that walks in self-conceit and self-chosen paths, to fall the more painfully into temptation, that the individual may perceive his faults; let himself be freed from the burden of the law; bow in simplicity beneath the gentle yoke of Christ, and abide by his salutary doctrines. (Matt. xi. 29; 1 Tim. vi. 3.)

"But as some of them prophesied in the camp, Joshua came and said, My lord Moses, forbid them. But Moses said, Art thou jealous on my account? Would God, that all the Lord's people prophesied, and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them." (Numb. xi. 26-29.)

“And John said, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and we forbade him, because he followeth not with us. And Jesus said unto him, Forbid him not, for he that is not against us is for us." (Luke ix. 49, 50. See also Mark ix. 37, 38.)

This we have also really experienced. When the laity, full of the Spirit and unction, began to speak of Christ and his ways, many took the alarm, and said like Joshua to Moses, Forbid them! An uproar was immediately caused. 'Women are preaching,' said they, 'in holes and corners!' Others repeated the answer of Moses and Christ:-Would God, that not only they, but all Christians spoke in such a manner, instead of cursing, lying, and blaspheming! Would God that all prophesied and taught! But although the reply of Jesus and Moses to such like complaints has been so long upon record-yet the same false zeal still exists. After knowing what Paul says, "Quench not the Spirit.-Despise not prophesyings (1 Thess. v. 19, 20,) people are still zealous in doing the very reverse. God causes his sun to rise upon the evil and the good; but we are constantly seeking to prevent others from letting their light shine, and to make them put it under a bushel. Why is thine eye so evil and envious, when God does not limit his gifts and calling

simply to us? Why do people always seek to close the windows of heaven, and to erect a barrier before the great and divine ocean, that they may prevent the living streams from flowing down upon the barren and desolate earth, from the throne of God and the Lamb? Would that men would take more deeply to heart the answer of Moses, Christ, and Paul, when the Lord, even in the present day, fits some individuals, who perhaps do not occupy any official station, for something extraordinary, and makes known his will through them in prophesyings and spiritual sayings, or imparts to them some other gift for the purpose of edification and awakening. Wherefore is such a prophet and inspired individual regarded as senseless and foolish, as proud and self-conceited? Must we not all be taught of God? (John vi. 45.) Ought not the knowledge of the Lord to abound, even as the waters cover the depths of the sea? Have not Moses, Joel, and Christ, promised that in the times of the New Testament, his Spirit should be poured out upon all flesh? Why do they seek continually to quench the Spirit, particularly since, in general, there are so few traces of it? Why do they endeavour to monopolize it, and presume to resist God and to reject the gifts of the Spirit, which would prove to the advantage of every one, and to confine them only to those that are in orders, who generally do not possess them nor make use of them? Have those who possess the key of knowledge received it only for the purpose of closing the kingdom of heaven and of knowledge, or of opening the door to all people?

The disinterested zeal of Moses for the honour of God caused him to reply to Joshua, saying, "Why art thou jealous for me?" If God will glorify himself and magnify his honour in the weak and the simple-why dost thou trouble thyself about my honour? Am I to be the only prophet? Am I alone to honour God?-How beautiful are the words of Moses !-Would God, that all the world,

all the people possessed the Spirit of prophecy and the anointing, and were inspired for the service of God and Christ, instead of serving the devil or sin ! O that the Spirit of God filled every Christian! and how beautiful would such sentiments be in the hearts of those, who through the ministry of the word of God, afford assistance to the soul! Paul was of the same opinion: "If Christ is but preached-in whatever manner it may be-I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice!" But now it is said, 'Let any thing else be preached rather than Christ! Let things only go on in their old way! Let there be no movement of the Spirit, but every thing remain a dead letter! We had rather that people should curse and swear, than that they should speak of spiritual things!'

Some had also vital experience of the following passages. 1. Whilst we were yet without strength, we stood under the servile discipline of a legal scholastic religion; but when the time appointed by God arrived, he sent his Son into our hearts, and gave us power to become the children of God, through faith in his name. (Gal. iv.; John i.)

