,,notes on the book of ,,exodus by ,c4 ,h4 ,,mackintosh ,he led them forth by the right way ,,loizeaux ,,brothers ,neptune1 ,new ,jersey ,,first ,,edition #ahhj ,,twenty-,,seventh ,,printing #aife ,,loizeaux ,,brothers1 ,inc41 ,,publishers ,a ,nonprofit ,organization1 ,devoted to the ,lord's ,work and to the ,spread of ,his ,truth ,,neptune1 ,,new ,,jersey ,,printed ,,in ,,the ,,united ,,states ,,of ,,america ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,third ,,edition ,the writer cannot suffer a new edition of this volume to issue from the press without a line or two of deep thankfulness to the ,lord for ,his grace in making use of such a feeble instrumentality in the furtherance of ,his truth and the edification of ,his people4 ,blessed be ,his name1 when ,he takes up a book or a tract1 ,he can make it effectual in the accomplishment of ,his gracious ends4 ,he can clothe with spiritual power pages and paragraphs which to us might seem pointless and powerless4 ,may ,he continue to own and bless this service1 and ,his name shall have all the praise4 ,c4 ,h4 ,m4 ,dublin1 ,april1 #ahfb ,,prefatory ,,note ,,to ,,the ,,american ,,edition ,as several persons in ,america have1 without any authority whatever from me1 undertaken to publish my four#a volumes of ,notes1 ,i deem it my duty to inform the reader that ,i have given full permission to ,messrs4 ,,loizeaux ,,brothers to publish an edition of those books in such form as they shall consider most suitable4 ,c4 ,h4 ,,mackintosh4 #f ,west ,park ,terrace1 ,scarborough1 ,may #ast1 #ahgi4 #a ,now six4 ,in manuscript and proof-sheets1 we have been traveling over a deeply instructive and most interesting portion of the ,word of ,god-,,the ,,book ,,of ,,exodus4 ,redemption by blood occupies a prominent place therein1--it characterizes the book4 ,god's many mercies to ,his redeemed1 in the display of ,his power1 the patience of ,his love1 and the riches of ,his grace1 flow from it4 ,the great question of ,israel's relationship to ,god is settled by the blood of the lamb4 ,it changes their condition entirely4 ,israel within the blood-sprinkled door-posts was ,god's redeemed1 blood-bought people4 ,god being holy1 and ,israel guilty1 no happy relationship could exist between them till judgment had been accomplished4 ,sin must be judged4 ,a happy friendship once existed between ,god and man1 on the ground of innocence2 but sin having entered and snapped the link asunder1 there can be no reconciliation but through the full expression of the moral judgment of ,god against sin4 ,we can only have life through death4 ,god is the ,god of holiness1 and ,he must judge sin4 ,in saving the sinner1 ,he condemns his sin4 ,the cross is the full and perfect expression of this4 ,typically1 this was the great question1 on the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month2 namely1 ,how can ,god exempt from judgment1 and receive into ,his favor1 those whom ,his holiness condemns8 ,to this most solemn question1 there was but one answer that would satisfy the demands of the ,god of holiness1 and that was the blood of the ,lamb of ,his own providing4 ,when ,i see the blood1 ,i will pass over you4 ,this settled the all-important question4 ,it was one of life or death1 of deliverance or judgment4 ,the blood-sprinkled door-post was a perfect answer to all the claims of holiness1 and to all the need of the congregation4 ,all was settled now4 ,god was glorified1 sin judged and put away1 and ,israel saved through the blood of the lamb4 ,blessed truth6 ,israel was now at peace with ,god1 a sheltered1 saved1 and happy people1 though still in ,egypt--the land of death and judgment4 ,god was now pledged to deliver ,israel1--precious type of the perfect security of all who are trusting to the blood of ,christ6 ,they were securely and peacefully feeding on the roasted lamb1 when1 at midnight1 the ,lord smote all the first-born in the land of ,egypt1 from the first-born of ,pharaoh that sat on his throne1 unto the first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon1 and all the first-born of cattle4 ,and ,pharaoh rose up in the night1 he and all his servants1 and all the ,egyptians2 and there was a great cry in ,egypt2 for there was not a house where there was not one dead 7xii4 #bi1 #cj474 ,but against any of the children of ,israel shall not a dog move his tongue1 against man or beast2 that ye may know how that the ,lord doth put a difference between the ,egyptians and ,israel4 7xi4 #g47 ,but why1 some may ask1 put this difference8 ,the ,israelites were sinners as well as the ,egyptians4 ,true1 on this ground there was no difference2 but1 in type1 the judgment of ,god against sin had been expressed in the death of the unblemished lamb4 ,the blood on the lintel and the two side-posts was the proof of this4 ,it proclaimed1 with a loud voice1 that the lamb was slain1 the ransom paid1 the captive freed1 justice satisfied1 and the hour of ,israel's deliverance fully come4 ,it was the blood that made the difference1 and nothing else2 for all have sinned and come short of the glory of ,god4 7,rom4 iii4 #bc47 ,but oh1 what a difference6 ,the one1 divinely shielded from the sword of judgment2 the other1 defenceless and slain by it3 the one1 feasting on the rich provisions of grace2 the other1 compelled to taste the bitterness of the cup of wrath4 ,the destroying angel entered every house1 throughout all the land of ,egypt1 that was not sprinkled with the blood4 ,the first-born of ,pharaoh on the throne1 and the first-born of the captive in the dungeon1 fell together4 ,no rank1 age1 or character escaped4 ,the day of ,god's long-suffering was ended1 and the hour of ,his judgment was come4 ,one thing alone guided the angel of death on that dark and dreadful night1 and that was1 ,,where ,,there ,,is ,,no ,,blood1 ,,there ,,is ,,no ,,salvation4 ,dear reader1 this is as true now as it was then6 ,where there is no blood1 there is no salvation1--without shedding of blood is no remission4 ,can any question be of such importance to you as this one3 ,am ,i shielded by the blood of ,jesus8 ,oh6 have you fled for refuge to the blood that was shed on ,calvary8 ,there1 ,christ1 our passover1 was sacrificed for us4 ,his blood is represented as being sprinkled on the mercy-seat above4 ,there1 ,god's eye ever sees the blood of our true paschal ,lamb4 ,have you faith in that precious blood8 ,though deeply sensible of your guilt1 can you say in truth1 ,this is my only hiding-place3 ,i do depend upon the blood8 ,then rest assured that you are perfectly safe--that you are eternally saved4 ,you have ,god's own word for it--,when ,i see the blood1 ,i will pass over you4--,we have redemption through ,his blood1 the forgiveness of sins1 according to the riches of ,his grace4--,but now1 in ,christ ,jesus1 ye who sometimes were far off1 are made nigh by the blood of ,christ4--,whom ,god hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in ,his blood4 7,eph4 i4 #g2 ii4 #ac2 ,rom4 iii4 #be47 ,happy they who trust in ,jesus1 ,sweet their portion is and sure4 ,but1 on the other hand1 if the blood of ,jesus is neglected or despised1 there can be no security1 no peace1 and no salvation4 ,how shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation8 7,heb4 ii4 #c47 ,unless the destroying angel sees the blood1 he enters as the judge of sin4 ,every sin must be punished1 either in the person of the sinner1 or the sinner's substitute4 ,this is a deeply solemn truth2 but how blessed to know that ,christ hath once suffered for sins1 the just for the unjust1 that ,he might bring us to ,god4 ,for ,he hath made ,him to be sin for us1 who knew no sin1 that we might be made the righteousness of ,god ,in ,him4 7#a ,peter iii4 #ah2 #b ,cor4 v4 #ba47 ,to neglect this divine ,substitute1 and the shelter which ,he has provided1 is to expose the soul to the unrelenting judgment of ,god4 ,no sin1 however small1 can escape judgment1 either on the cross of ,christ1 or in the lake of fire4 ,oh1 the priceless value of that blood which cleanseth us from ,,all sin6--which makes us clean enough for heaven6 ,redemption being now accomplished1 and ,israel divinely prepared1 they commence their journey4 ,but observe1 in passing1 how they start4 ,before taking one step1 every question between the conscience and ,god is divinely settled4 ,they are forgiven1 justified1 and accepted1 in ,his sight4 ,hence it is written1 ,when ,israel was a child1 then ,i loved him1 and called my son out of ,egypt4 7,hosea xi4 #a47 ,blessed type of the real condition in which every true believer begins his ,christian course6 ,he may not see this blessed truth1 or he may have a very feeble apprehension of it1 as ,israel had1 but that does not alter the fact4 ,god acts according to ,his own knowledge of the relationship1 and the affections which belong to it4 ,we see this in the glorious deliverance of ,his beloved people at the ,red ,sea1 in the manna from heaven1 the water from the flinty rock1 and in the pillar of ,his presence1 which accompanied them in all their wanderings4 ,he ever acts according to the purposes of ,his love1 and the value of the blood of ,jesus4 ,once more1 dear reader1 allow me to ask4 ,are you sure that you are under the safe shelter1 the secure refuge1 the blessed hiding-place1 of the ,redeemer's blood8 ,but ,i must now leave my reader1 earnestly recommending him to pursue the journey across the wilderness in company with ,god and ,his redeemed4 ,he will find the ,notes most useful4 ,they convey truth1 agreeably and intelligently to the heart1 the conscience1 and the understanding4 ,may many find them to be a real oasis in the desert4 ,the journey will prove a most profitable one if we thereby learn more of the natural unbelief of our own heart and the abiding faithfulness of ,god's4 ,he never changes1 blessed be ,his name2 and the blood of the slain ,lamb never loses its efficacy4 ,blest ,lamb of ,god6 ,thy precious blood ,shall never lose its power1 ,till every ransomed saint of ,god ,be saved to sin no more4 ,may the ,lord graciously own and use the following ,notes for ,his own glory and the blessing of many souls4 ,a4 ,m4 ,london ,,contents ,page4 ,,chapter ,i1 #a ,,ii4 #a-aj1 #i ,,ii4 #aa-be1 #ag ,,iii1 #cc ,,iv1 #eh ,v4 ,,vi1 #gh ,,vii4-,,xi1 #ie ,,xii1 #abf ,,xiii1 #afc ,,xiv1 #agb ,,xv1 #aia ,,xvi1 #bjf ,,xvii1 #bbd ,,xviii1 #bch ,,xix1 #bdg ,,xx1 #bed ,,xxi4-,,xxiii1 #bgb ,,xxiv1 #bhj ,,xxv1 #bhd ,,xxvi1 #bih ,,xxvii1 #cac ,,xxviii4 ,,xxix1 #cai ,,xxx1 #cce ,,xxxi1 #cdi ,,xxxii1 #cee ,,xxxiii4 ,,xxxiv1 #cfd ,,xxxv4-,,xl1 #cfi ,,notes ,,on ,,the ,,book ,,of ,,exodus ,,chapter ,i4 ,we now approach1 by the mercy of ,god1 the study of the ,book of ,exodus1 of which the great prominent theme is redemption4 ,the first five verses recall to the mind the closing scenes of the preceding book4 ,the favored objects of ,god's electing love are brought before us2 and we find ourselves very speedily conducted1 by the inspired penman1 into the action of the book4 ,in our meditations on the ,book of ,genesis1 we were led to see that the conduct of ,joseph's brethren toward him was that which led to their being brought down into ,egypt4 ,this fact is to be looked at in two ways4 ,in the first place1 we can read therein a deeply solemn lesson1 as taught in ,israel's actings toward ,god2 and1 secondly1 we have therein unfolded an encouraging lesson1 as taught in ,god's actings toward ,israel4 ,and1 first1 as to ,israel's actings toward ,god1 what can be more deeply solemn than to follow out the results of their treatment of him who stands before the spiritual mind as the marked type of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ8 ,they1 utterly regardless of the anguish of his soul1 consigned ,joseph into the hands of the uncircumcised4 ,and what was the issue1 as regards them8 ,they were carried down into ,egypt1 there to experience the deep and painful exercises of heart which are so graphically and touchingly presented in the closing chapters of ,genesis4 ,nor was this all4 ,a long and dreary season awaited their offspring in that very land in which ,joseph had found a dungeon4 ,but then ,god was in all this1 as well as man2 and it is ,his prerogative to bring good out of evil4 ,joseph's brethren might sell him to the ,ishmaelites1 and the ,ishmaelites might sell him to ,potiphar1 and ,potiphar might cast him into prison2 but ,jehovah was above all1 and ,he was accomplishing ,his own mighty ends4 ,the wrath of man shall praise ,him4 ,the time had not arrived in which the heirs were ready for the inheritance and the inheritance for the heirs4 ,the brick-kilns of ,egypt were to furnish a rigid school for the seed of ,abraham1 while as yet the iniquity of the ,amorites was rising to a head amid the hills and valleys of the promised land4 ,all this is deeply interesting and instructive4 ,there are wheels within wheels in the government of ,god4 ,he makes use of an endless variety of agencies in the accomplishment of ,his unsearchable designs4 ,potiphar's wife1 ,pharaoh's butler1 ,pharaoh's dreams1 ,pharaoh himself1 the dungeon1 the throne1 the fetter1 the royal signet1 the famine--all are at ,his sovereign disposal1 and all are made instrumental in the development of ,his stupendous counsels4 ,the spiritual mind delights to dwell upon this1--it delights to range through the wide domain of creation and providence1 and to recognize1 in all1 the machinery which an ,all-wise and an ,almighty ,god is using for the purpose of unfolding ,his counsels of redeeming love4 ,true1 we may see many traces of the serpent1--many deep and well-defined footprints of the enemy of ,god and man1--many things which we cannot explain nor even comprehend2 suffering innocence and successful wickedness may furnish an apparent basis for the infidel reasoning of the sceptic mind2 but the true believer can piously repose in the assurance that the ,judge of all the earth shall do right4 ,he knows right well that-- ,blind unbelief is sure to err1 ,and scan ,his ways in vain2 ,god is ,his own interpreter1 ,and ,he will make it plain4 ,blessed be ,god for the consolation and encouragement flowing out of such reflections as these4 ,we need them every hour while passing through an evil world1 in which the enemy has wrought such appalling mischief1 in which the lusts and passions of men produce such bitter fruits1 and in which the path of the true disciple presents roughnesses which mere nature could never endure4 ,faith knows1 of a surety1 that there is ,one behind the scenes whom the world sees not nor regards2 and1 in the consciousness of this1 it can calmly say1 ,it is well1 and1 ,it shall be well4 ,the above train of thought is distinctly suggested by the opening lines of our book4 ,god's counsel shall stand1 and ,he will do all ,his pleasure4 ,the enemy may oppose1 but ,god will ever prove ,himself to be above him2 and all we need is a spirit of simple1 childlike confidence and repose in the divine purpose4 ,unbelief will rather look at the enemy's efforts to countervail than at ,god's power to accomplish4 ,it is on the latter that faith fixes its eye4 ,thus it obtains victory and enjoys abiding peace4 ,it has to do with ,god and ,his infallible faithfulness4 ,it rests not upon the ever-shifting sands of human affairs and earthly influences1 but upon the immovable rock of ,god's eternal ,word4 ,that is faith's holy and solid resting-place4 ,come what may1 it abides in that sanctuary of strength4 ,joseph died1 and all his brethren1 and all that generation4 ,what then8 ,could death affect the counsels of the living ,god8 ,surely not4 ,he only waited for the appointed moment--the due time1 and then the most hostile influences were made instrumental in the development of ,his purposes4 ,now there arose up a new king over ,egypt1 which knew not ,joseph4 ,and he said unto his people1 ',behold the people of the children of ,israel are more and mightier than we3 come on1 let us deal wisely with them1 lest they multiply1 and it come to pass that when there falleth out any war they join also unto our enemies and fight against us1 and so get them up out of the land4 7,ver4 #h-aj47 ,all this is the reasoning of a heart that had never learnt to take ,god into its calculations4 ,the unrenewed heart never can do so2 and hence1 the moment you introduce ,god1 all its reasonings fall to the ground4 ,apart from1 or independent of1 ,him1 they may seem very wise2 but only bring ,him in1 and they are proved to be perfect folly4 ,but why should we allow our minds to be1 in any wise1 influenced by reasonings and calculations which depend1 for their apparent truth1 upon the total exclusion of ,god8 ,to do so is1 in principle1 and according to its measure1 practical atheism4 ,in ,pharaoh's case1 we see that he could accurately recount the various contingencies of human affairs1--the multiplying of the people1 the falling out of war1 their joining with the enemy1 their escape out of the land4 ,all these circumstances he could1 with uncommon sagacity1 put into the scale2 but it never once occurred to him that ,god could have anything whatever to do in the matter4 ,had he only thought of this1 it would have upset his entire reasoning1 and have written folly upon all his schemes4 ,now1 it is well to see that it is ever thus with the reasonings of man's sceptic mind4 ,god is entirely shut out2 yea1 the truth and consistency thereof depend upon ,his being kept out4 ,the death-blow to all scepticism and infidelity is the introduction of ,god into the scene4 ,till ,he is seen1 they may strut up and down upon the stage with an amazing show of wisdom and cleverness2 but the moment the eye catches even the faintest glimpse of that blessed ,one1 they are stripped of their cloak1 and disclosed in all their nakedness and deformity4 ,in reference to the king of ,egypt1 it may assuredly be said1 he did greatly err1 not knowing ,god or ,his changeless counsels4 ,he knew not that1 hundreds of years back1 before ever he had breathed the breath of mortal life1 ,god's word and oath--two immutable things--had infallibly secured the full and glorious deliverance of that very people whom he was going1 in his wisdom1 to crush4 ,all this was unknown to him1 and therefore all his thoughts and plans were founded upon ignorance of that grand foundation-truth of all truths1 namely1 that ,,god ,,is4 ,he vainly imagined that he1 by his management1 could prevent the increase of those concerning whom ,god had said1 ,they shall be as the stars of heaven1 and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore4 ,his wise dealing1 therefore1 was simply madness and folly4 ,the wildest mistake which a man can possibly fall into is to act without taking ,god into his account4 ,sooner or later1 the thought of ,god will force itself upon him1 and then comes the awful crash of all his schemes and calculations4 ,at best1 everything that is undertaken independently of ,god1 can last but for the present time4 ,it cannot1 by any possibility1 stretch itself into eternity4 ,all that is merely human1 however solid1 however brilliant1 or however attractive1 must fall into the cold grasp of death1 and moulder in the dark1 silent tomb4 ,the clod of the valley must cover man's highest excellencies and brightest glories2 mortality is engraved upon his brow1 and all his schemes are evanescent4 ,on the contrary1 that which is connected with1 and based upon1 ,god1 shall endure forever4 ,his name shall endure forever1 and ,his memorial to all generations4 ,what a sad mistake1 therefore1 for a feeble mortal to set himself up against the eternal ,god1--to rush upon the thick bosses of the shield of the ,almighty6 ,as well might the monarch of ,egypt have sought to stem1 with his puny hand1 the ocean's tide1 as to prevent the increase of those who were the subjects of ,jehovah's everlasting purpose4 ,hence1 although they did set over them taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens1 yet1 the more they afflicted them1 the more they multiplied and grew4 ,thus it must ever be4 ,he that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh2 the ,lord shall have them in derision4 7,ps4 ii4 #d47 ,eternal confusion shall be inscribed upon all the opposition of men and devils4 ,this gives sweet rest to the heart in the midst of a scene where all is apparently so contrary to ,god and so contrary to faith4 ,were it not for the settled assurance that the wrath of man shall praise the ,lord1 the spirit would often be cast down while contemplating the circumstances and influences which surround one in the world4 ,thank ,god1 we look not at the things which are seen1 but at the things which are not seen3 for the things which are seen are temporal2 but the things which are not seen are eternal4 7#b ,cor4 iv4 #ah47 ,in the power of this1 we may well say1 ,rest in the ,lord1 and wait patiently for ,him3 fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way1 because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass4 7,ps4 xxxvii4 #g47 ,how fully might the truth of this be seen in the case of both the oppressed and the oppressor1 as set before us in our chapter6 ,had ,israel looked at the things that are seen1 what were they8 ,pharaoh's wrath1 stern taskmasters1 afflictive burdens1 rigorous service1 hard bondage1 mortar and brick4 ,but1 then1 the things which are not seen1 what were they8 ,god's eternal purpose1 ,his unfailing promise1 the approaching dawn of a day of salvation1 the burning lamp of ,jehovah's deliverance4 ,wondrous contrast6 ,faith alone could enter into it4 ,naught save that precious principle could enable any poor1 oppressed ,israelite to look from out the smoking furnace of ,egypt1 to the green fields and vine-clad mountains of the land of ,canaan4 ,faith alone could recognize in those oppressed slaves1 toiling in the brick-kilns of ,egypt1 the heirs of salvation1 and the objects of ,heaven's peculiar interest and favor4 ,thus it was then1 and thus it is now4 ,we walk by faith1 not by sight4 7#b ,cor4 v4 #g47 ,it doth not yet appear what we shall be4 7#a ,john iii4 #b47 ,we are here in the body pent1 absent from the ,lord4 ,as to fact1 we are in ,egypt1 yet1 in spirit1 we are in the heavenly ,canaan4 ,faith brings the heart into the power of divine and unseen things1 and thus enables it to mount above everything down here1 in this place where death and darkness reign4 ,o1 for that simple childlike faith that sits beside the pure and eternal fountain of truth1 there to drink those deep and refreshing draughts which lift up the fainting spirit and impart energy to the new man1 in its upward and onward course6 ,the closing verses of this section of our book present an edifying lesson in the conduct of those ,god-fearing women1 ,shiprah and ,puah4 ,they would not carry out the king's cruel scheme1 but braved his wrath1 and hence ,god made them houses4 ,them that honor ,me ,i will honor1 and they that despise ,me shall be lightly esteemed4 7#a ,sam4 ii4 #cj47 ,may we ever remember this1 and act for ,god1 under all circumstances6 ,,chapter ,,ii4 #a-aj4 ,this section of our book abounds in the weightiest principles of divine truth--principles which range themselves under the three following heads1 namely1 the power of ,satan1 the power of ,god1 and the power of faith4 ,in the last verse of the previous chapter1 we read1 ,and ,pharaoh charged all his people1 saying1 ',every son that is born ye shall cast into the river4' ,this was ,satan's power4 ,the river was the place of death2 and1 by death1 the enemy sought to frustrate the purpose of ,god4 ,it has ever been thus4 ,the serpent has at all times watched with malignant eye those instruments which ,god was about to use for ,his own gracious ends4 ,look at the case of ,abel1 in ,genesis iv4 ,what was that but the serpent watching ,god's vessel and seeking to put it out of the way by death8 ,look at the case of ,joseph1 in ,genesis xxxvii4 ,there you have the enemy seeking to put the man of ,god's purpose in the place of death4 ,look at the case of the seed royal1 in #b ,chronicles xxii2 the act of ,herod1 in ,matthew ii2 the death of ,christ1 in ,matthew xxvii4 ,in all these cases1 you find the enemy seeking1 by death1 to interrupt the current of divine action4 ,but1 blessed be ,god1 there is something beyond death4 ,the entire sphere of divine action1 as connected with redemption1 lies beyond the limits of death's domain4 ,when ,satan has exhausted his power1 then ,god begins to show ,himself4 ,the grave is the limit of ,satan's activity2 but there it is that divine activity begins4 ,this is a glorious truth4 ,satan has the power of death2 but ,god is the ,god of the living1 and ,he gives life beyond the reach and power of death--a life which ,satan cannot touch4 ,the heart finds sweet relief in such a truth as this1 in the midst of a scene where death reigns4 ,faith can stand and look on at ,satan putting forth the plenitude of his power4 ,it can stay itself upon ,god's mighty instrumentality of resurrection4 ,it can take its stand at the grave which has closed over a beloved object1 and drink in1 from the lips of ,him who is the resurrection and the life1 the elevating assurance of a glorious immortality4 ,it knows that ,god is stronger than ,satan1 and it can therefore quietly wait for the full manifestation of that superior strength1 and1 in thus waiting1 find its victory and its settled peace4 ,we have a noble example of this power of faith in the opening verses of our chapter4 ,and there went a man of the house of ,levi1 and took to wife a daughter of ,levi4 ,and the woman conceived and bare a son2 and when she saw him that he was a goodly child1 she hid him three months4 ,and when she could no longer hide him1 she took for him an ark of bulrushes and daubed it with slime and with pitch1 and put the child therein2 and she laid it in the flags by the river's brink4 ,and his sister stood afar off1 to wit what would be done to him4 7,chap4 ii4 #a-d47 ,here we have a scene of touching interest1 in whatever way we contemplate it4 ,in point of fact1 it was simply faith triumphing over the influences of nature and death1 and leaving room for the ,god of resurrection to act in ,his own proper sphere and character4 ,true1 the enemy's power is apparent1 in the circumstance that the child had to be placed in such position--a position of death1 in principle4 ,and1 moreover1 a sword was piercing through the mother's heart in thus beholding her precious offspring laid1 as it were1 in death4 ,satan might act1 and nature might weep2 but the ,quickener of the dead was behind the dark cloud1 and faith beheld ,him there1 gilding heaven's side of that cloud with ,his bright and life-giving beams4 ,by faith ,moses1 when he was born1 was hid three months of his parents1 because they saw he was a proper child2 and they were not afraid of the king's commandment4 7,heb4 xi4 #bc47 ,thus this honored daughter of ,levi teaches us a holy lesson4 ,her ark of bulrushes1 daubed with slime and pitch1 declares her confidence in the truth that there was a something which could keep out the waters of death1 in the case of this proper child1 as well as in the case of ,noah1 the preacher of righteousness4 ,are we to suppose1 for a moment1 that this ark was the invention of mere nature8 ,was it nature's forethought that devised it8 or nature's ingenuity that constructed it8 ,was the babe placed in the ark at the suggestion of a mother's heart1 cherishing the fond but visionary hope of thereby saving her treasure from the ruthless hand of death8 ,were we to reply to the above inquiries in the affirmative1 we should1 ,i believe1 lose the beauteous teaching of this entire scene4 ,how could we ever suppose that the ark was devised by one who saw no other portion or destiny for her child but death by drowning8 ,impossible4 ,we can only look upon that significant structure as faith's draft handed in at the treasury of the ,god of resurrection4 ,it was devised by the hand of faith1 as a vessel of mercy1 to carry a proper child safely over death's dark waters1 into the place assigned him by the immutable purpose of the living ,god4 ,when we behold this daughter of ,levi bending over that ark of bulrushes1 which her faith had constructed1 and depositing therein her babe1 we see her walking in the steps of that faith of her father ,abraham1 which he had1 when he rose up from before his dead1 and purchased the cave of ,machpelah from the sons of ,heth4 7,gen4 xxiii47 ,we do not recognize in her the energy of mere nature1 hanging over the object of its affections1 about to fall into the iron grasp of the king of terrors4 ,no2 but we trace in her the energy of a faith which enabled her to stand1 as a conqueror1 at the margin of death's cold flood1 and behold the chosen servant of ,jehovah in safety at the other side4 ,yes1 my reader1 faith can take those bold and lofty flights into regions far removed from this land of death and wide-spread desolation4 ,its eagle gaze can pierce the gloomy clouds which gather around the tomb1 and behold the ,god of resurrection displaying the results of ,his everlasting counsels1 in the midst of a sphere which no arrow of death can reach4 ,it can take its stand upon the top of the ,rock of ,ages1 and listen1 in holy triumph1 while the surges of death are lashing its base4 ,and what1 let me ask1 was the king's commandment to one who was in possession of this heaven-born principle8 ,what weight had that commandment with one who could calmly stand beside her ark of bulrushes and look death straight in the face8 ,the ,holy ,ghost replies1 ,they were not afraid of the king's commandment4 ,the spirit that knows aught of communion with ,him who quickens the dead1 is not afraid of anything4 ,such an one can take up the triumphant language of #a ,cor4 xv41 and say1 ,o death1 where is thy sting8 ,o grave1 where is thy victory8 ,the sting of death is sin1 and the strength of sin is the law4 ,but thanks be to ,god1 which giveth us the victory through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,he can give forth these words of triumph over a martyred ,abel2 over ,joseph in the pit2 over ,moses in the ark of bulrushes2 in the midst of the seed royal1 slain by the hand of ,athaliah2 amid the babes of ,bethlehem1 murdered by the hand of the cruel ,herod2 and far above all1 he can utter them at the tomb of the ,captain of our salvation4 ,now1 it may be there are some who cannot trace the activities of faith1 in the matter of the ark of bulrushes4 ,many may not be able to travel beyond the measure of ,moses' sister1 when she stood afar off1 to wit what would be done to him4 ,it is very evident that his sister was not up to the measure of faith possessed by his mother4 ,no doubt she possessed deep interest and true affection1 such as we may trace in ,mary ,magdalene and the other ,mary sitting over against the sepulchre 7,matt4 xxvii4 #fa472 but there was something far beyond either interest or affection in the maker of the ark4 ,true1 she did not stand afar off1 to wit what would be done to her child1 and hence1 what frequently happens1 the dignity of faith might seem like indifference1 on her part4 ,it was not1 however1 indifference1 but true elevation--the elevation of faith4 ,if natural affection did not cause her to linger near the scene of death1 it was only because the power of faith was furnishing her with nobler work in the presence of the ,god of resurrection4 ,her faith had cleared the stage for ,him1 and most gloriously did ,he show ,himself thereon4 ,and the daughter of ,pharaoh came down to wash herself at the river2 and her maidens walked along by the river's side3 and when she saw the ark among the flags1 she sent her maid to fetch it4 ,and when she had opened it1 she saw the child2 and1 behold1 the babe wept4 ,and she had compassion on him1 and said1 ',this is one of the ,hebrews' children4' ,here1 then1 the divine response begins to break1 in sweetest accents1 on the ear of faith4 ,god was in all this4 ,rationalism1 or scepticism1 or infidelity1 or atheism1 may laugh at such an idea4 ,and faith can laugh also2 but the two kinds of laughter are very different4 ,the former laughs1 in cold contempt1 at the thought of divine interference in the trifling affair of a royal maiden's walk by the river's side3 the latter laughs1 with real heartfelt gladness1 at the thought that ,god is in everything4 ,and1 assuredly1 if ever ,god was in anything1 ,he was in this walk of ,pharaoh's daughter1 though she knew it not4 ,the renewed mind enjoys one of its sweetest exercises while tracing the divine footsteps in circumstances and events in which a thoughtless spirit sees only blind chance or rigid fate4 ,the most trifling matter may1 at times1 turn out to be a most important link in a chain of events by which the ,almighty ,god is helping forward the development of ,his grand designs4 ,look1 for instance1 at ,esther vi4 #a1 and what do you see8 ,a heathen monarch spending a restless night4 ,no uncommon circumstance1 we may suppose2 and yet1 this very circumstance was a link in a great chain of providences at the end of which you find the marvelous deliverance of the oppressed seed of ,israel4 ,thus was it with the daughter of ,pharaoh1 in her walk by the river's side4 ,little did she think that she was helping forward the purpose of the ,lord ,god of the ,hebrews4 ,how little idea had she that the weeping babe in that ark of bulrushes was yet to be ,jehovah's instrument in shaking the land of ,egypt to its very centre6 ,yet so it was4 ,the ,lord can make the wrath of man to praise ,him1 and restrain the remainder4 ,how plainly the truth of this appears in the following passage6-- ,then said his sister to ,pharaoh's daughter1 ',shall ,i go and call to thee a nurse of the ,hebrew women1 that she may nurse the child for thee8' ,and ,pharaoh's daughter said unto her1 ',go4' ,and the maid went and called the child's mother4 ,and ,pharaoh's daughter said unto her1 ',take this child away and nurse it for me1 and ,i will give thee thy wages4' ,and the woman took the child and nursed it4 ,and the child grew1 and she brought him unto ,pharaoh's daughter1 and he became her son4 ,and she called his name ,moses2 and she said1 ',because ,i drew him out of the water4' 7,chap4 ii4 #g-aj47 ,the beautiful faith of ,moses' mother here meets its full reward2 ,satan is confounded2 and the marvelous wisdom of ,god is displayed4 ,who would have thought that the one who had said1 ,if it be a son1 then ye shall kill him1 and1 again1 ,every son that is born ye shall cast into the river1 should have in his court one of those very sons1 and such a son4 ,the devil was foiled by his own weapon1 inasmuch as ,pharaoh1 whom he was using to frustrate the purpose of ,god1 is used of ,god to nourish and bring up ,moses1 who was to be ,his instrument in confounding the power of ,satan4 ,remarkable providence6 ,admirable wisdom6 ,truly1 ,jehovah is wonderful in counsel and excellent in working4 ,may we learn to trust ,him with more artless simplicity1 and thus our path shall be more brilliant1 and our testimony more effective4 ,,chapter ,,ii4 #aa-be4 ,in considering the history of ,moses1 we must look at him in two ways1 namely1 personally and typically4 ,first1 in his personal character1 there is much1 very much1 for us to learn4 ,god had not only to raise him up1 but also to train him1 in one way or another1 for the lengthened period of eighty years1 first in the house of ,pharaoh's daughter1 and then at the backside of the desert4 ,this1 to our shallow thoughts1 would seem an immense space of time to devote to the education of a minister of ,god4 ,but then ,god's thoughts are not as our thoughts4 ,he knew the need of those forty years twice told1 in the preparation of ,his chosen vessel4 ,when ,god educates1 ,he educates in a manner worthy of ,himself and ,his most holy service4 ,he will not have a novice to do ,his work4 ,the servant of ,christ has to learn many a lesson1 to undergo many an exercise1 to pass through many a conflict1 in secret1 ere he is really qualified to act in public4 ,nature does not like this4 ,it would rather figure in public than learn in private1--it would rather be gazed upon and admired by the eye of man than be disciplined by the hand of ,god4 ,but it will not do4 ,we must take ,god's way4 ,nature may rush into the scene of operation2 but ,god does not want it there4 ,it must be withered1 crushed1 set aside4 ,the place of death is the place for nature4 ,if it will be active1 ,god will so order matters1 in ,his infallible faithfulness and perfect wisdom1 that the results of its activity will prove its utter defeat and confusion4 ,he knows what to do with nature1 where to put it1 and where to keep it4 ,o1 that we may all be in deeper communion with the mind of ,god1 in reference to self and all that pertains thereto6 ,then shall we make fewer mistakes2 then shall our path be steady and elevated1 our spirit tranquil1 and our service effective4 ,and it came to pass in those days1 when ,moses was grown1 that he went out unto his brethren1 and looked on their burdens2 and he spied an ,egyptian smiting a ,hebrew1 one of his brethren4 ,and he looked this way and that way1 and when he saw there was no man1 he slew the ,egyptian1 and hid him in the sand4 ,this was zeal for his brethren2 but it was not according to knowledge4 ,god's time was not yet come for judging ,egypt and delivering ,israel2 and the intelligent servant will ever wait for ,god's time4 ,moses was grown1 and he was learned in all the wisdom of the ,egyptians2 and1 moreover1 he supposed his brethren would have understood how that ,god by his hand would deliver them4 ,all this was true2 yet he evidently ran before the time1 and when one does this1 failure must be the issue4#b #b ,in ,stephen's address to the council at ,jerusalem1 there is an allusion to ,moses' acting1 to which it may be well to advert4 ,and when he was full forty years old1 it came into his heart to visit his brethren the children of ,israel4 ,and seeing one of them suffer wrong1 he defended him1 and avenged him that was oppressed1 and smote the ,egyptian2 for he supposed his brethren would have understood how that ,god by his hand would deliver them2 but they understood not4 7,acts vii4 #bc-ce47 ,it is evident that ,stephen's object1 in his entire address1 was to bring the history of the nation to bear upon the consciences of those whom he had before him2 and it would have been quite foreign to this object1 and at variance with the ,spirit's rule in the ,new ,testament1 to raise a question as to whether ,moses had not acted before the divinely appointed time4 ,moreover1 he merely says1 it came into his heart to visit his brethren4 ,he does not say that ,god sent him1 at that time4 ,nor does this1 in the least1 touch the question of the moral condition of those who rejected him4 ,they understood not4 ,this was the fact as to them1 whatever ,moses might have personally to learn in the matter4 ,the spiritual mind can have no difficulty in apprehending this4 ,looking at ,moses typically1 we can see the mission of ,christ to ,israel1 and their rejection of ,him1 and refusal to have ,him to reign over them4 ,on the other hand1 looking at ,moses personally1 we find that he1 like others1 made mistakes and displayed infirmities1--sometimes went too fast and sometimes too slow4 ,all this is easily understood1 and only tends to magnify the infinite grace and exhaustless patience of ,god4 ,and not only is there failure in the end1 but also manifest uncertainty1 and lack of calm elevation and holy independence in the progress of a work begun before ,god's time4 ,moses looked this way and that way4 ,there is no need of this when a man is acting with and for ,god1 and in the full intelligence of ,his mind1 as to the detail of his work4 ,if ,god's time had really come1 and if ,moses was conscious of being divinely commissioned to execute judgment upon the ,egyptian1 and if he felt assured of the divine presence with him1 he would not have looked this way and that way4 ,this action teaches a deep practical lesson to all the servants of ,god4 ,there are two things by which it is superinduced1 namely1 the fear of man's wrath1 and the hope of man's favor4 ,the servant of the living ,god should neither regard the one nor the other4 ,what avails the wrath or favor of a poor mortal to one who holds the divine commission and enjoys the divine presence8 ,it is1 in the judgment of such an one1 less than the small dust of the balance4 ,have not ,i commanded thee8 ,be strong and of a good courage2 be not afraid1 neither be thou dismayed3 for the ,lord thy ,god is with thee whithersoever thou goest4 7,joshua i4 #i47 ,thou1 therefore1 gird up thy loins1 and arise1 and speak unto them all that ,i command thee3 be not dismayed at their faces1 lest ,i confound thee before them4 ,for1 behold1 ,i have made thee this day a defenced city1 and an iron pillar1 and brazen walls against the whole land1 against the kings of ,judah1 against the princes thereof1 against the priests thereof1 and against the people of the land4 ,and they shall fight against thee1 but they shall not prevail against thee2 for ,i am with thee1 saith the ,lord1 to deliver thee4 7,jer4 i4 #ag-ai47 ,when the servant of ,christ stands upon the elevated ground set forth in the above quotations1 he will not look this way and that way2 he will act on wisdom's heavenly counsel--,let thine eyes look straight on1 and thine eyelids look straight before thee4 ,divine intelligence will ever lead us to look upward and onward4 ,whenever we look around to shun a mortal's frown or catch his smile1 we may rest assured there is something wrong2 we are off the proper ground of divine service4 ,we lack the assurance of holding the divine commission and of enjoying the divine presence1 both of which are absolutely essential4 ,true1 there are many who1 through profound ignorance1 or excessive self-confidence1 stand forward in a sphere of service for which ,god never intended them1 and for which ,he therefore never qualified them4 ,and not only do they thus stand forward1 but they exhibit an amount of coolness and self-possession perfectly amazing to those who are capable of forming an impartial judgment about their gifts and merits4 ,but all this will very speedily find its level2 nor does it in the least interfere with the integrity of the principle that nothing can effectually deliver a man from the tendency to look this way and that way save the consciousness of the divine commission and the divine presence4 ,when these are possessed1 there is entire deliverance from human influence1 and consequent independence4 ,no man is in a position to serve others who is not wholly independent of them2 but a man who knows his proper place can stoop and wash his brethren's feet4 ,when we turn away our eyes from man1 and fix them upon the only true and perfect ,servant1 we do not find ,him looking this way and that way1 for this simple reason1 that ,he never had ,his eye upon men1 but always upon ,god4 ,he feared not the wrath of man1 nor sought his favor4 ,he never opened ,his lips to elicit human applause1 nor kept them closed to avoid human censure4 ,this gave holy stability and elevation to all ,he said and did4 ,of ,him alone could it be truly said1 ,his leaf shall not wither1 and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper4 ,everything ,he did turned to profitable account1 because everything was done to ,god4 ,every action1 every word1 every movement1 every look1 every thought1 was like a beauteous cluster of fruit1 sent up to refresh the heart of ,god4 ,he was never afraid of the results of ,his work1 because ,he always acted with and for ,god1 and in the full intelligence of ,his mind4 ,his own will1 though divinely perfect1 never once mingled itself in aught that ,he did1 as a man1 on the earth4 ,he could say1 ,i came down from heaven1 not to do ,mine own will1 but the will of ,him that sent ,me4 ,hence1 ,he brought forth fruit in its season4 ,he did always those things which pleased the ,father1 and therefore never had any occasion to fear1 to repent1 or to look this way and that way4 ,now in this1 as in everything else1 the blessed ,master stands in marked contrast with ,his most honored and eminent servants4 ,even a ,moses feared1 and a ,paul repented2 but the ,lord ,jesus never did either4 ,he never had to retrace a step1 to recall a word1 or correct a thought4 ,all was absolutely perfect3 all was fruit in season4 ,the current of ,his holy and heavenly life flowed onward without a ripple and without a curve4 ,his will was divinely subject4 ,the best and most devoted men make mistakes2 but it is perfectly certain that the more we are enabled1 through grace1 to mortify our own will1 the fewer our mistakes will be4 ,truly happy it is when1 in the main1 our path is really a path of faith and single-eyed devotedness to ,christ4 ,thus it was with ,moses4 ,he was a man of faith--a man who drank deeply into the spirit of his ,master1 and walked with marvelous steadiness in ,his footprints4 ,true1 he anticipated1 as has been remarked1 by forty years1 the ,lord's time of judgment on ,egypt and deliverance for ,israel2 yet1 when we turn to the inspired commentary1 in ,hebrews xi1 we find nothing about this2 we there find only the divine principle upon which1 in the main1 his course was founded4 ,by faith ,moses1 when he was come to years1 refused to be called the son of ,pharaoh's daughter1 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of ,god than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season2 esteeming the reproach of ,christ greater riches than the treasures in ,egypt2 for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward4 ,by faith he forsook ,egypt1 not fearing the wrath of the king2 for he endured as seeing ,him who is invisible4 7,ver4 #bd-bg47 ,this quotation furnishes a most gracious view of the actings of ,moses4 ,it is ever thus the ,holy ,ghost deals with the history of ,old ,testament saints4 ,when ,he writes a man's history1 ,he presents him to us as he is1 and faithfully sets forth all his failures and imperfections4 ,but when1 in the ,new ,testament1 ,he comments upon such history1 ,he merely gives the real principle and main result of a man's life4 ,hence1 though we read1 in ,exodus1 that ,moses looked this way and that way--that he feared and said1 ',surely this thing is known1' and1 finally1 ,moses fled from the face of ,pharaoh2 yet we are taught1 in ,hebrews1 that what he did1 he did by faith--that he did not fear the wrath of the king--that he endured as seeing ,him who is invisible4 ,thus will it be1 by and by1 when the ,lord comes1 who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness1 and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts3 and then shall every man have praise of ,god4 7#a ,cor4 iv4 #e47 ,this is a precious and consolatory truth for every upright mind and every loyal heart4 ,many a counsel the heart may form1 which1 from various causes1 the hand may not be able to execute4 ,all such counsels will be made manifest when the ,lord comes4 ,blessed be the grace that has told us so6 ,the affectionate counsels of the heart are far more precious to ,christ than the most elaborate works of the hand4 ,the latter may shine before the eye of man2 the former are designed only for the heart of ,jesus4 ,the latter may be spoken of amongst men2 the former will be made manifest before ,god and ,his holy angels4 ,may all the servants of ,christ have their hearts undividedly occupied with ,his person1 and their eyes steadily fixed upon ,his advent4 ,in contemplating the path of ,moses1 we observe how that faith led him entirely athwart the ordinary course of nature4 ,it led him to despise all the pleasures1 the attractions1 and the honors of ,pharaoh's court4 ,and not only that1 but also to relinquish an apparently wide sphere of usefulness4 ,human expediency would have conducted him along quite an opposite path4 ,it would have led him to use his influence on behalf of the people of ,god--to act for them instead of suffering with them4 ,according to man's judgment1 providence would seem to have opened for ,moses a wide and most important sphere of labor2 and surely1 if ever the hand of ,god was manifest in placing a man in a distinct position1 it was in his case4 ,by a most marvelous interposition--by a most unaccountable chain of circumstances1 every link of which displayed the finger of the ,almighty--by an order of events which no human foresight could have arranged1 had the daughter of ,pharaoh been made the instrument of drawing ,moses out of the water1 and of nourishing and educating him until he was full forty years old4 ,with all these circumstances in his view1 to abandon his high1 honorable1 and influential position1 could only be regarded as the result of a misguided zeal which no sound judgment could approve4 ,thus might poor blind nature reason4 ,but faith thought differently2 for nature and faith are always at issue4 ,they cannot agree upon a single point4 ,nor is there anything1 perhaps1 in reference to which they differ so widely as what are commonly called openings of providence4 ,nature will constantly regard such openings as warrants for self-indulgence2 whereas faith will find in them opportunities for self-denial4 ,jonah might have deemed it a very remarkable opening of providence to find a ship going to ,tarshish2 but1 in truth1 it was an opening through which he slipped off the path of obedience4 ,no doubt it is the ,christian's privilege to see his ,father's hand1 and hear ,his voice1 in everything2 but he is not to be guided by circumstances4 ,a ,christian so guided is like a vessel at sea without rudder or compass2 she is at the mercy of the waves and the winds4 ,god's promise to ,his child is1 ,i will guide thee with ,mine eye4 7,ps4 xxxii4 #h47 ,his warning is1 ,be not as the horse or as the mule1 which have no understanding2 whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle1 lest they come near unto thee4 ,it is much better to be guided by our ,father's eye than by the bit and bridle of circumstances2 and we know that1 in the ordinary acceptation of the term1 providence is only another word for the impulse of circumstances4 ,now1 the power of faith may constantly be seen in refusing and forsaking the apparent openings of providence4 ,it was so in the case of ,moses4 ,by faith he refused to be called the son of ,pharaoh's daughter1 and by faith he forsook ,egypt4 ,had he judged according to the sight of his eyes1 he would have grasped at the proffered dignity1 as the manifest gift of a kind providence1 and he would have remained in the court of ,pharaoh as in a sphere of usefulness plainly thrown open to him by the hand of ,god4 ,but1 then1 he walked by faith1 and not by the sight of his eyes2 and hence he forsook all4 ,noble example6 ,may we have grace to follow it6 ,and observe what it was that ,moses esteemed greater riches than the treasures in ,egypt2 it was the reproach of ,christ4 ,it was not merely reproach for ,christ4 ,the reproaches of them that reproached ,thee have fallen upon ,me4 ,the ,lord ,jesus1 in perfect grace1 identified ,himself with ,his people4 ,he came down from heaven1 leaving ,his ,father's bosom1 and laying aside all ,his glory1 ,he took ,his people's place1 confessed their sins1 and bore their judgment on the cursed tree4 ,such was ,his voluntary devotedness2 ,he not merely acted for us1 but made ,himself one with us1 thus perfectly delivering us from all that was or could be against us4 ,hence we see how much in sympathy ,moses was with the spirit and mind of ,christ in reference to the people of ,god4 ,he was in the midst of all the ease1 the pomp1 and dignity of ,pharaoh's house1 where the pleasures of sin1 and the treasures of ,egypt1 lay scattered around him in richest profusion4 ,all these things he might have enjoyed if he would4 ,he could have lived and died in the midst of wealth and splendor2 his entire path1 from first to last1 might1 if he had chosen1 have been enlightened by the sunshine of royal favor3 but that would not have been faith2 it would not have been ,christlike4 ,from his elevated position1 he saw his brethren bowed down beneath their heavy burden1 and faith led him to see that his place was to be with them4 ,yes2 with them1 in all their reproach1 their bondage1 their degradation1 and their sorrow4 ,had he been actuated by mere benevolence1 philanthropy1 or patriotism1 he might have used his personal influence on behalf of his brethren4 ,he might have succeeded in inducing ,pharaoh to lighten their burden1 and render their path somewhat smoother1 by royal grants in their favor2 but this would never do1 never satisfy a heart that had a single pulsation in common with the heart of ,christ4 ,such a heart ,moses1 by the grace of ,god1 carried in his bosom2 and1 therefore1 with all the energies and all the affections of that heart1 he threw himself1 body1 soul1 and spirit1 into the very midst of his oppressed brethren4 ,he chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of ,god4 ,and1 moreover1 he did this by faith4 ,let my reader ponder this deeply4 ,we must not be satisfied with wishing well to1 doing service for1 or speaking kindly on behalf of1 the people of ,god4 ,we ought to be fully identified with them1 no matter how despised or reproached they may be4 ,it is1 in a measure1 an agreeable thing to be a benevolent and generous spirit1 to patronize ,christianity2 but it is a wholly different thing to be identified with ,christians1 or to suffer with ,christ4 ,a patron is one thing1 a martyr is quite another4 ,this distinction is apparent throughout the entire book of ,god4 ,obadiah took care of ,god's witnesses1 but ,elijah was a witness for ,god4 ,darius was so attached to ,daniel that he lost a night's rest on his account1 but ,daniel spent that self-same night in the lion's den1 as a witness for the truth of ,god4 ,nicodemus ventured to speak a word for ,christ1 but a more matured discipleship would have led him to identify himself with ,christ4 ,these considerations are eminently practical4 ,the ,lord ,jesus does not want patronage2 ,he wants fellowship4 ,the truth concerning ,him is declared to us1 not that we might patronize ,his cause on earth1 but have fellowship with ,his ,person in heaven4 ,he identified ,himself with us1 at the heavy cost of all that love could give4 ,he might have avoided this4 ,he might have continued to enjoy ,his eternal place in the bosom of the ,father4 ,but how1 then1 could that mighty tide of love1 which was pent up in ,his heart1 flow down to us guilty and hell-deserving sinners8 ,between ,him and us there could be no oneness1 save on conditions which involved the surrender of everything on ,his part4 ,but1 blessed1 throughout the everlasting ages1 be ,his adorable name1 that surrender was voluntarily made4 ,he gave ,himself for us1 that ,he might redeem us from all iniquity1 and purify unto ,himself a peculiar people1 zealous of good works4 7,titus ii4 #ad47 ,he would not enjoy ,his glory alone4 ,his loving heart would gratify itself by associating many sons with ,him in that glory4 ,father1 ,he says1 ,i will that they also1 whom ,thou hast given ,me1 be with ,me where ,i am2 that they may behold ,my glory1 which ,thou hast given ,me3 for ,thou lovedst ,me before the foundation of the world4 7,john xvii4 #bd47 ,such were the thoughts of ,christ in reference to ,his people2 and we can easily see how much in sympathy with these precious thoughts was the heart of ,moses4 ,he unquestionably partook largely of his ,master's spirit2 and he manifested that excellent spirit in freely sacrificing every personal consideration1 and associating himself1 unreservedly1 with the people of ,god4 ,the personal character and actings of this honored servant of ,god will come before us again in the next section of our book4 ,we shall here briefly consider him as a type of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,that he was a type of ,him is evident from the following passage1--,the ,lord thy ,god will raise up unto thee a ,prophet from the midst of thee1 of thy brethren1 like unto me2 unto ,him ye shall hearken4 7,deut4 xviii4 #ae47 ,we are not1 therefore1 trafficking in human imagination in viewing ,moses as a type2 it is the plain teaching of ,scripture1 and in the closing verses of ,exodus ii4 we see this type in a double way3 first1 in the matter of his rejection by ,israel2 and secondly1 in his union with a stranger in the land of ,midian4 ,these points have already been1 in some measure1 developed in the history of ,joseph1 who1 being cast out by his brethren according to the flesh1 forms an alliance with an ,egyptian bride4 ,here1 as in the case of ,moses1 we see shadowed forth ,christ's rejection by ,israel1 and ,his union with the ,church1 but in a different phase4 ,in ,joseph's case1 we have the exhibition of positive enmity against his person3 in ,moses1 it is the rejection of his mission4 ,in ,joseph's case1 we read1 ,they hated him1 and could not speak peaceably unto him4 7,gen4 xxxvii4 #d47 ,in the case of ,moses1 the word is1--,who made thee a prince and a judge over us8 ,in short1 the former was personally hated2 the latter1 officially refused4 ,so also in the mode in which the great mystery of the ,church is exemplified in the history of those two ,old ,testament saints4 ,asenath presents quite a different phase of the ,church from that which we have in the person of ,zipporah4 ,the former was united to ,joseph in the time of his exaltation2 the latter was the companion of ,moses in the obscurity of his desert life4 7,comp4 ,gen4 xli4 #da-de with ,exod4 ii4 #ae2 iii4 #a47 ,true1 both ,joseph and ,moses were1 at the time of their union with a stranger1 rejected by their brethren2 yet the former was governor over all the land of ,egypt2 whereas the latter tended a few sheep at the backside of the desert4 ,whether1 therefore1 we contemplate ,christ as manifested in glory1 or as hidden from the world's gaze1 the ,church is intimately associated with ,him4 ,and now1 inasmuch as the world seeth ,him not1 neither can it take knowledge of that body which is wholly one with ,him4 ,the world knoweth us not1 because it knew ,him not4 7#a ,john iii4 #a47 ,by and by1 ,christ will appear in ,his glory1 and the ,church with ,him4 ,when ,christ our life shall appear1 then shall ye also appear with ,him in glory4 7,col4 iii4 #d47 ,and again1 ,the glory which ,thou gavest ,me ,i have given them2 that they may be one1 even as ,we are one3 ,i in them1 and ,thou in ,me1 that they may be made perfect in one2 and that the world may know that ,thou hast sent ,me1 and hast loved them as ,thou hast loved ,me4 7,john xvii4 #bb1 #bc47c #c ,there are two distinct unities spoken of in ,john xvii4 #ba1 #bc4 ,the first is that unity which the ,church is responsible to have maintained1 but in which she has utterly failed4 ,the second is that unity which ,god will infallibly accomplish1 and which ,he will manifest in glory4 ,if the reader will turn to the passage1 he will at once see the difference1 both as to character and result1 of the two4 ,such1 then1 is the ,church's high and holy position4 ,she is one with ,him who is cast out by this world1 but who occupies the throne of the ,majesty in the heavens4 ,the ,lord ,jesus made ,himself responsible for her on the cross1 in order that she might share with ,him ,his present rejection and ,his future glory4 ,would that all who form a part of such a highly privileged body were more impressed with a sense of what becomes them as to course and character down here6 ,assuredly1 there should be a fuller and clearer response1 on the part of all the children of ,god1 to that love wherewith ,he has loved them1 to that salvation wherewith ,he has saved them1 and to that dignity wherewith ,he has invested them4 ,the walk of the ,christian should ever be the natural result of realized privilege1 and not the constrained result of legal vows and resolutions1--the proper fruit of a position known and enjoyed by faith1 and not the fruit of one's own efforts to reach a position by works of law4 ,all true believers are a part of the bride of ,christ2 hence1 they owe ,him those affections which become that relation4 ,the relationship is not obtained because of the affections1 but the affections flow out of the relationship4 ,so let it be1 ,o ,lord1 with all ,thy beloved and blood-bought people6 ,,chapter ,,iii4 ,we shall now resume the personal history of ,moses1 and contemplate him during that deeply interesting period of his career which he spent in retirement--a period including1 as we should say1 forty of his very best years--the prime of life4 ,this is full of meaning4 ,the ,lord had graciously1 wisely1 and faithfully led ,his dear servant apart from the eyes and thoughts of men1 in order that ,he might train him under ,his own immediate hand4 ,moses needed this4 ,true1 he had spent forty years in the house of ,pharaoh2 and1 while his sojourn there was not without its influence and value1 yet was it as nothing when compared with his sojourn in the desert4 ,the former might be valuable2 but the latter was indispensable4 ,nothing can possibly make up for the lack of secret communion with ,god1 or the training and discipline of ,his school4 ,all the wisdom of the ,egyptians would not have qualified ,moses for his future path4 ,he might have pursued a most brilliant course through the schools and colleges of ,egypt4 ,he might have come forth laden with literary honors--his intellect stored with learning1 and his heart full of pride and self-sufficiency4 ,he might have taken out his degree in the school of man1 and yet have to learn his alphabet in the school of ,god4 ,mere human wisdom and learning1 how valuable soever in themselves1 can never constitute any one a servant of ,god1 nor equip him for any department of divine service4 ,such things may qualify unrenewed nature to figure before the world2 but the man whom ,god will use must be endowed with widely-different qualifications--such qualifications as can alone be found in the deep and hallowed retirement of the ,lord's presence4 ,all ,god's servants have been made to know and experience the truth of these statements4 ,moses at ,horeb1 ,elijah at ,cherith1 ,ezekiel at ,chebar1 ,paul in ,arabia1 and ,john at ,patmos1 are all striking examples of the immense practical importance of being alone with ,god4 ,and when we look at the ,divine ,servant1 we find that the time ,he spent in private was nearly ten times as long as that which ,he spent in public4 ,he1 though perfect in understanding and in will1 spent nearly thirty years in the obscurity of a carpenter's house at ,nazareth ere ,he made ,his appearance in public4 ,and even when ,he had entered upon ,his public career1 how oft did ,he retreat from the gaze of men1 to enjoy the sweet and sacred retirement of the divine presence6 ,now we may feel disposed to ask1 ,how could the urgent demand for workmen ever be met if all need such protracted training1 in secret1 ere they come forth to their work8 ,this is the ,master's care--not ours4 ,he can provide the workmen1 and ,he can train them also4 ,this is not man's work4 ,god alone can provide and prepare a true minister4 ,nor is it a question with ,him as to the length of time needful for the education of such an one4 ,we know ,he could educate him in a moment1 if it were ,his will to do so4 ,one thing is evident1 namely1 that ,god has had all ,his servants very much alone with ,himself1 both before and after their entrance upon their public work2 nor will any one ever get on without this4 ,the absence of secret training and discipline will necessarily leave us barren1 superficial1 and theoretic4 ,a man who ventures forth upon a public career ere he has duly weighed himself in the balances of the sanctuary1 or measured himself in the presence of ,god1 is like a ship putting out to sea without proper ballast3 he will doubtless overset with the first stiff breeze4 ,on the contrary1 there is a depth1 a solidity1 and a steadiness flowing from our having passed from form to form in the school of ,god1 which are essential elements in the formation of the character of a true and effective servant of ,god4 ,hence1 therefore1 when we find ,moses1 at the age of forty years1 taken apart from all the dignity and splendor of a court1 for the purpose of spending forty years in the obscurity of a desert1 we are led to expect a remarkable course of service2 nor are we disappointed4 ,the man whom ,god educates is educated1 and none other4 ,it lies not within the range of man to prepare an instrument for the service of ,god4 ,the hand of man could never mould a vessel meet for the ,master's use4 ,the ,one who is to use the vessel can alone prepare it2 and we have before us a singularly beautiful sample of ,his mode of preparation4 ,now1 ,moses kept the flock of ,jethro1 his father-in-law1 the priest of ,midian2 and he led the flock to the backside of the desert1 and came to the mountain of ,god1 even to ,horeb4 7,exod4 iii4 #a47 ,here1 then1 we have a marvelous change of circumstances4 ,in ,genesis1 chapter xlvi4 #ca1 we read1 ,every shepherd is an abomination to the ,egyptians2 and yet ,moses1 who was learned in all the wisdom of the ,egyptians1 is transferred from the ,egyptian court to the back of a mountain to tend a flock of sheep1 and to be educated for the service of ,god4 ,assuredly1 this is not the manner of man4 ,this is not nature's line of things4 ,flesh and blood could not understand this4 ,we should have thought that ,moses' education was finished when he had become master of all ,egypt's wisdom1 and that1 moreover1 in immediate connection with the rare advantages which a court life affords4 ,we should have expected to find in one so highly favored1 not only a solid and varied education1 but also such an exquisite polish as would fit him for any sphere of action to which he might be called4 ,but then1 to find such a man with such attainments1 called away from such a position to mind sheep at the back of a mountain1 is something entirely beyond the utmost stretch of human thought and feeling4 ,it lays prostrate in the dust all man's pride and glory4 ,it declares plainly that this world's appliances are of little value in the divine estimation2 yea1 they are as dung and dross1 not only in the eyes of the ,lord1 but also in the eyes of all those who have been taught in ,his school4 ,there is a very wide difference between human and divine education4 ,the former has for its end the refinement and exaltation of nature2 the latter begins with withering it up and setting it aside4 ,the natural man receiveth not the things of the ,spirit of ,god2 for they are foolishness unto him2 neither can he know them1 because they are spiritually discerned4 7#a ,cor4 ii4 #ad47 ,educate the natural man as much as you please1 and you cannot make him a spiritual man4 ,that which is born of the flesh is flesh2 and that which is born of the ,spirit is spirit4 7,john iii4 #f47 ,if ever an educated natural man might look for success in the service of ,god1 ,moses might have counted upon it2 he was grown1 he was learned1 he was mighty in word and deed1 and yet he had to learn something at the backside of the desert which ,egypt's schools could never have taught him4 ,paul learnt more in ,arabia than ever he had learnt at the feet of ,gamaliel4#d ,none can teach like ,god2 and all who will learn of ,him must be alone with ,him4 #d ,let not my reader suppose for a moment that the design of the above remarks is to detract from the value of really useful information1 or the proper culture of the mental powers4 ,by no means4 ,if1 for example1 he is a parent1 let him store his child's mind with useful knowledge2 let him teach him everything which may1 hereafter1 turn to account in the ,master's service3 let him not burden him with aught which he would have to lay aside in running his ,christian course1 nor conduct him1 for educational purposes1 through a region from which it is well-nigh impossible to come forth with an unsoiled mind4 ,you might just as well shut him up for ten years in a coal mine in order to qualify him for discussing the properties of light and shade1 as cause him to wade through the mire of a heathen mythology in order to fit him for the interpretation of the oracles of ,god1 or prepare him for feeding the flock of ,christ4 ,in the desert ,god will teach thee4 ,there it was that ,moses learnt his sweetest1 deepest1 most influential and enduring lessons4 ,thither1 too1 must all repair who mean to be educated for the ministry4 ,beloved reader1 may you prove1 in your own deep experience1 the real meaning of the backside of the desert--that sacred spot where nature is laid in the dust1 and ,god alone exalted4 ,there it is that men and things1 the world and self1 present circumstances and their influences1 are all valued at what they are really worth4 ,there it is1 and there alone1 that you will find a divinely-adjusted balance in which to weigh all within and all around4 ,there are no false colors1 no borrowed plumes1 no empty pretentions there4 ,the enemy of your soul cannot gild the sand of that place4 ,all is reality there4 ,the heart that has found itself in the presence of ,god1 at the backside of the desert1 has right thoughts about everything4 ,it is raised far above the exciting influence of this world's schemes4 ,the din and noise1 the bustle and confusion of ,egypt do not fall upon the ear in that distant place4 ,the crash in the monetary and commercial world is not heard there2 the sigh of ambition is not heaved there2 this world's fading laurels do not tempt there2 the thirst for gold is not felt there2 the eye is never dimmed with lust1 nor the heart swollen with pride there2 human applause does not elate1 nor human censure depress there4 ,in a word1 everything is set aside save the stillness and light of the divine presence4 ,god's voice alone is heard1 ,his light enjoyed1 ,his thoughts received4 ,this is the place to which all must go to be educated for the ministry2 and there all must remain if they would succeed in the ministry4 ,would that all who come forward to serve in public knew more of what it is to breathe the atmosphere of this place4 ,we should then have far less vapid attempts at ministry1 but far more effective ,christ-honoring service4 ,let us now inquire what ,moses saw and what he heard at the backside of the desert4 ,we shall find him learning lessons which lay far beyond the reach of ,egypt's most gifted masters4 ,it might appear1 in the eyes of human reason1 a strange loss of time for a man like ,moses to spend forty years doing nothing save to keep a few sheep in the wilderness4 ,but he was there with ,god1 and the time that is thus spent is never lost4 ,it is salutary for us to remember that there is something more than mere doing necessary on the part of a true servant4 ,a man who is always doing will be apt to do too much4 ,such an one would need to ponder over the deeply-practical words of the perfect ,servant1 ,he wakeneth morning by morning1 ,he wakeneth ,mine ear to hear as the learned4 7,is4 l4 #d47 ,this is an indispensable part of the servant's business4 ,the servant must frequently stand in his master's presence1 in order that he may know what he has to do4 ,the ear and the tongue are intimately connected1 in more ways than one2 but1 in a spiritual or moral point of view1 if my ear be closed and my tongue loose1 ,i shall be sure to talk a great deal of folly4 ,wherefore1 my beloved brethren1 let every man be swift to hear1 slow to speak4 7,james i4 #ai47 ,this seasonable admonition is based upon two facts1 namely1 that everything good comes from above1 and that the heart is brimful of naughtiness1 ready to flow over4 ,hence the need of keeping the ear open and the tongue quiet1--rare and admirable attainments6--attainments in which ,moses made great proficiency at the backside of the desert1 and which all can acquire if only they are disposed to learn in that school4 ,and the angel of the ,lord appeared unto him in a flame of fire1 out of the midst of a bush3 and he looked1 and behold the bush burned with fire1 and the bush was not consumed4 ,and ,moses said1 ',i will now turn aside1 and see this great sight1 why the bush is not burnt4' 7,chap4 iii4 #b1 #c47 ,this was truly a great sight--a bush burning1 yet not burnt4 ,the palace of ,pharaoh could never have afforded such a sight4 ,but it was a gracious sight as well as a great sight1 for therein was strikingly exhibited the condition of ,god's elect4 ,they were in the furnace of ,egypt2 and ,jehovah reveals ,himself in a burning bush4 ,but as the bush was not consumed1 so neither were they1 for ,god was there4 ,the ,lord of hosts is with us1 the ,god of ,jacob is our refuge4 7,psalm xlvi47 ,here is strength and security--victory and peace4 ,god with us1 ,god in us1 and ,god for us4 ,this is ample provision for every exigence4 ,nothing can be more interesting or instructive than the mode in which ,jehovah was pleased to reveal ,himself to ,moses1 as presented in the above quotation4 ,he was about to furnish him with his commission to lead forth ,his people out of ,egypt1 that they might be ,his assembly--,his dwelling-place1 in the wilderness and in the land of ,canaan2 and the place from which ,he speaks is a burning bush4 ,apt1 solemn1 and beautiful symbol of ,jehovah dwelling in the midst of ,his elect and redeemed congregation6 ,our ,god is a consuming fire1 not to consume us1 but to consume all in us and about us which is contrary to ,his holiness1 and1 as such1 subversive of our true and permanent happiness4 ,thy testimonies are very sure2 holiness becometh ,thy house1 ,o ,lord1 forever4 ,there are various instances1 both in the ,old and ,new ,testaments1 in which we find ,god displaying ,himself as a consuming fire4 ,look1 for example1 at the case of ,nadab and ,abihu1 in ,leviticus x4 ,this was a deeply solemn occasion4 ,god was dwelling in the midst of ,his people1 and ,he would keep them in a condition worthy of ,himself4 ,he could not do otherwise4 ,it would neither be for ,his glory nor for their profit were ,he to tolerate aught in them inconsistent with the purity of ,his presence4 ,god's dwelling-place must be holy4 ,so1 also1 in ,joshua vii4 we have another striking proof1 in the case of ,achan1 that ,jehovah could not possibly sanction1 by ,his presence1 evil1 in any shape or form1 how covert soever that evil might be4 ,he was a consuming fire1 and as such ,he should act1 in reference to any attempt to defile that assembly in the midst of which ,he dwelt4 ,to seek to connect ,god's presence with evil unjudged is the very highest character of wickedness4 ,again1 in ,acts v1 ,ananias and ,sapphira teach us the same solemn lesson4 ,god the ,holy ,ghost was dwelling in the midst of the ,church1 not merely as an influence1 but as a divine ,person1 in such a way as that one could lie to ,him4 ,the ,church was1 and is still1 ,his dwelling-place2 and ,he must rule and judge in the midst thereof4 ,men may walk in company with deceit1 covetousness1 and hypocrisy2 but ,god cannot4 ,if ,god is going to walk with us1 we must judge our ways1 or ,he will judge them for us4 7,see also #a ,cor4 xi4 #bi-cb47 ,in all these cases1 and many more which might be adduced1 we see the force of that solemn word1 ,holiness becometh ,thy house1 ,o ,lord1 forever4 ,the moral effect of this will ever be similar to that produced in the case of ,moses1 as recorded in our chapter4 ,draw not nigh hither3 put off thy shoes from off thy feet1 for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground4 7,verse #e47 ,the place of ,god's presence is holy1 and can only be trodden with unshod feet4 ,god1 dwelling in the midst of ,his people1 imparts a character of holiness to their assembly1 which is the basis of every holy affection and every holy activity4 ,the character of the dwelling-place takes its stamp from the character of the ,occupant4 ,the application of this to the ,church1 which is now the habitation of ,god1 through the ,spirit1 is of the very utmost practical importance4 ,while it is blessedly true that ,god1 by ,his ,spirit1 inhabits each individual member of the ,church1 thereby imparting a character of holiness to the individual2 it is equally true that ,he dwells in the assembly1 and hence the assembly must be holy4 ,the centre round which the members are gathered is nothing less than the ,person of a living1 victorious1 and glorified ,christ4 ,the energy by which they are gathered is nothing less than ,god the ,holy ,ghost2 and the ,lord ,god ,almighty dwells in them and walks in them4 7,see ,matt4 xviii4 #bj2 #a ,cor4 vi4 #ai2 iii4 #af1 #ag2 ,eph4 ii4 #ba1 #bb47 ,such being the holy elevation belonging to ,god's dwelling-place1 it is evident that nothing which is unholy1 either in principle or practice1 must be tolerated4 ,each one connected therewith should feel the weight and solemnity of that word1 ,the place whereon thou standest is holy ground4 ,if any man defile the temple of ,god1 him shall ,god destroy4 7#a ,cor4 iii4 #ag47 ,most weighty words these1 for every member of ,god's assembly--for every stone in ,his holy temple6 ,may we all learn to tread ,jehovah's courts with unshod feet6 ,however1 the visions of ,horeb bear witness to the grace of the ,god of ,israel as well as to ,his holiness4 ,if ,god's holiness is infinite1 ,his grace is infinite also2 and while the manner in which ,he revealed ,himself to ,moses declared the former1 the very fact of ,his revealing ,himself at all evidenced the latter4 ,he came down because ,he was gracious2 but when come down1 ,he should reveal ,himself as holy4 ,moreover he said1 ',i am the ,god of thy father1 the ,god of ,abraham1 the ,god of ,isaac1 and the ,god of ,jacob4' ,and ,moses hid his face2 for he was afraid to look upon ,god4 7,verse #f47 ,the effect of the divine presence must ever be to make nature hide itself2 and when we stand before ,god with unshod feet and covered head--i4e41 in the attitude of soul which those acts so aptly and beautifully express1 we are prepared to hearken to the sweet accents of grace4 ,when man takes his suited place1 ,god can speak in the language of unmingled mercy4 ,and the ,lord said1 ',i have surely seen the affliction of ,my people which are in ,egypt1 and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters2 for ,i know their sorrows2 and ,i am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the ,egyptians1 and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large1 unto a land flowing with milk and honey4444 ,now1 therefore1 behold1 the cry of the children of ,israel is come unto ,me2 and ,i have also seen the oppression wherewith the ,egyptians oppress them4' 7,ver4 #g-i47 ,here the absolute1 free1 unconditional grace of the ,god of ,abraham1 and the ,god of ,abraham's seed1 shines forth in all its native brightness1 unhindered by the ifs and buts1 the vows1 resolutions1 and conditions of man's legal spirit4 ,god had come down to display ,himself1 in sovereign grace1 to do the whole work of salvation1 to accomplish ,his promise made to ,abraham1 and repeated to ,isaac and ,jacob4 ,he had not come down to see if1 indeed1 the subjects of ,his promise were in such a condition as to merit ,his salvation3 it was sufficient for ,him that they needed it4 ,their oppressed state1 their sorrows1 their tears1 their sighs1 their heavy bondage1 had all come in review before ,him2 for1 blessed be ,his name1 ,he counts ,his people's sighs1 and puts their tears into ,his bottle4 ,he was not attracted by their excellencies or their virtues4 ,it was not on the ground of aught that was good in them1 either seen or foreseen1 that ,he was about to visit them1 for ,he knew what was in them4 ,in one word1 we have the true ground of ,his gracious acting set before us in the words1 ,i am the ,god of ,abraham1 and ,i have seen the affliction of ,my people4 ,these words reveal a great fundamental principle in the ways of ,god4 ,it is on the ground of what ,he is that ,he ever acts4 ,i ,,am1 secures all for ,,my ,,people4 ,assuredly1 ,he was not going to leave ,his people amid the brick-kilns of ,egypt1 and under the lash of ,pharaoh's taskmasters4 ,they were ,his people1 and ,he would act toward them in a manner worthy of ,himself4 ,to be ,his people1--to be the favored objects of ,jehovah's electing love--the subjects of ,his unconditional promise1 settled everything4 ,nothing should hinder the public display of ,his relationship with those for whom ,his eternal purpose had secured the land of ,canaan4 ,he had come down to deliver them2 and the combined power of earth and hell could not hold them in captivity one hour beyond ,his appointed time4 ,he might and did use ,egypt as a school1 and ,pharaoh as a schoolmaster2 but when the needed work was accomplished1 both the school and the schoolmaster were set aside1 and ,his people were brought forth with a high hand and an outstretched arm4 ,such1 then1 was the double character of the revelation made to ,moses at ,mount ,horeb4 ,what he saw and what he heard combined the two elements of holiness and grace1--elements which1 as we know1 enter into and distinctly characterize all the ways and all the relationships of the blessed ,god1 and which should also mark the ways of all those who in any wise act for1 or have fellowship with1 ,him4 ,every true servant is sent forth from the immediate presence of ,god1 with all its holiness and all its grace2 and he is called to be holy and gracious--he is called to be the reflection of the grace and holiness of the divine character2 and1 in order that he may be so1 he should not only start from the immediate presence of ,god at the first1 but abide there1 in spirit1 habitually4 ,this is the true secret of effectual service4 ,childlike1 attend what ,thou wilt say1 ,go forth and do it1 while 'tis day1 ,yet never leave my sweet retreat4 ,the spiritual man alone can understand the meaning of the two things1 go forth and do1 and1 yet never leave4 ,in order to act for ,god outside1 ,i should be with ,him inside4 ,i must be in the secret sanctuary of ,his presence1 else ,i shall utterly fail4 ,very many break down on this point4 ,there is the greatest possible danger of getting out of the solemnity and calmness of the divine presence1 amid the bustle of intercourse with men1 and the excitement of active service4 ,this is to be carefully guarded against4 ,if we lose that hallowed tone of spirit which is expressed in the unshod foot1 our service will very speedily become vapid and unprofitable4 ,if ,i allow my work to get between my heart and the ,master1 it will be little worth4 ,we can only effectually serve ,christ as we are enjoying ,him4 ,it is while the heart dwells upon ,his powerful attractions that the hands perform the most acceptable service to ,his name2 nor is there any one who can minister ,christ with unction1 freshness1 and power to others1 if he be not feeding upon ,christ1 in the secret of his own soul4 ,true1 he may preach a sermon1 deliver a lecture1 utter prayers1 write a book1 and go through the entire routine of outward service1 and yet not minister ,christ4 ,the man who will present ,christ to others must be occupied with ,christ for himself4 ,happy is the man who ministers thus1 whatever be the success or reception of his ministry4 ,for should his ministry fail to attract attention1 to command influence1 or to produce apparent results1 he has his sweet retreat and his unfailing portion in ,christ1 of which nothing can deprive him4 ,whereas1 the man who is merely feeding upon the fruits of his ministry1 who delights in the gratification which it affords1 or the attention and interest which it commands1 is like a mere pipe1 conveying water to others1 and retaining only rust itself4 ,this is a most deplorable condition to be in2 and yet is it the actual condition of every servant who is more occupied with his work and its results1 than with the ,master and ,his glory4 ,this is a matter which calls for the most rigid self-judgment4 ,the heart is deceitful1 and the enemy is crafty2 and hence there is great need to hearken to the word of exhortation1 ,be sober1 be vigilant4 ,it is when the soul is awakened to a sense of the varied and manifold dangers which beset the servant's path1 that it is1 in any measure1 able to understand the need there is for being much alone with ,god3 it is there one is secure and happy4 ,it is when we begin1 continue1 and end our work at the ,master's feet1 that our service will be of the right kind4 ,from all that has been said1 it must be evident to my reader that every servant of ,christ will find the air of the backside of the desert most salutary4 ,horeb is really the starting-post for all whom ,god sends forth to act for ,him4 ,it was at ,horeb that ,moses learnt to put off his shoes and hide his face4 ,forty years before1 he had gone to work2 but his movement was premature4 ,it was amid the flesh-subduing solitudes of the mount of ,god1 and forth from the burning bush1 that the divine commission fell on the servant's ear1 ,come now1 therefore1 and ,i will send thee unto ,pharaoh1 that thou mayest bring forth my people1 the children of ,israel1 out of ,egypt4 7,ver4 #aj47 ,here was real authority4 ,there is a vast difference between ,god sending a man1 and a man running unsent4 ,but it is very manifest that ,moses was not ripe for service when first he set about acting4 ,if forty years of secret training were needful for him1 how could he have got on without it8 ,impossible6 ,he had to be divinely educated and divinely commissioned2 and so must all who go forth upon a path of service or testimony for ,christ4 ,o1 that these holy lessons may be deeply graven on all our hearts1 that so our every work may wear upon it the stamp of the ,master's authority and the ,master's approval4 ,however1 we have something further to learn at the foot of ,mount ,horeb4 ,the soul finds it seasonable to linger in this place4 ,it is good to be here4 ,the presence of ,god is ever a deeply practical place2 the heart is sure to be laid open there4 ,the light that shines in that holy place makes everything manifest2 and this is what is so much needed in the midst of the hollow pretension around us1 and the pride and self-complacency within4 ,we might be disposed to think that the very moment the divine commission was given to ,moses1 his reply would be1 ,here am ,i1 or1 ,lord1 what wilt ,thou have me to do8 ,but no2 he had yet to be brought to this4 ,doubtless1 he was affected by the remembrance of his former failure4 ,if a man acts in anything without ,god1 he is sure to be discouraged1 even when ,god is sending him4 ,and ,moses said unto ,god1 ',who am ,i that ,i should go unto ,pharaoh1 and that ,i should bring forth the children of ,israel out of ,egypt8' 7,ver4 #aa47 ,this is very unlike the man who1 forty years before1 supposed that his brethren would have understood how that ,god by his hand would deliver them4 ,such is man6--at one time too hasty2 at another time too slow4 ,moses had learnt a great deal since the day in which he smote the ,egyptian4 ,he had grown in the knowledge of himself1 and this produced diffidence and timidity4 ,but then he manifestly lacked confidence in ,god4 ,if ,i am merely looking at myself1 ,i shall do nothing2 but if ,i am looking at ,christ1 ,i can do all things4 ,thus1 when diffidence and timidity led ,moses to say1 ,who am ,i8 ,god's answer was1 ,certainly ,i will be with thee4 7,ver4 #ab47 ,this ought to have been sufficient4 ,if ,god be with me1 it makes very little matter who ,i am1 or what ,i am4 ,when ,god says1 ,i will send thee1 and ,i will be with thee1 the servant is amply furnished with divine authority and divine power2 and he ought1 therefore1 to be perfectly satisfied to go forth4 ,but ,moses puts another question2 for the human heart is full of questions4 ,and ,moses said unto ,god1 ',behold1 when ,i come unto the children of ,israel and shall say unto them1 ,the ,god of your fathers hath sent me unto you2 and they shall say to me1 ,what is ,his name8 what shall ,i say unto them8' ,it is marvelous to see how the human heart reasons and questions1 when unhesitating obedience is that which is due to ,god2 and still more marvelous is the grace that bears with all the reasonings and answers all the questions4 ,each question seems but to elicit some new feature of divine grace4 ,and ,god said unto ,moses1 ',i ,,am ,,that ,i ,,am2' and ,he said1 ',thus shalt thou say unto the children of ,israel1 ,i ,,am hath sent me unto you4' 7,ver4 #ad47 ,the title which ,god here gives ,himself is one of wondrous significancy4 ,in tracing through ,scripture the various names which ,god takes1 we find them intimately connected with the varied need of those with whom ,he was in relation4 ,jehovah-jireh 7the ,lord will provide71 ,jehovah-nissi 7the ,lord my banner71 ,jehovah-shalom 7the ,lord send peace71 ,jehovah-tsidkenu 7the ,lord our righteousness71--all these ,his gracious titles are unfolded to meet the necessities of ,his people2 and when ,he calls ,himself ,i ,,am1 it comprehends them all4 ,jehovah1 in taking this title1 was furnishing ,his people with a blank check1 to be filled up to any amount4 ,he calls ,himself ,i ,,am1 and faith has but to write over against that ineffably precious name whatever we want4 ,god is the only significant figure1 and human need may add the ciphers4 ,if we want life1 ,christ says1 ,i ,,am the life2 if we want righteousness1 ,he is ,,the ,,lord ,,our ,,righteousness2 if we want peace1 ,he is our peace2 if we want wisdom1 sanctification1 and redemption1 ,he is made all these unto us4 ,in a word1 we may travel through the wide range of human necessity1 in order to have a just conception of the amazing depth and fullness of this profound and adorable name1 ,i ,,am4 ,what a mercy to be called to walk in companionship with ,one who bears such a name as this6 ,we are in the wilderness1 and there we have to meet with trial1 sorrow1 and difficulty2 but1 so long as we have the happy privilege of betaking ourselves1 at all times and under all circumstances1 to ,one who reveals ,himself in ,his manifold grace1 in connection with our every necessity and weakness1 we need not fear the wilderness4 ,god was about to bring ,his people across the sandy desert1 when ,he disclosed this precious and comprehensive name2 and although the believer now1 as being endowed with the ,spirit of adoption1 can cry1 ,abba1 ,father1 yet is he not deprived of the privilege of enjoying communion with ,god in each and every one of those manifestations which ,he has been pleased to make of ,himself4 ,for example1 the title ,god reveals ,him as acting in the solitariness of ,his own being1 displaying ,his eternal power and ,godhead in the works of creation4 ,the ,lord ,god is the title which ,he takes in connection with man4 ,then1 as the ,almighty ,god1 ,he rises before the view of ,his servant ,abraham1 in order to assure his heart in reference to the accomplishment of ,his promise touching the seed4 ,as ,jehovah1 ,he made ,himself known to ,israel1 in delivering them out of the land of ,egypt1 and bringing them into the land of ,canaan4 ,such were the various measures and various modes in which ,god spake in times past unto the fathers1 by the prophets 7,heb4 i4 #a472 and the believer1 under this dispensation or economy1 as possessing the ,spirit of sonship1 can say1 ,it was my ,father who thus revealed ,himself1 thus spoke1 thus acted4 ,nothing can be more interesting or practically important in its way than to follow out those great dispensational titles of ,god4 ,these titles are always used in strict moral consistency with the circumstances under which they are disclosed2 but there is1 in the name ,i ,,am1 a height1 a depth1 a length1 a breadth1 which truly pass beyond the utmost stretch of human conception4 ,when ,god would teach mankind ,his name1 ,he calls ,himself the great ',i ,,am1' ,and leaves a blank--believers may ,supply those things for which they pray4 ,and1 be it observed1 it is only in connection with ,his own people that ,he takes this name4 ,he did not address ,pharaoh in this name4 ,when speaking to him1 ,he calls ,himself by that commanding and majestic title1 ,the ,lord ,god of the ,hebrews2 i4e41 ,god1 in connection with the very people whom he was seeking to crush4 ,this ought to have been sufficient to show ,pharaoh his awful position with respect to ,god4 ,i ,,am would have conveyed no intelligible sound to an uncircumcised ear--no divine reality to an unbelieving heart4 ,when ,god manifest in the flesh declared to the unbelieving ,jews of ,his day those words1 ,before ,abraham was1 ,i am1 they took up stones to cast at ,him4 ,it is only the true believer who can feel1 in any measure1 the power1 or enjoy the sweetness1 of that ineffable name1 ,i ,,am4 ,such an one can rejoice to hear from the lips of the blessed ,lord ,jesus such declarations as these3--,i am that bread of life1 ,i am the light of the world1 ,i am the good ,shepherd1 ,i am the resurrection and the life1 ,i am the way1 the truth1 and the life1 ,i am the true vine1 ,i am ,alpha and ,omega1 ,i am the bright and morning star4 ,in a word1 he can take every name of divine excellence and beauty1 and1 having placed it after ,i ,,am1 find ,,jesus therein1 and admire1 adore1 and worship4 ,thus1 there is a sweetness1 as well as a comprehensiveness1 in the name ,i ,,am1 which is beyond all power of expression4 ,each believer can find therein that which exactly suits his own spiritual need1 whatever it be4 ,there is not a single winding in all the ,christian's wilderness journey1 not a single phase of his soul's experience1 not a single point in his condition1 which is not divinely met by this title1 for the simplest of all reasons1 that whatever he wants1 he has but to place it1 by faith1 over against ,i ,,am and find it all in ,jesus4 ,to the believer1 therefore1 however feeble and faltering1 there is unmingled blessedness in this name4 ,but although it was to the elect of ,god that ,moses was commanded to say1 ,i ,,am hath sent me unto you1 yet is there deep solemnity and reality in that name when looked at with reference to the unbeliever4 ,if one who is yet in his sins contemplates1 for a moment1 this amazing title1 he cannot1 surely1 avoid asking himself the question1 ,how do ,i stand as to this ,being who calls ,himself1 ,i ,,am ,,that ,i ,,am8 ,if1 indeed1 it be true that ,,he ,,is1 then what is ,he to me8 ,what am ,i to write over against this solemn name1 ,i ,,am8 ,i shall not rob this question of its characteristic weight and power by any words of my own2 but ,i pray that ,god the ,holy ,ghost may make it searching to the conscience of any reader who really needs to be searched thereby4 ,i cannot close this section without calling the attention of the ,christian reader to the deeply interesting declaration contained in the fifteenth verse1--,and ,god said1 moreover1 unto ,moses1 ',thus shalt thou say unto the children of ,israel1 ,the ,lord ,god of your fathers1 the ,god of ,abraham1 the ,god of ,isaac1 and the ,god of ,jacob1 hath sent me unto you3 this is ,my name forever1 and this is ,my memorial to all generations4' ,this statement contains a very important truth--a truth which many professing ,christians seem to forget1 namely1 that ,god's relationship with ,israel is an eternal one4 ,he is just as much ,israel's ,god now as when ,he visited them in the land of ,egypt4 ,only1 because of rejecting their ,messiah1 they are1 in ,his governmental dealings1 set aside for a time4 ,but ,his word is clear and emphatic3 ,this is ,my name forever4 ,he does not say1 ,this is ,my name for a time1 so long as they continue what they ought to be4 ,no2 ,this is ,my name forever1 and this is ,my memorial unto all generations4 ,let my reader ponder this4 ,god hath not cast away ,his people which ,he foreknew4 7,rom4 xi4 #b47 ,they are ,his people still1 whether obedient or disobedient1 united together or scattered abroad1 manifested to the nations or hidden from their view4 ,they are ,his people1 and ,he is their ,god4 ,exodus iii4 #ae is unanswerable4 ,the professing church has no warrant whatever for ignoring a relationship which ,god says is to endure forever4 ,let us beware how we tamper with this weighty word1 forever4 ,if we say it does not mean forever when applied to ,israel1 what proof have we that it means forever when applied to us8 ,god means what ,he says2 and ,he will1 ere long1 make manifest to all the nations of the earth that ,his connection with ,israel is one which shall outlive all the revolutions of time4 ,the gifts and calling of ,god are without repentance4 ,when ,he said1 ,this is ,my name forever1 ,he spoke absolutely4 ,i ,,am declared ,himself to be ,israel's ,god forever2 and all the ,gentiles shall be made to bow to this2 and to know1 moreover1 that all ,god's providential dealings with them1 and all their destinies1 are connected1 in some way or other1 with that favored and honored1 though now judged and scattered1 people4 ,when the ,most ,high divided to the nations their inheritance1 when ,he separated the sons of ,adam1 ,he set the bounds of the people according to the number of the children of ,israel4 ,for the ,lord's portion is ,his people2 ,jacob is the lot of ,his inheritance4 7,deut4 xxxii4 #h1 #i47 ,has this ceased to be true8 ,has ,jehovah given up ,his portion1 and surrendered the lot of ,his inheritance8 ,does ,his eye of tender love no longer rest on ,israel's scattered tribes1 long lost to man's vision8 ,are the walls of ,jerusalem no longer before ,him8 or has her dust ceased to be precious in ,his sight8 ,to reply to these inquiries would be to quote a large portion of the ,old ,testament1 and not a little of the ,new2 but this would not be the place to enter elaborately upon such a subject4 ,i would only say1 in closing this section1 let not christendom be ignorant of this mystery1 that blindness in part is happened to ,israel1 until the fullness of the ,gentiles be come in4 ,and so all ,israel shall be saved4 7,rom4 xi4 #be1 #bf47 ,,chapter ,,iv4 ,we are still called to linger at the foot of ,mount ,horeb1 at the backside of the desert2 and truly1 the air of this place is most healthful for the spiritual constitution4 ,man's unbelief and ,god's boundless grace are here made manifest in a striking way4 ,and ,moses answered and said1 ',but1 behold1 they will not believe me1 nor hearken unto my voice2 for they will say1 ,the ,lord hath not appeared unto thee4' ,how hard it is to overcome the unbelief of the human heart6 ,how difficult man ever finds it to trust ,god6 ,how slow he is to venture upon the naked promise of ,jehovah6 ,anything1 for nature1 but that4 ,the most slender reed that the human eye can see is counted more substantial1 by far1 as a basis for nature's confidence1 than the unseen ,rock of ages4 ,nature will rush with avidity to any creature stream or broken cistern1 rather than abide by the unseen ,fountain of living waters4 ,we might suppose that ,moses had seen and heard enough to set his fears entirely aside4 ,the consuming fire in the unconsumed bush1 the condescending grace1 the precious1 endearing1 and comprehensive titles1 the divine commission1 the assurance of the divine presence1--all these might have quelled every anxious thought1 and have imparted a settled assurance to the heart4 ,still1 however1 ,moses raises questions1 and still ,god answers them2 and1 as we have remarked1 each successive question brings out fresh grace4 ,and the ,lord said unto him1 ',what is that in thine hand8' ,and he said1 ',a rod4' ,the ,lord would just take him as he was1 and use what he had in his hand4 ,the rod with which he had tended ,jethro's sheep was about to be used to deliver the ,israel of ,god1 to chastise the land of ,egypt1 to make a way through the deep1 for the ransomed of the ,lord to pass over1 and to bring forth water from the flinty rock to refresh ,israel's thirsty hosts in the desert4 ,god takes up the weakest instruments to accomplish ,his mightiest ends4 ,a rod1 a ram's horn1 a cake of barley meal1 an earthen pitcher1 a shepherd's sling1--anything1 in short1 when used of ,god1 will do the appointed work4 ,men imagine that splendid ends can only be reached by splendid means2 but such is not ,god's way4 ,he can use a crawling worm as well as a scorching sun1 a gourd as well as a vehement east wind4 7,see ,jonah47 ,but ,moses had to learn a deep lesson1 both as to the rod and the hand that was to use it4 ,he had to learn1 and the people had to be convinced4 ,and ,he said1 ',cast it on the ground4' ,and he cast it on the ground1 and it became a serpent2 and ,moses fled from before it4 ,and the ,lord said unto ,moses1 ',put forth thine hand and take it by the tail4' ,and he put forth his hand and caught it1 and it became a rod in his hand2 'that they may believe that the ,lord ,god of their fathers1 the ,god of ,abraham1 the ,god of ,isaac1 and the ,god of ,jacob1 hath appeared unto thee4' ,this is a deeply significant sign4 ,the rod became a serpent1 so that ,moses fled from it2 but1 being commissioned by ,jehovah1 he took the serpent by the tail1 and it became a rod4 ,nothing could more aptly express the idea of ,satan's power being turned against himself4 ,this is largely exemplified in the ways of ,god4 ,moses himself was a striking example4 ,the serpent is entirely under the hand of ,christ2 and when he has reached the highest point in his mad career1 he shall be hurled into the lake of fire1 there to reap the fruits of his work throughout eternity's countless ages4 ,that old serpent1 the accuser1 and the adversary1 shall be eternally crushed beneath the rod of ,god's ,anointed4 ,then the end--beneath ,his rod1 ,man's last enemy shall fall2 ,hallelujah6 ,christ in ,god1 ,god in ,christ1 is all in all4 ,and the ,lord said furthermore unto him1 ',put now thine hand into thy bosom4' ,and he put his hand into his bosom2 and when he took it out1 behold his hand was leprous as snow4 ,and ,he said1 ',put thine hand into thy bosom again4' ,and he put his hand into his bosom again1 and plucked it out of his bosom2 and1 behold1 it was turned again as his other flesh4 ,the leprous hand and the cleansing thereof present to us the moral effect of sin1 as also the way in which sin has been met in the perfect work of ,christ4 ,the clean hand1 placed in the bosom1 becomes leprous2 and the leprous hand1 placed there1 becomes clean4 ,leprosy is the well-known type of sin2 and sin came in by the first man and was put away by the second4 ,by man came death1 by man came also the resurrection of the dead4 7#a ,cor4 xv4 #ba47 ,man brought in ruin1 man brought in redemption2 man brought in guilt1 man brought in pardon2 man brought in sin1 man brought in righteousness2 man filled the scene with death1 man abolished death and filled the scene with life1 righteousness1 and glory4 ,thus1 not only shall the serpent himself be eternally defeated and confounded1 but every trace of his abominable work shall be eradicated and wiped away by the atoning sacrifice of ,him who was manifested that ,he might destroy the works of the devil4 ,and it shall come to pass1 if they will not believe also these two signs1 neither hearken unto thy voice1 that thou shalt take of the water of the river1 and pour it upon the dry land2 and the water which thou takest out of the river shall become blood upon the dry land4 ,this was a solemn and most expressive figure of the consequence of refusing to bow to the divine testimony4 ,this sign was only to be wrought in the event of their refusing the other two4 ,it was first to be a sign to ,israel1 and afterwards a plague upon ,egypt4 7,comp4 chapter vii4 #ag47 ,all this1 however1 fails to satisfy the heart of ,moses4 ,and ,moses said unto the ,lord1 ',o my ,lord1 ,i am not eloquent1 neither heretofore nor since ,thou hast spoken unto ,thy servant2 but ,i am slow of speech1 and of a slow tongue4' ,terrible backwardness6 ,naught save ,jehovah's infinite patience could have endured it4 ,surely1 when ,god ,himself had said1 ,i will be with thee1 it was an infallible security1 in reference to everything which could possibly be needed4 ,if an eloquent tongue were necessary1 what had ,moses to do but to set it over against ,i ,,am8 ,eloquence1 wisdom1 might1 energy1--everything was contained in that exhaustless treasury4 ,and the ,lord said unto him1 ',who hath made man's mouth8 or who maketh the dumb1 or deaf1 or the seeing1 or the blind8 have not ,i the ,lord8 ,now1 therefore1 go1 and ,i will be with thy mouth1 and teach thee what thou shalt say4' ,profound1 adorable1 matchless grace6 worthy of ,god6 ,there is none like unto the ,lord our ,god1 whose patient grace surmounts all our difficulties1 and proves itself amply sufficient for our manifold need and weakness4 ,i ,,the ,,lord ought to silence forever the reasonings of our carnal hearts4 ,but1 alas6 these reasonings are hard to be put down4 ,again and again they rise to the surface1 to the disturbance of our peace1 and the dishonor of that blessed ,one1 who sets ,himself before our souls1 in all ,his own essential fullness1 to be used according to our need4 ,it is well to bear in mind that when we have the ,lord with us1 our very deficiences and infirmities become an occasion for the display of ,his all-sufficient grace and perfect patience4 ,had ,moses remembered this1 his want of eloquence need not have troubled him4 ,the apostle ,paul learnt to say1 ,most gladly1 therefore1 will ,i rather glory in my infirmities1 that the power of ,christ may rest upon me4 ,therefore ,i take pleasure in infirmities1 in reproaches1 in necessities1 in persecutions1 in distresses for ,christ's sake2 for when ,i am weak1 then am ,i strong4 7#b ,cor4 xii4 #i1 #aj47 ,this is1 assuredly1 the utterance of one who had reached an advanced form in the school of ,christ4 ,it is the experience of one who would not have been much troubled because of not possessing an eloquent tongue1 inasmuch as he had found an answer to every description of need in the precious grace of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,the knowledge of this truth ought to have delivered ,moses from his diffidence and inordinate timidity4 ,when the ,lord had so graciously assured him that ,he would be with his mouth1 it should have set his mind at rest as to the question of eloquence4 ,the ,maker of man's mouth could fill that mouth with the most commanding eloquence1 if such were needed4 ,this1 in the judgment of faith1 is most simple2 but1 alas6 the poor doubting heart would place far more confidence in an eloquent tongue than in the ,one who created it4 ,this would seem most unaccountable1 did we not know the materials of which the natural heart is composed4 ,that heart cannot trust ,god2 and hence it is that even the people of ,god1 when they suffer themselves to be in any measure governed by nature1 exhibit such a humiliating lack of confidence in the living ,god4 ,thus1 in the scene before us1 we find ,moses still demurring4 ,and he said1 ',o my ,lord1 send1 ,i pray ,thee1 by the hand of him whom ,thou wilt send4' ,this was1 in reality1 casting from him the high honor of being ,jehovah's sole messenger to ,egypt and to ,israel4 ,it were needless to say that divinely-wrought humility is an inestimable grace4 ,to be clothed with humility is a divine precept2 and humility is unquestionably the most becoming dress in which a worthless sinner can appear4 ,but it cannot be called humility to refuse to take the place which ,god assigns1 or to tread the path which ,his hand marks out for us4 ,that it was not true humility in ,moses is obvious from the fact that the anger of the ,lord was kindled against him4 ,so far from its being humility1 it had actually passed the limit of mere weakness4 ,so long as it wore the aspect of an excessive timidity1 however reprehensible1 ,god's boundless grace bore with it1 and met it with renewed assurances2 but when it assumed the character of unbelief and slowness of heart1 it drew down ,jehovah's just displeasure2 and ,moses1 instead of being the sole1 is made a joint1 instrument in the work of testimony and deliverance4 ,nothing is more dishonoring to ,god1 or more dangerous for us1 than a mock humility4 ,when we refuse to occupy a position which the grace of ,god assigns us1 because of our not possessing certain virtues and qualifications1 this is not humility1 inasmuch as if we could but satisfy our own consciences in reference to such virtues and qualifications1 we should then deem ourselves entitled to assume the position4 ,if1 for instance1 ,moses had possessed such a measure of eloquence as he deemed needful1 we may suppose he would have been ready to go4 ,now the question is1 ,how much eloquence would he have needed to furnish him for his mission8 ,the answer is1 ,without ,god1 no amount of human eloquence would have availed2 but with ,god1 the merest stammerer would have proved an efficient minister4 ,this is a great practical truth4 ,unbelief is not humility1 but thorough pride4 ,it refuses to believe ,god because it does not find in self a reason for believing4 ,this is the very height of presumption4 ,if1 when ,god speaks1 ,i refuse to believe1 on the ground of something in myself1 ,i make ,him a liar4 7#a ,john v4 #aj47 ,when ,god declares ,his love1 and ,i refuse to believe because ,i do not deem myself a sufficiently worthy object1 ,i make ,him a liar1 and exhibit the inherent pride of my heart4 ,the bare supposition that ,i could ever be worthy of aught save the lowest pit of hell1 can only be regarded as the most profound ignorance of my own condition and of ,god's requirements4 ,and the refusal to take the place which the redeeming love of ,god assigns me1 on the ground of the finished atonement of ,christ1 is to make ,god a liar1 and cast gross dishonor upon the sacrifice of the cross4 ,god's love flows forth spontaneously4 ,it is not drawn forth by my deserts1 but by my misery4 ,nor is it a question as to the place which ,i deserve1 but which ,christ deserves4 ,christ took the sinner's place on the cross1 that the sinner might take ,his place in the glory4 ,christ got what the sinner deserved1 that the sinner might get what ,christ deserves4 ,thus self is totally set aside1 and this is true humility4 ,no one can be truly humble until he has reached heaven's side of the cross2 but there he finds divine life1 divine righteousness1 and divine favor4 ,he is done with himself forever1 as regards any expectation of goodness or righteousness1 and he feeds upon the princely wealth of another4 ,he is morally prepared to join in that cry which shall echo through the spacious vault of heaven1 throughout the everlasting ages1 ,not unto us1 ,o ,lord1 not unto us1 but unto ,thy name give glory4 7,psalm cxv4 #a47 ,it would ill become us to dwell upon the mistakes or infirmities of so honored a servant as ,moses1 of whom we read that he was verily faithful in all his house1 as a servant1 for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after4 7,heb4 iii4 #e47 ,but1 though we should not dwell upon them in a spirit of self-complacency1 as if we would have acted differently in his circumstances1 we should nevertheless learn from such things those holy and seasonable lessons which they are manifestly designed to teach4 ,we should learn to judge ourselves and to place more implicit confidence in ,god1--to set self aside1 that ,he might act in us1 through us1 and for us4 ,this is the true secret of power4 ,we have remarked that ,moses forfeited the dignity of being ,jehovah's sole instrument in that glorious work which ,he was about to accomplish4 ,but this was not all4 ,the anger of the ,lord was kindled against ,moses2 and ,he said1 ',is not ,aaron the ,levite thy brother8 ,i know that he can speak well3 and also1 behold1 he cometh forth to meet thee2 and when he seeth thee1 he will be glad in his heart4 ,and thou shalt speak unto him1 and put words in his mouth3 and ,i will be with thy mouth1 and with his mouth1 and will teach you what ye shall do4 ,and he shall be thy spokesman unto the people3 and he shall be1 even he shall be to thee instead of a mouth1 and thou shalt be to him instead of ,god4 ,and thou shalt take this rod in thine hand1 wherewith thou shalt do signs4' 7,chap4 iv4 #ad-ag47 ,this passage contains a mine of most precious practical instruction4 ,we have noted the timidity and hesitation of ,moses1 notwithstanding the varied promises and assurances with which divine grace had furnished him4 ,and now1 although there was nothing gained in the way of real power1 although there was no more virtue or efficacy in one mouth than in another1 although it was ,moses after all who was to speak unto ,aaron2 yet was ,moses quite ready to go when assured of the presence and co-operation of a poor feeble mortal like himself2 whereas he could not go when assured1 again and again1 that ,jehovah would be with him4 ,oh6 my reader1 does not all this hold up before us a faithful mirror in which you and ,i can see our hearts reflected8 ,truly it does4 ,we are more ready to trust anything than the living ,god4 ,we move along with bold decision when we possess the countenance and support of a poor frail mortal like ourselves2 but we falter1 hesitate1 and demur when we have the light of the ,master's countenance to cheer us1 and the strength of ,his omnipotent arm to support us4 ,this should humble us deeply before the ,lord1 and lead us to seek a fuller acquaintance with ,him1 so that we might trust ,him with a more unmixed confidence1 and walk on with a firmer step1 as having ,him alone for our resource and portion4 ,no doubt the fellowship of a brother is most valuable1--,two are better than one1--whether in labor1 rest1 or conflict4 ,the ,lord ,jesus1 in sending forth ,his disciples1 sent them two by two1--for unity is ever better than isolation2--still1 if our personal acquaintance with ,god1 and our experience of ,his presence1 be not such as to enable us1 if needful1 to walk alone1 we shall find the presence of a brother of very little use4 ,it is not a little remarkable that ,aaron1 whose companionship seemed to satisfy ,moses1 was the man who afterwards made the golden calf4 7,exod4 xxxii4 #ba47 ,thus it frequently happens1 that the very person whose presence we deem essential to our progress and success1 afterwards proves a source of deepest sorrow to our hearts4 ,may we ever remember this6 ,however1 ,moses at length consents to go2 but ere he is fully equipped for his work1 he must pass through another deep exercise1--yea1 he must have the sentence of death inscribed by the hand of ,god upon his very nature4 ,he had learnt deep lessons at the backside of the desert2 he is called to learn something deeper still1 by the way in the inn4 ,it is no light matter to be the ,lord's servant4 ,no ordinary education will qualify a man for such a position4 ,nature must be put in the place of death1 and kept there4 ,we had the sentence of death in ourselves1 that we should not trust in ourselves1 but in ,god which raiseth the dead4 7#b ,cor4 i4 #i47 ,every successful servant will need to know something of this4 ,moses was called to enter into it1 in his own experience1 ere he was morally qualified4 ,he was about to sound in the ears of ,pharaoh the following deeply solemn message3 ,thus saith the ,lord1 ',israel is ,my son1 even ,my first-born3 and ,i say unto thee1 ,let ,my son go1 that he may serve ,me3 and if thou refuse to let him go1 behold ,i will slay thy son1 even thy first-born4' ,such was to be his message to ,pharaoh1--a message of death1 a message of judgment2 and1 at the same time1 his message to ,israel was a message of life and salvation4 ,but1 be it remembered1 that the man who will speak1 on ,god's behalf1 of death and judgment1 life and salvation1 must1 ere he does so1 enter into the practical power of these things in his own soul4 ,thus it was with ,moses4 ,we have seen him1 at the very outset1 in the place of death1 typically2 but this was a different thing from entering into the experience of death in his own person4 ,hence we read1 ,and it came to pass1 by the way in the inn1 that the ,lord met him1 and sought to kill him4 ,then ,zipporah took a sharp stone1 and cut off the foreskin of her son1 and cast it at his feet1 and said1 ',surely1 a bloody husband art thou to me4' ,so ,he let him go3 then she said1 ',a bloody husband thou art1 because of the circumcision4' ,this passage lets us into a deep secret in the personal and domestic history of ,moses4 ,it is very evident that ,zipporah's heart had1 up to this point1 shrunk from the application of the knife to that around which the affections of nature were entwined4 ,she had avoided that mark which had to be set in the flesh of every member of the ,israel of ,god4 ,she was not aware that her relationship with ,moses was one involving death to nature4 ,she recoiled from the cross4 ,this was natural4 ,but ,moses had yielded to her in the matter2 and this explains to us the mysterious scene in the inn4 ,if ,zipporah refuses to circumcise her son1 ,jehovah will lay ,his hand upon her husband2 and if ,moses spares the feelings of his wife1 ,jehovah will seek to kill him4 ,the sentence of death must be written on nature2 and if we seek to avoid it in one way1 we shall have to encounter it in another4 ,it has been already remarked that ,zipporah furnishes an instructive and interesting type of the ,church4 ,she was united to ,moses during the period of his rejection2 and from the passage just quoted1 we learn that the ,church is called to know ,christ as the ,one related to her by blood4 ,it is her privilege to drink of ,his cup1 and be baptized with ,his baptism4 ,being crucified with ,him1 she is to be conformed to ,his death--to mortify her members which are on the earth--to take up the cross daily1 and follow ,him4 ,her relationship with ,christ is founded upon blood1 and the manifestation of the power of that relationship will necessarily involve death to nature4 ,and ye are complete in ,him1 which is the head of all principality and power2 in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands1 in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of ,christ3 buried with ,him in baptism1 wherein also ye are risen with ,him through the faith of the operation of ,god1 who hath raised ,him from the dead4 7,col4 ii4 #aj-ab47 ,such is the doctrine as to the ,church's place with ,christ1--a doctrine replete with the richest privileges for the ,church1 and each member thereof4 ,everything1 in short1 is involved3--the perfect remission of sin1 divine righteousness1 complete acceptance1 everlasting security1 full fellowship with ,christ in all ,his glory4 ,ye are complete in ,him4 ,this1 surely1 comprehends everything4 ,what could be added to one who is complete8 ,could philosophy1 the tradition of men1 the rudiments of the world1 meats1 drinks1 holy days1 new moons1 or ,sabbaths8 ,touch not this1 taste not that1 handle not the other1 the commandments and doctrines of men1 days1 and months1 and times1 and years1--could any of these things1 or all of them put together1 add a single jot or tittle to one whom ,god has pronounced complete8 ,we might just as well inquire if man could have gone forth upon the fair creation of ,god1 at the close of the six days' work1 to give the finishing touch to that which ,god had pronounced very good4 ,nor is this completeness to be1 by any means1 viewed as a matter of attainment1--some point which we have not yet reached1 but after which we must diligently strive1 and of the possession of which we cannot be sure until we lie upon a bed of death1 or stand before a throne of judgment4 ,it is the portion of the feeblest1 the most inexperienced1 the most unlettered child of ,god4 ,the very weakest saint is included in the apostolic ye4 ,all the people of ,god are complete in ,christ4 ,the apostle does not say1 ,ye will be1 ,ye may be1 ,hope that ye may be1 ,pray that ye may be3 no2 he1 by the ,holy ,ghost1 states1 in the most absolute and unqualified manner1 that ye are complete4 ,this is the true ,christian starting-post2 and for man to make a goal of what ,god makes a starting-post1 is to upset everything4 ,but1 then1 some will ask1 ,have we no sin1 no failure1 no imperfection8 ,assuredly we have4 ,if we say that we have no sin1 we deceive ourselves1 and the truth is not in us4 7#a ,john i4 #h47 ,we have sin in us1 but no sin on us4 ,moreover1 our standing is not in self1 but in ,christ4 ,it is in ,him we are complete4 ,god sees the believer in ,christ1 with ,christ1 and as ,christ4 ,this is his changeless condition--his everlasting standing4 ,the body of the sins of the flesh is put off by the circumcision of ,christ4 ,the believer is not in the flesh1 though the flesh is in him4 ,he is united to ,christ in the power of a new and an endless life1 and that life is inseparably connected with divine righteousness in which the believer stands before ,god4 ,the ,lord ,jesus has put away everything that was against the believer1 and ,he has brought him nigh to ,god1 in the self-same favor as that which ,he ,himself enjoys4 ,in a word1 ,christ is his righteousness4 ,this settles every question1 answers every objection1 silences every doubt4 ,both ,he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one4 7,heb4 ii4 #aa47 ,the foregoing line of truth has flowed out of the deeply interesting type presented to us in the relationship between ,moses and ,zipporah4 ,we must now hasten to close this section1 and take our leave1 for the present1 of the backside of the desert1 though not of its deep lessons and holy impressions1 so essential to every servant of ,christ1 and every messenger of the living ,god4 ,all who would serve effectually1 either in the important work of evangelization1 or in the varied ministries of the house of ,god--which is the ,church--will need to imbibe the precious instructions which ,moses received at the foot of ,mount ,horeb1 and by the way in the inn4 ,were these things properly attended to1 we should not have so many running unsent--so many rushing into spheres of ministry for which they were never designed4 ,let each one who stands up to preach1 or teach1 or exhort1 or serve in any way1 seriously inquire if1 indeed1 he be fitted and taught and sent of ,god4 ,if not1 his work will neither be owned of ,god nor blessed to men1 and the sooner he ceases1 the better for himself and for those upon whom he has been imposing the heavy burden of hearkening to him4 ,neither a humanly-appointed nor a self-appointed ministry will ever suit within the hallowed precincts of the ,church of ,god4 ,all must be divinely gifted1 divinely taught1 and divinely sent4 ,and the ,lord said to ,aaron1 ',go into the wilderness to meet ,moses4' ,and he went and met him in the mount of ,god1 and kissed him4 ,and ,moses told ,aaron all the words of the ,lord who had sent him1 and all the signs which ,he had commanded him4 ,this was a fair and beauteous scene--a scene of sweet brotherly love and union--a scene which stands in marked contrast with many of those scenes which were afterwards enacted in the wilderness-career of these two men4 ,forty years of wilderness life are sure to make great changes in men and things4 ,yet it is sweet to dwell upon those early days of one's ,christian course1 before the stern realities of desert life had1 in any measure1 checked the gush of warm and generous affections1--before deceit and corruption and hypocrisy had well-nigh dried up the springs of the heart's confidence1 and placed the whole moral being beneath the chilling influences of a suspicious disposition4 ,that such results have been produced1 in many cases1 by years of experience1 is1 alas6 too true4 ,happy is he who1 though his eyes have been opened to see nature in a clearer light than that which this world supplies1 can nevertheless serve his generation by the energy of that grace which flows forth from the bosom of ,god4 ,who ever knew the depths and windings of the human heart as ,jesus knew them8 ,he knew all1 and needed not that any should testify of man2 for he knew what was in man4 7,john ii4 #bd1 #be47 ,so well did ,he know man1 that ,he could not commit ,himself unto him4 ,he could not accredit man's professions1 or endorse his pretensions4 ,and yet1 who so gracious as ,he8 ,who so loving1 so tender1 so compassionate1 so sympathizing8 ,with a heart that understood all1 ,he could feel for all4 ,he did not suffer ,his perfect knowledge of human worthlessness to keep ,him aloof from human need4 ,he went about doing good4 ,why8 ,was it because ,he imagined that all those who flocked around ,him were real8 ,no2 but because ,god was with ,him4 7,acts x4 #ch47 ,this is our example4 ,let us follow it1 though1 in doing so1 we shall have to trample on self and all its interests1 at every step of the way4 ,who would desire that wisdom1 that knowledge of nature1 that experience1 which only lead men to ensconce themselves within the inclosures of a hard-hearted selfishness1 from which they look forth with an eye of dark suspicion upon everybody8 ,surely1 such a result could never follow from aught of a heavenly or excellent nature4 ,god gives wisdom2 but it is not a wisdom which locks the heart against all the appeals of human need and misery4 ,he gives a knowledge of nature2 but it is not a knowledge which causes us to grasp with selfish eagerness that which we1 falsely1 call our own4 ,he gives experience2 but it is not an experience which results in suspecting everybody except myself4 ,if ,i am walking in the footprints of ,jesus1 if ,i am imbibing1 and therefore manifesting1 ,his excellent spirit1 if1 in short1 ,i can say1 ,to me to live is ,christ2 then1 while ,i walk through the world1 with a knowledge of what the world is2 while ,i come in contact with man1 with a knowledge of what ,i am to expect from him2 ,i am able1 through grace1 to manifest ,christ in the midst of it all4 ,the springs which move me1 and the objects which animate me1 are all above1 where ,he is1 who is the same yesterday1 and to-day1 and forever4 7,heb4 xiii4 #h47 ,it was this which sustained the heart of that beloved and honored servant1 whose history1 even so far1 has furnished us with such deep and solid instruction4 ,it was this which carried him through the trying and varied scenes of his wilderness course4 ,and we may safely assert that1 at the close of all1 notwithstanding the trial and exercise of forty years1 ,moses could embrace his brother when he stood on ,mount ,hor1 with the same warmth as he had when first he met him in the mount of ,god4 ,true1 the two occasions were very different4 ,at the mount of ,god they met and embraced1 and started together on their divinely-appointed mission4 ,upon ,mount ,hor they met by the commandment of ,jehovah1 in order that ,moses might strip his brother of his priestly robes1 and see him gathered to his fathers1 because of an error in which he himself had participated4 7,how solemn6 ,how touching67 ,circumstances vary3 men turn away from one2 but with ,god is no variableness1 neither shadow of turning4 7,james i4 #ag47 ,and ,moses and ,aaron went and gathered together all the elders of the children of ,israel2 and ,aaron spake all the words which the ,lord had spoken unto ,moses1 and did the signs in the sight of the people4 ,and the people believed2 and when they heard that the ,lord had visited the children of ,israel1 and that ,he had looked upon their affliction1 then they bowed their heads and worshiped4 7,ver4 #bi-ca47 ,when ,god works1 every barrier must give way4 ,moses had said1 ,the people will not believe me4 ,but the question was not as to whether they would believe him1 but whether they would believe ,god4 ,when a man is enabled to view himself simply as the messenger of ,god1 he may feel quite at ease as to the reception of his message4 ,it does not detract1 in the smallest degree1 from his tender and affectionate solicitude in reference to those whom he addresses4 ,quite the contrary2 but it preserves him from that inordinate anxiety of spirit which can only tend to unfit him for calm1 elevated1 steady testimony4 ,the messenger of ,god should ever remember whose message he bears4 ,when ,zacharias said to the angel1 ,whereby shall ,i know this8 was the latter perturbed by the question8 ,not in the least4 ,his calm1 dignified reply was1 ,i am ,gabriel1 that stand in the presence of ,god1 and am sent to speak unto thee1 and to show thee these glad tidings4 7,luke i4 #ah1 #ai47 ,the angel rises before the doubting mortal1 with a keen and exquisite sense of the dignity of his message4 ,it is as if he would say1 ,how can you doubt1 when a messenger has actually been dispatched from the very presence-chamber of the ,majesty of heaven8 ,thus should every messenger of ,god1 in his measure1 go forth1 and1 in this spirit1 deliver his message4 ,,chapters ,v4 ,,vi4 ,the effect of the first appeal to ,pharaoh seemed aught but encouraging4 ,the thought of losing ,israel made him clutch them with greater eagerness and watch them with greater vigilance4 ,whenever ,satan's power becomes narrowed to a point1 his rage increases4 ,thus it is here4 ,the furnace is about to be quenched by the hand of redeeming love2 but ere it is1 it blazes forth with greater fierceness and intensity4 ,the devil does not like to let go any one whom he has had in his terrible grasp4 ,he is a strong man armed1 and while he keepeth his palace1 his goods are in peace4 ,but1 blessed be ,god1 there is a stronger than he1 who has taken from him his armor wherein he trusted1 and divided the spoils among the favored objects of ,his everlasting love4 ,and afterward1 ,moses and ,aaron went in1 and told ,pharaoh1--',thus saith the ,lord ,god of ,israel1 ,let ,my people go1 that they may hold a feast unto ,me in the wilderness4' 7,chap4 v4 #a47 ,such was ,jehovah's message to ,pharaoh4 ,he claimed full deliverance for the people on the ground of their being ,his1 and in order that they might hold a feast unto ,him in the wilderness4 ,nothing can ever satisfy ,god in reference to ,his elect1 but their entire emancipation from the yoke of bondage4 ,loose him and let him go is really the grand motto in ,god's gracious dealings with those who1 though held in bondage by ,satan1 are nevertheless the objects of ,his eternal love4 ,when we contemplate ,israel amid the brick-kilns of ,egypt1 we behold a graphic figure of the condition of every child of ,adam by nature4 ,there they were1 crushed beneath the enemy's galling yoke1 and having no power to deliver themselves4 ,the mere mention of the word liberty only caused the oppressor to bind his captives with a stronger fetter1 and to lade them with a still more grievous burden4 ,it was absolutely necessary that deliverance should come from without4 ,but from whence was it to come6 ,where were the resources to pay their ransom8 or where was the power to break their chains8 ,and even were there both the one and the other1 where was the will8 ,who would take the trouble of delivering them8 ,alas6 there was no hope1 either within or around4 ,they had only to look up4 ,their refuge was in ,god4 ,he had both the power and the will4 ,he could accomplish a redemption both by price and by power4 ,in ,jehovah1 and in ,him alone1 was there salvation for ruined and oppressed ,israel4 ,thus it is in every case4 ,neither is there salvation in any other2 for there is none other name under heaven1 given among men1 whereby we must be saved4 7,acts iv4 #ab47 ,the sinner is in the hands of one who rules him with despotic power4 ,he is sold under sin--led captive by ,satan at his will fast bound in the fetters of lust1 passion1 and temper1--without strength1 without hope1 without ,god4 ,such is the sinner's condition4 ,how1 then1 can he help himself8 ,what can he do8 ,he is the slave of another1 and everything he does is done in the capacity of a slave4 ,his thoughts1 his words1 his acts1 are the thoughts1 words1 and acts of a slave4 ,yea1 though he should weep and sigh for emancipation1 his very tears and sighs are the melancholy proofs of his slavery4 ,he may struggle for freedom2 but his very struggle1 though it evinces a desire for liberty1 is the positive declaration of his bondage4 ,nor is it merely a question of the sinner's condition2 his very nature is radically corrupt--wholly under the power of ,satan4 ,hence he not only needs to be introduced into a new condition1 but also to be endowed with a new nature4 ,the nature and the condition go together4 ,if it were possible for the sinner to better his condition1 what would it avail so long as his nature was irrecoverable bad8 ,a nobleman might take a beggar off the streets and adopt him2 he might endow him with a noble's wealth1 and set him in a noble's position2 but he could not impart to him nobility of nature2 and thus the nature of a beggarman would never be at home in the condition of a nobleman4 ,there must be a nature to suit the condition2 and there must be a condition to suit the capacity1 the desires1 the affections1 and the tendencies of the nature4 ,now1 in the gospel of the grace of ,god1 we are taught that the believer is introduced into an entirely new condition2 that he is no longer viewed as in his former state of guilt and condemnation1 but as in a state of perfect and everlasting justification2 that the condition in which ,god now sees him is not only one of full pardon1 but it is such that infinite holiness cannot find so much as a single stain4 ,he has been taken out of his former condition of guilt1 and placed absolutely and eternally in a new condition of unspotted righteousness4 ,it is not1 by any means1 that his old condition is improved4 ,this is utterly impossible4 ,that which is crooked cannot be made straight4 ,can the ,ethiopian change his skin1 or the leopard his spots8 ,nothing can be more opposed to the fundamental truth of the gospel than the theory of a gradual improvement in the sinner's condition4 ,he is born in a certain condition1 and until he is born again he cannot be in any other4 ,he may try to improve1 he may resolve to be better for the future--to turn over a new leaf--to live a different sort of life2 but1 all the while1 he has not moved a single hair's breadth out of his real condition as a sinner4 ,he may become religious1 as it is called1--he may try to pray1 he may diligently attend to ordinances1 and exhibit an appearance of moral reform2 but none of these things can1 in the smallest degree1 affect his positive condition before ,god4 ,the case is precisely similar as to the question of nature4 ,how can a man alter his nature8 ,he may make it undergo a process1 he may try to subdue it--to place it under discipline2 but it is nature still4 ,that which is born of the flesh is flesh4 ,there must be a new nature as well as a new condition4 ,and how is this to be had8 ,by believing ,god's testimony concerning ,his ,son4 ,as many as received ,him1 to them gave ,he power to become the sons of ,god1 even to them that believe on ,his name3 which were born1 not of blood1 nor of the will of the flesh1 nor of the will of man1 but of ,god4 7,john i4 #ab1 #ac47 ,here we learn that those who believe on the name of the only begotten ,son of ,god1 have the right or privilege of being sons of ,god4 ,they are made partakers of a new nature3 they have gotten eternal life4--,he that believeth on the ,son hath everlasting life 7,john iii4 #cf474--,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 ,he that heareth ,my word1 and believeth on ,him that sent ,me1 hath everlasting life1 and shall not come into condemnation2 but is passed from death unto life 7,john v4 #bd474--;,and this is life eternal1 that they might know ,thee1 the only true ,god1 and ,jesus ,christ1 whom ,thou hast sent 7,john xvii4 #c474--;,and this is the record1 that ,god hath given to us eternal life1 and this life is in ,his ,son4 ,he that hath the ,son hath life4 7#a ,john v4 #aa1 #ab47 ,such is the plain doctrine of the ,word in reference to the momentous questions of condition and nature4 ,but on what is all this founded8 ,how is the believer introduced into a condition of divine righteousness and made partaker of the divine nature8 ,it all rests on the great truth that ,,jesus ,,died ,,and ,,rose ,,again4 ,that blessed ,one left the bosom of eternal love1 the throne of glory1 the mansions of unfading light2 came down into this world of guilt and woe2 took upon ,him the likeness of sinful flesh2 and1 having perfectly exhibited and perfectly glorified ,god in all the movements of ,his blessed life here below1 ,he died upon the cross1 under the full weight of ,his people's transgressions4 ,by so doing1 ,he divinely met all that was or could be against us4 ,he magnified the law and made it honorable2 and1 having done so1 ,he became a curse by hanging on the tree4 ,every claim was met1 every enemy silenced1 every obstacle removed4 ,mercy and truth are met together2 righteousness and peace have kissed each other4 ,infinite justice was satisfied1 and infinite love can flow1 in all its soothing and refreshing virtues1 into the broken heart of the sinner2 while1 at the same time1 the cleansing and atoning stream that flowed from the pierced side of a crucified ,christ1 perfectly meets all the cravings of a guilty and convicted conscience4 ,the ,lord ,jesus1 on the cross1 stood in our place4 ,he was our representative4 ,he died1 the just for the unjust4 ,he was made sin for us4 7#b ,cor4 v4 #ba2 #a ,peter iii4 #ah47 ,he died the sinner's death1 was buried1 and rose again1 having accomplished all4 ,hence1 there is absolutely nothing against the believer4 ,he is linked with ,christ1 and stands in the same condition of righteousness4 ,as ,he is1 so are we in this world4 7#a ,john iv4 #ag47 ,this gives settled peace to the conscience4 ,if ,i am no longer in a condition of guilt1 but in a condition of justification1--if ,god only sees me in ,christ and as ,christ1 then1 clearly1 my portion is perfect peace4 ,being justified by faith1 we have peace with ,god through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 7,rom4 v4 #a47 ,the blood of the ,lamb has canceled all the believer's guilt1--blotted out his heavy debt1 and given him a perfectly blank page1 in the presence of that holiness which cannot look upon sin4 ,but the believer has not merely found peace with ,god2 he is made a child of ,god1 so that he can taste the sweetness of communion with the ,father and the ,son1 through the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,the cross is to be viewed in two ways3 first1 as satisfying ,god's claims2 secondly1 as expressing ,god's affections4 ,if ,i look at my sins in connection with the claims of ,god as a ,judge1 ,i find1 in the cross1 a perfect settlement of those claims4 ,god1 as a ,judge1 has been divinely satisfied--yea1 glorified1 in the cross4 ,but there is more than this4 ,god had affections as well as claims2 and1 in the cross of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 all those affections are sweetly and touchingly told out into the sinner's ear2 while1 at the same time1 he is made partaker of a new nature which is capable of enjoying those affections and having fellowship with the heart from which they flow4 ,for ,christ also hath once suffered for sins1 the just for the unjust1 that ,he might bring us to ,god4 7#a ,peter iii4 #ah47 ,thus1 we are not only brought into a condition1 but unto a ,person1 even ,god ,himself1 and we are endowed with a nature which can delight in ,him4--,we also joy in ,god1 through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 by whom we have now received the reconciliation 7margin74 7,rom4 v4 #aa47 ,what force and beauty1 therefore1 can we see in those emancipating words1 ,let ,my people go1 that they may hold a feast unto ,me in the wilderness4 ,the ,spirit of the ,lord is upon ,me1 because ,he hath anointed ,me to preach the gospel2 ,he hath sent ,me to heal the broken-hearted1 to preach deliverance to the captives1 and recovering of sight to the blind1 to set at liberty them that are bruised4 7,luke iv4 #ah47 ,the glad tidings of the gospel announce full deliverance from every yoke of bondage4 ,peace and liberty are the boons which that gospel bestows on all who believe it1 as ,god has declared it4 ,and mark1 it is that they may hold a feast to ,me4 ,if they were to get done with ,pharaoh1 it was that they might begin with ,god4 ,this was a great change4 ,instead of toiling under ,pharaoh's taskmasters1 they were to feast in company with ,jehovah2 and1 although they were to pass from ,egypt into the wilderness1 still the divine presence was to accompany them2 and if the wilderness was rough and dreary1 it was the way to the land of ,canaan4 ,the divine purpose was1 that they should hold a feast unto the ,lord in the wilderness1 and in order to do this1 they should be let go out of ,egypt4 ,however1 ,pharaoh was in no wise disposed to yield obedience to the divine mandate4 ,who is the ,lord1 said he1 that ,i should obey ,his voice to let ,israel go8 ,i know not the ,lord1 neither will ,i let ,israel go4 7,chap4 v4 #b47 ,pharaoh most truly expressed1 in these words1 his real condition4 ,his condition was one of ignorance and consequent disobedience4 ,both go together4 ,if ,god be not known1 ,he cannot be obeyed2 for obedience is ever founded upon knowledge4 ,when the soul is blessed with the knowledge of ,god1 it finds this knowledge to be life 7,john xvii4 #c471 and life is power2 and when ,i get power1 ,i can act4 ,it is obvious that one cannot act without life2 and therefore it is most unintelligent to set people upon doing certain things in order to get that by which alone they can do anything4 ,but ,pharaoh was as ignorant of himself as he was of the ,lord4 ,he did not know that he was a poor1 vile worm of the earth1 and that he had been raised up for the express purpose of making known the glory of the very ,one whom he said he knew not4 7,exod4 ix4 #af2 ,rom4 ix4 #ag47 ,and they said1 ',the ,god of the ,hebrews has met with us3 let us go1 we pray thee1 three days' journey into the desert1 and sacrifice unto the ,lord our ,god2 lest ,he fall upon us with pestilence or with the sword4' ,and the king of ,egypt said unto them1 ',wherefore do ye1 ,moses and ,aaron1 let the people from their work8 ,get you unto your burdens 444 let there more work be laid upon the men1 that they may labor therein2 and let them not regard vain words4' 7,ver4 #c-i47 ,what a development of the secret springs of the human heart we have here6 ,what complete incompetency to enter into the things of ,god6 ,all the divine titles and the divine revelations were1 in ,pharaoh's estimation1 vain words4 ,what did he know or care about three days' journey into the wilderness1 or a feast to ,jehovah8 ,how could he understand the need of such a journey1 or the nature or object of such a feast8 ,impossible4 ,he could understand burden-bearing and brick-making2 these things had an air of reality about them1 in his judgment2 but as to aught of ,god1 ,his service1 or ,his worship1 he could only regard it in the light of an idle chimera1 devised by those who only wanted an excuse to make their escape from the stern realities of actual life4 ,thus has it too often been with the wise and great of this world4 ,they have ever been the most forward to write folly and vanity upon the divine testimonies4 ,hearken1 for example1 to the estimate which the most noble ,festus formed of the grand question at issue between ,paul and the ,jews3--,they had certain questions against him of their own superstition1 and of one ,jesus1 which was dead1 whom ,paul affirmed to be alive4 7,acts xxv4 #ai47 ,alas6 how little he knew what he was saying6 ,how little he knew what was involved in the question1 as to whether ,jesus was dead or alive6 ,he thought not of the solemn bearing of that momentous question upon himself and his friends1 ,agrippa and ,bernice2 but that did not alter the matter2 he and they know somewhat more about it now1 though in their passing moment of earthly glory they regarded it as a superstitious question1 wholly beneath the notice of men of common sense1 and only fit to occupy the disordered brain of visionary enthusiasts4 ,yes2 the stupendous question which fixes the destiny of every child of ,adam--on which is founded the present and everlasting condition of the ,church and the world--which stands connected with all the divine counsels1--this question was1 in the judgment of ,festus1 a vain superstition4 ,thus was it in ,pharaoh's case4 ,he knew nothing of the ,lord ,god of the ,hebrews--the great ,i ,,am1 and hence he regarded all that ,moses and ,aaron had said to him1 in reference to doing sacrifice to ,god1 as vain words4 ,the things of ,god must ever seem vain1 profitless1 and unmeaning to the unsanctified mind of man4 ,his name may be made use of as part of the flippant phraseology of a cold and formal religiousness2 but ,he ,himself is not known4 ,his precious name1 which1 to a believer's heart1 has wrapped up in it all that he can possibly need or desire1 has no significancy1 no power1 no virtue for an unbeliever4 ,all1 therefore1 connected with ,god--,his words1 ,his counsels1 ,his thoughts1 ,his ways1--everything1 in short1 that treats of or refers to ,him1 is regarded as vain words4 ,however1 the time is rapidly approaching when it will not be thus4 ,the judgment-seat of ,christ1 the terrors of the world to come1 the surges of the lake of fire1 will not be vain words4 ,assuredly not2 and it should be the great aim of all who1 through grace1 believe them now to be realities1 to press them upon the consciences of those who1 like ,pharaoh1 regard the making of bricks as the only thing worth thinking about--the only thing that can be called real and solid4 ,alas6 that even ,christians should so frequently be found living in the region of sight--the region of earth--the region of nature--as to lose the deep1 abiding1 influential sense of the reality of divine and heavenly things4 ,we want to live more in the region of faith--the region of heaven--the region of the new creation4 ,then we should see things as ,god sees them1 think about