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nought things that are; that no flesh should glory in His presence.

Those whose work has been most frequently that of preaching the Gospel, should be, of all servants, the most free. Now, this is the special work in which I hear, dear brother, the Lord has most frequently used you, to His own glory and the blessing of souls, praised be His name! Let my desire, therefore, that you may be disentangled from all yokes of bondage be pleasing in your sight, beloved in the Lord,

though unknown in the flesh.

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souls to Jesus. Well, when they gather, as the CHURCH, to Him in the midst, what more have you to do? Cannot you leave the responsibility of the sheep to the Shepherd, yourself a sheep? Will He not care for His own?

cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: for we are members "No man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones." (Eph. v.)

large. Never mind; fear not. A brother tells us The church with which you are connected may be he knows a church numbering 450 which is walking in this liberty with which God maketh His people free, blessed be His Name! And this is the attitude into which He is bringing His dear ones everywhere

"He that shall come will come, and will not tarry." Oh, dear brother-to be "workers together with God"! It must be so-or the reverse!

No sooner has a servant been specially used in the work of preaching the Gospel than Satan-becausemanœuvres, through our carnal understandings, to get such an one bound to a certain spot and a certain people! And what is the result? Inevitable hindrance to the Spirit and worship of man; and then, barrenness, haughtiness, and a fall. If bound at all, let us be, like Paul, "the prisoner of the Lord;" let not Satan bind us with cords of subtle and specious expediency!

Do not say, I beseech you-" Our church is such a size, and composed of such a class of people, that they must choose a human president."?

Ah, dear brother

"That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God." (Luke xvi).:

Shall we tie the children's hands lest they touch the fire? Is that God's way? Nay. Let them learn to rightly behave and rule themselves in the church of God-but there can be no self-rule where there is no liberty. Can there?

"A human president! Ought not He to preside who hath said-"Wherever two or three or two or three hundred] are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." If He be with us, cannot we trust Him to order the meeting for us? Yes, indeed, say Faith and Love.

"Dear Lord, we would delight in thee,

And on thy care depend;

To thee in every trouble flee,

Our safe unfailing friend.

When human cisterns all are dried,

Thy fulness is the same;

May we with this be satisfied,

And glory in Thy name.

No good in creatures can be found,

All, all is found in Thee;

We must have all things and abound,
Through Thy sufficiency."

Oh, He will preside in heaven! why not on earth? Faith apprehends the church now should be modelled like the church in the glory-Jesus in the midst, and we, gathering around Him, fixing the eye of faith on Him and the arms of love about one another.

Oh, dear brother, that you may retrace your steps! Or rather--"Give Him the glory due unto His name"-His name, as "Son over His own house, whose house [or household] are we." (Heb. iii.)

Suppose you have been used, with others, to bring

"He that gathereth not with Me scattereth abroad !” "God forbid !"

To return, then, I am convinced, the most Christwith the One Master, the upturned-eye of our spirit honouring way is to go on in communion as servants ever saying

"Lord, what wouldst THOυ have me to do ?" Then will He have all His work done-done by And our His grace-done by whomsoever He will. sweet experience will be—

"THY SERVICE IS PERFECT FREEDOM."

While we are to know and feel ourselves Christ's servants, it is quite clear that He must know the work He wants done, and the servants by whom He would do it.

Now if an assembly of believers choose some one to do certain work for them, he clearly becomes their "servant-minister-deacon". There is only one species of work that is laid upon the church as a body, and that is-"to care for the poor." Each church is therefore justified in selecting certain brethren, and requesting them to disburse its bounty to the poor.

Let this be repeated. The church has power to choose servants-ministers-deacons for temporal work; but it has no power to choose Christ's servantsministers-deacons for spiritual work.

Neither the church (nor any one man) has power to choose or appoint pastors, preachers, or teachersthat is, "good ministers of Jesus Christ." If it does so, they become the servants of the church; it does not follow that they are the servants of Christ. For how can one man make another man's servants? If one man cannot make another man's servants, how much less should man make God's servants?

The Church is as the Woman, the Spouse. Shall She make servants unto her Lord, in the presence of her Lord, without her Lord's permission? Surely not. On the contrary, how graceful to leave all to her dear, dear Lord, who doeth all things well!

If we call or regard certain brethren as elders, or

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There's Brother So-and-So,-use him.

And the effect upon brethren so regarded will be-That they will be busy in certain work because the church (as much as the Master) expects it of them!

"His servants ye are to whom ye obey." (Rom. vi.)

If I do certain service at the church's call-then I am the church's servant.

