d that our LORD had traced this counsel, which did not
seek first the Kingdom of GOD, to its true source. Alas, the counsel
of worldly-minded Christians does far more harm than that of the
openly wicked. Whenever the supposed interests of self, or family, or
country, or even of church or mission come first, we may be quite
sure of the true source of that counsel; it is at least earthly or
sensual, if not devilish.

Further, the truly blessed man--

Standeth not in the way of sinners.

Birds of a feather flock together; the way of a sinner no more suits
a true believer than the way of the believer suits the sinner. As a
witness for his MASTER in the hope of saving the lost, he may go to
them; but he will not, like Lot, pitch his tent towards Sodom; lest
he be ensnared as Lot was, who only escaped himself, losing all those
he loved best, and all his possessions. Ah, how many parents who have
fluttered moth-like near the flame, have seen their children
destroyed by it, while they themselves have not escaped unscathed!
How many churches and Christian institutions, in the attempt to
attract the unconverted by worldly inducements or amusements, have
themselves forfeited the blessing of GOD; and have so lost spiritual
power, that those whom they have thus attracted have been nothing
benefited! Instead of seeing the dead quickened, a state of torpor
and death has crept over themselves.

There is no need of, nor room for, any other attraction than that
which CHRIST Himself gave, when He said, "I, if I be lifted up ...
will draw all men unto Me." Our MASTER was ever "separate from
sinners," and the HOLY SPIRIT speaks unmistakably in 2 Cor. vi.:
"What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? And what
communion hath light with darkness? ... for ye are the temple of the
living GOD; as GOD hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them;
and I will be their GOD, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come
out from among them, and be ye separate ... and touch not the unclean
thing; and I will receive you, and will be a FATHER unto you, and ye
shall be my sons and daughters, saith the LORD Almighty."

"Nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful."

The seat of the scornful is one of the special dangers of this age.
Pride, presumption, and scorn are closely linked together, and are
far indeed from the mind which was in CHRIST JESUS. This spirit often
shows itself in the present day in the form of irreverent criticism.
T