troubled with anxious fear: " Saul was yet more afraid of David; and Saul became David's enemy continually." (1 Sam. xviii. 29.) How fearfully true this is of thousands in our day! May every reader of these lines be delivered from this dreadful state!

Jonathan, on the other hand, sees the work is done, is finished. His heart is turned to the saviour David. He knows he is saved. He does not ask David to help him fight the giant. He gives up robe and sword. Does this make him indifferent as to David? Saul asks him and all his servants to kill David. Did he? "But Jonathan, Saul's son, delighted much in David.” (1 Sam. xix. 1, 2.) Blessed Jesus, the more the heart knows Thee as the complete Saviour, the more shall we delight much in Thee. Thou art our joy, our crown, our all.

Jonathan made one great mistake, as to reward a fatal mistake, he remained in the house of his father, the king, who hated David, the true and future king. Yet in the house of his father he confessed David. Many more particulars as to this may be seen in a tract written years ago. It would be deeply interesting to trace the future history of these men, as illustrating the two principles of owning Jesus as the complete Saviour, to merely using Him for refreshment as in this day. It is enough to see that one *"Jonathan," Morrish, London.

engenders deep hatred to Christ; the other, great delight in Him. And this delight is the true spring of an obedient walk. As Jonathan said to David, "Whatsoever thy soul desireth, I will even do it for thee." In this, however, we shall do well ever to keep in mind our entire dependence on the Lord-to give up robe, sword, bow, and girdle to Him, the true David. But there can be no real delight in Christ, as the spring of a holy obedience, unless we know Him as our complete and eternal Saviour.

How

In Jonathan and Mephibosheth, we have a double revelation of Christ in those types.. In Jonathan it is the finished work of Christ; in Mephibosheth, it is the kindness of God revealed in the person of David. Mephibosheth remained identified with David during the days of David's rejection. Jonathan remained in his father's house. exact the balances of the sanctuary! We need to know both, to really leave the house of Saul and be identified with the present rejected Christ. May we be assured that the battle is over for us; redemption accomplished; and hear, and believe the word of God. "I will surely shew thee kindness for Christ's sake!" "Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end. Amen." Certainty of salvation will not lead to indifference about Him who has thus saved us.

C. S.

"GOD SO LOVED."

JOHN iii. 16.

THE substance of a first preaching, on Lord's day, March 25th, 1835; and again, after fifty years, on March 29th, 1885.

We will read from verse 14: And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Before we notice the wondrous revelation of God in these verses, it may be necessary, for some, to refer to a fatal mistake made by many in applying the doctrine of the new birth, as stated to Nicodemus, as though Christ meant, or taught, the new birth by water baptism. We must notice that the Lord was not speaking to a Christian about the church or Christianity, but to a ruler of the Jews; and He was speaking to him about the kingdom of God-that kingdom which God will assuredly set up on earth. And we must not confound the terrestrial glory of that kingdom with the celestial glory of the church. No doubt there are even important principles in common. Whether for the kingdom

or the church, 'fallen man must be born again; but to suppose that the new birth is a priestly act of man, in the ordinance of baptism, is the most fatal heresy. It destroys the efficacy of the word, and faith. If a man can make a child or adult a member of Christ by water, there is no need for either faith or the word of God.

But the Lord does not say one word about baptism in His discourse to Nicodemus. He evidently speaks of that which Nicodemus ought to have understood. Now turn, and see if this was not the case. In Ezekiel xxxvi. 22-37 we have a very complete account of what God will do when He gathers His people, Israel, again, and sets up His kingdom-that of which Jesus spoke. And when He has brought them to their own land, He says, "THEN will I sprinkle clean water upon you . . . and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." Water was the well-known emblem of purification. Thus will Israel be born again in that day, by the operation of the Spirit of God, no doubt applying the word, as in our case.

It is important to notice also the entire change as to the law, when God shall thus set up the millennial kingdom. Under the law God com

manded, required everything. In the kingdom of God He produces everything by the new nature and the Spirit. Even repentance is produced after they are born again in the land. "Then shall ye remember your own evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall lothe yourselves in your own sight for your iniquities, and for your abominations." (Ver. 31.)

The law could not produce in man that which an absolutely holy God requires; but God will produce it in His people: "and cause you to walk in my statutes." This is very blessed. Well, there is not one word of christian baptism, either here, or in the Lord's words to Nicodemus.

Let us now look at these verses, John iii. 1416. We would call attention especially to three things in these precious words of Jesus:

First, the atonement has the first place: "even so must the Son of man be lifted up ;"

Secondly, Why was this, the death of Jesus on the cross? The answer is, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son;"

Thirdly, What was the purpose of God in Christ being so lifted up-so given? "That whosoever [or, every one] that believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

We must never fail to notice, that in the gospel the atonement has the first place. To exclude this, and preach what is called the Father