Jchus Clirist. the love of (Jod, ami the
fellowHhip ol- the Holy Spirit, be with us now ami
forever." How often by umiiy is this hailed as
the conclusion of a tedious service rather than the
earnest expression of a devotional spirit.

Moreover, when our intiuirer hesitates not to set
aside the* opinions of atheists, infidels, aj,Miostics,
sensualists and worldly men, he views with
astonishment that such hi^b subjects as oui-
Creator, the (Jr<'at Eternal— His wondrous works,
His revelation— involving' our deepest interest for
time and eternii}", should apparently be compara-
tively undervalued by many otherwise intelli<;ent
and well-meaning people. It is difficult to see by
what process of thought they conclude that religion
should grow apace with the arts and sciences, and
become more refined, more adapted to the improv-
ing condition of man in this progressive age. As
railroads have greatly facilitated and made easy
and more comfortable our mode of travelling, so
they think our religion, with human modifications,
might be rendered h'ss restrictive and more con-
genial : especially that the Sabbath, which used to
be kept, as originally set apart by the Creator, for
the spiritual improvement of His creatures, by
special communion with Himself, should now be
devoted rather to promote physical vigour and
intellectual improvement. It does seem surprising

TJIE ASSURANCE 01- SAIA^ATION U

I, jiiul thf

? now and

Imilcd as

• than the

not to set
aj^nostics,
uws vvitli
,s as our
nis works,
nterest for
! conipara-
intelli<(ent
to see by
lat religion
iences, and
he improv-
e age. As
made easy
ivelling, so
)diti cations,
more con-
ich used to
Creator, for
•eatures, by
Lild now be
vigour and
II surprising

they do not see that, however consistent with
reason it may he, that mans physical nn.l mental
conditions are improvable by progn-ssiv.- know-
ledge and experience, it is inconsistent with nason
that his spiritual condition can be inijiroved by
any inodiHcation of the revealed moral law of the
Eternal. It is, as the law governing oui- solar system,
.'ssentially unalterabh'. Its doctrine is "Jesus
Christ, the same yesterday, to-day, and forever."
While progressive knowledge may advantageously
relieve the Sabbath of many uselessly liuman
cundjrous innovations and morose formalisms so
denounced by Christ, it is simply presumptuous
arrogance to alter its oi-iginal institution by sub-
stituting creature .subjects for the Creator Himself.
The arts and .sciences are useful hand-maidens to
religion, but in spite of the efforts of man to the
contrary, the Great Eternal, His woi-ks. His Word,
will ever command and maintain a comparatively
l^re-eminent superiority. It may well be asked if
th. Sabbath was originally instituted as its type,
what idea do they form of the employment of
heaven ?

The incongruous habits of life with pi-ofe.ssions
of religion are to a .searcher after truth for his own
guMance very disquieting, but our impiirer is
satisfied that they are to be disregarded in seeking
'! guide for determining a proper course of life

■fl

WALKING WITH GOD

here preparatory to our eternal life. He sees that
they are based upon undetined and undetermined
thought— a faltering between two opinions regard-
ing our relations to earth and heaven, with a
strong leaning to the former, and an unwarranted
tendency to aecomniodato the requirements of the
latter to Huit its conveniences.* This double-
n\indedness is unsuitable to the development of a
true character. He resolves upon rising above the
world, and pursuing his course independently upon
a higher scale, under the directions of a reliable
cruide. His object is the highest conceivable by
mortal man— to walk with his Creator— a perfect
security for his happiness here and for eternity.
The how to reach it is beyond human guidance or
conception.

His first obstacle, that of earning it, is removed.
He is invited, on thel.authority of Scripture, to
enjoy this high privilege. The Covenant of Grace,
originating from Cod and offered to all, chieily the
poor penitent, is not a vain, boasting document,
but one intended for a good and glorious purpose,
to be carried out by the decree of the Ouuiipotent ;t
and he who signs it in true faith may be assured
of its privileges. It is essentially necessary to
undei-stand it aright. As before remarked, there is
no initiatory fee reijuired of money or good works.

