Breviaries.

Bodily Consecration.

"I BESEECH YOU THEREFORE, BRETHREN," &c.-Romans xii. 1.

THE DUTY ENJOINED.

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FOR Some time Paul had been promising to pay the church at Rome a visit, but the growing demands upon his time had deprived him of that pleasure. As an evidence of his sympathy and care he wrote them this epistle. In the text notice I.-THE FERSONS ADDRESSED,-" You, Brethren." They were already church members. Paul was a grand preacher; he was also unequalled as a pastor. He regarded conversion as the initial step in the heavenly journey, which, to amount to anything, must be followed by a "going on to know the Lord." Spiritually Paul was an evolutionist. He believed that Christian manhood was a growth. The verbs used most frequently by him, when addressing Christians, are Run, Strive, Fight, Grow. He saw the germs and potentialities of Christian manhood slumbering in the babe in Christ. This gave him weighty convictions as to the importance of prompt and proper attention to the nursing. This explains his habit of visiting his former fields of labour. II. Present your bodies." The body, as well as the soul, is redeemed, and both must go together into God's service. It is man yielding his members, as servants of iniquity unto iniquity, that gives incarnate and aggressive power to the kingdom of darkness. The dangerous and luring ways of sin are what they are because human beings are in them body, soul, and spirit. So, to be of any service in the cause of God, we must yield, not our sympathy merely, but" our members as instruments of righteousness unto God." In order to use us for His glory God must have all there is of us. III. THE STATE OR CONDITION OF THE OFFERING. "A living sacrifice." Allusion is here made to the Jewish sacrifices. The point of contrast being that while the Jewish sacrifice, to have any moral value, must be put on the altar dead, the Christian sacrifice must be presented living. In this verse the Ego, or I, is represented as a priest who lays upon the altar, not a bullock, or a goat, but his own body, a living sacrifice. And as it was the business of the Jewish priest, not only to present the sacrifice, but to keep it on the altar and see that it be properly offered up to God; so the Christian is

not only to present his "body a living sacrifice," but he is to guard it against polluting influences, and see that its powers be exerted for the glory of God. Thus presented it is (1) "Holy." He is to see that his body is kept from all contact with the degrading, or sensual. (2) "Acceptable to God." Holy, and therefore acceptable. Jewish sacrifices were the best of their kind; and man presenting himself to God must consecrate all his powers of body and soul, or God will reject his offering as a mockery and a sham. (3) "Reasonable." Nothing more reasonable than that the creature should serve the Creator. It is said that man is made to rule; it is equally true that he is made to obey; and in obedience is he to find his greatest pleasure and profit. Every noble instinct of our nature admits the reasonableness of God's service. IV. THE MOTIVE PROMPTING THE SACRIFICE. "The mercies of God." This motive is (1) Strange. Other religions motive their devotees by the judgments and terror of their gods. None but Christianity ever thought of love as the motive to obedience. (2) Winsome. (3) Adequate. PHILADELPHIA, PA.

THOMAS KELLY.

Christ's Suggested Comparison.

"WHAT DO YE MORE THAN OTHERS?"--Matt. v. 47.

VERY seldom does our Divine Lord suggest that men should compare themselves with men. There is a spirit of such mutual comparison against which St. Paul warns men. (2 Cor. x. 12.) But it is clear that in some way it may and should be done. And that Christian men may not contrast themselves with the worst, the ungenial, the sullen, the morose, but with the responsive, the kind, those who have fraternal virtues. The Christian is to be above such in the great matter of caring for all, of forgiving enemies, and indeed in much more. Why? I.-BECAUSE HE HOLDS A LOFTIER CREED THAN OTHERS. If he holds, or rather is held by, the great tenets of "the Apostles' Creed," he has motives and standards far above anything the Publican or Gentile,—the mere man of this world-however amiable and upright, professes to possess. II.-BECAUSE HE IS THE SUBJECT OF A HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS THAN OTHERS. He declares that he (1) realises nobler relationships than "others." He is a member of an immortal race; a son of God. (2) Is developing a nobler character than Ile is a "Christian," resembling Christ,-a godly, i. e., god

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like man. (3) Is conscious of nobler claims than "others." He knows he owes to Christ, and to God through Christ, and to the race through Christ, obligations beyond all the mere man of the world ever hints at. III. BECAUSE HE PROFESSES TO HAVE A HIGHER HELP THAN OTHERS. He has resources (1) in prayer; (2) in meditation on revealed realities; (3) in daily vital fellowship with God, such as ought to make him brave, and calm, and strong, where "others" are craven, and irritable, and weak.

EDITOR.

A Favourable Time to Expect, and the Infallible Signs which Precede a Revival of the Church.

"THOU SHALT ARISE, AND HAVE MERCY UPON ZION FOR THE TIME TO FAVOUR HER, YEA, THE SET TIME IS COME. FOR THY SERVANTS TAKE PLEASURE IN HER STONES, AND FAVOUR THE DUST THEREOF."-Ps. cii. 13, 14.