them as ,he thinks2 and our whole course and character would be more elevated1 more disinterested1 more thoroughly separated from earth and earthly things4 ,but ,moses' sorest trial did not arise from ,pharaoh's judgment about his mission4 ,the true and whole-hearted servant of ,christ must ever expect to be looked on1 by the men of this world1 as a mere visionary enthusiast4 ,the point of view from which they contemplate him is such as to lead us to look for this judgment and none other4 ,the more faithful he is to his heavenly ,master1 the more he walks in ,his footsteps1 the more conformed he is to ,his image1 the more likely he is to be considered1 by the sons of earth1 as one beside himself4 ,this1 therefore1 should neither disappoint nor discourage him4 ,but then it is a far more painful thing when his service and testimony are misunderstood1 unheeded1 or rejected by those who are themselves the specific objects thereof4 ,when such is the case1 he needs to be much with ,god1 much in the secret of ,his mind1 much in the power of communion1 to have his spirit sustained in the abiding reality of his path and service4 ,under such trying circumstances1 if one be not fully persuaded of the divine commission1 and conscious of the divine presence1 he will be almost sure to break down4 ,had not ,moses been thus upheld1 his heart must have utterly failed him when the augmented pressure of ,pharaoh's power elicited from the officers of the children of ,israel such desponding and depressing words as these1--,the ,lord look upon you1 and judge2 because ye have made our savor to be abhorred in the eyes of ,pharaoh1 and in the eyes of his servants1 to put a sword in their hand to slay us4 ,this was gloomy enough2 and ,moses felt it so1 for he returned unto the ,lord1 and said1 ',lord1 wherefore hast ,thou so evil entreated this people8 ,why is it that ,thou hast sent me8 ,for since ,i came unto ,pharaoh to speak in ,thy name1 he hath done evil to this people2 neither hast ,thou delivered ,thy people at all4' ,the aspect of things had become most discouraging1 at the very moment when deliverance seemed at hand2 just as1 in nature1 the darkest hour of the night is often that which immediately precedes the dawn of the morning4 ,thus will it assuredly be in ,israel's history in the latter day4 ,the moment of most profound darkness and depressing gloom will precede the bursting of the ,sun of ,righteousness from behind the cloud1 with healing in ,his wings to heal eternally the hurt of the daughter of ,his people4 ,we may well question how far genuine faith1 or a mortified will1 dictated the wherefore8 and the why8 of ,moses1 in the above quotation4 ,still1 the ,lord does not rebuke a remonstrance drawn forth by the intense pressure of the moment4 ,he most graciously replies1 ,now shalt thou see what ,i will do to ,pharaoh3 for with a strong hand shall he let them go1 and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land4 7,chap4 vi4 #a47 ,this reply breathes peculiar grace4 ,instead of reproving the petulance which could presume to call in question the unsearchable ways of the great ,i ,,am1 that ever-gracious ,one seeks to relieve the harassed spirit of ,his servant by unfolding to him what ,he was about to do4 ,this was worthy of the blessed ,god--the unupbraiding ,giver of every good and every perfect gift4 ,he knoweth our frame2 ,he remembereth that we are dust4 7,ps4 ciii4 #ad47 ,nor is it merely in ,his actings that ,he would cause the heart to find its solace1 but in ,himself--in ,his very name and character4 ,this is full1 divine1 and everlasting blessedness4 ,when the heart can find its sweet relief in ,god ,himself--when it can retreat into the strong tower which ,his name affords--when it can find1 in ,his character1 a perfect answer to all its need1 then1 truly1 it is raised far above the region of the creature1 it can turn away from earth's fair promises1 it can place the proper value on man's lofty pretensions4 ,the heart which is endowed with an experimental knowledge of ,god can not only look forth upon earth1 and say1 ,all is vanity2 but it can also look straight up to ,him1 and say1 ,all my springs are in ,thee4 ,and ,god spake unto ,moses1 and said unto him1 ',i am the ,lord3 and ,i appeared unto ,abraham1 unto ,isaac1 and unto ,jacob1 by the name of ,god ,almighty2 but by ,my name ,,jehovah was ,i not known to them4 ,and ,i have also established ,my covenant with them to give them the land of ,canaan1 the land of their pilgrimage1 wherein they were strangers4 ,and ,i have also heard the groaning of the children of ,israel1 whom the ,egyptians keep in bondage2 and ,i have remembered ,my covenant4' ,,jehovah is the title which ,he takes as the ,deliverer of ,his people1 on the ground of ,his covenant of pure and sovereign grace4 ,he reveals ,himself as the great self-existing ,source of redeeming love1 establishing ,his counsels1 fulfilling ,his promises1 delivering ,his elect people from every enemy and every evil4 ,it was ,israel's privilege ever to abide under the safe covert of that significant title--a title which displays ,god acting for ,his own glory1 and taking up ,his oppressed people in order to show forth in them that glory4 ,wherefore say unto the children of ,israel1 ',i am the ,lord1 and ,i will bring you out from under the burdens of the ,egyptians1 and ,i will rid you out of their bondage1 and ,i will redeem you with a stretched-out arm1 and with great judgments2 and ,i will take you to ,me for a people1 and ,i will be to you a ,god2 and ye shall know that ,i am the ,lord your ,god1 which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the ,egyptians4 ,and ,i will bring you in unto the land concerning the which ,i did swear to give it unto ,abraham1 to ,isaac1 and to ,jacob2 and ,i will give it to you for a heritage3 ,i am the ,lord4' 7,ver4 #f-h47 ,all this speaks the purest1 freest1 richest grace4 ,jehovah presents ,himself to the hearts of ,his people as the ,one who was to act in them1 for them1 and with them1 for the display of ,his own glory4 ,ruined and helpless as they were1 ,he had come down to show forth ,his glory1 to exhibit ,his grace1 and to furnish a sample of ,his power1 in their full deliverance4 ,his glory and their salvation were inseparably connected4 ,they were afterwards reminded of all this1 as we read in the book of ,deuteronomy1--,the ,lord did not set ,his love upon you1 nor choose you1 because ye were more in number than any people2 for ye were the fewest of all people3 but because the ,lord loved you1 and because ,he would keep the oath which ,he had sworn onto your fathers1 hath the ,lord brought you out with a mighty hand1 and redeemed you out of the house of bondmen1 from the hand of ,pharaoh1 king of ,egypt4 7,chap4 vii4 #g1 #h47 ,nothing is more calculated to assure and establish the doubting1 trembling heart than the knowledge that ,god has taken us up just as we are1 and in the full intelligence of what we are2 and1 moreover1 that ,he can never make any fresh discovery to cause an alteration in the character and measure of ,his love4 ,having loved ,his own which were in the world1 ,he loved them unto the end4 7,john xiii47 ,whom ,he loves and as ,he loves1 ,he loves unto the end4 ,this is an unspeakable comfort4 ,god knew all about us--,he knew the very worst of us1 when ,he manifested ,his love to us in the gift of ,his ,son4 ,he knew what was needed1 and ,he provided it2 ,he knew what was due1 and ,he paid it2 ,he knew what was to be wrought1 and ,he wrought it2 ,his own requirements had to be met1 and ,he met them4 ,it is all ,his own work4 ,hence1 we find ,him saying to ,israel1 as in the above passage1 ,i will bring you out1 ,i will bring you in1 ,i will take you to ,me1 ,i will give you the land1 ,i am ,jehovah4 ,it was all what ,he would do1 as founded upon what ,he was4 ,until this great truth is fully laid hold of1 until it enters into the soul1 in the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 there cannot be settled peace4 ,the heart can never be happy1 or the conscience at rest1 until one knows and believes that all divine requirements have been divinely answered4 ,the remainder of our section is taken up with a record of the heads of their fathers' houses1 and is very interesting1 as showing us ,jehovah coming in and numbering those that belonged to ,himself1 though they were still in the possession of the enemy4 ,israel was ,god's people1 and ,he here counts up those on whom ,he had a sovereign claim4 ,amazing grace6 ,to find an object in those who were in the midst of all the degradation of ,egyptian bondage6 ,this was worthy of ,god4 ,the ,one who had made the worlds1 who was surrounded by hosts of unfallen angels1 ever ready to do ,his pleasure1 should come down for the purpose of taking up a number of bond-slaves with whom ,he condescended to connect ,his name4 ,he came down and stood amid the brick-kilns of ,egypt1 and there beheld a people groaning beneath the lash of the taskmasters1 and ,he uttered those memorable accents1 ,let ,my people go2 and1 having so said1 ,he proceeded to count them up1 as much as to say1 ,these are ,mine2 let ,me see how many ,i have1 that not one may be left behind4 ,he taketh up the beggar from the dunghill1 to set him amongst the princes of ,his people1 and to make him inherit the throne of glory47#a ,sam4 ii47 ,,chapters ,,vii4-,,xi4 ,these five chapters form one distinct section1 the contents of which may be distributed into the three following divisions1 namely1 the ten judgments from the hand of ,jehovah1 the resistance of ,jannes and ,jambres1 and the four objections of ,pharaoh4 ,the whole land of ,egypt was made to tremble beneath the successive strokes of the rod of ,god4 ,all1 from the monarch on ,his throne to the menial at the mill1 were made to feel the terrible weight of that rod4 ,he sent ,moses ,his servant1 and ,aaron whom ,he had chosen4 ,they showed ,his signs among them1 and wonders in the land of ,ham4 ,he sent darkness and made it dark2 and they rebelled not against ,his word4 ,he turned their waters into blood1 and slew their fish4 ,their land brought forth frogs in abundance1 in the chambers of their kings4 ,he spake1 and there came divers sorts of flies and lice in all their coasts4 ,he gave them hail for rain1 and flaming fire in their land4 ,he smote their vines also1 and their fig-trees2 and brake the trees of their coasts4 ,he spake1 and their locusts came1 and the caterpillars1 and that without number1 and did eat up all the herbs in their land1 and devoured the fruit of their ground4 ,he smote also all the first-born in their land1 the chief of all their strength4 7,ps4 cv4 #bf-cf47 ,here the inspired ,psalmist has given a condensed view of those appalling inflictions which the hardness of ,pharaoh's heart brought upon his land and upon his people4 ,this haughty monarch had set himself to resist the sovereign will and course of the ,most ,high ,god2 and1 as a just consequence1 he was given over to judicial blindness and hardness of heart4 ,and the ,lord hardened the heart of ,pharaoh1 and he hearkened not unto them1 as the ,lord had spoken unto ,moses4 ,and the ,lord said unto ,moses1 ',rise up early in the morning1 and stand before ,pharaoh1 and say unto him1 ,thus saith the ,lord ,god of the ,hebrews1 ,let ,my people go1 that they may serve ,me1 ,for ,i will at this time send all ,my plagues upon thine heart1 and upon thy servants1 and upon thy people2 that thou mayest know that there is none like ,me in all the earth4 ,for now ,i will stretch out ,my hand that ,i may smite thee and thy people with pestilence2 and thou shalt be cut off from the earth4 ,and in very deed for this cause have ,i raised thee up1 for to show in thee ,my power1 and that ,my name maybe declared throughout all the earth4' 7,exod4 ix4 #ab-af47 ,in contemplating ,pharaoh and his actings1 the mind is carried forward to the stirring scenes of the book of ,revelation1 in which we find the last proud oppressor of the people of ,god bringing down upon his kingdom and upon himself the seven vials of the wrath of the ,almighty4 ,it is ,god's purpose that ,israel shall be pre-eminent in the earth2 and1 therefore1 every one who presumes to stand in the way of that pre-eminence must be set aside4 ,divine grace must find its object2 and every one who would act as a barrier in the way of that grace1 must be taken out of the way1--whether it be ,egypt1 ,babylon1 or the beast that was1 is not1 and yet is1 it matters not4 ,divine power will clear the channel for divine grace to flow1 and eternal woe be to all who stand in the way4 ,they shall taste1 throughout the everlasting course of ages1 the bitter fruit of having exalted themselves against the ,lord ,god of the ,hebrews4 ,he has said to ,his people1 ,no weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper1 and ,his infallible faithfulness will assuredly make good what ,his infinite grace hath promised4 ,thus1 in ,pharaoh case1 when he persisted in holding1 with an iron grasp1 the ,israel of ,god1 the vials of divine wrath were poured forth upon him2 and the land of ,egypt was covered1 throughout its entire length and breadth1 with darkness1 disease1 and desolation4 ,so will it be by and by1 when the last great oppressor shall emerge from the bottomless pit1 armed with satanic power1 to crush beneath his foot of pride the favored objects of ,jehovah's choice4 ,his throne shall be overturned1 his kingdom devastated by the seven last plagues1 and1 finally1 he himself plunged1 not in the ,red ,sea1 but in the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone4 7,comp4 ,rev4 xvii4 #h2 xx4 #aj47 ,not one jot or one tittle of what ,god has promised to ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob shall fail4 ,he will accomplish all4 ,notwithstanding all that has been said and done to the contrary1 ,god remembers ,his promises1 and ,he will fulfill them4 ,they are all yea and amen in ,christ4 ,dynasties have risen and acted on the stage of this world2 thrones have been erected on the apparent ruins of ,jerusalem's ancient glory2 empires have flourished for a time1 and then fallen to decay2 ambitious potentates have contended for the possession of the land of promise--all these things have taken place2 but ,jehovah has said concerning ,palestine1 ,the land shall not be sold forever3 for the land is ,mine4 7,lev4 xxv4 #bc47 ,no one1 therefore1 shall ever finally possess that land but ,jehovah ,himself1 and ,he will inherit it through the seed of ,abraham4 ,one plain passage of ,scripture is quite sufficient to establish the mind in reference to this or any other subject4 ,the land of ,canaan is for the seed of ,abraham1 and the seed of ,abraham for the land of ,canaan2 nor can any power of earth or hell ever reverse this divine order4 ,the eternal ,god has pledged ,his word1 and the blood of the everlasting covenant has flowed to ratify that word4 ,who1 then1 shall make it void8 ,heaven and earth shall pass away1 but that word shall never pass away4 ,truly1 there is none like unto the ,god of ,jeshurun1 who rideth upon the heaven in thy help1 and in ,his excellency on the sky4 ,the eternal ,god is thy refuge1 and underneath are the everlasting arms2 and ,he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee2 and shall say1 ,destroy them4 ,israel then shall dwell in safety alone3 the fountain of ,jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine2 also his heavens shall drop down dew4 ,happy art thou1 ,o ,israel1 who is like unto thee1 ,o people saved by the ,lord1 the shield of thy help1 and who is the sword of thy excellency6 and thy enemies shall be found liars unto thee2 and thou shalt tread upon their high places4 7,deut4 xxxiii4 #bf-bi47 ,we shall now consider1 in the second place1 the opposition of ,jannes and ,jambres1 the magicians of ,egypt4 ,we should not have known the names of these ancient opposers of the truth of ,god1 had they not been recorded by the ,holy ,ghost1 in connection with the perilous times of which the apostle ,paul warns his son ,timothy4 ,it is important that the ,christian reader should clearly understand the real nature of the opposition given to ,moses by those magicians1 and in order that he may have the subject fully before him1 ,i shall quote the entire passage from ,st4 ,paul's epistle to ,timothy4 ,it is one of deep and awful solemnity4 ,this know also1 that in the last days perilous times shall come4 ,for men shall be lovers of their own selves1 covetous1 boasters1 proud1 blasphemers1 disobedient to parents1 unthankful1 unholy1 without natural affection1 truce-breakers1 false accusers1 incontinent1 fierce1 despisers of those that are good1 traitors1 heady1 high-minded1 lovers of pleasures rather than lovers of ,god2 having a form of godliness1 but denying the power thereof3 from such turn away4 ,for of this sort are they which creep into houses1 and lead captive silly women laden with sins1 led away with divers lusts1 ever learning1 and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth4 ,now as ,jannes and ,jambres withstood ,moses1 so do these also resist the truth3 men of corrupt minds1 reprobate concerning the faith4 ,but they shall proceed no further2 for their folly shall be manifest unto all1 as theirs also was4 7#b ,tim4 iii4 #a-i47 ,now1 it is peculiarly solemn to mark the nature of this resistance to the truth4 ,the mode in which ,jannes and ,jambres withstood ,moses was simply by imitating1 as far as they were able1 whatever he did4 ,we do not find that they attributed his actings to a false or evil energy1 but rather that they sought to neutralize their power upon the conscience1 by doing the same things4 ,what ,moses did they could do1 so that after all there was no great difference4 ,one was as good as the other4 ,a miracle is a miracle4 ,if ,moses wrought miracles to get the people out of ,egypt1 they could work miracles to keep them in2 so where was the difference8 ,from all this we learn the solemn truth that the most satanic resistance to ,god's testimony in the world is offered by those who1 though they imitate the effects of the truth1 have but the form of godliness1 and deny the power thereof4 ,persons of this class can do the same things1 adopt the same habits and forms1 use the same phraseology1 profess the same opinions as others4 ,if the true ,christian1 constrained by the love of ,christ1 feeds the hungry1 clothes the naked1 visits the sick1 circulates the ,scriptures1 distributes tracts1 supports the gospel1 engages in prayer1 sings praise1 preaches the gospel1 the formalist can do every one of these things2 and this1 be it observed1 is the special character of the resistance offered to the truth in the last days--this is the spirit of ,jannes and ,jambres4 ,how needful to understand this6 ,how important to remember that1 as ,jannes and ,jambres withstood ,moses1 so do those self-loving1 world-seeking1 pleasure-hunting professors resist the truth4 ,they would not be without a form of godliness2 but1 while adopting the form1 because it is customary1 they hate the power1 because it involves self-denial4 ,the power of godliness involves the recognition of ,god's claims1 the implanting of ,his kingdom in the heart1 and the consequent exhibition thereof in the whole life and character2 but the formalist knows nothing of this4 ,the power of godliness could never comport with any one of those hideous features set forth in the foregoing quotation2 but the form1 while it covers them over1 leaves them wholly unsubdued2 and this the formalist likes4 ,he does not want his lusts subdued1 his pleasures interfered with1 his passions curbed1 his affections governed1 his heart purified4 ,he wants just as much religion as will enable him to make the best of both worlds4 ,he knows nothing of giving up the world that is1 because of having found the world to come4 ,in marking the forms of ,satan's opposition to the truth of ,god1 we find that his method has ever been1 first1 to oppose it by violence2 and then1 if that did not succeed1 to corrupt it by producing a counterfeit4 ,hence1 he first sought to slay ,moses 7,chap4 ii4 #ae471 and having failed to accomplish his purpose1 he sought to imitate his works4 ,thus1 too1 has it been in reference to the truth committed to the ,church of ,god4 ,satan's early efforts showed themselves in connection with the wrath of the chief priests and elders1 the judgment-seat1 the prison1 and the sword4 ,but in the passage just quoted from #b ,timothy1 we find no reference to any such agency4 ,open violence has made way for the far more wily and dangerous instrumentality of a powerless form1 an empty profession1 a human counterfeit4 ,the enemy1 instead of appearing with the sword of persecution in his hand1 walks about with the cloak of profession on his shoulders4 ,he professes and imitates that which he once opposed and persecuted2 and1 by so doing1 gains most appalling advantages for the time being4 ,the fearful forms of moral evil which1 from age to age1 have stained the page of human history1 instead of being found only where we might naturally look for them1 amid the dens and caves of human darkness1 are to be found carefully arranged beneath the drapery of a cold1 powerless1 uninfluential profession2 and this is one of ,satan's grand masterpieces4 ,that man1 as a fallen1 corrupt creature1 should love himself1 be covetous1 boastful1 proud1 and the like1 is natural2 but that he should be all these beneath the fair covering of a form of godliness1 marks the special energy of ,satan in his resistance to the truth in the last days4 ,that man should stand forth in the bold exhibition of those hideous vices1 lusts1 and passions which are the necessary results of departure from the source of infinite holiness and purity1 is only what might be expected1 for man will be what he is to the end of the chapter4 ,but on the other hand1 when we find the holy name of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ connected with man's wickedness and deadly evil1--when we find holy principles connected with unholy practices1--when we find all the characteristics of ,gentile corruption1 referred to in the first chapter of ,romans1 associated with a form of godliness1 then1 truly1 we may say1 these are the terrible features of the last days--this is the resistance of ,jannes and ,jambres4 ,however1 there were only three things in which the magicians of ,egypt were able to imitate the servants of the true and living ,god1 namely1 in turning their rods into serpents 7,chap4 vii4 #ab471 turning the water into blood 7,chap4 vii4 #bb471 and bringing up the frogs 7,chap4 viii4 #g472 but in the fourth1 which involved the exhibition of life1 in connection with the display of nature's humiliation1 they were totally confounded1 and obliged to own1 ,this is the finger of ,god4 7,chap4 viii4 #af-ai47 ,thus it is also with the latter-day resisters of the truth4 ,all that they do is by the direct energy of ,satan1 and lies within the range of his power4 ,moreover1 its specific object is to resist the truth4 ,the three things which ,jannes and ,jambres were able to accomplish were characterized by satanic energy1 death1 and uncleanness2 that is to say1 the serpents1 the blood1 and the frogs4 ,thus it was they withstood ,moses2 and so do these also resist the truth1 and hinder its moral weight and action upon the conscience4 ,there is nothing which so tends to deaden the power of the truth as the fact that persons who are not under its influences at all1 do the self-same things as those who are4 ,this is ,satan's agency just now4 ,he seeks to have all regarded as ,christians4 ,he would fain make us believe ourselves surrounded by a ,christian world2 but it is counterfeit ,christianity1 which1 so far from being a testimony to the truth1 is designed by the enemy of the truth1 to withstand its purifying and elevating influence4 ,in short1 the servant of ,christ and the witness for the truth is surrounded1 on all sides1 by the spirit of ,jannes and ,jambres2 and it is well for him to remember this--to know thoroughly the evil with which he has to grapple--to bear in mind that it is ,satan's imitation of ,god's reality1 produced1 not by the wand of an openly-wicked magician1 but by the actings of false professors1 who have a form of godliness1 but deny the power thereof1 who do things apparently right and good1 but who have neither the life of ,christ in their souls1 the love of ,god in their hearts1 nor the power of the ,word in their consciences4 ,but1 adds the inspired apostle1 they shall proceed no further1 for their folly shall be manifested unto all1 as theirs also was4 ,truly the folly of ,jannes and ,jambres was manifest unto all1 when they not only failed to imitate the further actings of ,moses and ,aaron1 but actually became involved in the judgments of ,god4 ,this is a solemn point4 ,the folly of all who are merely possessed of the form will1 in like manner1 be made manifest4 ,they will not only be quite unable to imitate the full and proper effects of divine life and power1 but they themselves become the subjects of those judgments which will result from the rejection of that truth which they have resisted4 ,will any one say that all this has no voice for a day of powerless profession8 ,assuredly it has4 ,it should speak to each conscience in living power2 it should tell on each heart1 in accents of impressive solemnity4 ,it should lead each one to inquire seriously whether he is testifying for the truth1 by walking in the power of godliness1 or hindering it1 and neutralizing its action1 by having only the form4 ,the effect of the power of godliness will be seen by our continuing in the things which we have learned4 ,none will continue1 save those who are taught of ,god2 those1 by the power of the ,spirit of ,god1 have drunk in divine principle1 at the pure fountain of inspiration4 ,blessed be ,god1 there are many such throughout the various sections of the professing ,church4 ,there are many1 here and there1 whose consciences have been bathed in the atoning blood of the ,lamb of ,god1 whose hearts beat high with genuine attachment to ,his ,person1 and whose spirits are cheered by that blessed hope of seeing ,him as ,he is1 and of being eternally conformed to ,his image4 ,it is encouraging to think of such4 ,it is an unspeakable mercy to have fellowship with those who can give a reason of the hope that is in them1 and for the position which they occupy4 ,may the ,lord add to their number daily4 ,may the power of godliness spread far and wide in these last days1 so that a bright and well-sustained testimony may be raised to the name of ,him who is worthy4 ,the third point in our section yet remains to be considered1 namely1 ,pharaoh's four subtle objections to the full deliverance and complete separation of ,god's people from the land of ,egypt4 ,the first of these we have in chapter viii4 #be4--;,and ,pharaoh called for ,moses and ,aaron1 and said1 ',go ye1 sacrifice to your ,god in the land4' ,it is needless to remark here1 that whether the magicians withstood1 or ,pharaoh objected1 it was1 in reality1 ,satan that stood behind the scenes2 and his manifest object1 in this proposal of ,pharaoh1 was to hinder the testimony to the ,lord's name--a testimony connected with the thorough separation of ,his people from ,egypt4 ,there could evidently be no such testimony had they remained in ,egypt1 even though they were to sacrifice to ,him4 ,they would have taken common ground with the uncircumcised ,egyptians1 and put ,jehovah on a level with the gods of ,egypt4 ,in this case1 an ,egyptian could have said to an ,israelite1 ,i see no difference between us2 you have your worship and we have ours2 it is all alike4 ,as a matter of course1 men think it quite right for every one to have a religion1 let it be what it may4 ,provided we are sincere1 and do not interfere with our neighbor's creed1 it does not matter what shape our religion may happen to wear4 ,such are the thoughts of men in reference to what they call religion2 but it is very obvious that the glory of the name of ,jesus finds no place in all this4 ,the demand for separation is that which the enemy will ever oppose1 and which the heart of man cannot understand4 ,the heart may crave religiousness1 because conscience testifies that all is not right2 but it craves the world as well4 ,it would like to sacrifice to ,god in the land2 and ,satan's object is gained when people accept of a worldly religion1 and refuse to come out and be separate4 7#b ,cor4 vi47 ,his unvarying purpose from the beginning has been to hinder the testimony to ,god's name on the earth4 ,such was the dark tendency of the proposal1 ,go ye1 sacrifice to your ,god in the land4 ,what a complete damper to the testimony1 had this proposal been acceded to6 ,god's people in ,egypt and ,god ,himself linked with the idols of ,egypt6 ,terrible blasphemy6 ,reader1 we should deeply ponder this4 ,the effort to induce ,israel to worship ,god in ,egypt reveals a far deeper principle than we might1 at first sight1 imagine4 ,the enemy would rejoice1 at any time1 by any means1 or under any circumstances1 to get even the semblance of divine sanction for the world's religion4 ,he has no objections to such religion4 ,he gains his end as effectually by what is termed the religious world as by any other agency2 and hence1 when he can succeed in getting a true ,christian to accredit the religion of the day1 he gains a grand point4 ,as a matter of actual fact1 one knows that nothing elicits such intense indignation as the divine principle of separation from this present evil world4 ,you may hold the same opinions1 preach the same doctrines1 do the same work2 but if you only attempt1 in ever so feeble a manner1 to act upon the divine commands1 ,from such turn away 7#b ,tim4 iii4 #e471 and ,come out from among them 7#b ,cor4 vi4 #ag471 you may reckon assuredly upon the most vigorous opposition4 ,now how is this to be accounted for8 ,mainly by the fact that ,christians1 in separation from this world's hollow religiousness1 bear a testimony for ,christ which they never can bear while connected with it4 ,there is a very wide difference between human religion and ,christ4 ,a poor1 benighted ,hindoo might talk to you of his religion1 but he knows nothing of ,christ4 ,the apostle does not say1 ,if there be any consolation in religion2 though1 doubtless1 the votaries of each kind of religion find what they deem consolation therein4 ,paul1 on the other hand1 found his consolation in ,christ1 having fully proved the worthlessness of religion1 and that1 too1 in its fairest and most imposing form4 7,comp4 ,gal4 i4 #ac1 #ad2 ,phil4 iii4 #d-aa47 ,true1 the ,spirit of ,god speaks to us of pure religion and undefiled2 but the unregenerate man cannot1 by any means1 participate therein2 for how could he possibly take part in aught that is pure and undefiled8 ,this religion is from heaven1 the source of all that is pure and lovely2 it is exclusively before the eye of ,god and the ,father2 it is for the exercise of the functions of that new nature with which all are endowed who believe on the name of the ,son of ,god4 7,john i4 #ab1 #ac2 ,james i4 #ah2 #a ,peter i4 #bc2 #a ,john v4 #a47 ,finally1 it ranges itself under the two comprehensive heads of active benevolence and personal holiness1--,to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction1 and to keep himself unspotted from the world4 7,james i4 #bg47 ,now1 if you go through the entire catalogue of the genuine fruits of ,christianity1 you will find them all classed under these two heads2 and it is deeply interesting to observe that1 whether we turn to the eighth of ,exodus or to the first of ,james1 we find separation from the world put forward as an indispensable quality in the true service of ,god4 ,nothing could be acceptable before ,god--nothing could receive from ,his hand the stamp of pure and undefiled1 which was polluted by contact with an evil world4 ',come out from among them1 and be ye separate1' saith the ,lord1 'and touch not the unclean thing2 and ,i will receive you1 and will be a ,father unto you1 and ye shall be ,my sons and daughters1' saith the ,lord ,almighty4 7#b ,cor4 vi4 #ag1 #ah47 ,there was no meeting-place for ,jehovah and ,his redeemed in ,egypt2 yea1 with them1 redemption and separation from ,egypt were one and the same thing4 ,god had said1 ,i am come down to deliver them1 and nothing short of this could either satisfy or glorify ,him4 ,a salvation which would have left them still in ,egypt could not possibly be ,god's salvation4 ,moreover1 we must bear in mind that ,jehovah's purpose in the salvation of ,israel1 as well as in the destruction of ,pharaoh1 was1 that ,his name might be declared throughout all the earth2 and what declaration could there be of that name or character were ,his people to attempt to worship ,him in ,egypt8 ,either none whatever or an utterly false one4 ,wherefore it was essentially necessary1 in order to the full and faithful declaration of ,god's character1 that ,his people should be wholly delivered and completely separated from ,egypt2 and it is as essentially necessary now1 in order to a clear and unequivocal testimony for the ,son of ,god1 that all who are really ,his should be separated from this present world4 ,such is the will of ,god2 and for this end ,christ gave ,himself4 ,grace unto you and peace from ,god the ,father1 and our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 who gave ,himself for our sins1 that ,he might deliver us from this present evil world1 according to the will of ,god and our ,father2 to whom be glory forever and ever4 ,amen4 7,gal4 i4 #c-e47 ,the ,galatians were beginning to accredit a carnal and worldly religion--a religion of ordinances--a religion of days1 and months1 and times1 and years2 and the apostle commences his epistle by telling them that the ,lord ,jesus ,christ gave ,himself for the purpose of delivering ,his people from that very thing4 ,god's people must be separate1 not1 by any means1 on the ground of their superior personal sanctity1 but because they are ,his people1 and in order that they may rightly and intelligently answer ,his gracious end in taking them into connection with ,himself1 and attaching ,his name to them4 ,a people still amid the defilements and abominations of ,egypt could not have been a witness for the ,holy ,one2 nor can any one now1 while mixed up with the defilements of a corrupt worldly religion1 possibly be a bright and steady witness for a crucified and risen ,christ4 ,the answer given by ,moses to ,pharaoh's first objection was a truly memorable one4 ,and ,moses said1 ',it is not meet so to do2 for we shall sacrifice the abomination of the ,egyptians to the ,lord our ,god2 lo1 shall we sacrifice the abomination of the ,egyptians before their eyes1 and will they not stone us8 ,we will go three days' journey into the wilderness1 and sacrifice to the ,lord our ,god1 as ,he shall command us4' 7,chap4 viii4 #bf1 #bg47 ,here is true separation from ,egypt--three days' journey4 ,nothing less than this could satisfy faith4 ,the ,israel of ,god must be separated from the land of death and darkness1 in the power of resurrection4 ,the waters of the ,red ,sea must roll between ,god's redeemed and ,egypt ere they can properly sacrifice to ,jehovah4 ,had they remained in ,egypt1 they would have to sacrifice to the ,lord the very objects of ,egypt's abominable worship4#e ,this would never do4 ,there could be no tabernacle1 no temple1 no altar1 in ,egypt4 ,it had no site1 throughout its entire limits1 for aught of that kind4 ,in point of fact1 as we shall see further on1 ,israel never presented so much as a single note of praise until the whole congregation stood1 in the full power of an accomplished redemption1 on ,canaan's side of the ,red ,sea4 ,exactly so is it now4 ,the believer must know where the death and resurrection of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ have forever set him1 ere he can be an intelligent worshiper1 an acceptable servant1 or an effectual witness4 #e ,the word abomination has reference to that which the ,egyptians worshiped4 ,it is not a question of being a child of ,god1 and1 as such1 a saved person4 ,many of the children of ,god are very far from knowing the full results1 as regards themselves1 of the death and resurrection of ,christ4 ,they do not apprehend the precious truth1 that the death of ,christ has made an end of their sins forever1 and that they are the happy partakers of ,his resurrection life1 with which sin can have nothing whatever to do4 ,christ became a curse for us1 not1 as some would teach us1 by being born under the curse of a broken law1 but by hanging on a tree4 7,compare1 attentively1 ,deut4 xxi4 #bc2 ,gal4 iii4 #ac47 ,we were under the curse because we had not kept the law2 but ,christ1 the perfect ,man1 having magnified the law and made it honorable1 by the very fact of ,his obeying it perfectly1 became a curse for us by hanging on the tree4 ,thus1 in ,his life ,he magnified ,god's law1 and in ,his death ,he bore our curse4 ,there is therefore now no guilt1 no curse1 no wrath1 no condemnation for the believer2 and1 albeit1 he must be manifested before the judgment-seat of ,christ2 but even there the question of sin is not raised4 ,the cross of ,christ has settled that forever2 so that it is written of those that believe1 ,and their sins and iniquities will ,i remember no more4 7,heb4 x4 #ag47 ,the ,christian's whole course must indeed be manifested before the judgment-seat of ,christ2 but the ,judge ,himself has put away all his sins1 and is his righteousness1 so that the judgment-seat cannot but be friendly to him4 ,he surely will not condemn ,his own work4 ,the righteousness that was required1 ,god ,himself has provided it4 ,he surely will not find any flaw therein4 ,the light of the judgment-seat will be bright enough to disperse every mist and cloud which might tend to obscure the matchless glories and eternal virtues which belong to the cross1 and to show that the believer is clean every whit4 7,john xiii4 #aj2 xv4 #c2 ,eph4 v4 #bg47 ,it is because these foundation-truths are not laid hold of in the simplicity of faith that many of the children of ,god complain of their lack of settled peace--the constant variation in their spiritual condition--the continual ups and downs in their experience4 ,every doubt in the heart of a ,christian is a dishonor done to the ,word of ,god and the sacrifice of ,christ4 ,it is because he does not1 even now1 bask in the light which shines from the cross of ,christ1 that he is ever afflicted with a doubt or a fear4 ,and yet those things which so many have to deplore--those fluctuations and waverings--are but trifling consequences1 comparatively1 inasmuch as they merely affect their experience4 ,the effect produced upon their worship1 their service1 and their testimony1 is far more serious1 inasmuch as the ,lord's honor is concerned4 ,but1 alas6 this latter is but little thought of1 generally speaking1 simply because personal salvation is the grand object--the aim and end--with the majority of professing ,christians4 ,we are prone to look upon everything that affects ourselves as essential2 whereas1 all that merely affects the glory of ,christ in and by us is counted non-essential4 ,however1 it is well to see with distinctness1 that the same truth which gives the soul settled peace1 puts it also into the position of intelligent worship1 acceptable service1 and effectual testimony4 ,in the fifteenth chapter of #a ,corinthians1 the apostle sets forth the death and resurrection of ,christ as the grand foundation of everything4--,moreover1 brethren1 ,i declare unto you the gospel which ,i preached unto you1 which also ye have received1 and wherein ye stand2 by which also ye are saved1 if ye keep in memory what ,i preached unto you1 unless ye have believed in vain4 ,for ,i delivered unto you first of all that which ,i also received1 how that ,christ died for our sins according to the ,scriptures1 and that ,he was buried1 and that ,he rose again the third day according to the ,scriptures4 7,ver4 #a-d47 ,here is the gospel in one brief and comprehensive statement4 ,a dead and risen ,christ is the ground-work of salvation4 ,he was delivered for our offences1 and raised again for our justification4 7,rom4 iv4 #be47 ,to see ,jesus1 by the eye of faith1 nailed to the cross1 and seated on the throne1 must give solid peace to the conscience and perfect liberty to the heart4 ,we can look into the tomb1 and see it empty2 we can look up to the throne1 and see it occupied1 and go on our way rejoicing4 ,the ,lord ,jesus settled everything on the cross on behalf of ,his people2 and the proof of this settlement is that ,he is now at the right hand of ,god4 ,a risen ,christ is the eternal proof of an accomplished redemption2 and if redemption is an accomplished fact1 the believer's peace is a settled reality4 ,we did not make peace1 and never could make it2 indeed1 any effort on our part to make peace could only tend more fully to manifest us as peace-breakers4 ,but ,christ1 having made peace by the blood of ,his cross1 has taken ,his seat on high1 triumphant over every enemy4 ,by ,him1 ,god preaches peace4 ,the word of the gospel conveys this peace2 and the soul that believes the gospel1 has peace--settled peace before ,god1 for ,christ is his peace4 7,see ,acts x4 #cf2 ,rom4 v4 #a2 ,eph4 ii4 #ad2 ,col4 i4 #bj47 ,in this way1 ,god has not only satisfied ,his own claims1 but1 in doing so1 ,he has found out a divinely righteous vent through which ,his boundless affections may flow down to the guiltiest of ,adam's guilty progeny4 ,then1 as to the practical result of all this4 ,the cross of ,christ has not only put away the believer's sins1 but also dissolved forever his connection with the world2 and1 on the ground of this1 he is privileged to regard the world as a crucified thing1 and to be regarded by it as a crucified one4 ,thus it stands with the believer and the world1--it is crucified to him and he to it4 ,this is the real1 dignified position of every true ,christian4 ,the world's judgment about ,christ was expressed in the position in which it deliberately placed ,him4 ,it got its choice as to whether it would have a murderer or ,christ4 ,it allowed the murderer to go free1 but nailed ,christ to the cross1 between two thieves4 ,now1 if the believer walks in the footprints of ,christ--if he drinks into and manifests ,his spirit1 he will occupy the very same place in the world's estimation2 and1 in this way1 he will not merely know that1 as to standing before ,god1 he is crucified with ,christ1 but be led to realize it in his walk and experience every day4 ,but while the cross has thus effectually cut the connection between the believer and the world1 the resurrection has brought him into the power of new ties and associations4 ,if in the cross we see the world's judgment about ,christ1 in resurrection we see ,god's judgment4 ,the world crucified ,him1 but ,god hath highly exalted ,him4 ,man gave ,him the very lowest1 ,god the very highest1 place2 and1 inasmuch as the believer is called into full fellowship with ,god in ,his thoughts about ,christ1 he is enabled to turn the tables upon the world1 and look upon it as a crucified thing4 ,if1 therefore1 the believer is on one cross and the world on another1 the moral distance between the two is vast indeed4 ,and if it is vast in principle1 so should it be in practice4 ,the world and the ,christian should have absolutely nothing in common2 nor will they1 except so far as he denies his ,lord and ,master4 ,the believer proves himself false to ,christ to the very same degree that he has fellowship with the world4 ,all this is plain enough2 but1 my beloved ,christian reader1 where does it put us as regards this world8 ,truly1 it puts us outside1 and that completely4 ,we are dead to the world and alive with ,christ4 ,we are at once partakers of ,his rejection by earth and ,his acceptance in heaven2 and the joy of the latter makes us count as nothing the trial connected with the former4 ,to be cast out of earth1 without knowing that ,i have a place and a portion on high1 would be intolerable2 but when the glories of heaven fill the soul's vision1 a little of earth goes a great way4 ,but some may feel led to ask1 ,what is the world8 ,it would be difficult to find a term more inaccurately defined than world1 or worldliness2 for we are generally disposed to make worldliness begin a point or two above where we are ourselves4 ,the ,word of ,god1 however1 has1 with perfect precision1 defined what the world is1 when it marks it as that which is not of the ,father4 ,hence1 the deeper my fellowship with the ,father1 the keener will be my sense of what is worldly4 ,this is the divine way of teaching4 ,the more you delight in the ,father's love1 the more you reject the world4 ,but who reveals the ,father8 ,the ,son4 ,how8 ,by the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,wherefore1 the more ,i am enabled1 in the power of an ungrieved ,spirit1 to drink in the ,son's revelation of the ,father1 the more accurate does my judgment become as to what is of the world4 ,it is as the limits of ,god's kingdom expand in the heart1 that the judgment as to worldliness becomes refined4 ,you can hardly attempt to define worldliness4 ,it is1 as some one has said1 shaded off gradually from white to jet black4 ,this is most true4 ,you cannot place a bound and say1 ,here is where worldliness begins2 but the keen and exquisite sensibilities of the divine nature recoil from it2 and all we need is1 to walk in the power of that nature1 in order to keep aloof from every form of worldliness4 ,walk in the ,spirit1 and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh4 ,walk with ,god1 and ye shall not walk with the world4 ,cold distinctions and rigid rules will avail nothing4 ,the power of the divine life is what we want4 ,we want to understand the meaning and spiritual application of the three days' journey into the wilderness1 whereby we are separated forever1 not only from ,egypt's brick-kilns and taskmasters1 but also from its temples and altars4 ,pharaoh's second objection partook very much of the character and tendency of the first4 ,and ,pharaoh said1 ',i will let you go1 that ye may sacrifice unto the ,lord your ,god in the wilderness2 only ye shall not go very far away4' 7,chap4 viii4 #bh47 ,if he could not keep them in ,egypt1 he would at least seek to keep them near it1 so that he might act upon them by its varied influences4 ,in this way1 they might be brought back again1 and the testimony more effectually quashed than if they had never left ,egypt at all4 ,there is always much more serious damage done to the cause of ,christ by persons seeming to give up the world and returning to it again1 than if they had remained entirely of it2 for they virtually confess that1 having tried heavenly things1 they have discovered that earthly things are better and more satisfying4 ,nor is this all4 ,the moral effect of truth upon the conscience of unconverted people is sadly interfered with1 by the example of professors going back again into those things which they seemed to have left4 ,not that such cases afford the slightest warrant to any one for the rejection of ,god's truth1 inasmuch as each one is personally responsible and will have to give account of himself to ,god4 ,still1 however1 the effect in this1 as well as in everything else1 is bad4 ,for if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world1 through the knowledge of the ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ1 they are again entangled therein and overcome1 the latter end is worse with them than the beginning4 ,for it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness than1 after they have known it1 to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them4 7#b ,peter ii4 #bj1 #ba47 ,wherefore1 if people do not go very far away1 they had better not go at all4 ,the enemy knew this well2 and hence his second objection4 ,the maintenance of a border position suits his purpose amazingly4 ,those who occupy this ground are neither one thing nor the other2 and1 in point of fact1 whatever influence they possess1 tells entirely in the wrong direction4 ,it is deeply important to see that ,satan's design1 in all these objections1 was to hinder that testimony to the name of the ,god of ,israel1 which could only be rendered by a three days' journey into the wilderness4 ,this was1 in good truth1 going very far away4 ,it was much farther than ,pharaoh could form any idea of1 or than he could follow them4 ,and oh6 how happy it would be if all who profess to set out from ,egypt would really1 in the spirit of their minds and in the tone of their character1 go thus far away from it2 if they would intelligently recognize the cross and grave of ,christ as forming the boundary between them and the world6 ,no man1 in the mere energy of nature1 can take this ground4 ,the ,psalmist could say1 ,enter not into judgment with ,thy servant1 for in ,thy sight shall no man living be justified4 7,ps4 cxliii4 #b47 ,so also is it with regard to true and effectual separation from the world4 ,no man living can enter into it4 ,it is only as dead with ,christ1 and risen again with ,him1 through faith of the operation of ,god1 that any one can either be justified before ,god1 or separated from the world4 ,this is what we may call going very far away4 ,may all who profess and call themselves ,christians go thus far4 ,then will their lamp yield a steady light4 ,then would their trumpet give a certain sound4 ,their path would be elevated2 their experience deep and rich2 their peace would flow as a river2 their affections would be heavenly and their garments unspotted4 ,and1 far above all1 the name of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ would be magnified in them1 by the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 according to the will of ,god their ,father4 ,the third objection demands our most special attention4 ,and ,moses and ,aaron were brought again unto ,pharaoh3 and he said unto them1 ',go1 serve the ,lord your ,god2 but who are they that shall go8' ,and ,moses said1 ',we will go with our young and with our old1 with our sons and with our daughters1 with our flocks and with our herds will we go2 for we must hold a feast unto the ,lord4' ,and he said unto them1 ',let the ,lord be so with you1 as ,i will let you go1 and your little ones3 look to it2 for evil is before you4 ,not so2 go now ye that are men1 and serve the ,lord2 for that ye did desire4' ,and they were driven out from ,pharaoh's presence4 7,chap4 x4 #h-aa47 ,here1 again1 we have the enemy aiming a deadly blow at the testimony to the name of the ,god of ,israel4 ,parents in the wilderness and their children in ,egypt6 ,terrible anomaly6 ,this would only have been a half deliverance1 at once useless to ,israel and dishonoring to ,israel's ,god4 ,this could not be4 ,if the children remained in ,egypt1 the parents could not possibly be said to have left it1 inasmuch as their children were part of themselves4 ,the most that could be said in such a case was1 that in part they were serving ,jehovah1 and in part ,pharaoh4 ,but ,jehovah could have no part with ,pharaoh4 ,he should either have all or nothing4 ,this is a weighty principle for ,christian parents4 ,may we lay it deeply to heart6 ,it is our happy privilege to count on ,god for our children1 and to bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the ,lord4 7,eph4 vi47 ,we should not be satisfied with any other portion for our little ones than that which we ourselves enjoy4 ,pharaoh's fourth and last objection had reference to the flocks and herds4 ,and ,pharaoh called unto ,moses1 and said1 ',go ye1 serve the ,lord2 only let your flocks and herds be stayed3 let your little ones also go with you4' 7,chap4 x4 #bd47 ,with what perseverance did ,satan dispute every inch of ,israel's way out of the land of ,egypt6 ,he first sought to keep them in the land1 then to keep them near the land1 next to keep part of themselves in the land1 and finally1 when he could not succeed in any of these three1 he sought to send them forth without any ability to serve the ,lord4 ,if he could not keep the servants1 he would seek to keep their ability to serve1 which would answer much the same end4 ,if he could not induce them to sacrifice in the land1 he would send them out of the land without sacrifices4 ,in ,moses' reply to this last objection1 we are furnished with a fine statement of the ,lord's paramount claim upon ,his people and all pertaining to them4 ,and ,moses said1 ',thou must give us also sacrifices and burnt offerings1 that we may sacrifice unto the ,lord our ,god4 ,our cattle also shall go with us2 there shall not a hoof be left behind3 for thereof must we take to serve the ,lord our ,god2 and we know not with what we must serve the ,lord until we come thither4' 7,ver4 #be1 #bf47 ,it is only when the people of ,god take their stand1 in simple childlike faith1 upon that elevated ground on which death and resurrection set them1 that they can have anything like an adequate sense of ,his claims upon them4 ,we know not with what we must serve the ,lord until we come thither4 ,that is1 they had no knowledge of the divine claim1 or their responsibility1 until they had gone three days' journey4 ,these things could not be known amid the dense and polluted atmosphere of ,egypt4 ,redemption must be known as an accomplished fact1 ere there can be any just or full perception of responsibility4 ,all this is perfect and beautiful4 ,if any man will do ,his will1 he shall know of the doctrine4 ,i must be up out of ,egypt1 in the power of death and resurrection1 and then1 but not until then1 shall ,i know what the ,lord's service really is4 ,it is when we take our stand1 by faith1 in that large room1 that wealthy place into which the precious blood of ,christ introduces us1--when we look around us and survey the rich1 rare1 and manifold results of redeeming love1--when we gaze upon the ,person of ,him who has brought us into this place1 and endowed us with these riches1 then we are constrained to say1 in the language of one of our own poets1-- ,were the whole realm of nature mine1 ,that were an offering far too small2 ,love so amazing1 so divine1 ,demands my heart1 my life1 my all4 ,there shall not a hoof be left behind4 ,noble words6 ,egypt is not the place for aught that pertains to ,god's redeemed4 ,he is worthy of all--body1 soul1 and spirit2 all we are and all we have belongs to ,him4 ,we are not our own1 we are bought with a price2 and it is our happy privilege to consecrate ourselves and all that we possess to ,him whose we are1 and ,him whom we are called to serve4 ,there is naught of a legal spirit in this4 ,the words1 until we come thither1 furnish a divine guard against this horrible evil4 ,we have traveled the three days' journey1 ere a word concerning sacrifice can be heard or understood4 ,we are put in full and undisputed possession of resurrection life and eternal righteousness4 ,we have left that land of death and darkness2 we have been brought to ,god ,himself1 so that we may enjoy ,him1 in the energy of that life with which we are endowed1 and in the sphere of righteousness in which we are placed3 thus it is our joy to serve4 ,there is not an affection in the heart of which ,he is not worthy2 there is not a sacrifice in all the flock too costly for ,his altar4 ,the more closely we walk with ,him1 the more we shall esteem it to be our meat and drink to do ,his blessed will4 ,the believer counts it his highest privilege to serve the ,lord4 ,he delights in every exercise and every manifestation of the divine nature4 ,he does not move up and down with a grievous yoke upon his neck1 or an intolerable weight upon his shoulder4 ,the yoke is broken because of the anointing1 the burden has been forever removed by the blood of the cross1 while he himself walks abroad1 redeemed1 regenerated1 and disenthralled1 in pursuance of those soul-stirring words1 ,,let ,,my ,,people ,,go4 ,note4--,we shall consider the contents of chapter xi4 in connection with the security of ,israel1 under the shelter of the blood of the paschal lamb4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,and the ,lord said unto ,moses1 ',yet will ,i bring one plague more upon ,pharaoh1 and upon ,egypt2 afterwards he will let you go hence3 when he shall let you go1 he shall surely thrust you out hence altogether4' 7,chap4 xi4 #a47 ,one more heavy blow must fall upon this hard-hearted monarch and his land ere he will be compelled to let go the favored objects of ,jehovah's sovereign grace4 ,how utterly vain it is for man to harden and exalt himself against ,god2 for1 truly1 ,he can grind to powder the hardest heart1 and bring down to the dust the haughtiest spirit4 ,those that walk in pride ,he is able to abase4 7,dan4 iv4 #cg47 ,man may fancy himself to be something2 he may lift up his head1 in pomp and vainglory1 as though he were his own master4 ,vain man6 how little he knows of his real condition and character6 ,he is but the tool of ,satan1 taken up and used by him1 in his malignant efforts to counteract the purposes of ,god4 ,the most splendid intellect1 the most commanding genius1 the most indomitable energy1 if not under the direct control of the ,spirit of ,god1 are but so many instruments in ,satan's hand to carry forward his dark designs4 ,no man is his own master2 he is either governed by ,christ or governed by ,satan4 ,the king of ,egypt might fancy himself to be a free agent1 yet he was but a tool in the hands of another4 ,satan was behind the throne2 and1 as the result of ,pharaoh's having set himself to resist the purposes of ,god1 he was judicially handed over to the blinding and hardening influence of his self-chosen master4 ,this will explain to us an expression occurring very frequently throughout the earlier chapters of this book1--,the ,lord hardened ,pharaoh's heart4 ,there is no need whatever for any one to seek to avoid the full1 plain sense of this most solemn statement4 ,if man resists the light of divine testimony1 he is shut up to judicial blindness and hardness of heart4 ,god leaves him to himself1 and then ,satan comes in and carries him headlong to perdition4 ,there was abundant light for ,pharaoh1 to show him the extravagant folly of his course in seeking to detain those whom ,god had commanded him to let go4 ,but the real disposition of his heart was to act against ,god1 and therefore ,god left him to himself1 and made him a monument for the display of ,his glory through all the earth4 ,there is no difficulty in this to any1 save those whose desire is to argue against ,god--to rush upon the thick bosses of the shield of the ,almighty--to ruin their own immortal souls4 ,god gives people1 at times1 according to the real bent of their hearts' desire4 444 because of this1 ,god shall send them strong delusion1 that they should believe a lie2 that they all might be damned who believed not the truth1 but had pleasure in unrighteousness4 7#b ,thess4 ii4 #aa1 #ab47 ,if men will not have the truth when it is put before them1 they shall assuredly have a lie4 ,if they will not have ,christ1 they shall have ,satan2 if they will not have heaven1 they shall have hell4#f ,will the infidel mind find fault with this8 ,ere it does so1 let it prove that all who are thus judicially dealt with have fully answered their responsibilities4 ,let it1 for instance1 prove1 in ,pharaoh's case1 that he acted1 in any measure1 up to the light he possessed4 ,the same is to be proved in every case4 ,unquestionably1 the task of proving rests on those who are disposed to quarrel with ,god's mode of dealing with the rejecters of ,his truth4 ,the simple-hearted child of ,god will justify ,him1 in view of the most inscrutable dispensations2 and even if he cannot meet and satisfactorily solve the difficult questions of a sceptical mind1 he can rest perfectly satisfied with this word1 ,shall not the ,judge of all the earth do right8 ,there is far more wisdom in this method of settling an apparent difficulty1 than in the most elaborate argument2 for it is perfectly certain that the heart which is in a condition to reply against ,god1 will not be convinced by the arguments of man4 #f ,there is a vast difference between the divine method of dealing with the heathen 7,rom4 i47 and with the rejecters of the gospel4 7#b ,thess4 i4 ii47 ,in reference to the former1 we read1 ,and even as they did not like to retain ,god in their knowledge1 ,god gave them over to a reprobate mind3 but with respect to the latter1 the word is1 ,because they received not the love of the truth that they might be saved1 444 ,god shall send them strong delusion1 that they should believe a lie2 that they all might be damned4 ,the heathen refuse the testimony of creation1 and are therefore left to themselves4 ,the rejecters of the gospel refuse the full blaze of light which shines from the cross1 and therefore a strong delusion will1 ere long1 be sent from ,god upon them4 ,this is deeply solemn for an age like this1 in the which there is so much light and so much profession4 ,however1 it is ,god's prerogative to answer all the proud reasonings1 and bring down the lofty imaginations of the human mind4 ,he can write the sentence of death upon nature1 in its fairest forms4 ,it is appointed unto men once to die4 ,this cannot be avoided4 ,man may seek to hide his humiliation in various ways1--to cover his retreat through the valley of death in the most heroic manner possible1--to call the last humiliating stage of his career by the most honorable titles he can devise1--to gild the bed of death with a false light1--to adorn the funeral procession and the grave with the appearance of pomp1 pageantry1 and glory1--to raise above the mouldering ashes a splendid monument1 on which are engraven the records of human shame1--all these things he may do2 but death is death after all1 and he cannot keep it off for a moment1 or make it aught else than what it is1 namely1 the wages of sin4 ,the foregoing thoughts are suggested by the opening verse of chapter xi--,one plague more6 ,solemn word6 ,it signed the death-warrant of ,egypt's first-born--the chief of all their strength4 ,and ,moses said1 ',thus saith the ,lord1 ,about midnight will ,i go out into the midst of ,egypt2 and all the first-born in the land of ,egypt shall die1 from the first-born of ,pharaoh that sitteth upon his throne1 even unto the first-born of the maid-servant that is behind the mill2 and all the first-born of beasts4 ,and there shall be a great cry throughout all the land of ,egypt1 such as there was none like it1 nor shall be like it any more4' 7,chap4 xi4 #d-f47 ,this was to be the final plague--death in every house4 ,but against any of the children of ,israel shall not a dog move his tongue1 against man or beast2 that ye may know how that the ,lord doth put a difference between the ,egyptians and ,israel4 ,it is the ,lord alone who can put a difference between those who are ,his and those who are not4 ,it is not our province to say to any one1 ,stand by thyself2 ,i am holier than thou3 this is the language of a ,pharisee4 ,but when ,god puts a difference1 we are bound to inquire what that difference is2 and1 in the case before us1 we see it to be a simple question of life or death4 ,this is ,god's grand difference4 ,he draws a line of demarkation1 and on one side of this line is life1 on the other death4 ,many of ,egypt's first-born might have been as fair and attractive as those of ,israel1 and much more so2 but ,israel had life and light1 founded upon ,god's counsels of redeeming love1 established1 as we shall see presently1 by the blood of the lamb4 ,this was ,israel's happy position2 while1 on the other hand1 throughout the length and breadth of the land of ,egypt1 from the monarch on the throne to the menial behind the mill1 nothing was to be seen but death2 nothing to be heard but the cry of bitter anguish1 elicited by the heavy stroke of ,jehovah's rod4 ,god can bring down the haughty spirit of man4 ,he can make the wrath of man to praise ,him1 and restrain the remainder4 ,and all these thy servants shall come down unto me1 and bow down themselves unto me1 saying1 ,get thee out1 and all the people that follow thee3 and after that ,i will go out4 ,god will accomplish ,his own ends4 ,his schemes of mercy must be carried out at all cost1 and confusion of face must be the portion of all who stand in the way4 ,o1 give thanks unto the ,lord2 for ,he is good3 for ,his mercy endureth forever4444 ,to ,him that smote ,egypt in their first-born2 for ,his mercy endureth forever3 and brought out ,israel from among them2 for ,his mercy endureth forever3 with a strong hand and with a stretched-out arm2 for ,his mercy endureth forever4 7,ps4 cxxxvi47 ,and the ,lord spake unto ,moses and ,aaron in the land of ,egypt1 saying1 ',this month shall be unto you the beginning of months3 it shall be the first month of the year to you4' 7,chap4 xii4 #a1 #b47 ,there is here a very interesting change in the order of time4 ,the common or civil year was rolling on in its ordinary course1 when ,jehovah interrupted it in reference to ,his people1 and thus1 in principle1 taught them that they were to begin a new era in company with ,him2 their previous history was henceforth to be regarded as a blank4 ,redemption was to constitute the first step in real life4 ,this teaches a plain truth4 ,a man's life is really of no account until he begins to walk with ,god1 in the knowledge of full salvation and settled peace1 through the precious blood of the ,lamb4 ,previous to this1 he is1 in the judgment of ,god1 and in the language of ,scripture1 dead in trespasses and sins2 alienated from the life of ,god4 ,his whole history is a complete blank1 even though1 in man's account1 it may have been one uninterrupted scene of bustling activity4 ,all that which engages the attention of the man of this world--the honors1 the riches1 the pleasures1 the attractions of life1 so called--all1 when examined in the light of the judgment of ,god1 when weighed in the balances of the sanctuary1 must be accounted as a dismal blank1 a worthless void1 utterly unworthy of a place in the records of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,he that believeth not the ,son shall not see life4 7,john iii4 #cf47 ,men speak of seeing life when they launch forth into society1 travel hither and thither1 and see all that is to be seen2 but they forget that the only true1 the only real1 the only divine way to see life1 is to believe on the ,son of ,god4 ,how little do men think of this6 ,they imagine that real life is at an end when a man becomes a ,christian1 in truth and reality1 not merely in name and outward profession2 whereas ,god's ,word teaches us that it is only then we can see life and taste true happiness4--,he that hath the ,son1 hath life4 7#a ,john v4 #ab47 ,and1 again1 ,happy is he whose transgression is forgiven1 whose sin is covered4 7,ps4 xxxii4 #a47 ,we can get life and happiness only in ,christ4 ,apart from ,him1 all is death and misery1 in ,heaven's judgment1 whatever the outward appearance may be4 ,it is when the thick vail of unbelief is removed from the heart1 and we are enabled to behold1 with the eye of faith1 the bleeding ,lamb1 bearing our heavy burden of guilt upon the cursed tree1 that we enter upon the path of life1 and partake of the cup of divine happiness1--a life which begins at the cross1 and flows onward into an eternity of glory1--a happiness which1 each day1 becomes deeper and purer1 more connected with ,god and founded on ,christ1 until we reach its proper sphere1 in the presence of ,god and the ,lamb4 ,to seek life and happiness in any other way is vainer work by far than seeking to make bricks without straw4 ,true1 the enemy of souls spreads a gilding over this passing scene1 in order that men may imagine it to be all gold4 ,he sets up many a puppet-show to elicit the hollow laugh from a thoughtless multitude1 who will not remember that it is ,satan who is in the box1 and that his object is to keep them from ,christ1 and drag them down into eternal perdition4 ,there is nothing real1 nothing solid1 nothing satisfying1 but in ,christ4 ,outside of ,him1 all is vanity and vexation of spirit4 ,in ,him alone true and eternal joys are to be found2 and we only begin to live when we begin to live in1 live on1 live with1 and live for ,him4 ,this month shall be unto you the beginning of months3 it shall be the first month of the year to you4 ,the time spent in the brick-kilns and by the flesh-pots must be ignored4 ,it is henceforth to be of no account1 save that the remembrance thereof should ever and anon serve to quicken and deepen their sense of what divine grace had accomplished on their behalf4 ,speak ye unto all the congregation of ,israel1 saying1 ,in the tenth day of this month they shall take to them every man a lamb according to the house of their fathers1 a lamb for a house4444 ,your lamb shall be without blemish1 a male of the first year2 ye shall take it out from the sheep or from the goats3 and ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of the same month2 and the whole assembly of the congregation of ,israel shall kill it in the evening4 ,here we have the redemption of the people founded upon the blood of the lamb1 in pursuance of ,god's eternal purpose4 ,this imparts to it all its divine stability4 ,redemption was no afterthought with ,god4 ,before the world was1 or ,satan1 or sin--before ever the voice of ,god was heard breaking the silence of eternity1 and calling worlds into existence1 ,he had ,his deep counsels of love2 and these counsels could never find a sufficiently solid basis in creation4 ,all the blessings1 the privileges1 and the dignities of creation were founded upon a creature's obedience1 and the moment that failed1 all was gone4 ,but then1 ,satan's attempt to mar creation only opened the way for the manifestation of ,god's deeper purposes of redemption4 ,this beautiful truth is typically presented to us in the circumstance of the lamb's being kept up from the tenth to the fourteenth day4 ,that this lamb pointed to ,christ is unquestionable4 #a ,cor4 v4 #g settles the application of this interesting type beyond all question1--,for even ,christ our passover is sacrificed for us4 ,we have1 in the first epistle of ,peter1 an allusion to the keeping up of the lamb1--,forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things1 as silver and gold1 from your vain conversation1 received by tradition from your fathers2 but with the precious blood of ,christ1 as of a lamb without blemish and without spot3 who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world1 but was manifest in these last times for you4 7,chap4 i4 #ah-bj47 ,all ,god's purposes from everlasting had reference to ,christ1 and no effort of the enemy could possibly interfere with those counsels2 yea1 his efforts only tended to the display of the unfathomable wisdom and immovable stability thereof4 ,if the ,lamb without blemish and without spot was foreordained before the foundation of the world1 then1 assuredly1 redemption must have been in the mind of ,god before the foundation of the world4 ,the blessed ,one had not to pause in order to devise some plan to remedy the terrible evil which the enemy had introduced into ,his fair creation4 ,no2 ,he had only to bring forth1 from the unexplored treasury of ,his precious counsels1 the truth concerning the spotless ,lamb1 who was foreordained from everlasting1 and to be manifest in these last times for us4 ,there was no need for the blood of the ,lamb in creation as it came fresh from the hand of the ,creator1 exhibiting1 in every stage and every department of it1 the beauteous impress of ,his hand--the infallible proofs of ,his eternal power and ,godhead 7,rom4 i472 but when1 by one man1 sin was introduced into the world1 then came out the higher1 richer1 fuller1 deeper thought of redemption by the blood of the ,lamb4 ,this glorious truth first broke through the thick clouds which surrounded our first parents1 as they retreated from the garden of ,eden2 its glimmerings appear in the types and shadows of the ,mosaic economy2 it burst upon the ,world in full brightness when the dayspring from on high appeared in the ,person of ,god manifest in the flesh2 and its rich and rare results will be realized when the white-robed1 palm-bearing multitude shall cluster round the throne of ,god and the ,lamb1 and the whole creation shall rest beneath the peaceful sceptre of the ,son of ,david4 ,now1 the lamb taken on the tenth day1 and kept up until the fourteenth day1 shows us ,christ foreordained of ,god from eternity1 but manifest for us in time4 ,god's eternal purpose in ,christ becomes the foundation of the believer's peace4 ,nothing short of this would do4 ,we are carried back far beyond creation1 beyond the bounds of time1 beyond the entrance in of sin and everything that could possibly affect the ground-work of our peace4 ,the expression1 foreordained