* James i. ». _ t Isaiuh Iv. 11.

THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATION 77

! seCvS that
eterniiiied
ns regard-
n, with a
warranted
its of the
s double-
luent of a
above the
iiitly upon
a reliable
iivable by
—a perfect
r eternity,
lidance or

H removed,
•ipture, to
t of Grace,
chietly the
document,
J8 purpose,
nipotent ;i-
be assured
icessary to
ed, there is
ood vv''orks.

It is a Covenant of Grace on tlie part of God, to be
received on the part of man witli faith.* Human
good works for foundin,rr a title to sifru are like
counterfeit coin, wortidcss. When convinced of
his evil pliglit by nature, and that the delusive
pleasures of life are as " husks " in the comparison
with those of his fathers house, the " prodi^jal son "
haptens to return, in the lu.pe of beino- received
by faith alone in his father's ooodness. When a
man signs the Covenant and becomes a member, a
new spirit will be implanted to enable him to per-
form Covenant of Grace works.f His hesitancy to
sign because he is convinced, by self-examination,
that his works are not such as to entitle him to
sign, that Ids clothing is not respectable enough now
to admit him, is contrary altogether to the spirit of
the Covenant. His plea should be :

" Just as I am, without one plea,

But that Thy Mood was shed for me ;
And tliat Thou biddVt me come to Thee.
() Lamb of (iod, I come.

" Ju8t as I am, and waiting not

To rid my soul of one dark blot ;
To Thee, whose I}lood can cleanse each spot.
C) Lamb of (Jod, I come."

Those waiting till they feel satisHed that they
are qualified to sign the Covenant wait in vain and

"Isaiah iv. I. tJohn xvi. LS.

WALKING WITH GOD

lose its benefits. The grace offered is a gift— a gift
worthy of the great Donor.

As we liave gone into some particulars as regards
the works of God, we may now do so as regards
His Word by further enlargement.

If we refer to Genesis iii., we find that the pro-
hibition was couched in tne words, " In the day
thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." The
act of disobedience involved the constitutional qow-
HGqnence— Death. The details are interesting and
instructive— the temptation the fall, the conscious-
ness of a changed nature, now out of correspond-
ence with the Creator; the hiding amongst the
trees of the garden. Whore art thou ^ I heard
^rhy voice and I hid myself. Adam's excuse when
questioned, " The woman whom thou gavest to be
with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat."
Kve, when questioned, " What is this that thou
hast done ? " " The serpent beguiled me, and I did
eat." The judgments— without question the arch
enemy is cursed, and his main project foiled,
through a new covenant to be made with man m
the N^ry mysterious words, " I will put enmity
between thee and the woman (to become the instru-
ment of my vengeance upon thee) and between thy
•seed and her seed. It shall bruise thy head, and
thou .shalt bruise his heel." Having thus deter-
mined, the offended Creator, turning to the offend-

THE ASSURANCE OF SALVATIOA

I ft— a gift

as regards
as regards

it the pro-
[n the day
die." The
tional con-
esting anti

conscious-
or respond -
longst the
V I heard
Lcnse when
avest to be

I did eat."

that thou
;, and I did
in the arch
ject foiled,
^ith man in
pnt emnity
! the instru-
letween thy
y head, and
thus <leter-

tl>o offend-

ers, staid the judgment of the broken law, death,
and granted a reprieve to give them an opportunity
of accepting the new Covenant, as announced to the
serpent in their hearing. He declares to the
woman, " I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and
thy conception " (through means of which the great
deliverance would be effected) and to the man,
•'Cursed is the ground for thy sake; in the sweat
of thy brow shalt thou eat bread till thou return
imto the ground."

Now, this Covenant of Grace is fully interpreted
throughout Scripture, and the evil resulting from a
transgression of the Covenant of Works law being
constitutional, is a strong feature ever to be held in
view for a proper understanding of it.

But if one transgression of the Covenant of Works
caused such disastrous consequences, the Covenant
of Grace, remedial in character, is surely entitled
to a very critical and delicate interpretation.

It is not intended to supersede the Covenant of
Works, or to discount it by way of compromise or
any modification of its terms. To refute such an
idea. St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Romans, after
declaring his doctrine of justiKcation by faith, asks
the question as if by anticipation, "Do we then
make void the law through faith ? " and answers
with much warmth, " God forbid ; yea, we estal)li.sh
the law."*

* Rom. lii. 31.

Mii to i v . *» i ''* a« TMiiiM» a

WALKING WITH GOD

It efiecU our reconciliation with God by a schenje
inconceivable by .Cfuilty man. It provides a sub-
stitute, one fully (lualified for His mighty under-
taking;, uncreated, independent of law in its judicial
character ; and yet, as a man in a j^^encric sense, He
must personally perform the Covenant of Works on
earth, so as by a perfect obedience He may earn the
reward forfeited by man through disobedience, and
He must atone by death for man's transgression.
Having established His title, He becomes entitled to
offer His meritorious rewarxls to His faithful fol-
lowers * It is most unaccountable that the great
eternal Creator should offer reconciliation by grace
to guilty man and that he should be indifferent to it.
Man is thus no longer subject to the jurisdiction of
the Covenant of Works. He is now transferred to
that of his substitute under the Covenant of Grace,
the terms of which are, " Follow me in all true
faith," as fully explained in Scripture, which
points, as our only refuge, to Him as " Jesus Christ
Incarnate, and him crucitied." When asked by the
jailer at Philippi, " What shall I do to be saved ? "
St. Paul answers, " Believe on the Lord Jesus
Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house." f

Truly wonderful are the works of God, and His
government of our earth ; more so is His moral
government, especially under the Covenant of

Roi.ianB viii. 1.

i Aetsxvi. 'M.

THE ASSURAXCE OF SALVATJOX. SI

)^ a scheme
ties a sub-
ity under-
its judicial
: sense, Ho
' Works on
ly earn the
Hence, and
nsgression.

entitled to
lithful fol-
t the great
n by grace
brent to it.
isdiction of
nsf erred to
it of Grace,

in all true
ire, which
esus Christ
sked by the
be saved ? "
Lord Jesus
' house." t
xl, and His
4 His moral
ovenant of

Grace ; but inen'<liblo, indeed, is the apparent ap.-ithy
of man, the transgressor. Some natural defect is

evident — a seeming inaptitude to tiie terms

yea, rather an apparent callousness to its precious
orter. Tiiere is a lurking disposition to trust in
self-power for his recovery, but a mended spring is
unreliable to regulate correctly the movements of
a watch. It rojuires a new spring to ensure its
keeping true time,

The Covenant of Grace lias its peculiar character-
istics. It is not an arbitrary law. It is a law in
otter only, inoperative as regards those whod<)n(jt
sign it personally and in good faith, but who con-
tinue under the broken Covenant of Woik.s. with its
direful conse(|Uences.

He who signed it in good faith has the assur-
ance * that in his conscious weakness he will be
divinely sustained to carry out his part of its
terms successfully. He must believe that he is
now a n)ember of God's fainily . that his .sins are
lorgiven : that a title is now given to him to
rejoice in a consciousness vi (iod's appi'obatioii :
that a new spirit is implanted in him, and that his
death will only be a passport to heaven. Without
such a faith a man cannot be said to have signed
the Covenant, and his religious acts cannot la- eon-
sidered as acts of the Christian leligion, which

6 * !'!>=!. i (I.

M{.iii«r«l»i

IVAI.KfNo IMTlf con

jjlouc can now bo fu-ceptabk!, accor<liiig to the general
principles of law which ucnern our Judiios in their
adjudication of civil cases. A man should not bt;
asked if lu- feels conscious of his futur«> salvation,
but if he has sioncd the Covenant.*

God's orace demands, and is entitled to, the faith
unfeigned of a \vorshipi)er. The least shadow ot
a doubt dishonors Mini in the face of His .soleiim
<U'clarations. conveyed to us through His works.
His revelation, and His Son. It mars what is in-
tended to l>e a religious service.

