Like Paul and Silas, in prison, thrust into the in nermost dungeon, fast in the stocks, lacerated with stripes, and covered with blood, yet singing praises to God spite of all, our miner was not only sus tained from sinking into despondency and despair, but made more joyous than he had ever been in the sunniest hours of his youth, and in the brightest days of his highest prosperity.

CHAPTER V.

THE CONTRAST.

"WHO SHALL DELIVER ME FROM THE BODY OF THIS DEATH
I THANK GOD, THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD."

THERE are Christians of two classes in the world,not to mention others at present, - both fond of the apostolic saying placed as a motto above, but very different in experience and position.

They of the one class repeat only the first part of the text the question- leaving off the answer to it. That gives the key to their experience. They of the other class repeat both question and answer, with intelligent zest. Those of the first class have come to the full and painful understanding of sin dwelling in them as a body of death. Chained to them as a Roman soldier was chained for years to the Apostle Paul; and as dead bodies have been chained to living men. They have c They have come to feel the bondage of sin, but they have not yet come to know the joys of deliverance, and the sweet likerty of the children of God.

Not that they are not Christians. Not that they have never been converted to God. They have been truly converted, or the name Christian, would be a misnomer for them. But they have learned only that their sins are forgiven through faith in the atonement of Jesus. They have not yet learned that Jesus through faith in his name is the deliverer from the power of sin, as well as from its penalty. They believe in the blood of Jesus as their sacrifice for sin, but they are struggling by resolution, with Jesus to aid it - it may be to free them from the bondage of sin.

Perhaps they have come along so far as to see and feel that resolution, even in the strength of Christ, is a poor deliverer, that it fails ever and anon. And yet they see nothing better, and so they cry out, Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

And there they stop. There their experience stops. So far they have come, but no farther. While they, of the second class referred to, ask the question, indeed, Who shall deliver me from the body of this death? but answer it in the same breath by finishing the quotation, in the apostle's exulting words: I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

They have learned that there is deliverance now here in this life through faith in Jesus. While the others sigh and groan in their bondage as if there was no deliverance this side the grave. They

THE TWO SYMBOLS.

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have learned experimentally, they know, that Jesus Christ our Lord, through faith in his name, does actually deliver the trusting soul from the cruei bondage of its chains under sin, now in this present time; while the others have learned not that Jesus does deliver but that their own resolutions in Jesus' name, do not deliver them; and not knowing that Jesus can do it, they turn with a sigh toward death as their deliverer from the power of this death, as if death was the sanctifier or the sanctification of the children of God.

a

They of the one class, if asked for the truest and most graphic delineation of the Christian's condition in life here in this world of temptation and sin, will point to the seventh chapter of Romans, and say, "There you have it. That, of all others, describes our state and our struggles here below law in our members warring with the law in our minds. We see the right but do the wrong. We would do good but evil is present with us. We resolve, but soon, alas, sin overcomes us. Then we resolve, no more in our own strength, but now in the strength of the Lord. And yet, notwithstanding this fortifying of resolution by acknowledging its weakness and looking to Christ for aid to keep it from breaking-alas, it is soon broken, all the same as before.”

They of the other class, if asked for the inspired symbol of their condition, would point us to the

eighth chapter of Romans, and say: "There you have it. Once, indeed, we were in the seventh, but thanks be to God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, who has given us deliverance from the body of death, we have now found our way out of the bondage of the seventh, into the sweet liberty of the eight. The chain is broken by the power of Christ. We are freed from the dead body of sin. We are now linked by the three-fold cords of faith, hope and love, to the living Saviour as our deliverer from present corruption, and from all the power of sin.

The dead body is dropped. The living Jesus, sweet Jesus, precious Jesus, gracious Saviour, constant Friend, mighty Deliverer, has taken its place ever with us.

Once, indeed, we were in the seventh, but then we were at best only as servants in our own Father's house; but now we have,-through faith in Christ,——— received the spirit of adoption, and have become in the fullest and happiest sense, sons and daughters of the Lord God Almighty. Then we feared before Him as servants in presence of a Master, but now we dwell in love with Him as children with an affectionate Father, and as the bride with a loving bridegroom.

Our bondage is gone-freedom has come. Our sighs have given place to joys our fears to hopes.

Our vain struggles to a sweet confidence in the strong arm and loving heart of Jesus."