with David's worthies by the inspired penman, neither with the man so celebrated for his courage and warlike power.

Now let us look at the religious man in Israel, one of the chief priests, the highest character of official dignity in Israel. Why was not his name in the honoured list? True it is that David had shown him special favour and affection, in trying to allay his troubled spirit, by saying, "Abide thou with me, fear not: for he that seeketh my life seeketh thy life but with me thou shalt be in safeguard.” (1 Sam. xxii. 23.) And is it possible that after this he was not found true to the king? Indeed he was not; for when the usurping Adonijah said, “I will be king," he, with Joab, fell away, and helped Adonijah; and when Solomon entered upon the kingdom in righteous rule (type of a greater than Solomon, who will ere long establish His throne in righteousness), Abiathar, instead of being commended, was the subject of public humiliation by being deposed from the office of priesthood.

Thus we see, while the unpretending, devoted, and afflicted Uriah the Hittite (v. 39), and many more remained in time of trial true to David, there were those who stood foremost in Israel for their strength, wisdom, or official religiousness, who were judged and abased instead of commended and exalted when the kingdom was set up in glory. And, in applying this to ourselves, have we not need to cry, "Hold thou me up, and I shall be safe"? What lessons of peculiar solemnity the record of these people presents to us, and surely awaken in our consciences the grave importance of seeing that we are true to our Lord Jesus during this time of His personal absence and rejection, so that when He comes we may

have His precious commendation-"Well done, good and faithful servant!"

These omissions in the list of David's faithful ones are painfully significant, and forcibly remind us of the prophet's words: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in His might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord." (Jer. ix. 23, 24.)

LOVE.

"Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love. We love Him, because He first loved us. If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also."

I JOHN iv. 7-21. “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is." I JOHN iii. 1, 2.

T is remarkable that the same apostle who was inspired to write so sternly as to the truth should be the instrument employed also to write so elaborately on love. The fact is, we cannot really have truth without love, or love without truth. Both were

perfectly blended in Christ. "He was full of grace and truth." To hold both love and truth together, according to God, is our practical difficulty. We say little to each other about love, because we are conscious how little we manifest it. And if it be true, as I believe it is, that we never know any part of God's truth really till we accept it, and walk in it, this may account for our knowing so little, and saying so little, about love. Besides, it often costs us very little to be interested in truth; but to walk in love, while always connected with blessing to our souls, is also contrary to the natural selfishness of the heart. Still we must remember that the subject of love occupies a large and prominent place in the inspired epistles, and it seems to be better and wiser to acknowledge our shortcomings in practising it than to ignore it in our teaching.

Love is the essential of Christianity. Where this is wanting there is no true Christianity. The subject therefore is vital, and its claims upon our attention paramount. A splendid gift is sometimes very attractive; an intelligent mind, as to the mysteries of Scripture, often highly valued; a self-sacrificing person greatly extolled; and yet all these things, if love be wanting, are only like so many clouds without rain, or wells without water. The seraphic tongue and riyetting eloquence of some men enchant crowds of eager listeners, who hang upon their lips, wondering what the next astounding burst may be, and extol the speaker to the skies; while the quiet, unobtrusive saint, diligently engaged in loving ministry to the souls or bodies of the needy children of God, is a work too small for many to deign to notice; but in God's sight how different! The one may be only an empty noise, no sooner heard than gone for ever; and

the other the fruit of the Spirit, having the value of everlastingness divinely stamped upon it. Yea, says the apostle, "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity (or love), I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing." (1 Cor. xiii. 1–3.) Thus we see that love is the essential, the vitality of Christianity. And at the close of the same chapter we find that, important and precious as faith is, and hope also, yet love is there again set forth in its superlative importance as the very key-stone of the arch, and laying hold of faith and hope by its mighty grasp in present reality and power. "And now abideth faith, hope, love; but the greatest of these is love."

In almost all the writings of the apostles the same pre-eminent place is given to love. In the fruit of the Spirit, in all the precious variety which its clusters present, love stands at the top of the list-"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace," &c. (Gal. v. 22.) Or, if the wondrous mystery of the Church be unfolded to the Ephesian believers, that marvellous subject which has been brought out in these last days with such clearness to the joy and comfort of our hearts, yet, precious as it is, all the attempts for its practical acknowledgment would be futile unless love were energizing our souls. Hence we read, "With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace."