CHRIST AS A WITNESS. "Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people."-Isa. lv. 4. LOOK at Christ as a witness in two respects.

I. AS MOST GLORIOUSLY COMMUNICATIVE. Some witnesses are so ignorant that they have but little to say, and others, though better informed, have but little to communicate of importance. What does Christ testify? First: He testifies of God. He reveals his existence, spirituality, love, fatherhood. "No man hath seen God at any time." He is the Logos. Secondly: He testifies of man. He bears witness of (1) man's spiritual existence, (2) moral depravity, (3) imminent danger, (4) future retribution. Thirdly: He testifies of duty. He lived duty; heavenly excellence was embodied in Him. He showed the world that a life of virtue on this earth would first lead to the utmost suffering and degradation. It led Him to the cross; and afterwards from the utmost degradation and suffering to the highest blessedness and dignity. Because "He made himself of no reputation, but took upon himself the form of a servant, and became obedient to death, even the death of the cross. "God hath highly exalted him," &c. (Phil. ii. 6-11.) Fourthly: He testifies of man's restoration. How is man to be restored to his lost rights, liberties, and joys? This has been the grand

question of all ages. Countless have been the solutions offered. Christ alone propounds the true theory. Trusting in Him as the Christ of God, and following Him as the great example, constitute his worldrestorative means. "He that believeth on me," &c. What a gloriously communicative witness God sent the world in Christ. Look at Christ as a witness.

II. AS MOST UNQUESTIONABLY CREDIBLE. Witnesses are often incredible from two First: Their igno

reasons.

rance. They are found to be so imperfectly acquainted with the circumstances of the case to which they testify, that their evidence is either received with suspicion, or rejected as worthless. But is Christ incredible on this ground? No. His knowledge is infinite. He knows all about everything of which He testifies. He knows God, man, the universe. The other reason which often renders witnesses incredible, is, Secondly: Untruthfulness. Many are placed in the witness-box who, though they have a competent intelligence, have no inviolable attachment to truth. Their prevarication destroys the worth of their evidence. Infinitely removed is Christ from this. He is the Truth. Truth is dearer to Him than life. Thank God for this witHe is the faithful and true witness. False witnesses abound-false either from igno

ness.

rance, or unveracity; but here is One on whose testimony we may and ought to repose with unbounded trust.

LOSSES ARISING FROM ABSORB

TION IN BUSINESS.

"And as thy servant was busy here and there, he was gone."1 Kings xx. 40.

WE detach these words from the context, and use them to indicate a state of things prevalent in human experience, and never more prevalent anywhere or anywhen, than in England here and now.

We

are so "busy here and there". busy in commerce, in letters, in politics, in domestic, social, and ecclesiastical matters, that things, oftentimes invaluable, pass away from us without our knowing it.

I. MEANS OF IMPROVEMENT PASS AWAY FROM MEN IN THIS

WAY. Whilst men are "busy here and there," (1) Religious services have come and gone, (2) Christian ministers have appeared and departed, (3) Soulrousing books are come from the press, and run through their edition unobserved; they are dead to everything but their business.

II. OPPORTUNITIES FOR USEFULNESS PASS AWAY FROM MEN

IN THIS WAY. The father is so absorbed in his business, that he neglects the spiritual culture of his children, and they reach a stage of depravity without his knowing it. Whilst men are

busy, those around them who need their instruction, drop into their graves, and pass beyond their reach. How many merchants in London professing Christianity, carry on their daily avocations in the city with a soul so absorbed in their business, that they are unconscious of the thousand sinning, wretched and dying spirits that teem around their warehouse.

III. THE DAYS OF GRACE PASS AWAY FROM MEN IN THIS

WAY. Through this absorbing spirit of business, men lose their years without knowing it -feel themselves old and greyheaded before they are aware. This subject serves to impress us, First: With the fact that man has evidently fallen. It can never be that the human soul, with its moral sensibilities, its noble faculties, its fountain of affection, was made to be thus engrossed with the material concerns of a few short years. No, we have fallen. This subject serves to impress us, Secondly: With the fact that change is a resistless law of life. It matters not whether we are busy or asleep, change proceeds in its resistless march. While we are "busy here and there," men are dying, the outward scenes of life are changing, our own life is decaying, our end is approaching. We may be so busy on the shore as to think of nothing but the few shells we are gathering, but the billows are rolling on, and will bury us

FELIX-AGRIPPA-PAUL.

"And as he thus spake for himself, Festus said with a loud voice, Paul, thou art beside thyself; much learning doth make thee mad," &c. -Acts xxvi. 24-29.

THREE men are here introduced. Felix, an indifferent heathen; Agrippa, an orthodox Jew; Paul, a true Christian. They are introduced in connection with the preaching of the Gospel, for though Paul is defending himself in court, he does so by detailing his conversion. Paul, a prisoner in chains, is the preacher; a king, governor and court, the audience. These three men are types of the different modes in which the Gospel is regarded. I. FELIX. The indifferent

man

does not concern this world? It was not knowledge Felix lacked, but inclination. (V. 26.) Some hear the Gospel as Felix heard Paul.

