Their love for God growing so unselfish, they come to feel that they are satisfied with anything, so that it may advance his glory. Come woe, come pain, come persecution, come death, all is well to them! "Let him do what seemeth him good" is the language constantly in their mouths; and to such an extent does this self-renunciatory feeling go, that they soar with the promises. They can even say that if their deepest abasement would subserve God's glory, their subdued will shall not urge one single plea in favour of themselves. They are sacrifices to God. Verily, this is an elevation for human nature! This is the putting on of the glorious nature of the hereafter, the making earth a foretaste and beginning of heaven!

But this is not of themselves. This kind cometh not "but by prayer and fasting." All is in, and by, and through Christ. He is, then, the Way; in him they thus progress. He is the Truth, to which they are dedicated, and which consecrates them and their soul-work; and he is their Life, their source of strength, the Author and Finisher of their faith and works.

Leaning, then, on Divine love with an entirety of trust, they rest. Their condition is a glorious contrast to that of the wicked, who are like the troubled sea. They have a sense of ever-deepening repose, for so he giveth his beloved rest; and so death comes, not as a shock, but a gentle, gradual transition, a laying aside of earthly garments, a putting on of immortality and of the glories of the hereafter. They have followed the steps of Jesus here, and they follow him to that home whither he hath gone before; and henceforth, with all the company of the redeemed, and through all the vastnesses of a glorified universe, they follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. W. T. E.

WAITING UPON GOD.

"On thee do I wait all the day."-PSALM XXV. 5.

In these words we have the privilege as complete as it can be on earth.

of the Christian prominently brought We may, indeed, live in prayer amid before us. To walk with God is to the routine of constant business and enjoy life in its highest sense. To incessant employment. "Mine eyes," live in the Spirit, and to cultivate said David, "are ever towards the communion with Jesus, is spiritual Lord." This is the sweet secret of life, and a blessed preparation for consolation, of peace under all events the joys of the brighter world. To and circumstances, however trying wait on God all the day is happiness and perplexing. We are taught by

of the grace already bestowed: "Unto him that hath shall more be given." Then, as man progresses in religion, things begin to take their right position. The love of God, the desire to do his will, become foremost motives. Yet these Christians find religion profitable, though in a subordinate degree; their self-love is gratified by their piety. They love happiness; the approval of God, good men, and their own consciences; the intense comfort faith brings; the blessings attendant on charity; the happy future depicted by hope. They live in a state of holy complacency. Their peace is stedfast; their joy constant. Not that their happiness does not increase; it is ever deepening. Sorrows come to them as to all others; but, beyond natural grief, they are comparatively undisturbed. So, calm rests on the crest of a mountain, while storms rage over the valleys beneath. They are rooted and grounded in God's love. There is a charmed circle around their presence, formed by the promises. Temptations come. Perhaps at first they vigorously resist Satan, being clothed in the whole armour of God; but as their prayer becomes more their vital breath, they rather flee into the presence of God, where Satan dares not intrude. There may be progress further yet. By an imperceptible transition, some pass into a higher state of spirituality, though many die in the state already described. Yet the Apostle John, Fletcher of Madeley, Hewitson, Fénélon, and countless multitudes, reached a still higher grade of self-renunciation and life in God. Practically, self may be almost entirely subdued. God's glory may be the almost only motive, his will the only law. The love to God, once selfish, then mixed, now becomes comparatively pure; the selfish element dies out; self-crucifixion approaches completion. This love is the fulfilling of the law. Charity, in its widest sense, is the end of the law of both tables. Of these it may, in greatest verity, be said, that their bodies are the "temples of the Holy Ghost," become "an habitation of God through the Spirit," who doth "dwell in the heart by faith." As sons, these have given to God their hearts, and he guides them, and his saints by them. These nearly attain the “single eye." God is their centre; round him their lives revolve. As rays into one focus, all desires merge into that of his glory. They certainly love themselves, but only in and for God. So love they their neighbours likewise. They desire, certainly, their own and others' spiritual health and advancement.

