but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of Man shall give unto you: for Him hath God the Father sealed ". (ver. 27.) But this was not what they desired, so they say "What sign shewest Thou then, that we may see, and believe Thee? What dost thou work"? Then they plainly declare what they sought after, what they looked for, by boasting of the grand supply their fathers had, when passing through the wilderness, (ver. 31) as if they would say "Give us such another supply as they had; give us a continual supply of the loaves and fishes; shew us their sign; do for us their work, and then we will believe You".

But it was not to preserve the life of man in the flesh, or to perpetuate the old Adam standing, that God sent His Son. Therefore, He tells them once, and again, that their fathers, though fed with bread from heaven, had all passed away. (See verses 49, 58.) The manna could not give them everlasting life. It was like all the rest of the perishing things that belonged to a vanishing dispensation. Just as the sacrifices could not make "him that did the services perfect as pertaining to the conscience"; as "the blood of bulls and of goats could not take away sins," but could only "sanctify to the purifying of the flesh "; so the manna could not give eternal life; it could only sustain the natural life, and that but for a time. "Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and died."

Here then is the first truth the Master brings to the surface in His discourse-The manna wont do.

And oh children of God, is there not a lesson for us here? Blessed be God, we know that He has, in the riches of His grace, provided a great, and a glorious salvation for us; that He has saved us; that He has brought us nigh to Himself; that He loves us with a deep, unchanging, and unchangeable love; and that nothing can separate us from that love. But, are we feeding upon, and rejoicing in, the love, the grace, the character, the person, and the work of Him who has redeemed and saved us: or, are we trying to find enjoyment in other things-earthly objects, worldly pursuits, the poor fleeting things of this life, which all are to perish with the using. "Seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for behold I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the Lord," are words from which many a useful lesson may be drawn, even

now.

Let us rather "seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God"; let us "set our affections on things above, not on things on the earth". (Col. iii. 1, 2.) Then, as we look on these things, our affliction will seem "light," and "but for a moment," in comparisou with the "far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory" beyond; "for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal". (2 Cor. iv. 17, 18.)

But, not only does the Lord tell them of the deep, deep need of man; He tells them also of God's great remedy for He says-" Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but My Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that (see Alford) which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world". (verses 32, 33.) Then in their ignorance they exclaim, "Lord evermore give us this bread," (34), just as the Samaritan woman, in her ignorance, asked Him for the living water. (iv. 15.) She asked for, and expected an earthly supply, so as to be relieved of the trouble of drawing water; but Jesus revealed Himself to her, and satisfied her, not with the things of earth, but with the eternal and enduring things beyond.

So, to the carnal desire of these Jews, Jesus makes reply- "I am the bread of life". (35). Henceforth His discourse is in the first person; it occurs, in one form or another, no less than thirty-five times. And oh! what a marvellous revelation He unfolds. He tells them that He is Himself, the living bread, in contrast to the manna, which could not give life; that He came down from heaven at His Father's bidding, to accomplish the will of Him that sent Him; He unfolds what the will of the Father is; even that every one believing and trusting in Him should have everlasting life. He tells them how this eternal life is to be brought in-by giving up His flesh in death. He tells them that whoever would not eat of that bread should not live; but he that ate of it should never die but should live because of Him; that all such have eternal life; and He will raise them up from the dead, to enjoy it for ever.

This then, is another truth brought out by the Master, and a precious, glorious, and wonderful one it is-that, Jesus is the bread sent down from heaven to give live, eternal life, unto a hungry, thirsty, needy, and verishing world.

But this gracious and marvellous declaration of the loving Saviour, only serves to bring out another truth; an awful truth, viz., that the heart of man by nature loves darkness rather than light, and chooses death rather than life. When Jesus, in answer to the request of the Jews-" Lord evermore give us this bread declared that the bread had been given; that He was that bread; that whosoever cometh to Him should never hunger, and he that believeth on Him should never thirst, it brought out, not merely their disappointment at not receiving the sign they looked for, but also their disbelief of the truth, (ver. 41); their ignorance of His Person, (ver. 42); and their rejection of His work, (ver. 52). How true the words of the

(1 Cor. ii. 9.); it is also true; blessedly true; and blessed be His name, true of us, that He "hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit". He has sent down Christ for us (51;) He has drawn us (44); He has given us to Christ (37); He has given us everlasting life (40); and bye-and-bye Jesus shall come for us, and take us to be with Himself for ever.

"Meet companions then for Jesus,

From Him, for Him made;
Glory of God's grace for ever,
There in us displayed."

(To be continued.)

ABIDING IN CHRIST.

B.

things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned".

