association with the nominal systems; but we are claiming that even though in them they have been separate from them, in the sense that they have always been of a different spirit. The begetting of these spiritual children of God, through the Word of his grace, and their being to some extent cherished and nourished and brought forward by these human sectarian tare systems, is well illustrated by certain insects, the young of which are injected into the backs of their enemies, and there warmed, nourished and developed, up to the time of their complete birth and deliverance, which means, usually, the death of the insect which temporarily carried them about. So now, the New Creatures, begotten of the Lord, are more or less closely connected with the institutions of Babylon, and have been more or less brought forward contrary to the will of Babylon, but under divine supervision and arrangement, until now the point of deliverance has been reached, and he who begat the New Creation calls to them, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins and that ye receive not of her plagues."-Rev. 18:4.

There is a continual temptation to the New Creation by the nominal church system-not only through false doctrines, but also in formalistic piety and hypocrisy, in which they draw nigh to the Lord with the lips, while the heart is far from him,-while the thoughts, sentiments, words and deeds are wholly out of accord with the spirit of truth and the consecration which it inculcates. The temptations to the New Creation from the world would be comparatively powerless were it not for the fact that the nominal church combines the worldly spirit, aims and ambitions with the name of Christ and an humble service to him. The ease, honor of men, emoluments, freedom from sacrifice, and sureness of attaining the best things that this world can give, are the baits and allurements, the snares and traps, which Babylon holds out to the New Creation, and that continually. No others of the Adversary's snares are so alluring, so deceptive, so powerful, as this one.

THE ARMOR OF GOD.

-Eph. 6:11-13.—

"Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil in the evil day.

Here again the Apostle forewarns us that our day, in the close of the age, would be the specially "evil day” in which Satan's powers would be peculiarly exercised,— "to deceive if it were possible the very elect." He tells us of an armor that will be proof against all of Satan's delusions. It is not an armor for the flesh, but for the mind; for the New Creature. God is its maker, through human instrumentality. It is his provision, his Word, his message, his Truth. No other armor will avail in this "evil day," and for this extremity the whole armor will be needed-however others, in previous times, got along with portions of it only.

The Girdle of the Loins represents consecration to service; and the Apostle enjoins that we see to it that we are not consecrated to the service of error, but to the service of the Truth. Let each examine his girdle, see that he has a proper one, gird himself with it, become a servant of the Truth or, at least, have the spirit of service.

The Breastplate of Righteousness (or justification) comes next in order, for the Lord can recognize none as soldiers of the cross who do not discern and acknowledge his standard of justice, or who reject his gracious arrangement of justification (through faith) by the precious - blood of his son.

The Sandals of Peace must not be forgotten: the soldier of the cross who starts in the campaign without the peace of God to assist him over the rough places, will accomplish less, and with greater difficulty, than the one who seeks to follow peace with all men-to live peaceably with all so far as possible, without compromising the Truth. Those who go unshod, go hunting trouble and are sure to find little else.

The Shield of Faith is indispensable to protection from the fiery darts of the Adversary,-skepticism, higher criticism, evolution, and demonology. "Without faith it is impossible to please God." "This is the victory

that overcometh the world, even our faith."-Heb. 11:6; 1 John 5:4.

The Helmet of Salvation represents the intellectual, or philosophical, appreciation or understanding of the divine plan. Apparently, it was less necessary in the past than now: but now, in the "harvest," when the Adversary is furiously attacking the Truth and turning everything scientific and educational into a weapon of destruction, now the helmet is indispensable. And now, and only now, is it provided in such size and shape that the humblest soldier of the cross can put it on. The Lord held back the Attacker within the bounds where the shield of faith would serve as protection; but now the whole armor is supplied, and not too soon for the needs of his faithful.*

The Sword of the Spirit-the Word of God—is the only offensive armor of the Lord's little band. The Captain prevailed in his "good fight" against the Adversary, saying, "It is written;" and this is the battle-cry of his followers. Others than the true soldiers have fought for the Lord with carnal weapons, and with human philosophies and worldly wisdom and organization, and decrees of councils and synods and presbyteries, but we must depend in the struggle of this "evil day" upon the Word of God-"It is written!" We must use no darts like Satan's-anger, malice, hatred, strife. And "the Sword of the Spirit" can only be possessed by careful study and leading of the Spirit after consecration,—after enlistment in this army.

