giving occasion of reproach to the adversary-Rom. xii. 9; 1 Thess. v.

22). But in all they do, they are to remember they are the Lord's servants, and to act as if the matter they have in hand were performed directly to him (Col. iii. 23-24). Even servants are to do their part to a bad master faithfully as "to the Lord" (1 Pet. ii. 18-20).

The sense in which they stand apart from the world is in the objects for which they work, and in the use to which they put the time and means which they can call "their own." They are to "follow after (works of) righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart (2 Tim. ii. 22). They are to "deny ungodliness and worldly lusts," and "live soberly and righteously and godly" (Tit. ii. 12). They are not to live in pleasure (Tit. iii. 3; 1 Tim. v. 6). They are to live to give God pleasure, in which, as they grow, they will find their own highest pleasure. They are to be "holy in all manner of conversation," cleansing themselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, and walking as those who are the temple of God among men (1 Pet. i. 15; 2 Cor. vii. 1; 2 Cor. vi. 16). Guided by these apostolic principles, they will abstain from the defiling habits that are common to ungodly Christendom, amongst which smoking and drinking stand prominent. And as men waiting and preparing for the kingdom of God (whose citizenship is in heaven, and not upon the earth) they accept the position of " strangers and pilgrims" among men. are not at home; they are passing on. They take no part with Cæsar. They pay his taxes and obey his laws where they do not conflict with the laws of Christ; but they take no part in his affairs. They do not vote; they do not ask the suffrages of his supporters; they do not aspire to Cæsar's honours or emoluments; they do not bear arms. They are sojourners in Cæsar's realms during the short time God may appoint for their probation; and, as such, they

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sustain a passive and non-resisting attitude, bent only upon earning Christ's approbation at his coming, by their obedience to his commandments during his absence. They are not of the world, even as he was not of the world; and therefore they refuse to be conformed to it. The way is narrow and full of self-denial -too much so for those who would like to perform the impossible feat of "making the best of both worlds." But the destination is so attractive, and the results of the cross-bearing so glorious, that the enlightened pilgrim deliberately chooses the journey, and resolutely endures its hardships.

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2. "They that are great (among the Gentiles) exercise authority upon them. BUT IT SHALL NOT BE SO AMONG YOU. But whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister, and whosoever will be chief among you let him be your servant" (Matt. xx. 25-27). "Be not YE CALLED RABBI, for one is your Master, even Christ, and all ye are brethren." Nothing is more natural than for men to seek honour and deference among their fellow men. It is the universal habit of society "to receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only (Jno. v. 44). Men everywhere "love the praise of men more than the praise of God" (Jno. xii. 43). It is considered the right thing to nurse "ambition"-to indulge the desire for "fame"-which is the same thing in modern terms. Jesus condemns it without qualification. He forbids men to aim at human approbation. It is his express commandment in almsgiving for example, to "let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth " (Matt. vi. 3); and in prayer, to 66 pray to the Father who is in secret" (verse 6), and in the exercise of divine sorrow, "to appear not unto men to fast " (verse 18). The object is that "the Father who seeth in secret may himself reward thee openly." For the same reason, he forbids us to accept honourable titles and honourable places, and en

joins us to take a low and serving place. In illustration of his meaning, he himself washed the feet of his disciples, remarking, "I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done unto you" (Jno. xiii. 15). He expressly said "Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased" (Luke xiv. 11). His command by the apostles is "all of you be clothed with humility;" put away pride: "mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate" (Rom xii. 3, 16; Phil. ii. 2; 1 Pet. v. 5-6).