Of course, when there were higher servants in the Church, they could, and did, make lower servants. Thus apostles or their deputies could choose or appoint elders or pastors. But as there are no higher servants, there can be no lower-that is, in the sense of a visible rank, or order.

The general ministry of all believers was the ultimate thought and intention of the One Master concerning us. Consequently believers were early and continually exhorted to it, in order that so the Church might be prepared to walk by faith, and not by sight, when the time came that all visible ministries should be dropped. (See 1 Thess. v. 11; Heb. x. 25; Col. iii. 16; Eph. v. 19, &c.)

There are those who say " According to your views, the Epistles to Timothy and Titus are no longer of any special use.' Nay; they are most useful to all as many as desire to be "good ministers of Jesus Christ." The great value of these epistles is-that they present to us the inner life of a servant as expressed to a servant. Do I desire to do elder-work and deacon-work, as unto the Lord and not unto men, then I receive explicit directions, for my private guidance, concerning the aged and younger widows, the slothful who will not work, the servants, and the rich, &c. I am exhorted to blamelessness, hospitality, vigilance, to be quiet, peaceable, "not given to wine, not greedy of filthy lucre," &c. Or to do preacher-work-then I read "Endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ," &c. Or to do teacher-work-then I read-"If a man purge

himself from these [profane and vain babblings], he shall be a vessel unto honour, sanctified, and meet for the Master's use," &c.

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Now, of the things which we have spoken this is

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The Holy Spirit has graciously taken the responsibility of "leading us into all truth." And He will lead us, if we are really willing to be led of Him. May we be preserved from leaning unto our own understanding. That is a blessed assurance of the Lord Jesus Christ

"He that will do His will shall know of the doctrine."

That you and I may have (more and more) a will to do his will, as given to us in Ilis word, and not our own will, to the glory of God, is the prayer of Your fellow-" deacon of Jesus Christ,"

"BEATEN WITH RODS." (2 Cor. xi.)

*

THE following simple-hearted utterances of a Chinese brother will refresh the souls of many, we have no doubt. It forms a letter inserted with others in the 11th Occasional Paper of the China Inland Mission. (China is thought to be "the Land of Sinim" of Isaiah xlix. 12.) Certain brethren in England hearing of our brother Tsiu Kyuo-Kwe's scourging, sent him a consolatory letter, to which he sends the following answer—

"These words are to the disciples who are in Jesus Christ: My desire is that through the blessing of our heavenly Father, richly bestowing his great grace, you may enjoy peace, and be preserved from sickness and calamity.

"Your younger brother has heard, through Mr. Taylor, the salutation of his brothers and sisters in Jesus our Saviour, and their words of exhortation and comfort. Your younger brother sends many thanks; these words he will remember as if engraven on his bones, and written in his heart. For he feels that although many hills and seas may intervene, and though personally unknown by sight, yet in very truth we are as the hands and the feet of the selfsame body. Therefore, he ever prays for our heavenly Father may strengthen your faith, that you may be able to walk according to the Gospel; while sojourning here may enjoy unspeakable grace, and hereafter the bliss of life everlasting.

you, that

direction of Mr. Taylor, went to Mr. Nicol and Mr. "When formerly your younger brother, at the Williamson, at the city of Siao-san, in the prefecture of Ziao-hying, to preach the doctrine of truth, and unexpectedly, was ill-treated by the Mayor of Siao-sæn, and punished with beating, he thought this truly is not real disgrace; though deeply painful, there is joy in it. For he remembered the words of Holy Writ spoken by Jesus, 'Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven;' and likewise the Scripture, therefore, despise not thou the chastening of the 'Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth; Almighty: for he maketh sore, and bindeth up; he woundeth, and his hands make whole.' These passages made him feel that, though weak, he must bear all with patience. He likewise remembered the words, 'Wherefore, seeing we are compassed about,' &c. (Heb. xii. 1-5.)

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"Dear Brother in the Lord Jesus.-Feeling assured that your desire in Precious Truth' is to help the saints of God, I write, hoping, as the Lord may lead you, you will help me in the understanding of the passages annexed:

"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die." (Romans viii.) "The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified." (John xii. 23.)

"I have received much profit from the expositions put forth in your journal. Praying the Lord to use you abundantly for the glory of His own name in these perilous days,

Yours affectionately in Him, G. S., Bristol."

