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Holiness.

AS is our faith in Jesus, so will be the holiness of our walk. Where there is much dealing by faith with the blood of atonement, there will be sure and even walking in the path or obedience to the pre­cepts of Christ.

How careful should we be to keep clean the house that is the dwelling of the King of Glory!

Holiness first and pardon after, says the blind Pharisee; but God's way is, Pardon and peace with God first: holiness the fruit of pardon.

The deep engraving of "Thou art holy" (Psalm xxii. 3), on the heart of a believer, is necessary to his wise and prudent walk.

Neglected hearts become like dwellings with slovenly occupants-void of comfort.

Every saint is a vessel of mercy, but not every saint a vessel unto honour: yet it is his obligation to be such; lack of obedience gains nothing but harm and loss.

 

The Secret Life and The Daily Path.

THE soul that aims high, in point of obedience to God, will account that a transgression, which may not seem to be a fault to the eyes of others.

So soon as we behave and quiet ourselves, and become as a weaned child, our troubles vanish: take away self-will, and the sorrows that remain in our cup are made sweet.

Be much with God in secret, so will you bring profit into the saints' assemblies, and bring profit away from them.

God makes more of the dedication of the heart, than of any outward service we can render.

Would you grow up into Christ, make a conscience of obedience to Him in the smallest matters.

Believers should so live and commune in secret with Christ, that all around may see Christ in them.

If we would deal wisely with our daily matters, we must bring God's eternal counsels into them, and consider their eternal issues; holding ourselves God's servants, doing each his part in preparing the way for the Lord's appearing in glory.

The path for a believer to walk in without stumbling is that of God's precepts; in tread­ing which he keeps his conscience purged by the blood or Christ, takes up his cross daily, and denies himself. This path, alas, is not much trodden by the saints-to the unre­generate utterly unknown.

Do you dread to grieve the heart of Christ, as you once dreaded wrath and condemnation?

 

The Day of Small Things.

GOD never blames us for our slow progress and small attainments in holiness, but for our sluggish coldhearted submitting to evil, and allowing it dominion over us.

Even our purposes to do right are made much of by our gracious and pitiful God: therefore let us not despise the desires of our hearts to please Him.

If we watch against pride; if we struggle and pray against it; if we are pained at its inward workings-then that which we feel to be only a struggle after humility, God accounts humility true and deep. He accepts us in His dear Son: He accepts our offerings also; and the sighs of the contrite He calls incense.

 

The Believer's Testimony to Others.

LET me not consider what I have as mine own; for I myself am not mine own. "Whatever I have, therefore- talents, substance-I am God's steward to use all at His bidding, for His glory.

The guilt of sin was not revealed to saints of Old Testament time as now to us. Christ, that was to come, was dimly seen by them: Christ, who has come, is fully revealed to us. Obligations are according to revelation.

This world is but a desert-a foreign land, where the children of God can find no rest: if, through unbelief, they seek it, they will only find disappointment.

We ought so to behave ourselves, that the ungodly may see the mind of Christ in all our ways; even look and voice should bear witness for Christ: "Ye are My witnesses" (Isa. xliii. 10).

One word spoken with a savour of Christ may sink into the soul of the hearer, and bring forth fruit unto eternal life.

There is something in the very countenance of those who walk with God, that gives authority to all they say.

 

Happiness, Joy, Comfort, and Peace.

ALL our wounds are for Christ's bind­ing up: our broken hearts become witnesses to His skill and loving-kindness; for it is spoken by the prophet, "Himself took our infirmities, and bare our sicknesses." (Matt. viii. 17.)

Special comfort and consolation may be given to any Christian; but it is the diligence of the soul in walking with God that brings settled comfort.

Consolation in Jesus will abound as our sorrow for sin is deep, and our desire for obedience sincere.

If our peace be marred amidst our upright desires to please the Lord, it is because of self­-willed purposes mingled with those upright desires.

We speak of our comfort and peace being marred by the ways of others towards us, little considering that Self-will is the author of our vexation.

It is our duty to be always happy. True, we may be sorrowful; but if we be unhappy, it is because we have been drinking of some foul stream, and not of our fountain of joy­-God Himself.

A happy, joyful spirit spreads joy every­where; a fretful spirit is a trouble to ourselves, and to all around us.

Let us solemnly consider how much we may injure others when we are fretful and wilful, and how much we may help others when we are joyful in God.

If God impart to us peculiar joy in the Holy Ghost, filling us with Christ and His love, causing us to keep holy Sabbath in the soul by faith of Jesus, it is for this end-that we may come down from the mount to do the work of the Lord, ready to bear all things for Jesus' sake.

If any believer lack peace and joy, let him examine himself by the Word, and use diligence in cleansing heart and conscience by the blood of Jesus.

The joy of the Holy Ghost is a holy, solemn thing.  It always humbles the soul, and keeps it low. Not so the joy of the flesh.

Begin every day with the Word of God and prayer, if you would enjoy settled blessedness. It is in the Word of God that the fulness of Christ is revealed, as the rich portion of every one who trusts in the blood of Christ.

The peace of the believer, through faith in the atoning blood of Jesus, if the soul be flourishing, flows like a river; joy in believing is the same river overflowing its banks. Let watchfulness keep pace with joy.

 

Church Discipline.

THE discipline exercised by the church of God should be a picture of our heavenly Father's character.

A sober mind, a tender heart, a watchful spirit, should mark those who put away the evil doer.

All God's corrections and judgments are designed to bring to repentance. So likewise any censure pronounced by an assembly of saints, while manifestly righteous, should be as a medicine to restore, that the spirit may be saved in the day of Christ. (1 Cor. v. 5.)

Paul says not to the Corinthians, when he reproves their evil, "lest my God should humble you," but "lest my God should humble me among you;" not "lest I should be wrath­ful and cut off many," but lest I should "bewail many which have sinned" (2 Cor. xii. 21).

My brother, defiling himself, is my own hand touching pitch. In this mind we are like Christ, who is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, and is able to succour the tempted.

In how many instances, alas! where sharp or bitter reproof is given, heavenly wisdom would deal in tenderhearted counsel and admonition.

Col. iv, 10 is a testimony that Mark was restored and stablished after having forsaken Paul and Barnabas. We find him not with Barnabas, but with Paul, who had so gravely judged his fault. "Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee" (Prov. ix. 8).

Let us imitate our Lord in His pity toward those who have erred from His way; thus we best discountenance their sins, and help them to make the confession that obtains forgiveness from God. Carnal severity hardens the heart which might be won by heavenly tenderness and compassion.

In the fellowship of saints' assemblies are many joys and many comforts. It is not, however, a bed of roses; for it is in the intercourse of that fellowship that the infirmities and faults of believers especially appear. In the church's best state there was always the flesh to be subdued, and Satan resisted. Hence "forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, even also do ye" (Col. iii. 13).

Judgments of offences should be such as to commend themselves to the common con­science. All are accountable to God for those judgments.

The love of Christ filling our hearts, we shall be keen-sighted to discern, whether in ourselves or others, whatsoever pleases not the Lord. This love, and this love only, will enable us to maintain the order and discipline of the house of God, so as to be approved by the Son of God, the Lord of His own house.  We shall thereby, while observing the laws of Christ as to offending brethren, be raised above the fear of man that bringeth a snare; and, what is higher still, be free of false love, which spares the rod when God would have us smite. "Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness" (Ps. cxli. 5). "Faithful are the wounds of a friend" (Prov. xxvii. 6).