,,notes on the book of ,,deuteronomy ,volume ,,ii ,c4 ,h4 ,,mackintosh ,forever1 ,o ,lord1 ,thy ,word is settled in heaven4 ,thy ,word have ,i hid in my heart1 that ,i might not sin against ,thee4 ,,loizeaux ,,brothers ,new ,york ,,first ,,edition #ahhj ,,twenty-,,fifth ,,printing #aied ,,loizeaux ,,brothers1 ,inc41 ,,publishers ,a ,nonprofit ,organization1 ,devoted to the ,lord's ,work and to the ,spread of ,his ,truth #ai ,,west #ba,,st ,,street1 ,,new ,,york #aj1 ,n4 ,y4 ,,printed ,,in ,,the ,,united ,,states ,,of ,,america ,,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 ,,contents ,page4 ,chapter ,,vii1 #a ,,viii1 #cc ,,ix1 #fd ,x1 #gg ,,xi1 #ii ,,xii1 #aba ,,xiii1 #ach ,,xiv1 #agd ,,xv1 #bjd ,,xvi1 #bai ,,xvii1 #bec ,,xviii1 #bhj ,,xix1 #cjb ,,xx1 #cae ,,xxi1 #cbi ,,xxii4-,,xxv1 #cci ,,xxvi1 #ceb ,,xxvii1 #cfe ,,xxviii1 #cgj ,,xxix1 #chh ,,xxx1 #djh ,,xxxi1 #dai ,,xxxii1 #dca ,,xxxiii1 #ded ,,xxxiv1 #dfh ,,notes ,,on ,,the ,,book ,,of ,,deuteronomy ,,chapter ,,vii4 ,when the ,lord thy ,god shall bring thee into the land whither thou goest to possess it1 and hath cast out many nations before thee1 444 seven nations greater and mightier than thou1 and when the ,lord thy ,god shall deliver them before thee1 thou shalt smite them1 and utterly destroy them2 thou shalt make no covenant with them1 nor show mercy unto them4 ,in reading the record of ,god's dealings with the nations1 in connection with ,his people ,israel1 we are reminded of the opening words of ,psalm ci4--,i will sing of mercy and of judgment4 ,we see the display of mercy to ,his people1 in pursuance of ,his covenant with ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob2 and we see also the execution of judgment upon the nations1 in consequence of their evil ways4 ,in the former1 we see divine sovereignty2 in the latter1 divine justice2 in both1 divine glory shines out4 ,all the ways of ,god1 whether in mercy or in judgment1 speak ,his praise1 and shall call forth the homage of ,his people forever4 ,great and marvelous are ,thy works1 ,lord ,god ,almighty2 just and true are ,thy ways1 ,thou ,king of nations4#b ,who shall not fear ,thee1 ,o ,lord1 and glorify ,thy name8 for ,thou art holy2 for all nations shall come and worship before ,thee2 for ,thy judgments are made manifest4 7,rev4 xv4 #c1 #d47 #b ,nations is read by most editors3 ,christ is not called the ,king of saints4 ,this is the true spirit in which to contemplate the ways of ,god in government4 ,some persons1 allowing themselves to be influenced by a morbid feeling and false sentimentality1 rather than by an enlightened judgment1 find difficulty in the directions given to ,israel in reference to the ,canaanites1 in the opening of our chapter4 ,it seems to them inconsistent with a benevolent ,being to command ,his people to smite their fellow-creatures1 and to show them no mercy4 ,they cannot understand how a merciful ,god could commission ,his people to slay women and children with the edge of the sword4 ,it is very plain that such persons could not adopt the language of ,revelation xv4 #c1 #d4 ,they are not prepared to say1 ,just and true are ,thy ways1 ,thou ,king of nations4 ,they cannot justify ,god in all ,his ways2 nay1 they are actually sitting in judgment upon ,him4 ,they presume to measure the actings of divine government by the standard of their own shallow thoughts--to scan the infinite by the finite2 in short1 they measure ,god by themselves4 ,this is a fatal mistake4 ,we are not competent to form a judgment upon the ways of ,god1 and hence it is the very height of presumption for poor1 ignorant1 short-sighted mortals to attempt to do so4 ,we read in the seventh chapter of ,luke that ,wisdom is justified of all her children4 ,let us remember this1 and hush all our sinful reasonings4 ,let ,god be true1 but every man a liar2 as it is written1 ',that ,thou mightest be justified in ,thy sayings1 and mightest overcome when ,thou art judged4' ,is the reader at all troubled with difficulties on this subject8 ,if so1 we should much like to quote a very fine passage which may help him4 ,o give thanks unto the ,lord2 for ,he is good2 for ,his mercy endureth forever4444 ,to ,him that smote ,egypt in their first-born2 for ,his mercy endureth forever2 and brought out ,israel from among them2 for ,his mercy endureth forever2 with a strong hand1 and with a stretched-out arm2 for ,his mercy endureth forever4 ,to ,him which divided the ,red ,sea into parts2 for ,his mercy endureth forever2 and made ,israel to pass through the midst of it2 for ,his mercy endureth forever2 but overthrew ,pharaoh and his host in the ,red ,sea2 for ,his mercy endureth forever4 ,to ,him which smote great kings2 for ,his mercy endureth forever2 and slew famous kings2 for ,his mercy endureth