Dear Brother, We are not happy in receiving questions in this way. Our duty, as we apprehend it, is not to receive and answer questions: our duty is to put forth what we believe the Lord has given us for the purpose. If anything hitherto put forth has been used of the Spirit to your help, we shall be glad. Indeed, you say it has been so. Now here arises the evildependence on one another. No sooner have we been blessed through anyone than we turn to that one to help us in our difficulties, instead of telling Jesus, and waiting in faith and patience till He show us by the Holy Spirit in His own gracious manner and time.

But we should do this latter, and then we might receive light the next time we sat at the feet of Jesus with the Word, or the next time we were in the assembly, or on our beds, or walking alone in communion with Him.

Very dear brother,-Don't use the "glass darkly" when you ought to be learning "face-to-face," "that which is perfect having come." Ask Jesus and wait. "Ye have need of patience ;” "we walk by faith;" "ye have no need that any man teach you." Oh, beloved one, how many precious assurances there are to lead us to "cease from man," to the glory of God! While we think we have a need of teachers, the Lord deals graciously with us in our ignorance; but woe to us if we so act after being enlightened! We are jealous with a godly jealousy both for the honour of God and the simple, true-hearted devotement of the Church as a pure virgin unto Christ, to whom with the Father be all glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Now, dear one, look at it in another light. We pity the poor Romanist who asks Mary to pray to Jesus. But if I ask a brother to take my questions to Jesus for me, is it not an evil somewhat akin? Ah, dear brother, the Romanist may have a mote in his eye-some of us taught ones have a beam; may we hasten to remove it!

But you may say "I only send to you in case the dear Lord has already shown you, not that I lean on you." Well, dear one, it is altogether better to tell Jesus and wait. Because

when we have said what we are happy in holding as the meaning, unless the Holy Spirit graciously use our words, they will given him from heaven"-or by a heavenly One, the Holy give you no light. "A man can receive nothing except it be Ghost. Spirit must deal with spirit. Intellect is powerless. We do not apprehend this clearly enough. We think to receive through our understanding what another has received through the Spirit. There may be an intellectual acquiescence, but this will be partial, evanescent, and do no spirit-good. "Them that honour me I will honour."

But now, suffer us to make one remark concerning questions. We are happy in receiving questions on anything we have said. Because it gives us opportunity of correcting wrong impressions such matters as history, geography, or correct translationand of re-considering our words. Also, any questions on questions that may be settled by reference to such books as the poorer brethren have not got.

Having already referred to the former of the two Scriptures liberty to do so again. you are in difficulty about (see Feb. 1868, p. 13) we feel at Death is separation from God, with all that that entails. Living after the flesh is sin.

The wages of sin is death.

If a believer sin he must suffer death-that is, separation in communion from God, so long as he remains in his sin, not repenting of it and confessing it.

Worldly-mindedness is sin, as well as gross breaches of the moral iaw.

Hence we read of the worldly Christian woman, "She that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth." And so of the worldly church; "Thou hast a name to live but art dead,"that is, going on in separation from God.

As for your latter question, dear brother, we have no light. We do not remember taking it to the Lord, and cannotfor you.

Do take these remarks in love; we desire "to keep back The Lord bless you, and nothing profitable unto you." Amen. deepen His work of grace in your heart and ours.

AN ALLOWABLE QUESTION CONSIDERED.

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A. With regard to the word "household" in Rom. xvi. 10,11, you will see it is in italics; the word "friends or "acquaintance" would supply the meaning as well. So that the phrase "Salute them which are of Aristobulus' household" means those who form his circle of friends; and is very different from the expression in the 5th verse-"Greet the church in their [Aquila and Priscilla's] house." In the former case, no open door for gathering to the Lord is contemplated; but in the latter there is an open door. [This question arose from the perusal of an article in this journal, which referred to gathering in our own houses to the Lord.]

"IT IS I."

Cheering words, by Jesus spoken;
Ali their sweetness who can tell?
Woes may gather, yet this token
Brightens all-for all is well.

Ir Is I, poor child of weakness—

Tried and weary, oft distress'd;

I have known earth's tears, temptations,
And can shield thee-give thee rest.
Ir is I, poor child of sorrow;
Fear not, I have thought of thee:
I am sharing all thy sadness—
Come and tell thy griefs to me.
IT is I canst thou not trust me,
Feel that all I do is right!
I am leading thee to glory,

Soon shall faith be lost in sight.
Precious Jesus, gracious Saviour,
I do put my trust in thee;
Speak in sorrow now and ever-
"IT IS I; have faith in me."

THE KINGDOM OF GOD

PAST, PRESENT, AND TO COME.