*The WATCH TOWER publications are, we believe, being used of the Lord to the thorough equipment of his faithful— intellectually, as well as otherwise,

STUDY XVI.

THE PRESENT INHERITANCE OF THE NEW CREATION.

A FIRST-FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT.-TRUE VERSUS FALSE HOPES.—OUR HOPE. THE THIEF IN PARADISE.-ST. PAUL'S EARNEST DESIRE. -"OUR EARTHLY HOUSE" AND "OUR HOUSE FROM HEAVEN." -THE TRANSFIGURATION SCENE.-"THE FIRST THAT SHOUld Risb FROM THE DEAD.”—PRESENT JOYS OF THE NEW CREATION.—“ASK, AND YE SHALL RECEIVE, that Your JOY MAY BE FULL."-FAITH, A FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT AND A PART OF THE INHERITANCE OF THE NEW CREATION.

NOT

OT ALL of the blessings of the New Creation belong to the future-beyond the veil. A first-fruits of the Spirit, a foretaste of coming blessing, is granted New Creatures in the present life. Amongst these firstfruits may be enumerated the various fruits and graces of the holy Spirit-faith, hope, joy, peace, love, etc. Some may claim that these are intangible and unreal; but we answer that they are as real as the New Creatures are real; and just in the same proportion as the New Creature grows, these elements of his experiences, blessing and development, increase. Indeed it will be conceded that these same qualities, as they pertain to earthly things, are the chiefest blessings of the natural man, the qualities which give him his largest degree of blessing and privilege. The New Creatures in Christ, having exchanged earthly hopes and privileges and loves for the heavenly, find the latter much more precious than those surrendered. Earthly loves are often fickle, generally selfish. Earthly hopes are usually ephemeral and illusive. Earthly joys are, at very best, of brief duration and shallow. Earthly ambitions are rarely gratified, and even then have a bitter with their sweet. Nevertheless, we see the whole world striving to attain these ambitions, joys, hopes, loves, and we are all wit

nesses that their chiefest pleasure is in the pursuit-that with attainment of any of them comes a measure of disappointment.

Not so with the New Creation. Their hopes, their joys, their loves, their ambitions, grow continually, fed by the exceeding great and precious promises of the divine Word. And they bring no disappointment, but satisfaction and the peace of God which passeth all understanding come more and more into their hearts, as the eyes of their faith open wider and wider to comprehend the lengths and breadths, the heights and depths of divine wisdom and love, to whose richest blessing they are heirs and joint-heirs through Jesus Christ the Lord.

This land of promise which the New Creatures enter figuratively at the moment of entire consecration, when they receive the spirit of adoption, is a land flowing with milk and honey; and though it has its trials, its conquests, its fightings within and without, yet not only do its victories mean joy and peace, but, under divine instruction and guidance, even its defeats are turned into sources of hope and faith and joy, by him who is able and willing to make all things work together for their good.

TRUE VERSUS FALSE HOPES.

The Apostle calls our attention to the fact that Satan seeks to do injury to the New Creation by presenting himself to them as an angel, or messenger of light. When any confess that they have been begotten of the light, the Truth, the holy Spirit, the Adversary realizes that they are on the way to full escape from the darkness and superstition and deception with which he has enveloped humanity. He then transforms himself, and instead of attempting further to lead directly into superstitions and darkness, he affects to be a leader into more light; and although specially alert in this direction at the present time when clearer light prevails, we are not to forget that he has been energetic in the same course ever since the Apostle wrote these words.