for our guide, there is little to fear from decoys and mistaken routes. Let us ask ourselves continually, Is this according to the spirit of Christ? Is this a course of which He would approve? Is this a thing upon which we can ask His blessing? Is this companion one whom He would recognize as a disciple? Are these pleasures such as He can smile upon? In walking thus are we walking even as Jesus also walked? To follow the Lamb whithersoever He goeth is no vague counsel to sincere souls; they find in it life's truest direction. "Follow Me." In all that you are, do, and strive for, never lose sight of Him, and no enchantment shall prevail against you.

If you are to be guided from above, your spirit must be sincere, teachable, and obedient. We have spoken of the instinct of beast and bird leading them aright. This guidance, however, is without the creature's consciousness and concurrence, and is not to be resisted. It is otherwise with us. Everything depends upon our attitude and susceptibility. "Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterwards receive me into glory." Is this our spirit and prayer? If so, we shall not full direction need, nor miss our providential way. He shall not permit us to wander into Samaria, but will shepherd us into Zion. He will bring us to "a city of habitation," to the heavenly Canaan, the New Jerusalem, the Saint's Everlasting Rest.

Thither bring our willing feet.

XVI

THE INSPIRATION OF THE MASTER'S CONFIDENCE

He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till He have set judgment in the earth; and the isles shall wait for His law.-ISA. xlii. 4.

T

HE Servant of Jehovah," He in whom the spirit of righteous Israel found its full

and final expression, even our Lord Jesus Christ, stands before us contemplating His great work with perfect calmness and confidence. "He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause His voice to be heard in the street"; His manner of appearing will be humble, He will carry out His mission without demonstration; but He is sure of Himself and His work. His zeal will never be extinguished, nothing shall break His strength until He has carried truth and right to their fullest efficacy, universality, and permanence. Let us, then, look into the Master's tranquil face, and catch, it may be, the infection of His glorious confidence. From various causes we are apt to be discouraged. Great are the difficulties we encounter; the triumph of our cause is long delayed; and if faith does not utterly fail, enthusiasm is often chilled. Other platforms are dismantled, other causes prevail, but the

missionary platform remains from generation to generation; the great scheme is unaccomplished, and often it seems as though the end we propose was as far off as ever. Let us try to see more clearly the real nature of our discouragements, and to enjoy that fellowship with our undaunted Lord which will inspire us with His faith and zeal.

I. THE DISCOURAGEMENTS TO WHICH WE ARE LIABLE IN EVANGELICAL SERVICE.

1. The aspects of spiritual work are often such as to make it difficult to believe in the divine presence and superintendence. Viewing the world at large, it is often impossible to detect in its events any distinct tendency, harmonious working, or real progress to an assignable result. "Life never seems to satisfy the artistic sense." At its best it appears rough-hewn, shapeless, incomplete, disappointing-it is apparently full of confusion, incoherence, and ends without being finished. It never satisfies the artistic, dramatic, or logical sense; or, if it occasionally does, it seems an accident. This aspect of nature and life causes certain thinkers altogether to deny the government of God; they feel constrained to believe in the irrationality and purposelessness of all things and events. spiritual work faith is subject to exactly the same trial. How many of the efforts of devoted religious workers, and even those efforts which seem most wise and generous, fall out awkwardly, unhappily, unsuccessfully!

In

We identify the Church of God with the kingdom of God, which implies that it is a sphere of law, orde, and evolution; but the phenomena of the Church are as chequered and perplexing as those of the world. Things fall out with us apparently arbitrarily, confusedly, abortively. How rarely does evangelical work satisfy the artistic or dramatic, the logical or scientific sense! And because of this we are apt to lose confidence in the shaping Hand, the guiding Spirit.

Yet surely we ought not to suffer ourselves to be thus confounded. However things in the world at large may wear the aspect of caprice and aimlessness, deeper thinkers realize the prevalence of coherence, law, and progress. The evolutionist protests that he discovers in nature a definable beginning, leading to a definable end; and the philosophical historian demonstrates the connection and progress of events: under the general aspect of accident and caprice in nature and life they discern a designing, directing, perfecting Spirit. They are convinced that history is logical, although they are unable to trace all the links; that it is artistic, although they cannot always harmonize it with academic law; that it is dramatic, although they often miss the cue; that it is scientific, although they discern only dimly its motive and working. Having thus found God in the world, cannot we believe that within apparent chaos He guides His Church? Whenever we falter because the development of spiritual enterprise disappoints expectation

and shocks our artistic or arithmetical sense, look away from the contemporaneous and provincial and take the larger view of the world and the ages. Painful failure was the feature of the life of our Lord; yet He was sustained by the vision of the world that was to be despite His failure, nay, through His failure. "And the seventy returned with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us in Thy name. And He said unto them, I beheld Satan fallen as lightning from heaven." Amid the hostilities, humiliations, and ignominious failures of His personal history He beheld His ultimate triumph; saw against the dark background a world of light, knew the partial discord lost in the vaster music. Let us with Him look far and wide in days when the immediate environment is discouraging. "Verily Thou art a God that hidest Thyself, O God of Israel, the Saviour." Yet within the shadow He sweetly and effectually bends the crooked to His sovereign will. Despite untoward appearances, He walks amid the golden candlesticks; He rules in His Church, harmonizing all contradictions, subjugating His enemies and ours, and compelling all events to the sublime issue of universal truth and righteous

ness.

2. The presence and progress of the kingdom of God are largely obscured by those worldly accompaniments through which it is developed. This is again a trial of our faith. We believe that the main motive and working of history are spiritual; but how little