[Several well-printed circulars have reached us, from a brother, J. B. of Salisbury, containing much truth, for which we are thankful. Among other things they press upon Christians' attention the iniquity of mixed assemblies. In two of them, however, our brother seems hardly to apprehend our high calling, as being a heavenly people. Our brother has pressed us to make this remark, because he earnestly desires scrutiny. In these circulars, he invokes this nation as-"Dear England!" "England, arise!" "Britons, arise, and show the might of truth!" &c.

Now, seeing that the bulk of the people of this land are still in their sins, we cannot admit the Scripturalness of such language. We are, alas! reminded of the more appropriate exclamations of our Lord-"Woe unto thee, Chorazin! woe unto thee, Bethsaida!" Privileges increase responsibility:

they are not in themselves cause for exultation.

We believe we have been led by the Spirit a little further than our brother, and place the following Scriptures before him and the reader, praying the Lord's blessing.]

The proper expectation of the Jew was an earthly kingdom-a king to reign on the throne of David. (Ps. cxxxii. 11.) Throughout the Gospels reference is made to this, the Jewish hope. "The kingdom of God cometh not with observation," that is, outward show, (Luke xvii.) so as to strike the natural mind. Only born-again ones saw the kingdom (John iii. 3); that is, they, and they only, like Nathanael, perceived in Jesus of Nazareth the King of Israel, and, bowing down in spirit before Him, "entered into the kingdom." (John iii. 5.) Hence the Lord Jesus said to the Pharisees-"The kingdom of God is within you [or, in your midst], "-that is, the king was among them and His subjects, too; now, a king and subjects make a kingdom. (Luke xvii.)

For the establishment of the kingdom, all the people of Israel were looking, and very naturally and properly-the fleshly Jew for earthly splendour, the spiritual Jew for the restoration to Israel of the glory and favour of God. So that, even after the resurrection it was the great hope of the disciples themselves-"Lord, wilt Thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel ?" (Acts i.)

The Jew sealed his iniquity by the rejection of God's Anointed, who is still despised and rejected by them, and they will complete their sin by ultimately accepting in His place the Great Antichrist, or Man of Sin, whom they will worship as God! Nothing will then remain but instant judgment, and that Wicked One will be destroyed by the brightness of the Lord's coming. (2 Thess. ii.) Then will be fulfilled the prophecies relating to the Messiah's carthly reign.

In the meantime, a place in a higher kingdom is offered to believing Israel (and with them, all among the Gentiles who believe on Jesus, or accept God's King by faith.) For Him-the crucified Jesus -"hath God highly exalted, and given Him a name which is above every name," having seated Him at His own right hand, and crowned Him with glory and honour.

Thus Faith apprehended Him as God's King when He was on earth, and faith-and faith onlyapprehends Him as God's King now. And the

solemn question for every one is-Does my heart say, Jesus my King?

Now where the king is, there His subjects gather. By faith we know Him as our king-"King of glory"-and by faith we know ourselves as sitting "together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus," (Eph. ii.) That is, where He is, there are we-representatively; he being the Head, when He rose we rose in Him, and are accepted in Him, and are glorified in Him. "Whom He justified, them He also glorified." (Rom. viii.)

heaven:" that is to say, the laws we obey, and the Therefore, "our conversation [or citizenship] is in privileges we possess, and the duties which devolve upon us, are not earthly, but heavenly. I can pray "for kings, and for all them that are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life;" but what have I to do with helping the world to keep itself in order? It is very well, and a divine ordinance, that there should be "powers," as a "terror to evil doers." But how can a child of grace, who is freely forgiven a "world of iniquity," act on the ground of law with any poor fellow-sinner?

It is plain we cannot be citizens of earth and heaven too. I cannot have Duties, Responsibilities, and Privileges as a citizen of earth and heaven, too. There may be things proper for the world to attend to; but I am "not of the world, even as Jesus is not of the world!" The world is the kingdom of Satan; it yields him a voluntary homage. Shall I take part with Satan's subject to get redress, or to make things work smoothly in a scene in rebellion against God, and over which His wrath abideth? Surely not. We "have been translated from the kingdom of Satan into the kingdom of God's dear Son." (Col. i.) Not as subjects MERELY-but as subject-kings. "And hath made us unto our God kings." (Rev. i.) But it doth not appear, as to outward glory, what we SHALL BE. The only things that are to appear now are moral and spiritual newness. "The kingdom of God is ...... righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." (Rom. xiv.) Into this kingdom the only entrance is "through much tribulation." (Acts xiv.)