The object of these commandments must be apparent to every reflecting mind that realises Christ's object in the preaching of the gospel. It is to "purify unto himself a peculiar people" (Tit. ii. 14), to show forth "the praises of Him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light" (1 Peter ii. 9). The celebration of this praise is not finally and effectually rendered until the summons comes forth from the throne, to the immortal multitude of the saints in the day of His appearing: "praise our God all ye his servants (Rev. xix. 5); who respond to the thrilling mandate in a tempest of enthusiastic accumulation, "as the sound of many waters and as the voice of many thunderings" (verse 6). How could a people be prepared for such a part except by the command to crucify the propensity that seeks the honour of men in this evil age? The acceptance ofthat honour necessarily engenders self-absorption, and unfits the hearts for that self-abasement which is the first ingredient of true glory to God. We can see what the cultivation of ambition does for its poor worshippers. Take the elegant crowd at a levee-the haughty, quick-glancing, susceptible sons and daughters of fashion: how would they be qualified to praise God in the heart-felt way required? It is the praise of men that fills and controls them-visible in their arrogance, and impatience, and pride. They are eaten up with it as with a

fever. The commandments of Christ have no acceptability to them. Their motto is "Who is Lord over us?" When the commandments of Christ obtain an entrance, they allay this fever, and bring the mind into a frame in harmony with true reason in the ennobling recognition that all things are derived, and that the glory and credit of everything is ultimately due to God alone, and not safe to be accepted, in however small a measure at the hands of man in the present age of godlessness.

How is it with Christendom? Are names of honour repudiated? Are good deeds done in private? Is the praise of men deprecated? Is it not notoriously the reverse in all particulars? Have we not "Rev.,' Right Rev.," "Most Rev.," "Very Rev.," and "Fathers in God," and a legion of plain revs.?—a stupendous lying title in its plainest form. Have we not "Masters and "Doctors" of all sorts-M.A's. and B. A's., and D.D's., and the M.P's., and T.C's., of Parliamentary and municipal dignities, impressing the crowd all the more as an abstraction reduced to what are to them mysterious monograms? And in more private ways, do we not see the same aping after greatness, the same fawning to greatness, in all sorts of complimentary titles exacted and accorded by the millions who call themselves "Christian?" And are the leaders better than the people? Are not the leaders first in the offence? Who so quick as they to resent the omission of conventional honours, which they call "courtesies," and who so irresponsive to the claims of benevolence and right when out of human sight? There may be, and doubtless are, exceptions; but as a rule, it is now, as Jesus said it was with the Scribes and Pharisees of his day, "All their works they do to be seen of men. They make broad their phyl acteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments. And love uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, and greetings in the markets, and to be called of

men, Rabbi, Rabbi " (Matt. xxiii. 5-7).

Look at the public subscription lists: where would the contributions be if the names and amounts were not published? Is it not a fact that the contributors of Christendom as a class, aim to get their contributions advertised, and that those who ask them, pander to the popular weakness, in the certain knowledge that, if they do not sooth the unholy ambitions with public acknowledgments, the donations would stay in the pockets of the donors ?

And, as for the "praise of men," it is the inspiration of all public life, the incense of public worship, and the peculiar fragrance of all public proceedings. Who can read the report of a public meeting without having his senses sickened with fulsome eulogy, uncalled for presentations and testimonials, and the cheap, but indispensable vote of thanks? The motives of men are corrupted by breathing such an atmosphere. There is no remedy but the remedy of destruction and of reconstruction which is waiting to be applied at the coming of Christ. The individual remedy lies in " ing out," and doing the will of God in privacy and obscurity, in patient waiting for the glorious day of rectification and recompense which God will assuredly bring at the time of His purpose in fulfilment of His promise.

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3. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth" (Matt. vi. 19). This is plainly expressed in another part of the word of wisdom thus: "Labour not to be rich" (Prov. xxiii. 4). Nothing in the whole range of language could be plainer than this. Christ, who surely knew better than all, states a fact which constitutes a powerful reason for the commandment not to aim at riches. "How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God" (Luke xviii. 24). Riches he calls "the mammon of unrighteousness." He does not say their possession is

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absolutely inconsistent with divine favour and inheritance of life eternal. But He gives us to understand that the danger of their "choking the word" is extreme (Matt xiii. 22), and that the only safety of those who have them, lies in turning them by use into friends and safeguards. His advice is: "Make to yourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness" (Luke xvi. 9). How this is to be done, he indicates: "Give alms: provide yourselves bags that wax not old, a treasure in the heavens that faileth not (Luke

xii. 33). This advice is repeated by the apostles" Charge them that are rich in this world that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up for themselves a good foundation against the time to come" (1 Tim. vi. 17). As every inan hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God" (1 Pet. iv. 10).

