hearest Me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that Thou hast sent Me' (John xi. 41-42).

'My doctrine is not Mine, but His that sent Me. If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of Myself' (John vii. 16, 17). 'I am not come of Myself, but He that sent Me is true' (John vii. 28). 'The Son can do nothing of Himself' (John v. 19). 'Every plant, which My Heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up' (Matt. xv. 13). To sit on My right hand, and on My left, is not Mine to give, but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of My Father' (Matt. xx. 23). 'Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to My Father, and He shall presently give Me more than twelve legions of angels?' (Matt. xxvi. 53).

'Verily, verily, I say unto you," He that heareth My word, and believeth on Him that sent Me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life' (John v. 24). Jesus said, Forbid him not. . . . For he that is not against us is on our part' (Mark ix. 39, 40).

'Have faith in God' (Mark xi. 22). Other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I

must bring, and they shall hear My voice; and there shall be one fold, and one Shepherd' (John x. 16).

Christ came as an example of holiness, a guide to God. As Joshua led the children of Israel into the land of Canaan, so Christ desires to lead all men to the kingdom of heaven, where they shall see God. Here, as in heaven eternally, God is the greatest joy and reward, and Christ desires to lead all men to the glorious knowledge and love of God, 'that the world may know that Thou hast sent Me, and hast loved them as Thou hast loved Me' (John xvii. 23). Pilgrims on that journey, we shall inevitably meet with those who call us aside to rest with them, but we may not, lest we fall into a sense of false security, and join in the cry of 'Peace, peace' when there is no peace. So, 'having on the breastplate of Faith and Love, and for an helmet the hope of Salvation,' we press on towards the mark-the kingdom of God.

'Thy hands have made me, and fashioned me; O, give me understanding, that I may learn Thy Commandments. I know, O Lord, that Thy judgments are right, and that Thou of very faithfulness hast caused me to be troubled. O, let Thy merciful kindness be my comfort. My soul hath longed for Thy salvation: and I have a good hope because of

Thy word. Thy word is a lantern unto my feet, and a light unto my paths. Thy testimonies have I claimed as mine heritage for ever; and why? They are the very joy of my heart. Thou art my defence and shield, and my trust is in Thy word. Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe. When Thy word goeth forth, it giveth light and understanding unto the simple. Righteous art Thou, O Lord, and true is Thy judgment. Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Thy law is the Truth. O grant me understanding, and I shall live' (Psa. cxix. 73, 75, 81, 117, 130-137, 144). Let us realise that all is of God, and all things are His; we do but offer Him of His own. Hath not My Hand made all these things?' Sincere love and true life God alone accepts from man.

There is no mystery with God. Let us therefore come boldly to the Throne of Grace. God delights to bestow more than we can ask or imagine. All things are His, and He will freely give to all who ask in faith. Christ's words are true; put them to the test. It is entirely our own fault if there is misery, want, and despair in the world. If man's understanding and belief in the power of God were perfect, there need be none of these conditions. It will perhaps be said that there cannot be perfection

in anything human, but Christ tells us, ' With God all things are possible.' The power is with God; we have only to ask in faith to receive all things needful and beneficial abundantly, more than we can ask or think. If we did but remember that God rules, how we should rest from all our foolish striving and lie still in God's Hand! How we should suffer all things, knowing well God is working for the best! For how often that which seemed evil in our sight has proved to be for good. We despair because our puny efforts for good seem futile, forgetting that, 'Except the Lord build the house, their labour is but lost that build it; except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.' We can but labour on, looking unto God, Who is able to bear up the whole universe.

Although we live by the grace of God, receiving from His Hand life and breath and all things, how often we lose sight of His all-disposing power, and live as if chance ruled the world, or as if man's wit and strength could shape it to his own purposes ! How many think, in their pride, that the world is their own, while they regard their fellow-men as creatures, to be used for their own purposes of selfishness and ambition, forgetting that the Almighty Hand of God is over all mankind. God alone has

power to set up and to cast down. 'Is not this great Babylon, which I have built for the house of my kingdom, and by the might of my power, and for the house of my majesty?' (Dan. iv. 30)—and while the words were yet in the king's mouth the decree went forth that the kingdom should depart from Nebuchadnezzar, that he should be driven forth from among men, and his dwelling be with the beasts of the field, until he should know that the Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever He will.

We escape from God at no single point in our lives; all our ways lie open before Him. Often our hearts devise our way, but God, who sees all, directs our steps in the way He would have us go. Every portion of our life has weight and value in so far as it has relation to God, our Heavenly Father. Luther had no more thought of turning reformer when his reforming career began than he had of becoming Pope, and yet every step of his history from early youth was evidently a part of the process by which he was prepared and ripened for his great work. When he went to Rome, looking on the city as holy ground, and expecting to find the men who trod its streets midway almost between earth and heaven, the human reason was because