How then can we know Jesus as the living bread? How are the precious truths taught by Him to be received and believed? Blessed be His name, the answer to these questions is given in this discourse too, and thus another important truth is brought to light, viz., that God, by His Spirit, brings some lost ones to know, and to trust His great salvation. Look at verse 45, "It is written in the Prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that heareth from the Father, and learneth, cometh unto Me". (Alford's translation). Jesus declares further " All which the Father giveth Me shall come to Me; and him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out," and again, "This is the will of My Father, that every one which looketh on the Son, and believeth in Him, should have eternal life, and that I should raise him up at the last day". (Verses 37, 40 Alford). Did Peter know Jesus of Nazareth to be "the Christ the Son of the living God"? "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona," says Jesus, "for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven". (Matt. xvi. 16, 17). Do we know Him? Have we come to Him? Are we trusting in Him? "No man can come unto Me," says the same Blessed One, "except it were given unto him of My Father". (ver. 65.) Yes, dear fellow-believers, we know that, if it is true on the one hand, that the eye of the natural man hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into his heart, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.

end of the Christian's life. Now, so long as the believer keeps in close, humble, happy fellowship with his Saviour, leaning on the Beloved, walking with God, having his heart burning within him, as he enjoys his Saviour's intercourse of grace in the banqueting house; so long as he keeps here, the flesh is weak and temptation comparatively powerless; but again, whenever the believer falls away from communion with the Lord, and lives on the manna gathered yesterday, his soul gets lean and withered, the flesh resumes its old vigour, wrestles hard for the mastery, and brings the believer down groaning to the dust.

Our only happy, safe, and useful place is ever, ever, EVER, at our Saviour's side, ever in God's presence, with a conscience at rest through faith in the cleansing blood, and a heart at rest through the enjoyment of His satisfying love; and our great struggle is to keep always here.

The whole matter depends upon the closeness of our walk with God. When so led of the Holy Ghost, we are in His grace strong, and temptation can get little hold. Jesus is very precious while the world is altogether worthless, and we are afraid to do anything, that would grieve the Spirit, or that would stir up or awake the Beloved One before He please; but when we get away from communion with Him, and live in duties and ordinances, then the sweetness of Christ is not enjoyed, the heart is empty, the flesh resumes its hold on us, old habits begin to claim their former sway, the world begins again to look attractive, Jesus is not enjoyed,-we are in danger of a mournful fall or a dismal declension. "Abide in Me, and I in you." "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh." Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us LOOKING UNTO JESUS. D.

FELLOWSHIP WITH EACH OTHER AS
CHRISTIANS.

WE ought to prize very much fellowship with each

other as the children of God. Just as it is with our common mercies so is it with our fellowship; it is when we are deprived of them that we begin to see something of their value. So it is with our fellowship one with another as the children of God. When we are so circumstanced that we are cut off from intercourse with each other, then we see something of its real value, and long for fellowship with those who love the Lord; for we are members one of another, being united to Christ, our risen Head. True we need not lack fellowship with the Lord, however isolated we may be from our fellow-Christians, and thus can be happy in His love; but even thus enjoying His fellowship, it makes us long for others of like mind that we may praise the Lord together and be banded together with one heart in His service, and thus be mutually refreshed in our united worship and service. But when alone, or almost alone, where on every side the power of Satan is seen in keeping souls in spiritual death, either through a perverted Gospel or in the midst of open wickedness where darkness covers the people, how much then we would prize the fellowship of a real saint, however weak or imperfect. Let us learn from this to prize very much the fellowship of the Lord's children while we have the opportunity, for we know not how soon we may be deprived of this great privilege, keeping in view this all-important truth, that to be helpful to each other we must be in fellowship with Christ Himself. How often small things will hinder our taking opportunities of meeting for prayer, praise, and reading the Word together, and thus we lose much blessing. If laid a ide on a sick bed, and thus unable to go to such meetings, we will have cause to regret our remissness when we might have enjoyed each other's fellowship, but allowed some trifling thing to come in the way to hinder. Then again in our private intercourse how careful we ought to be to improve the time for the Lord's glory and our mutual good; how often is precious time lost by frivolity; how often one Christian will grieve the Spirit in another by foolish talking and jesting, and may even go the length of using Scripture language in a witty way to provoke a smile, and this is sometimes the case when a number of those specially engaged in the Lord's work meet in private, at conference times,

