there, and many things that are unlike Christ, and contrary to the word of God; things, which, of course, we should seek to mortify. But if, before we know that Christ has put them away, these things occupy us, our distress may be very great. And if the conscience is kept lively, its anguish will continue until we see the completeness of our forgiveness, justification, and acceptance, through faith in the precious blood of Jesus. Now, my dear friend, such a discovery of the true character and utter worthlessness of the flesh, ought to make us very humble, but it ought not to fill us with doubt and despair. For, be assured, all the evil which the Spirit reveals, has been put away by the cross of Christ, out of God's sight for ever. And that which He has put away can never be brought up against you. When this blessed truth is seen, instead of being cast down, and questioning your forgiveness and salvation, you will, every day, be learning more and more of the fulness, perfectness, and blessedness of Jesus and His finished work, and your own good-for-nothingness. You will be taught, not to think less of sin, but more of Christ.

But now, what is the Spirit's testimony to Christ, and to his finished work on our behalf? Does He not testify, by His presence in the believer's soul, that He who was on the cross, is now on the throne for us, and that He left all our sins behind Him in the grave? Blessed truth! our sins are all put away, and we are one with Christ in glory, through the presence, power, and in-dwelling of the Holy Ghost in us. "He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit." We have eternal life in Him. The great thing is to get the eye off self, to "have no confidence in the flesh," and to be wholly occupied with a risen, ascended, and glorified Christ at God's right hand.

We have a striking illustration of the flesh and the spirit, in the two sons of Abraham, Ishmael and Isaac. The true character of Ishmael was manifested by the presence of Isaac. We hear nothing of the naughtiness of the former,

until after the latter was born. But the bond-woman and her son were to be cast out, for the son of the bondwoman could not be heir with the son of the free woman. (Gen. xxi. Gal. iv.) This was grievous to the heart of Abraham. It was a hard struggle with nature to cast them out. But Isaac was the sole heir of his father Abraham. The mere child of nature can never be heir to a single promise. Christ is the heir of every promise, and we are joint heirs with Him. But, blessed be God, we are, by faith, His children, and His heirs too, in the full credit of Christ Himself. For, "if children, then heirs; heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ." (Rom. viii. 17.) When thus we have learnt to be done with the pretensions of nature, and occupied with the rights and titles of Christ, our struggling, labour, and trouble of conscience will be at an end. Depend upon it, my dear friend, this is the cause of all your distress. We struggle hard, to take, at least, a part of self into heaven with us. But no! God says it must be cast out. The "strait gate" is only wide enough for Christ to pass through, and the "narrow way" is only broad enough for Him to walk in. So we must be content to leave self outside, and enter, simply, in Christ. But oh! many a long, hard, and weary struggle we have, before we are convinced that self can never get through.

Let your mind dwell much on the word of God as to your position, standing, and acceptance in Christ. Surely it is enough, when God Himself testifies as to your cleanness in His sight, through the precious blood of His own beloved Son. You will now see the point I desire to press on your consideration, viz. the testimony of Scripture as to what we are in the presence of God, compared with our own experience.

Take one example more. When Moses speaks of the Children of Israel as they were in his sight, what does he Бау? "Thou art a stiffnecked people .... from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt,

until ye came into this place, ye have been rebellious against the Lord." (Deut. ix. 6, 7.) What a testimony! and from God's own witness in the midst of the people. But what does God say about this same people?" He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel." (Num. xxiii. 21.) Amazing truth! What a testimony from the Holy One of Israel! But how, you may ask, can both statements be true? Moses states what the people were in their nature and practical ways: God declares what they are in His sight, in virtue of the blood of atonement. Observe, God does not say, there is no iniquity in Jacob, but that "he hath not beheld it." There was plenty there, sure enough, but, typically, they were a redeemed people, and under the shelter of the blood of the lamb. And the Lord had said, "When I see the blood I will pass over you." He could not see both the iniquity and the blood that was shed to wash it away. His eye rested on the blood of the Lamb, and not on the iniquity of the people. He looked at them "from the top of the rocks :" Moses, from the plains below. But, nevertheless, when God dealt with them in government, it was another thing. Then He chastened them for their iniquity and perverseness. When Christ had accomplished the work of redemption, according to the glory of God, we hear Him saying, Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are." (John xvii.) He brings the redeemed ones back, and lays them on the heart of the Father, who now receives them as children, watches over and disciplines them; but it is as a father with the children, He sees no sin on them. The Son has fitted them for the bosom of the "Holy Father," and then He says they are " CLEAN EVERY WHIT."

May your weary soul now know the sweet repose-the perfect, eternal rest, which the bosom of the Father gives.

Ever, most faithfully and affectionately, yours in Jesus,

THE SHADOW OF THE APPLE TREE.

"As the apple tree among the trees of the wood, so is my beloved among the sons. I sat down under his shadow with great delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love.” (Cant. ii. 3, 4.)

The attitude of soul set forth in this lovely passage, is one of perfect repose and complacency. It is not the attitude of one who has found a partial rest, rest for a day, a month, or a year. The soul that has really found rest in Christ, has found a rest which is divine in its character, and eternal in its duration. "I sat down." Precious attitude! There is no more toil for the sinner. Plenty of toil for the saint-plenty of toil for the servant. There is no more labour in the brick-kilns of Pharaoh, but abundance of labour in the vineyard of Christ. believer's labour comes after rest, not before it.

The

And, observe, it is "under His shadow." It is not under the shadow of my doings, my feelings, my frames, my experiences. Neither is it the shadow of ordinances, however valuable; nor of doctrines, however true; nor of institutions, however important. All these things have their proper place, and their proper value; but we had better not venture to sit down under their shadow; for, if we do, they will prove no better than Jonah's gourd, which sprang up in a night, and perished in a night. No, my reader, it must be Christ Himself-Christ only-Christ always. It must be "I," my very self, " sat down," found my sweet repose and resting place, my shade and satisfaction, "under His shadow." Then all is right-right now -right for ever.

And, let me ask, how much shade does a soul enjoy that

is resting simply in Christ? Just as much as Christ can afford. If I sit down under the shadow of a tree or a rock, I enjoy just that amount of shade which the tree or the rock can yield me. So, when the soul reposes, by faith, in the shadow of Christ, the whole question is, how much shade can He furnish? Faith knows the answer.

Dear reader, are you enjoying "the shadow of the apple tree?" Are you plucking its mellow fruit, which hangs in rich clusters around you? Is that fruit "sweet to your taste ?" Are you allowing Jesus to conduct you into “His banqueting house ?" Do you find " His banner over you" to be love? Be assured of it, it is in His banqueting house, and under His shadow, that the soul can prosper, and there alone. May you prove this, in your own happy experience, day by day. May Christ be indeed your enjoyed portion. May you feed upon Him with ever-growing desire. May you taste more of the living freshness of His grace, and be thus led on in zeal, energy, and personal devotedness, until you are called to take your place beside the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God, to go no more out for ever.

"Behold the Rose of Sharon here,
The Lily which the valleys bear;
Behold the tree of life that gives
Refreshing fruit and healing leaves.

Amongst the thorns the lilies shine;
Amongst wild gourds the noble vine;
So in mine eyes my Saviour proves,
Amidst a thousand meaner loves.

Beneath His cooling shade I sat,
To shield me from the burning heat;
Of heavenly fruit He spreads a feast,
To feed mine eyes and please my taste.