II. AGRIPPA. The merely orthodox man will receive what has been received, what is in harmony with his inherited faith. His mind is not open to receive fresh light. Christianity is not an expansive thing with him, but a formal cut-and-dried creed, every article of which is beautifully fitted into a scheme which he can grasp. Difficulties he never meets, and therefore never has to solve. The prophets Agrippa will believe; the words of Paul he hesitates to receive. (V. 28.) He will begin the alphabet of truth; he will not go on with it. What he has got is clear; whither he may be led is uncertain. His reluctance has a deep source; he does not object to an intellectual belief, but to a belief that would change his condition of life. Some hear the Gospel as Agrippa heard Paul.

III. PAUL. A true Christian is earnest, has faith in

He cannot be indifferent to that which is divine, and therefore true; to that which God has revealed, and which is therefore important. To Paul Christianity is not a fancy; he speaks "the words of truth and soberness": is not unreasonable, but thoroughly rational; the outflow of the

highest intelligence, and not of an over-heated and excited mind. It issues from that which is most certain-viz., sin; it points to that which is most certain-viz., grace: only one-sided excess leads to fanaticism. To Paul Christianity is not a creed, but a power to renew the life and change its whole current. (Verses 20-24.) It can give joy and a sense of liberty in bonds. Its demands are great : self-denial, humility, love, prayer, the following of Christ -impossible to the natural man-but God, who makes the demand, gives both to will and to do gives His enlightening Spirit, and therewith saving faith, out of which everything that is Christian flows naturally.

R. V. PRYCE, LL.B., M.A.

SKETCHES FROM GENESIS (II.)—

THE FIRST MURDERER.

"And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord," &c.-Gen. iv.

I. THIS HISTORY PRESENTS A PICTURE OF THE BASENESS OF

II. THAT THE INJURIES DONE TO THE GOOD ARE NOTICED IN HEAVEN. A Witness testifies against every unjust act, who is, First Conversant with all the circumstances of the case. Secondly: That is truthful in His evidence. Thirdly Who is an eye-witness.

III. THAT AN IMPARTIAL INVESTIGATION WILL BE MADE TOUCHING THESE WRONGS. First: A righteous Judge sitting on the judgment seat. Secondly: An opportunity will be offered to the accused to prove his innocence. Thirdly Only integrity can stand the investigation.

IV. THAT THE EVIL-DOER IS THE GREATEST SUFFERER IN THE

END. First: No prosperity. Secondly: No home. Thirdly: No peace. CYMRO.

(No. CLXX.)

LIFE A LOTTERY ON THE HUMAN SIDE, AND A PLAN ON THE DIVINE.

"The lot is cast into the lap; but the whole disposing thereof is of the Lord." -Prov. xvi. 33.

"THE lot," says Wardlaw, "is anything, whether drawn or cast, for the purpose of determining any matter in question. The instances of its use mentioned in Scripture are considerably various. (1) In finding out a guilty person when there was no direct and satisfactory evidence (1 Sam. xiv. 38-42; Jonah, i. 7). (2) In dividing and appropriating land (Num. xxvi. 52-56). (3) In the choice of an official functionary (Acts i. 26). (4) In assigning departments of duty (1 Chron. xxiv. 4, 5; xxv. 8). (5) In deciding controversies (Prov. xviii. 18; Psal. xxii. 18, with John, xix. 23, 24)." Parkhurst translates "lap" to mean the bottom of an urn into which the lots were cast. The text suggests two things

I. That the human side of life is a LOTTERY. Much connected with our circumstances in this world seems to be as much the result of chance as the casting of the lot. We are struck with the apparent casualty when we look at-First: Men's circumstances in connection with their choice. Men have no choice as to the condition, the place, the time, in which they are to be born or brought up. We are struck with the apparent casualty when we look at Secondly: Men's circumstances in connection with their merits. How often we find feeble-minded men in eminent positions, and men of talent and genius in obscurity;"hit" some by what is called a making fortunes and earning fame,

whilst honest industry plods on with little or no success;-vice in mansions, and virtue in the pauper's hut. Verily the race is not often to the swift, nor the battle to the strong." It is not, however, all casualty; there is some amount of certainty and these two opposing elements in life are highly disciplinary. (1) The casual teaches us to exercise dependence on God. (2) The certain stimulates us to work our own faculties.

II. That the divine side of life is a PLAN. "The whole disposing thereof is of the Lord." All that appears

chance on the human side of life are settled laws on the divine side. That God controls and disposes of the apparently most trivial contingencies of life may be argued— First: From his character. He is all-present, all-seeing, almighty, all-wise, all-good. There is nothing great or small to Him. Secondly: From the connection of the most trivial events with the vastest issues. Divine Providence is a machine. The most insignificant circumstance is an essential pin, screw, or wheel in the works of the engine. Thirdly: From the history of the world. The meeting of the Ishmaelites on their journey to Egypt at the pit the very moment Joseph was cast into it, seemed a trifling casualty. But God disposed of it. Indeed the story of Joseph, as Dr. South remarks, seems to be made up of nothing else but chances and little contingencies, all tending to mighty ends.

Pha

roah's daughter comes to the Nile just when the babe Moses was committed in the ark on the banks of the rolling stream. But God disposed that little incident, and brought wonderful results out of it.