forever2 ,sihon1 king of the ,amorites2 for ,his mercy endureth forever2 and ,og1 the king of ,bashan2 for ,his mercy endureth forever2 and gave their land for a heritage2 for ,his mercy endureth forever2 even a heritage unto ,israel ,his servant2 for ,his mercy endureth forever4 7,ps4 cxxxvi47 ,here we see that the smiting of ,egypt's first-born and the deliverance of ,israel1 the passage through the ,red ,sea and the utter destruction of ,pharaoh's host1 the slaughter of the ,canaanites and giving their lands to ,israel--all alike illustrated the everlasting mercy of ,jehovah4#c ,thus it was1 thus it is1 and thus it shall be4 ,all must redound to the glory of ,god4 ,let us remember this1 and fling to the winds all our silly reasonings and ignorant arguments4 ,it is our privilege to justify ,god in all ,his ways1 to bow our heads in holy worship1 in view of ,his unsearchable judgments1 and rest in the calm assurance that all ,god's ways are right4 ,we do not understand them all2 this would be impossible4 ,the finite cannot grasp the infinite4 ,this is where so many go wrong4 ,they reason upon the actings of ,god's government1 not considering that those actings lie as far beyond the range of human reason as the ,creator is beyond the creature4 ,what human mind can unravel the profound mysteries of divine providence8 ,can we account for the fact of a city full of human beings--men1 women1 and children1 in one hour1 plunged beneath a tide of burning lava8 ,utterly impossible2 and yet this is but one fact of thousands that stand recorded on the page of human history1 all lying far beyond the grasp of the most gigantic intellect4 ,go through the lanes1 alleys1 wynds1 closes1 and court-yards of our cities and towns2 see the thousands of human beings that throng these places1 living in squalid misery1 poverty1 wretchedness1 and moral degradation4 ,can we account for all this8 can we tell why ,god permits it8 are we called upon to do so8 ,is it not perfectly plain to the reader that it is no part of our business to discuss such questions8 and if we1 in our ignorance and stupid folly1 set about reasoning and speculating upon the inscrutable mysteries of the divine government1 what can we expect but utter bewilderment1 if not positive infidelity8 #c ,very many ,christians find considerable difficulty in interpreting and applying the language of a large number of the psalms which call for judgment upon the wicked4 ,such language would1 of course1 be quite unsuitable for ,christians now1 inasmuch as we are taught to love our enemies1 to do good to them that hate us1 and to pray for them that despitefully use us and persecute us4 ,but we must remember that what would be wholly out of place for the ,church of ,god1 a heavenly people1 under grace1 was1 and will yet be1 perfectly consistent for ,israel1 an earthly people1 under government4 ,no intelligent ,christian could think for a moment of calling down vengeance upon his enemies or upon the wicked4 ,it would be grossly inconsistent4 ,we are called to be the living exponents of the grace of ,god to the world--to walk in the footsteps of the meek and lowly ,jesus--to suffer for righteousness--not to resist evil4 ,god is now dealing in long-suffering mercy with the world4 ,he maketh ,his sun to rise on the evil and on the good1 and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust4 ,this is to be our model4 ,we are1 in this1 to be perfect1 even as our ,father which is in heaven is perfect4 ,for a ,christian to deal with the world on the principle of righteous judgment1 would be to misrepresent his heavenly ,father and falsify his profession4 ,but by and by1 when the ,church shall have left the scene1 ,god will deal with the world in righteousness2 ,he will judge the nations for their treatment of ,his people ,israel4 ,we do not attempt to quote passages1 but merely call the reader's attention to the principle1 in order to enable him to understand the just application of the prophetic psalms4 ,the foregoing line of thought will enable the reader to understand the opening lines of our chapter4 ,the ,canaanites were to receive no mercy at the hands of ,israel4 ,their iniquities had reached the culminating point1 and nothing remained but the stern execution of divine judgment4 ,thou shalt smite them1 and utterly destroy them2 thou shalt make no covenant with them1 nor show mercy unto them2 neither shalt thou make marriages with them2 thy daughter thou shalt not give unto his son1 nor his daughter shalt thou take unto thy son4 ,for they will turn away thy son from following ,me1 that they may serve other gods2 so will the anger of the ,lord be kindled against you1 and destroy thee suddenly4 ,but thus shall ye deal with them2 ye shall destroy their altars1 and break