2. They are jealous of me, but not in a laudable manner. They would gladly exclude me from their assemblies, in order to compel me to be of their sentiments. (Gal. iv.)

3. Little children, I travail in birth again for you, until the Messiah is formed in you. (Gal. iv.)

4. Even as Ishmael, the natural son, persecuted him that was born of the Spirit of God-so it is now. (Gal. iv. 29.) 5. According to the doctrines of the divine Spirit, we can only promise ourselves salvation through faith, whether circumcised or uncircumcised, this is all one in Christfaith alone is required, which works by love. (Gal. v.)

6. All that believe in the crucified Saviour, gladly crucify, and are enjoined to crucify-not the lusts of others, but their own lusts and inclinations. (Gal. v. 24.)

7. Ye did run well; who has bewitched you that you

now turn your back upon Christ, and prefer being under Moses to obeying the truth. (Gal. v. 7.)

8. Far be it from me, that I should glory in any thing, (however specious its appearance,) but in being thought worthy to bear the cross, the reproach of the cross of our Lord! For his sake, I am to the world, and the world is to me, as a malefactor and an executed criminal. (Gal. vi. 14.)

Some even turned away their faces from us as from one that had been executed.

9. I testify to you, brethren, that the gospel, which I preached unto you, is not of human origin.-Gamaliel did not instil it into me-for I neither received it from man, nor was taught it at universities, but Jesus himself revealed it to me. (Gal. i. 11, 12.)

10. This only would I learn of you: Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? He that ministered to you the Spirit, which no doctor of the Sorbonne can comprehend or define-he that worked wonders in you, and created new worlds and the new creature in you-did he do it for the sake of your legal works or of your faith? Abraham's example is the answer here. (Gal. iii. 5, &c.)

11. Before Christ came, we were, as it were, shut up under Moses; the law, by which is the knowledge of sin, was our disciplinarian, until Christ, the sin-destroyer came, who pronounces us justified by faith. The sindestroyer being come-we are no longer under the sinrevealer. (Gal. iii. 23, &c.)

12. "On my arrival in Macedonia, I had no rest, and was pressed beyond measure. Without were fightings and within were fears."

13. The mosaic legislation did not annul the former promise; for if the inheritance was to have been obtained by the keeping of the law, it would no longer have been given for the sake of the promise, and not a single individual

would have possessed it. But God did not bargain with, and sell it to Abraham, but gave it to him, because it was promised to him as a gift, and his seed also. (Gal. iii. 6, &c.) 14. "I desire that I may be comforted together with you, by the mutual faith, both of you and me." (Rom. i. 12.)

15. He is not a Jew, who is so merely in the eyes of men, whom the Pharisees have registered as such, and to whom they have given an attestation of circumcision; nor is he circumcised, who is so merely in the flesh, and who has lost a little outwardly, but possesses as many carnal lusts or even more than others inwardly; but a Jew, a true Israelite is one, who is so inwardly, who has the kingdom of God, the God of Israel in his heart, whose heart is circumcised, who strips off, not the skin, but the lusts and desires of the flesh; who possesses not only the letter, but also the spirit of the law, whose praise is not of men but of God. Mankind, perhaps on this very account, would not praise him. (Rom. ii. 28, 29.)

16. What if some of them (even though it were the majority, the mass of the people) did not believe! Shall their unbelief hinder or annul in others the belief in God? God forbid, that because many believe themselves rather than God, and prefer continuing to belong to the devil, we should keep them company!

17. "There is none righteous, no not one." All have forsaken the right path. "They are altogether become unprofitable. There is not a single individual that doeth good." (Rom. iii. 10, 12.)

What becomes then of self-righteousness?

18. "No man is justified before God by the works of the law; for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (Rom. iii. 20.)

Nothing more! From whence then cometh righteousness? 19. Through faith in Jesus Christ, God bestows his righteousness unto all, and upon all them that believe. There is no difference, even as all have sinned and stand in need of the glorious grace of God. (Rom. iii. 22 to the