The rich in Christendom do not conform to these divine prescriptions. On the contrary, they lavish their superabundance upon themselves in a thousand ways that minister to "the lust of the eye, and the pride of life." If they get more, their plan is to enlarge the basis of their own individual aggrandisement. They would be considered fools if they did otherwise. How Christ regards the matter (that, in fact, he considers them fools for doing that which the world considers them wise for doing), they may learn beforehand from Luke xii. 16: "The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully. And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years: take thine ease; eat, drink, and be merry. But God

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the ungodly, and "break in pieces the oppressor as a preliminary to the blessing of all people (Rev. ii. 26; Dan. vii. 22; Psa. cxlix. *9).

Men say society could not be carried on if these principles were acted on. Such a speech is not the speech of a disciple. Christ is not aiming at carrying on society on its present footing, but at "taking out a people" to carry it on rightly -that is, on divine principlesin the age to come. His own case illustrates the position. The people wanted to take him by force and make him a king, but he withdrew (Jno. vi. 15). A man

wanted him to interfere in a will dispute. He declined, saying "Who made me a judge and a divider?" (Luke xii. 14). His part was to testify the truth, to do the will of the Father, to do all the good he could on divine ground, and as for the world, to "testify of it that the works thereof were evil" (Jno. vii. 7). In this course, he created hatred for himself, which finally took the form of personal violence. This violence he did not resist. He was led as a lamb to the slaughter; his life was taken from the earth. And he said, with regard to his whole experience, "The disciple is not greater than his Lord. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you" (Jno. xv. 18).

Christendom resists evil; sues at law; resents injury, brandishes the 'constable's truncheon, and fights in the army, even if the men it is called upon to shoot are fellow Christians. If pointed to the law of Christ, it shakes its head. It speaks of " duty to society," ," "the protection of life and property," and the certain chaos that would set in if the law of Christ were in force. In this, Christendom speaks as the world, and not as "the church," because it is not the church, but the world. The true church is composed of the brethren of Christ; and he tells us that his brethren are those who obey his

commandments, and do the will of the Father, as expressed by his mouth (Matt. xii. 50; Jno. xii. 49, 50). The question for such has no difficulties. The question is: "Does the law of Christ allow them to employ violence under any circumstances?" If not, the loss of life itself would not be a consequence to be considered by them. Thoughts of expediency or philanthropy are out of place when urged in defence of doing that which the law of Christ forbids. If riots must rage unless we disobey Christ, let riots rage. If life and property must be exposed to the ravages of wicked men, unless we do that which Christ tells us we are not to do, let all houses and all lives be unprotected. must incur and pay heavy penalties, unless we choose to break the law of God, let the penalties be paid. If we must be killed, and all our families with us, unless we forfeit the approbation of the Lord and Master, and lose eternal life at his coming, let us die at once.

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It is a mistake to hamper the question of duty with any secondary consideration whatever. The time has not come for the saints to keep the world right. It has to be made right before even keeping it right can be in question. The position of the saints is that of sojourners on trial for eternal life. God will take care that their probation is not interfered with by murder and violence before the time. The matter is His. We are in His hands so is all the world. We need not therefore be distressed by thoughts of what will be the effect of any course required by Christ. He will take care that His work comes out right at last. The simple and only question for us, is that which Paul put near Damascus : "Lord, what wouldst Thou have me do?" We may not do what involves disobedience to Him. A special constable, for example, is required, if need be, to break a man's head with a truncheon. The question in such a case is, therefore, best put