down their images1 and cut down their groves1 and burn their graven images with fire4 ,such were the instructions given by ,jehovah to ,his people4 ,they were clear and explicit4 ,no mercy for the ,canaanites1 no covenant with them1 no union1 no fellowship of any kind1 unsparing judgment1 intense separation4 ,we know1 alas6 how soon and how completely ,israel failed to carry out these instructions4 ,hardly had they planted their foot upon the land of ,canaan ere they made a covenant with the ,gibeonites4 ,even ,joshua himself fell into the snare4 ,the tattered garments and mouldy bread of those wily people beguiled the princes of the congregation1 and caused them to act in direct opposition to the plain commandment of ,god4 ,had they been governed by the authority of the ,word1 they would have been preserved from the grave error of making a league with people who ought to have been utterly destroyed2 but they judged by the sight of their eyes1 and had to reap the consequences4#d #d ,it is at once instructive and admonitory to see that the garments1 the mouldy bread1 and the plausible words of the ,gibeonites did what the walls of ,jericho could not do4 ,satan's wiles are more to be dreaded than his power4 ,put on the whole armor of ,god1 that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil4 ,the more deeply we ponder the various parts of the whole armor of ,god1 the more clearly we shall see that they are ranged under these two heads1--obedience and dependence4 ,the soul that is really governed by the authority of the ,word1 and wholly dependent upon the power of the ,spirit1 is fully equipped for the conflict4 ,it was thus the ,man ,christ ,jesus vanquished the enemy4 ,the devil could do nothing with a man who was perfectly obedient and perfectly dependent4 ,may we study1 in this1 as in all beside1 our great ,exemplar4 ,implicit obedience is the grand moral safeguard against the wiles of the enemy4 ,no doubt the story of the ,gibeonites was very plausible1 and their whole appearance gave a show of truth to their statements2 but none of these things should have had the slightest moral weight with ,joshua and the princes2 nor would they1 if they had but remembered the word of the ,lord4 ,but they failed in this4 ,they reasoned on what they saw1 instead of obeying what they had heard4 ,reason is no guide for the people of ,god2 we must be1 absolutely and completely1 guided and governed by the ,word of ,god4 ,this is a privilege of the very highest order1 and it lies within the reach of the simplest and most unlettered child of ,god4 ,the ,father's word1 the ,father's voice1 the ,father's eye1 can guide the youngest1 feeblest child in ,his family4 ,all we need is the lowly and obedient heart4 ,it does not demand great intellectual power or cleverness2 if it did1 what would become of the vast majority of ,christians8 ,if it were only the educated1 the deep-thinking1 and the far-seeing that were capable of meeting the wiles of the adversary1 then verily most of us might give up in despair4 ,but1 thanks be to ,god1 it is not so2 indeed1 on the contrary1 we find1 in looking through the history of the people of ,god in all ages1 that human wisdom1 human learning1 human cleverness1 if not kept in their right place1 have proved a positive snare1 and rendered their possessors only the more efficient tools in the enemy's hand4 ,by whom have most1 if not all1 of the heresies been introduced which have disturbed the ,church of ,god from age to age8 ,not by the simple and the unlearned1 but by the educated and the intellectual4 ,and in the passage to which we have just referred1 in the book of ,joshua1 who was it that made a covenant with the ,gibeonites8 ,the common people8 ,nay2 but the princes of the congregation4 ,no doubt all were involved in the mischief1 but it was the princes that led the way4 ,the heads and leaders of the assembly fell into the snare of the devil through neglect of the plain word of ,god4 ,thou shalt make no covenant with them4 ,could aught be plainer than this8 ,could tattered garments1 old shoes1 and mouldy bread alter the meaning of the divine command1 or do away with the urgent necessity for strict obedience on the part of the congregation8 ,assuredly not4 ,nothing can ever afford a warrant for lowering1 the breadth of a hair1 the standard of obedience to the ,word of ,god4 ,if there are difficulties in the way1 if perplexing circumstances come before us1 if things crop up for which we are not prepared1 and as to which we are unable to form a judgment1 what are we to do8 ,reason8 ,jump to conclusions8 ,act on our own or on any human judgment8 ,most certainly not4 ,what then8 ,wait on ,god2 wait patiently1 humbly1 believingly1 and ,he will assuredly counsel and guide4 ,the meek will ,he guide in judgment2 and the meek will ,he teach ,his way4 ,had ,joshua and the princes acted thus1 they never would have made a league with the ,gibeonites2 and if the reader acts thus1 he will be delivered from every evil work and preserved unto the everlasting kingdom of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,in verse six of our chapter1 ,moses sets before the people the moral ground of the line of action which they were to adopt in reference to the ,canaanites--the rigid separation and the unsparing judgment4 ,for thou art a holy people unto the ,lord thy ,god2 the ,lord thy ,god hath chosen thee to be a special people unto ,himself1 above all people that are upon the face of the earth4 ,the principle here laid down is of the very weightiest character4 ,why were the people to maintain the most marked separation from the ,canaanites8 ,why were they to refuse1 with firm decision1 to make any covenant1 or form any matrimonial alliance with them8 ,why were they to demolish their altars1 break their images1 and cut down their groves8 ,simply because they were a holy people4 ,and who had constituted them a holy people8 ,jehovah4 ,he had chosen them and set ,his love upon them2 ,he had redeemed them1 and separated them to ,himself2 and hence it was ,his province and prerogative to prescribe what they were to be1 and how they were to act4 ,be ye holy1 for ,i am holy4 ,it was not by any means on the principle of ,stand by thyself1 ,i am holier than thou4 ,this is manifest from what follows4 ,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 people2 but because the ,lord loved you1 and because ,he would keep the oath which ,he had sworn unto 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 ,pharaoh king of ,egypt4 7,ver4 #g1 #h47 ,seasonable words these for ,israel6--most healthful and needful6 ,they were to remember that they owed all their dignity1 all their privileges1 all their blessings1 not to aught in themselves--their own goodness or their own greatness1 but simply to the fact of ,jehovah's having identified ,himself with them1 in ,his infinite goodness and sovereign grace1 and in virtue of ,his covenant with their fathers--a covenant ordered in all things and sure4 ,this1 while it furnished a divine antidote against self-complacency and self-confidence1 formed the solid basis of their happiness and their moral security4 ,all rested upon the eternal stability of the grace of ,god1 and therefore human boasting was excluded4 ,my soul shall make her boast in the ,lord2 the humble shall hear thereof and be glad4 ,it is the settled purpose of ,god that no flesh shall glory in ,his presence4 ,all human pretension must be set aside4 ,he will hide pride from man4 ,israel had to be taught to remember their origin and their true condition--bondmen in ,egypt--fewest of all people4 ,no room for pride or boasting4 ,they were in no wise better than the nations around them2 and therefore1 if called to account for their high elevation and moral greatness1 they had simply to trace it all up to the free love of ,god and ,his faithfulness to ,his oath4 ,not unto us1 ,o ,lord1 not unto us1 but unto ,thy name give glory1 for ,thy mercy and for ,thy truth's sake4 7,ps4 cxv4 #a47 ,know therefore that the ,lord thy ,god1 ,he is ,god1 the faithful ,god1 which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love ,him and keep ,his commandments1 to a thousand generations2 and repayeth them that hate ,him to their face1 to destroy them3 ,he will not be slack to him that hateth ,him1 ,he will repay him to his face4 7,ver4 #i1 #aj47 ,we have two weighty facts set before us here1--one1 full of rich consolation and comfort to every true lover of ,god2 the other1 fraught with deep solemnity to every hater of ,god4 ,all who really love ,god and keep ,his commandments may count on ,his infallible faithfulness and tender mercy at all times and under all circumstances4 ,all things work together for good to them that love ,god1 to them who are the called according to ,his purpose4 ,if1 through infinite grace1 we have the love of ,god in our hearts1 and ,his fear before our eyes1 we may move on with good courage and joyful confidence1 assured that all shall be well--must be well4 ,beloved1 if our heart condemn us not1 then have we confidence toward ,god4 ,and whatsoever we ask1 we receive of ,him1 because we keep ,his commandments1 and do those things that are pleasing in ,his sight4 ,this is a grand1 eternal truth--a truth for ,israel1 a truth for the ,church4 ,dispensations make no difference as to this4 ,whether we study the seventh of ,deuteronomy or the third chapter of #a ,john1 we learn the same great practical truth1 that ,god delights in those who fear ,him and love ,him and keep ,his commandments4 ,is there aught of the legal element in this8 ,not a tinge4 ,love and legality have nothing in common2 they are as far removed as the poles4 ,this is the love of ,god1 that we keep ,his commandments2 and ,his commandments are not grievous4 ,the spirit and genius1 the ground and character of our obedience all go to prove it the very reverse of legality4 ,it is our deep and settled conviction that those persons who are ever ready to cry out1 ,legal6 ,legal6 whenever obedience is pressed upon them1 are sadly and grossly mistaken4 ,if indeed it were taught that we must earn by our obedience the high position and relationship of children of ,god1 then verily the solemn charge of legality might justly be urged2 but to bestow such an epithet on ,christian obedience1 is1 we repeat1 a serious moral mistake4 ,obedience could never precede sonship1 but sonship should ever be followed by obedience4 ,and while we are on this subject1 we must call the attention of the reader to a passage or two of ,new-,testament scripture as to which there is a want of clearness in many minds4 ,in the fifth chapter of ,matthew1 we read1 ,ye have heard that it hath been said1 ',thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy2' but ,i say unto you1 ,love your enemies1 bless them that curse you1 do good to them that hate you1 and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you2 that ye may be the sons of your ,father which is in heaven2 for ,he maketh ,his sun to rise on the evil and on the good1 and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust4444 ,be ye therefore perfect1 even as your ,father which is in heaven is perfect4 7,ver4 #dc-dh47 ,this passage might1 in the judgment of some1 seem to teach that the relationship of children can be attained by a certain line of action2 but it is not so4 ,it is a question of moral conformity or suitability to the character and ways of our ,father4 ,we sometimes hear1 in every-day life1 the saying1 ,you would not be your father's son if you were to act in such a way4 ,it is as though our ,lord had said1 ,if you want to be the sons of your heavenly ,father1 you must act in grace to all2 for that is what ,he is doing4 ,again1 in #b ,corinthians vi4 we read1 ,wherefore come out from among them1 and be ye separate1 saith the ,lord1 and touch not the unclean2 and ,i will receive you1 and will be a ,father unto you1 and ye shall be ,my sons and daughters1 saith the ,lord ,almighty4 ,here1 it is not a question of the secret relationship of children1 formed by a divine operation1 but the public acknowledgment of the position of sons as the result of our separation from evil4#e #e ,speaking in a general way1 the word 1 child1 is a term of endearment2 1 son1 of moral dignity4 is either a child or a servant3 1 a babe4 ,it will be well for the reader to seize this important distinction2 it is of great practical value4 ,we do not become children by separation from the world1 for ye are all the children of ,god by faith in ,christ ,jesus4 ,as many as received ,him1 to them gave ,he power or authority1 to become children of ,god1 to them that believe on ,his name2 which were born1 not of blood1 nor of the will of the flesh1 nor of the will of man1 but of ,god4 7,gal4 iii4 #bf2 ,john i4 #ab1 #ac47 ,of ,his own will begat ,he us by the word of truth4 7,james i4 #ah47 ,we become children by new birth1 which1 thanks be to ,god1 is a divine operation from first to last4 ,what had we to do with our natural birth8 ,nothing4 ,and what have we to do with our spiritual birth8 ,clearly nothing4 ,but then we must remember that ,god can only identify ,himself with1 and publicly acknowledge those who1 through grace1 seek to walk in a way worthy of ,him--a way befitting the sons and daughters of the ,lord ,almighty4 ,if our ways are unlike ,him1 if we are mixed up with all sorts of wrong things1 if we are unequally yoked together with unbelievers1 how can we expect ,god to own us as ,his sons8 ,we read1 in ,hebrews xi1 of those who confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth1 and who declared plainly that they sought a country2 and of them we are told that ,god was not ashamed to be called their ,god4 ,he could publicly identify ,himself with them1 and acknowledge them2 ,he could own them as ,his4 ,reader1 let us seriously apply our hearts to the consideration of this great practical question4 ,let us look1 seriously and honestly1 to our ways4 ,let us1 in truthfulness and uprightness of heart1 inquire whether we are unequally yoked together with unbelievers1 on any ground1 or for any object whatsoever4 ,if so1 let us give earnest heed to the words1 ,come out from among them1 and be ye separate1 and touch not the unclean thing4 ,it may be that the carrying out of this holy commandment