before the foundation of the world1 conducts us back into the unfathomed depths of eternity1 and shows us ,god forming ,his own counsels of redeeming love1 and basing them all upon the atoning blood of ,his own precious1 spotless ,lamb4 ,christ was ever the primary thought in the divine mind2 and hence1 the moment ,he began to speak or act1 ,he took occasion to shadow forth that ,one who occupied the highest place in ,his counsels and affections2 and1 as we pass along the current of inspiration1 we find that every ceremony1 every rite1 every ordinance1 and every sacrifice pointed forward to the ,lamb of ,god that taketh away the sin of the world1 and not one more strikingly than the passover4 ,the paschal lamb1 with all the attendant circumstances1 forms one of the most profoundly interesting and deeply instructive types of ,scripture4 ,in the interpretation of ,exodus xii1 we have to do with one assembly and one sacrifice4--,the whole assembly of the congregation of ,israel shall kill it in the evening4 7,ver4 #f47 ,it is not so much a number of families with several lambs--a thing quite true in itself--as one assembly and one lamb4 ,each house was but the local expression of the whole assembly gathered round the lamb4 ,the antitype of this we have in the whole ,church of ,god1 gathered by the ,holy ,ghost1 in the name of ,jesus1 of which each separate assembly1 wherever convened1 should be the local expression4 ,and they shall take of the blood1 and strike it on the two side-posts and on the upper door-post of the houses1 wherein they shall eat it4 ,and they shall eat the flesh in that night1 roast with fire1 and unleavened bread2 and with bitter herbs they shall eat it4 ,eat not of it raw1 nor sodden at all with water1 but roast with fire2 his head with his legs1 and with the purtenance thereof4 7,ver4 #g-i47 ,we have to contemplate the paschal lamb in two aspects1 namely1 as the ground of peace1 and the centre of unity4 ,the blood on the lintel secured ,israel's peace4--,when ,i see the blood1 ,i will pass over you4 7,ver4 #ac47 ,there was nothing more required in order to enjoy settled peace1 in reference to the destroying angel1 than the application of the blood of sprinkling4 ,death had to do its work in every house throughout the land of ,egypt4 ,it is appointed unto men once to die4 ,but ,god1 in ,his great mercy1 found an unblemished substitute for ,israel1 on which the sentence of death was executed4 ,thus ,god's claims and ,israel's need were met by one and the same thing1 namely1 the blood of the lamb4 ,that blood outside proved that all was perfectly1 because divinely1 settled2 and therefore perfect peace reigned within4 ,a shade of doubt in the bosom of an ,israelite would have been a dishonor offered to the divinely appointed ground of peace--the blood of atonement4 ,true it is that each one within the blood-sprinkled door would necessarily feel that were he to receive his due reward1 the sword of the destroyer should most assuredly find its object in him2 but then the lamb was treated in his stead4 ,this was the solid foundation of his peace4 ,the judgment that was due to him fell upon a divinely appointed victim2 and believing this1 he could feed in peace within4 ,a single doubt would have made ,jehovah a liar2 for ,he had said1 ,when ,i see the blood1 ,i will pass over you4 ,this was enough4 ,it was no question of personal worthiness4 ,self had nothing whatever to do in the matter4 ,all under the cover of the blood were safe4 ,they were not merely in a salvable state1 they were saved4 ,they were not hoping or praying to be saved2 they knew it as an assured fact1 on the authority of that ,word which shall endure throughout all generations4 ,moreover1 they were not partly saved and partly exposed to judgment2 they were wholly saved4 ,the blood of the lamb and the word of the ,lord formed the foundation of ,israel's peace on that terrible night in which ,egypt's first-born were laid low4 ,if a hair of an ,israelite's head could be touched1 it would have proved ,jehovah's word void1 and the blood of the lamb valueless4 ,it is most needful to be simple and clear as to what constitutes the ground of a sinner's peace in the presence of ,god4 ,so many things are mixed up with the finished work of ,christ1 that souls are plunged into darkness and uncertainty as to their acceptance4 ,they do not see the absolutely settled character of redemption through the blood of ,christ1 in its application to themselves4 ,they seem not to be aware that full forgiveness of sin rests upon the simple fact that a full atonement has been offered1--a fact attested1 in the view of all created intelligence1 by the resurrection of the sinner's ,surety from the dead4 ,they know that there is no other way of being saved but by the blood of the cross 7but the devils know this1 yet it avails them naught74 ,what is so much needed is to know that we are saved4 ,the ,israelite not merely knew that there was safety in the blood2 he knew that he was safe4 ,and why safe8 ,was it because of anything that he had done1 or felt1 or thought8 ,by no means2 but because ,god had said1 ,when ,i see the blood1 ,i will pass over you4 ,he rested upon ,god's testimony3 he believed what ,god said1 because ,god said it3 he set to his seal that ,god was true4 ,and1 observe1 my reader1 it was not by his own thoughts1 feelings1 or experiences1 respecting the blood1 that the ,israelite rested4 ,this would have been a poor1 sandy foundation to rest upon4 ,his thoughts and feelings might be deep or they might be shallow2 but1 deep or shallow1 they had nothing to do with the ground of his peace4 ,it was not said1 ,when you see the blood1 and value it as you ought1 ,i will pass over you4 ,this would have been sufficient to plunge him in dark despair about himself1 inasmuch as it was quite impossible that the human mind could ever sufficiently appreciate the precious blood of the lamb4 ,what gave peace was the fact that ,jehovah's eye rested upon the blood1 and that ,he knew its worth4 ,this tranquilized the heart4 ,the blood was outside1 and the ,israelite inside1 so that he could not possibly see it2 but ,god saw it1 and that was quite enough4 ,the application of this to the question of a sinner's peace is very plain4 ,the ,lord ,jesus ,christ having shed ,his precious blood1 as a perfect atonement for sin1 has taken it into the presence of ,god1 and sprinkled it there2 and ,god's testimony assures the believing sinner that everything is settled on his behalf--settled not by his estimate of the blood1 but by the blood itself1 which ,god estimates so highly1 that because of it1 without a single jot or tittle added thereto1 ,he can righteously forgive all sin1 and accept the sinner as perfectly righteous in ,christ4 ,how can any one ever enjoy settled peace if his peace depends upon his estimate of the blood8 ,impossible6 ,the loftiest estimate which the human mind can form of the blood must fall infinitely short of its divine preciousness2 and therefore1 if our peace were to depend upon our valuing it as we ought1 we could no more enjoy settled peace than if we were seeking it by works of law4 ,there must either be a sufficient ground of peace in the blood alone1 or we can never have peace4 ,to mix up our estimate with it1 is to upset the entire fabric of ,christianity1 just as effectually as if we were to conduct the sinner to the foot of mount ,sinai1 and put him under a covenant of works4 ,either ,christ's atoning sacrifice is sufficient or it is not4 ,if it is sufficient1 why those doubts and fears8 ,the words of our lips profess that the work is finished2 but the doubts and fears of the heart declare that it is not4 ,every one who doubts his full and everlasting forgiveness1 denies1 so far as he is concerned1 the completeness of the sacrifice of ,christ4 ,but there are very many who would shrink from the idea of deliberately and avowedly calling in question the efficacy of the blood of ,christ1 who1 nevertheless1 have not settled peace4 ,such persons profess to be quite assured of the sufficiency of the blood1 if only they were sure of an interest therein--if only they had the right kind of faith4 ,there are many precious souls in this unhappy condition4 ,they are occupied with their interest and their faith1 instead of with ,christ's blood and ,god's word4 ,in other words1 they are looking in at self1 instead of out at ,christ4 ,this is not faith2 and1 as a consequence1 they have not peace4 ,an ,israelite within the blood-stained lintel could teach such souls a most seasonable lesson4 ,he was not saved by his interest in1 or his thoughts about1 the blood1 but simply by the blood4 ,no doubt he had a blessed interest in it1 and he would have his thoughts likewise2 but then ,god did not say1 ,when ,i see your interest in the blood1 ,i will pass over you4 ,oh1 no6 ,,the ,,blood1 in all its solitary dignity and divine efficacy1 was set before ,israel2 and had they attempted to place even a morsel of unleavened bread beside the blood1 as a ground of security1 they would have made ,jehovah a liar1 and denied the sufficiency of ,his remedy4 ,we are ever prone to look at something in or connected with ourselves as necessary1 in order to make up1 with the blood of ,christ1 the ground-work of our peace4 ,there is a sad lack of clearness and soundness on this vital point1 as is evident from the doubts and fears with which so many of the people of ,god are afflicted4 ,we are apt to regard the fruits of the ,spirit in us1 rather than the work of ,christ for us1 as the foundation of peace4 ,we shall see1 presently1 the place which the work of the ,holy ,spirit occupies in ,christianity2 but it is never set forth in ,scripture as being that on which our peace reposes4 ,the ,holy ,ghost did not make peace1 but ,christ did4 ,the ,holy ,ghost is not said to be our peace1 but ,christ is4 ,god did not send preaching peace by the ,holy ,ghost1 but by ,jesus ,christ4 7,comp4 ,acts x4 #cf2 ,eph4 ii4 #ad1 #ag2 ,col4 i4 #bj47 ,my reader cannot be too simple in his apprehension of this important distinction4 ,it is the blood of ,christ which gives peace1 imparts perfect justification--divine righteousness1 purges the conscience1 brings us into the holiest of all1 justifies ,god in receiving the believing sinner1 and constitutes our title to all the joys1 the dignities1 and the glories of heaven4 7,see ,rom4 iii4 #bd-bf2 v4 #i2 ,eph4 ii4 #ac-ah2 ,col4 i4 #bj-bb2 ,heb4 ix4 #ad2 x4 #ai2 #a ,peter i4 #ai2 ii4 #bd2 #a ,john i4 #g2 ,rev4 vii4 #ad-ag47 ,it will not1 ,i fondly hope1 be supposed that1 in seeking to put the precious blood of ,christ in its divinely appointed place1 ,i would write a single line which might seem to detract from the value of the ,spirit's operations4 ,god forbid4 ,the ,holy ,ghost reveals ,christ2 makes us to know1 enjoy1 and feed upon ,christ2 ,he bears witness to ,christ2 ,he takes of the things of ,christ and shows them unto us4 ,he is the power of communion1 the seal1 the witness1 the earnest1 the unction4 ,in short1 ,his blessed operations are absolutely essential4 ,without ,him1 we can neither see1 hear1 know1 feel1 experience1 enjoy1 nor exhibit aught of ,christ4 ,this is plain4 ,the doctrine of the ,spirit's operations is clearly laid down in the ,word1 and is understood and admitted by every true and rightly-instructed ,christian4 ,yet1 notwithstanding all this1 the work of the ,spirit is not the ground of peace2 for1 if it were1 we could not have settled peace until ,christ's coming1 inasmuch as the work of the ,spirit1 in the ,church1 will not1 properly speaking1 be complete till then4 ,he still carries on ,his work in the believer4 ,he maketh intercession with groanings which cannot be uttered4 7,rom4 viii47 ,he labors to bring us up to the predestinated standard1 namely1 perfect conformity1 in all things1 to the image of the ,son4 ,he is the sole ,author of every right desire1 every holy aspiration1 every pure affection1 every divine experience1 every sound conviction2 but1 clearly1 ,his work in us will not be complete until we have left this present scene and taken our place with ,christ in the glory4 ,just as1 in the case of ,abraham's servant1 his work was not complete1 in the matter of ,rebecca1 until he had presented her to ,isaac4 ,not so the work of ,christ for us4 ,that is absolutely and eternally complete4 ,he could say1 ,i have finished the work which ,thou gavest ,me to do4 7,john xvii4 #d47 ,and1 again1 ,it is finished4 7,john xix4 #cj47 ,the ,holy ,ghost cannot yet say ,he has finished ,his work4 ,as the true ,vicar of ,christ upon earth1 ,he still labors amid the varied hostile influences which surround the sphere of ,his operations4 ,he works in the hearts of the people of ,god to bring them up1 practically and experimentally1 to the divinely appointed standard2 but ,he never teaches a soul to lean on ,his work for peace in the presence of ,god4 ,his office is to speak of ,jesus4 ,he does not speak of ,himself4 ,he1 says ,christ1 shall receive of ,mine and shall show it unto you4 7,john xvi4 #ac1 #ad47 ,if1 then1 it is only by the ,spirit's teaching that any one can understand the true ground of peace1 and if the ,spirit never speaks of ,himself1 it is obvious that ,he can only present ,christ's work as the foundation on which the soul must rest forever2 yea1 it is in virtue of that work that ,he takes up ,his abode and carries on ,his marvelous operations in the believer4 ,he is not our title1 though ,he reveals that title and enables us to understand and enjoy it4 ,hence1 therefore1 the paschal lamb1 as the ground of ,israel's peace1 is a marked and beautiful type of ,christ as the ground of the believer's peace4 ,there was nothing to be added to the blood on the lintel2 neither is there anything to be added to the blood on the mercy-seat4 ,the unleavened bread and bitter herbs were necessary1 but not as forming1 either in whole or in part1 the ground of peace4 ,they were for the inside of the house1 and formed the characteristics of the communion there2 but ,,the ,,blood ,,of ,,the ,,lamb ,,was ,,the ,,foundation ,,of ,,everything4 ,it saved them from death1 and introduced them into a scene of life1 light1 and peace4 ,it formed the link between ,god and ,his redeemed people4 ,as a people linked with ,god1 on the ground of accomplished redemption1 it was their high privilege to meet certain responsibilities2 but these responsibilities did not form the link1 but merely flowed out of it4 ,and ,i would further remind my reader that the obedient life of ,christ is not set forth in ,scripture as the procuring cause of our forgiveness4 ,it was ,his death upon the cross that opened those everlasting floodgates of love which else should have remained pent up forever4 ,if ,he had remained to this very hour1 going through the cities of ,israel1 doing good1 the vail of the temple would continue unrent1 to bar the worshiper's approach to ,god4 ,it was ,his death that rent that mysterious curtain from top to bottom4 ,it is by ,his stripes1 not by ,his obedient life1 that we are healed2 and those stripes ,he endured on the cross1 and no where else4 ,his own words1 during the progress of ,his blessed life1 are quite sufficient to settle this point4--,i have a baptism to be baptized with2 and how am ,i straitened till it be accomplished4 7,luke xii4 #ej47 ,to what does this refer but to ,his death upon the cross1 which was the accomplishment of ,his baptism and the opening up of a righteous vent through which ,his love might freely flow out to the guilty sons of ,adam8 ,again1 ,he says1 ,except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die1 it abideth alone4 7,john xii4 #bd47 ,he was that precious corn of wheat2 and ,he should have remained forever alone1 even though incarnate1 had ,he not1 by ,his death upon the accursed tree1 removed out of the way everything that could have hindered the union of ,his people with ,him in resurrection4 ,if it die1 it bringeth forth much fruit4 ,my reader cannot too carefully ponder this subject4 ,it is one of immense weight and importance4 ,he has to remember two points in reference to this entire question1 namely1 that there could be no union with ,christ1 save in resurrection2 and that ,christ only suffered for sins on the cross4 ,we are not to suppose that incarnation was1 by any means1 ,christ taking us into union with ,himself4 ,this could not be4 ,how could sinful flesh be thus united8 ,the body of sin had to be destroyed by death4 ,sin had to be put away according to the divine requirement2 all the power of the enemy had to be abolished4 ,how was all this to be done8 ,only by the precious1 spotless ,lamb of ,god submitting to the death of the cross4 ,it became ,him1 for whom are all things1 and by whom are all things1 in bringing many sons unto glory1 to make the ,captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings4 7,heb4 ii4 #aj47 ,behold1 ,i cast out devils1 and ,i do cures to-day and to-morrow1 and the third day ,i shall be perfected4 7,luke xiii4 #cb47 ,the expressions perfect and perfected in the above passages1 do not refer to ,christ in ,his own ,person abstractedly1 for ,he was perfect from all eternity1 as ,son of ,god2 and as to ,his humanity1 ,he was absolutely perfect likewise4 ,but then1 as the ,captain of salvation--as bringing many sons unto glory--as bringing forth much fruit--as associating a redeemed people with ,himself1--,he had to reach the third day in order to be perfected4 ,he went down alone into the horrible pit1 and miry clay2 but directly ,he plants ,his foot on the rock of resurrection4 ,he associates with ,himself the many sons4 7,psalm xl4 #a-c47 ,he fought the fight alone2 but1 as the mighty ,conqueror1 ,he scatters around ,him1 in rich profusion1 the spoils of victory1 that we might gather them up and enjoy them forever4 ,moreover1 we are not to regard the cross of ,christ as a mere circumstance in a life of sin-bearing4 ,it was the grand and only scene of sin-bearing4 ,his own self bare our sins in ,his own body on the tree4 7#a ,peter ii4 #bd47 ,he did not bear them any where else4 ,he did not bear them in the manger1 nor in the wilderness1 nor in the garden2 but ,,only ,,on ,,the ,,tree4 ,he never had aught to say to sin1 save on the cross2 and there ,he bowed ,his head1 and yielded up ,his precious life1 under the accumulated weight of ,his people's sins4 ,neither did ,he ever suffer at the hand of ,god1 save on the cross2 and there ,jehovah hid ,his face from ,him because ,he was made sin4 7#b ,cor4 v47 ,the above train of thought1 and the various passages of ,scripture referred to1 may perhaps enable my reader to enter more fully into the divine power of the words1 ,when ,i see the blood1 ,i will pass over you4 ,the lamb needed to be without blemish1 no doubt1 for what else could meet the holy eye of ,jehovah8 ,but had the blood not been shed1 there could have been no passing over1 for without shedding of blood is no remission4 7,heb4 ix4 #bb47 ,this subject will1 the ,lord permitting1 come more fully and appropriately before us in the types of ,leviticus4 ,it demands the prayerful attention of every one who loves our ,lord ,jesus ,christ in sincerity4 ,we shall now consider the second aspect of the passover1 as the centre round which the assembly was gathered1 in peaceful1 holy1 happy fellowship4 ,israel saved by the blood was one thing1 and ,israel feeding on the lamb was quite another4 ,they were saved only by the blood2 but the object round which they were gathered was1 manifestly1 the roasted lamb4 ,this is not1 by any means1 a distinction without a difference4 ,the blood of the lamb forms the foundation both of our connection with ,god1 and our connection with one another4 ,it is as those who are washed in that blood1 that we are introduced to ,god and to one another4 ,apart from the perfect atonement of ,christ1 there could obviously be no fellowship either with ,god or ,his assembly4 ,still we must remember that it is to a living ,christ in heaven that believers are gathered by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,it is with a living ,head we are connected--to a living stone we have come4 ,he is our centre4 ,having found peace through ,his blood1 we own ,him as our grand gathering-point and connecting link4--,where two or three are gathered together in ,my name1 there am ,i in the midst of them4 7,matt4 xviii4 #bj47 ,the ,holy ,ghost is the only ,gatherer2 ,christ ,himself is the only object to which we are gathered2 and our assembly1 when thus convened1 is to be characterized by holiness1 so that the ,lord our ,god may dwell among us4 ,the ,holy ,ghost can only gather to ,christ4 ,he cannot gather to a system1 a name1 a doctrine1 or an ordinance4 ,he gathers to a ,person1 and that ,person is a glorified ,christ in heaven4 ,this must stamp a peculiar character on ,god's assembly4 ,men may associate on any ground1 round any centre1 or for any object they please2 but when the ,holy ,ghost associates1 it is on the ground of accomplished redemption1 around the ,person of ,christ1 in order to form a holy dwelling-place for ,god4 7#a ,cor4 iii4 #af1 #ag2 vi4 #ai2 ,eph4 ii4 #ba1 #bb2 #a ,pet4 ii4 #d1 #e47 ,we shall now look in detail at the principles brought before us in the paschal feast4 ,the assembly of ,israel1 as under the cover of the blood1 was to be ordered by ,jehovah in a manner worthy of ,himself4 ,in the matter of safety from judgment1 as we have already seen1 nothing was needed but the blood2 but in the fellowship which flowed out of this safety1 other things were needed which could not be neglected with impunity4 ,and first1 then1 we read1 ,they shall eat the flesh in that night1 roast with fire1 and unleavened bread2 and with bitter herbs they shall eat it4 ,eat not of it raw1 nor sodden at all with water1 but roast with fire2 his head with his legs1 and with the purtenance thereof4 7,ver4 #h1 #i47 ,the lamb round which the congregation was assembled1 and on which it feasted1 was a roasted lamb--a lamb which had undergone the action of fire4 ,in this we see ,christ our passover presenting ,himself to the action of the fire of divine holiness and judgment which found in ,him a perfect material4 ,he could say1 ,thou hast proved mine heart2 thou hast visited me in the night2 thou hast tried me and shalt find nothing3 ,i am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress4 7,psalm xvii4 #c47 ,all in ,him was perfect4 ,the fire tried ,him1 and there was no dross4 ,his head with his legs and with the purtenance thereof4 ,that is to say1 the seat of ,his understanding1 ,his outward walk1 with all that pertained thereto--all was submitted to the action of the fire1 and all was entirely perfect4 ,the process of roasting was therefore deeply significant1 as is every circumstance in the ordinances of ,god4 ,nothing should be passed over1 because all is pregnant with meaning4 ,eat not of it raw1 nor sodden at all with water4 ,had it been eaten thus1 there would have been no expression of the great truth which it was the divine purpose to shadow forth2 namely1 that our paschal ,lamb was to endure1 on the cross1 the fire of ,jehovah's righteous wrath1--a truth of infinite preciousness to the soul4 ,we are not merely under the shelter of the blood of the ,lamb1 but we feed1 by faith1 upon the ,person of the ,lamb4 ,many of us come short here4 ,we are apt to rest satisfied with being saved by what ,christ has done for us1 without cultivating holy communion with ,himself4 ,his loving heart could never be satisfied with this4 ,he has brought us nigh to ,himself1 that we might enjoy ,him1 that we might feed on ,him1 and delight in ,him4 ,he presents ,himself to us as the ,one who has endured1 to the uttermost1 the intense fire of the wrath of ,god1 that ,he may1 in this wondrous character1 be the food of our ransomed souls4 ,but how was this lamb to be eaten8 ,with unleavened bread and bitter herbs4 ,leaven is invariably used1 throughout ,scripture1 as emblematical of evil4 ,neither in the ,old nor in the ,new ,testament is it ever used to set forth anything pure1 holy1 or good4 ,thus1 in this chapter1 the feast of unleavened bread is the type of that practical separation from evil which is the proper result of being washed from our sins in the blood of the ,lamb1 and the proper accompaniment of communion with ,his sufferings4 ,naught but unleavened bread could at all comport with a roasted lamb4 ,a single particle of that which was the marked type of evil1 would have destroyed the moral character of the entire ordinance4 ,how could we connect any species of evil with our fellowship with a suffering ,christ8 ,impossible4 ,all who enter1 by the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 into the meaning of the cross will assuredly1 by the same power1 put away leaven from all their borders4 ,for even ,christ our passover is sacrificed for us3 therefore let us keep the feast1 not with old leaven1 neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness2 but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth4 7#a ,cor4 v4 #g1 #h47 ,the feast spoken of in this passage is that which1 in the life and conduct of the ,church1 corresponds with the feast of unleavened bread4 ,this latter lasted seven days2 and the ,church collectively1 and the believer individually1 are called to walk in practical holiness1 during the seven days1 or entire period1 of their course here below2 and this1 moreover1 as the direct result of being washed in the blood1 and having communion with the sufferings of ,christ4 ,the ,israelite did not put away leaven in order to be saved1 but because he was saved2 and if he failed to put away leaven1 it did not raise the question of security through the blood1 but simply of fellowship with the assembly4 ,seven days shall there be no leaven found in your houses3 for whosoever eateth that which is leavened1 even that soul shall be cut off from the congregation of ,israel1 whether he be a stranger1 or born in the land4 7,ver4 #ai47 ,the cutting off of an ,israelite from the congregation answers precisely to the suspension of a ,christian's fellowship1 if he be indulging in that which is contrary to the holiness of the divine presence4 ,god cannot tolerate evil4 ,a single unholy thought will interrupt the soul's communion2 and until the soil contracted by any such thought is got rid of by confession1 founded on the advocacy of ,christ1 the communion cannot possibly be restored4 7,see #a ,john i4 #e-aj47 ,the true-hearted ,christian rejoices in this4 ,he can ever give thanks at the remembrance of ,god's holiness4 ,he would not1 if he could1 lower the standard a single hair's breadth4 ,it is his exceeding joy to walk in company with ,one who will not go on1 for a moment1 with a single jot or tittle of leaven4 ,blessed be ,god1 we know that nothing can ever snap asunder the link which binds the true believer to ,him4 ,we are saved in the ,lord1 not with a temporary or conditional1 but with an everlasting salvation4 ,but then salvation and communion are not the same thing4 ,many are saved who do not know it2 and many1 also1 who do not enjoy it4 ,it is quite impossible that ,i can enjoy a blood-stained lintel if ,i have leavened borders4 ,this is an axiom in the divine life4 ,may it be written on our hearts6 ,practical holiness1 though not the basis of our salvation1 is intimately connected with our enjoyment thereof4 ,an ,israelite was not saved by unleavened bread1 but by the blood2 and yet leaven would have cut him off from communion4 ,and as to the ,christian1 he is not saved by his practical holiness1 but by the blood2 but if he indulges in evil1 in thought1 word1 or deed1 he will have no true enjoyment of salvation1 and no true communion with the ,person of the ,lamb4 ,this1 ,i cannot doubt1 is the secret of much of the spiritual barrenness and lack of settled peace which one finds amongst the children of ,god4 ,they are not cultivating holiness2 they are not keeping the feast of unleavened bread4 ,the blood is on the lintel1 but the leaven within their borders keeps them from enjoying the security which the blood provides4 ,the allowance of evil destroys our fellowship1 though it does not break the link which binds our souls eternally to ,god4 ,those who belong to ,god's assembly must be holy4 ,they have not only been delivered from the guilt and consequences of sin1 but also from the practice of it1 the power of it1 and the love of it4 ,the very fact of being delivered by the blood of the paschal lamb1 rendered ,israel responsible to put away leaven from all their quarters4 ,they could not say1 in the frightful language of the antinomian1 ,now that we are delivered1 we may conduct ourselves as we please4 ,by no means4 ,if they were saved by grace1 they were saved to holiness4 ,the soul that can take occasion1 from the freedom of divine grace and the completeness of the redemption which is in ,christ ,jesus1 to continue in sin1 proves very distinctly that he understands neither the one nor the other4 ,grace not only saves the soul with an everlasting salvation1 but also imparts a nature which delights in everything that belongs to ,god1 because it is divine4 ,we are made partakers of the divine nature1 which cannot sin1 because it is born of ,god4 ,to walk in the energy of this nature is1 in reality1 to keep the feast of unleavened bread4 ,there is no old leaven nor leaven of malice and wickedness in the new nature1 because it is of ,god1 and ,god is holy1 and ,god is love4 ,hence it is evident that we do not put away evil from us in order to better our old nature1 which is irremediable2 nor yet to obtain the new nature1 but because we have it4 ,we have life1 and1 in the power of that life1 we put away evil4 ,it is only when we are delivered from the guilt of sin that we can understand or exhibit the true power of holiness4 ,to attempt it in any other way is hopeless labor4 ,the feast of unleavened bread can only be kept beneath the perfect shelter of the blood4 ,we may perceive equal significancy and moral propriety in that which was to accompany the unleavened bread1 namely1 the bitter herbs4 ,we cannot enjoy communion with the sufferings of ,christ without remembering what it was which rendered those sufferings needful1 and this remembrance must necessarily produce a chastened and subdued tone of spirit1 which is aptly expressed by the bitter herbs in the paschal feast4 ,if the roasted lamb expressed ,christ's endurance of the wrath of ,god in ,his own ,person1 on the cross1 the bitter herbs express the believer's recognition of the truth that ,he suffered for us4 ,the chastisement of our peace was upon ,him1 and with ,his stripes we are healed4 7,isaiah liii4 #e47 ,it is well1 owing to the excessive levity of our hearts1 to understand the deep meaning of the bitter herbs4 ,who can read such psalms as the sixth1 twenty-second1 thirty-eighth1 sixty-ninth1 eighty-eighth1 and one hundred and ninth1 and not enter1 in some measure1 into the meaning of the unleavened bread with bitter herbs8 ,practical holiness of life1 with deep subduedness of soul1 must flow from real communion with ,christ's sufferings2 for it is quite impossible that moral evil and levity of spirit can exist in view of those sufferings4 ,but1 it may be asked1 is there not a deep joy for the soul in the consciousness that ,christ has borne our sins2 that ,he has fully drained1 on our behalf1 the cup of ,god's righteous wrath8 ,unquestionably4 ,this is the solid foundation of all our joy4 ,but can we ever forget that it was for our sins ,he suffered8 ,can we ever lose sight of the soul-subduing truth that the blessed ,lamb of ,god bowed ,his head beneath the weight of our transgressions8 ,surely not4 ,we must eat our lamb with bitter herbs1 which1 be it remembered1 do not set forth the tears of a worthless and shallow sentimentality1 but the deep and real experiences of a soul that enters1 with spiritual intelligence and power1 into the meaning and into the practical effect of the cross4 ,in contemplating the cross1 we find in it that which cancels all our guilt4 ,this imparts sweet peace and joy4 ,but we find in it also the complete setting aside of nature--the crucifixion of the flesh--the death of the old man4 7,see ,rom4 vi4 #f2 ,gal4 ii4 #bj2 vi4 #ad2 ,col4 ii4 #aa47 ,this1 in its practical results1 will involve much that is bitter to nature4 ,it will call for self-denial--the mortification of our members which are on the earth 7,col4 iii4 #e47--the reckoning of self to be dead indeed unto sin 7,rom4 vi474 ,all these things may seem terrible to look at2 but when one gets inside the blood-stained door-post1 he thinks quite differently4 ,the very herbs which to an ,egyptian's taste would no doubt have seemed so bitter1 formed an integral part of ,israel's redemption feast4 ,those who are redeemed by the blood of the ,lamb1 who know the joy of fellowship with ,him1 esteem it a feast to put away evil and to keep nature in the place of death4 ,and ye shall let nothing of it remain until the morning2 and that which remaineth of it until the morning ye shall burn with fire4 7,ver4 #aj47 ,in this command1 we are taught that the communion of the congregation was in no wise to be separated from the sacrifice on which that communion was founded4 ,the heart must ever cherish the vivid remembrance that all true fellowship is inseparably connected with accomplished redemption4 ,to think of having communion with ,god on any other ground is to imagine that ,he could have fellowship with our evil1 and to think of fellowship with man on any other ground is but to form an unholy club1 from which nothing could issue but confusion and iniquity4 ,in a word1 all must be founded upon1 and inseparably linked with1 the blood4 ,this is the simple meaning of eating the paschal lamb the same night on which the blood was shed4 ,the fellowship must not be separated from its foundation4 ,what a beauteous picture1 then1 we have in the blood-sheltered assembly of ,israel1 feeding peacefully on the roasted lamb1 with unleavened bread and bitter herbs6 ,no fear of judgment1 no fear of the wrath of ,jehovah1 no fear of the terrible hurricane of righteous vengeance which was sweeping vehemently over the land of ,egypt1 at the midnight hour4 ,all was profound peace within the blood-stained lintel4 ,they had no need to fear anything from without2 and nothing within could trouble them1 save leaven1 which would have proved a death-blow to all their peace and blessedness4 ,what a picture for the ,church6 ,what a picture for the ,christian6 ,may we gaze upon it with an enlightened eye and a teachable spirit6 ,however1 we are not yet done with this most instructive ordinance4 ,we have been looking at ,israel's position1 and ,israel's food1 let us now look at ,israel's habit4 ,and thus shall ye eat it3 with your loins girded1 your shoes on your feet1 and your staff in your hand2 and ye shall eat it in haste2 it is the ,lord's passover4 7,ver4 #aa47 ,they were to eat it as a people prepared to leave behind them the land of death and darkness1 wrath and judgment1 to move onward toward the land of promise--their destined inheritance4 ,the blood which had preserved them from the fate of ,egypt's first-born was also the foundation of their deliverance from ,egypt's bondage2 and they were now to set out and walk with ,god toward the land that flowed with milk and honey4 ,true1 they had not yet crossed the ,red ,sea1--they had not yet gone the three days' journey2 still they were1 in principle1 a redeemed people1 a separated people1 a pilgrim people1 an expectant people1 a dependent people2 and their entire habit was to be in keeping with their present position and future destiny4 ,the girded loins bespoke intense separation from all around them1 together with a readiness to serve4 ,the shod feet declared their preparedness to leave that scene2 while the staff was the expressive emblem of a pilgrim people1 in the attitude of leaning on something outside themselves4 ,precious characteristics6 ,would that they were more exhibited by every member of ,god's redeemed family4 ,beloved ,christian reader1 let us meditate on these things4 ,we have tasted1 through grace1 the cleansing efficacy of the blood of ,jesus2 as such1 it is our privilege to feed upon ,his adorable ,person and delight ourselves in ,his unsearchable riches2 to have fellowship in ,his sufferings1 and be made conformable to ,his death4 ,oh6 let us1 therefore1 be seen with the unleavened bread and bitter herbs1 the girded loins1 the shoes and staff4 ,in a word1 let us be marked as a holy people1 a crucified people1 a watchful and diligent people1--a people manifestly on our way to ,god--on our way to glory--bound for the kingdom4 ,may ,god grant us to enter into the depth and power of all these things1 so that they may not be mere theories in our intellects--mere principles of scriptural knowledge and interpretation1 but living1 divine realities1 known by experience1 and exhibited in the life1 to the glory of ,god4 ,we shall close this section by glancing1 for a moment1 at verses #dc-di4 ,here we are taught that while it was the place and privilege of every true ,israelite to eat the passover1 yet no uncircumcised stranger should participate therein4--,there shall no stranger eat thereof 444 all the congregation of ,israel shall keep it4 ,circumcision was necessary ere the passover could be eaten4 ,in other words1 the sentence of death must be written upon nature ere we can intelligently feed upon ,christ1 either as the ground of peace or the centre of unity4 ,circumcision has its antitype in the cross4 ,the male alone was circumcised2 the female was represented in the male4 ,so1 in the cross1 ,christ represented ,his ,church1 and hence the ,church is crucified with ,christ2 nevertheless she lives by the life of ,christ1 known and exhibited on earth1 through the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,and when a stranger shall sojourn with thee1 and will keep the passover unto the ,lord1 let all his males be circumcised1 and then let him come near and keep it2 and he shall be as one that is born in the land3 for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof4 ,they that are in the flesh cannot please ,god4 7,rom4 viii4 #h47 ,the ordinance of circumcision formed the grand boundary line between the ,israel of ,god and all the nations that were upon the face of the earth2 and the cross of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ forms the boundary between the ,church and the world4 ,it matters not1 in the smallest degree1 what advantages of person or position a man possessed1 he could have no part with ,israel until he submitted to that flesh-cutting operation4 ,a circumcised beggar was nearer to ,god than an uncircumcised king4 ,so1 also1 now1 there can be no participation in the joys of ,god's redeemed1 save by the cross of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ2 and that cross sweeps away all pretensions1 levels all distinctions1 and unites all in one holy congregation of blood-washed worshipers4 ,the cross forms a boundary so lofty1 and a defense so impenetrable1 that not a single atom of earth or of nature can cross over or pass through to mingle itself with the new creation4 ,all things are of ,god1 who hath reconciled us to ,himself4 7#b ,cor4 v4 #ah47 ,but not only was ,israel's separation from all strangers strictly maintained1 in the institution of the passover2 ,israel's unity was also as clearly enforced4 ,in one house shall it be eaten3 thou shalt not carry forth aught of the flesh abroad out of the house3 neither shall ye break a bone thereof4 7,ver4 #df47 ,here is as fair and beauteous a type as we could have of the one body and one ,spirit4 ,the ,church of ,god is one4 ,god sees it as such1 maintains it as such1 and will manifest it as such1 in the view of angels1 men1 and devils1 notwithstanding all that has been done to interfere with that hallowed unity4 ,blessed be ,god1 the unity of ,his ,church is as much in ,his keeping as is her justification1 acceptance1 and eternal security4 ,he keepeth all his bones2 not one of them is broken4 7,ps4 xxxiv4 #bj47 ,and again1 ,a bone of ,him shall not be broken4 7,john xix4 #cf47 ,despite the rudeness and hard-heartedness of ,rome's soldiery1 and despite all the hostile influences which have been set to work1 from age to age1 the body of ,christ is one and its divine unity can never be broken4 ,,there ,,is ,,one ,,body ,,and ,,one ,,spirit2 and that1 moreover1 down here on this very earth4 ,happy are they who have got faith to recognize this precious truth1 and faithfulness to carry it out1 in these last days1 notwithstanding the almost insuperable difficulties which attend upon their profession and their practice4 ,i believe ,god will own and honor such4 ,the ,lord deliver us from that spirit of unbelief which would lead us to judge by the sight of our eyes1 instead of by the light of ,his changeless ,word4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,in the opening verses of this chapter we are taught1 clearly and distinctly1 that personal devotedness and personal holiness are fruits which redeeming love produces in those who are the happy subjects thereof4 ,the dedication of the first-born and the feast of unleavened bread are here set forth in their immediate connection with the deliverance of the people out of the land of ,egypt4--',sanctify unto ,me all the first-born1 whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of ,israel1 both of man and of beast3 it is ,mine4' ,and ,moses said unto the people1 ',remember this day1 in which ye came out from ,egypt1 out of the house of bondage2 for by strength of hand the ,lord brought you out from this place3 there shall no leavened bread be eaten4' ,and again1 ,seven days thou shalt eat unleavened bread1 and in the seventh day shall be a feast unto the ,lord4 ,unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days2 and there shall no leavened bread be seen with thee2 neither shall there be leaven seen with thee in all thy quarters4 ,then we have the reason of both these significant observances laid down4--,and thou shalt show thy son in that day1 saying1 ,this is done because of that which the ,lord did unto me when ,i came forth out of ,egypt4 ,and again1 ,it shall be1 when thy son asketh thee in time to come1 saying1 ,what is this8 that thou shalt say unto him1 ,by strength of hand the ,lord brought us out from ,egypt1 from the house of bondage4 ,and it came to pass1 when ,pharaoh would hardly let us go1 that the ,lord slew all the first-born in the land of ,egypt1 both the first-born of man and the first-born of beast2 therefore ,i sacrifice to the ,lord all that openeth the matrix1 being males2 but all the first-born of my children ,i redeem4 ,the more fully we enter1 by the power of the ,spirit of ,god1 into the redemption which is in ,christ ,jesus1 the more decided will be our separation1 and the more whole-hearted will be our devotedness4 ,the effort to produce either the one or the other1 until redemption is known1 will prove the most hopeless labor possible4 ,all our doings must be because of that which the ,lord hath done1 and not in order to get anything from ,him4 ,efforts after life and peace prove that we are1 as yet1 strangers to the power of the blood2 whereas the pure fruits of an experienced redemption are to the praise of ,him who has redeemed us4 ,for by grace are ye saved through faith2 and that not of yourselves3 it is the gift of ,god3 not of works1 lest any man should boast4 ,for we are ,his workmanship1 created in ,christ ,jesus unto good works1 which ,god hath before prepared that we should walk in them4 7,eph4 ii4 #h-aj47 ,god has already prepared a path of good works for us to walk in2 and ,he1 by grace1 prepares us to walk therein4 ,it is only as saved that we can walk in such a path4 ,were it otherwise1 we might boast2 but seeing that we ourselves are as much ,god's workmanship as the path in which we walk1 there is no room whatever for boasting4 ,true ,christianity is but the manifestation of the life of ,christ1 implanted in us by the operation of the ,holy ,ghost1 in pursuance of ,god's eternal counsels of sovereign grace2 and all our doings previous to the implantation of this life are but dead works1 from which we need to have our consciences purged just as much as from wicked works4 7,heb4 ix4 #ad47 ,the term dead works comprehends all works which men do with the direct object of getting life4 ,if a man is seeking for life1 it is very evident that he has not yet gotten it4 ,he may be very sincere in seeking it1 but his very sincerity only makes it the more obvious that1 as yet1 he has not consciously reached it4 ,hence1 therefore1 everything done in order to get life is a dead work1 inasmuch as it is done without life--the life of ,christ1 the only true life1 the only source from whence good works can flow4 ,and1 observe1 it is not a question of wicked works2 no one would think of getting life by such4 ,no2 you will find1 on the contrary1 that persons continually have recourse to dead works1 in order to ease their consciences1 under the sense of wicked works1 whereas divine revelation teaches us that the conscience needs to be purged from the one as well as the other4 ,again1 as to righteousness1 we read that all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags4 ,it is not said that all our wickednesses1 merely1 are as filthy rags4 ,this would at once be admitted4 ,but the fact is1 that the very best fruit which we can produce1 in the shape of religiousness and righteousness1 is represented1 on the page of eternal truth1 as dead works1 and filthy rags4 ,our very efforts after life do but prove us to be dead1 and our very efforts after righteousness do but prove us to be enwrapped in filthy rags4 ,it is only as the actual possessors of eternal life and divine righteousness that we can walk in the divinely prepared path of good works4 ,dead works and filthy rags could never be suffered to appear in such a path4 ,none but the redeemed of the ,lord can walk therein4 ,it was as a redeemed people that ,israel kept the feast of unleavened bread1 and dedicated their first-born to ,jehovah4 ,the former of these observances we have already considered2 as to the latter1 it contains a rich mine of instruction4 ,the destroying angel passed through the land of ,egypt to destroy all the first-born2 but ,israel's first-born escaped through the death of a divinely provided substitute4 ,accordingly1 these latter appear before us1 in this chapter1 as a living people1 dedicated to ,god4 ,saved by the blood of the lamb1 they are privileged to consecrate their ransomed life to ,him who had ransomed it4 ,thus it was only as redeemed that they possessed life4 ,the grace of ,god alone had made them to differ1 and had given them the place of living men in ,his presence4 ,in their case1 assuredly1 there was no room for boasting2 for1 as to any personal merit or worthiness1 we learn from this chapter that they were put on a level with an unclean and worthless thing4--,every firstling of an ass thou shalt redeem with a lamb2 and if thou wilt not redeem it1 then thou shalt break his neck2 and all the first-born of man among thy children shalt thou redeem4 7,ver4 #ac47 ,there were two classes--the clean and the unclean1 and man was classed with the latter4 ,the lamb was to answer for the unclean2 and if the ass were not redeemed1 his neck was to be broken2 so that an unredeemed man was put upon a level with an unclean animal1 and that1 moreover1 in a condition than which nothing could be more worthless and unsightly4 ,what a humiliating picture of man in his natural condition6 ,o1 that our poor proud hearts could enter more into it6 ,then should we rejoice more unfeignedly in the happy privilege of being washed from our guilt in the blood of the ,lamb1 and having all our personal vileness left behind forever1 in the tomb where our ,surety lay buried4 ,christ was the ,lamb--the clean1 the spotless ,lamb3 we were unclean2 but 7forever adored be ,his matchless name67 ,he took our position1 and1 on the cross1 was made sin1 and treated as such4 ,that which we should have endured throughout the countless ages of eternity1 ,he endured for us on the tree4 ,he bore all that was due to us1 there and then1 in order that we might enjoy what is due to ,him1 forever4 ,he got our desserts that we might get ,his4 ,the clean took1 for a time1 the place of the unclean1 in order that the unclean might take forever the place of the clean4 ,thus1 whereas by nature we are represented by the loathsome figure of an ass with his neck broken1 by grace we are represented by a risen and glorified ,christ in heaven4 ,amazing contrast6 ,it lays man's glory in the dust1 and magnifies the riches of redeeming love4 ,it silences man's empty boastings1 and puts into his mouth a hymn of praise to ,god and the ,lamb1 which shall swell throughout the courts of heaven during the everlasting ages4#g #g ,it is interesting to see that by nature we are ranked with an unclean animal2 by grace we are associated with ,christ the spotless ,lamb4 ,there can be nothing lower than the place which belongs to us by nature3 nothing higher than that which belongs to us by grace4 ,look1 for example1 at an ass with his neck broken2 there is what an unredeemed man is worth4 ,look at the precious blood of ,christ2 there is what a redeemed man is worth4 ,unto you that believe is the preciousness4 ,that is1 all who are washed in the blood partake of ,christ's preciousness4 ,as ,he is a living stone1 they are living stones2 as ,he is a precious stone1 they are precious stones4 ,they get life and preciousness all from ,him and in ,him4 ,they are as ,he is4 ,every stone in the edifice is precious1 because purchased at no less a price than the blood of the ,lamb4 ,may the people of ,god know more fully their place and privileges in ,christ6 ,how forcibly is one here reminded of the apostle's memorable and weighty words to the ,romans1 ,now if we be dead with ,christ1 we believe that we shall also live with ,him3 knowing that ,christ being raised from the dead dieth no more2 death hath no more dominion over ,him4 ,for in that ,he died1 ,he died unto sin once2 but in that ,he liveth1 ,he liveth unto ,god4 ,likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin1 but alive unto ,god through ,jesus ,christ our ,lord4 ,let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body1 that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof4 ,neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin2 but yield yourselves unto ,god1 as those that are alive from the dead1 and your members as instruments of righteousness unto ,god4 ,for sin shall not have dominion over you2 for ye are not under the law1 but under grace4 7,rom4 vi4 #h-ad47 ,we are not only ransomed from the power of death and the grave1 but also united to ,him who has ransomed us at the heavy cost of ,his own precious life1 that we might1 in the energy of the ,holy ,ghost1 dedicate our new life1 with all its powers1 to ,his service1 so that ,his worthy name may be glorified in us according to the will of ,god and our ,father4 ,we are furnished1 in the last few verses of ,exodus xiii1 with a touching and beautiful example of the ,lord's tender consideration of ,his people's need4 ,he knoweth our frame2 ,he remembereth that we are dust4 7,psalm ciii4 #ad47 ,when ,he redeemed ,israel and took them into relationship with ,himself1 ,he1 in ,his unfathomed and infinite grace1 charged ,himself with all their need and weakness4 ,it mattered not what they were or what they needed when ,i ,,am was with them1 in all the exhaustless treasures of that name4 ,he had to conduct them from ,egypt to ,canaan1 and we here find ,him occupying ,himself in selecting a suitable path for them4--,and it came to pass1 when ,pharaoh had let the people go1 that ,god led them not through the way of the land of the ,philistines1 although that was near2 for ,god said1 ',lest peradventure the people repent when they see war1 and they return to ,egypt2' but ,god led the people about through the way of the wilderness of the ,red ,sea4 7,ver4 #ag1 #ah47 ,the ,lord1 in ,his condescending grace1 so orders for ,his people that they do not1 at their first setting out1 encounter heavy trials1 which might have the effect of discouraging their hearts and driving them back4 ,the way of the wilderness was a much more protracted route2 but ,god had deep and varied lessons to teach ,his people1 which could only be learnt in the desert4 ,they were afterwards reminded of this fact1 in the following passage3 ,and thou shalt remember all the way which the ,lord thy ,god led thee these forty years in the wilderness1 to humble thee1 and to prove thee1 to know what was in thine heart1 whether thou wouldest keep ,his commandments or no4 ,and ,he humbled thee1 and suffered thee to hunger1 and fed thee with manna1 which thou knewest not1 neither did thy fathers know2 that ,he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only1 but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the ,lord doth man live4 ,thy raiment waxed not old upon thee1 neither did thy foot swell1 these forty years4 7,deut4 viii4 #b-d47 ,such precious lessons as these could never have been learnt in the way of the land of the ,philistines4 ,in that way1 they might have learnt what war was1 at an early stage of their career2 but in the way of the wilderness1 they learnt what flesh was1 in all its crookedness1 unbelief1 and rebellion4 ,but ,i ,,am was there1 in all ,his patient grace1 unerring wisdom1 and infinite power4 ,none but ,himself could have met the demand2 none but ,he could endure the opening up of the depths of a human heart4 ,to have my heart unlocked any where1 save in the presence of infinite grace1 would plunge me in hopeless despair4 ,the heart of man is but a little hell4 ,what boundless mercy1 then1 to be delivered from its terrible depths6 ,oh1 to grace how great a debtor ,daily ,i'm constrained to be6 ,let that grace1 ,lord1 like a fetter1 ,bind my wandering heart to ,thee6 ,and they took their journey from ,succoth1 and encamped in ,etham1 in the edge of the wilderness4 ,and the ,lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud1 to lead them the way2 and by night in a pillar of fire1 to give them light2 to go by day and night3 ,he took not away the pillar of the cloud by day1 nor the pillar of fire by night1 from before the people4 ,jehovah not only selected a path for ,his people1 but ,he also came down to walk with them therein1 and make ,himself known to them according to their need4 ,he not only conducted them safely outside the bounds of ,egypt1 but ,he also came down1 as it were1 in ,his traveling chariot1 to be their ,companion through all the vicissitudes of their wilderness journey4 ,this was divine grace4 ,they were not merely delivered out of the furnace of ,egypt and then allowed to make the best of their way to ,canaan--such was not ,god's manner toward them4 ,he knew that they had a toilsome and perilous journey before them1 through serpents and scorpions1 snares and difficulties1 drought and barrenness2 and ,he1 blessed be ,his name forever1 would not suffer them to go alone4 ,he would be the ,companion of all their toils and dangers2 yea1 ,he went before them4 ,he was a guide1 a glory1 a defense1 to save from every fear4 ,alas6 that they should ever have grieved that blessed ,one by their hardness of heart4 ,had they only walked humbly1 contentedly1 and confidingly with ,him1 their march would have been a triumphant one from first to last4 ,with ,jehovah in their forefront1 no power could have interrupted their onward progress from ,egypt to ,canaan4 ,he would have carried them through and planted them in the mountain of ,his inheritance1 according to ,his promise1 and by the power of ,his right hand2 nor should as much as a single ,canaanite have been allowed to remain therein to be a thorn in their side4 ,thus will it be by and by1 when ,jehovah shall set ,his hand a second time to deliver ,his people from under the power of all their oppressors4 ,may the ,lord hasten the time6 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,they that go down to the sea in ships1 that do business in great waters2 these see the works of the ,lord1 and ,his wonders in the deep4 7,psalm cvii4 #bc1 #bd47 ,how true is this6 and yet our coward hearts do so shrink from those great waters4 ,we prefer carrying on our traffic in the shallows1 and1 as a result1 we fail to see the works and wonders of our ,god2 for these can only be seen and known in the deep4 ,it is in the day of trial and difficulty that the soul experiences something of the deep and untold blessedness of being able to count on ,god4 ,were all to go on smoothly1 this would not be so4 ,it is not in gliding along the surface of a tranquil lake that the reality of the ,master's presence is felt2 but actually when the tempest roars1 and the waves roll over the ship4 ,the ,lord does not hold out to us the prospect of exemption from trial and tribulation2 quite the opposite3 ,he tells us we shall have to meet both the one and the other2 but ,he promises to be with us in them1 and this is infinitely better4 ,god's presence in the trial is much better than exemption from the trial4 ,the sympathy of ,his heart with us is sweeter far than the power of ,his hand for us4 ,the ,master's presence with ,his faithful servants while passing through the furnace was better far than the display of ,his power to keep them out of it4 7,dan4 iii47 ,we would frequently desire to be allowed to pass on our way without trial1 but this would involve serious loss4 ,the ,lord's presence is never so sweet as in moments of appalling difficulty4 ,thus it was in ,israel's case1 as recorded in this chapter4 ,they are brought into an overwhelming difficulty3 they are called to do business in great waters3 they are at their wit's end4 ,pharaoh1 repenting himself of having let them go out of his land1 determines to make one desperate effort to recover them4 ,and he made ready his chariot1 and took his people with him2 and he took six hundred chosen chariots1 and all the chariots of ,egypt1 and captains over every one of them4444 ,and when ,pharaoh drew nigh1 the children of ,israel lifted up their eyes1 and1 behold1 the ,egyptians marched after them2 and they were sore afraid3 and the children of ,israel cried out unto the ,lord4 ,here was a deeply trying scene--one in which human effort could avail nothing4 ,as well might they have attempted to put back with a straw the ocean's mighty tide1 as seek to extricate themselves by aught that they could do4 ,the sea was before them1 ,pharaoh's hosts behind them1 and the mountains around them4 ,and all this1 be it observed1 permitted and ordered of ,god4 ,he had marked out their position before ,pi-hahiroth1 between ,migdol and the sea1 over against ,baal-zephon4 ,moreover1 ,he permitted ,pharaoh to come upon them4 ,and why8 ,just to display ,himself in the salvation of ,his people1 and the total overthrow of their enemies4 ,to ,him that divided the ,red ,sea into parts3 for ,his mercy endureth forever3 and made ,israel to pass through the midst of it3 for ,his mercy endureth forever3 but overthrew ,pharaoh and his host in the ,red ,sea3 for ,his mercy endureth forever4 7,ps4 cxxxvi47 ,there is not so much as a single position in all the desert-wanderings of ,god's redeemed1 the boundaries of which are not marked off1 with studious accuracy1 by the hand of unerring wisdom and infinite love4 ,the special bearings and peculiar influences of each position are carefully arranged4 ,the ,pi-hahiroths and the ,migdols are all ordered with immediate reference to the moral condition of those whom ,god is conducting through the windings and labyrinths of the wilderness1 and also to the display of ,his own character4 ,unbelief may ofttimes suggest the inquiry1 ,why is it thus8 ,god knows why2 and ,he will1 without doubt1 reveal the why whenever the revelation would promote ,his glory and ,his people's good4 ,how often do we feel disposed to question as to the why and the wherefore of our being placed in such and such circumstances6 ,how often do we perplex ourselves as to the reason of our being exposed to such and such trials6 ,how much better to bow our heads in meek subjection1 and say1 ,it is well1 and it shall be well6 ,when ,god fixes our position for us1 we may rest assured it is a wise and salutary one2 and even when we foolishly and willfully choose a position for ourselves1 ,he most graciously overrules our folly1 and causes the influences of our self-chosen circumstances to work for our spiritual benefit4 ,it is when the people of ,god are brought into the greatest straits and difficulties1 that they are favored with the finest displays of ,god's character and actings2 and for this reason ,he ofttimes leads them into a trying position1 in order that ,he may the more markedly show ,himself4 ,he could have conducted ,israel through the ,red ,sea1 and far beyond the reach of ,pharaoh's hosts1 before ever the latter had started from ,egypt2 but that would not have so fully glorified ,his own name1 or so entirely confounded the enemy1 upon whom ,he designed to get ,him honor4 ,we too frequently lose sight of this great truth1 and the consequence is that our hearts give way in the time of trial4 ,if we could only look upon a difficult crisis as an occasion of bringing out1 on our behalf1 the sufficiency of divine grace1 it would enable us to preserve the balance of our souls1 and to glorify ,god1 even in the deepest waters4 ,we feel disposed1 it may be1 to marvel at ,israel's language on the occasion now before us4 ,we may feel at a loss to account for it2 but the more we know of our own evil hearts of unbelief1 the more we shall see how marvelously like them we are4 ,they would seem to have forgotten the recent display of divine power on their behalf4 ,they had seen the gods of ,egypt judged1 and the power of ,egypt laid prostrate beneath the stroke of ,jehovah's omnipotent hand2 they had seen the iron chain of ,egyptian bondage riven1 and the furnace quenched by the same hand2--all these things they had seen1 and yet the moment a dark cloud appeared upon their horizon1 their confidence gave way1 their hearts failed1 and they gave utterance to their unbelieving murmurings in the following language3 ,because there were no graves in ,egypt1 hast thou taken us away to die in the wilderness8 ,wherefore hast thou dealt thus with us1 to carry us forth out of ,egypt8444 ,it had been better for us to serve the ,egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness4 7,ver4 #aa1 #ab47 ,thus is blind unbelief ever sure to err1 and scan ,god's ways in vain4 ,this unbelief is the same in all ages4 ,it led ,david1 in an evil hour1 to say1 ,i shall one day perish by the hand of ,saul2 there is nothing better for me than that ,i should speedily escape into the land of the ,philistines4 7#a ,sam4 xxvii4 #a47 ,and how did it turn out8 ,saul fell on ,mount ,gilboa1 and ,david's throne was established forever4 ,again1 it led ,elijah the ,tishbite1 in a moment of deep depression1 to flee for his life from the wrathful threatenings of ,jezebel4 ,how did it turn out8 ,jezebel was dashed to pieces on the pavement1 and ,elijah was taken in a chariot of fire to heaven4 ,so it was with ,israel in their very first moment of trial4 ,they really thought that the ,lord had taken such pains to deliver them out of ,egypt merely to let them die in the wilderness4 ,they imagined that they had been preserved by the blood of the paschal lamb in order that they might be buried in the wilderness4 ,thus it is that unbelief ever reasons4 ,it leads us to interpret ,god in the presence of the difficulty1 instead of interpreting the difficulty in the presence of ,god4 ,faith gets behind the difficulty and there finds ,god1 in all ,his faithfulness1 love1 and power4 ,it is the believer's privilege ever to be in the presence of ,god4 ,he has been introduced thither by the blood of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and nothing should be suffered to take him thence4 ,the place itself he never can lose1 inasmuch as his ,head and ,representative1 ,christ1 occupies it on his behalf4 ,but although he cannot lose the thing itself1 he can very easily lose the enjoyment of it--the experience and power of it4 ,whenever his difficulties come between his heart and the ,lord1 he is evidently not enjoying the ,lord's presence1 but suffering in the presence of his difficulties4 ,just as when a cloud comes between us and the sun1 it robs us1 for the time1 of the enjoyment of his beams4 ,it does not prevent him from shining1 it merely hinders our enjoyment of him4 ,exactly so is it when we allow trials and sorrows1 difficulties and perplexities1 to hide from our souls the bright beams of our ,father's countenance1 which ever shine1 with changeless lustre1 in the face of ,jesus ,christ4 ,there is no difficulty too great for our ,god2 yea1 the greater the difficulty1 the more room there is for ,him to act in ,his proper character1 as the ,god of all power and grace4 ,no doubt ,israel's position1 in the opening of our chapter1 was a deeply trying one1--to flesh and blood1 perfectly overwhelming2 but then the ,maker of heaven and earth was there1 and they had but to use ,him4 ,yet1 alas6 my reader1 how speedily we fail when trial arises6 ,these sentiments sound very nicely on the ear1 and look very well upon paper 7and1 blessed be ,god1 they are divinely true72 but then the thing is to practice them when opportunity offers4 ,it is in the practice of them that their power and blessedness are really proved4 ,if any man will do ,his will1 he shall know of the doctrine1 whether it be of ,god4 7,john vii4 #ag47 ,and ,moses said unto the people1 ',fear ye not1 stand still1 and see the salvation of the ,lord1 which ,he will show to you to-day2 for the ,egyptians whom ye have seen to-day ye shall see them again no more forever4 ,the ,lord shall fight for you1 and ye shall hold your peace4' 7,ver4 #ac1 #ad47 ,here is the first attitude which faith takes in the presence of a trial4 ,stand still4 ,this is impossible to flesh and blood4 ,all who know1 in any measure1 the restlessness of the human heart under anticipated trial and difficulty1 will be able to form some conception of what is involved in standing still4 ,nature must be doing something4 ,it will rush hither and thither4 ,it would fain have some hand in the matter4 ,and although it may attempt to justify and sanctify its worthless doings1 by bestowing upon them the imposing and popular title of a legitimate use of means1 yet are they the plain and positive fruits of unbelief1 which always shuts out ,god1 and sees naught save the dark cloud of its own creation4 ,unbelief creates or magnifies difficulties1 and then sets us about removing them by our own bustling and fruitless activities1 which1 in reality1 do but raise a dust around us which prevents our seeing ,god's salvation4 ,faith1 on the contrary1 raises the soul above the difficulty1 straight to ,god ,himself1 and enables one to stand still4 ,we gain nothing by our restless and anxious efforts4 ,we cannot make one hair white or black1 nor add one cubit to our stature4 ,what could ,israel do at the ,red ,sea8 ,could they dry it up8 ,could they level the mountains8 ,could they annihilate the hosts of ,egypt8 ,impossible6 ,there they were1 inclosed within an impenetrable wall of difficulties1 in view of which nature could but tremble and feel its own perfect impotency4 ,but this was just the time for ,god to act4 ,when unbelief is driven from the scene1 then ,god can enter2 and1 in order to get a proper view of ,his actings1 we must stand still4 ,every movement of nature is1 so far as it goes1 a positive hindrance to our perception and enjoyment of divine interference on our behalf4 ,this is true of us in every single stage of our history4 ,it is true of us as sinners when1 under the uneasy sense of sin upon the conscience1 we are tempted to resort to our own doings in order to obtain relief4 ,then1 truly1 we must stand still in order to see the salvation of ,god4 ,for what could we do in the matter of making an atonement for sin8 ,could we have stood with the ,son of ,god upon the cross8 ,could we have accompanied ,him down into the horrible pit and the miry clay8 ,could we have forced our passage upward to that eternal rock on which1 in resurrection1 ,he has taken ,his stand8 ,every right mind will at once pronounce the thought to be a daring blasphemy4 ,god is alone in redemption2 and as for us1 we have but to stand still1 and see the salvation of ,god4 ,the very fact of its being ,god's salvation proves that man has naught to do in it4 ,the same is true of us1 from the moment we have entered upon our ,christian career4 ,in every fresh difficulty1 be it great or small1 our wisdom is to stand still--to cease from our own works1 and find our sweet repose in ,god's salvation4 ,nor can we make any distinction as to difficulties4 ,we cannot say that there are some trifling difficulties which we ourselves can compass1 while there are others in which naught save the hand of ,god can avail4 ,no2 all are alike beyond us4 ,we are as little able to change the color of a hair as to remove a mountain1--to form a blade of grass as to create a world4 ,all are alike to us1 and all are alike to ,god4 ,we have only1 therefore1 in confiding faith1 to cast ourselves on ,him who humbleth ,himself alike to behold the things that are in heaven and on earth4 ,we sometimes find ourselves carried triumphantly through the heaviest trials1 while at other times we quail1 falter1 and break down under the most ordinary dispensations4 ,why is this8 ,because1 in the former1 we are constrained to roll our burden over on the ,lord2 whereas1 in the latter1 we foolishly attempt to carry it ourselves4 ,the ,christian is1 in himself1 if he only realized it1 like an exhausted receiver1 in which a guinea and a feather have equal momenta4 ,the ,lord shall fight for you1 and ye shall hold your peace4 ,precious assurance6 ,how eminently calculated to tranquilize the spirit in view of the most appalling difficulties and dangers6 ,the ,lord not only places ,himself between us and our sins1 but also between us and our circumstances4 ,by doing the former1 ,he gives us peace of conscience2 by doing the latter1 ,he gives us peace of heart4 ,that the two things are perfectly distinct1 every experienced ,christian knows4 ,very many have peace of conscience1 who have not peace of heart4 ,they have1 through grace and by faith1 found ,christ1 in the divine efficacy of ,his blood1 between them and all their sins2 but they are not able1 in the same simple way1 to realize ,him as standing1 in ,his divine wisdom1 love1 and power1 between them and their circumstances4 ,this makes a material difference in the practical condition of the soul1 as well as in the character of one's testimony4 ,nothing tends more to glorify the name of ,jesus than that quiet repose of spirit which results from having ,him between us and everything that could be a matter of anxiety to our hearts4 ,thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on ,thee1 because he trusteth in ,thee4 ,but some feel disposed to ask the question1 ,are we not to do anything8 ,this maybe answered by asking another1 namely1 ,what can we do8 ,all who really know themselves must answer1 ,nothing4 ,if1 therefore1 we can do nothing1 had we not better stand still8 ,if the ,lord is acting for us1 had we not better stand back8 ,shall we run before ,him8 ,shall we busily intrude ourselves upon ,his sphere of action8 ,shall we come in ,his way8 ,there can be no possible use in two acting1 when one is so perfectly competent to do all4 ,no one would think of bringing a lighted candle to add brightness to the sun at midday3 and yet the man who would do so might well be accounted wise1 in comparison with him who attempts to assist ,god by his bustling officiousness4 ,however1 when ,god1 in ,his great mercy1 opens the way1 faith can walk therein4 ,it only ceases from man's way in order to walk in ,god's4 ,and the ,lord said unto ,moses1 ',wherefore criest thou unto ,me8 ,speak unto the children of ,israel that they go forward4' ,it is only when we have learnt to stand still that we are able effectually to go forward4 ,to attempt the latter until we have learnt the former is sure to issue in the exposure of our folly and weakness4 ,it is therefore true wisdom1 in all times of difficulty and perplexity1 to stand still--to wait only upon ,god1 and ,he will assuredly open a way for us2 and then we can peacefully and happily go forward4 ,there is no uncertainty when ,god makes a way for us2 but every self-devised path must prove a path of doubt and hesitation4 ,the unregenerate man may move along with great apparent firmness and decision in his own ways2 but one of the most distinct elements in the new creation is self-distrust1 and the element which answers thereto is confidence in ,god4 ,it is when our eyes have seen ,god's salvation that we can walk therein2 but this can never be distinctly seen until we have been brought to the end of our own poor doings4 ,there is peculiar force and beauty in the expression1 ,see the salvation of ,god4 ,the very fact of our being called to see ,god's salvation1 proves that the salvation is a complete one4 ,it teaches that salvation is a thing wrought out and revealed by ,god1 to be seen and enjoyed by us4 ,it is not a thing made up partly of ,god's doing and partly of man's4 ,were it so1 it could not be called ,god's salvation4 ,in order to be ,his1 it must be wholly divested of everything pertaining to man4 ,the only possible effect of human efforts is to raise a dust which obscures the view of ,god's salvation4 ,speak to the children of ,israel that they go forward4 ,moses himself seems to have been brought to a stand1 as it appears from the ,lord's question--,wherefore criest thou to ,me8 ,moses could tell the people to stand still1 and see the salvation of ,god1 while his own spirit was giving forth its exercises in an earnest cry to ,god4 ,however1 there is no use in crying when we ought to be acting2 just as there is no use in acting when we ought to be waiting4 ,yet such is ever our way4 ,we attempt to move forward when we ought to stand still1 and we stand still when we ought to move forward4 ,in ,israel's case1 the question might spring up in the heart1 ,whither are we to go8 ,to all appearance1 there lay an insurmountable barrier in the way of any movement forward4 ,how were they to go through the sea8 ,this was the point4 ,nature could never solve this question4 ,but we may rest assured that ,god never gives a command without1 at the same time1 communicating the power to obey4 ,the real condition of the heart may be tested by the command2 but the soul that is1 by grace1 disposed to obey1 receives power from above to do so4 ,when ,christ commanded the man with the withered hand to stretch it forth1 the man might naturally have said1 ,how can ,i stretch forth an arm which hangs dead by my side8 ,but he did not raise any question whatever1 for with the command1 and from the same source1 came the power to obey4 ,thus1 too1 in ,israel's case1 we see that with the command to go forward came the provision of grace4 ,but lift thou up thy rod1 and stretch out thy hand over the sea1 and divide it2 and the children of ,israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea4 ,here was the path of faith4 ,the hand of ,god opens the way for us to take the first step1 and this is all that faith ever asks4 ,god never gives guidance for two steps at a time4 ,i must take one step1 and then ,i get light for the next4 ,this keeps the heart in abiding dependence upon ,god4 ,by faith they passed through the ,red ,sea as by dry land4 ,it is evident that the sea was not divided throughout at once4 ,had it been so1 it would have been sight and not faith4 ,it does not require faith to begin a journey when ,i can see all the way through2 but to begin when ,i can merely see the first step1 this is faith4 ,the sea opened as ,israel moved forward1 so that for every fresh step they needed to be cast upon ,god4 ,such was the path along which the redeemed of the ,lord moved1 under ,his own conducting hand4 ,they passed through the dark waters of death1 and found these very waters to be a wall unto them1 on their right hand and on their left4 ,the ,egyptians could not move in such a path as this4 ,they moved on because they saw the way open before them3 with them it was sight1 and not faith1--,which the ,egyptians assaying to do were drowned4 ,when people assay to do what faith alone can accomplish1 they only encounter defeat and confusion4 ,the path along which ,god calls ,his people to walk is one which nature can never tread4 ,flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of ,god 7#a ,cor4 xv4 #ej471 neither can it walk in the ways of ,god4 ,faith is the great characteristic principle of ,god's kingdom1 and faith alone can enable us to walk in ,god's ways4 ,without faith it is impossible to please ,god4 7,heb4 xi47 ,it glorifies ,god exceedingly when we move on with ,him1 as it were1 blindfold4 ,it proves that we have more confidence in ,his eyesight than in our own4 ,if ,i know that ,god is looking out for me1 ,i may well close my eyes1 and move on in holy calmness and stability4 ,in human affairs1 we know that when there is a sentinel or watchman at his post1 others can sleep quietly4 ,how much more may we rest in perfect security when we know that ,he who neither slumbers nor sleeps has ,his eye upon us1 and ,his everlasting arms around us6 ,and the angel of ,god which went before the camp of ,israel1 removed and went behind them2 and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face1 and stood behind them4 ,and it came between the camp of the ,egyptians and the camp of ,israel2 and it was a cloud and darkness to them1 but it gave light by night to these2 so that the one came not near the other all the night4 7,ver4 #ai1 #bj47 ,jehovah placed ,himself right between ,israel and the enemy3 this was protection indeed4 ,before ever ,pharaoh could touch a hair of ,israel's head1 he should make his way through the very pavilion of the ,almighty--yea1 through the ,almighty ,himself4 ,thus it is that ,god ever places ,himself between ,his people and every enemy1 so that no weapon formed against them can prosper4 ,he has placed ,himself between us and our sins2 and it is our happy privilege to find ,him between us and every one and every thing that could be against us4 ,this is the true way in which to find both peace of heart and peace of conscience4 ,the believer may institute a diligent and anxious search for his sins1 but he cannot find them4 ,why8 ,because ,god is between him and them4 ,he has cast all our sins behind ,his back1 while1 at the same time1 ,he sheds forth upon us the light of ,his reconciled countenance4 ,in the same manner1 the believer may look for his difficulties1 and not find them1 because ,god is between him and them4 ,if1 therefore1 the eye1 instead of resting on our sins and sorrows1 could rest only upon ,christ1 it would sweeten many a bitter cup1 and enlighten many a gloomy hour4 ,but one finds constantly that nine-tenths of our trials and sorrows are made up of anticipated or imaginary evils1 which only exist in our own disordered1 because unbelieving1 minds4 ,may my reader know the solid peace1 both of heart and conscience1 which results from having ,christ1 in all ,his fullness1 between him and all his sins and all his sorrows4 ,it is at once most solemn and interesting to note the double aspect of the pillar in this chapter4 ,it was a cloud and darkness to the ,egyptians1 but it gave light by night to ,israel4 ,how like the cross of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ6 ,truly1 that cross has a double aspect likewise4 ,it forms the foundation of the believer's peace1 and1 at the same time1 seals the condemnation of a guilty world4 ,the self-same blood which purges the believer's conscience and gives him perfect peace1 stains this earth and consummates its guilt4 ,the very mission of the ,son of ,god which strips the world of its cloak1 and leaves it wholly without excuse1 clothes the ,church with a fair mantle of righteousness1 and fills her mouth with ceaseless praise4 ,the very same ,lamb who will terrify1 by ,his unmitigated wrath1 all tribes and classes of earth1 will lead1 by ,his gentle hand1 ,his blood-bought flock through the green pastures and beside the still waters forever4 7,compare ,rev4 vi4 #ae-ag with vii4 #ac-ag47 ,the close of our chapter shows us ,israel triumphant on the shore of the ,red ,sea1 and ,pharaoh's hosts submerged beneath its waves4 ,the fears of the former and the boastings of the latter had both alike been proved utterly groundless3 ,jehovah's glorious work had annihilated both the one and the other4 ,the same waters which formed a wall for ,god's redeemed1 formed a grave for ,pharaoh4 ,thus it is ever3 those who walk by faith find a path to walk in1 while all who assay to do so find a grave4 ,this is a solemn truth1 which is not in any wise weakened by the fact that ,pharaoh was acting in avowed and positive hostility to ,god when he assayed to pass through the ,red ,sea4 ,it will ever be found true that all who attempt to imitate faith's actings will be confounded4 ,happy are they who are enabled1 however feebly1 to walk by faith4 ,they are moving along a path of unspeakable blessedness1--a path which1 though it may be marked by failure and infirmity1 is nevertheless begun1 continued1 and ended in ,god4 ,o1 that we may all enter more fully into the divine reality1 the calm elevation1 and the holy independence of this path6 ,we ought not to turn from this fruitful section of our book without a reference to #a ,cor4 x1 in which we have an allusion to the cloud and the sea4--,moreover1 brethren1 ,i would not that ye should be ignorant1 how that all our fathers were under the cloud1 and all passed through the sea2 and were all baptized unto ,moses in the cloud and in the sea4 7,ver4 #a1 #b47 ,there is much deep and precious instruction for the ,christian in this passage4 ,the apostle goes on to say1 ,now these things were our types1 thus furnishing us with a divine warrant for interpreting ,israel's baptism in the cloud and in the sea in a typical way2 and1 assuredly1 nothing could be more deeply significant or practical4 ,it was as a people thus baptized that they entered upon their wilderness journey1 for which provision was made in the spiritual meat and spiritual drink provided by the hand of love4 ,in other words1 they were typically a people dead to ,egypt and all pertaining thereto4 ,the cloud and the sea were to them what the cross and grave of ,christ are to us4 ,the cloud secured them from their enemies2 the sea separated them from ,egypt3 the cross1 in like manner1 shields us from all that could be against us1 and we stand at heaven's side of the empty tomb of ,jesus4 ,here we commence our wilderness journey1--here we begin to taste the heavenly ,manna1 and to drink of the streams which emanate from that spiritual ,rock1 while1 as a pilgrim people1 we make our way onward to that land of rest of the which ,god has spoken to us4 ,i would further add here1 that my reader should seek to understand the difference between the ,red ,sea and ,jordan4 ,they both have their antitype in the death of ,christ2 but in the former we see separation from ,egypt2 in the latter1 introduction into the land of ,canaan4 ,the believer is not merely separated from this present evil world by the cross of ,christ1 but he is quickened out of the grave of ,christ1 raised up together1 and made to sit together in ,christ1 in the heavenlies4 7,eph4 ii4 #e1 #f47 ,hence1 though surrounded by the things of ,egypt1 he is1 as to his actual experience1 in the wilderness2 while1 at the same time1 he is borne upward1 by the energy of faith1 to that place where ,jesus sits1 at the right hand of ,god4 ,thus1 the believer is not merely forgiven all trespasses1 but actually associated with a risen ,christ in heaven2--he is not merely saved by ,christ1 but linked with ,him forever4 ,nothing short of this could either satisfy ,god's affections or actualize ,his purposes in reference to the ,church4 ,reader1 do we understand these things8 do we believe them8 are we realizing them8 do we manifest the power of them8 ,blessed be the grace that has made them unalterably true with respect to every member of the body of ,christ1 whether it be an eye or an eye-lash1 a hand or a foot4 ,their truth1 therefore1 does not depend upon our manifestation1 our realization1 or our understanding1 but upon ,,the ,,precious ,,blood ,,of ,,christ1 which has canceled all our guilt and laid the foundation of all ,god's counsels respecting us4 ,here is true rest for every broken heart and every burdened conscience4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,this chapter opens with ,israel's magnificent song of triumph on the shore of the ,red ,sea1 when they had seen that great work which the ,lord did upon the ,egyptians4 ,they had seen ,god's salvation1 and they therefore sing ,his praise and recount ,his mighty acts4 ,then sang ,moses and the children of ,israel this song unto the ,lord4 ,up to this moment1 we have not heard so much as a single note of praise4 ,we have heard their cry of deep sorrow as they toiled amid the brick-kilns of ,egypt1 we have hearkened to their cry of unbelief when surrounded by what they deemed insuperable difficulties1 but1 until now1 we have heard no song of praise4 ,it was not until1 as a saved people1 they found themselves surrounded by the fruits of ,god's salvation1 that the triumphal hymn burst forth from the whole redeemed assembly4 ,it was when they emerged from their significant baptism in the cloud and in the sea1 and were able to gaze upon the rich spoils of victory which lay scattered around them1 that six hundred thousand voices were heard chanting the song of victory4 ,the waters of the ,red ,sea rolled between them and ,egypt1 and they stood on the shore as a fully delivered people1 and therefore they were able to praise ,jehovah4 ,in this1 as in everything else1 they were our types4 ,we1 too1 must know ourselves as saved1 in the power of death and resurrection1 before ever we can present clear and intelligent worship4 ,there will always be reserve and hesitancy in the soul1 proceeding1 no doubt1 from positive inability to enter into the accomplished redemption which is in ,christ ,jesus4 ,there may be the acknowledgment of the fact that there is salvation in ,christ1 and in none other2 but this is a very different thing from apprehending1 by faith1 the true character and ground of that salvation1 and realizing it as ours4 ,the ,spirit of ,god reveals1 with unmistakable clearness1 in the ,word1 that the ,church is united to ,christ in death and resurrection2 and1 moreover1 that a risen ,christ1 at ,god's right hand1 is the measure and pledge of the ,church's acceptance4 ,when this is believed1 it conducts the soul entirely beyond the region of doubt and uncertainty4 ,how can the ,christian doubt when he knows that he is continually represented before the throne of ,god by an ,advocate1 even ,jesus ,christ the righteous8 ,it is the privilege of the very feeblest member of the ,church of ,god to know that he was represented by ,christ on the cross1--that all his sins were confessed1 borne1 judged1 and atoned for there4 ,this is a divine reality1 and1 when laid hold of by faith1 must give peace2 but nothing short of it ever can give peace4 ,there may be earnest1 anxious1 and most sincere desires after ,god1--there may be the most pious and devout attendance upon all the ordinances1 offices1 and forms of religion2 but there is no other possible way in which to get the sense of sin entirely removed from the conscience1 but seeing it judged in the ,person of ,christ1 as a sin-offering1 on the cursed tree4 ,if it was judged there once for all1 it is now by the believer to be regarded as a divinely1 and therefore eternally1 settled question2 and that it was so judged is proved by the resurrection of the ,surety4 ,i know that whatsoever ,god doeth it shall be forever3 nothing can be put to it nor anything taken from it3 and ,god doeth it that men should fear before ,him4 7,ecc4 iii4 #ad47 ,however1 while it is generally admitted that all this is true in reference to the ,church collectively1 many find considerable difficulty in making a personal application thereof4 ,they are ready to say1 with the ,psalmist1 ,truly1 ,god is good to ,israel1 even to such as are of a clean heart4 ,but as for me1 etc4 7,ps4 lxxiii4 #a1 #b47 ,they are looking at themselves instead of at ,christ in death and ,christ in resurrection2 they are occupied rather with their appropriation of ,christ than with ,christ ,himself2 they are thinking of their capacity rather than their title4 ,thus they are kept in a state of the most distressing uncertainty1 and1 as a consequence1 they are never able to take the place of happy1 intelligent worshipers4 ,they are praying for salvation instead of rejoicing in the conscious possession of it2 they are looking at their imperfect fruits instead of ,christ's perfect atonement4 ,now in looking through the various notes of this song in ,exodus xv1 we do not find a single note about self1 its doings1 its sayings1 its feelings1 or its fruits2 it is all about ,jehovah1 from beginning to end4 ,it begins with1 ,i will sing unto the ,lord1 for ,he hath triumphed gloriously3 the horse and his rider hath ,he thrown into the ,sea4 ,this is a specimen of the entire song4 ,it is a simple record of the attributes and actings of ,jehovah4 ,in chapter xiv1 the hearts of the people had1 as it were1 been pent up by the excessive pressure of their circumstances2 but in chapter xv1 the pressure is removed1 and their hearts find full vent in a sweet song of praise4 ,self is forgotten2 circumstances are lost sight of2 one object1 and but one1 fills their vision1 and that object is the ,lord ,himself1 in ,his character and ways4 ,they were able to say1 ,thou1 ,lord1 hast made me glad through ,thy work2 ,i will triumph in the works of ,thy hands4 7,ps4 xcii4 #d47 ,this is true worship4 ,it is when poor1 worthless self1 with all its belongings1 is lost sight of1 and ,christ alone fills the heart1 that we present proper worship4 ,there is no need for the efforts of a fleshly pietism to awaken in the soul feelings of devotion2 nor is there any demand whatever for the adventitious appliances of religion1 so called1 to kindle in the soul the flame of acceptable worship4 ,oh1 no6 ,let but the heart be occupied with the ,person of ,christ1 and songs of praise will be the natural result4 ,it is impossible for the eye to rest on ,him and the spirit not be bowed in holy worship4 ,if we contemplate the worship of the hosts which surround the throne of ,god and the ,lamb1 we shall find that it is ever evoked by the presentation of some special feature of divine excellence or divine acting4 ,thus should it be with the ,church on earth2 and when it is not so1 it is because we allow things to intrude upon us which have no place in the regions of unclouded light and unalloyed blessedness4 ,in all true worship1 ,god ,himself is at once the object of worship1 the subject of worship1 and the power of worship4 ,hence ,exodus xv4 is a fine specimen of a song of praise4 ,it is the language of a redeemed people celebrating the worthy praise of ,him who had redeemed them4 ,the ,lord is my strength and song1 and ,he is become my salvation3 ,he is my ,god1 and ,i will prepare ,him a habitation2 my father's ,god1 and ,i will exalt ,him4 ,the ,lord is a man of war3 the ,lord is ,his name4444 ,thy right hand1 ,o ,lord1 is become glorious in power3 ,thy right hand1 ,o ,lord1 hath dashed in pieces the enemy4444 ,who is like unto ,thee1 ,o ,lord1 among the gods8 who is like ,thee1 glorious in holiness1 fearful in praises1 doing wonders8444 ,thou in ,thy mercy hast led forth the people which ,thou hast redeemed3 ,thou hast guided them in ,thy strength unto ,thy holy habitation4444 ,the ,lord shall reign forever and ever4 ,how comprehensive is the range of this song6 ,it begins with redemption and ends with the glory4 ,it begins with the cross and ends with the kingdom4 ,it is like a beauteous rainbow1 of which one end dips in the sufferings1 and the other in the glory that should follow4 ,it is all about ,jehovah4 ,it is an outpouring of soul produced by a view of ,god and ,his gracious and glorious actings4 ,moreover1 it does not stop short of the actual accomplishment of the divine purpose1 as we read1 ,thou hast guided them in ,thy strength unto ,thy holy habitation4 ,the people were able to say this1 though they had but just planted their foot on the margin of the desert4 ,it was not the expression of a vague hope1--it was not feeding upon poor1 blind chance4 ,oh1 no6 ,when the soul is wholly occupied with ,god1 it is enabled to launch out into all the fullness of ,his grace1 to bask in the sunshine of ,his countenance1 and delight itself in the rich abundance of ,his mercy and loving-kindness4 ,there is not a cloud upon the prospect when the believing soul1 taking its stand upon the eternal rock on which redeeming love has set it in association with a risen ,christ1 looks up into the spacious vault of ,god's infinite plans and purposes1 and dwells upon the effulgence of that glory which ,god has prepared for all those who have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the ,lamb4 ,this will account for the peculiarly brilliant1 elevated1 and unqualified character of all those bursts of praise which we find throughout sacred ,scripture4 ,the creature is set aside3 ,god is the object4 ,he fills the entire sphere of the soul's vision4 ,there is nothing of man1 his feelings1 or his experiences1 and therefore the stream of praise flows copiously and uninterruptedly forth4 ,how different is this from some of the hymns we so often hear sung in ,christian assemblies1 so full of our failings1 our feebleness1 our shortcomings4 ,the fact is1 we can never sing with real1 spiritual intelligence and power when we are looking at ourselves4 ,we shall ever be discovering something within which will act as a drawback to our worship4 ,indeed1 with many1 it seems to be accounted a ,christian grace to be in a continual state of doubt and hesitation2 and1 as a consequence1 their hymns are quite in character with their condition4 ,such persons1 however sincere and pious1 have never yet1 in the actual experience of their souls1 entered upon the proper ground of worship4 ,they have not yet got done with themselves1--they have not passed through the sea1 and1 as a spiritually baptized people1 taken their stand on the shore1 in the power of resurrection4 ,they are still1 in some way or another1 occupied with self3 they do not regard self as a crucified thing1 with which ,god is forever done4 ,may the ,holy ,ghost lead all ,god's people into fuller1 clearer1 and worthier apprehensions of their place and privilege as those who1 being washed from their sins in the blood of ,christ1 are presented before ,god in all that infinite and unclouded acceptance in which ,he stands1 as the risen and glorified ,head of ,his ,church4 ,doubts and fears do not become them1 for their divine ,surety has not left a shadow of a foundation on which to build a doubt or a fear4 ,their place is within the vail4 ,they have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of ,jesus4 7,heb4 x4 #ai47 ,are there any doubts or fears in the holiest8 ,is it not evident that a doubting spirit virtually calls in question the perfectness of ,christ's work--a work which has been attested1 in the view of all created intelligence1 by the resurrection of ,christ from the dead8 ,that blessed ,one could not have left the tomb unless all ground of doubting and fearing had been perfectly removed on behalf of ,his people4 ,wherefore it is the ,christian's sweet privilege ever to triumph in a full salvation4 ,the ,lord ,himself has become his salvation2 and he has only to enjoy the fruits of that which ,god has wrought for him1 and to walk to ,his praise while waiting for that time when ,jehovah shall reign forever and ever4 ,but there is one note in this song to which ,i shall just invite my reader's attention4--,he is my ,god1 and ,i will prepare ,him a habitation4 ,it is worthy of note that when the heart was full to overflowing with the joy of redemption1 it gives expression to its devoted purpose in reference to a habitation for ,god4 ,let the ,christian reader ponder this4 ,god dwelling with man is a grand thought pervading ,scripture from ,exodus xv4 to ,revelation4 ,hearken to the following utterance of a devoted heart3 ,surely ,i will not come into the tabernacle of my house1 nor go up into my bed2 ,i will not give sleep to mine eyes1 nor slumber to mine eyelids1 until ,i find out a place for the ,lord1 a habitation for the mighty ,god of ,jacob4 7,ps4 cxxxii4 #c-e47 ,again1 ,for the zeal of ,thine house hath eaten me up4 7,ps4 lxix4 #i2 ,john ii4 #ag47 ,i do not attempt to pursue this subject here2 but ,i would fain awaken such an interest concerning it in the breast of my reader as shall lead him to pursue it1 prayerfully1 for himself1 from the very earliest notice of it in the ,word until he arrives at that soul-stirring announcement1 ,behold1 the tabernacle of ,god is with men1 and ,he will dwell with them1 and they shall be ,his people1 and ,god ,himself shall be with them1 and be their ,god4 ,and ,god shall wipe away all tears from their eyes4 7,rev4 xxi4 #c1 #d47 ,so ,moses brought ,israel from the ,red ,sea2 and they went out into the wilderness of ,shur3 and they went three days into the wilderness and found no water4 7,ver4 #bb47 ,it is when we get into wilderness experience that we are put to the test as to the real measure of our acquaintance with ,god and with our own hearts4 ,there is a freshness and an exuberance of joy connected with the opening of our ,christian career1 which very soon receives a check from the keen blast of the desert2 and then1 unless there is a deep sense of what ,god is to us1 above and beyond everything else1 we are apt to break down1 and1 in our hearts1 turn back again into ,egypt4 ,the discipline of the wilderness is needful1 not to furnish us with a title to ,canaan1 but to make us acquainted with ,god and with our own hearts2 to enable us to enter into the power of our relationship1 and to enlarge our capacity for the enjoyment of ,canaan when we actually get there4 7,see ,deut4 viii4 #b-e47 ,the greenness1 freshness1 and luxuriance of spring have peculiar charms1 which all pass away before the scorching heat of summer2 but then1 with proper care1 that very heat which removes the fair traces of spring1 produces the mellowed and matured fruits of autumn4 ,thus it is also in the ,christian life2 for there is1 as we know1 a striking and deeply instructive analogy between the principles which obtain in the kingdom of nature and those which characterize the kingdom of grace1 seeing it is the same ,god whose handiwork meets our view in both4 ,there are three distinct positions in which we may contemplate ,israel1 namely1 in ,egypt1 in the wilderness1 and in the land of ,canaan4 ,in all these1 they are our types2 but we are in all three together4 ,this may seem paradoxical1 but it is true4 ,as a matter of actual fact1 we are in ,egypt1 surrounded by natural things1 which are entirely adapted to the natural heart4 ,but1 inasmuch as we have been called by ,god's grace into fellowship with ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ1 we1 according to the affections and desires of the new nature1 necessarily find our place outside of all that which belongs to ,egypt#h 7i4e41 the world in its natural state71 and this causes us to taste of wilderness experience1 or1 in other words1 it places us1 as a matter of experience1 in the wilderness4 ,the divine nature earnestly breathes after a different order of things--after a purer atmosphere than that with which we find ourselves surrounded1 and thus it causes us to feel ,egypt to be a moral desert4 #h ,there is a wide moral difference between ,egypt and ,babylon1 which it is important to understand4 ,egypt was that out of which ,israel came2 ,babylon was that into which they were afterwards carried4 7,comp4 ,amos v4 #be-bg with ,acts vii4 #db1 #dc47 ,egypt expresses what man has made of the world2 ,babylon expresses what ,satan has made1 is making1 or will make1 of the professing church4 ,hence1 we are not only surrounded with the circumstances of ,egypt1 but also by the moral principles of ,babylon4 ,this renders our days what the ,holy ,ghost has termed perilous 7--difficult74 ,it demands a special energy of the ,spirit of ,god1 and complete subjection to the authority of the ,word1 to enable one to meet the combined influence of the realities of ,egypt and the spirit and principles of ,babylon4 ,the former meet the natural desires of the heart2 while the latter connect themselves with1 and address themselves to1 the religiousness of nature1 which gives them a peculiar hold upon the heart4 ,man is a religious being1 and peculiarly susceptible of the influences which arise from music1 sculpture1 painting1 and pompous rites and ceremonies4 ,when these things stand connected with the full supply of all his natural wants--yea1 with all the ease and luxury of life1 nothing but the mighty power of ,god's ,word and ,spirit can keep one true to ,christ4 ,we should also remark that there is a vast difference between the destinies of ,egypt and those of ,babylon4 ,the nineteenth of ,isaiah sets before us the blessings that are in store for ,egypt4 ,it concludes thus3 ,and the ,lord shall smite ,egypt2 ,he shall smite and heal it2 and they shall return even to the ,lord1 and ,he shall be entreated of them1 and shall heal them4444 ,in that day shall ,israel be the third with ,egypt and with ,assyria1 even a blessing in the midst of the land2 whom the ,lord of ,hosts shall bless1 saying1 ,blessed be ,egypt ,my people1 and ,assyria the work of ,my hands1 and ,israel ,mine inheritance4 7,ver4 #bb-be47 ,very different is the close of ,babylon's history1 whether viewed as a literal city or a spiritual system4--,i will also make it a possession for the bittern1 and pools of water2 and ,i will sweep it with the besom of destruction1 saith the ,lord of ,hosts4 7,isaiah xiv4 #bc47 ,it shall never be inhabited1 neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation4 7,isaiah xiii4 #bj47 ,so much for ,babylon literally2 and looking at it from a mystic or spiritual point of view1 we read its destiny in ,rev4 xviii4 ,the entire chapter is a description of ,babylon1 and it concludes thus3 ,a strong angel took up a stone1 like a great millstone1 and cast it into the sea1 saying1 ',thus1 with violence shall that great city ,babylon be thrown down1 and shall be found no more at all4' 7,ver4 #ba47 ,with what immense solemnity should those words fall upon the ears of all who are in any wise connected with ,babylon--that is to say1 with the false1 professing church1--,come out of her1 ,my people1 that ye be not partakers of her sins1 and that ye receive not of her plagues6 7,rev4 xviii4 #e47 ,the power of the ,holy ,ghost will necessarily produce1 or express itself in1 a certain form1 and the enemy's aim has ever been to rob the professing church of the power1 while he leads her to cling to and perpetuate the form--to stereotype the form when all the spirit and life has passed away4 ,thus he builds the spiritual ,babylon4 ,the stones of which this city is built are lifeless professors2 and the slime or mortar which binds these stones together is a form of godliness without the power4 ,oh6 my beloved reader1 let us see to it that we fully1 clearly1 and influentially understand these things4 ,but then1 inasmuch as we are1 in ,god's view1 eternally associated with ,him who has passed right through into the heavenlies1 and taken ,his seat there in triumph and majesty1 it is our happy privilege to know ourselves1 by faith1 as sitting together in ,him there4 7,eph4 ii47 ,so that although we are1 as to our bodies1 in ,egypt1 we are1 as to our experience1 in the wilderness1 while1 at the same time1 faith conducts us1 in spirit1 into ,canaan1 and enables us to feed upon the old corn of the land1 i4e41 upon ,christ1 not as ,one come down to earth merely1 but as ,one gone back to heaven and seated there in glory4 ,the concluding verses of this fifteenth chapter show us ,israel in the wilderness4 ,up to this point1 it seemed to them to be all fair sailing4 ,heavy judgments poured upon ,egypt1 but ,israel perfectly exempt1--the army of ,egypt dead upon the sea shore1 but ,israel in triumph4 ,all this was well enough2 but1 alas6 the aspect of things speedily changed4 ,the notes of praise were soon exchanged for the accents of discontent4 ,when they came to ,marah1 they could not drink of the waters of ,marah1 for they were bitter2 therefore the name of it was called ,marah4 ,and the people murmured against ,moses1 saying1 ',what shall we drink8' ,again1 ,the whole congregation of the children of ,israel murmured against ,moses and ,aaron in the wilderness2 and the children of ,israel said unto them1 ',would to ,god we had died by the hand of the ,lord in the land of ,egypt1 when we sat by the flesh-pots1 and when we did eat bread to the full6 for ye have brought us forth into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger4' ,here were the trials of the wilderness4--,what shall we eat8 and ,what shall we drink8 ,the waters of ,marah tested the heart of ,israel and developed their murmuring spirit2 but the ,lord showed them that there was no bitterness which ,he could not sweeten with the provision of ,his own grace4 ,and the ,lord showed him a tree1 which when he had cast into the waters1 the waters were made sweet2 there he made for them a statute and an ordinance1 and there he proved them4 ,beauteous figure this of ,him who was1 in infinite grace1 cast into the bitter waters of death1 in order that those waters might yield naught but sweetness to us forever6 ,we can truly say1 ,the bitterness of death is past1 and nothing remains for us but the eternal sweets of resurrection4 ,verse #bf sets before us the momentous character of this first stage of ,god's redeemed in the wilderness4 ,we are in great danger1 at this point1 of falling into a fretful1 impatient1 murmuring spirit4 ,the only remedy for this is to keep the eye steadily fixed on ,jesus--looking unto ,jesus4 ,he1 blessed be ,his name1 ever unfolds ,himself according to the need of ,his people2 and they1 instead of complaining of their circumstances1 should only make their circumstances an occasion of drawing afresh upon ,him4 ,thus it is that the wilderness ministers to our experience of what ,god is4 ,it is a school1 in which we learn ,his patient grace and ample resources4 ,forty years suffered ,he their manners in the wilderness4 7,acts xiii4 #ah47 ,the spiritual mind will ever own that it is worth having bitter waters for ,god to sweeten4 ,we glory in tribulations also3 knowing that tribulation worketh patience2 and patience1 experience2 and experience1 hope2 and hope maketh not ashamed2 because the love of ,god is shed abroad in our hearts by the ,holy ,ghost which is given unto us4 7,rom4 v4 #c-e47 ,however1 the wilderness has its ,elims as well as its ,marahs1--its wells and palm trees1 as well as its bitter waters4 ,and they came to ,elim1 where were twelve wells of water1 and threescore and ten palm trees2 and they encamped there by the waters4 7,ver4 #bg47 ,the ,lord graciously and tenderly provides green spots in the desert for ,his journeying people2 and though they are1 at best1 but oases1 yet are they refreshing to the spirit and encouraging to the heart4 ,the sojourn at ,elim was eminently calculated to soothe the hearts of the people1 and hush their murmurings4 ,the grateful shade of its palm trees1 and the refreshing of its wells1 came in sweetly and seasonably after the trial of ,marah1 and significantly set forth1 in our view1 the precious virtues of that spiritual ministry which ,god provides for ,his people down here4 ,the twelve and the seventy are numbers intimately associated with ministry4 ,but ,elim was not ,canaan4 ,its wells and palm trees were but foretastes of that happy land which lay beyond the bounds of the sterile desert on which the redeemed had just entered4 ,it furnished refreshment1 no doubt1 but it was wilderness refreshment4 ,it was but for a passing moment1 designed1 in grace1 to encourage their depressed spirits1 and nerve them for their onward march to ,canaan4 ,thus it is1 as we know1 with ministry in the ,church4 ,it is a gracious provision for our need1 designed to refresh1 strengthen1 and encourage our hearts1 until we all come to the fullness of the measure of the stature of ,christ4 7,eph4 iv47 ,,chapter ,,xvi4 ,and they took their journey from ,elim1 and all the congregation of the children of ,israel came unto the wilderness of ,sin1 which is between ,elim and ,sinai1 on the fifteenth day of the second month after their departure out of the land of ,egypt4 7,chap4 xvi4 #a47 ,here we find ,israel in a very marked and interesting position4 ,it is still the wilderness1 no doubt1 but it is a most important and significant stage thereof1 namely1 between ,elim and ,sinai4 ,the former was the place where they had so recently experienced the refreshing springs of divine ministry2 the latter was the place where they entirely got off the ground of free and sovereign grace1 and placed themselves under a covenant of works4 ,these facts render the wilderness of ,sin a singularly interesting portion of ,israel's journey4 ,its features and influences are as strongly marked as those of any point in their whole career4 ,they are here seen as the subjects of the same grace which had brought them up out of the land of ,egypt1 and therefore all their murmurings are instantly met by divine supplies4 ,when ,god acts in the display of ,his grace1 there is no hindrance4 ,the streams of blessing which emanate from ,him1 flow onward without interruption4 ,it is only when man puts himself under law that he forfeits everything2 for then ,god must allow him to prove how much he can claim on the ground of his own works4 ,when ,god visited and redeemed ,his people1 and brought them forth out of the land of ,egypt1 it assuredly was not for the purpose of suffering them to die of hunger and thirst in the wilderness4 ,they should have known this4 ,they ought to have trusted ,him1 and walked in the confidence of that love which had so gloriously delivered them from the horrors of ,egyptian bondage4 ,they should have remembered that it was infinitely better to be in the desert with ,god than in the brick-kilns with ,pharaoh4 ,but no2 the human heart finds it immensely difficult to give ,god credit for pure and perfect love4 ,it has far more confidence in ,satan than ,god4 ,look1 for a moment1 at all the sorrow and suffering1 the misery and degradation1 which man has endured by reason of his having hearkened to the voice of ,satan2 and yet he never gives utterance to a word of complaint of his service1 or of desire to escape from under his hand4 ,he is not discontented with ,satan1 or weary of serving him4 ,again and again he reaps bitter fruits in those fields which ,satan has thrown open to him1 and yet again and again he may be seen sowing the self-same seed1 and undergoing the self-same labors4 ,how different it is in reference to ,god6 ,when we have set out to walk in ,his ways1 we are ready1 at the earliest appearance of pressure or trial1 to murmur and rebel4 ,indeed1 there is nothing in which we so signally fail as in the cultivation of a confiding and thankful spirit4 ,ten thousand mercies are forgotten in the presence of a single trifling privation4 ,we have been frankly forgiven all our sins1 accepted in the ,beloved1 made heirs of ,god and joint-heirs with ,christ1 the expectants of eternal glory1 and1 in addition to all1 our path through the desert is strewed with countless mercies2 and yet let but a cloud the size of a man's hand appear on the horizon1 and we at once forget the rich mercies of the past in view of this single cloud1 which1 after all1 may only break in blessings on our head4 ,the thought of this should humble us deeply in the presence of ,god4 ,how unlike we are in this1 as in every other respect1 to our blessed ,exemplar6 ,look at ,him--the true ,israel in the wilderness--surrounded by wild beasts1 and fasting forty days4 ,how did ,he carry ,himself8 ,did ,he murmur8 did ,he complain of ,his lot8 did ,he wish ,himself in other circumstances8 ,ah1 no4 ,god was the portion of ,his cup and the lot of ,his inheritance 7,ps4 xvi472 and1 therefore1 when the tempter approached and offered ,him the necessaries1 the glories1 the distinctions1 and the honors of this life1 ,he refused them all1 and tenaciously held fast the position of absolute dependence upon ,god and implicit obedience to ,his word4 ,he would only take bread from ,god1 and glory from ,him likewise4 ,very different was it with ,israel after the flesh6 ,no sooner did they feel the pressure of hunger than they murmured against ,moses and ,aaron in the wilderness4 ,they seemed to have actually lost the sense of having been delivered by the hand of ,jehovah1 for they said1 ,ye have brought us forth into this wilderness4 ,and again1 in chapter xvii1 the people murmured against ,moses1 and said1 ',wherefore is this that thou hast brought us up out of ,egypt to kill us and our children and our cattle with thirst8' ,thus did they1 on every occasion1 evince a fretful1 murmuring spirit1 and prove how little they realized the presence and the hand of their almighty and infinitely gracious ,deliverer4 ,now1 nothing is more dishonoring to ,god than the manifestation of a complaining spirit on the part of those that belong to ,him4 ,the apostle gives it as a special mark of ,gentile corruption that1 when they knew ,god1 they glorified ,him not as ,god1 neither were thankful4 ,then follows the practical result of this unthankful spirit1--,they became vain in their imaginations1 and their foolish heart was darkened4 7,rom4 i4 #ba47 ,the heart that ceases to retain a thankful sense of ,god's goodness will speedily become dark4 ,thus ,israel lost the sense of being in ,god's hands2 and this led1 as might be expected1 to still thicker darkness1 for we find them1 further on in their history1 saying1 ,wherefore hath the ,lord brought us into this land1 to fall by the sword1 that our wives and our children shall be a prey8 7,numb4 xiv4 #c47 ,such is the line along which a soul out of communion will travel4 ,it first loses the sense of being in ,god's hands for good1 and finally begins to deem itself in ,his hands for evil4 ,melancholy progress this6 ,however1 the people1 being so far the subjects of grace1 are provided for2 and our chapter furnishes the marvelous account of this provision1--,then said the ,lord unto ,moses1 ',behold1 ,i will rain bread from heaven for you4' ,they1 when enveloped in the chilling cloud of their unbelief1 had said1 ,would to ,god we had died by the hand of the ,lord in the land of ,egypt1 when we sat by the flesh-pots1 and when we did eat bread to the full4 ,but now the word is1 ,bread from heaven4 ,blessed contrast6 ,how amazing the difference between the flesh pots1 the leeks1 onions1 and garlic of ,egypt1 and this heavenly manna--angels' food6 ,the former belonged to earth1 the latter to heaven4 ,but then this heavenly food was1 of necessity1 a test of ,israel's condition1 as we read1 ,that ,i may prove them1 whether they will walk in ,my law or no4 ,it needed a heart weaned from ,egypt's influences1 to be satisfied with or enjoy bread from heaven4 ,in point of fact1 we know that the people were not satisfied with it1 but despised it1 pronounced it light food1 and lusted for flesh4 ,thus they proved how little their hearts were delivered from ,egypt1 or disposed to walk in ,god's law4 ,in their hearts they turned back again into ,egypt4 7,acts vii4 #ci47 ,but instead of getting back thither1 they were ultimately carried away beyond ,babylon4 7,acts vii4 #dc47 ,this is a solemn and salutary lesson for ,christians4 ,if those who are redeemed from this present evil world do not walk with ,god in thankfulness of heart1 satisfied with ,his provision for the redeemed in the wilderness1 they are in danger of falling into the snare of ,babylonish influences4 ,this is a serious consideration4 ,it demands a heavenly taste to feed on bread from heaven4 ,nature cannot relish such food2 it will ever yearn after ,egypt1 and therefore it must be kept down4 ,it is our privilege1 as those who have been baptized unto ,christ's death1 and risen again through the faith of the operation of ,god1 to feed upon ,christ as the bread of life which came down from heaven4 ,this is our wilderness food--,christ as ministered by the ,holy ,ghost1 through the written ,word2 while1 for our spiritual refreshment1 the ,holy ,ghost has come down as the precious fruit of the smitten ,rock--,christ1 as smitten for us4 ,such is our rare portion in this desert world4 ,now1 it is obvious that1 in order to enjoy such a portion as this1 our hearts must be weaned from everything in this present evil world--from all that would address itself to us as natural men--as men alive in the flesh4 ,a worldly heart--a carnal mind1 would neither find ,christ in the ,word1 nor enjoy ,him if found4 ,the manna was so pure and delicate that it could not bear contact with earth4 ,it fell upon the dew 7see ,numb4 xi4 #i471 and had to be gathered ere the sun was up4 ,each one1 therefore1 had to rise early and seek his daily portion4 ,so it is with the people of ,god now4 ,the heavenly ,manna must be gathered fresh every morning4 ,yesterday's ,manna will not do for to-day1 nor to-day's for to-morrow4 ,we must feed upon ,christ every day1 with fresh energy of the ,spirit1 else we shall cease to grow4 ,moreover1 we must make ,christ our primary object4 ,we must seek ,him early1 before other things have had time to take possession of our poor susceptible hearts4 ,many of us1 alas6 fail in this1 ,we give ,christ a secondary place1 and the consequence is1 we are left feeble and barren4 ,the enemy1 ever watchful1 takes advantage of our excessive spiritual indolence to rob us of the blessedness and strength which flow from feeding upon ,christ4 ,the new life in the believer can only be nourished and sustained by ,christ4 ,as the living ,father hath sent ,me1 and ,i live by the ,father2 so he that eateth ,me1 even he shall live by ,me4 7,john vi4 #eg47 ,the grace of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 as the ,one who came down from heaven to be ,his people's food1 is ineffably precious to the renewed soul2 but1 in order to enjoy ,him thus1 we need to realize ourselves as in the wilderness1 separated to ,god in the power of accomplished redemption4 ,if ,i am walking with ,god through the desert1 ,i shall be satisfied with the food which ,he provides1 and that is1 ,christ as come down from heaven4 ,the old corn of the land of ,canaan has its antitype in ,christ ascended up on high1 and seated in the glory4 ,as such1 ,he is the proper food of those who1 by faith1 know themselves as raised up together1 and seated together in ,him in the heavenlies4 ,but the ,manna1 that is1 ,christ as come down from heaven1 is for the people of ,god in their wilderness life and experience4 ,as a people journeying down here1 we need a ,christ who also journeyed down here2 as a people seated in spirit up there1 we have a ,christ who is seated up there4 ,this may help to explain the difference between the manna and the old corn of the land4 ,it is not a question of redemption2 that we have in the blood of the cross1 and there alone4 ,it is simply the provision which ,god has made for ,his people1 according to their varied attitudes1 whether as actually toiling in the desert1 or in spirit taking possession of the heavenly inheritance4 ,what a striking picture is presented by ,israel in the wilderness6 ,egypt was behind them1 ,canaan before them1 and the sand of the desert around them2 while they themselves were called to look up to heaven for their daily supply4 ,the wilderness afforded not one blade of grass nor one drop of water for the ,israel of ,god4 ,in ,jehovah alone was their portion4 ,most touching illustration of ,god's pilgrim people in this wilderness world6 ,they have nothing here4 ,their life1 being heavenly1 can only be sustained by heavenly things4 ,though in the world1 they are not of it1 for ,christ has chosen them out of it4 ,as a heaven-born people1 they are on their way to their birth-place1 and sustained by food sent from thence4 ,theirs is an upward and onward course4 ,the glory leads only thus4 ,it is utterly vain to cast the eye backward in the direction of ,egypt2 not a ray of the glory can there be discerned4 ,they looked toward the wilderness1 and behold the glory of the ,lord appeared in the cloud4 ,jehovah's chariot was in the wilderness1 and all who desired companionship with ,him should be there likewise2 and if there1 the heavenly manna should be their food1 and that alone4 ,true1 this manna was strange sustenance1 such as an ,egyptian could never understand1 appreciate1 or live upon2 but those who had been baptized in the cloud and in the sea could1 if walking in consistency with that significant baptism1 enjoy and be nourished by it4 ,thus is it now in the case of the true believer4 ,the worldling cannot understand how he lives4 ,both his life and that which sustains it lie entirely beyond the range of nature's keenest vision4 ,christ is his life1 and on ,christ he lives4 ,he feeds1 by faith1 upon the powerful attractions of ,one who1 though being ,god over all1 blessed forever1 took upon ,him the form of a servant1 and was made in the likeness of men4 7,phil4 ii4 #g47 ,he traces ,him from the bosom of the ,father to the cross1 and from the cross to the throne1 and finds ,him1 in every stage of ,his journey1 and in every attitude of ,his life1 to be most precious food for his new man4 ,all around1 though1 in fact1 ,egypt1 is morally a waste howling wilderness1 affording nothing for the renewed mind2 and just in proportion as the ,christian finds any material to feed upon must his spiritual man be hindered in his progress4 ,the only provision which ,god has made is the heavenly ,manna1 and on this the true believer should ever feed4 ,it is truly deplorable to find ,christians seeking after the things of this world4 ,it proves1 very distinctly1 that they are loathing the heavenly ,manna1 and esteeming it light food2 they are ministering to that which they ought to mortify4 ,the activities of the new life will ever show themselves in connection with the subjugation of the old man with his deeds2 and the more that is accomplished1 the more will we desire to feed upon the ,bread which strengthens man's heart4 ,as in nature1 the more we exercise1 the better the appetite1 so in grace1 the more our renewed faculties are called into play1 the more we feel the need of feeding1 each day1 upon ,christ4 ,it is one thing to know that we have life in ,christ1 together with full forgiveness and acceptance before ,god1 and it is quite another to be in habitual communion with ,him--feeding upon ,him by faith--making ,him the exclusive food of our souls4 ,very many profess to have found pardon and peace in ,jesus1 who1 in reality1 are feeding upon a variety of things which have no connection with ,him4 ,they feed their minds with the newspapers and the varied frivolous and vapid literature of the day4 ,will they find ,christ there8 ,is it by such instrumentality that the ,holy ,ghost ministers ,christ to the soul8 ,are these the pure dew-drops on which the heavenly ,manna descends for the sustenance of ,god's redeemed in the desert8 ,alas6 no2 they are the gross materials in which the carnal mind delights4 ,how1 then1 can a true ,christian live upon such8 ,we know1 by the teaching of ,god's ,word1 that he carries about with him two natures2 and it may be asked1 ,which of the two is it that feeds upon the world's news and the world's literature8--,is it the old1 or the new8 ,there can be but one reply4 ,well1 then1 which of the two am ,i desirous of cherishing8 ,assuredly my conduct will afford the truest answer to this inquiry4 ,if ,i sincerely desire to grow in the divine life--if my one grand object is to be assimilated and devoted to ,christ--if ,i am earnestly breathing after an extension of ,god's kingdom within1 ,i shall1 without doubt1 seek continually that character of nourishment which is designed of ,god to promote my spiritual growth4 ,this is plain4 ,a man's acts are always the truest index of his desires and purposes4 ,hence1 if ,i find a professing ,christian neglecting his ,bible1 yet finding abundance of time--yea1 some of his choicest hours--for the newspaper1 ,i can be at no loss to decide as to the true condition of his soul4 ,i am sure he cannot be spiritual--cannot be feeding upon1 living for1 or witnessing to1 ,christ4 ,if an ,israelite neglected to gather1 in the freshness of the morning hour1 his daily portion of the divinely appointed food1 he would speedily have become lacking in strength for his journey4 ,thus is it with us4 ,we must make ,christ the paramount object of our soul's pursuit1 else our spiritual life will inevitably decline4 ,we cannot even feed upon feelings and experiences connected with ,christ1 for they1 inasmuch as they are fluctuating1 cannot form our spiritual nourishment4 ,it was ,christ yesterday1 and it must be ,christ to-day1 and ,christ forever4 ,moreover1 it will not do to feed partly on ,christ and partly on other things4 ,as in the matter of life it is ,christ alone1 so in the matter of living it must be ,christ alone4 ,as we cannot mingle any thing with that which imparts life1 so neither can we mingle any thing with that which sustains it4 ,it is quite true that1 in spirit1 and by faith1 we can even now feed upon a risen and glorified ,christ1 ascended up to heaven in virtue of accomplished redemption1 as prefigured by the old corn of the land4 7,see ,joshua v47 ,and not only so1 but we know that when ,god's redeemed shall have entered upon those fields of glory1 rest1 and immortality which lie beyond the ,jordan1 they shall1 in actual fact1 be done with wilderness food2 but they will not be done with ,christ1 nor with the remembrance of that which constitutes the specific nourishment of their desert life4 ,israel were never to forget1 amid the milk and honey of the land of ,canaan1 that which had sustained them during their forty years' sojourn in the wilderness4 ,this is the thing which the ,lord commandeth3 ',fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations2 that they may see the bread wherewith ,i have fed you in the wilderness1 when ,i brought you forth from the land of ,egypt4'444 ,as the ,lord commanded ,moses1 so ,aaron laid it up before the testimony1 to be kept4 7,ver4 #cb-cd47 ,most precious memorial of the faithfulness of ,god6 ,he did not suffer them to die of hunger1 as their foolish hearts had unbelievingly anticipated4 ,he rained bread from heaven for them1 fed them with angels' food1 watched over them with all the tenderness of a nurse1 bore with them1 carried them on eagles' wings1 and1 had they only continued on the proper ground of grace1 ,he would have put them in eternal possession of all the promises made to their fathers4 ,the pot of manna1 therefore1 containing1 as it did1 a man's daily portion1 and laid up before the ,lord1 furnishes a volume of truth4 ,there was no worm therein1 nor aught of taint4 ,it was the record of ,jehovah's faithfulness in providing for those whom ,he had redeemed out of the hand of the enemy4 ,not so1 however1 when man hoarded it up for himself4 ,then the symptoms of corruptibility soon made their appearance4 ,we cannot1 if entering into the truth and reality of our position1 hoard up4 ,it is our privilege1 day by day1 to enter into the preciousness of ,christ1 as the ,one who came down from heaven to give life unto the world4 ,but if any1 in forgetfulness of this1 should be found hoarding up for to-morrow1 that is1 laying up truth beyond his present need1 instead of turning it to profit in the way of renewing strength1 it will surely become corrupt4 ,this is a salutary lesson for us4 ,it is a deeply solemn thing to learn truth2 for there is not a principle which we profess to have learnt which we shall not have to prove practically4 ,god will not have us theorists4 ,one often trembles to hear persons make high professions and use expressions of intense devotedness1 whether in prayer or otherwise1 lest1 when the hour of trial comes1 there may not be the needed spiritual power to carry out what the lips have uttered4 ,there is a great danger of the intellect's outstripping the conscience and the affections4 ,hence it is that so many seem1 at first1 to make such rapid progress up to a certain point2 but there they stop short and appear to retrograde4 ,like an ,israelite gathering up more manna than he required for one day's food4 ,he might appear to be accumulating the heavenly food far more diligently than others2 yet every particle beyond the day's supply was not only useless1 but far worse than useless1 inasmuch as it bred worms4 ,thus is it with the ,christian4 ,he must use what he gets1--he must feed upon ,christ as a matter of actual need1 and the need is brought out in actual service4 ,the character and ways of ,god1 the preciousness and beauty of ,christ1 and the living depths of the ,word1 are only unfolded to faith and need4 ,it is as we use what we receive that more will be given4 ,the path of the believer is to be a practical one2 and here it is that so many of us come short4 ,it will often be found that those who get on most rapidly in theory are the slowest in the practical and experimental elements1 because it is more a work of intellect than of heart and conscience4 ,we should ever remember that ,christianity is not a set of opinions1 a system of dogmas1 or a number of views2 it is pre-eminently a living reality1--a personal1 practical1 powerful thing1 telling itself out in all the scenes and circumstances of daily life1 shedding its hallowed influence over the entire character and course1 and imparting its heavenly tone to every relationship which one may be called of ,god to fill4 ,in a word1 it is that which flows from being associated and occupied with ,christ4 ,this is ,christianity4 ,there may be clear views1 correct notions1 sound principles1 without any fellowship with ,jesus2 but an orthodox creed without ,christ will prove a cold1 barren1 dead thing4 ,christian reader1 see carefully to it that you are not only saved by ,christ1 but also living on ,him4 ,make ,him the daily portion of your soul4 ,seek ,him early1 seek him only4 ,when any thing solicits your attention1 ask the question1 ,will this bring ,christ to my heart8 ,will it unfold ,him to my affections1 or draw me near to ,his ,person8 ,if not1 reject it at once3 yes1 reject it1 though it present itself under the most specious appearance and with the most commanding authority4 ,if your honest purpose be to get on in the divine life1 to progress in spirituality1 to cultivate personal acquaintance with ,christ1 then challenge your heart solemnly and faithfully as to this4 ,make ,christ your habitual food4 ,go1 gather the ,manna that falls on the dew-drops1 and feed upon it with an appetite sharpened by a diligent walk with ,god through the desert4 ,may the rich grace of ,god the ,holy ,ghost abundantly strengthen you in all this6#i #i ,my reader will find it profitable to turn to the sixth of ,john1 and prayerfully meditate upon it1 in connection with the subject of the manna4 ,the passover being near1 ,jesus feeds the multitude1 and then takes ,his departure to a mountain1 there to be alone4 ,from thence ,he comes to the relief of ,his distressed people tossed upon the troubled waters4 ,after this1 ,he unfolds the doctrine of ,his ,person and work1 and declares how ,he was to give ,his flesh for the life of the world1 and that none could have life save by eating ,his flesh and drinking ,his blood4 ,finally1 ,he speaks of ,himself as ascending up where ,he was before and of the quickening power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,it is1 indeed1 a rich and copious chapter1 in which the spiritual reader will find a vast fund of truth for the comfort and edification of his soul4 ,there is one point more in our chapter which we shall notice1 namely1 the institution of the ,sabbath1 in its connection with the manna and ,israel's position as here set forth4 ,from the second chapter of ,genesis down to the chapter now before us1 we find no mention made of this institution4 ,this is remarkable4 ,abel's sacrifice1 ,enoch's walk with ,god1 ,noah's preaching1 ,abraham's call1 together with the detailed history of ,isaac1 ,jacob1 and ,joseph1 are all presented2 but there is no allusion to the ,sabbath until we find ,israel recognized as a people in relationship and consequent responsibility to ,jehovah4 ,the ,sabbath was interrupted in ,eden2 and here we find it again instituted for ,israel in the wilderness4 ,but1 alas6 man has no heart for ,god's rest4 ,and it came to pass that there went out some of the people on the seventh day for to gather1 and they found none4 ,and the ,lord said unto ,moses1 ',how long refuse ye to keep ,my commandments and ,my laws8 ,see1 for that the ,lord hath given you the ,sabbath1 therefore ,he giveth you on the sixth day the bread of two days3 abide ye every man in his place2 let no man go out of his place on the seventh day4' 7,ver4 #bg-bi47 ,god would have ,his people enjoying sweet repose with ,himself4 ,he would give them rest1 food1 and refreshment1 even in the wilderness4 ,but man's heart is not disposed to rest with ,god4 ,the people could remember and speak of the time when they sat by the flesh pots in ,egypt1 but they could not appreciate the blessedness of sitting in their tents1 enjoying with ,god the rest of the holy ,sabbath1 feeding upon the heavenly manna4 ,and1 be it remarked1 that the ,sabbath is here presented as a matter of gift4--,the ,lord hath given you the ,sabbath4 ,further on in this book we shall find it put in the form of a law1 with a curse and a judgment attached to it in the case of disobedience4 ,but whether fallen man gets a privilege or a law1 a blessing or a curse1 it is all alike4 ,his nature is bad4 ,he can neither rest with nor work for ,god4 ,if ,god works and makes a rest for him1 he will not keep it2 and if ,god tells him to work1 he will not do it4 ,such is man4 ,he has no heart for ,god4 ,he can make use of the name of the ,sabbath as a something to exalt himself1 or as the badge of his own religiousness2 but when we turn to ,exodus xvi1 we find that he cannot prize ,god's ,sabbath as a gift1 and when we turn to ,numbers xv4 #cb-cf1 we find he cannot keep it as a law4 ,now1 we know that the ,sabbath1 as well as the manna1 was a type4 ,in itself1 it was a real blessing--a sweet mercy from the hand of a loving and gracious ,god1 who would relieve the toil and travail of a sin-stricken earth by the refreshment of one day of rest out of the seven4 ,whatever way we look at the institution of the ,sabbath1 we must see it to be pregnant with richest mercy1--whether we view it in reference to man or to the animal creation4 ,and1 albeit1 that ,christians observe the first day of the week--the ,lord's day--and attach to it its proper principles1 yet is the gracious providence equally observable1 nor would any mind at all governed by right feelings1 seek1 for a moment1 to interfere with such a signal mercy4 ,the ,sabbath was made for man2 and although man never has kept it1 according to the divine thought about it1 that does not detract from the grace which shines in the appointment of it1 nor divest it of its deep significancy as a type of that eternal rest which remains for the people of ,god1 or as a shadow of that substance which faith now enjoys in the ,person and work of a risen ,christ4 ,let not the reader therefore suppose that in any thing which has been or may be stated in these pages the object is to touch1 in the slightest degree1 the merciful provision of one day's rest for man and the animal creation1 much less to interfere with the distinct place which the ,lord's day occupies in the ,new ,testament4 ,nothing is further from the writer's thoughts4 ,as a man he values the former1 and as a ,christian he rejoices in the latter1 far too deeply to admit of his penning or uttering a single syllable which would interfere with either the one or the other4 ,he would only ask the reader to weigh1 with a dispassionate mind1 in the balance of ,holy ,scripture1 every line and every statement1 and not form any harsh judgment beforehand4 ,this subject will come before us again1 in our further meditations1 if the ,lord will4 ,may we learn to value more the rest which our ,god has provided for us in ,christ1 and while enjoying ,him as our rest1 may we feed upon ,him as the hidden ,manna1 laid up1 in the power of resurrection1 in the inner sanctuary1--the record of what ,god has accomplished1 on our behalf1 by coming down into this world1 in ,his infinite grace1 in order that we might be before ,him according to the perfectness of ,christ1 and feed on ,his unsearchable riches forever4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,and all the congregation of the children of ,israel journeyed from the wilderness of ,sin1 after their journeys1 according to the commandment of the ,lord1 and pitched in ,rephidim3 and there was no water for the people to drink4 ,wherefore the people did chide with ,moses1 and said1 ',give us water that we may drink4' ,and ,moses said unto them1 ',why chide ye with me8 ,wherefore do ye tempt the ,lord8' 7,chap4 xvii4 #a1 #b47 ,did we not know something of the humiliating evil of our own hearts1 we should be quite at a loss to account for ,israel's marvelous insensibility to all the ,lord's goodness1 faithfulness1 and mighty acts4 ,they had just seen bread descending from heaven to feed six hundred thousand people in the wilderness2 and now they are ready to stone ,moses for bringing them out into the wilderness to kill them with thirst4 ,nothing can exceed the desperate unbelief and wickedness of the human heart save the superabounding grace of ,god4 ,in that grace alone can any one find relief under the growing sense of his evil nature which circumstances tend to make manifest4 ,had ,israel been transported directly from ,egypt to ,canaan1 they would not have made such sad exhibitions of what the human heart is1 and1 as a consequence1 they would not have proved such admirable ensamples or types for us2 but their forty years' wandering in the desert furnishes us with a volume of warning1 admonition1 and instruction1 fruitful beyond conception4 ,from it we learn1 amongst many other things1 the unvarying tendency of the heart to distrust ,god4 ,any thing1 in short1 for it but ,god4 ,it would rather lean upon a cobweb of human resources than upon the arm of an omnipotent1 all-wise1 and infinitely gracious ,god2 and the smallest cloud is more than sufficient to hide from its view the light of ,his blessed countenance4 ,well1 therefore1 may it be termed an evil heart of unbelief1 which will ever show itself ready to depart from the living ,god4 ,it is interesting to note the two great questions raised by unbelief in this and the preceding chapter4 ,they are precisely similar to those which spring up within and around us every day1 namely1 ,what shall we eat8 and ,what shall we drink8 ,we do not find the people raising the third question in the category--,wherewithal shall we be clothed8 ,but here are the questions of the wilderness--,what8 ,where8 ,how8 ,faith has a brief but comprehensive answer to all the three1 namely1 ,,god6 ,precious1 perfect answer6 ,o that the writer and the reader were more thoroughly acquainted with its force and fullness6 ,we assuredly need to remember1 when placed in a position of trial1 that there hath no temptation taken us but such as is common to man3 but ,god is faithful1 who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able2 but will with the temptation also make a way to escape1 or1 an issue--1 that ye may be able to bear it4 7#a ,cor4 x4 #ac47 ,whenever we get into trial1 we may feel confident that with the trial there is an issue1 and all we need is a broken will and a single eye to see it4 ,and ,moses cried unto the ,lord1 saying1 ',what shall ,i do unto this people8 they be almost ready to stone me4' ,and the ,lord said unto ,moses1 ',go on before the people1 and take with thee of the elders of ,israel2 and thy rod1 wherewith thou smotest the river1 take in thine hand1 and go4 ,behold1 ,i will stand before thee there upon the rock in ,horeb1 and thou shalt smite the rock1 and there shall come water out of it1 that the people may drink4' ,and ,moses did so in the sight of the elders of ,israel4 7,ver4 #d-f47 ,thus all is met by the most perfect grace4 ,every murmur brings out a fresh display4 ,here we have the refreshing stream gushing from the smitten rock--beauteous type of the ,spirit given as the fruit of ,christ's accomplished sacrifice4 ,in chapter xvi1 we have a type of ,christ coming down from heaven to give life to the world4 ,in chapter xvii1 we have a type of the ,holy ,ghost1 shed forth in virtue of ,christ's finished work4 ,they drank of that spiritual ,rock that followed them1 and that ,rock was ,christ4 7#a ,cor4 x4 #d47 ,but who could drink till the ,rock was smitten8 ,israel might have gazed on that rock and died of thirst while gazing2 but until smitten by the rod of ,god1 it could yield no refreshment4 ,this is plain enough4 ,the ,lord ,jesus ,christ was the centre and foundation of all ,god's counsels of love and mercy4 ,through ,him all blessing was to flow to man4 ,the streams of grace were designed to gush forth from the ,lamb of ,god2 but then it was needful that the ,lamb should be slain--that the work of the cross should be an accomplished fact--ere any of these things could be actualized4 ,it was when the ,rock of ,ages was cleft by the hand of ,jehovah that the flood-gates of eternal love were thrown wide open1 and perishing sinners invited1 by the testimony of the ,holy ,ghost1 to drink abundantly1 drink deeply1 drink freely4 ,the gift of the ,holy ,ghost is the result of the ,son's accomplished work upon the cross4 ,the promise of the ,father could not be fulfilled until ,christ had taken ,his seat at the right hand of the ,majesty in the heavens1 having wrought out perfect righteousness1 answered all the claims of holiness1 magnified the law and made it honorable1 borne the unmitigated wrath of ,god against sin1 exhausted the power of death1 and deprived the grave of its victory4 ,he1 having done all this1 ascended up on high1 led captivity captive1 and gave gifts unto men4 ,now that ,he ascended1 what is it but that ,he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth8 ,he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens1 that ,he might fill all things4 7,eph4 iv4 #h-aj47 ,this is the true foundation of the ,church's peace1 blessedness1 and glory forever4 ,until the rock was smitten1 the stream was pent up1 and man could do nothing4 ,what human hand could bring forth water from a flinty rock8 ,and so we may ask1 ,what human righteousness could afford a warrant for opening the flood-gates of divine love8 ,this is the true way in which to test man's competency4 ,he could not1 by his doings1 his sayings1 or his feelings1 furnish a ground for the mission of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,let him be or do what he may1 he could not do this4 ,but thank ,god1 it is done2 ,christ has finished the work2 the true ,rock has been smitten1 and the refreshing stream has issued forth1 so that thirsty souls may drink4 ,the water that ,i shall give him1 says ,christ1 shall be in him a well of water1 springing up into everlasting life4 7,john iv4 #ad47 ,again3 ,in the last day1 that great day of the feast1 ,jesus stood and cried1 saying1 ',if any man thirst1 let him come unto ,me and drink4 ,he that believeth on ,me1 as the ,scripture hath said1 out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water4' 7,but this spake ,he of the ,spirit1 which they that believe on ,him should receive2 for the ,holy ,ghost was not yet given1 because that ,jesus was not yet glorified47 7,john vii4 #cg-ci2 compare1 also1 ,acts xix4 #b47 ,thus1 as in the manna we have a type of ,christ1 so in the stream gushing from the rock we have a type of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,if thou knewest the gift of ,god i4e41 ,christ1 444 thou wouldest have asked of ,him1 and ,he would have given thee living water i4e41 the ,spirit4 ,such1 then1 is the teaching conveyed to the spiritual mind by the smitten rock2 but the name of the place in which this significant type was presented is a standing memorial of man's unbelief4--,he called the name of the place ,massah i4e41 ,temptation1 and ,meribah i4e41 ,chiding1 because of the chiding of the children of ,israel1 and because they tempted the ,lord1 saying1 ',is the ,lord among us1 or not8' 7,ver4 #g47 ,after such repeated assurances and evidences of ,jehovah's presence1 to raise such an inquiry proves the deep-seated unbelief of the human heart4 ,it was1 in point of fact1 tempting ,him4 ,thus did the ,jews1 in the day of ,christ's presence amongst them1 seek of ,him a sign from heaven1 tempting ,him4 ,faith never acts thus2 it believes in and enjoys the divine presence1 not by a sign1 but by the knowledge of ,himself4 ,it knows ,he is there to be enjoyed1 and it enjoys ,him4 ,lord1 grant us a more artless spirit of confidence6 ,the next point suggested by our chapter