and other occasions. How forgetful such are of Paul's words to Titus, "In all things showing thyself a pattern of good works; in doctrine showing uncor ruptness, gravity, sincerity, sound speech that cannot be condemned." Titus ii. 7, 8. Also his word to the Colossians, "Let your speech be alway with grace seasoned with salt." By all means let us be happy and joyful when gathered together in social intercourse; but let us see to it that it is the joy of the Lord that is the source of it. Another evil that hinders saints making their private intercourse tend to profit is the spirit of rash criticism that is very ready to creep in and occupy the mind, especially after hearing addresses from various servants of the Lord. Proper criticism can be used to much profit, for we are to prove all things and hold fast that which is good; yet it may readily degenerate into a spirit of faultfinding and evil speaking, and thus grieve the spirit and hinder our fellowship. How careful then each ought to be, and especially those who are taught in the Word, to give a right tone to the conversation, and thus lead out the others to the mutual benefit of all; and thus, in view of going out to some special service for the Lord, each can go forth strengthened by the help thus received. May we, then, be enabled to redeem our precious time more fully for the Lord, remembering that we are not our own but bought with a price, even the precious blood of Christ; and that, like the cleansed leper, we have the blood sprinkled on our ear and hand and foot, and thus to be wholly consecrated to the Lord in Spirit, soul, and body. Let us, then, watch against everything that is not consistent with the Word of God; that wherever our steps may lead us, or whatever our hands may do, or whatever our ears may hear, all may be done to the glory of God. Paul, in writing to the Thessalonians, could say, "Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe," 1 Thess. ii. 10; and, "Ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake," 1 Thess. i. 5. The manner of men we are as the Lord's children and servants will have a corresponding effect on those we meet with either to hinder or help in blessing; and as we have so much to contend with daily in our walk from within and without, let us seek to be in constant fellowship with the Lord that we may have power to help each other in our daily conflict in fighting "the good fight of faith". W. G. S.

HOLINESS.

THE child of God should be of all error, both wary of doctrine and practice, and ready to reject false teaching, and turn away from ungodly livers. We also need to be watchful when states or conditions of absolute sinlessness are professed, even by the holiest, knowing that, alas! "the infection of nature doth remain" in the believer.

But while this carefulness is commendatory, we must not reject all that is propounded on the subject of devotedness or consecration; but we should be wise to separate precious truths from extravagance, and ready to receive all that is lovely and of good report, while we avoid all that is extreme and unscriptural.

In no case is this wise carefulness more needful than in the recent movements respecting a closer walk with God, in which many doubtful terms have been used, some loose doctrines taught, and not a little extravagant profession made concerning perfection in the flesh.

In this, as in all questions relating to Scripture, it is all important, in the first instance, to ascertain the meaning of the terms used; as until a clear agreement is arrived at respecting the meaning of the words, argument must lead to misunderstanding, disputation, and quarrelling.

The "higher life" is a term not strictly accurate; there is no life higher than the Christ-life which every believer should live. But, alas! many live very far below their privileges, and need exhortation to a full presentation of themselves to God, which is the meaning in which the term "higher life" is used.

"Second conversion" is an unscriptural phrase, and yet how many believers have experienced such a "lift," such a fulness of blessing, such a passage from "being barely saved," to that peace, and joy, and rest of soul that they should and might have possessed, at or soon after conversion, that they inaccurately call it a second conversion.

A "fresh baptism of the Holy Ghost" is another very unintelligent expresssion. There is but one baptism of the Spirit. "By one Spirit are we all baptised into one body." (1 Cor. xii. 13). But there is a "fulness of the Spirit" (Eph. v. 18), and a "supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ" (Phil. i. 19), which all believers may seek and enjoy, and such I believe to be intended by "fresh baptisms".

And so as to other expressions, on consideration we will often find that while incorrect terms are carelessly used, yet by these inaccurate phrases are generally meant very desirable experiences.

THE

PRAYER AND CONFESSION.

HE difference between prayer and confession, as respects the condition of the heart before God, and its moral sense of the hatefulness of sin, cannot possibly be over-estimated. It is a much easier thing to ask, in a general way, for the forgiveness of our sins, than to confess those sins, Confession involves self-judgment; asking for forgiveness may not, and in itself does not. Self-judgment is one of the most valuable and healthy exercises of the Christian life; and therefore anything which produces it, must be highly esteemed by every earnest Christian.

PRAYER.

WHERE prayer is real, we are saved from being

guilty of uttering solemn falsehoods, told in pious language to the truth-loving God.

We should not so often starve our own souls, or insult our Heavenly Father; we should not so often be guilty of uttering what we have all uttered quite too often, "prayerless prayers”. "If prayer only had a clearly defined, deeply felt object to plead for, it never would be a dull drudgery or a painful penance." CUYLER.

What is it to obey the gospel but to believe the gospel? Unbelief says, "I will not receive Christ as a gift from God". Faith, on the contrary, says, “I want Christ in his fulness; my pinching poverty makes me glad of so rich and all-sufficient a Saviour."

We little know the deep mysteries of the human heart it is because of our deep sin and pride that we bear correction with so much impatience; but if we had a dangerous malady, and knew it, we should not complain of the bitter taste and troublesome effects of the medicine given us to heal our disease.

CONFERENCE MEETINGS.

AT

HAMILTON, ONTARIO, CANADA.

R. C. C.

THE Annual Meetings of Believers in the Lord Jesus, will be held God Willing, in Hamilton on the 15th, 16th, 17th and 18th of January, 1880. Prayer is asked for these meetings, and for the little assemblies scattered throughout the United States and Canada.

SOUTH SHIELDS.

Believers are meeting every Lord's-day in the name of the Lord Jesus in the Mission Room, Waterlow Vale, South Shields. Morning at 10-30, For breaking bread.

Evening at 6-30, For the preaching of the Gospel.