one so forgetful—so wavering-so wandering. Aye, one who at times-I speak deliberately and advisedly

-cares not one straw for Him or for His salvation. Yet, in the face of all this, He claims me as His own-redeemed by His blood-graced by His Spirit -His special treasure. Here!

"I stand upon His merit,

I know no other stand,

Not e'en where glory dwelleth

In Immanuel's land."

And oh, how blessed to anticipate the home of one's heart, where

"The bride eyes not her garment,

But her Dear Bridegroom's face;
I will not gaze at glory,

But on my King of Grace-
Not at the crown He giveth,

But on His pierced hand—
The Lamb is all the glory
Of Immanuel's land."

As you experience the ABBA welling up in your heart by the witness of His Blessed Spirit so will the foretaste of heavenly glory be sweet to you. Is Christ precious to you by the revelation of Himself to your heart by His Glorifier? That, and that alone, is your right to stand with the seed of Zion and say, "I am the LORD'S."

Come with me to another blessed portion of God's Word, which God has endeared to my heart again and again. When I was a lad—a lad! In the thought of this I feel the overwhelming power of His love to sing,

"Thy mercy is more than a match for my heart,

Which wonders to feel its own hardness depart ;
Dissolv'd by Thy goodness I fall to the ground,
And weep to the praise of the mercy I found."

I am taken back in spirit half a century to old St.
Jude's, Manchester. O'Leary was preaching from

Acts xxvii. 25, "Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer; for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me." Did God ever tell you anything? If not, why are you here? Ah, say you, I am here that the Lord may speak pardon and peace to my soul. Then the Lord has said something to you. Look at the preceding context which, with the verse I have read, formed my first text in mid-Atlantic in June, 1888," For there stood by me this night the Angel of God, Whose I am, and Whom I serve" (ver. 23). Paul was in no doubting mood. "Whose I am. He knew he belonged to Christ as the Father's gift to Him in covenant. He knew that his name was in the Lamb's book of Life as the Lamb's purchased property. He gloried in the fact that his name was cut deep in the heart of the Covenant Surety, and that the Name of Jesus lay deeply endeared in his heart's affections. So do I. "My name from the palms of His hands Eternity will not erase, Impress'd on His heart it remains In marks of indelible grace. Yes, I to the end shall endure,

As sure as the Earnest is given,
More happy, but not more secure,
The glorified spirits in heav'n.”

am

Oh, what a mercy to know that "I am the LORD'S" by Sovereign election--" I am the LORD'S" by free donation-"I am the LORD'S" by eternal redemption "I the LORD'S" by spiritual regeneration. See Isa. xliii. 1, "But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and He that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not; for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art MINE." If God is pleased to say to any of us, "Thou art MINE," we shall acknowledge it in His words, "THOU art mine." If in the fierce fires of temptation He declare we are His own, saying, "It

is My people," the response will be sure to ascend, "The LORD is my God" (Zech. xiii. 9). My God, I know it because I am redeemed by the blood of God Incarnate. My God, I am the travail of His soul-the fruit of His agony and bloody sweat.

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am the LORD's" because He sought and saved mewooed and won me in the day of His power, and brought me in the beauties of holiness to enjoy Himself as revealed in His glorious sanctuary. Yet these high places are not the experimental privilege of every child of God. This we see in the next character introduced to our notice.

II. "Another shall call himself by the name of Jacob." In this character we discover the waverer -the deceiver-the supplanter-the pleader-the wrestler. The Covenant Angel wrestled with Jacob, which begat a wrestling spirit in Jacob. Jacob wrestled with the Angel; but, mark you, the JEHOVAH Angel was first in that affair. It may be there are those here present who cannot rise one hair's-breadth higher than the experience of the poor patriarch when he said, "I am less than all the mercies and of all the truth which Thou hast showed unto Thy servant" (Gen. xxxii. 10, margin). While all things are working together for good to such, all they can say is, "All these things are against me (Gen. xlii. 36). There may be some poor son of Jacob here now, whose spiritual interest is in Jacob's God-a God taking care of him-looking well after him-attending to him night and day lest any hurt him-yet he can say nothing more cheerful than that of the patient patriarch, "Mine eye shall no more see good" (Job vii. 7). Cheer up, old friend! All things are for you-not against you-and by grace you shall know it.

III. "Another shall subscribe with his hand unto the LORD." This is one who sets to his seal that

God is true.

He asserts that whatever God's people may be or do He is ever the same. Do they appear most unworthy? He continues "the God of all grace." Are they deep in misery? He proves Himself to them "the Father of mercies." Are they swallowed up with sorrow? He is "the God of all comfort." Do they flatter Him? Do they lie unto Him? Are their hearts not right with Him? Are they not steadfast in His covenant? Is He wrathful? Never! "But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned He His anger away, and did not stir up all His wrath" (Ps. lxxviii. 38). The time is gone. Another word

IV. "And surname Himself by the name of Israel.” Have I pleaded with God? A prevailer I must be. As surely as He has prevailed, and made nie feel my helplessness, so will He strengthen me with His all might," so that I can say with prevailing and princely Israel, "I will not let Thee go, except Thou bless me." Thus blessed I am one with His own spiritual Israel in singing, "Unto Him that LOVETH us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and His Father, to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Grove Chapel, Camberwell,

THOMAS BRadbury.

October, 1902.

ANTICHRIST.

"For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist."-2 John 7.

A DECIDED difference exists between the writings of Paul and those of John. The prevailing theme in Paul's epistles is righteousness revealed in justification. The prominent feature of John's writings is life manifested in love. Paul's epistles lack not the prominent feature of John's writings, for this discovers itself in every epistle and all through the written effusions of his loving heart. John ignores not the master-theme of Paul, for it was the delight of his heart and the ground of his standing before God. Paul delighted in a God Who was righteous in all His ways and holy in all His works. John's delight was in the Very Same God, for righteousness he hides not when bringing to light the love of the Father in the Person and work of the Son of His love. John describes Jesus as sent in love with life to the objects of the Father's concern and care. Love and life He brings to those who were given to Him before the foundation of the world, according to His own words to the Father-"As Thou hast given Him power (authority) over all flesh, that He