Christ struck the true key-note of prayer.
"When ye pra\ ." He instructed us to say, 'Our
Katlu>i-, which art hi Heaven." The more we
realize the Fatherhood of (Jod, tlu- more pm-e our
religion, the more sinc«!re our prayer.

Instance a standard family for instruction. Sup-
pose one of distingui.slied worthiness, a father,
])rudent and kind: a loving mother: the children
respectful and loving, vicing with each othtM- to
maintain the family name, and shrinking from any
net that would tarnish its time-honored respect-
ability. Their loving confidence in the head of
their circle produces peaceful liappiness. I5nt sup-
pose a dark clou<l of distrust enters, all is changed.
A double-minded feeling now reigns.

Such is incompatible with the condition of the

THE ■ ASS CRANCE OE SA I A' A TfOS ^:\

> general

in their

(1 not b«'

nlviition,

the Taith
ladow of
8 aolernn
is works,
hat is in-

prayn-.

ay, ' Our

inoiv \vt'

pure our

ion. Sup-

a lather,

• cliildrtMi

I otlltM" to

I'loiu any
il respect -
e head ol

But sup-
s eliani^jed

ion of th<>

hunily of Oo.l. He is .•ss..ntially Lov.', and He
demands une(|uivocally, as His riglit the lovini;
confidence of jdi His cr.-atures. Such is consti-
tutior.ally i.-cessary. for ' Love," and it alone,
easteth out all fear, for fear hath torment."*

To w.iik with God .loes not uec«ssit,Mte .-i separa-
tion from mankin.l, n retirement t(. .1 cioister.
Knoeh, who walke<! with (iod w.-is actively en;;a;,'e<i
in His .service. A man may !),■ uw terms of
intimacy with his king, a good ruler, iin<l he may
1h- privileged to walk with him : hut he should not
e(»nsider him.self ahove his fellow-eiti/.ens, for if of
the .same mind with the I'uler, he would feel more
disposed hy such -a connection to aid them by em-
ploying all his jidvantages fn.m his exalted
position. Indeed, he would have a, .secret j>leasure
in reconunendiuH to them his goodly disp«wition
towards them, and cairying back to him rheir pio-
totation of true loyalty. +

Hesiih-.s, to walk with (Jod dors not deb;ir u>
from theumenitiesof .social life, nor from the neces-
swy recreation for lK»dy and mind, nor from
indulging in all harmle.ss and plea.singanuisements
Il calls upon us to engage in the healthful e.xercise
of all our privileges, and adds ji z.-st to ,.ur full
• njoymeiit of them.

The Ixmntiful Creator ha.s not oidy provid.ii us

•hllir U, i...

«4

WALKING WITH GOD

with necessary food and raiment, but witii lovely
scenery, resonant with the melody of bii'ds, and
ornamented witli flowers of beauty, fragrant with
deli<jjhtful perfumes. I>ut there are i)oisonous
animals and noxious plants, which, thouoh out-
wardly fascinating-, are to be rclifjiously avoided.

Our in(juirer, revolt ing' all, is struck wich wonder
that a world so fair — s(^ aboundinj^ with good and
re(iuirin<.; a superintending Omnipotence to main-
tain it — should have been provided for a being so
inconsiderate as man. He naturally 'onsiders him-
self. He feels conscious that he has certaiidy
undorvalued his relations to the great Creator. It
instinctively occurs to him— Am 1 personally
knowri to one so great ? He reads, with the
deepest interest, the cxxxix. Psahu : "• O Lord, thou
hast searched me and known me. . . . Thou
knowest my thoughts afar oft". . . . Thou art
acquainted with all my ways, for there is not a
word in my tongue, but lo, O Lord, thou knowest
it altogether." He feels arising in his «/wn mind
above the listless crowd, like a man watching
unconcernedly a national festival when called
upon to assume an official position. He considers
what post he is now called upon to fill, what
missions he may yet be sent upon in the great
future, for, judging of oui- dealings with servants
here, he sees that any man expecting maintenance
is called upon to perfoini duty.

