because of the word, they were offended, and went back, and walked no more with Christ." We see, therefore, how little excitement is to be trusted. Many at such a moment will say to Christ, "I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest;" but such goodness "is as the morning cloud; and as the early dew it passeth away." But when persons have carefully weighed the Word, and are convinced that it is truth-when, with full knowledge of all that they will be required to sacrifice, they have cordially received it, there is every probability that they will hold it fast.

Such are exhorted to let the word of Christ dwell in them, and dwell in them richly. Much stress is laid upon this part of the believer's duty in the Scriptures. David says, "Thy words have I hid in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee;" and Christ said, “If ye abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you;" whilst in the case of the wayside hearers Satan is represented as coming and taking the word out of their hearts. The duty of believers then is to receive the truth in faith, in all simplicity, and in "godly sincerity;" and to store up its precepts, its promises, and its doctrines in their hearts; for thus they will be thoroughly furnished for all good works; its doctrines will inform them, its promises cheer, its precepts guide. Nor can the soul be too well furnished with the word of Christ; for the man well versed in Scripture is as a scribe instructed unto the kingdom of God, who brings out of his treasure things both new and old.

But believers are not only to let the word of Christ

dwell in them richly, but in all wisdom. There is much force in this last sentence; for persons may have the word of Christ dwelling in them, and yet from a want of wisdom and discretion fail to commend it to others. When, however, the word dwells in us richly in all wisdom, we shall be qualified to prove all things. This is a great advantage at all times, but especially at the present moment, when unsound opinions are so widely dispersed and so easily embraced. If these unsound opinions pertained only to things of small moment, there would not be so much ground for alarm; but when they affect the fundamentals of the faith, when they threaten to uproot all that the piety of the last and present century established and nurtured, it is then a duty to prove all things, to hold fast that which is good, and to set our faces as a flint against all error. Let us then seek, not only to be well versed in Holy Scripture—yea, to be, like Apollos, mighty in the Scriptures; but let us pray that we may have wisdom: then we shall not only be able to put to silence gainsayers, but we shall ourselves be stablished in the faith, and not be likely to be "driven about by any wind of false doctrine."

When the word of Christ dwells in us richly in all wisdom we shall also be qualified to act as guides to others. If the blind lead the blind, we may naturally expect that both will fall into the ditch. It is, therefore, most desirable that pastors, whose duty it is to direct others for "the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and the people should seek the law at their lips," should have the word of Christ dwelling in them

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richly in all wisdom. Awful will be their doom if they mislead those who look up to them for guidance; for they may destroy their souls, and bring their blood upon their own heads. But let not the laity think that wisdom in divine things is less desirable for them. They have children to train up in the way they should go, or scholars to ground in the first principles of our most holy faith, or friends and neighbours who need their counsel. Let us all then not only search the Scriptures and meditate upon them continually, but let us seek with earnestness and fervour a sound and enlightened mind; so shall we not only walk in the old paths ourselves, but be a means of keeping others in them.

When the word of Christ dwells in men richly in all wisdom they will not only act faithfully, but judiciously. The believer must never, from a wish to escape the cross, compromise or sacrifice the truth. Were he to do so he would be guilty of great sin, and might well be regarded as unfaithful to Him who hired him to be His soldier. But though believers are to be faithful, they are not to render truth unnecessarily offensive: they are to use every lawful means of rendering it acceptable to others. Let then wisdom and fidelity ever be associated with each other; and whilst we give no place for a moment to any error, let us lay no stumblingblock in the way of others by unduly straining God's word, by walking inconsistently, or by indulging in any uncalled-for singularity; so shall we walk in wisdom towards them that are without, and give none occasion to any to speak evil of our good.

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CHRIST THE REFINER AND PURIFIER OF THE HOLY PRIESTHOOD.

MALACHI iii, 3.

"And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and He shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.

HERE can be no doubt as to the Being to whom these words refer. This is fully explained in the first verse, which tells us that He who shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver is the Lord whom the Old Testament saints sought-the messenger of the covenant, in whom they delighted, even He of whom the Baptist spake when he cried in ancient times in the wilderness of Judea, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord." Many are the offices assigned to this glorious Being in Holy Scripture; yet none of them are superfluous-each of them is absolutely requisite to the full accomplishment of that momentous work which He has undertaken, the bringing of many sons. unto glory.

The office assigned to Him in this text is that of a refiner or purifier. For this office He is pre-eminently qualified. It is absolutely necessary to the purification of the precious metals, that the operator should be well acquainted, not only with the nature, but with the amount of the dross wherewith it is alloyed. And

who knows so well as the Lord Jesus the nature and amount of the dross that degrades and defiles the beings on whom He operates? May we not say that to Him all hearts are open, and that from Him no secrets are hid? So intimate was the knowledge which He displayed when He dwelt amongst men, that His disciples were constrained to admit "that He needed not that any should testify of men, for He knew what was in man." Nor can it be said that His knowledge is less intimate now that He is exalted to the right hand of power. No; His eyes, as a flame of fire, search and try all hearts; and again and again does He say to the churches addressed in the book of Revelation, "I know thy works."

It is equally needful that the refiner of silver should know well, not only what is requisite to the purification of the precious metal, but also what degree of heat is most favourable to the process. Here too we may note how singularly qualified the Lord Jesus is to discharge this part of His office. He knows well what is required to purge out the besetting sins of the Lord's people-to humble their pride-to mortify their worldly spirit-to crucify their selfishness; and He visits them with such trials and judgments as will be most conducive to the end which He has in view. He knows, too, what they are able to bear; He does not make the fire too hot, lest the spirit should faint and the operation prove injurious ; neither does He allow it to be too weak, lest the process should be too slow, or be only imperfectly performed. No, He sits over His people, intently noting