is one of special interest to us4 ,then came ,amalek and fought with ,israel in ,rephidim4 ,and ,moses said unto ,joshua1 ',choose us out men1 and go out1 fight with ,amalek3 to-morrow ,i will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of ,god in mine hand4' 7,ver4 #h1 #i47 ,the gift of the ,holy ,ghost leads to conflict4 ,the light rebukes and conflicts with the darkness4 ,where all is dark there is no struggle2 but the very feeblest struggle bespeaks the presence of light4 ,the flesh lusteth against the ,spirit1 and the ,spirit against the flesh2 and these are contrary the one to the other1 so that ye should not do the things that ye would4 7,gal4 v4 #ag47 ,thus it is in the chapter before us2 we have the rock smitten and the water flowing forth1 and immediately we read1 ,then came ,amalek and fought with ,israel4 ,this is the first time that ,israel are seen in conflict with an external foe4 ,up to this point1 the ,lord had fought for them1 as we read in chapter xiv1 ,the ,lord shall fight for you1 and ye shall hold your peace4 ,but now the word is1 ,choose us out men4 ,true1 ,god must now fight in ,israel1 as1 before1 ,he had fought for them4 ,this marks the difference1 as to the type2 and as to the antitype1 we know that there is an immense difference between ,christ's battles for us1 and the ,holy ,ghost's battles in us4 ,the former1 blessed be ,god1 are all over1 the victory gained1 and a glorious and an everlasting peace secured3 the latter1 on the contrary1 are still going on4 ,pharaoh and ,amalek represent two different powers or influences4 ,pharaoh represents the hindrance to ,israel's deliverance from ,egypt3 ,amalek represents the hindrance to their walk with ,god through the wilderness4 ,pharaoh used the things of ,egypt to keep ,israel from serving the ,lord2 he therefore prefigures ,satan1 who uses this present evil world against the people of ,god3 ,amalek1 on the other hand1 stands before us as the type of the flesh4 ,he was the grandson of ,esau1 who preferred a mess of pottage to the birthright4 7,see ,gen4 xxxvi4 #ab47 ,he was the first who opposed ,israel after their baptism in the cloud and in the sea4 ,these facts serve to fix his character with great distinctness2 and1 in addition to these1 we know that ,saul was set aside from the kingdom of ,israel in consequence of his failing to destroy ,amalek4 7#a ,sam4 xv47 ,and further1 we find that ,haman is the last of the ,amalekites of whom we find any notice in ,scripture4 ,he was hanged on a gallows in consequence of his wicked attempt against the seed of ,israel4 7,see ,esther47 ,no ,amalekite could obtain entrance into the congregation of the ,lord4 ,and finally1 in the chapter now before us1 the ,lord declares perpetual war with ,amalek4 ,all these circumstances may be regarded as furnishing conclusive evidence of the fact that ,amalek is a type of the flesh4 ,the connection between his conflict with ,israel and the water flowing out of the rock is most marked and instructive1 and in full keeping with the believer's conflict with his evil nature1 which conflict is1 as we know1 consequent upon his having the new nature1 and the ,holy ,ghost dwelling therein4 ,israel's conflict began when they stood in the full power of redemption1 and had tasted that spiritual meat1 and drunk of that spiritual ,rock4 ,until they met ,amalek1 they had nothing to do4 ,they did not cope with ,pharaoh2 they did not break the power of ,egypt1 nor snap asunder the chains of its thraldom2 they did not divide the sea1 nor submerge ,pharaoh's hosts beneath its waves2 they did not bring down bread from heaven1 nor draw forth water out of the flinty rock2--they neither had done1 nor could they do1 any of these things2 but now they are called to fight with ,amalek4 ,all the previous conflict had been between ,jehovah and the enemy4 ,they had but to stand still and gaze upon the mighty triumphs of ,jehovah's outstretched arm1 and enjoy the fruits of victory4 ,the ,lord had fought for them2 but now ,he fights in or by them4 ,thus is it also with the ,church of ,god4 ,the victories on which her eternal peace and blessedness are founded were gained1 single-handed1 by ,christ for her4 ,he was alone on the cross1 alone in the tomb4 ,the ,church had to stand aside1 for how could she be there8--how could she vanquish ,satan1 endure the wrath of ,god1 or rob death of its sting8 ,impossible4 ,these things lay far beyond the reach of sinners1 but not beyond the reach of ,him who came to save them1 and who alone was able to bear upon ,his shoulder the ponderous weight of all their sins1 and roll the burden away forever1 by ,his infinite sacrifice1 so that ,god the ,holy ,ghost1 proceeding from ,god the ,father1 in virtue of the perfect atonement of ,god the ,son1 can take up ,his abode in the ,church collectively1 and in each member thereof individually4 ,now it is when the ,holy ,ghost thus takes up ,his abode in us1 consequent upon ,christ's death and resurrection1 that our conflict begins4 ,christ has fought for us2 the ,holy ,ghost fights in us4 ,the very fact of our enjoying this first rich spoil of victory1 puts us into direct conflict with the foe2 but the comfort is that we are victors ere we enter upon the field of conflict at all4 ,the believer approaches to the battle singing1 ,thanks be to ,god which giveth us the victory through our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 7#a ,cor4 xv4 #eg47 ,we do not1 therefore1 fight uncertainly1 or as those that beat the air1 while we seek to keep under the body and bring it into subjection4 7#a ,cor4 ix4 #bf1 #bg47 ,we are more than conquerors through ,him that loved us4 7,rom4 viii4 #cg47 ,the grace in which we stand renders the flesh utterly void of power to lord it over us4 7,see ,rom4 vi1 passim47 ,if the law is the strength of sin1 grace is the weakness thereof4 ,the former gives sin power over us2 the latter gives us power over sin4 ,and ,moses said unto ,joshua1 ',choose us out men1 and go out1 fight with ,amalek3 to-morrow ,i will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of ,god in mine hand4' ,so ,joshua did as ,moses had said unto him1 and fought with ,amalek2 and ,moses1 ,aaron1 and ,hur went up to the top of the hill4 ,and it came to pass2 when ,moses held up his hand1 that ,israel prevailed2 and when he let down his hand1 ,amalek prevailed4 ,but ,moses' hands were heavy2 and they took a stone and put it under him1 and he sat thereon2 and ,aaron and ,hur stayed up his hands1 the one on the one side and the other on the other side2 and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun4 ,and ,joshua discomfited ,amalek and his people with the edge of the sword4 7,verses #i-ac47 ,we have here two distinct things1 namely1 conflict and intercession4 ,christ is on high for us1 while the ,holy ,ghost carries on the mighty struggle in us4 ,the two things go together4 ,it is as we enter by faith into the prevalency of ,christ's intercession on our behalf that we make head against our evil nature4 ,some there are who seek to overlook the fact of the ,christian's conflict with the flesh4 ,they look upon regeneration as a total change or renewal of the old nature4 ,upon this principle it would necessarily follow that the believer has nothing to struggle with4 ,if my nature is renewed1 what have ,i to contend with8 ,nothing4 ,there is nothing within1 inasmuch as my old nature is made new2 and nothing without can affect me1 inasmuch as there is no response from within4 ,the world has no charms for one whose flesh is entirely changed1 and ,satan has nothing by or on which to act4 ,to all who maintain such a theory1 it may be said that they seem to forget the place which ,amalek occupies in the history of the people of ,god4 ,had ,israel conceived the idea that when ,pharaoh's hosts were gone their conflict was at an end1 they would have been sadly put about when ,amalek came upon them4 ,the fact is1 theirs only then began4 ,thus it is with the believer1 for all these things happened unto ,israel for ensamples1 and they are written for our admonition4 7#a ,cor4 x4 #aa47 ,but there could be no type1 no ensample1 no admonition1 in these things for one whose old nature is made new4 ,indeed1 such an one can have but little need of any of those gracious provisions which ,god has made in ,his kingdom for those who are the subjects thereof4 ,we are distinctly taught in the ,word that the believer carries about with him that which answers to ,amalek1 that is1 the flesh--the old man--the carnal mind4 7,rom4 vi4 #f2 viii4 #g2 ,gal4 v4 #ag47 ,now1 if the ,christian1 upon perceiving the stirrings of his evil nature1 begins to doubt his being a ,christian1 he will not only render himself exceedingly unhappy1 but also deprive himself of his vantage-ground against the enemy4 ,the flesh exists in the believer and will be there to the end of the chapter4 ,the ,holy ,ghost fully recognizes it as existing1 as we may easily see1 from various parts of the ,new ,testament4 ,in ,romans vi4 we read1 ,let not sin therefore reign in your mortal bodies4 ,such a precept would be entirely uncalled for if the flesh were not existing in the believer4 ,it would be out of character to tell us not to let sin reign1 if it were not actually dwelling in us4 ,there is a great difference between dwelling and reigning4 ,it dwells in a believer1 but it reigns in an unbeliever4 ,however1 though it dwells in us1 we have1 thank ,god1 a principle of power over it4 ,sin shall not have dominion over you2 for ye are not under the law1 but under grace4 ,the grace which1 by the blood of the cross1 has put away sin1 insures us the victory1 and gives us present power over its indwelling principle4 ,we have died to sin1 and hence it has no claim over us4 ,he that has died is justified from sin4 ,knowing this1 that our old man has been crucified with ,him1 that the body of sin might be destroyed1 that henceforth we should not serve sin4 7,rom4 vi4 #f47 ,and ,joshua discomfited ,amalek and his people with the edge of the sword4 ,all was victory2 and ,jehovah's banner floated over the triumphant host1 bearing the sweet and heart-sustaining inscription1 ,jehovah-nissi 7the ,lord my banner74 ,the assurance of victory should be as complete as the sense of forgiveness1 seeing both alike are founded upon the great fact that ,jesus died and rose again4 ,it is in the power of this that the believer enjoys a purged conscience and subdues indwelling sin4 ,the death of ,christ having answered all the claims of ,god in reference to our sins1 ,his resurrection becomes the spring of power in all the details of conflict afterwards4 ,he died for us1 and now ,he lives in us4 ,the former gives us peace1 the latter gives us power4 ,it is edifying to remark the contrast between ,moses on the hill and ,christ on the throne4 ,the hands of our great ,intercessor can never hang down4 ,his intercession never fluctuates4 ,he ever liveth to make intercession for us4 7,heb4 vii47 ,his intercession is never-ceasing and all-prevailing4 ,having taken ,his place on high1 in the power of divine righteousness1 ,he acts for us according to what ,he is1 and according to the infinite perfectness of what ,he has done4 ,his hands can never hang down1 nor can ,he need any one to hold them up4 ,his perfect advocacy is founded upon ,his perfect sacrifice4 ,he presents us before ,god1 clothed in ,his own perfections1 so that though we may ever have to keep our faces in the dust1 in the sense of what we are1 yet the ,spirit can only testify to us of what ,he is before ,god for us1 and of what we are in ,him4 ,we are not in the flesh1 but in the ,spirit4 7,rom4 viii47 ,we are in the body1 as to the fact of our condition2 but we are not in the flesh1 as to the principle of our standing4 ,moreover1 the flesh is in us1 though we are dead to it2 but we are not in the flesh1 because we are alive with ,christ4 ,we may further remark1 on this chapter1 that ,moses had the rod of ,god with him on the hill--the rod with which he had smitten the rock4 ,this rod was the expression or symbol of the power of ,god1 which is seen alike in atonement and intercession4 ,when the work of atonement was accomplished1 ,christ took ,his seat in heaven1 and sent down the ,holy ,ghost to take up ,his abode in the ,church2 so that there is an inseparable connection between the work of ,christ and the work of the ,spirit4 ,there is the application of the power of ,god in each4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,we here arrive at the close of a very marked division of the book of ,exodus4 ,we have seen ,god1 in the exercise of ,his perfect grace1 visiting and redeeming ,his people1 bringing them forth out of the land of ,egypt1 delivering them first from the hand of ,pharaoh and then from the hand of ,amalek4 ,furthermore1 we have seen1 in the manna1 a type of ,christ come down from heaven2 in the rock1 a type of ,christ smitten for ,his people2 and in the gushing stream1 a type of the ,spirit given4 ,then follows1 in striking and beautiful order1 a picture of the future glory1 divided into its three grand departments1 namely1 the ,jew1 the ,gentile1 and the ,church of ,god4 ,during the period of ,moses' rejection by his brethren1 he was taken apart and presented with a bride--the companion of his rejection4 ,we were led to see1 at the opening of this book1 the character of ,moses' relationship with this bride4 ,he was a husband by blood to her4 ,this is precisely ,what ,christ is to the ,church4 ,her connection with ,him is founded upon death and resurrection2 and she is called to fellowship with ,his sufferings4 ,it is1 as we know1 during the period of ,israel's unbelief and of ,christ's rejection that the ,church is called out2 and when the ,church is complete1 according to the divine counsels--when the fullness of the ,gentiles is come in--,israel shall again be brought into notice4 ,thus it was with ,zipporah and ,israel of old4 ,moses had sent her back during the period of his mission to ,israel2 and when the latter were brought forth as a fully delivered people1 we read that ,jethro1 ,moses' father-in-law1 took ,zipporah1 ,moses' wife1 after he had sent her back1 and her two sons1 of which the name of the one was ,gershom2 ',for1' he said1 ',i have been an alien in a strange land2' and the name of the other was ,eliezer2 ',for the ,god of my fathers1' said he1 'was mine help1 and delivered me from the sword of ,pharaoh4' ,and ,jethro1 ,moses' father-in-law1 came with his sons and his wife unto ,moses into the wilderness1 where he encamped at the mount of ,god4 ,and he said unto ,moses1 ',i1 thy father-in-law1 ,jethro1 am come unto thee1 and thy wife and her two sons with her4' ,and ,moses went out to meet his father-in-law1 and did obeisance1 and kissed him2 and they asked each other of their welfare2 and they came into the tent4 ,and ,moses told his father-in-law all that the ,lord had done unto ,pharaoh and to the ,egyptians for ,israel's sake1 and all the travail that had come upon them by the way1 and how the ,lord delivered them4 ,and ,jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the ,lord had done to ,israel1 whom ,he had delivered from the hand of the ,egyptians4 ,and ,jethro said1 ',blessed be the ,lord1 who hath delivered you out of the hand of the ,egyptians1 and out of the hand of ,pharaoh2 who hath delivered the people from under the hand of the ,egyptians4 ,now ,i know that the ,lord is greater than all gods2 for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly ,he was above them4' ,and ,jethro1 ,moses' father-in-law1 took a burnt-offering and sacrifices for ,god2 and ,aaron came1 and all the elders of ,israel1 to eat bread with ,moses' father-in-law before ,god4 7,chap4 xviii4 #b-ab47 ,this is a deeply interesting scene4 ,the whole congregation assembled in triumph before the ,lord1 the ,gentile presenting sacrifice1 and in addition1 to complete the picture1 the bride of the deliverer1 together with the children whom ,god had given him1 are all introduced4 ,it is1 in short1 a singularly striking foreshadowing of the coming kingdom4 ,the ,lord will give grace and glory4 ,we have already seen1 in what we have traveled over of this book1 very much of the actings of grace2 and here we have1 from the pencil of the ,holy ,ghost1 a beauteous picture of glory1--a picture which must be regarded as peculiarly important1 as exhibiting the varied fields in which that glory shall be manifested4 ,the ,jew1 the ,gentile1 and the ,church of ,god are scriptural distinctions which can never be overlooked without marring that perfect range of truth which ,god has revealed in ,his holy ,word4 ,they have existed ever since the mystery of the ,church was fully developed by the ministry of the apostle ,paul1 and they shall exist throughout the millennial age4 ,hence1 every spiritual student of ,scripture will give them their due place in his mind4 ,the apostle expressly teaches us1 in his epistle to the ,ephesians1 that the mystery of the ,church had not been made known1 in other ages1 to the sons of men1 as it was revealed to him4 ,but though not directly revealed1 it had been shadowed forth in one way or another2 as1 for example1 in ,joseph's marriage with an ,egyptian1 and in ,moses' marriage with an ,ethiopian4 ,the type or shadow of a truth is a very different thing from a direct and positive revelation of it4 ,the great mystery of the ,church was not revealed until ,christ1 in heavenly glory1 revealed it to ,saul of ,tarsus4 ,hence1 all who look for the full unfolding of this mystery in the law1 the prophets1 or the psalms1 will find themselves engaged in unintelligent labor4 ,when1 however1 they find it distinctly revealed in the epistle to the ,ephesians1 they will be able1 with interest and profit1 to trace its foreshadowing in ,old ,testament ,scripture4 ,thus we have1 in the opening of our chapter1 a millennial scene4 ,all the fields of glory lie open in vision before us4 ,the ,jew stands forth as the great earthly witness of ,jehovah's faithfulness1 ,his mercy1 and ,his power4 ,this is what the ,jew has been in bygone ages1 it is what he is now1 and what he will be1 world without end4 ,the ,gentile reads1 in the book of ,god's dealings with the ,jew1 his deepest lessons4 ,he traces the marvelous history of that peculiar and elect people--a people terrible from their beginning hitherto2 he sees thrones and empires overturned1 nations shaken to their centre1 every one and every thing compelled to give way1 in order to establish the supremacy of that people on whom ,jehovah has set ,his love4 ,now ,i know1 he says1 that the ,lord is greater than all gods2 for in the thing wherein they dealt proudly ,he was above them4 7,ver4 #aa47 ,such is the confession of the ,gentile when the wondrous page of ,jewish history lies open before him4 ,lastly1 the ,church of ,god collectively1 as prefigured by ,zipporah1 and the members thereof individually1 as seen in ,zipporah's sons1 are presented as occupying the most intimate relationship with the deliverer4 ,all this is perfect in its way4 ,we may be asked for our proofs4 ,the answer is1 ,i speak as unto wise men3 judge ye what ,i say4 ,we can never build a doctrine upon a type2 but when a doctrine is revealed1 a type thereof may be discerned with accuracy and studied with profit4 ,in every case1 a spiritual mind is essentially necessary1 either to understand the doctrine or discern the type4 ,the natural man receiveth not the things of the ,spirit of ,god2 for they are foolishness unto him2 neither can he know them1 because they are spiritually discerned4 7#a ,cor4 ii4 #ad47 ,from verse #ac to the end of our chapter1 we have the appointment of rulers1 who were to assist ,moses in the management of the affairs of the congregation4 ,this was the suggestion of ,jethro1 who feared that ,moses would wear away in consequence of his labors4 ,in connection with this1 it may be profitable to look at the appointment of the seventy elders in ,numbers xi4 ,here we find the spirit of ,moses crushed beneath the ponderous responsibility which devolved upon him1 and he gives utterance to the anguish of his heart in the following accents3 ,and ,moses said unto the ,lord1 ',wherefore hast ,thou afflicted ,thy servant8 ,and wherefore have ,i not found favor in ,thy sight1 that ,thou layest the burden of all this people upon me8 ,have ,i conceived all this people8 have ,i begotten them1 that ,thou shouldest say unto me1 ,carry them in thy bosom1 as a nursing father beareth the suckling child1 unto the land which ,thou swarest unto their fathers8444 ,i am not able to bear all this people alone1 because it is too heavy for me4 ,and if ,thou deal thus with me1 kill me1 ,i pray ,thee1 out of hand1 if ,i have found favor in ,thy sight2 and let me not see my wretchedness4 7,numb4 xi4 #aa-ae47 ,in all this we see ,moses evidently retiring from a post of honor4 ,if ,god were pleased to make him the sole instrument in managing the assembly1 it was only so much the more dignity and privilege conferred upon him4 ,true1 the responsibility was immense2 but faith would own that ,god was amply sufficient for that4 ,here1 however1 the heart of ,moses failed him 7blessed servant as he was71 and he says1 ,i am not able to bear this people alone1 because it is to heavy for me4 ,but he was not asked to bear them alone1 for ,god was with him4 ,they were not too heavy for ,god4 ,it was ,he that was bearing them2 ,moses was but the instrument4 ,he might just as well have spoken of his rod as bearing the people2 for what was he but a mere instrument in ,god's hand1 as the rod was in his8 ,it is here the servants of ,christ constantly fail2 and the failure is all the more dangerous because it wears the appearance of humility4 ,it seems like distrust of one's self1 and deep lowliness of spirit1 to shrink from heavy responsibility2 but all we need to inquire is1 ,has ,god imposed that responsibility8 ,if so1 ,he will assuredly be with me in sustaining it2 and having ,him with me1 ,i can sustain any thing4 ,with ,him1 the weight of a mountain is nothing2 without ,him1 the weight of a feather is overwhelming4 ,it is a totally different thing if a man1 in the vanity of his mind1 thrust himself forward and take a burden upon his shoulder which ,god never intended him to bear1 and therefore never fitted him to bear it2 we may then surely expect to see him crushed beneath the weight3 but if ,god lays it upon him1 ,he will qualify and strengthen him to carry it4 ,it is never the fruit of humility to depart from a divinely-appointed post4 ,on the contrary1 the deepest humility will express itself by remaining there in simple dependence upon ,god4 ,it is a sure evidence of being occupied about self when we shrink from service on the ground of inability4 ,god does not call us unto service on the ground of our ability1 but of ,his own2 hence1 unless ,i am filled with thoughts about myself1 or with positive distrust of ,him1 ,i need not relinquish any position of service or testimony because of the heavy responsibilities attaching thereto4 ,all power belongs to ,god1 and it is quite the same whether that power acts through one agent or through seventy--the power is still the same2 but if one agent refuse the dignity1 it is only so much the worse for him4 ,god will not force people to abide in a place of honor if they cannot trust ,him to sustain them there4 ,the way lies always open to them to step down from their dignity1 and sink into the place where base unbelief is sure to put us4 ,thus it was with ,moses4 ,he complained of the burden1 and the burden was speedily removed2 but with it the high honor of being allowed to carry it4 ,and the ,lord said unto ,moses1 ',gather unto ,me seventy men of the elders of ,israel whom thou knowest to be the elders of the people1 and officers over them2 and bring them unto the tabernacle of the congregation1 that they may stand there with thee4 ,and ,i will come down and talk with thee there3 and ,i will take of the spirit which is upon thee1 and will put it upon them2 and they shall bear the burden of the people with thee1 that thou bear it not thyself alone4 7,numb4 xi4 #af1 #ag47 ,there was no fresh power introduced4 ,it was the same spirit1 whether in one or in seventy4 ,there was no more value or virtue in the flesh of seventy men than in the flesh of one man4 ,it is the spirit that quickeneth2 the flesh profiteth nothing4 7,john vi4 #fc47 ,there was nothing in the way of power gained1 but a great deal in the way of dignity lost1 by this movement on the part of ,moses4 ,in the after-part of ,numbers xi1 we find ,moses giving utterance to accents of unbelief1 which called forth from the ,lord a sharp rebuke4--,is the ,lord's hand waxed short8 ,thou shalt see now whether ,my word shall come to pass unto thee1 or not4 ,if my reader will compare verses #aa-ae with verses #ba1 #bb1 he will see a marked and solemn connection4 ,the man who shrinks from responsibility1 on the ground of his own feebleness1 is in great danger of calling in question the fullness and sufficiency of ,god's resources4 ,this entire scene teaches a most valuable lesson to every servant of ,christ who may be tempted to feel himself alone or overburdened in his work4 ,let such an one bear in mind that1 where the ,holy ,ghost is working1 one instrument is as good and as efficient as seventy2 and where ,he is not working1 seventy are of no more value than one4 ,it all depends upon the energy of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,with ,him1 one man can do all1 endure all1 sustain all2 without ,him1 seventy men can do nothing4 ,let the lonely servant remember1 for the comfort and encouragement of his sinking heart1 that1 provided he has the presence and power of the ,holy ,ghost with him1 he need not complain of his burden nor sigh for a division of labor4 ,if ,god honor a man by giving him a great deal of work to do1 let him rejoice therein and not murmur2 for if he murmur1 he can very speedily lose his honor4 ,god is at no loss for instruments4 ,he could from the stones raise up children unto ,abraham1 and ,he can raise up from the same the needed agents to carry on ,his glorious work4 ,o for a heart to serve ,him6--a patient1 humble1 self-emptied1 devoted heart1--a heart ready to serve in company1 ready to serve alone1--a heart so filled with love to ,christ that it will find its joy1 its chief joy1 in serving ,him1 let the sphere or character of service be what it may6 ,this assuredly is the special need of the day in which our lot is cast4 ,may the ,holy ,ghost stir up our hearts to a deeper sense of the exceeding preciousness of the name of ,jesus1 and enable us to yield a fuller1 clearer1 more unequivocal response to the changeless love of ,his heart6 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,we have now arrived at a most momentous point in ,israel's history4 ,we are called to behold them standing at the foot of the mount that might be touched1 and that burned with fire4 ,the fair millennial scene which opened before us in the preceding chapter has passed away4 ,it was but a brief moment of sunshine in which a very vivid picture of the kingdom was afforded2 but the sunshine was speedily followed by the heavy clouds which gathered around that palpable mount1 where ,israel1 in a spirit of dark and senseless legality1 abandoned ,jehovah's covenant of pure grace for man's covenant of works4 ,disastrous movement6 ,a movement fraught with the most dismal results4 ,hitherto1 as we have seen1 no enemy could stand before ,israel1--no obstacle was suffered to interrupt their onward and victorious march4 ,pharaoh's hosts were overthrown1 ,amalek and his people were discomfited with the edge of the sword3 all was victory1 because ,god was acting on behalf of ,his people1 in pursuance of ,his promise to ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob4 ,in the opening verses of the chapter now before us1 the ,lord recapitulates ,his actings toward ,israel in the following touching and beautiful language3 ,thus shalt thou say to the house of ,jacob1 and tell the children of ,israel3 ,ye have seen what ,i did unto the ,egyptians1 and how ,i bare you on eagles' wings1 and brought you unto ,myself4 ,now1 therefore1 if ye will obey ,my voice indeed1 and keep ,my covenant1 then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto ,me above all people2 for all the earth is ,mine4 ,and ye shall be unto ,me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation4 7,ver4 #c-f47 ,observe1 it is ,my voice and ,my covenant4 ,what was the utterance of that voice8 and what did that covenant involve8 ,had ,jehovah's voice made itself heard for the purpose of laying down the rules and regulations of a severe and unbending lawgiver8 ,by no means4 ,it had spoken to demand freedom for the captive1 to provide a refuge from the sword of the destroyer1 to make a way for the ransomed to pass over1 to bring down bread from heaven1 to draw forth water out of the flinty rock2--such had been the gracious and intelligible utterances of ,jehovah's voice up to the moment at which ,israel camped before the mount4 ,and as to ,his covenant1 it was one of unmingled grace4 ,it proposed no condition1 it made no demands1 it put no yoke on the neck1 no burden on the shoulder4 ,when the ,god of glory appeared unto ,abraham1 in ,ur of the ,chaldees1 ,he certainly did not address him in such words as1 ,thou shalt do this1 and ,thou shalt not do that4 ,ah1 no2 such language was not according to the heart of ,god4 ,it suits ,him far better to place a fair mitre upon a sinner's head than to put a yoke upon his neck4 ,his word to ,abraham was1 ,i ,,will ,,give4 ,the land of ,canaan was not to be purchased by man's doings1 but to be given by ,god's grace4 ,thus it stood2 and in the opening of the book of ,exodus1 we see ,god coming down in grace to make good ,his promise to ,abraham's seed4 ,the condition in which ,he found that seed made no difference1 inasmuch as the blood of the lamb furnished ,him with a perfectly righteous ground on which to make good ,his promise4 ,he evidently had not promised the land of ,canaan to ,abraham's seed on the ground of aught that ,he foresaw in them1 for this would have totally destroyed the real nature of a promise1--it would have made it a compact and not a promise2 but ,god gave it to ,abraham by promise1 and not by compact4 7,read ,gal4 iii47 ,hence1 in the opening of this nineteenth chapter1 the people are reminded of the grace in which ,jehovah had hitherto dealt with them2 and they are also assured of what they should yet be1 provided they continued to hearken to ,mercy's heavenly voice1 and to abide in the covenant of free and absolute grace4 ,ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto ,me above all people4 ,how could they be this8 ,was it by stumbling up the ladder of self-righteousness and legalism8 ,would they be a peculiar treasure when blasted by the curses of a broken law--a law which they had broken before ever they received it8 ,surely not4 ,how1 then1 were they to be this peculiar treasure8 ,by standing in that position in which ,jehovah surveyed them when he compelled the covetous prophet to exclaim1 ,how goodly are thy tents1 ,o ,jacob1 and thy tabernacles1 ,o ,israel6 ,as the valleys are they spread forth1 as gardens by the river's side1 as the trees of lign aloes which the ,lord hath planted1 and as cedar trees beside the waters4 ,he shall pour the water out of his buckets1 and his seed shall be in many waters1 and his king shall be higher than ,agag1 and his kingdom shall be exalted4 ,god brought him forth out of ,egypt2 he hath1 as it were1 the strength of an unicorn4 7,numb4 xxiv4 #e-h47 ,however1 ,israel was not disposed to occupy this blessed position4 ,instead of rejoicing in ,god's holy promise1 they undertook to make the most presumptuous vow that moral lips could utter4 ,all the people answered together1 and said1 ',all that the ,lord hath spoken1 we will do4' 7,chap4 xix4 #h47 ,this was bold language4 ,they did not even say1 ,we hope to do1 or ,we will endeavor to do4 ,this would have expressed a measure of self-distrust4 ,but no2 they took the most absolute ground4--,we will do4 ,nor was this the language of a few vain self-confident spirits who presumed to single themselves out from the whole congregation4 ,no2 all the people answered together4 ,they were unanimous in the abandonment of the holy promise--the holy covenant4 ,and now1 observe the result4 ,the moment ,israel uttered their singular vow1 the moment they undertook to do1 there was a total alteration in the aspect of things4 ,and the ,lord said unto ,moses1 ',lo1 ,i come unto thee in a thick cloud4444 ,and thou shalt set bounds unto the people1 round about1 saying1 ,take heed to yourselves1 that ye go not up into the mount1 or touch the border of it3 whosoever toucheth the mount shall be surely put to death4' ,this was a very marked change4 ,the ,one who had just said1 ,i bare you on eagles' wings1 and brought you unto ,myself1 now envelopes ,himself in a thick cloud1 and says1 ,set bounds unto the people1 round about4 ,the sweet accents of grace and mercy are exchanged for the thunderings and lightnings of the fiery mount4 ,man had presumed to talk of his miserable doings in the presence of ,god's magnificent grace4 ,israel had said1 ,we will do1 and they must be put at a distance in order that it may be fully seen what they are able to do4 ,god takes the place of moral distance2 and the people are but too well disposed to have it so1 for they are filled with fear and trembling2 and no marvel1 for the sight was terrible1--so terrible1 that ,moses said1 ',i exceedingly fear and quake4' ,who could endure the sight of that devouring fire1 which was the apt expression of divine holiness8 ,the ,lord came from ,sinai1 and rose up from ,seir unto them2 ,he shined forth from ,paran1 and ,he came with ten thousand of ,his saints2 from ,his right hand went a fiery law for them4 7,deut4 xxxiii4 #b47 ,the term fiery1 as applied to the law1 is expressive of its holiness1--,our ,god is a consuming fire--perfectly intolerant of evil1 in thought1 word1 and deed4 ,thus1 then1 ,israel made a fatal mistake in saying1 ,we will do4 ,it was taking upon themselves a vow which they were not able1 even were they willing1 to pay2 and we know who has said1 ,better that thou shouldest not vow1 than that thou shouldest vow and not pay4 ,it is of the very essence of a vow that it assumes the competency to fulfill2 and where is man's competency8 ,as well might a bankrupt draw a check on the bank1 as a helpless sinner make a vow4 ,a man who makes a vow denies the truth as to his nature and condition4 ,he is ruined1 what can he do8 ,he is utterly without strength1 and can neither will nor do any thing good4 ,did ,israel keep their vow8 ,did they do all that the ,lord commanded8 ,witness the golden calf1 the broken tables1 the desecrated ,sabbath1 the despised and neglected ordinances1 the stoned messengers1 the rejected and crucified ,christ1 the resisted ,spirit4 ,such are the overwhelming evidences of man's dishonored vows4 ,thus must it ever be when fallen humanity undertakes to vow4 ,christian reader1 do you not rejoice in the fact that your eternal salvation rests not on your poor shadowy vows and resolutions1 but on the one offering of ,jesus ,christ once8 ,oh1 yes1 this is our joy1 which ne'er can fail4 ,christ has taken all our vows upon ,himself1 and gloriously discharged them forever4 ,his resurrection-life flows through ,his members and produces in them results which legal vows and legal claims never could effect4 ,he is our life1 and ,he is our righteousness4 ,may ,his name be precious to our hearts4 ,may ,his cause ever command our energies4 ,may it be our meat and our drink to spend and be spent in ,his dear service4 ,i cannot close this chapter without noticing1 in connection1 a passage in the book of ,deuteronomy which may present a difficulty to some minds4 ,it has direct reference to the subject on which we have been dwelling4 ,and the ,lord heard the voice of your words1 when ye spake unto me2 and the ,lord said unto me1 ',i have heard the voice of the words of this people1 which they have spoken unto thee3 they have well said all that they have spoken4' 7,deut4 v4 #bh47 ,from this passage it might seem as though the ,lord approved of their making a vow2 but if my reader will take the trouble of reading the entire context1 from verse twenty-four to twenty-seven1 he will see at once that it has nothing whatever to say to the vow1 but that it contains the expression of their terror at the consequences of their vow4 ,they were not able to endure that which was commanded4 ,if said they1 we hear the voice of the ,lord our ,god any more1 then we shall die4 ,for who is there of all flesh that hath heard the voice of the living ,god speaking out of the midst of the fire1 as we have1 and lived8 ,go thou near1 and hear all that the ,lord our ,god shall say2 and speak thou unto us all that the ,lord our ,god shall speak unto thee1 and we will hear it and do it4 ,it was the confession of their own inability to encounter ,jehovah in that awful aspect which their proud legality had led ,him to assume4 ,it is impossible that the ,lord could ever commend an abandonment of free and changeless grace for a sandy foundation of works of law4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,it is of the utmost importance to understand the true character and object of the moral law1 as set forth in this chapter4 ,there is a tendency in the mind to confound the principles of law and grace1 so that neither the one nor the other can be rightly understood4 ,law is shorn of its stern and unbending majesty1 and grace is robbed of all its divine attractions4 ,god's holy claims remain unanswered1 and the sinner's deep and manifold necessities remain unreached1 by the anomalous system framed by those who attempt to mingle law and grace4 ,in point of fact1 they can never be made to coalesce1 for they are as distinct as any two things can be4 ,law sets forth what man ought to be1 grace exhibits what ,god is4 ,how can these ever be wrought up into one system8 ,how can the sinner ever be saved by a system made up of half law1 half grace8 ,impossible4 ,it must be either the one or the other4 ,the law has sometimes been termed the transcript of the mind of ,god4 ,this definition is entirely defective4 ,were we to term it a transcript of the mind of ,god as to what man ought to be1 we should be nearer the truth4 ,if ,i am to regard the ten commandments as the transcript of the mind of ,god1 then1 ,i ask1 is there nothing in the mind of ,god save ,thou shalt and ,thou shalt not8 ,is there no grace8 no mercy8 no loving-kindness8 ,is ,god not to manifest what ,he is8 ,is ,he not to tell out the deep secrets of that love which dwells in ,his bosom8 ,is there naught in the divine character but stern requirement and prohibition8 ,were this so1 we should have to say1 ,god is law1 instead of ,god is love4 ,but1 blessed be ,his name1 there is more in ,his heart than could ever be wrapped up in the ten words uttered on the fiery mount4 ,if ,i want to see what ,god is1 ,i must look at ,christ2 for in ,him dwelleth all the fullness of the ,godhead bodily4 7,col4 ii4 #i47 ,the law was given by ,moses1 but grace and truth came by ,jesus ,christ4 7,john i4 #ag47 ,assuredly there was a measure of truth in the law2 it contained the truth as to what man ought to be4 ,like everything else emanating from ,god1 it was perfect so far as it went--perfect for the object for which it was administered2 but that object was not1 by any means1 to unfold1 in the view of guilty sinners1 the nature and character of ,god4 ,there was no grace1 no mercy4 ,he that despised ,moses' law died without mercy4 7,heb4 x4 #bh47 ,the man that doeth these things shall live by them4 7,lev4 xviii4 #e2 ,rom4 x4 #e47 ,cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them4 7,deut4 xxvii4 #bf2 ,gal4 iii4 #aj47 ,this was not grace4 ,indeed1 ,mount ,sinai was not the place to look for any such thing4 ,there ,jehovah revealed ,himself in awful majesty1 amid blackness1 darkness1 tempest1 thunderings1 and lightnings4 ,these were not the attendant circumstances of an economy of grace and mercy2 but they were well suited to one of truth and righteousness1 and the law was that and nothing else4 ,in the law1 ,god sets forth what a man ought to be1 and pronounces a curse upon him if he is not that4 ,but then a man finds1 when he looks at himself in the light of the law1 that he actually is the very thing which the law condemns4 ,how then is he to get life by it8 ,it proposes life and righteousness as the ends to be attained by keeping it2 but it proves1 at the very outset1 that we are in a state of death and unrighteousness4 ,we want the very things at the beginning which the law proposed to be gained at the end4 ,how1 therefore1 are we to gain them8 ,in order to do what the law requires1 ,i must have life2 and in order to be what the law requires1 ,i must have righteousness2 and if ,i have not both the one and the other1 ,i am cursed4 ,but the fact is1 ,i have neither4 ,what am ,i to do8 ,this is the question4 ,let those who desire to be teachers of the law furnish an answer4 ,let them furnish a satisfactory reply to an upright conscience1 bowed down under the double sense of the spirituality and inflexibility of the law and its own hopeless carnality4 ,the truth is1 as the apostle teaches us1 the law entered that the offense might abound4 7,rom4 v4 #bj47 ,this shows us very distinctly the real object of the law4 ,it came in by the way in order to set forth the exceeding sinfulness of sin4 7,rom4 vii4 #ac47 ,it was1 in a certain sense1 like a perfect mirror let down from heaven to reveal to man his moral derangement4 ,if ,i present myself with deranged habit before a mirror1 it shows me the derangement1 but does not set it right4 ,if ,i measure a crooked wall with a perfect plumb-line1 it reveals the crookedness1 but does not remove it4 ,if ,i take out a lamp on a dark night1 it reveals to me all the hindrances and disagreeables in the way1 but it does not remove them4 ,moreover1 the mirror1 the plumb-line1 and the lamp do not create the evils which they severally point out2 they neither create nor remove1 but simply reveal4 ,thus it is with the law2 it does not create the evil in man's heart1 neither does it remove it2 but1 with unerring accuracy1 it reveals it4 ,what shall we say then8 ,is the law sin8 ,god forbid4 ,nay1 ,i had not known sin1 but by the law2 for ,i had not known lust1 except the law had said1 ',thou shalt not covet4' 7,rom4 vii4 #g47 ,he does not say that he would not have had lust4 ,no2 but merely that he had not known it4 ,the lust was there2 but he was in the dark about it until the law1 as the candle of the ,almighty1 shone in upon the dark chambers of his heart and revealed the evil that was there4 ,like a man in a dark room1 who may be surrounded with dust and confusion1 but he cannot see aught thereof by reason of the darkness4 ,let the beams of the sun dart in upon him1 and he quickly perceives all4 ,do the sunbeams create the dust8 ,surely not4 ,the dust is there1 and they only detect and reveal it4 ,this is a simple illustration of the effect of the law4 ,it judges man's character and condition2 it proves him to be a sinner1 and shuts him up under the curse2 it comes to judge what he is1 and curses him if he is not what it tells him he ought to be4 ,it is therefore a manifest impossibility that any one can get life and righteousness by that which can only curse him2 and unless the condition of the sinner1 and the character of the law are totally changed1 it can do naught else but curse him4 ,it makes no allowance for infirmities1 and knows nothing of sincere1 though imperfect1 obedience4 ,were it to do so1 it would not be what it is--holy1 just1 and good4 ,it is just because the law is what it is that the sinner cannot get life by it4 ,if he could get life by it1 it would not be perfect1 or else he would not be a sinner4 ,it is impossible that a sinner can get life by a perfect law1 for inasmuch as it is perfect1 it must needs condemn him4 ,its absolute perfectness makes manifest and seals man's absolute ruin and condemnation4 ,therefore1 by deeds of law shall no flesh living be justified in ,his sight2 for by the law is the knowledge of sin4 7,rom4 iii4 #bj47 ,he does not say1 ,by the law is sin1 but only the knowledge of sin4 ,for until the law1 sin was in the world2 but sin is not imputed when there is no law4 7,rom4 v4 #ac47 ,sin was there1 and it only needed law to develop it in the form of transgression4 ,it is as if ,i say to my child1 ,you must not touch that knife4 ,my very prohibition reveals the tendency in his heart to do his own will4 ,it does not create the tendency1 but only reveals it4 ,the apostle ,john says that sin is lawlessness4 7#a ,john iii4 #d47 ,the word transgression does not develop the true idea of the ,spirit in this passage4 ,in order to have transgression1 ,i must have a definite rule or line laid down4 ,transgression means a passing across a prohibited line2 such a line ,i have in the law4 ,i take any one of its prohibitions1 such as1 ,thou shalt not kill1 ,thou shalt not commit adultery1 ,thou shalt not steal4 ,here ,i have a rule or line set before me2 but ,i find ,i have within me the very principles against which these prohibitions are expressly directed4 ,yea1 the very fact of my being told not to commit murder shows that ,i have murder in my nature4 ,there would be no necessity to tell me not to do a thing which ,i had no tendency to do2 but the exhibition of ,god's will as to what ,i ought to be makes manifest the tendency of my will to be what ,i ought not4 ,this is plain enough1 and is in full keeping with the whole of the apostolic reasoning on the point4 ,many1 however1 will admit that we cannot get life by the law2 but they maintain1 at the same time1 that the law is our rule of life4 ,now1 the apostle declares that as many as are of works of law are under the curse4 7,gal4 iii4 #aj47 ,it matters not who they are1 if they occupy the ground of law1 they are1 of necessity1 under the curse4 ,a man may say1 ,i am regenerate1 and therefore not exposed to the curse4 ,this will not do4 ,if regeneration does not take one off the ground of law1 it cannot take him beyond the range of the curse of the law4 ,if the ,christian be under the former1 he is1 of necessity1 exposed to the latter4 ,but what has the law to do with regeneration8 where do we find any thing about it in ,exodus xx8 ,the law has but one question to put to a man1--a brief1 solemn1 pointed question1 namely1 ,are you what you ought to be8 ,if he answer in the negative1 it can but hurl its terrible anathema at him and slay him4 ,and who will so readily and emphatically admit that1 in himself1 he is any thing but what he ought to be1 as the really regenerate man8 ,wherefore1 if he is under the law1 he must inevitably be under the curse4 ,the law cannot possibly lower its standard1 nor yet amalgamate with grace4 ,men do constantly seek to lower its standard2 they feel that they cannot get up to it1 and they therefore seek to bring it down to them2 but the effort is in vain3 it stands forth in all its purity1 majesty1 and stern inflexibility1 and will not accept a single hair's breadth short of perfect obedience2 and where is the man1 regenerate or unregenerate1 that can undertake to produce that8 ,it will be said1 ,we have perfection in ,christ4 ,true2 but that is not by the law1 but by grace2 and we cannot possibly confound the two economies4 ,scripture largely and distinctly teaches that we are not justified by the law2 nor is the law our rule of life4 ,that which can only curse can never justify1 and that which can only kill can never be a rule of life4 ,as well might a man attempt to make a fortune by a deed of bankruptcy filed against him4 ,if my reader will turn to the fifteenth of ,acts1 he will see how the attempt to put ,gentile believers under the law as a rule of life was met by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,there rose up certain of the sect of the ,pharisees which believed1 saying1 that it was needful to circumcise them1 and to command them to keep the law of ,moses4 ,this was nothing else than the hiss of the old serpent1 making itself heard in the dark and depressing suggestion of those early legalists4 ,but let us see how it was met by the mighty energy of the ,holy ,ghost1 and the unanimous voice of the twelve apostles and the whole ,church4 ,and when there had been much disputing1 ,peter rose up1 and said unto them1 ',men and brethren1 ye know how that a good while ago ,god made choice among us1 that the ,gentiles by my mouth should hear'--what8 ,was it the requirements and the curses of the law of ,moses8 ,no4 ,blessed be ,god1 these are not what ,he would have falling on the ears of helpless sinners4 ,hear what1 then8 ,,should ,,hear ,,the ,,word ,,of ,,the ,,gospel1 ,,and ,,believe4 ,this was what suited the nature and character of ,god4 ,he never would have troubled men with the dismal accents of requirement and prohibition4 ,these ,pharisees were not ,his messengers2 far from it4 ,they were not the bearers of glad tidings1 nor the publishers of peace1 and therefore their feet were aught but beautiful in the eyes of ,one who only delights in mercy4 ,now1 therefore1 continues the apostle1 why tempt ye ,god1 to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples1 which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear8 ,this was strong1 earnest language4 ,god did not want to put a yoke upon the neck of those whose hearts had been set free by the gospel of peace4 ,he would rather exhort them to stand fast in the liberty of ,christ1 and not be entangled again with the yoke of bondage4 ,he would not send those whom ,he had received to ,his bosom of love to be terrified by the blackness and darkness and tempest of the mount that might be touched4 ,how could we ever admit the thought that those whom ,god had received in grace ,he would rule by law8 ,impossible4 ,we believe1 says ,peter1 that through the ,,grace ,,of ,,the ,,lord ,,jesus ,,christ we shall be saved1 even as they4 ,both the ,jews1 who had received the law1 and the ,gentiles1 who never had1 were now to be saved through grace4 ,and not only were they to be saved by grace1 but they were to stand in grace 7,rom4 v4 #b47 and to grow in grace 7#b ,pet4 iii4 #ah474 ,to teach any thing else was to tempt ,god4 ,those ,pharisees were subverting the very foundations of the ,christian faith2 and so are all those who seek to put believers under the law4 ,there is no evil or error more abominable in the sight of the ,lord than legalism4 ,hearken to the strong language--the accents of righteous indignation--which fell from the ,holy ,ghost in reference to those teachers of the law1--,i would they were even cut off which trouble you4 7,gal4 v4 #ab47 ,and1 let me ask1 are the thoughts of the ,holy ,ghost changed in reference to this question8 ,has it ceased to be a tempting of ,god to place the yoke of legality upon a sinner's neck8 ,is it now in accordance with ,his gracious will that the law should be read out in the ears of sinners8 ,let my reader reply to these inquiries in the light of the fifteenth of ,acts and the epistle to the ,galatians4 ,these scriptures1 were there no other1 are amply sufficient to prove that ,god never intended that the ,gentiles should hear the word of the law4 ,had ,he so intended1 ,he would assuredly have made choice of some one to proclaim it in their ears4 ,but no2 when ,he sent forth ,his fiery law1 ,he spoke only in one tongue2 but when ,he proclaimed the glad tidings of salvation through the blood of the ,lamb1 ,he spoke in the language of every nation under heaven4 ,he spoke in such a way as that every man in his own tongue1 wherein he was born1 might hear the sweet story of grace4 7,acts ii4 #a-aa47 ,further1 when ,he was giving forth1 from ,mount ,sinai1 the stern requirements of the covenant of works1 ,he addressed ,himself exclusively to one people4 ,his voice was only heard within the narrow inclosures of the ,jewish nation2 but when1 on the plains of ,bethlehem1 the angel of the ,lord declared good tidings of great joy1 ,he added those characteristic words1 which shall be to all people4 ,and again1 when the risen ,christ was sending forth ,his heralds of salvation1 ,his commission ran thus3 ,go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature4 7,mark xvi4 #ae2 ,luke ii4 #aj47 ,the mighty tide of grace1 which had its source in the bosom of ,god1 and its channel in the blood of the ,lamb1 was designed to rise1 in the resistless energy of the ,holy ,ghost1 far above the narrow inclosures of ,israel1 and roll through the length and breadth of a sin-stained world4 ,every creature must hear1 in his own tongue1 the message of peace--the word of the gospel--the record of salvation through the blood of the cross4 ,finally1 that nothing might be lacking to prove to our poor legal hearts that ,mount ,sinai was not1 by any means1 the spot where the deep secrets of the bosom of ,god were told out1 the ,holy ,ghost has said1 both by the mouth of a prophet and an apostle1 ,how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace1 and bring glad tidings of good things6 7,isa4 iii4 #g2 ,rom4 x4 #ae47 ,but of those who sought to be teachers of the law1 the same ,holy ,ghost has said1 ,i would they were even cut off which trouble you4 ,thus1 then1 it is obvious that the law is neither the ground of life to the sinner nor the rule of life to the ,christian3 ,christ is both the one and the other1--,he is our life and ,he is our rule of life4 ,the law can only curse and slay4 ,christ is our life and righteousness4 ,he became a curse for us by hanging on a tree4 ,he went down into the place where the sinner lay--into the place of death and judgment2 and having1 by ,his death1 entirely discharged all that was or could be against us1 ,he became1 in resurrection1 the source of life and the ground of righteousness to all who believe in ,his name4 ,having thus life and righteousness in ,him1 we are called to walk not merely as the law directs1 but to walk even as ,he walked4 ,it will hardly be deemed needful to assert that it is directly contrary to ,christian ethics to kill1 commit adultery1 or steal4 ,but were a ,christian to shape his way according to these commands1 or according to the entire decalogue1 would he yield the rare and delicate fruits which the epistle to the ,ephesians sets forth8 ,would the ten commandments ever cause a thief to give up stealing1 and go to work that he might have to give8--would they ever transform a thief into a laborious and liberal man8 ,assuredly not4 ,the law says1 ,thou shalt not steal2 but does it say1 ,go and give to him that needeth1--,go1 feed1 clothe1 and bless your enemy1--,go1 gladden by your benevolent feelings and your beneficent acts the heart of him who only and always seeks your hurt8 ,by no means2 and yet1 were ,i under the law1 as a rule1 it could only curse me and slay me4 ,how is this1 when the standard in the ,new ,testament is so much higher8 ,because ,i am weak1 and the law gives me no strength and shows me no mercy4 ,the law demands strength from one that has none1 and curses him if he cannot display it4 ,the gospel gives strength to one that has none1 and blesses him in the exhibition of it4 ,the law proposes life as the end of obedience1 the gospel gives life as the only proper ground of obedience4 ,but that ,i may not weary the reader with arguments1 let me ask1 ,if the law be indeed the rule of a believer's life1 where are we to find it so presented in the ,new ,testament8 ,the inspired apostle evidently had no thought of its being the rule when he penned the following words3 ,for in ,christ ,jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing nor uncircumcision1 but a new creation4 ,and as many as walk according to this rule1 peace be on them1 and mercy1 and on the ,israel of ,god4 7,gal4 vi4 #ae1 #af47 ,what rule8 ,the law8 ,no2 but the new creation4 ,where shall we find this in ,exodus xx8 ,it speaks not a word about new creation4 ,on the contrary1 it addresses itself to man as he is--in his natural or old-creation state--and puts him to the test as to what he is really able to do4 ,now if the law were the rule by which believers are to walk1 why does the apostle pronounce his benediction on those who walk by another rule altogether8 ,why does he not say1 ,as many as walk according to the rule of the ten commandments8 ,is it not evident1 from this one passage1 that the ,church of ,god has a higher rule by which to walk8 ,unquestionably4 ,the ten commandments1 though forming1 as all true ,christians admit1 a part of the canon of inspiration1 could never be the rule of life to one who has1 through infinite grace1 been introduced into the new creation--one who has received new life in ,christ4 ,but some may ask1 ,is not the law perfect8 and if perfect1 what more would you have8 ,the law is divinely perfect4 ,yea1 it is the very perfection of the law which causes it to curse and slay those who are not perfect if they attempt to stand before it4 ,the law is spiritual1 but ,i am carnal4 ,it is utterly impossible to form an adequate idea of the infinite perfectness and spirituality of the law4 ,but then this perfect law coming in contact with fallen humanity--this spiritual law coming in contact with the carnal mind1 could only work wrath and enmity4 7,rom4 iv4 #ae2 viii4 #g47 ,why8 ,is it because the law is not perfect8 ,no1 but because it is1 and man is a sinner4 ,if man were perfect1 he would carry out the law in all its spiritual perfectness2 and even in the case of true believers1 though they still carry about with them an evil nature1 the apostle teaches us that the righteousness of the law is fulfilled in us1 who walk not after the flesh1 but after the ,spirit4 7,rom4 viii4 #d47 ,he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law4444 ,love worketh no ill to his neighbor2 therefore love is the fulfilling of the law4 7,rom4 xiii4 #h-aj47 ,if ,i love a man1 ,i shall not steal his property--nay1 ,i shall seek to do him all the good ,i can4 ,all this is plain1 and easily understood by the spiritual mind2 but it leaves entirely untouched the question of the law1 whether as the ground of life to a sinner or the rule of life to the believer4 ,if we look at the law1 in its two grand divisions1 it tells a man to love ,god with all his heart1 and with all his soul1 and with all his mind2 and to love his neighbor as himself4 ,this is the sum of the law3 this1 and not a tittle less1 is what the law demands4 ,but where has this demand ever been responded to by any member of ,adam's fallen posterity8 ,where is the man who could say he loves ,god after such a fashion8 ,the carnal mind i4e41 the mind which we have by nature is enmity against ,god4 ,man hates ,god and ,his ways4 ,god came1 in the ,person of ,christ1 and showed ,himself to man--showed ,himself1 not in the overwhelming brightness of ,his majesty1 but in all the charm and sweetness of perfect grace and condescension4 ,what was the result8 ,man hated ,god4--,now have they both seen and hated both ,me and ,my ,father4 7,john xv4 #bd47 ,but1 it may be said1 man ought to love ,god4 ,no doubt1 and he deserves death and eternal perdition if he does not2 but can the law produce this love in man's heart8 was that its design8 ,by no means1 for the law worketh wrath4 ,the law finds man in a state of enmity against ,god2 and without ever altering that state 7for that was not its province71 it commands him to love ,god with all his heart1 and curses him if he does not4 ,it was not the province of the law to alter or improve man's nature2 nor yet could it impart any power to carry out its righteous demands4 ,it said1 ,this do1 and thou shalt live4 ,it commanded man to love ,god4 ,it did not reveal what ,god was to man1 even in his guilt and ruin2 but it told man what he ought to be toward ,god4 ,this was dismal work4 ,it was not the unfolding of the powerful attractions of the divine character1 producing in man true repentance toward ,god1 melting his icy heart1 and elevating his soul in genuine affection and worship4 ,no3 it was an inflexible command to love ,god2 and1 instead of producing love1 it worked wrath2 not because ,god ought not to be loved1 but because man was a sinner4 ,again1 ,thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself4 ,can the natural man do this8 ,does he love his neighbor as himself8 ,is this the principle which obtains in the chambers of commerce1 the exchanges1 the banks1 the marts1 the fairs1 and the markets of this world8 ,alas6 no4 ,man does not love his neighbor as he loves himself4 ,no doubt he ought2 and if he were right1 he would2 but then he is all wrong--totally wrong--and unless he is born again of the ,word and the ,spirit of ,god1 he cannot see nor enter the kingdom of ,god4 ,the law cannot produce this new birth4 ,it kills the old man1 but does not1 and cannot1 create the new4 ,as an actual fact1 we know that the ,lord ,jesus ,christ embodied1 in ,his glorious ,person1 both ,god and our neighbor1 inasmuch as ,he was1 according to the foundation-truth of the ,christian religion1 ,god manifest in the flesh4 ,how did man treat ,him8 ,did he love ,him with all his heart1 or as himself8 ,the very reverse4 ,he crucified ,him between two thieves1 having previously preferred a murderer and a robber to that blessed ,one who had gone about doing good--who had come forth from the eternal dwelling-place of light and love--,himself the very living personification of that light and love--whose bosom had ever heaved with purest sympathy with human need--whose hand had ever been ready to dry the sinner's tears and alleviate his sorrows4 ,thus we stand and gaze upon the cross of ,christ1 and behold in it an unanswerable demonstration of the fact that it is not within the range of man's nature or capacity to keep the law4#aj #aj ,for further exposition of the law1 and also of the doctrine of the ,sabbath1 the reader is referred to a tract entitled ,a ,scriptural ,inquiry into the ,true ,nature of the ,sabbath1 the ,law1 and the ,christian ,ministry4 ,it is peculiarly interesting to the spiritual mind1 after all that has passed before us1 to observe the relative position of ,god and the sinner at the close of this memorable chapter4 ,and the ,lord said unto ,moses1 ',thus thou shalt say unto the children of ,israel4444 ,an altar of earth thou shalt make unto ,me1 and shalt sacrifice thereon thy burnt-offerings and thy peace-offerings1 thy sheep and thine oxen3 in all places where ,i record ,my name ,i ,,will ,,come ,,unto ,,thee1 ,,and ,i ,,will ,,bless ,,thee4 ,and if thou wilt make ,me an altar of stone1 thou shalt not build it of hewn stone2 for if thou lift up thy tool upon it1 thou hast polluted it4 ,neither shalt thou go up by steps unto ,mine altar1 that thy nakedness be not discovered thereon4' 7,ver4 #bb-bf47 ,here we find man not in the position of a doer1 but of a worshiper2 and this1 too1 at the close of ,exodus xx4 ,how plainly this teaches us that the atmosphere of ,mount ,sinai is not that which ,god would have the sinner breathing1--that it is not the proper meeting-place between ,god and man6 ,in all places where ,i record ,my name ,i will come unto thee1 and ,i will bless thee4 ,how unlike the terrors of the fiery mount is that spot where ,jehovah records ,his name1 whither ,he comes to bless ,his worshiping people6 ,but further1 ,god will meet the sinner at an altar without a hewn stone or a step--a place of worship which requires no human workmanship to erect1 or human effort to approach4 ,the former could only pollute1 and the latter could only display human nakedness4 ,admirable type of the meeting-place where ,god meets the sinner now1 even the ,person and work of ,his ,son1 ,jesus ,christ1 where all the claims of law1 of justice1 and of conscience are perfectly answered6 ,man has1 in every age and in every clime1 been prone1 in one way or another1 to lift up his tool in the erection of his altar1 or to approach thereto by steps of his own making2 but the issue of all such attempts has been pollution and nakedness4 ,we all do fade as a leaf1 and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags4 ,who will presume to approach ,god clad in a garment of filthy rags8 or who will stand to worship with a revealed nakedness8 ,what can be more preposterous than to think of approaching ,god in a way which necessarily involves either pollution or nakedness8 ,and yet thus it is in every case in which human effort is put forth to open the sinner's way to ,god4 ,not only is there no need of such effort1 but defilement and nakedness are stamped upon it4 ,god has come down so very near to the sinner1 even in the very depths of his ruin1 that there is no need for his lifting up the tool of legality1 or ascending the steps of self-righteousness1--yea1 to do so1 is but to expose his uncleanness and his nakedness4 ,such are the principles with which the ,holy ,ghost closes this most remarkable section of inspiration4 ,may they be indelibly written upon our hearts1 that so we may more clearly and fully understand the essential difference between ,,law and ,,grace4 ,,chapters ,,xxi4-,,xxiii4 ,the study of this section of our book is eminently calculated to impress the heart with a sense of ,god's unsearchable wisdom and infinite goodness4 ,it enables one to form some idea of the character of a kingdom governed by laws of divine appointment4 ,here1 too1 we may see the amazing condescension of ,him who1 though ,he is the great ,god of heaven and earth1 can1 nevertheless1 stoop to adjudicate between man and man in reference to the death of an ox1 the loan of a garment1 or the loss of a servant's tooth4 ,who is like unto the ,lord our ,god1 who humbleth ,himself to behold the things that are in heaven and on earth8 ,he governs the universe1 and yet ,he can occupy ,himself with the provision of a covering for one of ,his creatures4 ,he guides the angel's flight and takes notice of a crawling worm4 ,he humbles ,himself to regulate the movements of those countless orbs that roll through infinite space1 and to record the fall of a sparrow4 ,as to the character of the judgment set forth in the chapter before us1 we may learn a double lesson4 ,these judgments and ordinances bear a twofold witness3 they convey to the ear a twofold message1 and present to the eye two sides of a picture4 ,they tell of ,god and they tell of man4 ,in the first place1 on ,god's part1 we find ,him enacting laws which exhibit strict1 even-handed1 perfect justice4 ,eye for eye1 tooth for tooth1 hand for hand1 foot for foot1 burning for burning1 wound for wound1 stripe for stripe4 ,such was the character of the laws1 the statutes1 and the judgments by which ,god governed ,his earthly kingdom of ,israel4 ,everything was provided for1 every interest was maintained1 and every claim was met4 ,there was no partiality--no distinction made between the rich and the poor4 ,the balance in which each man's claim was weighed was adjusted with divine accuracy1 so that no one could justly complain of a decision4 ,the pure robe of justice was not to be tarnished with the foul stains of bribery1 corruption1 and partiality4 ,the eye and the hand of a divine ,legislator provided for everything1 and a divine ,executive inflexibly dealt with every defaulter4 ,the stroke of justice fell only on the head of the guilty1 while every obedient soul was protected in the enjoyment of all his rights and privileges4 ,then1 as regards man1 it is impossible to read over these laws and not be struck with the disclosure which they indirectly1 but really1 make of his desperate depravity4 ,the fact of ,jehovah's having to enact laws against certain crimes1 proves the capability on man's part of committing those crimes4 ,were the capability and the tendency not there1 there would be no need of the enactments4 ,now there are many who1 if the gross abominations forbidden in these chapters were named to them1 might feel disposed to adopt the language of ,hazael1 and say1 ,is thy servant a dog that he should do this thing8 ,such persons have not yet traveled down into the deep abyss of their own hearts4 ,for albeit there are crimes here forbidden which would seem to place man1 as regards his habits and tendencies1 below the level of a dog1 yet do those very statutes prove1 beyond all question1 that the most refined and cultivated member of the human family carries about in his bosom the seeds of the very darkest and most horrifying abominations4 ,for whom were those statutes enacted8 ,for man4 ,were they needful8 ,unquestionably4 ,but they would have been quite superfluous if man were incapable of committing the sins referred to4 ,but man is capable2 and hence we see that man is sunk to the very lowest possible level--that his nature is wholly corrupt--that from the crown of his head to the sole of his foot there is not so much as a speck of moral soundness4 ,how can such a being ever stand1 without an emotion of fear1 in the full blaze of the throne of ,god8 how can he stand within the holiest8 how can he stand on the sea of glass8 how can he enter in by the pearly gates and tread the golden streets8 ,the reply to these inquiries unfolds the amazing depths of redeeming love and the eternal efficacy of the blood of the ,lamb4 ,deep as is man's ruin1 the love of ,god is deeper still3 black as is his guilt1 the blood of ,jesus can wash it all away3 wide as is the chasm separating man from ,god1 the cross has bridged it4 ,god has come down to the very lowest point of the sinner's condition1 in order that ,he might lift him up into a position of infinite favor1 in eternal association with ,his own ,son4 ,well may we exclaim1 ,behold1 what manner of love the ,father hath bestowed upon us1 that we should be called the sons of ,god4 7#a ,john iii4 #a47 ,nothing could fathom man's ruin but ,god's love1 and nothing could equal man's guilt but the blood of ,christ4 ,but now the very depth of the ruin only magnifies the love that has fathomed it1 and the intensity of the guilt only celebrates the efficacy of the blood that can cleanse it4 ,the very vilest sinner who believes in ,jesus can rejoice in the assurance that ,god sees him and pronounces him clean every whit4 ,such1 then1 is the double character of instruction to be gleaned from the laws and ordinances in this section1 looked at as a whole2 and the more minutely we look at them in detail1 the more impressed we shall be with a sense of their fullness and beauty4 ,take1 for instance1 the very first ordinance that presents itself1 namely1 that of the ,hebrew servant4 ,now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them3 ,if thou buy a ,hebrew servant1 six years he shall serve1 and in the seventh he shall go out free for nothing4 ,if he came in by himself1 he shall go out by himself3 if he were married1 then his wife shall go out with him4 ,if his master have given him a wife1 and she have borne him sons or daughters1 the wife and her children shall be her master's1 and he shall go out by himself4 ,and if the servant shall plainly say1 ,i love my master1 my wife1 and my children2 ,i will not go out free2 then his master shall bring him unto the judges3 he shall also bring him to the door1 or unto the door-post2 and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl2 and he shall serve him forever4 7,chap4 xxi4 #a-f47 ,the servant was perfectly free to go out1 so far as he was personally concerned4 ,he had discharged every claim1 and could therefore walk abroad in unquestioned freedom2 but because of his love to his master1 his wife1 and his children1 he voluntarily bound himself to perpetual servitude2 and not only so1 but he was also willing to bear1 in his own person1 the marks of that servitude4 ,the application of this to the ,lord ,jesus ,christ will be obvious to the intelligent reader4 ,in ,him we behold the ,one who dwelt in the bosom of the ,father before all worlds--the object of ,his eternal delight--who might have occupied1 throughout eternity1 this ,his personal and entirely peculiar place1 inasmuch as there lay upon ,him no obligation 7save that which ineffable love created and ineffable love incurred7 to abandon that place4 ,such1 however1 was ,his love to the ,father1 whose counsels were involved1 and for the ,church collectively and each individual member thereof1 whose salvation was involved1 that ,he voluntarily came down to earth1 emptied ,himself1 and made ,himself of no reputation1 took upon ,him the form of a servant and the marks of perpetual service4 ,to these marks we probably have a striking allusion in the ,psalms4--,mine ears hast ,thou digged4 7,ps4 xl4 #f1 marg47 ,this psalm is the expression of ,christ's devotedness to ,god4 ,then said ,i1 ',lo1 ,i come3 in the volume of the book it is written of ,me1 ,i delight to do ,thy will1 ,o ,my ,god2 yea1 ,thy law is within ,my heart4' ,he came to do the will