k His acquiescence in them; she will rather learn what his
thoughts are, and have fellowship with Him in His plans.

How much anxiety and care the children of GOD would be spared if they
learned to act in this way! Is it not too common to make the best plans
that we can, and to carry them out as best we may, feeling all the while
a great burden of responsibility, and earnestly asking the LORD to help
_us_? Whereas if we always let _Him_ be our Instructor in service, and
left the responsibility with _Him_, our strength would not be exhausted
with worry and anxiety, but would all be at His disposal, and accomplish
His ends.

In the little sister, as yet immature, may we not see the elect of GOD,
given to CHRIST in GOD'S purpose, but not yet brought into saving
relation to Him? And perhaps also those babes in CHRIST who as yet need
feeding with milk and not with meat, but who, with such care, will in
due time become experienced believers, fitted for the service of the
LORD? Then they will be spoken for, and called into that department of
service for which He has prepared them.

The Bridegroom replies:--

If she be a wall,
We will build upon her battlements of silver;
And if she be a door,
We will inclose her with boards of cedar.

In this reply the Bridegroom sweetly recognizes His oneness with His
bride, in the same way as she has shown her conscious oneness with Him.
As she says, "What shall _we_ do for our sister?" so He replies, "_We_
will build . . . _we_ will inclose," etc. He will not carry out His
purposes of grace irrespective of His bride, but will work with and
through her. What can be done for this sister, however, will depend upon
what she becomes. If she be a wall, built upon the true foundation,
strong and stable, she shall be adorned and beautified with battlements
of silver; but if unstable and easily moved to and fro like a door, such
treatment will be as impossible as unsuitable; she will need to be
inclosed with boards of cedar, hedged in with restraints, for her own
protection.

The bride rejoicingly responds, "I am a wall"; she knows the foundation
on which she is built, there is no "if" in her case; she is conscious of
having found favour in the eyes of her Beloved. Naphtali's blessing is
hers: she is "satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the
LORD."

But what is taught by the connection of this happy consciousness with
the lines which