Their love for God growing so unselfish, they come to feel that they are satisfied with anything, so that it may advance his glory. Come woe, come pain, come persecution, come death, all is well to them! "Let him do what seemeth him good" is the language constantly in their mouths; and to such an extent does this self-renunciatory feeling go, that they soar with the promises. They can even say that if their deepest abasement would subserve God's glory, their subdued will shall not urge one single plea in favour of themselves. They are sacrifices to God. Verily, this is an elevation for human nature! This is the putting on of the glorious nature of the hereafter, the making earth a foretaste and beginning of heaven!

But this is not of themselves. This kind cometh not "but by prayer and fasting." All is in, and by, and through Christ. He is, then, the Way; in him they thus progress. He is the Truth, to which they are dedicated, and which consecrates them and their soul-work; and he is their Life, their source of strength, the Author and Finisher of their faith and works.

Leaning, then, on Divine love with an entirety of trust, they rest. Their condition is a glorious contrast to that of the wicked, who are like the troubled sea. They have a sense of ever-deepening repose, for so he giveth his beloved rest; and so death comes, not as a shock, but a gentle, gradual transition, a laying aside of earthly garments, a putting on of immortality and of the glories of the hereafter. They have followed the steps of Jesus here, and they follow him to that home whither he hath gone before; and henceforth, with all the company of the redeemed, and through all the vastnesses of a glorified universe, they follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. W. T. E.

WAITING UPON GOD.

"On thee do I wait all the day."-PSALM XXV. 5.

In these words we have the privilege | as complete as it can be on earth. of the Christian prominently brought We may, indeed, live in prayer amid before us. To walk with God is to enjoy life in its highest sense. To live in the Spirit, and to cultivate communion with Jesus, is spiritual life, and a blessed preparation for the joys of the brighter world. To wait on God all the day is happiness and perplexing. We are taught by

the routine of constant business and incessant employment. "Mine eyes," said David, "are ever towards the Lord." This is the sweet secret of consolation, of peace under all events and circumstances, however trying

experience, that we cannot enjoy that all things shall work together quietness and deep tranquillity un- for good to them who love God. In less our minds are brought into sub- a world like our own, where we are jection to the Divine will, and unless surrounded by temptation and exwe are conscious that we have a sin- posed to trial, we stand in need of gle eye to the Divine glory. God is constant direction and guidance. so jealous over us that he loves us We can never trust our own wisdom to be much alone with him, and in- for a moment. We can never rely timately to walk with him in the on any prudence to extricate us varied occupations of each returning from the difficulties and perplexities day. Waiting on the Lord must be which meet us on every side. We the habit of life, as the hours of the want a Friend, a Counsellor, a Guide, day succeed each other. It must to whom we can go constantly, to form the rule and principle of Chris- have our judgment rightly balanced, tian practice. We are only safe by our motives rendered pure, our accommitting all to God, and we can tions undertaken from right prinexpect success in our undertakings ciples. Waiting upon God is thereonly by looking to him continually fore the path of safety, to deliver us for his blessing. Waiting upon God from innumerable dangers, and sepatiently will have a holy influence cure a calm and peaceful tranquilin our sphere of action, whatever lity of mind amid the varied transmay be the nature of our employ- actions of life. How delightful to ments. It will operate beneficially know that we are guided into all on our temper, disposition, and feel- truth by Him who formed us, and ings. We shall be prepared for gave us our existence. To be led difficulties and trials, and be able by his Spirit, to be governed and to meet them with more resignation, influenced by his grace, to be subin proportion as we accustom our-ject to his gracious and controlling selves to trace and recognize the power, is to realize the fact that we hand of God in all things. "The may enjoy, even on earth, much steps of a good man are ordered by that is heavenly and Divine. the Lord." When we realize this, how beautifully do we perceive the leadings of his providence in all the minute events of our history. Nothing can come unprepared to him who waits upon God, and makes the discovery of his faithful and guiding hand in the transactions of each passing hour.

"My soul, wait thou only upon God, for my expectation is from him." We have no prospect of any good unless what comes from him, and we are encouraged to believe

Thus, by waiting upon God, we may both live and walk in the Spirit, having the seal within, engraven on the heart, that we belong to him, that we are heirs, and joint-heirs with Jesus Christ. It also tends to complete our happiness in the very act of waiting on him; for in proportion as we draw near to the Father of spirits will be our joy, our delight, our blessedness. As the rays of light produce beauty, and diffuse their benign and powerful influence in the material world, causing joy