of ,god1 whatever that will might be4 ,he never once did ,his own will1 not even in the reception and salvation of sinners1 though surely ,his loving heart1 with all its affections1 was most fully in that glorious work4 ,still ,he receives and saves only as the servant of the ,father's counsels4 ,all that the ,father giveth ,me shall come to ,me2 and him that cometh to ,me ,i will in no wise cast out4 ,for ,i came down from heaven1 not to do ,mine own will1 but the will of ,him that sent ,me4 ,and this is the ,father's will which hath sent ,me1 that of all which ,he hath given ,me ,i should lose nothing1 but should raise it up again at the last day4 7,john vi4 #cg-ci47 ,here we have a most interesting view of the servant-character of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,he1 in perfect grace1 holds ,himself responsible to receive all who come within the range of the divine counsels2 and not only to receive them1 but to preserve them through all the difficulties and trials of their devious path down here1--yea1 in the article of death itself1 should it come1 and to raise them all up in the last day4 ,oh1 how secure is the very feeblest member of the ,church of ,god6 ,he is the subject of ,god's eternal counsels1 which counsels the ,lord ,jesus ,christ is pledged to carry out4 ,jesus loves the ,father1 and in proportion to the intensity of that love is the security of each member of the redeemed family4 ,the salvation of the sinner who believes on the name of the ,son of ,god is1 in one aspect of it1 but the expression of ,christ's love to the ,father4 ,if one such could perish1 through any cause whatsoever1 it would argue that the ,lord ,jesus ,christ was unable to carry out the will of ,god1 which were nothing short of positive blasphemy against ,his sacred name1 to whom be all honor and majesty throughout the everlasting ages4 ,thus we have1 in the ,hebrew servant1 a type of ,christ in ,his pure devotedness to the ,father4 ,but there is more than this4 ,i love my wife and my children4 ,christ loved the ,church1 and gave ,himself for it2 that ,he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the ,word1 that ,he might present it to ,himself a glorious ,church1 not having spot1 or wrinkle1 or any such thing2 but that it should be holy and without blemish4 7,eph4 v4 #be-bg47 ,there are various other passages of ,scripture presenting ,christ as the antitype of the ,hebrew servant1 both in ,his love for the ,church as a body1 and for all believers personally4 ,in ,matthew xiii1 ,john x and xiii1 and ,hebrews ii1 my reader will find special teaching on the point4 ,the apprehension of this love of the heart of ,jesus cannot fail to produce a spirit of fervent devotedness to the ,one who could exhibit such pure1 such perfect1 such disinterested love4 ,how could the wife and children of the ,hebrew servant fail to love one who had voluntarily surrendered his liberty in order that he and they might be together8 ,and what is the love presented in the type1 when compared with that which shines in the antitype8 ,it is as nothing4 ,the love of ,christ passeth knowledge4 ,it led ,him to think of us before all worlds--to visit us in the fullness of time--to walk deliberately to the door-post--to suffer for us on the cross1 in order that ,he might raise us to companionship with ,himself in ,his everlasting kingdom and glory4 ,were ,i to enter into a full exposition of the remaining statutes and judgments of this portion of the book of ,exodus1 it would carry me much further than ,i feel1 at present1 led to go4#aa ,i will merely observe1 in conclusion1 that it is impossible to read the section and not have the heart drawn out in adoration of the profound wisdom1 well-balanced justice1 and yet tender considerateness which breathe throughout the whole4 ,we rise up from the study of it with this conviction deeply wrought into the soul1 that the ,one who speaks here is the only true1 the only wise1 and the infinitely gracious ,god4 #aa ,i would here observe1 once for all1 that the feasts referred to in chapter xxiii4 #ad-ai1 and the offerings in chapter xxix1 being brought out1 in all their fullness and detail1 in the book of ,leviticus1 ,i shall reserve them until we come to dwell upon the contents of that singularly rich and interesting book4 ,may all our meditations on ,his eternal ,word have the effect of prostrating our souls in worship before ,him whose perfect ways and glorious attributes shine there1 in all their blessedness and brightness1 for the refreshment1 the delight1 and the edification of ,his blood-bought people4 ,,chapter ,,xxiv4 ,this chapter opens with an expression remarkably characteristic of the entire ,mosaic economy4 ,and ,he said unto ,moses1 ',come up unto the ,lord1 thou1 and ,aaron1 ,nadab1 and ,abihu1 and seventy of the elders of ,israel2 and worship ye afar off 444 they shall not come nigh1 neither shall the people go up with him4 ,we may search from end to end of the legal ritual1 and not find those two precious words1 draw nigh4 ,ah1 no2 such words could never be heard from the top of ,sinai1 nor from amid the shadows of the law4 ,they could only be uttered at heaven's side of the empty tomb of ,jesus1 where the blood of the cross has opened a perfectly cloudless prospect to the vision of faith4 ,the words1 afar off1 are as characteristic of the law as draw nigh are of the gospel4 ,under the law1 the work was never done which could entitle a sinner to draw nigh4 ,man had not fulfilled his promised obedience2 and the blood of calves and goats could not atone for the failure1 or give his guilty conscience peace4 ,hence1 therefore1 he had to stand afar off4 ,man's vows were broken and his sin unpurged2 how1 then1 could he draw nigh8 ,the blood of ten thousand bullocks could not wipe away one stain from the conscience1 or give the peaceful sense of nearness as being reconciled to ,god4 ,however1 the first covenant is here dedicated with blood4 ,an altar is erected at the foot of the hill1 with twelve pillars1 according to the twelve tribes of ,israel4 ,and he sent young men of the children of ,israel1 which offered burnt-offerings1 and sacrificed peace-offerings of oxen unto the ,lord4 ,and ,moses took half of the blood1 and put it in basins2 and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar4444 ,and ,moses took the blood1 and sprinkled it on the people1 and said1 ',behold the blood of the covenant1 which the ,lord hath made with you concerning all these words4' ,although1 as the apostle teaches us1 it was impossible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sin1 yet did it sanctify to the purifying of the flesh1 and1 as a shadow of good things to come1 it availed to maintain the people in relationship with ,jehovah4 ,then went up ,moses1 and ,aaron1 ,nadab1 and ,abihu1 and seventy of the elders of ,israel2 and they saw the ,god of ,israel3 and there was under ,his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone1 and as it were the body of heaven in clearness4 ,and upon the nobles of the children of ,israel ,he laid not ,his hand3 also they saw ,god and did eat and drink4 ,this was the manifestation of the ,god of ,israel1 in light and purity1 majesty and holiness4 ,it was not the unfolding of the affections of a ,father's bosom1 or the sweet accents of a ,father's voice1 breathing peace and inspiring confidence into the heart4 ,no2 the paved work of a sapphire stone told out that unapproachable purity and light which could only tell a sinner to keep off4 ,still1 they saw ,god and did eat and drink4 ,touching proof of divine forbearance and mercy1 as also of the power of the blood6 ,looking at this entire scene as a mere illustration1 there is much to interest the heart4 ,there is the defiled camp below and the sapphire pavement above2 but the altar1 at the foot of the hill1 tells us of that way by which the sinner can make his escape from the defilement of his own condition1 and mount up to the presence of ,god1 there to feast and worship in perfect peace4 ,the blood which flowed around the altar furnished man's only title to stand in the presence of that glory which was like a devouring fire on the top of the mount in the eyes of the children of ,israel4 ,and ,moses went into the midst of the cloud1 and gat him up into the mount2 and ,moses was in the mount forty days and forty nights4 ,this was truly a high and holy position for ,moses4 ,he was called away from earth and earthly things4 ,abstracted from natural influences1 he is shut in with ,god1 to hear from ,his mouth the deep mysteries of the ,person and work of ,christ2 for such1 in point of fact1 we have unfolded in the tabernacle and all its significant furniture--the patterns of things in the heavens4 ,the blessed ,one knew full well what was about to be the end of man's covenant of works2 but ,he unfolds to ,moses1 in types and shadows1 ,his own precious thoughts of love and counsels of grace1 manifested in1 and secured by1 ,christ4 ,blessed for evermore be the grace which has not left us under a covenant of works4 ,blessed be ,he who has hushed the law's loud thunders and quenched mount ,sinai's flame by the blood of the everlasting covenant1 and given us a peace which no power of earth or hell can shake4 ,unto ,him that loved us1 and washed us from our sins in ,his own blood1 and hath made us kings and priests unto ,god and ,his ,father2 to ,him be glory and dominion forever and ever4 ,amen4 ,,chapter ,,xxv4 ,this chapter forms the commencement of one of the richest veins in ,inspiration's exhaustless mine--a vein in which every stroke of the mattock brings to light untold wealth4 ,we know the mattock with which alone we can work in such a mine1 namely1 the distinct ministry of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,nature can do nothing here4 ,reason is blind1 imagination utterly vain2 the most gigantic intellect1 instead of being able to interpret the sacred symbols1 appears like a bat in the sunshine1 blindly dashing itself against the objects which it is utterly unable to discern4 ,we must compel reason and imagination to stand without1 while1 with a chastened heart1 a single eye1 and a spiritual mind1 we enter the hallowed precincts and gaze upon the deeply significant furniture4 ,god the ,holy ,ghost is the only ,one who can conduct us through the courts of the ,lord's house1 and expound to our souls the true meaning of all that there meets our view4 ,to attempt the exposition by the aid of intellect's unsanctified powers1 would be infinitely more absurd than to set about the repairs of a watch with a blacksmith's tongs and hammer4 ,the pattern of things in the heavens cannot be interpreted by the natural mind1 in its most cultivated form4 ,they must all be read in the light of heaven3 earth has no light which could at all develop their beauties4 ,the ,one who furnished the patterns can alone explain what the patterns mean1--the ,one who furnished the beauteous symbols can alone interpret them4 ,to the human eye there would seem to be a desultoriness in the mode in which the ,holy ,ghost has presented the furniture of the tabernacle2 but in reality1 as might be expected1 there is the most perfect order1 the most remarkable precision1 the most studious accuracy4 ,from chapter xxv4 to chapter xxx4 inclusive1 we have a distinct section of the book of ,exodus4 ,this section is divided into two parts1 the first terminating at chapter xxvii4 #ai1 and the second at the close of chapter xxx4 ,the former begins with the ark of the covenant1 inside the vail1 and ends with the brazen altar and the court in which that altar stood4 ,that is1 it gives us1 in the first place1 ,jehovah's throne of judgment1 whereon ,he sat as ,lord of all the earth2 and it conducts us to that place where ,he met the sinner1 in the credit and virtue of accomplished atonement4 ,then1 in the latter1 we have the mode of man's approach to ,god--the privileges1 dignities1 and responsibilities of those who1 as priests1 were permitted to draw nigh to the ,divine ,presence and enjoy worship and communion there4 ,thus the arrangement is perfect and beautiful4 ,how could it be otherwise1 seeing that it is divine8 ,the ark and the brazen altar present1 as it were1 two extremes4 ,the former was the throne of ,god established in justice and judgment 7,ps4 lxxxix4 #ad472 the latter was the place of approach for the sinner where mercy and truth went before ,jehovah's face4 ,man1 in himself1 dared not to approach the ark to meet ,god1 for the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest 7,heb4 ix4 #h472 but ,god could approach the altar of brass1 to meet man as a sinner4 ,justice and judgment could not admit the sinner in1 but mercy and truth could bring ,god out2 not1 indeed1 in that overwhelming brightness and majesty in which ,he was wont to shine forth from between those mystic supporters of ,his throne--the cherubim of glory1 but in that gracious ministry which is symbolically presented to us in the furniture and ordinances of the tabernacle4 ,all this may well remind us of the path trodden by that blessed ,one who is the antitype of all these types--the substance of all these shadows4 ,he traveled from the eternal throne of ,god in heaven1 down to the depth's of ,calvary's cross4 ,he came from all the glory of the former1 down into all the shame of the latter1 in order that ,he might conduct ,his redeemed1 forgiven1 and accepted people back with ,himself1 and present them faultless before that very throne which ,he had left on their account4 ,the ,lord ,jesus fills up1 in ,his own ,person and work1 every point between the throne of ,god and the dust of death1 and every point between the dust of death and the throne of ,god4 ,in ,him1 ,god has come down1 in perfect grace1 to the sinner2 in ,him1 the sinner is brought up1 in perfect righteousness1 to ,god4 ,all the way from the ark to the brazen altar was marked with the footprints of love1 and all the way from the brazen altar to the ark of ,god was sprinkled with the blood of atonement2 and as the ransomed worshiper passes along that wondrous path1 he beholds the name of ,jesus stamped on all that meets his view4 ,may that name be dearer to our hearts6 ,let us now proceed to examine the chapters consecutively4 ,it is most interesting to note here that the first thing which the ,lord communicates to ,moses is ,his gracious purpose to have a sanctuary1 or holy dwelling-place1 in the midst of ,his people--a sanctuary composed of materials which directly point to ,christ1 ,his ,person1 ,his work1 and the precious fruit of that work1 as seen in the light1 the power1 and the varied graces of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,moreover1 these materials were the fragrant fruit of the grace of ,god--the voluntary offerings of devoted hearts4 ,jehovah1 whose majesty the heaven of heavens could not contain1 was graciously pleased to dwell in a boarded and curtained tent erected for ,him by those who cherished the fond desire to hail ,his presence amongst them4 ,this tabernacle may be viewed in two ways3 first1 as furnishing a pattern of things in the heavens1 and secondly1 as presenting a deeply significant type of the body of ,christ4 ,the various materials of which the tabernacle was composed will come before us as we pass along2 we shall therefore consider the three comprehensive subjects put before us in this chapter1 namely1 the ark1 the table1 and the candlestick4 ,the ark of the covenant occupies the leading place in the divine communications to ,moses4 ,its position1 too1 in the tabernacle was most marked4 ,shut in within the vail1 in the holiest of all1 it formed the base of ,jehovah's throne4 ,its very name conveys to the mind its import4 ,an ark1 so far as the ,word instructs us1 is designed to preserve intact whatever is put therein4 ,an ark carried ,noah and his family1 together with all the orders of creation1 in safety over the billows of judgment which covered the earth3 an ark1 at the opening of this book1 was faith's vessel for preserving a proper child from the waters of death4 ,when1 therefore1 we read of the ark of the covenant1 we are led to believe that it was designed of ,god to preserve ,his covenant unbroken in the midst of an erring people4 ,in it1 as we know1 the second set of tables were deposited4 ,as to the first set1 they were broken in pieces beneath the mount1 showing that man's covenant was wholly abolished--that his work could never1 by any possibility1 form the basis of ,jehovah's throne of government4 ,justice and judgment are the habitation of that throne1 whether in its earthly or heavenly aspect4 ,the ark could not contain within its hallowed inclosure broken tables4 ,man might fail to fulfill his self-chosen vow1 but ,god's law must be preserved in its divine integrity and perfectness4 ,if ,god was to set up ,his throne in the midst of ,his people1 ,he could only do so in a way worthy of ,himself4 ,his standard of judgment and government must be perfect4 ,and thou shalt make staves of shittim wood1 and overlay them with gold4 ,and thou shalt put the staves into the rings by the sides of the ark1 that the ark may be borne with them4 ,the ark of the covenant was to accompany the people in all their wanderings4 ,it never rested while they were a traveling or a conflicting host2 it moved from place to place in the wilderness2 it went before them into the midst of ,jordan2 it was their grand rallying-point in all the wars of ,canaan2 it was the sure and certain earnest of power wherever it went4 ,no power of the enemy could stand before that which was the well-known expression of the divine presence and power4 ,the ark was to be ,israel's companion-in-travel in the desert1 and the staves and the rings were the apt expression of its traveling character4 ,however1 it was not always to be a traveler4 ,the afflictions of ,david1 as well as the wars of ,israel1 were to have an end4 ,the prayer was yet to be breathed and answered1 ,arise1 ,o ,lord1 into ,thy rest3 ,thou and the ark of ,thy strength4 7,ps4 cxxxii4 #h47 ,this most sublime petition had its partial accomplishment in the palmy days of ,solomon1 when the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of the ,lord unto his place1 into the oracle of the house1 to the most holy place1 even under the wings of the cherubim4 ,for the cherubim spread forth their two wings over the place of the ark1 and the cherubim covered the ark and the staves thereof above4 ,and they drew out the staves1 that the ends of the staves were seen out in the holy place before the oracle1 and they were not seen without3 and there they are unto this day4 7#a ,kings viii4 #f-h47 ,the sand of the desert was to be exchanged for the golden floor of the temple4 7#a ,kings vi4 #cj47 ,the wanderings of the ark were to have an end3 there was neither enemy nor evil occurrent1 and therefore the staves were drawn out4 ,nor was this the only difference between the ark in the tabernacle and in the temple4 ,the apostle1 speaking of the ark in its wilderness habitation1 describes it as the ark of the covenant1 overlaid round about with gold1 wherein was the golden pot that had manna1 and ,aaron's rod that budded1 and the tables of the covenant4 7,heb4 ix4 #d47 ,such were the contents of the ark in its wilderness journeyings--the pot of manna1 the record of ,jehovah's faithfulness in providing for ,his redeemed in the desert1 and ,aaron's rod1 a token against the rebels1 to take away their murmurings4 7,compare ,exod4 xvi4 #cb-cd1 and ,numb4 xvii4 #aj47 ,but when the moment arrived in which the staves were to be drawn out1 when the wanderings and wars of ,israel were over1 when the exceeding magnificial house was completed1 when the sun of ,israel's glory had reached1 in type1 its meridian1 as marked by the wealth and splendor of ,solomon's reign1 then the records of wilderness need and wilderness failure were unnoticed1 and nothing remained save that which constituted the eternal foundation of the throne of the ,god of ,israel1 and of all the earth4 ,there was nothing in the ark save the two tables of stone1 which ,moses put there at ,horeb4 7#a ,kings viii4 #i47 ,but all this brightness was soon to be overcast by the heavy clouds of human failure and divine displeasure4 ,the rude foot of the uncircumcised was yet to walk across the ruins of that beautiful house1 and its faded light and departed glory was yet to elicit the contemptuous hiss of the stranger4 ,this would not be the place to follow out these things in detail2 ,i shall only refer my reader to the last notice which the ,word of ,god affords us of the ark of the covenant1--a notice which carries us forward to a time when human folly and sin shall no more disturb the resting-place of that ark1 and when neither a curtained tent nor yet a temple made with hands shall contain it4 ,and the seventh angel sounded2 and there were great voices in heaven1 saying1 ',the kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our ,lord1 and of ,his ,christ2 and ,he shall reign forever and ever4' ,and the four and twenty elders1 which sat before ,god on their seats1 fell upon their faces1 and worshiped ,god1 saying1 ',we give ,thee thanks1 ,o ,lord ,god ,almighty1 which art1 and wast1 and art to come2 because ,thou hast taken to ,thee ,thy great power1 and hast reigned4 ,and the nations were angry1 and ,thy wrath is come1 and the time of the dead1 that they should be judged1 and that ,thou shouldest give reward unto ,thy servants the prophets1 and to the saints1 and them that fear ,thy name1 small and great2 and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth4' ,and the temple of ,god was open in heaven1 and there was seen in ,his temple the ark of ,his covenant3 and there were lightnings1 and voices1 and thunderings1 and an earthquake1 and great hail4 7,rev4 xi4 #ae-ai47 ,the mercy-seat comes next in order4--,and thou shalt make a mercy-seat of pure gold2 two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof1 and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof4 ,and thou shalt make two cherubim of gold1 of beaten work shalt thou make them1 in the two ends of the mercy-seat4 ,and make one cherub on the one end1 and the other cherub on the other end2 even of the mercy-seat shall ye make the cherubim on the two ends thereof4 ,and the cherubim shall stretch forth their wings on high1 covering the mercy-seat with their wings1 and their faces shall look one to another2 toward the mercy-seat shall the faces of the cherubim be4 ,and thou shalt put the mercy-seat above upon the ark2 and in the ark shalt thou put the testimony that ,i shall give thee4 ,and there ,i will meet with thee1 and ,i will commune with thee from above the mercy-seat1 from between the two cherubim which are upon the ark of the testimony1 of all things which ,i will give thee in commandment unto the children of ,israel4 ,here ,jehovah gives utterance to ,his gracious intention of coming down from the fiery mount to take ,his place upon the mercy-seat4 ,this ,he could do1 inasmuch as the tables of testimony were preserved unbroken beneath1 and the symbols of ,his power1 whether in creation or providence1 rose on the right hand and on the left--the inseparable adjuncts of that throne on which ,jehovah had seated ,himself--a throne of grace founded upon divine righteousness and supported by justice and judgment4 ,here the glory of the ,god of ,israel shone forth4 ,from hence ,he issued ,his commands1 softened and sweetened by the gracious source from whence they emanated1 and the medium through which they came--like the beams of the mid-day sun1 passing through a cloud1 we can enjoy their genial and enlivening influence without being dazzled by their brightness4 ,his commandments are not grievous1 when received from off the mercy-seat1 because they come in connection with grace1 which gives the ears to hear and the power to obey4 ,looking at the ark and mercy-seat together1 we may see in them a striking figure of ,christ in ,his ,person and work4 ,he having1 in ,his life1 magnified the law and made it honorable1 became1 through death1 a propitiation 7or mercy-seat7 for every one that believeth4 ,god's mercy could only repose on a pedestal of perfect righteousness4 ,grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by ,jesus ,christ our ,lord4 7,rom4 v4 #ba47 ,the only proper meeting-place between ,god and man is the point where grace and righteousness meet and perfectly harmonize4 ,nothing but perfect righteousness could suit ,god1 and nothing but perfect grace could suit the sinner4 ,but where could these attributes meet in one point8 ,only in the cross4 ,there it is that mercy and truth are met together2 righteousness and peace have kissed each other4 7,ps4 lxxxv4 #aj47 ,thus it is that the soul of the believing sinner finds peace4 ,he sees that ,god's righteousness and his justification rest upon precisely the same basis1 namely1 ,christ's accomplished work4 ,when man1 under the powerful action of the truth of ,god1 takes his place as a sinner1 ,god can1 in the exercise of grace1 take ,his place as a ,saviour1 and then every question is settled1 for the cross having answered all the claims of divine justice1 mercy's copious streams can flow unhindered4 ,when a righteous ,god and a ruined sinner meet on a blood-sprinkled platform1 all is settled forever--settled in such a way as perfectly glorifies ,god1 and eternally saves the sinner4 ,god must be true1 though every man be proved a liar2 and when man is so thoroughly brought down to the lowest point of his own moral condition before ,god as to be willing to take the place which ,god's truth assigns him1 he then learns that ,god has revealed ,himself as the righteous ,justifier of such an one4 ,this must give settled peace to the conscience2 and not only so1 but impart a capacity to commune with ,god1 and hearken to ,his holy precepts1 in the intelligence of that relationship into which divine grace has introduced us4 ,hence1 therefore1 the holiest of all unfolds a truly wondrous scene4--,the ark1 the mercy-seat1 the cherubim1 the glory6 ,what a sight for the high-priest of ,israel to behold as1 once a year1 he went in within the vail6 ,may the ,spirit of ,god open the eyes of our understanding1 that we may understand more fully the deep meaning of those precious types4 ,moses is next instructed about the table of show-bread1 or bread of presentation4 ,on this table stood the food of the priests of ,god4 ,for seven days those twelve loaves of fine flour with frankincense were presented before the ,lord1 after which1 being replaced by others1 they became the food of the priests1 who fed upon them in the holy place4 7,see ,lev4 xxiv4 #e-i47 ,it is needless to say that those twelve loaves typify the ,man ,christ ,jesus4 ,the fine flour1 of which they were composed1 marks ,his perfect manhood1 while the frankincense points out the entire devotion of that manhood to ,god4 ,if ,god has ,his priests ministering in the holy place1 ,he will assuredly have a table for them1 and a well-furnished table too4 ,christ is the table1 and ,christ is the bread thereon4 ,the pure table and the twelve loaves shadow forth ,christ as presented before ,god unceasingly in all the excellency of ,his spotless humanity1 and administered as food to the priestly family4 ,the seven days set forth the perfection of the divine enjoyment of ,christ1 and the twelve loaves the administration of that enjoyment in and by man4 ,there is also1 ,i should venture to suggest1 the idea of ,christ's connection with the twelve tribes of ,israel1 and the twelve apostles of the ,lamb4 ,the candlestick of pure gold comes next in order1 for ,god's priests need light as well as food2 and they have both the one and the other in ,christ4 ,in this candlestick there is no mention of any thing but pure gold4--,all of it shall be one beaten work of pure gold4 ,the seven lamps which gave light over against the candlestick express the perfection of the light and energy of the ,spirit1 founded upon and connected with the perfect efficacy of the work of ,christ4 ,the work of the ,holy ,ghost can never be separated from the work of ,christ4 ,this is set forth in a double way in this beautiful figure of the golden candlestick4 ,the seven lamps being connected with the shaft of beaten gold1 points us to ,christ's finished work as the sole basis of the manifestation of the ,spirit in the ,church4 ,the ,holy ,ghost was not given until ,jesus was glorified4 7,comp4 ,john vii4 #ci with ,acts xix4 #b-f47 ,in the third chapter of ,revelation1 ,christ is presented to the ,church in ,sardis as having the seven ,spirits4 ,it was as exalted to the right hand of ,god that the ,lord ,jesus shed forth the ,holy ,ghost upon ,his ,church1 in order that she might shine1 according to the power and perfection of her position1 in the holy place1 her proper sphere of being1 of action1 and of worship4 ,then1 again1 we find it was one of ,aaron's specific functions to light and trim those seven lamps4--,and the ,lord spake unto ,moses1 saying1 ',command the children of ,israel that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light1 to cause the lamps to burn continually4 ,without the vail of the testimony1 in the tabernacle of the congregation1 shall ,aaron order it from the evening unto the morning before the ,lord continually3 it shall be a statute forever in your generations4 ,he shall order the lamps upon the pure candlestick before the ,lord continually4 7,lev4 xxiv4 #a-d47 ,thus we may see how the work of the ,holy ,ghost in the ,church is linked with ,christ's work on earth and ,his work in heaven4 ,the seven lamps were there1 no doubt2 but priestly energy and diligence were needed in order to keep them trimmed and lighted4 ,the priest would continually need the tongs and snuff-dishes for the purpose of removing aught that would not be a fit vehicle for the pure beaten oil4 ,those tongs and snuff-dishes were of beaten gold likewise1 for the whole matter was the direct result of divine operation4 ,if the ,church shine1 it is only by the energy of the ,spirit1 and that energy is founded upon ,christ1 who1 in pursuance of ,god's eternal counsel1 became1 in ,his sacrifice and priesthood1 the spring and power of every thing to ,his ,church4 ,all is of ,god4 ,whether we look within that mysterious vail1 and behold the ark with its cover1 and the two significant figures attached thereto2 or if we gaze on that which lay without the vail--the pure table and the pure candlestick1 with their distinctive vessels and instruments--all speak to us of ,god1 whether as revealed to us in connection with the ,son or the ,holy ,ghost4 ,christian reader1 your high calling places you in the very midst of all these precious realities4 ,your place is not merely amid the patterns of things in the heavens1 but amid the heavenly things themselves4 ,you have boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of ,jesus2 you are a priest unto ,god2 the showbread is yours2 your place is at the pure table1 to feed on the priestly food1 in the light of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,nothing can ever deprive you of those divine privileges1--they are yours forever4 ,let it be your care to watch against every thing that might rob you of the enjoyment of them4 ,beware of all unhallowed tempers1 lusts1 feelings1 and imaginations4 ,keep nature down2 keep the world out2 keep ,satan off4 ,may the ,holy ,ghost fill your whole soul with ,christ4 ,then you will be practically holy and abidingly happy1--you will bear fruit1 and the ,father will be glorified1 and your joy shall be full4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi4 ,the section of our book which now opens before us contains the instructive description of the curtains and coverings of the tabernacle1 wherein the spiritual eye discerns the shadows of the various features and phases of ,christ's manifested character4 ,moreover1 thou shalt make the tabernacle with ten curtains of fine twined linen1 and blue1 and purple1 and scarlet3 with cherubim of cunning work shalt thou make them4 ,here we have the different aspects of the ,man ,christ ,jesus4 ,the fine twined linen prefigures the spotless purity of ,his walk and character2 while the blue1 the purple1 and the scarlet present ,him to us as the ,lord from heaven1 who is to reign according to the divine counsels1 but whose royalty is to be the result of ,his sufferings4 ,thus we have a spotless ,man1 a heavenly ,man1 a royal ,man1 a suffering ,man4 ,these materials were not confined to the curtains of the tabernacle1 but were also used in making the vail 7ver4 #ca71 the hanging for the door of the tent 7ver4 #cf71 the hanging for the gate of the court 7chap4 xxvii4 #af71 the cloths of service and the holy garments of ,aaron 7chap4 xxxix4 #a74 ,in a word1 it was ,christ everywhere1 ,christ in all1 ,christ alone4#ab #ab ,the expression1 white and clean1 gives peculiar force and beauty to the type which the ,holy ,ghost has presented in the fine twined linen4 ,indeed1 there could not be a more appropriate emblem of spotless manhood4 ,the fine twined linen1 as expressive of ,christ's spotless manhood1 opens a most precious and copious spring of thought to the spiritual mind2 it furnishes a theme on which we cannot meditate too profoundly4 ,the truth respecting ,christ's humanity must be received with scriptural accuracy1 held with spiritual energy1 guarded with holy jealousy1 and confessed with heavenly power4 ,if we are wrong as to this1 we cannot be right as to any thing4 ,it is a grand1 vital1 fundamental truth2 and if it be not received1 held1 guarded1 and confessed as ,god has revealed it in ,his holy ,word1 the entire superstructure must be unsound4 ,nothing can be more deplorable than the looseness of thought and expression which seems to prevail in reference to this all-important doctrine4 ,were there more reverence for the ,word of ,god1 there would be more accurate acquaintance with it2 and1 in this way1 we should happily avoid all those erroneous and unguarded statements which surely must grieve the ,holy ,spirit of ,god1 whose province it is to testify of ,jesus4 ,when the angel had announced to ,mary the glad tidings of the ,saviour's birth1 she said to him1 ,how shall this be1 seeing ,i know not a man8 ,her feeble mind was utterly incompetent to enter into1 much less to fathom1 the stupendous mystery of ,god manifest in the flesh4 ,but mark carefully the angelic reply--a reply1 not to a sceptic mind1 but to a pious1 though ignorant1 heart4--,the ,holy ,ghost shall come upon thee1 and the power of the ,highest shall overshadow thee2 wherefore1 also1 that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the ,son of ,god4 7,luke i4 #cd1 #ce47 ,mary1 doubtless1 imagined that this birth was to be according to the principles of ordinary generation2 but the angel corrects her mistake1 and1 in correcting it1 enunciates one of the grandest truths of revelation4 ,he declares to her that divine power was about to form ,a ,,real ,,man--the second ,man--the ,lord from heaven--,one whose nature was divinely pure1 utterly incapable of receiving or communicating any taint4 ,this holy ,one was made in the likeness of sinful flesh1 without sin in the flesh4 ,he partook of real bona fide flesh and blood without a particle or shadow of the evil thereto attaching4 ,this is a cardinal truth which cannot be too accurately laid hold of or too tenaciously held4 ,the incarnation of the ,son1 the second ,person in the eternal ,trinity--,his mysterious entrance into pure and spotless flesh1 formed1 by the power of the ,highest1 in the virgin's womb1 is the foundation of the great mystery of godliness1 of which the topstone is a glorified ,god-man in heaven1 the ,head1 ,representative1 and ,model of the redeemed ,church of ,god4 ,the essential purity of ,his manhood perfectly met the claims of ,god2 the reality thereof met the necessities of man4 ,he was a ,man1 for none else would do to meet man's ruin4 ,but ,he was such a ,man as could satisfy all the claims of the throne of ,god4 ,he was a spotless1 real ,man1 in whom ,god could perfectly delight1 and on whom man could unreservedly lean4 ,i need not remind the enlightened reader that all this1 if taken apart from death and resurrection1 is perfectly unavailable to us4 ,we need not only an incarnate1 but a crucified and risen1 ,christ4 ,true1 ,he should be incarnate to be crucified2 but it is death and resurrection which render incarnation available to us4 ,it is nothing short of a deadly error to suppose that in incarnation ,christ was taking man into union with ,himself4 ,this could not be4 ,he ,himself expressly teaches the contrary4 ,verily1 verily1 ,i say unto you1 ,except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die1 it abideth alone2 but if it die1 it bringeth forth much fruit4 7,john xii4 #bd47 ,there could be no union between sinful and holy flesh1 pure and impure1 corruptible and incorruptible1 mortal and immortal4 ,accomplished death is the only base of a unity between ,christ and ,his elect members4 ,it is in beautiful connection with the words1 ,rise1 let us go hence1 that ,he says1 ,i am the vine1 ye are the branches4 ,we have been planted together in the likeness of ,his death4 ,our old man is crucified with ,him1 that the body of sin might be destroyed4 ,in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands1 in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of ,christ3 buried with ,him in baptism1 wherein also ye are risen with ,him through the faith of the operation of ,god1 who hath raised ,him from the dead4 ,i would refer my reader to ,romans vi4 and ,colossians ii4 as a full and comprehensive statement of the truth on this important subject4 ,it was only as dead and risen that ,christ and ,his people could become one4 ,the true corn of wheat had to fall into the ground and die ere a full ear could spring up and be gathered into the heavenly garner4 ,but while this is a plainly revealed truth of ,scripture1 it is equally plain that incarnation formed1 as it were1 the first layer of the glorious superstructure2 and the curtains of fine twined linen prefigure the moral purity of the ,man ,christ ,jesus4 ,we have already seen the manner of ,his conception2 and1 as we pass along the current of ,his life here below1 we meet with instance after instance of the same spotless purity4 ,he was forty days in the wilderness1 tempted of the devil1 but there was no response in ,his pure nature to the tempters foul suggestions4 ,he could touch the leper and receive no taint2 ,he could touch the bier and not contract the smell of death2 ,he could pass unscathed through the most polluted atmosphere4 ,he was1 as to ,his manhood1 like a sunbeam emanating from the fountain of light1 which can pass without a soil through the most defiling medium4 ,he was perfectly unique in nature1 constitution1 and character4 ,none but ,he could say1 ,thou wilt not suffer ,thine holy ,one to see corruption4 ,this was in reference to ,his humanity1 which1 as being perfectly holy and perfectly pure1 was capable of being a sin-bearer4 ,his own self bare our sins in ,his own body on the tree4 ,not to the tree1 as some would teach us2 but on the tree4 ,it was on the cross that ,christ was our sin-bearer1 and only there4 ,he hath made ,him to be sin for us who knew no sin1 that we might be made the righteousness of ,god in ,him4 7#b ,cor4 v4 #ba47 ,blue is the ethereal color1 and marks the heavenly character of ,christ1 who1 though ,he had come down into all the circumstances of actual and true humanity 7sin excepted71 yet was ,he the ,lord from heaven4 ,though ,he was very man1 yet ,he ever walked in the uninterrupted consciousness of ,his proper dignity1 as a heavenly stranger4 ,he never once forgot whence ,he had come1 where ,he was1 or whither ,he was going4 ,the spring of all ,his joys was on high4 ,earth could neither make ,him richer nor poorer4 ,he found this world to be a dry and thirsty land1 where no water is1 and hence ,his spirit could only find its refreshment above4 ,it was entirely heavenly4--,no man hath ascended up to heaven1 but ,he that came down from heaven1 even the ,son of ,man who is in heaven4 7,john iii4 #ac47 ,purple denotes royalty1 and points us to ,him who was born ,king of the ,jews2 who offered ,himself as such to the ,jewish nation1 and was rejected2 who before ,pontius ,pilate witnessed a good confession1 avowing ,himself a king1 when1 to mortal vision1 there was not so much as a single trace of royalty4--,thou sayest that ,i am a king4 ,and hereafter ye shall see the ,son of ,man sitting at the right hand of power1 and coming in the clouds of heaven4 ,and1 finally1 the inscription upon ,his cross1 in letters of ,hebrew1 and ,greek1 and ,latin--the language of religion1 of science1 and of government--declared ,him1 to the whole known world1 to be ,jesus of ,nazareth1 the ,king of the ,jews4 ,earth disowned ,his claims 7so much the worse for it71 but not so heaven2 there ,his claim was fully recognized4 ,he was received as a conqueror into the eternal mansions of light1 crowned with glory and honor1 and seated1 amid the acclamations of angelic hosts1 on the throne of the ,majesty in the heavens1 there to wait until ,his enemies be made ,his footstool4 ,why do the heathen rage1 and the people imagine a vain thing8 ,the kings of the earth set themselves1 and the rulers take counsel together1 against the ,lord1 and against ,his anointed1 saying1 ',let us break their bands asunder1 and cast away their cords from us4' ,he that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh2 the ,lord shall have them in derision4 ,then shall ,he speak unto them in ,his wrath1 and vex them in ,his sore displeasure4 ,yet have ,i set ,my ,king upon ,my holy hill of ,zion4 ,i will declare the decree3 the ,lord hath said unto ,me1 ',thou art ,my ,son2 this day have ,i begotten ,thee4 ,ask of ,me1 and ,i shall give ,thee the heathen for ,thine inheritance1 and the uttermost parts of the earth for ,thy possession4 ,thou shalt break them with a rod of iron2 ,thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel4' ,be wise now therefore1 ,o ye kings2 be instructed1 ye judges of the earth4 ,serve the ,lord with fear1 and rejoice with trembling4 ,kiss the ,son1 lest ,he be angry1 and ye perish from the way1 when ,his wrath is kindled but a little4 ,,blessed ,,are ,,all ,,they ,,that ,,put ,,their ,,trust ,,in ,,him4 7,ps4 ii47 ,scarlet1 when genuine1 is produced by death2 and this makes its application to a suffering ,christ safe and appropriate4 ,christ hath suffered for us in the flesh4 ,without death1 all would have been unavailing4 ,we can admire the blue and the purple1 but without the scarlet the tabernacle would have lacked an all-important feature4 ,it was by death that ,christ destroyed him that had the power of death4 ,the ,holy ,ghost1 in setting before us a striking figure of ,christ--the true tabernacle--could not possibly omit that phase of ,his character which constitutes the ground-work of ,his connection with ,his body the ,church1 of ,his claim to the throne of ,david1 and the headship of all creation4 ,in a word1 ,he not only unfolds the ,lord ,jesus to our view1 in these significant curtains1 as a spotless ,man1 a royal ,man1 but also a suffering ,man1--,one who1 by death1 should make good ,his claims to all that to which1 as man1 ,he was entitled1 in the divine counsels4 ,but we have much more in the curtains of the tabernacle than the varied and perfect phases of the character of ,christ1--we have also the unity and consistency of that character4 ,each phase is displayed in its own proper perfectness2 and one never interferes with1 or mars the exquisite beauty of1 another4 ,all was in perfect harmony beneath the eye of ,god1 and was so displayed in the pattern which was showed to ,moses on the mount1 and in the copy which was exhibited below4 ,every one of the curtains shall have one measure4 ,the five curtains shall be coupled together one to another2 and other five curtains shall be coupled one to another4 ,such was the fair proportion and consistency in all the ways of ,christ1 as a perfect ,man1 walking on the earth1 in whatever aspect or relationship we view ,him4 ,when acting in one character1 we never find aught that is1 in the very least degree1 inconsistent with the divine integrity of another4 ,he was1 at all times1 in all places1 under all circumstances1 the perfect ,man4 ,there was nothing out of that fair and lovely proportion which belonged to ,him1 in all ,his ways4 ,every one of the curtains shall have one measure4 ,the two sets of five curtains each may symbolize the two grand aspects of ,christ's character1 as acting toward ,god and toward man4 ,we have the same two aspects in the law1 namely1 what was due to ,god1 and what was due to man2 so that as to ,christ1 if we look in1 we find ,thy law is within ,my heart2 and if we look at ,his outward character and walk1 we see those two elements adjusted with perfect accuracy1 and not only adjusted1 but inseparably linked together by the heavenly grace and divine energy which dwelt in ,his most glorious ,person4 ,and thou shalt make loops of blue upon the edge of the one curtain1 from the selvedge in the coupling2 and likewise shalt thou make in the uttermost edge of another curtain1 in the coupling of the second4444 ,and thou shalt make fifty taches of gold1 and couple the curtains together with the taches2 and it shall be one tabernacle4 ,we have here displayed to us1 in the loops of blue1 and taches of gold1 that heavenly grace and divine energy in ,christ which enabled ,him to combine and perfectly adjust the claims of ,god and man2 so that in responding to both the one and the other1 ,he never1 for a moment1 marred the unity of ,his character4 ,when crafty and hypocritical men tempted ,him with the inquiry1 ,is it lawful to give tribute to ,csar1 or not8 ,his wise reply was1 ,render to ,csar the things that are ,csar's1 and to ,god the things that are ,god's4 ,nor was it merely ,csar1 but man in every relation that had all his claims perfectly met in ,christ4 ,as ,he united in ,his perfect ,person the nature of ,god and man1 so ,he met in ,his perfect ways the claims of ,god and man4 ,most interesting would it be to trace1 through the gospel narrative1 the exemplification of the principle suggested by the loops of blue1 and taches of gold2 but ,i must leave my reader to pursue this study under the immediate guidance of the ,holy ,ghost1 who delights to expatiate upon every feature and every phase of that perfect ,one whom it is ,his unvarying purpose and undivided object to exalt4 ,the curtains on which we have been dwelling were covered with other curtains of goats' hair4 7,ver4 #g-ad47 ,their beauty was hidden from those without by that which bespoke roughness and severity4 ,this latter did not meet the view of those within4 ,to all who were privileged to enter the hallowed inclosure1 nothing was visible save the blue1 the purple1 the scarlet1 and fine twined linen1 the varied yet combined exhibition of the virtues and excellencies of that divine ,tabernacle in which ,god dwelt within the vail--that is1 of ,christ1 through whose flesh1 the antitype of all these1 the beams of the divine nature shone so delicately that the sinner could behold without being overwhelmed by their dazzling brightness4 ,as the ,lord ,jesus passed along this earth1 how few really knew ,him6 ,how few had eyes anointed with heavenly eye-salve to penetrate and appreciate the deep mystery of ,his character6 ,how few saw the blue1 the purple1 the scarlet1 and fine twined linen6 ,it was only when faith brought man into ,his presence that ,he ever allowed the brightness of what ,he was to shine forth--ever allowed the glory to break through the cloud4 ,to nature's eye there would seem to have been a reserve and a severity about ,him which were aptly prefigured by the covering of goats' hair4 ,all this was the result of ,his profound separation and estrangement1 not from sinners personally1 but from the thoughts and maxims of men4 ,he had nothing in common with man as such1 nor was it within the compass of mere nature to comprehend or enjoy ,him4 ,no man1 said ,he1 can come to ,me1 except the ,father which hath sent ,me draw him2 and when one of those drawn ones confessed ,his name1 ,he declared that flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee1 but ,my ,father which is in heaven4 7,comp4 ,john vi4 #dd2 ,matt4 xvi4 #ag47 ,he was a root out of a dry ground1 having neither form nor comeliness to attract the eye or gratify the heart of man4 ,the popular current could never flow in the direction of of ,one who1 as ,he passed rapidly across the stage of this vain world1 wrapped ,himself up in a covering of goats' hair4 ,jesus was not popular4 ,the multitude might follow ,him for a moment1 because ,his ministry stood connected1 in their judgment1 with the loaves and fishes which met their need2 but they were just as ready to cry1 ,away with ,him6 as ,hosanna to the ,son of ,david6 ,oh1 let ,christians remember this6 ,let the servants of ,christ remember it6 ,let all preachers of the gospel remember it6 ,let one and all of us ever seek to bear in mind the covering of goats' hair6 ,but if the goats' skins expressed the severity of ,christ's separation from earth1 the rams' skins dyed red exhibit ,his intense consecration and devotedness to ,god1 which was carried out even unto death4 ,he was the only perfect ,servant that ever stood in ,god's vineyard4 ,he had one object1 which ,he pursued with an undeviating course from the manger to the cross1 and that was1 to glorify the ,father1 and finish ,his work4 ,wist ye not that ,i must be about ,my ,father's business8 was the language of ,his youth1 and the accomplishment of that business was the design of ,his life4 ,his meat was to do the will of ,him that sent ,him1 and to finish ,his work4 ,the rams' skins dyed red formed as distinct a part of ,his ordinary habit as the goats' hair4 ,his perfect devotion to ,god separated ,him from the habits of men4 ,the badgers' skins may exhibit to us the holy vigilance with which the ,lord ,jesus guarded against the approach of every thing hostile to the purpose which engrossed ,his whole soul4 ,he took up ,his position for ,god1 and held it with a tenacity which no influence of men or devils1 earth or hell1 could overcome4 ,the covering of badger's skins was above 7ver4 #ad71 teaching us that the most prominent feature in the character of the ,man ,christ ,jesus was an invincible determination to stand as a witness for ,god on the earth4 ,he was the true ,naboth1 who gave up ,his life rather than surrender the truth of ,god1 or give up that for which ,he had taken ,his place in this world4 ,the goat1 the ram1 and the badger must be regarded as exhibiting certain natural features1 and also as symbolizing certain moral qualities2 and we must take both into account in our application of these figures to the character of ,christ4 ,the human eye could only discern the former4 ,it could see none of the moral grace1 beauty1 and dignity which lay beneath the outward form of the despised and humble ,jesus of ,nazareth4 ,when the treasures of heavenly wisdom flowed from ,his lips1 the inquiry was1 ,is not this the carpenter8 or1 ,how knoweth this ,man letters1 having never learned8 ,when ,he asserted ,his eternal ,sonship and ,godhead1 the word was1 ,thou art not yet fifty years old1 or1 ,they took up stones to cast at ,him4 ,in short1 the acknowledgment of the ,pharisees in ,john ix4 was true in reference to men in general4--,as for this fellow1 we know not from whence ,he is4 ,it would be utterly impossible1 in the compass of a volume like this1 to trace the unfoldings of those precious features of ,christ's character through the gospel narratives4 ,sufficient has been said to open up springs of spiritual thought to my reader1 and to furnish some faint idea of the rich treasures which are wrapped up in the curtains and coverings of the tabernacle4 ,christ's hidden being1 secret springs1 and inherent excellencies--,his outward and unattractive form--what ,he was in ,himself1 what ,he was ,godward1 and what ,he was manward--what ,he was in the judgment of faith1 and what in the judgment of nature--all is sweetly and impressively told out1 to the circumcised ear1 in the curtains of blue1 purple1 scarlet1 and fine twined linen1 and the coverings of skins4 ,the boards for the tabernacle were made of the same wood as was used in constructing the ark of the covenant4 ,moreover1 they were upheld by the sockets of silver formed out of the atonement2 their hooks and chapiters being of the same4 7,compare attentively chap4 xxx4 #aa-af1 with chap4 xxxviii4 #be-bh47 ,the whole frame-work of the tent of the tabernacle was based on that which spoke of atonement or ransom1 while the hooks and chapiters at the top set forth the same4 ,the sockets were buried in the sand1 and the hooks and chapiters were above4 ,it matters not how deep you penetrate1 or how high you rise1 that glorious and eternal truth is emblazoned before you1 ,i ,,have ,,found ,a ,,ransom4 ,blessed be ,god1 we are not redeemed with corruptible things1 as silver and gold1 444 but with the precious blood of ,christ1 as of a lamb without blemish and without spot4 ,the tabernacle was divided into three distinct parts1 namely1 the holy of holies1 the holy place1 and the court of the tabernacle4 ,the entrance into each of these was of the same materials--blue1 purple1 scarlet1 and fine twined linen4 7,compare chapter xxvi4 #ca1 #cf2 xxvii4 #af47 ,the interpretation of which is simply this3 ,christ forms the only doorway into the varied fields of glory which are yet to be displayed1 whether on earth1 in heaven1 or in the heaven of heavens4 ,every family1 in heaven and earth1 will be ranged under ,his headship1 as all will be brought into everlasting felicity and glory on the ground of ,his accomplished atonement4 ,this is plain enough1 and needs no stretch of the imagination to grasp it4 ,we know it to be true2 and when we know the truth which is shadowed forth1 the shadow is easily understood4 ,if only our hearts be filled with ,christ1 we shall not go far astray in our interpretations of the tabernacle and its furniture4 ,it is not a head full of learned criticism that will avail us much here1 but a heart full of affection for ,jesus1 and a conscience at rest in the blood of ,his cross4 ,may the ,spirit of ,god enable us to study these things with more interest and intelligence4 ,may ,he open our eyes that we may behold wondrous things out of ,his law4 ,,chapter ,,xxvii4 ,we have now arrived at the brazen altar1 which stood at the door of the tabernacle2 and ,i would call my reader's most particular attention to the order of the ,holy ,ghost in this portion of our book4 ,we have already remarked that from chapter xxv4 to the nineteenth verse of chapter xxvii4 forms a distinct division1 in which we are furnished with a description of the ark and mercy-seat1 the table and candlestick1 the curtains and the vail2 and1 lastly1 the brazen altar and the court in which that altar stood4 ,if my reader will turn to chapter xxxv4 #ae1 chapter xxxvii4 #be1 and chapter xl4 #bf1 he will remark that the golden altar of incense is noticed1 in each of the three instances1 between the candlestick and the brazen altar2 whereas1 when ,jehovah is giving directions to ,moses1 the brazen altar is introduced immediately after the candlestick and the curtains of the tabernacle4 ,now1 inasmuch as there must be a divine reason for this difference1 it is the privilege of every diligent and intelligent student of the ,word to inquire what that reason is4 ,why1 then1 does the ,lord1 when giving directions about the furniture of the holy place1 omit the altar of incense1 and pass out to the brazen altar which stood at the door of the tabernacle8 ,the reason1 ,i believe1 is simply this3 ,he first describes the mode in which ,he would manifest ,himself to man1 and then ,he describes the mode of man's approach to ,him4 ,he took ,his seat upon the throne1 as the ,lord of all the earth4 ,the beams of ,his glory were hidden behind the vail--type of ,christ's flesh 7,heb4 x4 #bj472 but there was the manifestation of ,himself in connection with man1 as in the pure table1 and by the light and power of the ,holy ,ghost1 as in the candlestick4 ,then we have the manifested character of ,christ as a man down here on this earth1 as seen in the curtains and coverings of the tabernacle4 ,and1 finally1 we have the brazen altar as the grand exhibition of the meeting-place between a holy ,god and a sinner4 ,this conducts us1 as it were1 to the extreme point1 from which we return1 in company with ,aaron and his sons1 back to the holy place1 the ordinary priestly position1 where stood the golden altar of incense4 ,thus the order is strikingly beautiful4 ,the golden altar is not spoken of until there is a priest to burn incense thereon1 for ,jehovah showed ,moses the patterns of things in the heavens according to the order in which these things are to be apprehended by faith4 ,on the other hand1 when ,moses gives directions to the congregation 7chap4 xxxv471 when he records the labors of ,bezaleel and ,aholiab 7chap4 xxxvii4 and xxxviii471 and when he sets up the tabernacle 7chap4 xl471 he follows the simple order in which the furniture was placed4 ,the prayerful investigation of this interesting subject1 and a comparison of the passages above referred to1 will amply repay my reader4 ,we shall now examine the brazen altar4 ,this altar was the place where the sinner approached ,god1 in the power and efficacy of the blood of atonement4 ,it stood at the door of the tabernacle of the tent of the congregation1 and on it all the blood was shed4 ,it was composed of shittim wood and brass4 ,the wood was the same as that of the golden altar of incense3 but the metal was different1 and the reason of this difference is obvious4 ,the altar of brass was the place where sin was dealt with according to the divine judgment concerning it4 ,the altar of gold was the place from whence the precious fragrance of ,christ's acceptableness ascended to the throne of ,god4 ,the shittim wood1 as the figure of ,christ's humanity1 must be the same in each case2 but in the brazen altar we see ,christ meeting the fire of divine justice2 in the golden altar we behold ,him feeding the divine affections4 ,at the former1 the fire of divine wrath was quenched2 at the latter1 the fire of priestly worship is kindled4 ,the soul delights to find ,christ in both2 but the altar of brass is what meets the need of a guilty conscience1--it is the very first thing for a poor1 helpless1 needy1 convicted sinner4 ,there cannot be settled peace1 in reference to the question of sin1 until the eye of faith rests on ,christ as the antitype of the brazen altar4 ,i must see my sin reduced to ashes in the pan of that altar ere ,i can enjoy rest of conscience in the presence of ,god4 ,it is when ,i know1 by faith in the record of ,god1 that ,he ,himself has dealt with my sin in the ,person of ,christ1 at the brazen altar--that ,he has satisfied all ,his own righteous claims--that ,he has put away my sin out of ,his holy presence1 so that it can never come back again--it is then1 but not until then1 that ,i can enjoy divine and everlasting peace4 ,i would here offer a remark as to the real meaning of the gold and brass in the furniture of the tabernacle4 ,gold is the symbol of divine righteousness1 or the divine nature in the ,man ,christ ,jesus4 ,brass is the symbol of righteousness1 demanding judgment of sin1 as in the brazen altar2 or the judgment of uncleanness1 as in the brazen laver4 ,this will account for the fact that inside the tent of the tabernacle all was gold1--the ark1 the mercy-seat1 the table1 the candlestick1 the altar of incense4 ,all these were the symbols of the divine nature--the inherent personal excellence of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,on the other hand1 outside the tent of the tabernacle all was brass1--the brazen altar and its vessels1 the laver and its foot4 ,the claims of righteousness1 as to sin and uncleanness1 must be divinely met ere there can be any enjoyment of the precious mysteries of ,christ's ,person1 as unfolded in the inner sanctuary of ,god4 ,it is when ,i see all sin and all uncleanness perfectly judged and washed away that ,i can1 as a priest1 draw nigh and worship in the holy place1 and enjoy the full display of all the beauty and excellency of the ,god-man1 ,christ ,jesus4 ,the reader can1 with much profit1 follow out the application of this thought in detail1 not merely in the study of the tabernacle and the temple1 but also in various passages of the ,word2 for example1 in the first chapter of ,revelation1 ,christ is seen girt about the paps with a golden girdle1 and having ,his feet like unto fine brass1 as if they burned in a furnace4 ,the golden girdle is the symbol of ,his intrinsic righteousness4 ,the feet like unto fine brass express the unmitigated judgment of evil 7,he cannot tolerate evil1 but must crush it beneath ,his feet74 ,such is the ,christ with whom we have to do4 ,he judges sin1 but ,he saves the sinner4 ,faith sees sin reduced to ashes at the brazen altar2 it sees all uncleanness washed away at the brazen laver2 and1 finally1 it enjoys ,christ as ,he is unfolded1 in the secret of the divine presence1 by the light and power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,it finds ,him at the golden altar1 in all the value of ,his intercession2 it feeds on ,him at the pure table2 it recognizes ,him in the ark and mercy-seat1 as the ,one who answers all the claims of justice1 and1 at the same time1 meets all human need2 it beholds ,him in the vail1 with all its mystic figures2 it reads ,his precious name on every thing4 ,o1 for a heart to prize and praise this matchless1 glorious ,christ6 ,nothing can be of more vital importance than a clear understanding of the doctrine of the brazen altar2 that is to say1 of the doctrine taught there4 ,it is from the want of clearness as to this that so many souls go mourning all their days4 ,they have never had a clean1 thorough settlement of the whole matter of their guilt at the brazen altar2 they have never really beheld1 by faith1 ,god ,himself settling1 on the cross1 the entire question of their sins2 they are seeking peace for their uneasy consciences in regeneration and its evidences1--the fruits of the ,spirit1 frames1 feelings1 experiences1--things quite right and most valuable in themselves1 but they are not the ground of peace4 ,what fills the soul with perfect peace is the knowledge of what ,god hath wrought at the brazen altar4 ,the ashes in yonder pan tell me the peace-giving story that ,,all ,,is ,,done4 ,the believer's sins were all put away by ,god's own hand of redeeming love4 ,he hath made ,christ to be sin for us1 who knew no sin1 that we might be made the righteousness of ,god in ,him4 7#b ,cor4 v47 ,all sin must be judged3 but the believer's sins have been already judged in the cross2 hence1 he is perfectly justified4 ,to suppose that there could be any thing against the very feeblest believer1 is to deny the entire work of the cross4 ,his sins and iniquities have been all put away by ,god ,himself1 and therefore they must needs be perfectly put away4 ,they all went with the outpoured life of the ,lamb of ,god4 ,dear ,christian reader1 see that your heart is thoroughly established in the peace which ,jesus has made by the blood of ,his cross4 ,,chapters ,,xxviii4 ,,xxix4 ,these chapters unfold to us the priesthood1 in all its value and efficacy4 ,they are full of deep interest4 ,the very word priesthood awakens in the heart feelings of the most profound thankfulness for the grace which has not only provided a way for us to get into the divine presence1 but also the means of keeping us there1 according to the character and claims of that high and holy position4 ,the ,aaronic priesthood was ,god's provision for a people who were1 in themselves1 at a distance1 and needed one to appear for them in ,his presence continually4 ,we are taught in ,hebrews vii4 that this order of priesthood belonged to the law--that it was made after the law of a carnal commandment--that it could not continue by reason of death--that the priests belonging to it had infirmity4 ,it could not1 therefore1 impart perfection1 and hence we have to bless ,god that it was instituted without an oath4 ,the oath of ,god could only stand connected with that which was to endure forever1 even the perfect1 immortal1 untransferable priesthood of our great and glorious ,melchisedek1 who imparts both to ,his sacrifice and ,his priesthood all the value1 the dignity1 and the glory of ,his own peerless ,person4 ,the thought of having such a ,sacrifice and such a ,priest as ,he causes the bosom to heave with emotions of the liveliest gratitude4 ,but we must proceed to the examination of the chapters which lie before us4 ,in chapter xxviii4 we have the robes1 and in chapter xxix4 we have the sacrifices4 ,the former have more especial reference to the need of the people2 the latter1 on the other hand1 to the claims of ,god4 ,the robes express the varied functions and qualities of the priestly office4 ,the ephod was the great priestly robe4 ,it was inseparably connected with the shoulder-pieces and the breastplate1 teaching us1 very distinctly1 that the strength of the priest's shoulder1 and the affection of the priest's heart1 were wholly devoted to the interests of those whom he represented1 and on whose behalf he wore the ephod--that special priestly robe4 ,this1 which was typified in ,aaron1 is actualized in ,christ4 ,his omnipotent strength and infinite love are ours--ours eternally--ours unquestionably4 ,the shoulder which sustains the universe upholds the feeblest and most obscure member of the blood-bought congregation4 ,the heart of ,jesus beats with an undying affection--with an everlasting and an all-enduring love for the most neglected member of the redeemed assembly4 ,the names of the twelve tribes1 engraven on precious stones1 were borne both on the shoulders and on the breast of the high-priest4 7,see verses #i-ab1 #ae-bi47 ,the peculiar excellence of a precious stone is seen in this1 that the more intense the light which is brought to bear upon it1 the more brightly it shines4 ,light can never make a precious stone look dim2 it only increases and develops its lustre4 ,the twelve tribes--one as well as another1 the smallest as well as the greatest--were borne continually upon the breast and shoulders of ,aaron before the ,lord4 ,they were each and every one maintained in the divine presence in all that undimmed lustre and unalterable beauty which belonged to the position in which the perfect grace of the ,god of ,israel had set them4 ,the people were represented before ,god by the high-priest4 ,whatever might be their infirmities1 their errors1 or their failures1 yet their names glittered on the breastplate with unfading brilliancy4 ,jehovah had set them there1 and who could pluck them thence8 ,jehovah had put them thus1 and who could put them otherwise8 ,who could penetrate into the holy place to snatch from ,aaron's breast the name of one of ,israel's tribes8 ,who could sully the lustre which gathered round those names1 in the position which ,jehovah had placed them8 ,not one4 ,they lay beyond the reach of every enemy--beyond the influence of every evil4 ,how encouraging and consolatory it is for the tried1 tempted1 buffeted1 and self-abased children of ,god to remember that ,god only sees them on the heart of ,jesus6 ,in ,his view1 they ever shine in all the effulgence of ,christ--they are arrayed in divine comeliness4 ,the world cannot see them thus2 but ,god does1 and this makes all the difference4 ,men1 in looking at the people of ,god1 see only their blots and blemishes4 ,they have no ability whatever to see further1 and as a consequence1 their judgment is always wrong--always one-sided4 ,they cannot see the sparkling jewels1 bearing the names of ,god's redeemed1 engraven by the hand of changeless love4 ,true it is that ,christians should be most careful not to furnish the men of the world with any just occasion to speak reproachfully4 ,they should seek1 by patient continuance in well-doing1 to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men4 ,if only they entered1 by the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 into the comeliness in which they ever shine1 in ,god's vision1 it would assuredly lead to a walk of practical holiness1 moral purity1 and elevation before the eyes of men4 ,the more clearly we enter1 by faith1 into objective truth1 or what is true of us in ,christ1 the deeper1 more experimental and practical will be the subjective work in us1 and the more complete will be the exhibition of the moral effect in our life and character4 ,but1 thank ,god1 our judgment is not with men1 but with ,himself2 and ,he graciously shows us our great ,high-,priest1 bearing our judgment on ,his heart before the ,lord continually4 ,this imparts deep and settled peace--a peace which nothing can shake4 ,we may have to confess and mourn over our constant failures and short-comings1--the eye may1 at times1 be so dimmed with the tears of a genuine contrition as to be but little able to catch the lustre of the precious stones on which our names are engraven1 yet there they are all the while4 ,god sees them1 and that is enough4 ,he is glorified by their brightness--a brightness not of our attaining1 but of ,his imparting4 ,we had naught save darkness1 dullness1 and deformity4 ,he has imparted brightness1 lustre1 and beauty4 ,to ,him be all the praise throughout the everlasting ages6 ,the girdle is the well-known symbol of service2 and ,christ is the perfect ,servant--the ,servant of the divine counsels and affections1 and of the deep and manifold need of ,his people4 ,with an earnest spirit of devotedness1 which nothing could damp1 ,he girded ,himself for ,his work2 and when faith sees the ,son of ,god thus girded1 it judges1 assuredly1 that no occasion can be too great for ,him4 ,we find1 from the type before us1 that all the virtues1 the dignities1 and the glories of ,christ1 in ,his divine and human nature1 enter fully into ,his servant-character4--,the curious girdle of the ephod1 which is upon it1 shall be of the same1 according to the work thereof2 even of gold1 of blue1 and purple1 and scarlet1 and fine twined linen4 7,verse #h47 ,the faith of this must meet every necessity of the soul1 and satisfy the most ardent longings of the heart4 ,we not only see ,christ as the slain ,victim at the brazen altar1 but also as the girded ,high-,priest over the house of ,god4 ,well1 therefore1 may the inspired apostle say1 ,let us draw near1--,let us hold fast1--,let us consider one another4 7,heb4 x4 #ai-bd47 ,and thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the ,urim and the ,thummim lights and perfections2 and they shall be upon ,aaron's heart1 when he goeth in before the ,lord3 and ,aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of ,israel upon his heart before the ,lord continually4 ,we learn1 from various passages of the ,word1 that the ,urim stood connected with the communication of the mind of ,god in reference to the various questions which arose in the details of ,israel's history4 ,thus1 for example1 in the appointment of ,joshua1 we read1 ,and he shall stand before ,eleazar the priest1 who shall ask counsel for him1 after the judgment of ,urim before the ,lord4 7,numb4 xxvii4 #ba47 ,and of ,levi he said1 ',let thy ,thummim and thy ,urim thy perfections and thy lights be with thy holy one4444 ,they shall teach ,jacob thy judgments1 and ,israel thy law4' 7,deut4 xxxiii4 #h-aj47 ,and when ,saul inquired of the ,lord1 the ,lord answered him not1 neither by dreams1 nor by ,urim1 nor by prophets4 7#a ,sam4 xxviii4 #f47 ,and ,tirshatha said unto them that they should not eat of the most holy things till there stood up a priest with ,urim and with ,thummim4 7,ezra ii4 #fc47 ,thus we learn that the high-priest not only bore the judgment of the congregation before the ,lord1 but also communicated the judgment of the ,lord to the congregation4 ,solemn1 weighty1 and most precious functions6 ,all this we have1 in divine perfectness1 in our great ,high-,priest1 who has passed into the heavens4 ,he bears the judgment of ,his people on ,his heart continually2 and ,he1 by the ,holy ,ghost1 communicates to us the counsel of ,god1 in reference to the most minute circumstances of our daily course4 ,we do not want dreams or visions2 if only we walk in the ,spirit1 we shall enjoy all the certainty which the perfect ,urim1 on the breast of our ,high-,priest1 can afford4 ,and thou shalt make the robe of the ephod all of blue4444 ,and beneath1 upon the hem of it1 thou shalt make pomegranates of blue1 and of purple1 and of scarlet1 round about the hem thereof2 and bells of gold between them round about3 a golden bell and a pomegranate1 a golden bell and a pomegranate1 upon