will expose us to the charge of bigotry1 narrowness1 and intolerance2 it may wear the aspect of pharisaic pride and self-complacency4 ,we may be told1 we are not to judge1 or set ourselves up to be holier or better than other people4 ,to all this line of argument we have the one simple1 conclusive answer1 namely1 ,god's plain command4 ,he tells us to be separate1 to come out1 to touch not the unclean2 and all this in order to ,his receiving us1 and acknowledging us as ,his sons and daughters4 ,this ought to be quite sufficient for us4 ,let people think or say what they will of us1--let them call us what they please2 ,god will settle the matter with them1 sooner or later2 our duty is to separate ourselves from unbelievers1 if we would be received and owned of ,god4 ,if believers are mixed up with unbelievers1 how are they to be known or distinguished as the sons and daughters of the ,lord ,almighty8 ,but we may perhaps be asked1 ,how are we to know who are unbelievers8 ,all profess to be ,christians--all take the ground of belonging to ,christ3 we are not surrounded by ignorant heathen1 or unbelieving ,jews2 how then are we to judge8 ,it was plain enough in the early days of ,christianity1 when the apostle wrote his epistle to the assembly at ,corinth--then the line of demarkation was as clear as a sunbeam2 there were the three distinct classes--the ,jew1 the ,gentile1 and the ,church of ,god2 but now all is changed1--we live in a ,christian land1 under a ,christian government1 we are surrounded on all hands by ,christians1 and therefore #b ,corinthians vi4 cannot apply to us2 it was all very well when the ,church was in its infancy1 having just emerged from ,judaism on the one hand and heathenism on the other1 but to think of applying such a principle at this advanced stage of the ,church's history1 is wholly out of the question4 ,to all who take this ground1 we would put a very plain question1--,is it true that the ,church has reached a stage of her history in which the ,new ,testament is no longer her guide and authority8 ,have we got beyond the range of holy ,scripture8 ,if so1 what are we to do8 whither are we to turn for guidance8 ,if we admit for a moment that #b ,corinthians vi4 does not apply to ,christians now1 what warrant have we for appropriating to ourselves any portion of the ,new ,testament8 ,the fact is1 ,scripture is designed for the ,church of ,god as a whole1 and for each member of that ,church in particular2 and hence1 as long as the ,church is on earth1 so long will the ,scripture apply4 ,to question this is to offer a flat contradiction to the words of the inspired apostle when he tells us that the holy ,scriptures are able to make us wise unto salvation--that is1 wise right onward to the day of glory1 for such is the blessed force of the word salvation in #b ,timothy iii4 #ae4 ,we want no new light--no fresh revelation2 we have all truth within the covers of our precious ,bible4 ,thank ,god for it6 ,we do not want science or philosophy to make us wise4 ,all true science and all sound philosophy will leave untouched the testimony of holy ,scripture2 they cannot add to it1 but they will not contradict it4 ,when infidels talk to us about progress1 development1 the light of science1 we fall back1 in holy confidence and tranquillity1 upon those precious words1 all truth1 wise unto salvation4 ,it is blessedly impossible to get beyond these4 ,what can be added to all truth8 ,what more do we or can we want than to be made wise right onward to the coming of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ8 ,and further1 let us remember that there is no change whatever in the relative position of the ,church and the world4 ,it is as true to-day as it was eighteen hundred and fifty years ago1 when our ,lord uttered the words1 that ,his people are not of the world1 even as ,he ,himself is not of the world4 7,john xvii47 ,the world is the world still4 ,it may1 in some places1 have changed its dress1 but not its true character1 spirit1 and principles4 ,hence1 therefore1 it is as wrong to-day for ,christians to be unequally yoked together with unbelievers as it was when ,paul penned his epistle to the ,church at ,corinth4 ,we cannot get over this2 we cannot set aside our responsibility in this matter4 ,it will not1 by any means1 meet the case to say1 ,we must not judge4 ,we are bound to judge4 ,if we refuse to judge1 we refuse to obey1 and what is this but positive rebellion8 ,god says1 ,come out from among them and be ye separate2 if we reply1 ,we cannot judge1 where are we8 ,the fact is1 we are absolutely commanded to judge4 ,do not ye judge them that are within8 but them that are without ,god judgeth4 7#a ,cor4 v4 #ab1 #ac47 ,but we shall not pursue this line of argument any further4 ,we trust the reader is one who fully owns the direct application to himself of the passage which we have just quoted4 ,it is as plain as it is pointed2 it calls upon all ,god's people to come out and be separate1 and touch not the unclean thing4 ,this is what ,god requires of ,his people1 in order to ,his owning them as ,his2 and surely it ought to be the deep and earnest desire of our hearts to respond to ,his gracious will in this matter1 utterly regardless of the world's thoughts respecting us4 ,some of us are very much afraid of being thought narrow and bigoted2 but1 oh1 how little it imports to a truly devoted heart what men think of us6 ,human thoughts perish in an hour4 ,when we are manifested before the judgment-seat of ,christ1 when we stand in the full blaze of the glory1 what will it matter to us whether men considered us narrow or broad1 bigoted or liberal8 and what should it matter to us now8 ,not the weight of a feather4 ,our one grand object should be1 so to act--so to carry ourselves as to be acceptable to ,him who has made us accepted4 ,may it be so with the writer and the reader1 and with every member of the body of ,christ8 ,let us now turn1 for a moment1 to the weighty and very solemn truth presented to us in verse #aj of our chapter4 ,he will not be slack to him that hateth ,him1 ,he will repay him to his face4 ,if the lovers of ,god are comforted in verse #i1 and most blessedly encouraged to keep ,his commandments1 the haters of ,god are called to hearken to a warning note in verse #aj4 ,there is a time coming when ,god will deal personally1 face to face1 with ,his enemies4 ,how awful the thought that any one should be a hater of ,god--a hater of that ,one who is said to be and who is ,light and ,love2 the very fountain of goodness1 the ,author and ,giver of every good and perfect gift1 the ,father of lights2 the ,one whose liberal hand supplies the need of every living thing1 who hears the cry of the young ravens1 and quenches the thirst of the wild ass2 the infinitely good1 the only wise1 the perfectly holy ,god1 the ,lord of all power and might1 the creator of the ends of the earth1 and the ,one who has power to destroy both soul and body in hell6 ,only think1 reader1 of any one being a hater of such a ,one as ,god2 and we know that all who are not lovers must be haters4 ,people may not see this2 very few would be disposed to own themselves to be absolute haters of ,god1 but there is no neutral ground in this great question2 we must either be for or against2 and in point of fact1 people are not slow in showing their colors4 ,it often happens that the heart's deep-seated enmity to ,god comes out in hatred to ,his people1 to ,his ,word1 ,his worship1 ,his service4 ,how frequently do we hear such expressions as1 ,i hate religious people1 ,i hate all cant1 ,i hate preachers6 ,the truth is1 it is ,god ,himself that is hated4 ,the carnal mind is enmity against ,god2 it is not subject to the law of ,god1 neither indeed can be2 and this enmity comes out in reference to every one and every thing connected with ,god4 ,there lies deep down in every unconverted heart the most positive enmity to ,god4 ,every man in his natural state hates ,god4 ,now1 ,god declares1 in ,deuteronomy vii4 #aj1 that ,he will not be slack to him that hateth ,him2 ,he will repay him to his face4 ,this is a most solemn truth1 and one which ought to be more pressed upon the attention of all whom it may concern4 ,men do not like to hear it2 many affect and profess not to believe it4 ,they would fain persuade themselves and persuade others also that ,god is too good1 too kind1 too merciful1 too benevolent1 to deal in stern judgment with ,his creatures4 ,they forget that ,god's ways in government are as perfect as ,his ways in grace4 ,they imagine that the government of ,god will pass over or deal lightly with evil and evil-doers4 ,this is a most miserable and fatal mistake1 and men will find it to be so to their heavy and eternal cost4 ,true it is1 blessed be ,god1 ,he can1 in ,his rich sovereign grace and mercy1 forgive us our sins1 blot out our transgressions1 cancel our guilt1 justify us perfectly1 and fill our hearts with the spirit of adoption2 but this is another thing altogether4 ,this is grace reigning through righteousness unto eternal life by ,jesus ,christ our ,lord4 ,it is ,god1 in ,his wondrous love1 providing righteousness for the poor1 guilty1 hell-deserving sinner who knows and feels and owns that he has no righteousness of his own1 and never could have it4 ,god1 in the marvelous love of ,his heart1 has provided a means whereby ,he can be just and the justifier of every poor broken-hearted1 bankrupt sinner that simply believes in ,jesus4 ,but how1 we may ask1 was all this done8 ,was it by passing over