you need not fear anything else. Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both body and soul in hell. Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's pleasure to give you the kingdom. The fear of the Lord is not like any other fear: other fear causes dread and melancholy, but the fear of God gives social joy; they that feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened, and heard it; and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name: and they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels. The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him: this is,

II. Their privilege.

1. The secret of the Lord is with them. His secret is with the righteous; to them that fear the Lord is made known the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world, unto His glory. So said Jesus, who spake with authority. For once, at least, the Man of Sorrows rejoiced in Spirit, and said,-" I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes; even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Thy sight." When His disciples asked Him why He taught the people by parables, He replied,-" Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given." He also said unto them,-"When He, the Spirit of truth is come, He will guide you into all truth; for He shall not speak of Himself, but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak, and He will show you things to come; He shall glorify me, for He shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you." And we have many instances both in the Old and New Testaments of the secret of the Lord being revealed to them that feared Him by Divine monition, but hidden from others.

2. Sometimes they have had revealed to them secrets of judgment. Noah was a just man, and perfect in his generation; and Noah walked with God, even in the midst of that crooked and perverse generation; for the

earth had become corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence, so filled with cruelty and crime that God had determined to destroy all flesh wherein was the breath of life from under heaven. But the Lord gave Noah secret warning:-"I, even I, do bring a flood of waters upon the earth to destroy all flesh; but make thou an ark of gopher wood;" and the man of faith prepared an ark to the saving of his house.

Abraham sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day, and saw three men approach; and he ran to meet them, and bowed himself toward the ground; and he invited them into his shade, and made ready a repast, and they did eat, and then rose up, and looked toward Sodom, and Abraham went with them to bring them on the way; and before they parted, one of them, who was the Lord, said,—“ Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do? We are come to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah by fire, for the people are wicked, and sinners before me exceedingly." And the men turned their faces from thence, and went toward Sodom; but Abraham stood yet before the Lord, and began to intercede for the wretched inhabitants of those devoted cities.

3. Sometimes the Lord reveals to His chosen ones secrets of mercy. The prophet Elijah had some awful scenes when he went forth and stood upon Mount Horeb before the Lord: a great and strong wind rent the mountain, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind, an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake and after the earthquake, a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire, a still small voice. And when the prophet heard it, he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave, and the voice said,-What dost thou here, Elijah? And the man of God uttered his sad complaint:-"I have been jealous for the Lord God of Hosts, because the children of Israel have forsaken Thy covenant, thrown down Thine altars, and slain Thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only am left, and they seek my life to take it away." But the Lord told him a secret :-"I have left me seven thousand in

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Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him." And Elijah departed, much encouraged.

Nebuchadnezzar dreamed a dream and forgot it, a very possible chance; but yet it had made a very deep impression upon his mind. In the dream he saw something striking-but what? He could not call it to mind; so he called together all the wise men of Babylon, and insisted upon their telling him both the dream and the interpretation of it. In vain they told that there never was a man upon earth who could do such a thing, and that there never was any king, lord, nor ruler, that ever asked such a thing. He insisted upon the whole being done, on pain of death. Daniel and his companions were counted among the wise men, and they sought them to be put to death. But Daniel asked his fellows to join him in desiring mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; and the secret was revealed unto Daniel in a night vision; and he blessed the God of heaven, and went and told the king the dream and the interpretation thereof.

There was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; he was just and devout; and as the time was fulfilled which was foretold by the prophets, he was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Ghost was upon him; and the Lord revealed to him a secret that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And when His parents brought the child Jesus into the temple to do for Him after the custom of the law, Simeon, moved by the Spirit, came into the sanctuary of God, and took the child in his arms, and blessed God, and said,-"Lord, now lettest Thou Thy servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation," the infant light and glory.

There was a certain man in Cesarea, called Cornelius, a centurion of the band, called the Italian band, a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway; for he felt he wanted something which he had not yet received. And the Lord told him a secret:"Send men to Joppa, and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter; he shall tell thee what thou oughtest

to do." And he did so; and Peter came and preached to him and his friends; and while he yet spake the word of life and salvation through Jesus Christ, the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the Word.

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When the infant Saviour was born at Bethlehem in Judea, king Herod, being jealous of Him, resolved to put Him to death; but the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, and told him a secret, saying,Arise, and take the young child and His mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word, for Herod will seek the young child to destroy Him." And he did so; for when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, he was exceeding wroth, and sent forth and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under; but he slew not the child Jesus. Soon after this Herod died, and then the angel of the Lord told Joseph another secret, saying,-"Arise, and take the young child and His mother, and go into the land of Israel, for they are dead which sought the young child's life."

Paul was caught up to the third heaven into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter; and lest he should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to him a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet him. For this thing he besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from him. The Lord, however, did not take it away, but He told Paul a blessed secret :-"My grace is sufficient for thee."

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3. And the Lord reveals secrets of salvation. poor man's spirit was overwhelmed within him; he was in a horrible pit, in the mire and clay, in trouble and heaviness, and deep distress; and his cry was-Save, Lord, or I perish! And the Lord told him a secret :"Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." He listened, believed, was saved, and heaven sprang up in his heart, and he sang :-" O Lord, I will praise Thee; though Thou wast angry with me, Thine anger is turned away, and Thou comfortest me. hold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid, for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my

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song; He also is become my salvation." That man felt and deplored the evils of his heart-deep trouble, strong desire; but the Lord told him a secret :-"I will wash, deliver, and fulfil."

THE COUNSEL OF JUDE.

JUDE, VER. 21.

'Keep yourselves in the love of God."

How forcible are right words! A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver! The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the Master of assemblies. What weight there is in some of the short and pithy sayings of the wise and good! and especially of those holy men who spake and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. Moses says,"Keep the words of this covenant, and do them, that ye may prosper." Joshua says, "Take good heed unto yourselves, that ye love the Lord your God." Samuel says, "Fear the Lord, and serve Him in truth with all your heart." David says,-"Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling." Solomon says,

"Keep thy heart with all diligence." Isaiah says,"Cease to do evil, learn to do well." Jeremiah says,"O earth, earth, earth! hear the Word of the Lord."

Ezekiel says, "Turn ye from your evil ways, for why will ye die ?" Daniel says,They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament." Jesus says,— "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God." Paul says," Rejoice evermore; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks." James says, "The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." Peter says, "Be sober, and watch unto prayer," John says, "Little children, keep yourselves from idols." And Jude says, " Keep yourselves in the love of God."