ri/E ASSURANCE OF SALIATJON

1 lovely
\h, nnd
lit with

)iHOTl<)U.S

o-li out-
vie led.
wonder
3od and

main-
biiini: so
ershini-
ei'tainly
itor. It
rsonally
^ith the
rd, thou

Thou
L'hou art
is not a
knowest
vn mind
^' a telling

1 called
'onsiders
ill, what
he ^'veat
wervaat.s
iitenance

Ah a I'act, many, a ^reat i;-.* uy, think they camt,'
into this world in the ordinary course of nature,
through a father and a mother: that they have to
play a certain part in life, personally unknown to the
great Creator— or, at all events, unheeded by Him
—and then pass away whither they really do not
know. But a rational man reHects that, as crea-
tures cannot create, he cerbunly owes his existence
to the; Creator, and that man, for whom such a
habitation as this world was provided, must he an
object of great regard to his Creator. Again, that
to be sensible of His regard should be the main
object of man's life. Indeed.so jealous is God of this.
His right, that no service but that tested by trial
is acceptable. The commandment, " Thou shalt love
the Lord thy Cod with all thy heart, with all thy
soul, and with nW thy mind," is the required mea-
sure of His law.

Feeling aright one's self-importance in creation
is a first step towards a desire for ac(|uiring an
education and power for conducting ourselves
properly.

But what conceivable honoi- so great as to walk
with God ? Our inquirer, hitherto doubtful of his
ever being able to look for such a pri\ilege, finds
now from Scripture, to his inexpressible comfort,
that he is invited to do so, without money, without
prelinjinary works, but l)y grace with faith, and he

//-V/Z-AVAo WITH </('/'

now sf'ts about it in ;:o«»<l riunefst to cMiliixatc ihis
latto)'. This can orily hr <'rt'oct(Ml l)y knovvin*^ Oo<l
— not alar ott'iii the sovereij,^iity of His powor, l)Ut
ill His fatlu-rlv connections and ilcaliniis witli Mis
ruined erfituro, num. Now, (lod is a s])irit. < )ur
kiio\vk'd<;"t' of Ifini cannot be completed thron;;h
our intellects oul\'. but tlnou<;b oin- intellects with
onr atfections, oiu' s|)irits, and in coiniectiou with
tins it would be well, before <;oin^ further, to mider-
stand arioht the nature of the service re(|uired by
(io<l. H«)w do we act with each other i A man
wantino- work dotie for a purpo.se of his own
♦•mploys a workman, and pays him for the laUa'
an e(juivalent, taking a dischar<;i'. They ma}' not
<'ven know each other. Our oblio-ations arising"
from our dep"ndence on each other arc base<l upon
ijivin^and 'viixint^a <iti'i<l in-o (jim. Self-interest
rules all uui isiinsactions. Otherwise arc our rela-
tions to Vnn\. Wo is the jjjreat independent power
the Creitor — far beyond bein^' inllneneed by self-
inteiest as a motive power. He needs and co\dd
derive nothinj^ from anv creature. His attributes
co-operate for one jiurpose --<:;ood to all. His
character, as described by St. John, is ' (Jod is
love." The tribute demanded fro>n His cieatuies
are unclouded faith with admiration and oratitudr,
which are the proper guidin«.^ i)itlaence8 of life, and
constitute the true happiness of His creatures.

I UK AS.sUk.hSCh

U.VAJ 10i\

The duirjictcr ot ^M-atitu<lr is d. f.'nniru'.l l,y tlir
j;oo<l-\\ill ot" till' .lom.r .iikI tln" value of tlic hondit
n'Coiv«'<|. A iii.m may save his FnVnd ;i( ih>
pcrsoiml risk,.))- it ma}- Ixrl.y his death, the j;ivatc,si
|.OH8ibl(' test ol" re<r.ii'(|, as rlcclarod by ("hrist, who
said, " (Jivater h)\r huth lu) Jiiaii tlian this, (h.it m
man lay down his hlV- for his IViend."*

A<i-ain, a man niay he saved IVoin injuiy \,

or from deatli tlie most latter. \\\ such eoi r.i-

tions the oratitU(hj of the Cluistian shoul.i be of
the purest kind, ur^iny' to the most cordial service.
A service frf.m jiny other motive is not (udy vain
but displeasing Ihit the kjiowledov of iJod is the
fo\nidation-stoue, ami our in(|uirer now re-studies
carefully the <>-eneral plan of our solar system, not
<)cca8ionally, but lial»itually, for the avowed j.ni-
]»ose of knowinu- his Creatoi-, not on theory, but ms
a ^^overnin^- power. At evciy turn of his life he
rc^j^ards himself as m iienetieiary of Ifis goodness.
As he awakes each mornir)o' he rellects that the
Bein<; who slumbers not nor sleeps has been direct-
ing the necessary resolutions of our earth to bring
about the dawning day and the apj)roaching season.
He regards with a deep interest the rising of that
bright and wondrous lumiiinry, the sun — the lamp
of heaven, to enlighten \\\\\\\ " wli . goeth forth to
his work ami to his labour till the eveninu',"+ t(»

' ,!ohn Nv,

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WALKING WITH GOD

perforin his mifjchty necessary work, as before
shown, and to (,dacklen all. He regards his food
as a provision from his Heavenly Father, who
alone can provide it, giving thanks, not as a matter
of form, l»nt as an expression of his feelings. He
views with a pleasing gratitude every arrangement
for his comfort and happiness, as from a benevolent
Father, and in his connection with others, as God
is love, he cultivates and feels a kindly disposition
to all, deriving a conscious pleasure from all his
deeds of good-will, originated and carried on from
a desire to please (Jod. At close of day he watches
Avith solemn interest the sun setting in all his
glorious brilliancy, and at eventide he goes out,
like Isaac of old, to meditate.*

He feels that it is as necessary for him to main-
tain God in his soul as his central power of actior),
as for a phmet to keep its orbit round its central
power, the sun.

His deep thoughts on His omnipotence and
infinite wisdom, and, as revealed. His infinite
truth, His infinite justice, and His infinite irood-
ness, are bles'^ed with a refiex infiuence on his
own heart, and confirm his daily increasinir faith.
He is sensible of a new spirit becoming evolved
from his contemplation.

Like the young man living in dailycorrospondence

* (ieii. xxiv. fiH.

THE ASSURANCE OE SALVATION

8<)

with liis father, expressing his pleasure and (grati-
tude, and awaitino- letters with Joyful expectancy,
with a hearty desire to carry out all his commands
and re(|uests, he daily offers his tri))ute of praise
and thankfulness to God, and peruses His revealed
word with all carefulness and obedience, looking"
forward, like the youn-; man, with a pleasino-
anticipation for the invitation to Join tiie family
circle and receive the lovincr home e'reetintrs.

Indeed, his soul becomes so filled with such deep
subjects that they gradually exterminate all unrul3^
passions, and he becomes fortified, not only to resist
all evil, but to feel an assured gladness from a
conscious feeling of the good-will of a reconciled
and approving Creator.

To those who, like himself but lately, are now
hovering round the walls, doubtful of their right to
enter without the charge of intrusion, he can now
say, Accept your invitation in all good faith : and,
oh, taste and see that the Lord is gracious.*

Yea, in his further earnest research he finds, to
his inexpressible wonderment, that he is much more
than invited. He reads the pathetic declaration of
Christ himself : " Behold, I stand at the door, and
knock: if any man hear my voice and open the
door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him,
and he with nie."+

I'sa.

x\xi\-. S,

\W.\. iii. -JO.

WALKING niTJI GOD

Wonderful coiuloseension indoed : Away with
<'very ishadow of a douht !

