All of sin, O Lord, is mine,
All of perfectness is Thine
What of death was due to me,
Thou hast borne to set me free.

Ah! 'tis walking in the light,
Walking perfect in Thy sight,
That my walk is close with God,
Through the ever-present blood.

Walking in the light I live-
Highest life which God can give ;
That which keeps my soul in Him
Keeps from Satan and from sin.

Oh, I would for ever stay
'Mid the uncreated ray!
Live that holiness divine,
Which for ever there is mine.

But if walk I must below,
In that light I fain would go;
Walk as perfect in His sight,
E'en as He is in the light.

I

COMMUNION.

GEN. xviii.

WOULD like you, with the Word in your hands, to follow me in a few thoughts as to what thus occurred between the Lord and Abraham, and to see if we have anything like it in our own Christian life.

First, mark the place where the Lord appeared to him; it was Mamre, in Hebron, the meaning of which is fellowship-Communion. This is significant; for truly Abraham was in communion when the Lord came to him. It is when you, in the presence of the Lord, have your hearts, shall I say, open towards the Lord, that He delights to have to do with you. It is blessed when our minds are calmly responsive to what is in His mind. Beloved, are we thus in communion with God?

I believe there are many Christians who pass through their whole lifetime on earth enjoying but little of communion; many indeed are but illinformed as to what it is which constitutes true communion.

I need not tell you that prayer, however precious in itself, is different from communion. Prayer is all

on our own part-it is simply asking for what we ourselves want. It is a blessed attitude, a divine privilege, daily to draw out of the fulness there is in God for our constant need, to ask, in fact, for what we need; but what would you think of a child who was always in want-always asking, as we have lately said—always pressing his need?

Ah,

you would say, he never seems to have! never seems satisfied! How much better were he to say"Father, I do indeed want, but I speak not of that; I know what is in your mind; I know what is dear to you, and I am come that I may speak with you-have communion with you." How pleasurable to such a father! They now enjoy that which is common to them both.

I repeat it, a man may be professedly praying to God all his days, and yet know but little of communion with God.

Again, intercession is different from communion. Intercession is asking or pleading in behalf of others, as Abraham for Sodom, the Lord Jesus on the cross for His murderers, or one believer for another believer; a parent for a child, a child for a parent; a husband for a wife, a wife for a husband. Precious privilege, to bear the burdens of others, or our own, concerning others, before the Lord! but it is not communion.

Confession is different from communion. Oh, it is a blessed privilege to come before God with our own failures and sins, to tell out the burden that is on the

soul and conscience, knowing and believing the promise, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins;" but you may have confession and not be in simple communion.

Worship even is not communion. Worship is all on our part.

Communion is that which is common to both parties. Sin is not common to you and to God. Confession is not common to you and to God. When a child comes to his parent simply craving and longing, it is not common to both. Communion with God is that which is common to the believing sinner and his Father in heaven. We know the purposes of His grace towards us, in and by His Son; these form themes in His presence for communion. Hence communion is á far higher thing than prayer, or confession, or intercession. Prayer, and confession, and intercession will cease with earth; they will have no conveyance with us into heaven. But our communion will be eternal; God's delight and our delight in Christ will be eternal; as God's grace towards us in Christ is more and more known, our communion with God will be more and more full. Hence communion is that which God pre-eminently delights in.

But in what attitude was Abraham when the Lord came to him? This is of deep interest. Abraham was sitting at the door of his tent. On leaving his country and kindred he went out in quest of a country and of a city out of sight-a heavenly one. As a mere traveller, he needed nothing to encumber him.

He had seen, as it were, heaven opened, and a city was revealed-a heavenly city; hence his calling was a heavenly calling. He was not called to any present dominion here, as was Adam in Paradise. He was not to reign as David or Solomon. His calling was not to earthly possessions, though his seed would possess the earth; his calling was that the God of glory had appeared to him-a God of heavenly glory-with promise of a heavenly city. He could have sung in spirit

"No foot of land do I possesss,

No cottage in the wilderness,
A poor wayfaring man."

This was accordAnother thing he

What Abraham had was a tent. ing to his character as a pilgrim. had, which was an altar. That was according to his character as a worshipper. But God could receive no worship from him but on the ground of sacrifice: the altar was that which indicated sacrifice also. His portion was God; but not God in some abstract form, unattainable to faith, and unapprehensible to the mind, but a God of glory, whom having seen he loved, and obeyed, and enjoyed, who had told him what to do and what he would have. Now, God has not appeared to us as a God of visible glory. It is through His Word He has appeared to us. He has told us, in Ephesians, that He hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. The Church and Christ are one; He the head, and they the members. "God hath chosen them in Him before