question his veracity; or at least, we imply that his word is not sufficient to satisfy us. Now, "if we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God, which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." (1 John v. 9—11.)

And, be it carefully observed, the gospel does not seek to "persuade men" to believe something about themselves. It does not call upon me to believe that I am a christian. It is a serious mistake to suppose that the subject of gospel testimony is any thing about oneself. It is something about Christ. It is something that God tells me about His Son; and when I, by grace, believe it, it makes me quite happy. It gives me life and righteousness, peace and joy, rest and satisfaction. I am called to look away from self, altogether, straight to Jesus. The object which God presents is His Son; there is no uncertainty there. The One who presents the object is God; there is no uncertainty there. My authority is the Word; there is no uncertainty there. The moment a man looks at himself, for the ground of his confidence or peace, he is all astray. He is plunged in doubt and confusion. What we really want is to keep close to the word-close to Christ-close to the sacrifice. This will take us out of self, and fill us with a divine object in whom we can find all we need. The devil can never shake the confidence of one who has once got thoroughly settled in the gospel of Christ. There may be conflict, trial, exercise, difficulty, depression, sorrow, and the like; but nothing can ever shake the peace that is really founded upon the word of God. It is eternal and divine. It partakes of the character of that word on which it is founded, and of the sacrifice of which that

word bears witness. "The worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sins." (Heb. x. 2.) This is "He plain. To be "once purged" settles everything. that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit." (John xiii. 10.) "Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you." (John xv. 3.)

Some there are, who seem to think that the only result of the sacrifice of Christ is to put us into a salvable state, that is, a state in which salvation is possible. The idea of being saved-of knowing salvation-of being assured that we are saved, is, in the opinion of such persons, the very height of presumption-the essence of spiritual pride-a setting up for being holier than one's neighbours-a being righteous overmuch. This, however, is a great mistake—a mistake arising from not seeing the true ground of salvation, and the true authority for knowing that we are saved. The former we have in the blood of Christ; and the latter, in the word of God. Self has nought to do with either the one or the other. God declares unto us "glad tidings." He tells us of salvation, through the name of Jesus, of perfect remission of sins, through the blood of the cross. Now, the question is, can God's word givè certainty? If He sends us glad tidings, ought they not to be believed; and, if believed, should they not make us glad? How could God's glad tidings leave us in doubt? Impossible. Where doubt exists, God's word is not believed-the fulness of Christ is not seen-the value of the blood is not apprehended. Self, self, self, is the object before the mind, and hence, there is no peace, no joy, no happiness, no holiness. The soul that 3 dwelling in the gloomy region of doubt can neither be holy nor happy.

Dear reader, let me entreat you not to be satisfied with hoping for salvation. Stop not short of having it. Adam knew he was saved, when God clothed him. (Gen. iii.)

Noah knew he was saved when the Lord shut him in. (Gen. vii. 16.) The Israelite knew he was safe with the blood on the door post. (Exod. xii.) The manslayer knew he was safe when he entered the city of refuge. (Numb. xxxvi.) Rahab knew she was safe, under the cover of the scarlet line. (Josh. ii.) Thus it is, in every case, where God's remedy is revealed and His word believed, there is certainty and peace. It is no longer hoping, but having. It is worthy of God and His word, to give settled peace to the heart that trusts in Him. It would not be like Him to leave any soul in doubt and uncertainty. I should just possess all the assurance which God's word is capable of imparting.

May the Lord grant, to the anxious reader, an artless confidence in the divine testimony to the value of the blood.

A WORD TO A TROUBLED CONSCIENCE.

MY DEAR YOUNG FRIEND,

I was not sorry to hear of your distress of soul. It must soon give place to peace and joy. Many, alas! are not distressed enough, who have good reason to be so ; but Satan succeeds in keeping their eyes so firmly bandaged, that the light is effectually shut out, and they see not their danger. Have you ever thought of that solemn passage in 2 Cor. iv. "But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost; in whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." Here, you will observe, the gospel is compared unto "light," which is self-evident, yet they see it not, though it is shining around them, because of the blinding of Satan,

the god of this world. I am always thankful to hear of persons being concerned about the safety of their souls. I know what the issue will be. It is, generally speaking, the pathway to perfect and eternal repose. Nevertheless, we must bear in mind, that our distress, however great, forms no part of the ground of our acceptance, or in any way recommends us to, or fits us for, the presence of God. The work of Christ is the only ground of acceptance.

Your perplexities, my dear friend, like that of many others, flow from the common mistake of looking to yourself, and being occupied with what is going on there. From what you say, I should judge, that your distress arises from the presence, not the "absence," of God's Holy Spirit. I dare say you will be surprised at my saying so, as you think and speak so much about the "teaching" and enlightening" of the Holy Spirit. It is perfectly true, that He is "the Comforter," and that without His teaching, we should remain in ignorance of divine things; and without his enlightening, we should remain in darkness. Still, I hardly think you rightly understand the true character, and effects, of the presence of the Spirit in the soul. By His light and teaching, you get the knowledge, not merely of good and evil, but the knowledge of the difference between the two. This is conscience before God, namely, the knowledge of the difference between good and evil. Now, when the conscience gets occupied with the evil in place of the good, or, in other words, with self, in place of Christ, it must be in trouble. And the aim of the enemy will always be, to get the eye turned in upon self, in place of up to Christ, the true object of faith.

There is a great difference, between what we may call the testimony of God as to what we are before Him, în Christ, and the testimony of the Spirit as to what we are in ourselves. Both, of course, are perfectly true, and each is important in its own place. But I shall try

and explain what I mean: and first, as to the testimony of God.

I. He testifies as to what we are in His presence, through the efficacy of the work of Christ for us. He sees the believer as that work has made him, and not as he thinks of himself, judging from his own feelings. For any one to say that the believer is not perfect in the sight of God, would be to deny His word, and cast an indignity on the sacrifice of Christ. In virtue of that blessed work, every believer, the least as well as the greatest, is placed in the holy presence of God, without a single spot or stain, and so fitted to be there for ever. "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God." (2 Pet. iii. 18.) Now, mark the expression, that he might bring us to God. That means, to the knowledge of Godto the favour, the friendship, the presence, and the enjoyment, of God for ever. "The just one" took our place, that we might get His. He having once suffered and died for our sins, we now stand before God as complete and perfect as the work of our divine Substitute can make us. "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." (Heb. x. 14.) · When this all-important truth is understood, and kept before the soul, its distress and troubles all vanish, and it is filled with the peace and rest of God. To a newly converted soul, this is indeed an immensely important point. I am most anxious to have your attention fully drawn to it; for I know that the testimony of your own experience, to which you are so prone to look, will just be the opposite of God's.

II. The feelings and experience of the believer himself, through the work of the Holy Spirit in him, are exactly the opposite of peace and rest. "For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would." (Gal. v. 17.) The presence of the Spirit in the soul, produces conflict. He discovers sin