Here Christ waits for an invitation, and liert'by
convinces ns of His wai-ni interest to aid ns bv an
interchanoe of thought in the (|uiet seclusion and
kindly intiuenc«>s of hon»e life. If He, with .-inxious
love, waits foj' the opening of the door, with what
approving love will He meet the man who responds
and oj)eMs the door. Surely such a man, if true to
himself, must fed'assured of his immediatt- safety
from all e\ il. The letter to the Laodicc-an Chureli
should be carefully read. The interior of the house
was not re(|uired to be cleaned up, and j)»-oper
arrangements niade before entering, nor was the
man re((uired to change his garment ami appear
washed. All neede<l changes would be effected })v
the presence of Christ.

The Covenant of Works ottered life as a rewai-d
for works p<.-riV-ctly performed. His terms were,
" Do this and live." Man fell.

The Covenant of Grace offers life to the [penitent
transgresso)-, as Lii-uvc. Its to- aie, "Live and
<k) this."' It is not a vain nugu. .y docu)iient, but
in full fo)-ce and offered tc all ui Irr verv solemn
attestations.

Now, Grace is the cuie, and Faith th.- nieans of
acceptance.

An ointiiK'ni, infallible when pHvc f«»r curing a

THE ASSURA.^CR OF SALVATIOX

!»l

woiind, woiilfl, if ruixed with any fulversc «'l»in<'iit,
keep it open or irritate it to hecoine incurable.

(irace, pure, is in i/sW/'an infallihlf cure for the
evils of the penitent. If adulterated with Innnan
inventions, it fails, jukI to the amount of the adul-
teration the i^enitent is kept strumjilinj;,' with his
(!vils.

A mortifying wound, with all the cttorts of the
sutt'erer, will never produce from itself a hcjdin*;-
ointmeut.

The evils of a penitent^ with all his vain ctlbrts.
will never produce from themselves their only cuic
Grace, the spontaneous ylft of G(/l.

All infallible ointment may not etlect ii pei-fe'ct
cure immediately, but if kept continuously on th*-
wound it will eventually heal it.

Grace may not instaiitiy cure a peuitt'ut even,
but the moment he comes under its benign in-
fluence he feels conscious of his sai'ety, and l)y con-
stant failh he acquires increasing assurance of it.
He be'dns to feel like the seaman's son, who said
"he feared no storm if his father had hold of the
helm."

Faith is by knowledge. We may know a
medical man intimately, and yet have no faith
in his curit)g us; but we may know another by his
reputation only, and v. e have full confidence in
him.

WALKING WITH GOD

Faitli in God spriii^^.s from knowing- Him, throuf^h
contenjplation of His works, His Word, and His
Son, and this is as necessary for faith, as before
remarked, as putting food into the mouth and
swallowing it is for stren<rth.

1'he true doctrine is not " God loves us because
we first loved Hin)," but " we love Him because
He first lov.ed us." * And as St. John says, in his
first Epistle, 4th chapter, which should be carefully
read throughout, "Herein is our love made perfect,
that we nui}^ have boldness in the day of judgment,
because, as he is, so are we in this present world.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casteth
out fear, because fear hath torment. He that
feareth is not made perfect in love." f

Do our relations with each other help ur, to form
a clearer idea of this touching statement '. Sup-
pose a man has a judgment against him to meet on
a certain day, invohing ruin in case of failure, but
a friend, knowing his inability to meet it, jn-omises
to help, how would he feel i Having only his
word, and knowing well the uncertainty of all
human promises, dependent much upon unforeseen
changes in life, he would not be able to divest him-
self of an anxious uncertainty. So the nominal
Christian with a superficial knowledge. But, at
the same time, if his friend were in earnest and

1 Jolin iv, 10, t 1 John iv. !7, IS.

THE ASS J : RANCH OF SALVATION

perfectly a1)le to help, he wouM fet-l disjjleased nt
the failure of liis generosity to produce the grate-
ful feeling he had expected, and he would feel
mortified at the want of faith in his ability and
sincerity. So must our substitute for si^v

If, however, the amount necessary lo pay the
judgment is deposited in the bank for that purpose,
how ditierent would be the debtor's feelings. He
would have a present and continuous joy, and
chieMy so on the day of payment. 80 the true
Christian with an intelligent knowledge. He
stands, indeed, upon higher ground. His debt is
fully discharged, and his increasing faith produces
increasing love as life is ebbing, and perfect love
casteth out fear. The influencing power of his life
is beyond the silvery bond of a mother's love, it is
the ii'olden bond of his Creator's love.