May these Scriptures be helpful to any who have been exercised on the subject of the believer's duty with reference to taking or keeping positions in the police, army, navy, law courts, and voting for representatives in the national or local governments, going to law, accepting offices, titles, and honours, &c. I cannot be a citizen of earth and heaven too. But a brother must abide in the "calling" wherein he is called till the Shepherd leads him out. thou mayest be made free, use it rather." (1 Cor. vii.) The Lord is unto us "wisdom," a greater than Solomon" is He. In His light we shall see light.

"If

Vol. I. for 1865-6-7 now ready, cloth lettered, 3s. PART I. for 1865, 6d. PARTS II. and III. for 1866 AND 1867, 8d. each. Published for the Proprietor, by

J. B. BATEMAN, 22, Paternoster-row, entrance in Ivy-lane. SMART & ALLEN, 2, Londonhouse-yard, Paternoster Row. West End-HEYWOOD & Co., 335, Strand, London, WC.

Printed by John Evans, 335a, Strand Londen.

PRECIOUS TRUTH.

(Rev. ii.)

"He that hath an Ear to Hear, let Him Hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches." Published by J. B. BATEMAN, 22, Paternoster Row, and SMART & ALLEN, 2, Londonhouse-yard, Paternoster-row.

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THIS is what the Church is to Jesus. For"Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for it." Oh, the amazing grace of the Son of God! to set His love upon us, whom He knew would return it so

little-that is, while we are down here.

And it is because we were dearer to Jesus than life that the Father loved Him. (Oh, what love for us!) "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life for the sheep."

Well may we, with prostrate spirits, worship Him "who sits upon the throne" and the Lamb, for ever and ever! As Perfect Servant Jesus thus earned the Father's love :

"This commandment [to lay down His life] have I received of my Father."

He hated His own LIFE, when that life lay between His will and God's.

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The Lord does not say "he cannot go to heaven -that depends upon faith, "he that believeth in Me hath everlasting life." What the Lord is referring to is service. To be "servants," we must be selfhaters; our Master must be to us-Dearer than Life. Hence, if one is called, being unmarried, and has strong movings of spirit to be a servant, let him take special heed to Paul's advice-the advice of a true servant-on the subject of " "marriage," contained in the Seventh chapter of the First Epistle to the church of God at Corinth. When a man marries, he surrenders, in a measure, his freedom; he must thenceforth care for his wife as his own flesh. He takes duties which he must not neglect. He is directed to "give honour unto the weaker vessel;" "to provide for his own;" and he will naturally "care for the things of the world how he may please his wife." Hence Paul says "I would have you without carefulness, that you may serve the Lord without distraction.”

While, therefore, "Marriage is honourable in all," it is "not expedient," especially to those who have movings of spirit to the Lord's service. Not only so, but "trouble in the flesh" (1 Cor. vii.) is faithfully forewarned. Well, is Jesus "Dearer than Life"?

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PHILADELPHIA - THE CHURCH OF CHRIST'S LOVE.

"I HAVE LOVED THEE."
(Rev. iii.)

of God throughout the world should realize the love OF unspeakable importance is it, that the Church of Christ resting, in blessed smiles of satisfaction, upon it. Man's approval may be withheld; indeed, we are certain not to have it. How many little assemblies are looked down upon by others as a poor contemptible people, contented with holes and corners! But

"Blessed are ye poor!" (Luke vi.)

Thrice-blessed, indeed, if Jesus says that He loves us! And this He does say to the church at Philadelphia.

"Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee."

Bless the Lord, the number of humble assemblies gathering together in the name of the Lord Jesus, (without any human leader,) has greatly increased of late years. Alas! that there should be any, who,

in the pride of their hearts, can inwardly despise and look down upon such assemblies. Ought not such despisers to learn from the above words of the Lord that the time will come when they will, with admiration and approval, look up to those whom they now look down upon from their self-given altitude, calling themselves Jews, the favoured of God?

to know that I have loved thee!" "I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and

"What! despised ones will be looked up to with honour! Dreams, dreams!" thinks some poor reasoning soul, little used to the "sincere [unmixed] milk of the word"-i.e. the simple statements of Scripture.

Well, so said Joseph's brethren, when he spoke of the sheaves and the stars bowing down."Behold, this dreamer!"

And even Jacob thought such language was not to be indulged in—

"Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee?"

Ah, but a greater than Joseph has said this. And He has said it with two emphatic-Beholds! "BEHOLD! I will make them of the synagogue of Satan.... BEHOLD! I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee."

"God is not a man, that He should lie; nor the son of man that He should repent. Hath He said, and shall He not

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