ably presented as a forlorn hope for a place marked off for distinction, "Noah, Daniel, and Job." They are referred to five times in Ezekiel xiv., twice by name. In considering them, we shall see them distinguished from our three friends above referred to, not only by their zeal for God, which these sadly lacked, but by the character of their righteousness also,-each of group one contrasting with each of group two.

"By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house" (Heb. xi. 7). Mr J. A.'s idea exactly!—preparing for his house in view of the future, with this immense difference, that his ark might stand through time, but would fail when judgments descend,-when "the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned up;" and Noah's ark carried him safe through judgment to the new world. Such also was the ark the Philippian jailor was advised of, when he too was "moved with fear." Reader, have you found this ark? How are you situated in view of coming judgments? God is waiting, as He in long-suffering waited, until Noah had driven the last nail into the ark, before He allowed judgments to descend on a guilty world. (1 Pet. iii. 20.) His long-suffering leadeth thee, dear reader, to repentance. Have you "no time for such things"? O, little the unrepentant know of the patient, gracious, waiting God!

Then Daniel would not defile himself with the king's meat," purposed in his heart not to do so"

(Dan. i. 10). Mr B. likewise purposed not to eat of the king's meat. But how different the kings! the meat the result! Reader, are you satisfied without Christ, with your dainties? Once awakened to see your need of Him, the king's meat you have been feeding on would become husks which swine eat; and coming to Jesus, you would find in Him "the living bread," of which "if any man eat he shall live for ever,” and “ never hunger."

Referring to Job: Who ever learned at such a cost, and as did he? God shews us in him how He can deal with souls when He undertakes to do so. Throughout thirty-one chapters he proves his inability to find out God by his own energy and skill. During the next six, he patiently suffers rebuke from one come to him in God's stead. God speaks to him directly in chaps. xxxviii. and xxxix., and leads him to confess he is "vile;" and still further, in chap. xlii., he has learned to abhor himself in the presence of God. Here, indeed, is the "Spiritual Adviser;" one who can teach us what He is, and what we poor guilty worms are; until, through faith in Him, the guilt is cancelled, and we become, like Noah, and Daniel, and Job, and every child of God, inheritors of the "righteousness which is "("not of works," as in the cases of our three friends, "lest any man should boast," but the righteousness which is)—“ according to faith;" so suitable to poor, guilty, hell-deserving

worms!

J. R.

A CONTRAST.

HILST preaching the Gospel a few Lord's days since in south of S-, the following illustration occurred to me as helpful to a soul to see the blessed position now of the believer in Jesus, as regards his or her sins, in contrast to that of an Old Testament saint. Suppose I were deeply in debt, to the extent say of £10,000, and had not a fraction towards paying it, neither were able to earn or get anything towards it. Imagine my distress, especially when I remembered that my creditor might cast me into prison till I paid. (Matt. v. 26.) Such, my reader, is a feeble picture of your condition and mine by nature before God. I am met by an acquaintance, looking the picture of misery and despair. A little after the same person again meets me, now apparently much relieved,-in a measure at rest and happy. "Why," says he, "what has taken place? Is that debt paid?" I answer, "No; but one of immense wealth, whose word I can and do rely on, has promised to pay it. I rest in his promise, indeed, I have it in writing; I rest in this."

"But he may draw back," says my friend. "Oh, no," I answer, "he never will." After a while I

am again seen by the same acquaintance; but now peaceful, restful, happy, and bright. "Why, what a changed man,” he remarks; "what has happened now?"

"He has paid the debt," I answer.

"Have you the receipt?" he inquires.

"Yes, I have."

Now, my reader, which of those three conditions describe your present state? If a stranger to Jesus as your Saviour, if unpardoned at this moment, the first undoubtedly does. If you are a believer, but regarding the gospel as a promise, doubtful of the pardon of your sins, you are practically where an Old Testament believer was. Alas! many dear souls are just in this state to-day. But God's desire for you is to "know" (Acts xiii. 38) that your sins are forgiven, not are going to be; that the debt has been paid by the atoning death of Jesus for each and every believer, and the risen Saviour is the receipt.

"God will not payment twice demand,

Once at my bleeding Surety's hand,

And then again at mine."

Moreover, the Saviour, the risen Jesus, is in the glory, now at the right hand of God,-the pledge and assurance, that all who believe in Him shall be there presently with Him, and like Him, to praise Him for ever. "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!" (Rom. xi. 33.)

My beloved reader, a plain personal question to

you as I close, Is your debt paid? If not, Oh!

come to Jesus; come now.

"Now is the accepted time."

WM. H.

"DO YOU BELIEVE THAT ?"

RAVELLING in the train the other day in Ireland, I was led to offer my fellow travellers some tracts. Three refused them, while four accepted them. After a little one of them said, pointing to a paragraph in the tract I had given him, "Do you believe that?" "Yes, thank God," I replied. The paragraph was as follows, "Now if I fail, if I sin, my standing before God is not altered in the slightest. It is in Christ, and hence it never changes." Of course this was written about a child of God, a believer; and the tract went on to show, that if a believer sins, he has an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous (1 John ii. 1), and through His advocacy the erring child is brought to confess and judge his sin, and communion is restored.

If this were not so, every time the believer sins, he would need to be washed over again in the blood, and that would necessitate Christ dying again, as "Without shedding of blood there is no remission" (Heb. ix. 22). The truth is, the Lord Jesus bore all the believer's sins when He was on the cross, and