ZION is a name which has a threefold meaning. (a) Literally it refers to Jerusalem. (b) Typically it refers to Heaven. (c) Spiritually it refers to the Church of Christ on earth. By unanimous consent Zion is considered a type of the Christian Church, which is a body of Christlike men, and if we take these words in allusion to the Christian Church we propose to call attention to two statements. I.-THAT THERE IS A FAVOURABLE TIME GIVEN TO PROMOTE THE REVIVAL OF THE CHURCH. (1) The source to which the Church must look for a revival. "Thou shalt arise and have mercy upon Zion." (Psalm lxxx. 1; lxxxv. 6; Hab. iii. 2. John iii. 5. 1 Cor. iii. 6, 7.) (2) The nature of that revival which the Church may expect. "Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion, for the time to favour her," &c. This expression is pregnant with beautiful thoughts. It embraces (a) DELIVERANCE. Satanical malevolence has exerted its influence to stop the advancement of the Church, but in every age God has looked upon her when she has been surrounded by floods and flames, and effected her deliverance. (Psalm cxxvi. 3.) (b) UNION. There may be unity of effort, with a great variety of name, of method, and of form. There is unity in light, but what variety of colour in every beam. (1 Cor. xii. 4-8.) The unity which a true revival promotes is frequently mentioned in God's Word. (Psalm cxxxiii. 1.; John xiii. 34, 35, xvii. 21.) (c) PROSPERITY. This embraces reclaiming the backslider, arousing the lukewarm, and the conversion of sinners. (3.) The time when the revival of the Church may be expected. "The time to favour her, yea, the set time is come."

The time when the
THAT THE REVIVAL

(Isa. xiii. 17-19, xiv. 1, 2; Jeremiah xxxii. 36-39.) Church may be specially blessed is the present. II. OF THE CHURCH IS ALWAYS PRECEDED BY CERTAIN INFALLIBLE SIGNS. "For Thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof." (1) Solemn humiliation before God. The nation was ashamed of its infatuated tendency to idolatry, and never since then, to our knowledge, has it bent its knees at an idol's shrine. (Ezra ix. 6, 7, x. 1; Dan. ix. 7.) Do we see this spirit of humility in the Church before God on account of its apathy and worldliness? (2) Importunate believing prayer. The spirit of importunity and faith are essential to successful prayer. (Isa. lxii. 1; Ezek. xxxvi. 37; Luke xi. 5-10.) (3) Sincere affection for the ordinances of God's house. efforts in promoting the work of God. (Neh. iv. 6.)

(4) Activity and self-denying "The people had a mind to work."

ST. ANTHONY.

JOHN WILEMAN.

An Old Indictment Still True.

"THEY CAME NOT TO THE HELP OF THE LORD."-Judges v. 23.

DEAN STANLEY suggests that this arousal of the people by Deborah finds its parallels in Velleda's incitement of the Germans, and Boadicea's incitement of the British, against Roman invaders, and Joan of Arc's of the French against the English aggressors. Without touching now the deeper problems that gather round about war, we may gladly hear how Deborah's voice, amid the cowardly, and the self-indulgent, and the halfhearted, gave utterance to noble thoughts about Freedom, Independence, National Unity; and we may find in the war to which she summoned her countrymen an analogue of the work for God and man, to which true voices summon every Christian. In doing this we notice-I. OUR CHRISTIAN ACTIVITIES ARE VERY ANALOGOUS TO WAR. (1) Both are urgent. War is utterly indefensible unless it is absolutely urgent. Christian work is urgent. About all sin, squalor, vice, meanness, the clarion cry falls upon the ranks of Christian workers, like the echo from a historic battle-field,-"If you do not conquer them they will conquer you." (2) Both encounter fierce oppositions. (3) Both involve sacrifice. THE NEGLECT OF SUCH ACTIVITIES INVOLVES US IN A CURSE. (1) The reproachful wail of the world's sins and sorrows.

curse?

II.

What

It is

terrible for a man-who might have helped to hear the cry, "No man cared for my soul." (2) Conscious separation from God. Fellowship with God means sympathy in deepest purpose, co-operation in chief work; where these are not, there must be alienation from God. (4) Loss of the rewards of true service. No satisfaction sweeter than that of having blessed men. To lose that is to be cursed. (5) Rebuke of Christ. "Inasmuch as ye did it not to these ye did it NOT TO ME."

There are

hells in that sentence darker and more terrific than could ever be in the curse on Meroz the Lord uttered by the angel. EDITOR.

Nicodemus: a Study.

"THERE WAS A MAN OF THE PHARISEES, NAMED NICodemus, a ruler of the Jews: THE SAME CAME TO JESUS BY NIGHT, AND SAID UNTO HIM, RABBI, WE KNOW THAT THOU ART A TEACHER COME FROM GOD: FOR NO MAN CAN DO THESE MIRACLES THAT THOU DOEST, EXCEPT GOD BE WITH HIM."-John iii. 1, 2.

I.—A MAN MARKED BY SIGNAL HUMILITY. (a) Himself, a ruler of the Jews. Rich. "Master." (b) Christ an unauthorized and lowly person. (c) He reverses positions. The teacher comes to learn. II. A DILIGENT Student of God'S LAW. (a) Christ proceeds on the knowledge of that— "Moses," &c. (b) A teacher from the love of imparting knowledge. III.-A CAREFUL OBSERVER AND CANDID ADMIRER OF JESUS. (a) His attention had been on Christ and His work. (b) He saw in Christ's work an invisible hand. (c) He freely declared the result of his observation. (d) He confessed Christ's connection with God. IV.-A MAN SINCERELY DESIROUS OF BEING RIGHT HIMSELF. (a) He knew that God had taught by man. (b) He felt his own position as a teacher. (c) He knew the importance of truth. (d) He honestly served God. V.-A MAN AT GREAT TROUBLE TO KNOW THE TRUTH. (a) Not wait for some one to speak to him. (6) Did not send his servant to fetch Christ. (c) He came personally and opened the subject. (d) He came by night-his own inconvenience. VI.-A MAN FOR EVER ASSOCIATED WITH THE RESULTS OF HIS CONDUCT. (a) His own salvation. (John vii. 51, 52, xix. 39.) (6) This chapter for all men. (c) The opening up of Christ's kingdom. Learn (1) Religion is either everything or nothing. (2) Labour precedes rest. T. C. E.