Some would represent Jesus as so hard to the sinner, that he needs His mother, angels, apostles, saints, to intercede and try to soften His heart toward the sinner. Ah, they do not know the blessed Jesus who said to Zacchæus, "come down; for to-day I must abide at thy house." Yes, Jesus not only bids him come down to Himself, but He must be his guest; and He must abide with him. And does He thus bid you come down at once, direct to Himself—it may be in the deepest self-abhorrence? He says come down to Me, from all thy efforts to climb, and I must abide with thee. What a Saviour! Just as Zacchæus was, little tax-gatherer, down he came to Jesus, at His word. And may you do the same? Yes, and do just as he did he received Jesus joyfully. Do thou the same, and He

abides with thee for ever.

That God should thus welcome the sinner to Himself is most offensive to poor deceived, selfrighteous men. 'And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying, That he was gone to be guest with a man that is a sinner." Thus also, at this day, are the riches of the grace of God rejected and despised. Ah! let them murmur. Oh, Jesus, we adore Thee, that Thou hast, in perfect love, thus revealed Thyself in grace

to us!

As yet Zaccheus does not half apprehend this precious grace to him. He "said unto the Lord,

Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation I restore him fourfold.” In itself this was very good to his fellow men, and contrasts with the hypocrisy of the Phariseeism of this day. Can you say you are giving half of your goods to the poor? The same thing was found in Cornelius. "Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God." Yet he was one that needed to know the salvation of God. (Acts x.) There perhaps never was a day of more cruel selfishness than the present. Think of the waste in dress, in tobacco, wine, and pleasure, whilst families are starving for bread.

But mark, Jesus did not say, for so much almsgiving salvation is sent to thee. He did not say, thou hast merited salvation by thy works! He can never say that to a single, guilty, fallen child of Adam.

"Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house, for so much as he also is a son of Abraham." "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Know ye therefore, that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham." "So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham." (Gal. iii.) Faith and salvation cannot be separated. In Jesus the Saviour he saw the Lord. Salvation that day was come to that

house. Has Jesus thus come to you at Jericho? As He says, "For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." It is the old, old story of the grace of God that bringeth, it does not come seeking salvation in you, but bringeth all you need; nay, all that He in infinite love can give: for He gave Himself.

Why has the Holy Ghost left the record of this lovely incident, if not to shew you that Jesus is the one object to attract you to Himself? Do you want to see Him? Ah, He wants more than to see you! He must abide with you: you must be taken into everlasting companionship with Him --not on the principle of works, but through faith.

Abraham believed the promise of God. He was accounted righteous. Do you believe God, who has raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, "who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification"? Then by faith you are justified, and have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. God says so, it is the truth. Make haste, then, and come downdown just now; Jesus waits to receive you. He must abide with you. Salvation, infinite and eternal, is come to you. Do you want to know

the truth? He is the Truth. Do you want forgiveness? He says, Thy sins be forgiven thee. Do you want eternal life? He says, He that believeth hath eternal life.

Why should you not receive Him joyfully? God grant that you may come down, and receive Him now, and be for ever happy.

C. S.

(A reply to W. J., Harlech.)

MOST of the scriptures you quote are in the Old Testament, and refer to the dealings of God in that governmental dispensation. Exodus xv. 26 was a promise to that people. They were to be blessed here in this world, if they did that which was right in the sight of the Lord. Their blessing was conditional on obedience. This is more fully explained to them in Deuteronomy xxxiii. The Lord is clearly the healer of the body," For I am the Lord that healeth thee." Indeed all these blessings have reference to the body here on earth.

But to apply this to the Christian would be a great mistake. We are blest, not with earthly blessings, but "with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in Christ." (Eph. i. 3–7.) When Jesus left His little flock on earth, He gave no promise that they should, if obedient, be exempt from tribulation; but He said in the world they would have it. And the more obedient they have been to His word, the more has the world hated them and persecuted them. The most obedient and devoted servant of Christ could say, "Blessed

be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble," &c. (2 Cor. i. 3-6.)

May it not be said to some, "Ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth," &c. (See Heb. xii. 5-8.) Is it not a great mistake to suppose that absence of chastening is a proof that we are right? It would rather prove we were deceived. This may be what Satan is aiming at in all this.

Exodus xxiii. 25 is a similar promise to Israel. "And ye shall serve the Lord your God, and he shall bless thy bread, and thy water; and I will take sickness away from the midst of thee . . . and will destroy all the people to whom thou shalt come." How important to bear in mind the difference of dispensation in the dealings of God! One would think no one could apply such a scripture to Christians. And it is a serious thing to say we are Jews, when we are not, but do lie. (Rev. iii. 9.) For the Jew, affliction was a mark of rebuke, to the Christian it may be a token of love to one whom He loveth.

You will perceive the next scripture given is