settled. It can never again be raised. Blessed, blessed truth!

B. Excuse me, I believe that as firmly as you do. It is only the blood of Christ that can wash away our sins. But how am I to know, how can I be sure, that all my sins are pardoned?

A. Only through believing: there is no other way. "Whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins." (Acts x. 43.) If you are really resting on the sacrifice of Christ, and trusting to that alone for pardon, you may be quite sure of the full and everlasting forgiveness of all your sins. For the value of that sacrifice is infinite. And being so, it extends to every moment of your life, and to every point in your condition. Were its efficacy only to reach to eight o'clock, and you to live till nine, it would be insufficient for your need. In short, it would be imperfect. Only see where we land, when we get off the lines of divine truth. But what does that word say to every believer in Jesus? "We have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace." (Eph. i. 7.) This is a full statement of the case, and whenever you have got to the end of yourself, as an utterly lost sinner, and have no refuge but in the grace of God, flowing through the sacrifice of Christ, you will be at perfect rest, and ready to go at any hour of the day.

B. Now don't you speak too strongly. I want an explanation. There is no good in putting one down with strong expressions. I want to see it. They may appear plain enough to you, but they are not so to others. I feel quite sure that nine tenths,-nineteen twentieths of your hearers do not understand the meaning of that word "grace," which you are so constantly speaking about. Take any congregation you please, in London, and you find very few who understand the meaning of such words. I know it. And you use them, as if all understood them as well as yourself. I believe a great deal of preaching goes

will

over people's heads. Whenever you are going to preach a sermon about grace, you tell me, and I will come seven miles to hear it,

A. Thank you But come when you will, I trust you shall hear me preaching grace-the boundless grace of God to ruined sinners. I know of nothing else that meets the sinner's condition.

But, tell me, why is it that so few gospel hearers understand what grace is? The word itself occurs very frequently in the scriptures. And to a lost sinner it is the most important word in the Bible. It is the source and spring of every mercy that we receive from God. As the Apostle Paul says, "by the grace of God I am what I am." (1 Cor. xv. 10.) But for that precious grace he would have continued to be "the chief of sinners," and gone as straight, and as fast, to hell as ever he could go. And but for the same grace, so would every child of Adam, without exception. "There is none that seeketh after God." (Rom. iii. 11.) The believer is saved by grace,-he stands in grace, and throughout eternity he will shine in grace, the pure unmingled grace of God.

But now, why is it, think you, that grace is really so little understood? Just because, so few know their need and helplessness. Whenever we have learnt the meaning of these two words NEED and HELPLESSNESS, we will soon find out the meaning of the word GRACE. The "woman of Canaan," when led to take her true place, as a Gentile dog, at the foot of the master's table, learnt it there in the school of Christ. But it was under a deep, deep sense of her pressing need, and utter helplessness. (Matt. xv.) This is the only place, my dear friend, truly to learn the meaning, and appreciate the value of divine grace. We must be at the lowest step in the ladder, where grace flows, before we can understand the meaning of that precious text, "where sin abounded, grace did much more abound." (Rom. v. 20.)

B. Well, yes, it is very plain, I can see what you mean; I understand it. You need not say any more on that point. But you must remember that every one has not the same faith. She had great faith.

A. True, she had, but on what was it founded? What had she to look to? Only grace. The grace that dwells in the heart of Jesus. All the promises were to the children of Israel. He was the Minister of the circumcision. And she was one of the outcast race of Canaan, on whom the curse of God rested. She had no right, no title to Christ as the Jewish Messiah. And she was brought to feel this in the bitterness of her soul, that the grace of God might shine out in all its divine sovereignty, freeness, and fulness. But she trusted His heart of love. She counted on the grace that dwelt there, notwithstanding His seeming harshness. She knew that He had only to speak the word and her every need would be met. But she knew also, that she had no right to that word, no claim upon Him. This was crushing-awfully crushing to proud human nature. And then, to hear from those lips of grace, "I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel," must have greatly increased the anguish of her soul. Still, she clings to Him in the energy of a faith which counts only on Himself, notwithstanding His covenant engagements with Israel. "Lord, help me," was the earnest believing cry of her heart. "It is not meet," He answered, "to take the children's bread and to cast it to dogs." "Truth, Lord," was her instant reply, "yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from the Master's table." Wondrous faith! but, now she is in her true place, and grace flows out. The struggle is over. The victory is won. She is satisfied with what grace gives. It was to this point He was leading her, and He waited till she got there. And now, that heart of perfect love, which was only waiting for the opportunity, flows forth, in streams of living grace. "Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great

is thy faith; be it unto thee even as thou wilt." resources of His love are thrown open to her.

The full
This is a

true picture of the sinner's place and condition, and of the grace, that immediately and perfectly meets both.

Now, my dear friend, whenever you are brought by faith to this point, all will be victory and peace. Your anxieties and struggles will be over. The moment we take this place, we are met and blessed by God, according to the love and grace of His own heart. He acts from Himself, on the ground of the perfect, and eternally efficacious sacrifice of Christ. We are pardoned, justified, and accepted in the Beloved. We have eternal life in Him. And, now, the clock may chime either eight or nine, or any hour in the twelve, but neither measured time nor unmeasured eternity. can ever break the bond that binds our hearts to the blessed Jesus. "We are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ." "There is, therefore, now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus." (John v. 20; Romans viii. 1.) But I must be off, I have stood more than an hour with you. Good bye. The Lord be with you.

B. Well, good bye, God bless you. I will think on what you have been saying. I am coming some evening to A. Pray think of the sinner's place, the lowest step in the ladder.

Oh! what has Jesus done for me?

He pitied me-my Saviour.
My sins were great; His love was free;
He died for me-my Saviour.
Exalted by His Father's side,

He pleads for me-my Saviour.
A heavenly mansion He'll provide
For all who love my Saviour.

Jesus, Lord Jesus,

Thy name is sweet, my Saviour,
When shall I see Thee face to face,

My wondrous, blessed Saviour?

"PHILIP FINDETH NATHANAEL."

(John i. 45.)

THERE is a lovely, unshackled simplicity and naturalness in the way of the Spirit, in John's gospel. The divine life is seen acting in the most marked independence of everything like human rules and regulations; and yet all is in the most striking and beautiful moral order. What, for instance, can be more simple or natural than the expression, "Philip findeth Nathanael?" There is nothing official, nothing mechanical, nothing of routine work here. But yet, there is beauteous moral order. It is the energy of the implanted divine life, manifesting itself in its own genuine simplicity and native force. It is the living power of grace in the heart, expressing itself after its own peculiar fashion. "Philip findeth Nathanael." But, we must bear in mind, that, ere Philip found Nathanael, he had found Christ. He was able to say, in all assurance and confidence, "we have found him." He does not say, we are seeking him and hope to find him; come and help us in the good work of searching." This may be all well enough. It is, surely, well for those who want to find, to go and seek. But Philip was beyond this. His earnest searching had issued in a joyous finding, as is always the case; and having found Christ, he goes and finds Nathanael. As, in the last chapter of Revelation, the soul, having heard, from above, the precious word "come," immediately turns to the scene around, and repeats the "come.” So it was with Philip; having found Christ for himself, he goes in search of a fellow-sinner to bring him into the enjoyment of the same blessedness.

66

Now, it is well to see that there is nothing official in this. No doubt, office has its own place and its own value. But there is nothing of office in "Philip finding Nathanael." It is the power of life and not the functions of office. It is the outflow of the stream of grace from an overflowing