And surely, by the same standard of comparison
with which we estimate the relative value of men
and things, our Creator, the Eternal, whose P'ather-
hood is influenced by His infinite wisdom, infinite
truth, infinite goodness, with onniipotence, which
constitute His essential character, Ao/v, is worthy
of our every thought, our every word, our every
action, and our perfect faith. Truly, our gi'eatest
conceivable privilege is to walk with Him. in view
of our A^'7Y' and our hereafter.

Walking by himself, a professing Christian is

1)4

IVALKIAG WITH COn

like n imwicnl instianK'iit hi lore it is tuned, Houd-
iti"' forth "-ratiMU' sounds disoordnnt t<» .i ddioitvly
trained ear.

Walk inii' with ^'*^'l he feels in perfect harmony
with himself and witii all the world, and he is
heloved l»y all with whom he is eoiniectfd, as
one to he perfectly trusted.

Two men njay live tojj;ether, worU to^etht-r, oo
to church together. (•n<'a<iv in the same recreations
and amusements. One may be indiHerent to the
Hi-st tal)le of the law, but may enjoy the conH<lenc.>
of his fellow creature in his punctual observance
of the second. The other may be niakine- the tir.st
table of the law the prime object of his life, and the
(•overninj;' power in his «»l)servanee of the .second,
wdth a secret pleasure unknown to his neighbor,
and at death he will carry with him not only a
certificate of ^ood conduct from his fellow creaturt',
but an assurance of the api>rol»ation of his Creator.
Let us concentrate the armnnent.
( Jod is Linu\

Jesus Chri.st. our Hea<l. as (iod-man, is the
n-reatest, the wisest and the best «)f ijeines, the
same yesterday, to-day and for ever.* Our Wlience.
our Here, our Whither. To those seeking;- delivei-
ance from sin and disquietude, tlie " Covenant of
(Jrace" otiers foroiveness, a new spirit, eternal life.

* Molin i.

.\iv

.'i.

Tffh: .\SSLRA.\Cr. 01 .sAlAAllOS

9r)

True t'aitli ac('e[)t.s ami rt-alizts ,1 firrstot citi-
Keiousiioss of /<rf>(7' ;ui<] ^ii-atd'ul /"//. CliiMNt, with
anxious love, has hrcii wjiitiii;^ at thf iloor and
knocking. He joyfully inciis him who ojn-ns with
ajiprovin^^' love, assurin;^ him of lli^ prott-ction
Fi'om all f\ils hen- or in thf dark hereafter.

•' Wlifi liko Tliysflt iiiv giii<lc and siav i;itii !»• ?
Tln'ouyli doiid iiinl simsliiiu'. O iil)i(lt' witli uu-

" Hold 'riuHi 'I'liv rr<iss ln'torr my closing eyus,
Sliiiif tliioiigli till' glixmi iiiid |M)iiit me to tlie skici,
Ifonvfirs aioriiiay Inoak.s, and carlli's \ain <liiid(iw.s tics
In T>ifi', in Doatli, O I.md. alddf willi \\\i\"

■' l''or tliti from out our l)ouiUf ot 'I'iini- and l'la''i'.

Tin.' Hood may hoar nic tar,

I liope to si!c my I'ilnl fact; to face

WImmi I have crost tlu- hai."

-- '/'< niii/tnii ,

Ami who knows lait that just as wr eatne un-
cotiscious into existonct', an<l when issuing;, in tlx^
throes of a inotlu'i', from our living' tomb, werr n--
ceivcd bv loving' liamls, we ma\' not similarK , in
t}t<' benevolent arrauiieinent of our ( !reator. be i-f-
eeived by those we loved on earth, awaitinn' onr
arrival to introduee us with ^reat rej, v n^; into
that kin"dom where t»od Himself d\\< lis, and
where He shall wi[)!' away all tears from our eyes.