the hem of the robe round about4 ,and it shall be upon ,aaron to minister2 and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the ,lord1 and when he cometh out1 that he die not4 7,ver4 #ca-ce47 ,the blue robe of the ephod is expressive of the entirely heavenly character of our ,high-,priest4 ,he is gone into heaven1--,he is beyond the range of mortal vision2 but1 by the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 there is divine testimony to the truth of ,his being alive1 in the presence of ,god2 and not only testimony1 but fruit likewise4 ,a golden bell and a pomegranate1 a golden bell and a pomegranate1--such is the beauteous order4 ,true testimony to the great truth that ,jesus ever liveth to make intercession for us will be inseparably connected with fruitfulness in ,his service4 ,o1 for a deeper understanding of these precious and holy mysteries6#ac #ac ,it is needless to remark that there is divine appropriateness1 as well as significancy1 in all the figures presented to us in the ,word4 ,thus1 the pomegranate1 when opened1 is found to consist of a number of seeds1 contained in a red fluid4 ,surely this has a voice4 ,let spirituality1 not imagination1 judge4 ,and thou shalt make a plate of pure gold1 and grave upon it1 like the engravings of a signet1 ,,holiness ,,to ,,the ,,lord4 ,and thou shall put it on a blue lace1 that it may be upon the mitre1 upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be4 ,and it shall be upon ,aaron's forehead1 that ,aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things1 which the children of ,israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts2 and it shall be always upon his forehead1 that they may be accepted before the ,lord4 7,ver4 #cf-ch47 ,here is a weighty truth for the soul4 ,the golden plate on ,aaron's forehead was the type of the essential holiness of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,it shall be ,,always upon ,,his forehead1 that ,,they may be accepted before the ,lord4 ,what rest for the heart amid all the fluctuations of one's experience6 ,our ,high-,priest is always in the presence of ,god for us4 ,we are represented by1 and accepted in1 ,him4 ,his holiness is ours4 ,the more deeply we become acquainted with our own personal vileness and infirmity1 the more we enter into the humiliating truth that in us dwelleth no good thing1 the more fervently shall we bless the ,god of all grace for the soul-sustaining truth contained in these words1 ,it shall be always upon his forehead1 that they may be accepted before the ,lord4 ,if my reader should happen to be one who is frequently tempted and harassed with doubts and fears1 ups and downs in his spiritual condition1 with a constant tendency to look inward upon his poor1 cold1 wandering1 wayward heart1--if he be tried with an excessive vagueness and want of holy reality1 oh1 let him stay his whole soul upon the precious truth that this great ,high-,priest represents him before the throne of ,god4 ,let him fix his eye upon the golden plate1 and read in the inscription thereon the measure of his eternal acceptance with ,god4 ,may the ,holy ,ghost enable him to taste the peculiar sweetness and sustaining power of this divine and heavenly doctrine4 ,and for ,aaron's sons thou shalt make coats1 and thou shalt make for them girdles1 and bonnets shalt thou make for them1 for glory and for beauty4444 ,and thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness2 444 and they shall be upon ,aaron1 and upon his sons1 when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation1 or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place2 that they bear not iniquity and die4 ,here we have ,aaron and his sons1 typifying ,christ and the ,church1 standing in the power of one divine and everlasting righteousness4 ,aaron's priestly robes express those inherent1 essential1 personal1 and eternal qualities in ,christ2 while the coats and bonnets of ,aaron's sons represent those graces with which the ,church is endowed1 in virtue of its association with the great ,head of the priestly family4 ,thus1 in all that has passed before us in this chapter1 we may see with what gracious care ,jehovah made provision for the need of ,his people1 in that ,he allowed them to see the one who was about to act on their behalf1 and to represent them in ,his presence1 clothed with all those robes which directly met their actual condition1 as known to ,him4 ,nothing was left out which the heart could possibly need or desire4 ,they might survey him from head to foot and see that all was complete4 ,from the holy mitre that wreathed his brow1 to the bells and pomegranates on the hem of his garment1 all was as it should be1 because all was according to the pattern shown in the mount--all was according to ,jehovah's estimate of the people's need and of ,his own requirements4 ,but there is yet one point connected with ,aaron's robes which demands the reader's special attention1 and that is the mode in which the gold was introduced in the making of them4 ,this is presented to us in chapter xxxix1 but the interpretation comes in suitably enough in this place4 ,and they did beat the gold into thin plates1 and cut it into wires1 to work it in the blue1 and in the purple1 and in the scarlet1 and in the fine linen1 with cunning work4 7,ver4 #c47 ,we have already remarked that the blue1 the purple1 the scarlet1 and fine twined linen exhibit the various phases of ,christ's manhood1 and the gold represents his divine nature4 ,the wire of gold was curiously insinuated into all the other materials1 so as to be inseparably connected with1 and yet perfectly distinct from1 them4 ,the application of this striking figure to the character of the ,lord ,jesus is full of interest4 ,in various scenes throughout the gospel narrative1 we can easily discern this rare and beauteous union of manhood and ,godhead1 and1 at the same time1 their mysterious distinctness4 ,look1 for example1 at ,christ on the sea of ,galilee4 ,in the midst of the storm ,he was asleep on a pillow 7precious exhibition of ,his perfect manhood672 but in a moment ,he rises from the attitude of real humanity into all the dignity and majesty of ,godhead1 and1 as the supreme ,governor of the universe1 ,he hushes the storm and calms the sea4 ,there is no effort1 no haste1 no girding ,himself up for an occasion4 ,with perfect ease1 ,he rises from the condition of positive humanity into the sphere of essential deity4 ,the repose of the former is not more natural than the activity of the latter4 ,he is as perfectly at home in the one as in the other4 ,again1 see ,him in the case of the collectors of tribute1 at the close of ,matthew xvii4 ,as the ,most ,high ,god1 possessor of heaven and earth1 ,he lays ,his hand upon the treasures of the ocean1 and says1 ,they are ,mine2 and1 having declared that the sea is ,his1 and ,he made it1 ,he turns round and1 in the exhibition of perfect humanity1 ,he links ,himself with ,his poor servant by those touching words1 ,that take1 and give unto them for ,me and thee4 ,gracious words6--peculiarly gracious1 when taken in connection with the miracle so entirely expressive of the ,godhead of the ,one who was thus linking ,himself1 in infinite condescension1 with a poor1 feeble worm4 ,once more1 see ,him at the grave of ,lazarus4 7,john xi47 ,he groans and weeps1 and those groans and tears issue from the profound depths of a perfect manhood--from that perfect human heart which felt1 as no other heart could feel1 what it was to stand in the midst of a scene in which sin had produced such terrible fruits4 ,but then1 as the ,resurrection and the ,life1 as the ,one who held in ,his omnipotent grasp the keys of hell and of death1 ,he cries1 ,lazarus1 come forth6 and death and the grave1 responsive to ,his authoritative voice1 throw open their massy doors and let go their captive4 ,my reader's mind will easily recur to other scenes1 in the gospels1 illustrative of the beautiful combination of the wire of gold with the blue1 the purple1 the scarlet1 and the fine-twined linen2 that is to say1 the union of the ,godhead with the manhood1 in the mysterious ,person of the ,son of ,god4 ,there is nothing new in the thought2 it has often been noticed by those who have studied1 with any amount of care1 the ,scriptures of the ,old ,testament4 ,it is1 however1 always edifying to have the blessed ,lord ,jesus introduced to our thoughts as very ,god and very man4 ,the ,holy ,ghost has1 with cunning workmanship1 wrought the two together and presented them to the renewed mind of the believer to be enjoyed and admired4 ,may we have hearts to appreciate such teaching6 ,let us now1 ere we close this section1 look for a moment at chapter xxix4 ,it has been already remarked that ,aaron and his sons represent ,christ and the ,church1 but in the opening verses of this chapter ,aaron gets the precedency4--,and ,aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation1 and shalt wash them with water4 ,the washing of water rendered ,aaron typically what ,christ is intrinsically--holy4 ,the ,church is holy in virtue of her being linked with ,christ in resurrection life4 ,he is the perfect definition of what she is before ,god4 ,the ceremonial act of washing with water expresses the action of the ,word of ,god4 7,see ,eph4 v4 #bf47 ,then shalt thou take the anointing oil1 and pour it upon his head1 and anoint him4 7,ver4 #g47 ,here we have the ,spirit2 but let it be noted that ,aaron was anointed before the blood was shed1 because he stands before us as the type of ,christ1 who1 in virtue of what ,he was in ,his own ,person1 was anointed with the ,holy ,ghost1 long before the work of the cross was accomplished4 ,the sons of ,aaron1 on the other hand1 were not anointed until after the blood was shed4--,then shalt thou kill the ram1 and take of his blood1 and put it upon the tip of the right ear of ,aaron1 and upon the tip of the right ear of his sons1 and upon the thumb of their right hand1 and upon the great toe of their right foot1 and sprinkle the blood upon the altar round about4#ad ,and thou shalt take of the blood that is upon the altar1 and of the anointing oil1 and sprinkle it upon ,aaron1 and upon his garments1 and upon his sons1 and upon the garments of his sons with him4 7,ver4 #bj1 #ba47 ,as regards the ,church1 the blood of the cross lies at the foundation of every thing4 ,she could not be anointed with the ,holy ,ghost until her risen ,head had gone into heaven1 and laid upon the throne of the divine ,majesty the record of ,his accomplished sacrifice4 ,this ,jesus hath ,god raised up1 whereof we all are witnesses4 ,therefore being by the right hand of ,god exalted1 and having received of the ,father the promise of the ,holy ,ghost1 ,he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear4 7,acts ii4 #cb1 #cc4 ,comp4 also ,john vii4 #ci2 ,acts xix4 #a-f47 ,from the days of ,abel downward1 souls had been regenerated1 influenced1 acted upon1 and qualified for office by the ,holy ,ghost2 but the ,church could not be anointed with the ,holy ,ghost until her victorious ,lord had entered heaven and received1 on her behalf1 the promise of the ,father4 ,the truth of this doctrine is taught1 in the most direct and absolute manner1 throughout the ,new ,testament2 and its strict integrity is maintained1 in the type before us1 by the obvious fact that though ,aaron was anointed before the blood was shed 7ver4 #g471 yet his sons were not1 and could not be1 anointed till after 7ver4 #ba474 #ad ,the ear1 the hand1 and the foot1 are all consecrated to ,god in the power of accomplished atonement1 and by the energy of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,but we learn more from the order of anointing in our chapter than the important truth with respect to the work of the ,spirit and the position of the ,church2 we have also set before us the personal pre-eminence of the ,son4--,thou hast loved righteousness1 and hated iniquity2 therefore ,god1 even ,thy ,god1 hath anointed ,thee with the oil of gladness above ,thy fellows4 7,ps4 xlv4 #g2 ,heb4 i4 #i47 ,this must ever be held fast in the convictions and experience of the people of ,god4 ,true1 the infinite grace of ,god is set forth in the marvelous fact that guilty1 hell-deserving sinners should ever be spoken of in such terms--should ever be styled the fellows of the ,son of ,god2 but let us never for a moment forget the word above4 ,no matter how close the union 7and it is as close as ,god's eternal counsels of redeeming love could make it71 yet in all things ,christ must have the pre-eminence4 ,it could not be otherwise4 ,he is ,head over all1--,head of the ,church1 ,head of creation1 ,head of angels1 ,lord of the universe4 ,there is not a single orb that rolls along the heavens that does not belong to ,him1 and move under ,his control2 there is not a single worm that crawls along the earth which is not under ,his sleepless eye4 ,he is high over all1 the first-begotten from the dead1 and of all creation1 the beginning of the creation of ,god4 ,every family in heaven and earth must range itself1 in the divine category1 under ,christ4 ,all this will ever be thankfully owned by every spiritual mind2 yea1 the very enunciation of it sends a thrill through the ,christian's heart4 ,all who are led of the ,spirit will rejoice in every unfolding of the personal glories of the ,son2 nor can they tolerate1 for a single instant1 any thing derogatory thereto4 ,let the ,church be raised to the loftiest heights of glory1 it will be her joy to bow at the feet of ,him who stooped to raise her1 by virtue of ,his completed sacrifice1 into union with ,himself2 who1 having satisfied1 in the fullest way1 all the claims of divine justice1 can gratify all the divine affections by making her inseparably one with ,himself1 in all ,his infinite acceptableness with the ,father1 and in ,his eternal glory4 ,he is not ashamed to call them brethren4 ,,note4--,i purposely forbear entering upon the subject of the offerings in chapter xxix1 inasmuch as we shall have the various classes of offerings1 in all their minute detail1 fully before us in the book of ,leviticus1 if the ,lord will4 ,,chapter ,,xxx4 ,the priesthood being instituted1 as in the two preceding chapters1 we are here introduced to the position of true priestly worship and communion4 ,the order is marked and instructive1 and1 moreover1 precisely corresponds with the order of the believer's experience4 ,at the brazen altar1 he sees the ashes of his sins2 he then sees himself linked with ,one who1 though personally pure and spotless1 so that ,he could be anointed without blood1 has1 nevertheless1 associated us with ,himself in life1 righteousness1 and favor2 and1 finally1 he beholds1 in the golden altar1 the preciousness of ,christ1 as the material on which the divine affections feed4 ,thus it is ever2 there must be a brazen altar and a priest before there can be a golden altar and incense4 ,very many of the children of ,god have never passed the brazen altar2 they have never yet1 in spirit1 entered into the power and reality of true priestly worship4 ,they do not rejoice in a full1 clear1 divine sense of pardon and righteousness1--they have never reached the golden altar4 ,they hope to reach it when they die2 but it is their privilege to be at it now4 ,the work of the cross has removed out of the way every thing which would act as a barrier to their free and intelligent worship4 ,the present position of all true believers is at the golden altar of incense4 ,this altar typifies a position of wondrous blessedness4 ,there we enjoy the reality and efficacy of ,christ's intercession4 ,forever done with self and all pertaining thereto1 so far as any expectation of good is concerned1 we are to be occupied with what ,he is before ,god4 ,we shall find nothing in self but defilement4 ,every exhibition of it is defiling2 it has been condemned and set aside in the judgment of ,god1 and not a shred or particle thereof is to be found in the pure incense and pure fire1 on the altar of pure gold3 it could not be4 ,we have been introduced1 by the blood of ,jesus1 into the sanctuary--a sanctuary of priestly service and worship1 in which there is not so much as a trace of sin4 ,we see the pure table1 the pure candlestick1 and the pure altar2 but there is nothing to remind us of self and its wretchedness4 ,were it possible for aught of that to meet our view1 it could but prove the death-knell of our worship1 mar our priestly food1 and dim our light4 ,nature can have no place in the sanctuary of ,god4 ,it1 together with all its belongings1 has been consumed to ashes2 and we are now to have before our souls the fragrant odor of ,christ1 ascending in grateful incense to ,god3 this is what ,god delights in4 ,every thing that presents ,christ in ,his own proper excellence is sweet and acceptable to ,god4 ,even the feeblest expression or exhibition of ,him1 in the life or worship of a saint1 is an odor of a sweet smell in which ,god is well pleased4 ,too often1 alas6 we have to be occupied with our failures and infirmities4 ,if ever the workings of indwelling sin be suffered to rise to the surface1 we must deal with our ,god about them1 for ,he cannot go on with sin4 ,he can forgive it1 and cleanse us from it2 ,he can restore our souls by the gracious ministry of our great ,high-,priest2 but ,he cannot go on in company with a single sinful thought4 ,a light or foolish thought1 as well as an unclean or covetous one1 is amply sufficient to mar a ,christian's communion1 and interrupt his worship4 ,should any such thought spring up1 it must be judged and confessed1 ere the elevated joys of the sanctuary can be known afresh4 ,a heart in which lust is working is not enjoying the proper occupations of the sanctuary4 ,when we are in our proper priestly condition1 nature is as though it had no existence2 then we can feed upon ,christ3 we can taste the divine luxury of being wholly at leisure from ourselves1 and wholly engrossed with ,christ4 ,all this can only be produced by the power of the ,spirit4 ,there is no need of seeking to work up nature's devotional feelings1 by the various appliances of systematic religion2 there must be pure fire as well as pure incense4 7,comp4 ,lev4 x4 #a1 with xvi4 #ab47 ,all efforts at worshiping ,god by the unhallowed powers of nature come under the head of strange fire4 ,god is the object of worship2 ,christ the ground and the material of worship2 and the ,holy ,ghost the power of worship4 ,properly speaking1 then1 as in the brazen altar we have ,christ in the value of ,his sacrifice1 so in the golden altar we have ,christ in the value of ,his intercession4 ,this will furnish my reader with a still clearer sense of the reason why the priestly office is introduced between the two altars4 ,there is1 as might be expected1 an intimate connection between the two1 for ,christ's intercession is founded upon ,his sacrifice4 ,and ,aaron shall make an atonement upon the horns of it once in a year with the blood of the sin-offering of atonements3 once in the year shall he make atonement upon it throughout your generations3 it is most holy unto the ,lord4 ,all rests upon the immovable foundation of ,,shed ,,blood4 ,almost all things are by the law purged with blood2 and without shedding of blood is no remission4 ,it was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these2 but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these4 ,for ,christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands1 which are the figures of the true2 but into heaven itself1 now to appear in the presence of ,god for us4 7,heb4 ix4 #bb-bd47 ,from verse #aa-af we have the atonement money for the congregation4 ,all were to pay alike4--,the rich shall not give more1 and the poor shall not give less1 than half a shekel1 when they give an offering unto the ,lord1 to make an atonement for your souls4 ,in the matter of atonement1 all must stand on one common platform4 ,there may be a vast difference in knowledge1 in experience1 in capacity1 in attainment1 in zeal1 in devotedness1 but the ground of atonement is alike to all4 ,the great apostle of the ,gentiles and the feeblest lamb in all the flock of ,christ stand on the same level as regards atonement4 ,this is a very simple and a very blessed truth4 ,all may not be alike devoted and fruitful2 but the precious blood of ,christ1 and not devotedness or fruitfulness1 is the solid and everlasting ground of the believer's rest4 ,the more we enter into the truth and power of this1 the more fruitful shall we be4 ,in the last chapter of ,leviticus we find another kind of valuation4 ,when any one made a singular vow1 ,moses valued him according to his age4 ,in other words1 when any one ventured to assume the ground of capacity1 ,moses1 as the representative of the claims of ,god1 estimated him after the shekel of the sanctuary4 ,if he were poorer than ,moses' estimation1 then he was to present himself before the priest1 the representative of the grace of ,god1 who was to value him according to his ability that vowed4 ,blessed be ,god1 we know that all ,his claims have been answered1 and all our vows discharged1 by ,one who was at once the ,representative of ,his claims and the ,exponent of ,his grace1 who finished the work of atonement upon the cross1 and is now at the right hand of ,god4 ,here is sweet rest for the heart and conscience4 ,atonement is the first thing to get hold of1 and we shall never lose sight of it4 ,let our range of intelligence be ever so wide1 our fund of experience ever so rich1 our tone of devotion ever so elevated1 we shall always have to fall back upon the one simple1 divine1 unalterable1 soul-sustaining doctrine of ,,the ,,blood4 ,thus it has ever been in the history of ,god's people1 thus it is1 and thus it ever will be4 ,the most deeply-taught and gifted servants of ,christ have always rejoiced to come back to that one well-spring of delight1 at which their thirsty spirits drank when first they knew the ,lord2 and the eternal song of the ,church in glory will be1 ,unto ,him that loved us1 and washed us from our sins in ,his own blood4 ,the courts of heaven will ever resound with the glorious doctrine of the blood4 ,from verse #ag-ba we are presented with the brazen laver and its foot--the vessel of washing and the basis thereof4 ,these two are always presented together4 7,see chap4 xxx4 #bh2 xxxviii4 #h2 xl4 #aa47 ,in this laver the priests washed their hands and feet1 and thus maintained that purity which was essential to the proper discharge of their priestly functions4 ,it was not1 by any means1 a question of a fresh presentation of blood2 but simply that action by which they were preserved in fitness for priestly service and worship4--,when they go into the tabernacle of the congregation1 they shall wash with water1 that they die not2 or when they come near to the altar to minister1 to burn offering made by fire unto the ,lord3 so they shall wash their hands and their feet1 that they die not4 ,there can be no true communion with ,god1 save as personal holiness is diligently maintained4 ,if we say that we have fellowship with ,him1 and walk in darkness1 we lie1 and do not the truth4 7#a ,john i4 #f47 ,this personal holiness can only flow from the action of the ,word of ,god on our works and ways4--,by the words of ,thy lips ,i have kept me from the paths of the destroyer4 ,our constant failure in priestly ministry may be accounted for by our neglecting the due use of the laver4 ,if our ways are not submitted to the purgative action of the ,word--if we continue in the pursuit or practice of that which1 according to the testimony of our own consciences1 the ,word distinctly condemns1 the energy of our priestly character will assuredly be lacking4 ,deliberate continuance in evil and true priestly worship are wholly incompatible4 ,sanctify them through ,thy truth3 ,thy ,word is truth4 ,if we have any uncleanness upon us1 we cannot enjoy the presence of ,god4 ,the effect of ,his presence would then be to convict us by its holy light4 ,but when we are enabled1 through grace1 to cleanse our way1 by taking heed thereto according to ,god's ,word1 we are then morally capacitated for the enjoyment of ,his presence4 ,my reader will at once perceive what a vast field of practical truth is here laid open to him1 and also how largely the doctrine of the brazen laver is brought out in the ,new ,testament4 ,oh that all those who are privileged to tread the courts of the sanctuary1 in priestly robes1 and to approach the altar of ,god1 in priestly worship1 may keep their hands and feet clean by the use of the true laver4 ,it may be interesting to note that the laver1 with its foot1 was made of the looking-glasses of the women assembling1 which assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation4 7,see chap4 xxxviii4 #h47 ,this fact is full of meaning4 ,we are ever prone to be like a man beholding his natural face in a glass2 for he beholdeth himself and goeth away1 and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was4 ,nature's looking-glass can never furnish a clear and permanent view of our true condition4 ,but whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty1 and continueth therein1 he being not a forgetful hearer1 but a doer of the work1 this man shall be blessed in his deed4 7,james i4 #bc-be47 ,the man who has constant recourse to the ,word of ,god1 and who allows that ,word to tell upon his heart and conscience1 will be maintained in the holy activities of the divine life4 ,intimately connected with the searching and cleansing action of the ,word is the efficacy of the priestly ministry of ,christ4 ,for the ,word of ,god is quick and powerful i4e41 living and energetic1 and sharper than any two-edged sword1 piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit1 and of the joints and marrow1 and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart2 neither is there any creature that is not manifest in ,his sight2 but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of ,him with whom we have to do4 ,then the inspired apostle immediately adds1 ,seeing then that we have a great ,high-,priest1 that is passed into the heavens1 ,jesus the ,son of ,god1 let us hold fast our profession4 ,for we have not a high-priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities2 but was in all points tempted like as we are1 yet without sin4#ae ,let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace1 that we may obtain mercy1 and find grace to help in time of need4 7,heb4 iv4 #ab-af47 #ae ,literally1 sin excepted 7 72 i4e41 ,he was tempted--tested and tried--in every way from without1 sin excepted1 for sin was not in ,him4 ,the more keenly we feel the edge of the ,word1 the more we shall prize the merciful and gracious ministry of our ,high-,priest4 ,the two things go together4 ,they are the inseparable companions of the ,christian's path4 ,hence1 it is only as ,i am making use of the laver that ,i can approach the altar4 ,worship must ever be presented in the power of holiness4 ,we must lose sight of nature1 as reflected in a looking-glass1 and be wholly occupied with ,christ1 as presented in the ,word4 ,in this way only shall the hands and feet--the works and ways--be cleansed1 according to the purification of the sanctuary4 ,from verse #bb-cc we have the holy anointing oil1 with which the priests1 together with all the furniture of the tabernacle1 were anointed4 ,in this we discern a type of the varied graces of the ,holy ,ghost1 which were found1 in all their divine fullness1 in ,christ4 ,all thy garments smell of myrrh1 and aloes1 and cassia1 out of the ivory palaces1 whereby they have made thee glad4 7,ps4 xlv4 #h47 ,god anointed ,jesus of ,nazareth with the ,holy ,ghost and with power4 7,acts x4 #ch47 ,all the graces of the ,spirit1 in their perfect fragrance1 centred in ,christ2 and it is from ,him alone they can flow4 ,he1 as to ,his humanity1 was conceived of the ,holy ,ghost2 and1 ere ,he entered upon ,his public ministry1 ,he was anointed with the ,holy ,ghost2 and finally1 when ,he had taken ,his seat on high1 in token of an accomplished redemption1 ,he shed forth upon ,his body1 the ,church1 the precious gifts of the ,holy ,ghost4 7,see ,matt4 i4 #bj2 iii4 #af1 #ag2 ,luke iv4 #ah1 #ai2 ,acts ii4 #cc2 x4 #de1 #df2 ,eph4 iv4 #h-ac47 ,it is as those who are associated with this ever-blessed and highly-exalted ,christ that believers are partakers of the gifts and graces of the ,holy ,ghost2 and1 moreover1 it is as they walk in habitual nearness to ,him that they either enjoy or emit the fragrance thereof4 ,the unrenewed man knows nothing of this4 ,upon man's flesh it shall not be poured4 ,the graces of the ,spirit can never be connected with man's flesh1 for the ,holy ,ghost cannot own nature4 ,not one of the fruits of the ,spirit was ever yet produced in nature's barren soil4 ,we must be born again4 ,it is only as connected with the new man1 as being part of the new creation1 that we can know any thing of the fruits of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,it is of no possible value to seek to imitate those fruits and graces4 ,the fairest fruits that ever grew in nature's fields1 in their highest state of cultivation--the most amiable traits which nature can exhibit--must be utterly disowned in the sanctuary of ,god4 ,upon man's flesh shall it not be poured2 neither shall ye make any other like it1 after the composition of it3 it is holy1 and it shall be holy unto you4 ,whosoever compoundeth any like it1 or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger1 shall even be cut off from his people4 ,there must be no counterfeit of the ,spirit's work2 all must be of the ,spirit--wholly1 really of the ,spirit4 ,moreover1 that which is of the ,spirit must not be attributed to man4 ,the natural man receiveth not the things of the ,spirit of ,god2 for they are foolishness unto him3 neither can he know them1 because they are spiritually discerned4 7#a ,cor4 ii4 #ad47 ,there is a very beautiful allusion to this holy anointing oil in one of the songs of degrees4--,behold1 says the ,psalmist1 how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity6 ,it is like the precious ointment upon the head1 that ran down upon the beard1 even ,aaron's beard2 that went down to the skirts of his garments4 7,psalms cxxxiii4 #a1 #b47 ,the head of the priestly house being anointed with the holy oil1 the very skirts of his garments must exhibit the precious effects4 ,may my reader experience the power of this anointing6 ,may he know the value of having an unction from the ,holy ,one1 and of being sealed with that ,holy ,spirit of promise6 ,nothing is of any value in the divine estimation save that which connects itself immediately with ,christ1 and whatever is so connected can receive the holy anointing4 ,in the concluding paragraph of this most comprehensive chapter1 we have the sweet spices tempered together1 pure and holy4 ,this surpassingly precious perfume presents to us the unmeasured and unmeasurable perfections of ,christ4 ,there was no special quantity of each ingredient prescribed1 because the graces that dwell in ,christ1 the beauties and excellencies that are concentrated in ,his adorable ,person1 are without limit4 ,naught save the infinite mind of ,deity could scan the infinite perfections of ,him in whom all the fullness of ,deity dwelleth2 and as eternity rolls along its course of everlasting ages1 those glorious perfections will ever be unfolding themselves in the view of worshiping saints and angels4 ,ever and anon1 as some fresh beams of light shall burst forth from that central ,sun of divine glory1 the courts of heaven above1 and the wide fields of creation beneath1 shall resound with thrilling ,alleluiahs to ,him who was1 who is1 and who ever shall be the object of praise to all the ranks of created intelligence4 ,but not only was there no prescribed quantity of the ingredients2 we also read1 ,of each there shall be a like weight4 ,every feature of moral excellence found its due place and proper proportions in ,christ4 ,no one quality ever displaced or interfered with another2 all was tempered together1 pure and holy1 and emitted an odor so fragrant that none but ,god could appreciate it4 ,and thou shalt beat some of it very small1 and put of it before the testimony in the tabernacle of the congregation1 where ,i will meet with thee3 it shall be unto you most holy4 ,there is uncommon depth and power in the expression very small4 ,it teaches us that every little movement in the life of ,christ1 every minute circumstance1 every act1 every word1 every look1 every feature1 every trait1 every lineament1 emits an odor produced by an equal proportion--a like weight of all the divine graces that compose ,his character4 ,the smaller the perfume was beaten1 the more its rare and exquisite temper was manifested4 ,and as for the perfume which thou shalt make1 ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof2 it shall be unto thee holy for the ,lord4 ,whosoever shall make like unto that1 to smell thereto1 shall even be cut off from his people4 ,this fragrant perfume was designed exclusively for ,jehovah4 ,its place was before the testimony4 ,there is that in ,jesus which only ,god could appreciate4 ,true1 every believing heart can draw nigh to ,his matchless ,person1 and more than satisfy its deepest and most intense longings2 still1 after all ,god's redeemed have drunk to the utmost of their capacity1 after angels have gazed on the peerless glories of the ,man ,christ ,jesus as earnestly as their vision is capable of1--after all1 there will be that in ,him which ,god alone can fathom and enjoy4 ,no human or angelic eye could duly trace the exquisitely minute parts of that holy perfume beaten very small1 nor could earth afford a proper sphere in which to emit its divine and heavenly odor4 ,thus1 then1 we have1 in our rapid sketch1 reached the close of a clearly marked division of our book4 ,we began at the ark of the covenant1 and traveled out to the altar of brass2 we returned from the altar of brass1 and have come to the holy perfume2 and1 oh1 what a journey is this1 if only it be traveled1 not in company with the false and flickering light of human imagination1 but by the infallible lamp of the ,holy ,ghost6 ,what a journey1 if only it be traveled1 not amid the shadows of a by-gone dispensation1 but amid the personal glories and powerful attractions of the ,son which are there portrayed6 ,if my reader has so traveled it1 he will find his affections more drawn to ,christ than ever2 he will have a loftier conception of ,his glory1 ,his beauty1 ,his preciousness1 ,his excellency1 ,his ability to heal a wounded conscience and satisfy a longing heart2 he will have his eyes more thoroughly closed to all earth's attractions1 and his ears closed to all earth's pretensions and promises2--in one word1 he will be prepared to utter a deeper and more fervent ,amen to the words of the inspired apostle when he says1 ,,if ,,any ,,man ,,love ,,not ,,the ,,lord ,,jesus ,,christ1 ,,let ,,him ,,be ,,anathema ,,maran-,,atha4#af 7#a ,cor4 xvi4 #bb47 #af ,it is interesting to note the position of this most solemn and startling denunciation4 ,it occurs at the close of a long epistle in the progress of which the apostle had to rebuke some of the grossest practical evils and doctrinal errors4 ,how solemn1 therefore1 how full of meaning the fact1 that when he comes to pronounce his anathema1 it is not hurled at those who had introduced those errors and evils1 but at the man who loves not the ,lord ,jesus ,christ6 ,why is this8 ,is it because the ,spirit of ,god makes little of errors and evils8 ,surely not3 the entire epistle unfolds ,his thoughts as to these4 ,but the truth is1 when the heart is filled with love to the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 there is an effectual safeguard against all manner of false doctrine and evil practice4 ,if a man does not love ,christ1 there is no accounting for the notions he may adopt1 or the course he may pursue4 ,hence the form and the position of the apostolic anathema4 ,,chapter ,,xxxi4 ,the opening of this brief chapter records the divine call and the divine qualification of ,bezaleel and ,aholiab to do the work of the tabernacle of the congregation4 ,and the ,lord spake unto ,moses1 saying1 ',see1 ,i have called by name ,bezaleel1 the son of ,uri1 the son of ,hur1 of the tribe of ,judah2 and ,i have filled him with the spirit of ,god1 in wisdom1 and in understanding1 and in knowledge1 and in all manner of workmanship4444 ,and ,i1 behold1 ,i have given with him ,aholiab1 the son of ,ahisamach1 of the tribe of ,dan2 and in the hearts of all that are wise-hearted ,i have put wisdom1 that they may make all that ,i have commanded4 ,whether for the work of the tabernacle of old1 or the work of the ministry now1 there should be the divine selection1 the divine call1 the divine qualification1 the divine appointment1 and all must be done according to the divine commandment4 ,man could not select1 call1 qualify1 or appoint to do the work of the tabernacle2 neither can he to do the work of the ministry4 ,furthermore1 no man could presume to appoint himself to do the work of the tabernacle2 neither can he to do the work of the ministry4 ,it was1 it is1 it must be1 wholly and absolutely divine4 ,men may run as sent of their fellow1 or men may run of themselves2 but let it be remembered that all who run without being sent of ,god shall one day or other be covered with shame and confusion of face4 ,such is the plain and wholesome doctrine suggested by the words1 ,i have called1 ,i have filled1 ,i have given1 ,i have put1 ,i have commanded4 ,the words of the ,baptist must ever hold good--,a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven4 7,john iii4 #bg47 ,he can therefore have but little room to boast of himself1 and just as little to be jealous of his fellow4 ,there is a profitable lesson to be learnt from a comparison of this chapter with ,genesis iv4 ,tubal-cain was an instructor of every artificer in brass and iron4 ,the descendants of ,cain were endowed with unhallowed skill to make a cursed and groaning earth a delectable spot1 without the presence of ,god3 ,bezaleel and ,aholiab1 on the contrary1 were endowed with divine skill to beautify a sanctuary which was to be hallowed and blessed by the presence and glory of the ,god of ,israel4 ,reader1 let me ask you just to pause and put this solemn question to your conscience1--,whether am ,i devoting whatever of skill or energy ,i possess to the interests of the ,church which is ,god's dwelling-place1 or to beautify an ungodly1 ,christless world8 ,say not in thine heart1 ,i am not divinely called or divinely qualified for the work of the ministry4 ,remember that though all ,israel were not ,bezaleels or ,aholiabs1 yet all could serve the interests of the sanctuary4 ,there was an open door for all to communicate4 ,thus it is now4 ,each one has a place to occupy1 a ministry to fulfill1 a responsibility to discharge2 and you and ,i are at this moment either promoting the interests of the house of ,god--the body of ,christ--the ,church1 or helping on the ,godless schemes of a world yet stained with the blood of ,christ and the blood of all ,his martyred saints4 ,oh1 let us deeply ponder this1 as in the presence of the great ,searcher of hearts1 whom none can deceive--to whom all are known4 ,our chapter closes with a special reference to the institution of the ,sabbath4 ,it was referred to in chapter xvi1 in connection with the manna2 it was distinctly enjoined in chapter xx1 when the people were formally put under law2 and here we have it again1 in connection with the setting up of the tabernacle4 ,whenever the nation of ,israel is presented in some special position1 or recognized as a people in special responsibility1 then the ,sabbath is introduced4 ,and let my reader carefully note both the day and the mode in which it was to be observed1 and also the object for which it was instituted in ,israel4 ,ye shall keep the ,sabbath1 therefore1 for it is holy unto you3 every one that defileth it shall surely be put to death2 for whosoever doeth any work therein1 that soul shall be cut off from among his people4 ,six days may work be done2 but in the seventh is the ,sabbath of rest1 holy to the ,lord3 whosoever doeth any work in the ,sabbath day1 he shall surely be put to death4 ,this is as explicit and absolute as any thing can be4 ,it fixes the seventh day and none other2 and it positively forbids1 on pain of death1 all manner of work4 ,there can be no avoiding the plain sense of this4 ,and be it remembered that there is not so much as a single line of ,scripture to prove that the ,sabbath has been changed1 or the strict principles of its observance in the smallest degree relaxed4 ,if there be any ,scripture proof1 let my reader look it out for his own satisfaction4 ,now1 let us inquire if indeed professing ,christians do keep ,god's ,sabbath on the day and after the manner which ,he commanded4 ,it were idle to lose time in proving that they do not4 ,well1 what are the consequences of a single breach of the ,sabbath8 ,cut off--put to death4 ,but1 it will be said1 we are not under law1 but under grace4 ,blessed be ,god for the sweet assurance6 ,were we under law1 there is not one throughout the wide range of ,christendom who should not long since have fallen beneath the stone of judgment1 even upon the one solitary point of the ,sabbath4 ,but1 if we are under grace1 what is the day which belongs to us8 ,assuredly1 the first day of the week--the ,lord's day4 ,this is the ,church's day--the resurrection day of ,jesus1 who1 having spent the ,sabbath in the tomb1 rose triumphant over all the powers of darkness2 thus leading ,his people out of the old creation1 and all that pertains thereto1 into the new creation1 of which ,he is the ,head1 and of which the first day of the week is the apt expression4 ,this distinction is worthy of the serious attention of the reader4 ,let him examine it prayerfully in the light of ,scripture4 ,there may be nothing and there may be a great deal in a mere name4 ,in the present instance1 there is a great deal more involved in the distinction between the ,sabbath and the ,lord's day than many ,christians seem to be aware of4 ,it is very evident that the first day of the week gets a place in the ,word of ,god which no other day gets4 ,no other day is ever called by that majestic and elevated title1 ,the ,lord's day4 ,some1 ,i am aware1 deny that ,rev4 i4 #aj refers to the first day of the week2 but ,i feel most fully assured that sound criticism and sound exegesis do both warrant--yea1 demand the application of that passage1 not to the day of ,christ's advent in glory1 but to the day of ,his resurrection from the dead4 ,but most assuredly1 the ,lord's day is never once called the ,sabbath4 ,so far from this1 the two days are again and again spoken of in their proper distinctness4 ,hence1 therefore1 my reader will have to keep clear of two extremes4 ,in the first place1 he will have to avoid the legalism which one finds so much linked with the term ,sabbath2 and1 in the second place1 he will need to bear a very decided testimony against every attempt to dishonor the ,lord's day1 or lower it to the level of an ordinary day4 ,the believer is delivered1 most completely1 from the observance of days1 and months1 and times1 and years4 ,association with a risen ,christ has taken him clean out of all such superstitious observances4 ,but1 while this is most blessedly true1 we see that the first day of the week has a place assigned to it in the ,new ,testament which no other has4 ,let the ,christian give it that place4 ,it is a sweet and happy privilege1 not a grievous yoke4 ,space forbids my further entrance upon this interesting subject4 ,it has been gone into elsewhere1 as already intimated1 in the earlier pages of this volume4 ,i shall close these remarks by pointing out1 in one or two particulars1 the contrast between the ,sabbath and the ,lord's day4 #a4 ,the ,sabbath was the seventh day2 the ,lord's day is the first4 #b4 ,the ,sabbath was a test of ,israel's condition2 the ,lord's day is the proof of the ,church's acceptance1 on wholly unconditional grounds4 ,s4 ,the ,sabbath belonged to the old creation2 the ,lord's day belongs to the new4 #d4 ,the ,sabbath was a day of bodily rest for the ,jew2 the ,lord's day is a day of spiritual rest for the ,christian4 #e4 ,if the ,jew worked on the ,sabbath1 he was to be put to death3 if the ,christian does not work on the ,lord's day1 he gives little proof of life2--that is to say1 if he does not work for the benefit of the souls of men1 the extension of ,christ's glory1 and the spread of ,his truth4 ,in point of fact1 the devoted ,christian who possesses any gift is generally more fatigued on the evening of the ,lord's day than on any other in the week1 for how can he rest while souls are perishing around him8 #f4 ,the ,jew was commanded by the law to abide in his tent2 the ,christian is led by the spirit of the gospel to go forth1 whether it be to attend the public assembly or to minister to the souls of perishing sinners4 ,the ,lord enable us1 beloved reader1 to rest more artlessly in1 and labor more vigorously for1 the name of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ6 ,we should rest in the spirit of a child1 and labor with the energy of a man4 ,,chapter ,,xxxii4 ,we have now to contemplate something very different from that which has hitherto engaged our attention4 ,the patterns of things in the heavens has been before us--,christ in ,his glorious ,person1 gracious offices1 and perfect work1 as set forth in the tabernacle and all its mystic furniture4 ,we have been1 in spirit1 on the mount1 hearkening to ,god's own words--the sweet utterances of ,heaven's thoughts1 affections1 and counsels1 of which ,jesus is the ,alpha and ,omega--the beginning and the ending--the first and the last4 ,now1 however1 we are called down to earth1 to behold the melancholy wreck which man makes of every thing to which he puts his hand4 ,and when the people saw that ,moses delayed to come down out of the mount1 the people gathered themselves together unto ,aaron1 and said unto him1 ',up1 make us gods1 which shall go before us2 for as for this ,moses1 the man that brought us up out of the land of ,egypt1 we wot not what is become of him4' ,what degradation is here6 ,make us gods6 ,they were abandoning ,jehovah1 and placing themselves under the conduct of manufactured gods--gods of man's making4 ,dark clouds and heavy mists had gathered round the mount4 ,they grew weary of waiting for the absent one1 and of hanging on an unseen but real arm4 ,they imagined that a god formed by graving tool was better than ,jehovah1--that a calf which they could see was better than the invisible1 yet every-where-present1 ,god1--a visible counterfeit1 than an invisible reality4 ,alas6 alas6 it has ever been thus in man's history4 ,the human heart loves something that can be seen2 it loves that which meets and gratifies the senses4 ,it is only faith that can endure as seeing ,him who is invisible4 ,hence1 in every age1 men have been forward to set up and lean upon human imitations of divine realities4 ,thus it is we see the counterfeits of corrupt religion multiplied before our eyes4 ,those things which we know1 upon the authority of ,god's ,word1 to be divine and heavenly realities1 the professing ,church has transformed into human and earthly imitations4 ,having become weary of hanging upon an invisible arm1 of trusting in an invisible sacrifice1 of having recourse to an invisible ,priest1 of committing herself to the guidance of an invisible ,head1 she has set about making these things2 and thus1 from age to age1 she has been busily at work1 with graving tool in hand1 graving and fashioning one thing after another1 until we can at length recognize as little similarity between much that we see around us and what we read in the ,word1 as between a molten calf and the ,god of ,israel4 ,make us gods6 ,what a thought6 ,man called upon to make gods1 and people willing to put their trust in such6 ,my reader1 let us look within1 and look around1 and see if we cannot detect something of all this4 ,we read1 in #a ,cor4 x41 in reference to ,israel's history1 that all these things happened unto them for ensamples or types2 and they are written for our admonition1 upon whom the ends of the world are come 7ver4 #aa474 ,let us1 then1 seek to profit by the admonition4 ,let us remember that although we may not just form and bow down before a molten calf1 yet that ,israel's sin is a type of something into which we are in danger of falling4 ,whenever we turn away in heart from leaning exclusively upon ,god ,himself1 whether in the matter of salvation or the necessities of the path1 we are1 in principle1 saying1 ,up1 make us gods4 ,it is needless to say we are not1 in ourselves1 a whit better than ,aaron or the children of ,israel2 and if they acknowledge a calf instead of ,jehovah1 we are in danger of acting on the same principle1 and manifesting the same spirit4 ,our only safeguard is to be much in the presence of ,god4 ,moses knew that the molten calf was not ,jehovah1 and therefore he did not acknowledge it4 ,but when we get out of the divine presence1 there is no accounting for the gross errors and evils into which we may be betrayed4 ,we are called to live by faith2 we can see nothing with the eye of sense4 ,jesus is gone up on high1 and we are told to wait patiently for ,his appearing4 ,god's word1 carried home to the heart in the energy of the ,holy ,ghost1 is the ground of confidence in all things--temporal and spiritual1 present and future4 ,he tells us of ,christ's completed sacrifice2 we1 by grace1 believe1 and commit our souls to the efficacy thereof1 and know we shall never be confounded4 ,he tells us of a great ,high-,priest1 passed into the heavens--,jesus1 the ,son of ,god1 whose intercession is all-prevailing2 we1 by grace1 believe1 and confidingly lean upon ,his ability1 and know we shall be saved to the uttermost4 ,he tells us of the living ,head to whom we are linked1 in the power of resurrection life1 and from whom we can never be severed by any influence1 angelic1 human1 or diabolical2 we1 by grace1 believe1 and cling to that blessed ,head in simple faith1 and know we shall never perish4 ,he tells us of the glorious appearing of the ,son from heaven2 we1 through grace1 believe1 and seek to prove the purifying and elevating power of that blessed hope1 and know we shall not be disappointed4 ,he tells us of an inheritance1 incorruptible1 undefiled1 and that fadeth not away1 reserved in heaven for us1 who are kept by the power of ,god1 for entrance thereinto in due time2 we1 through grace1 believe1 and know we shall never be confounded4 ,he tells us the hairs of our head are all numbered1 and that we shall never want any good thing2 we1 through grace1 believe1 and enjoy a sweetly tranquilized heart4 ,thus it is1 or1 at least1 thus our ,god would have it4 ,but then the enemy is ever active in seeking to make us cast away these divine realities1 take up the graving tool of unbelief1 and make gods for ourselves4 ,let us watch against him1 pray against him1 believe against him1 testify against him1 act against him3 thus he shall be confounded1 ,god glorified1 and we ourselves abundantly blessed4 ,as to ,israel1 in the chapter before us1 their rejection of ,god was most complete4 ,and ,aaron said unto them1 ',break off the golden earrings1 which are in the ears of your wives1 of your sons1 and of your daughters1 and bring them unto me4'444 ,and he received them at their hand1 and fashioned it with a graving tool1 after he had made it a molten calf2 and they said1 ',these be thy gods1 ,o ,israel1 which brought thee up out of the land of ,egypt4' ,and when ,aaron saw it1 he built an altar before it2 and ,aaron made proclamation1 and said1 ',to-morrow is a feast unto the ,lord4' ,this was entirely setting aside ,god1 and putting a calf in ,his stead4 ,when they could say that a calf had brought them up out of ,egypt1 they had evidently abandoned all idea of the presence and character of the true ,god4 ,how quickly they must have turned aside out of the way1 to have made such a gross and terrible mistake6 ,and ,aaron1 the brother and yoke-fellow of ,moses1 led them on in this2 and1 with a calf before him1 he could say1 ,to-morrow is a feast unto ,jehovah6 ,how sad6 ,how deeply humbling6 ,god was displaced by an idol4 ,a thing graven by art and man's device was set in the place of the ,lord of all the earth4 ,all this involved1 on ,israel's part1 a deliberate abandonment of their connection with ,jehovah4 ,they had given ,him up2 and1 accordingly1 we find ,him1 as it were1 taking them on their own ground4 ,and the ,lord said unto ,moses1 ',go1 get thee down2 for thy people1 which thou broughtest out of the land of ,egypt1 have corrupted themselves3 they have turned aside quickly out of the way which ,i commanded them4444 ,i have seen this people1 it is a stiff-necked people3 now therefore let ,me alone1 that ,my wrath may wax hot against them1 and that ,i may consume them3 and ,i will make of thee a great nation4' ,here was an open door for ,moses2 and here he displays uncommon grace1 and similarity of spirit to that ,prophet whom the ,lord was to raise up like unto him4 ,he refuses to be or to have any thing without the people4 ,he pleads with ,god on the ground of ,his own glory1 and puts the people back upon ,him in these touching words1 ,lord1 why doth ,thy wrath wax hot against ,thy people1 which ,thou hast brought up out of the land of ,egypt with great power and a mighty hand8 ,wherefore should the ,egyptians speak and say1 ,for mischief did ,he bring them out1 to slay them in the mountains1 and to consume them from the face of the earth8 ,turn from ,thy fierce wrath1 and repent of this evil against ,thy people4 ,remember ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,israel1 ,thy servants1 to whom ,thou swarest by ,thine own self1 and saidst unto them1 ',i will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven1 and all this land that ,i have spoken of will ,i give unto your seed1 and they shall inherit it forever4' ,this was powerful pleading4 ,the glory of ,god1 the vindication of ,his holy name1 the accomplishment of ,his oath1--these are the grounds on which ,moses entreats the ,lord to turn from ,his fierce wrath4 ,he could not find in ,israel's conduct or character any plea or ground to go upon2 he found it all in ,god ,himself4 ,the ,lord hath said unto ,moses1 ,thy people which thou broughtest up2 but ,moses replies to the ,lord1 ,thy people which ,thou hast brought up4 ,they were the ,lord's people notwithstanding all2 and ,his name1 ,his glory1 ,his oath1 were all involved in their destiny4 ,the moment the ,lord links ,himself with a people1 ,his character is involved1 and faith will ever look at ,him upon this solid ground4 ,moses loses sight of himself entirely ,his whole soul is engrossed with thoughts of the ,lord's glory and the ,lord's people4 ,blessed servant6 ,how few like him6 ,and yet when we contemplate him in all this scene1 we perceive how infinitely he is below the blessed ,master4 ,he came down from the mount1 and when he saw the calf and the dancing1 his anger waxed hot1 and he cast the tables out of his hands1 and break them beneath the mount4 ,the covenant was broken1 and the memorials thereof shattered to pieces2 and then1 having executed judgment in righteous indignation1 he said unto the people1 ',ye have sinned a great sin3 and now ,i will go up unto the ,lord2 peradventure ,i shall make an atonement for your sin4' ,how different is this from what we see in ,christ6 ,he came down from the bosom of the ,father1 not with the tables in ,his hands1 but with the law in ,his heart4 ,he came down1 not to be made acquainted with the condition of the people1 but with a perfect knowledge of what that condition was4 ,moreover1 instead of destroying the memorials of the covenant and executing judgment1 ,he magnified the law and made it honorable1 and bore the judgment of ,his people1 in ,his own blessed ,person1 on the cross2 and1 having done all1 ,he went back to heaven1 not with a peradventure ,i shall make an atonement for your sin1 but to lay upon the throne of the ,majesty in the highest the imperishable memorials of an atonement already accomplished4 ,this makes a vast and truly glorious difference4 ,thank ,god1 we need not anxiously gaze after our ,mediator1 to know if haply ,he shall accomplish redemption for us1 and reconcile offended ,justice4 ,no2 ,he has done it all4 ,his presence on high declares that the whole work is finished4 ,he could stand upon the confines of this world1 ready to take ,his departure1 and1 in all the calmness of a conscious ,victor 7though ,he had yet to encounter the darkest scene of all71 say1 ,i have glorified ,thee on the earth3 ,i have finished the work which ,thou gavest ,me to do4 7,john xvii47 ,blessed ,saviour6 we may well adore ,thee1 and well exult in the place of dignity and glory in which eternal justice has set ,thee4 ,the highest place in heaven belongs to ,thee2 and ,thy saints only wait for the time when every knee shall bow1 and every tongue confess that ,jesus ,christ is ,lord1 to the glory of ,god the ,father4 ,may that time speedily arrive6 ,at the close of this chapter1 ,jehovah asserts ,his rights1 in moral government1 in the following words3 ,whosoever hath sinned against ,me1 him will ,i blot out of ,my book4 ,therefore now go1 lead the people unto the place of which ,i have spoken unto thee3 behold1 ,mine ,angel shall go before thee3 nevertheless1 in the day when ,i visit ,i will visit their sin upon them4 ,this is ,god in government1 not ,god in the gospel4 ,here ,he speaks of blotting out the sinner2 in the gospel ,he is seen blotting out sin4 ,a wide difference6 ,the people are to be sent forward1 under the mediatorship of ,moses1 by the hand of an angel4 ,this was very unlike the condition of things which obtained from ,egypt to ,sinai4 ,they had forfeited all claim on the ground of law1 and hence it only remained for ,god to fall back upon ,his own sovereignty and say1 ,i will be gracious to whom ,i will be gracious1 and will show mercy on whom ,i will show mercy4 ,,chapters ,,xxxiii4 ,,xxxiv4 ,jehovah refuses to accompany ,israel to the land of promise4--,i will not go up in the midst of thee1 7for thou art a stiff-necked people17 lest ,i consume thee in the way4 ,at the opening of this book1 when the people were in the furnace of ,egypt1 the ,lord could say1 ,i have surely seen the affliction of ,my people which are in ,egypt1 and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters2 for ,i know their sorrows4 ,but now ,he has to say1 ,i have seen this people1 and1 behold1 it is a stiff-necked people4 ,an afflicted people is an object of grace2 but a stiff-necked people must be humbled4 ,the cry of oppressed ,israel had been answered by the exhibition of grace2 but the song of idolatrous ,israel must be answered by the voice of stern rebuke4 ,ye are a stiff-necked people3 ,i will come up into the midst of thee in a moment1 and consume thee3 therefore now put off thy ornaments from thee1 that ,i may know what to do unto thee4 ,it is only when we are really stripped of all nature's ornaments that ,god can deal with us4 ,a naked sinner can be clothed2 but a sinner decked with ornaments must be stripped4 ,this is always true4 ,we must be stripped of all that pertains to self ere we can be clothed with that which pertains to ,god4 ,and the children of ,israel stripped themselves of their ornaments by the mount ,horeb4 ,there they stood1 beneath that memorable mount1 their feasting and singing changed into bitter lamentations1 their ornaments gone1 the tables of testimony in fragments4 ,such was their condition1 and ,moses at once proceeds to act according to it4 ,he could no longer own the people in their corporate character4 ,the assembly had become entirely defiled1 having set up an idol of their own making in the place of ,god--a calf instead of ,jehovah4 ,and ,moses took the tabernacle1 and pitched it without the camp1 afar off from the camp1 and called it ',the tabernacle of the congregation4' ,thus the camp was disowned as the place of the divine presence4 ,god was not1 could not1 be there4 ,he had been displaced by a human invention4 ,a new gathering-point was therefore set up4 ,and it came to pass1 that every one which sought the ,lord went out unto the tabernacle of the congregation1 which was without the camp4 ,there is here a fine principle of truth1 which the spiritual mind will readily apprehend4 ,the place which ,christ now occupies is without the camp1 and we are called upon to go forth unto ,him4 ,it demands much subjection to the ,word to be able1 with accuracy1 to know what the camp really is1 and much spiritual power to be able to go forth from it3 and still more to be able1 while far off from it1 to act towards those in it in the combined power of holiness and grace2--holiness1 which separates from the defilement of the camp2 grace1 which enables us to act toward those who are involved therein4 ,and the ,lord spake unto ,moses face to face1 as a man speaketh unto his friend4 ,and he turned again into the camp2 but his servant ,joshua1 the son of ,nun1 a young man1 departed not out of the tabernacle4 ,moses exhibits a higher degree of spiritual energy than his servant ,joshua4 ,it is much easier to assume a position of separation from the camp than to act aright towards those within4 ,and ,moses said unto the ,lord1 ',see1 ,thou sayest unto me4 ,bring up this people2 and ,thou hast not let me know whom ,thou wilt send with me2 yet ,thou hast said1 ,i know thee by name1 and thou hast also found grace in ,my sight4' ,moses entreats the accompanying presence of ,jehovah1 as a proof of their having found grace in ,his sight4 ,were it a question of mere justice1 ,he could only consume them by coming in their midst1 because they were a stiff-necked people2 but directly ,he speaks of grace1 in connection with the mediator1 the very stiff-neckedness of the people is made a plea for demanding ,his presence4--,if now ,i have found grace in ,thy sight1 ,o ,lord1 let my ,lord1 ,i pray ,thee1 go among us2 for it is a stiff-necked people2 and pardon our iniquity and our sin1 and take us for ,thine inheritance4 ,this is touchingly beautiful4 ,a stiff-necked people demanded the boundless grace and exhaustless patience of ,god4 ,none but ,he could bear with them4 ,and ,he said1 ',my presence shall go with thee1 and ,i will give thee rest4' ,precious portion6 ,precious hope6 ,the presence of ,god with us1 all the desert through1 and everlasting rest at the end6 ,grace to meet our present need1 and glory as our future portion6 ,well may our satisfied hearts exclaim1 ,it is enough1 my precious ,lord4 ,in chapter xxxiv4 the second set of tables is given1 not to be broken1 like the first1 but to be hidden in the ark1 above which1 as already noticed1 ,jehovah was to take ,his place1 as ,lord of all the earth1 in moral government4 ,and he hewed two tables of stone like unto the first2 and ,moses rose up early in the morning1 and went up unto ,mount ,sinai1 as the ,lord had commanded him1 and took in his hand the two tables of stone4 ,and the ,lord descended in the cloud1 and stood with him there1 and proclaimed the name of the ,lord4 ,and the ,lord passed by before him1 and proclaimed1 ',the ,lord1 ,the ,lord ,god1 merciful and gracious1 long-suffering1 and abundant in goodness and truth1 keeping mercy for thousands1 forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin1 and that will by no means clear the guilty2 visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children1 and upon the children's children1 unto the third and to the fourth generation4' ,this1 be it remembered1 is ,god as seen in ,his moral government of the world1 and not as ,he is seen in the cross--not as ,he shines in the face of ,jesus ,christ--not as ,he is proclaimed in the gospel of ,his grace4 ,the following is an exhibition of ,god in the gospel3 ,and all things are of ,god1 who hath reconciled us to ,himself by ,jesus ,christ1 and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation2 to wit1 that ,god was in ,christ1 reconciling the world unto ,himself1 ,,not ,,imputing their trespasses unto them2 and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation4 7#b ,cor4 v4 #ah1 #ai47 ,not clearing and not imputing present two totally different ideas of ,god4 ,visiting iniquities and canceling them are not the same thing4 ,the former is ,god in government1 the latter is ,god in the gospel4 ,in #b ,cor4 iii4 the apostle contrasts the ministration recorded in ,exodus xxxiv4 with the ministration of the gospel4 ,my reader would do well to study that chapter with care4 ,from it he will learn that any one who regards the view of ,god's character given to ,moses on ,mount ,horeb as unfolding the gospel1 must have a very defective apprehension indeed of what the gospel is4 ,neither in creation nor yet in moral government do ,i or can ,i read the deep secrets of the ,father's bosom4 ,could the prodigal have found his place in the arms of the ,one revealed on ,mount ,sinai8 ,could ,john have leaned his head on the bosom of that ,one8 ,surely not4 ,but ,god has revealed ,himself in the face of ,jesus ,christ4 ,he has told out1 in divine harmony1 all ,his attributes in the work of the cross4 ,there ,mercy and ,truth have met together1 ,righteousness and ,peace have kissed each other4 ,sin is perfectly put away1 and the believing sinner perfectly justified1 ,,by ,,the ,,blood ,,of ,,the ,,cross4 ,when we get a view of ,god as thus unfolded1 we have only1 like ,moses1 to bow our head toward the earth and worship2--suited attitude for a pardoned and accepted sinner in the presence of ,god6 ,,chapters ,,xxxv4-,,xl4 ,these chapters contain a recapitulation of the various parts of the tabernacle and its furniture2 and inasmuch as ,i have already given what ,i believe to be the import of the more prominent parts1 ,i will not add more4 ,there are1 however1 two things in this section from which we may deduce most profitable instruction1 and these are1 7first7 the voluntary devotedness and 7secondly7 the implicit obedience of the people with respect to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation4 ,and first1 as to their voluntary devotedness1 we read1 ,and all the congregation of the children of ,israel departed from the presence of ,moses4 ,and they came1 every one whose heart stirred him up1 and every one whom his spirit made willing1 and they brought the ,lord's offering to the work of the tabernacle of the congregation1 and for all ,his service1 and for the holy garments4 ,and they came1 both men and women1 as many as were willing-hearted1 and brought bracelets1 and earrings1 and rings1 and tablets1 all jewels of gold3 and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the ,lord4 ,and every man with whom was found blue1 and purple1 and scarlet1 and fine linen1 and goats' hair1 and red skins of rams1 and badgers' skins1 brought them4 ,every one that did offer an offering of silver and brass1 brought the ,lord's offering3 and every man with whom was found shittim wood1 for any work of the service1 brought it4 ,and all the women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands1 and brought that which they had spun1 both of blue1 and of purple1 and of scarlet1 and of fine linen4 ,and all the women whose heart stirred them up in wisdom spun goats' hair4 ,and the rulers brought onyx stones1 and stones to be set1 for the ephod1 and for the breastplate2 and spice1 and oil for the light1 and for the anointing oil1 and for the sweet incense4 ,the children of ,israel brought a willing offering unto the ,lord1 every man and woman1 whose heart made them willing to bring1 for all manner of work which the ,lord had commanded to be made by the hand of ,moses4 7,chap4 xxxv4 #bj-bi47 ,and1 again1 we read1 ,and all the wise men that wrought all the work of the sanctuary1 came every man from his work which they made2 and they spake unto ,moses1 saying1 ',the people bring much more than enough for the service of the work1 which the ,lord commanded to make4'444 ,for the stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it1 and too much4 7,ver4 #d-g47 ,a lovely picture this of devotedness to the work of the sanctuary6 ,it needed no effort to move the hearts of the people to give1 no earnest appeals1 no impressive arguments4 ,oh1 no6 their hearts stirred them up4 ,this was the true way4 ,the streams of voluntary devotedness flowed from within4 ,rulers1 men1 women1--all felt it to be their sweet privilege to give to the ,lord1 not with a narrow heart or niggard hand1 but after such a princely fashion that they had enough1 and too much4 ,then1 as to their implicit obedience1 we read1 ,according to all that the ,lord commanded ,moses1 so the children of ,israel made all the work4 ,and ,moses did look upon all the work1 and1 behold1 they had done it as the ,lord had commanded1 even so had they done it3 and ,moses blessed them4 7,chap4 xxxix4 #db1 #dc47 ,the ,lord had given the most minute instructions concerning the entire work of the tabernacle4 ,every pin1 every socket1 every loop1 every tach1 was accurately set forth4 ,there was no room left for man's expediency1 his reason1 or his common sense4 ,jehovah did not give a great outline and leave man to fill it up4 ,he left no margin whatever in which man might enter his regulations4 ,by no means4 ',see1' saith ,he1 'that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount4' 7,exod4 xxv4 #dj2 xxvi4 #cj2 ,heb4 viii4 #e47 ,this left no room for human device4 ,if man had been allowed to make a single pin1 that pin would most assuredly have been out of place in the judgment of ,god4 ,we can see what man's graving tool produces in chapter xxxii4 ,thank ,god1 it had no place in the tabernacle4 ,they did1 in this matter1 just what they were told--nothing more1 nothing less4 ,salutary lesson this for the professing church6 ,there are many things in the history of ,israel which we should earnestly seek to avoid1--their impatient murmurings1 their legal vows1 and their idolatry2 but in those two things may we imitate them4 ,may our devotedness be more whole-hearted1 and our obedience more implicit6 ,we may safely assert that if all had not been done according to the pattern showed in the mount1 we should not have to read1 then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation1 and the glory of the ,lord filled the tabernacle4 ,and ,moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation1 because the cloud abode thereon1 and the glory of the ,lord filled the tabernacle4 7,chap4 xl4 #cd1 #ce47 ,the tabernacle was in all respects according to the divine pattern1 and therefore it could be filled with the divine glory4 ,there is a volume of instruction in this4 ,we are too prone to regard the ,word of ,god as insufficient for the most minute details connected with ,his worship and service4 ,this is a great mistake--a mistake which has proved the fruitful source of evils and errors in the professing church4 ,the ,word of ,god is amply sufficient for every thing1 whether as regards personal salvation and walk1 or the order and rule of the assembly4 ,all scripture is given by inspiration of ,god1 and is profitable for doctrine1 for reproof1 for correction1 for instruction in righteousness1 that the man of ,god may be perfect1 thoroughly furnished unto all good works4 7#b ,tim4 iii4 #af1 #ag47 ,this settles the question4 ,if the ,word of ,god furnishes a man thoroughly unto all good works1 it follows1 as a necessary consequence1 that whatever ,i find not in its pages cannot possibly be a good work4 ,and1 further1 be it remembered1 that the divine glory cannot connect itself with aught that is not according to the divine pattern4 99 99 99 99 99 ,beloved reader1 we have now traveled together through this most precious book4 ,we have1 ,i fondly hope1 reaped some profit from our study4 ,i trust we have gathered up some refreshing thoughts of ,jesus and ,his sacrifice as we passed along4 ,feeble1 indeed1 must be our most vigorous thoughts1 and shallow our deepest apprehensions1 as to the mind of ,god in all that this book contains4 ,it is happy to remember that1 through grace1 we are on our way to that glory where we shall know even as we are known1 and where we shall bask in the sunshine of ,his countenance who is the beginning and ending of the ways of ,god1 whether in creation1 in providence1 or redemption4 ,to ,him ,i do most affectionately commend you1 in body1 soul1 and spirit4 ,may you know the deep blessedness of having your portion in ,christ1 and be kept in patient waiting for ,his glorious advent4 ,amen4 ,c4 ,h4 ,m4 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's note3 ,variations in spelling1 punctuation and hyphenation have been retained except in obvious cases of typographical error4