sin1 as though it were nothing8 was it by relaxing the claims of the divine government1 lowering the standard of divine holiness1 or touching1 in the most remote way1 the dignity1 stringency1 and majesty of the law8 ,no2 thanks and praise to redeeming love1 it was the very reverse4 ,never was there or could there be a more terrible expression of ,god's eternal hatred of sin1 or of ,his unflinching purpose to condemn it utterly and punish it eternally2 never was there or could there be a more glorious vindication of the divine government1 a more perfect maintenance of the standard of divine holiness1 truth1 and righteousness2 never was the law more gloriously vindicated or more thoroughly established than by that most glorious scheme of redemption1 planned1 executed1 and revealed by the ,eternal ,three in ,one1--planned by the ,father1 executed by the ,son1 and revealed by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,if we would have a just sense of the awful reality of the government of ,god1 ,his wrath against sin1 and the true character of ,his holiness1 we must gaze at the cross2 we must hearken to that bitter cry that issued from the heart of the ,son of ,god and broke through the dark shadows of ,calvary1 ,my ,god1 ,my ,god1 why hast ,thou forsaken ,me8 ,never had such a question been asked before1 never has such a question been asked since1 and never shall--never can such a question be asked again4 ,whether we consider the ,one who asked it1 the ,one of whom it was asked1 or the answer1 we must see that the question stands absolutely alone in the annals of eternity4 ,the cross is the measure of ,god's hatred of sin1 as it is the measure of ,his love to the sinner4 ,it is the imperishable foundation of the throne of grace1 the divinely righteous ground on which ,god can pardon our sins and constitute us perfectly righteous in a risen and glorified ,christ4 ,but then if men despise all this1 and persist in their hatred of ,god1 and yet talk of ,his being too good and too kind to punish evil-doers1 how will it be with them8 ,he that obeyeth not the ,son shall not see life1 but the wrath of ,god abideth upon him4 7,john iii4 #cf47f ,can it be possible--can we believe for a moment that a just ,god should exercise judgment upon ,his only begotten ,son1 ,his well-beloved1 ,his eternal delight1 because ,he was bearing our sins in ,his own body on the tree1 and yet allow impenitent sinners to escape8 ,had ,jesus1 the spotless1 holy1 perfect ,man--the only perfect ,man that ever trod this earth--had ,he to suffer for sins1 the just for the unjust1 and shall evil-doers1 unbelievers1 and haters of ,god be saved and blessed and taken to heaven8 and all this1 forsooth1 because ,god is too kind and too good to punish sinners in hell forever6 ,did it cost ,god the giving up1 the forsaking1 and the bruising of ,his beloved ,son in order to save ,his people from their sins1 and shall ungodly sinners1 despisers1 and rebels be saved in their sins8 ,did the ,lord ,jesus ,christ die for nothing8 did ,jehovah put ,him to grief and hide ,his face from ,him when there was no necessity8 ,why the awful horrors of ,calvary8 why the three hours' darkness8 why that bitter cry1 ,my ,god1 ,my ,god1 why hast ,thou forsaken ,me8--why all this if sinners can get to heaven without it8 ,why all this inconceivable sorrow and suffering for our blessed ,lord if ,god is too kind and too gracious and too tender to send sinners to hell8 #f ,john iii4 #cf is a passage of immense weight and importance4 ,it not only sets forth the great truth that all who believe in the ,son of ,god are the privileged possessors of eternal life1 but it also cuts up by the roots two leading heresies of the day1 namely1 universalism and annihilationism4 ,the universalist professes to believe that1 ultimately1 all shall be restored and blessed4 ,not so1 says our passage2 for those who obey not the ,son shall not see life4 ,the annihilationist professes to believe that all who are out of ,christ shall perish like the beasts4 ,not so1 for the wrath of ,god abideth upon the disobedient4 ,abiding wrath and annihilation are wholly incompatible4 ,it is utterly impossible to reconcile them4 ,it is interesting and instructive to notice the difference between the words --he that believeth--and --he that obeyeth not4 ,they give us the two sides of the subject of faith4 ,what egregious folly6 ,what will not men believe1 provided it be not the truth of ,god8 ,the poor dark human mind will affect to believe the most monstrous absurdity in order to get a plea for rejecting the plain teaching of holy ,scripture4 ,the very thing which men would never think of attributing to a good human government they do not hesitate to attribute to the government of the only wise1 the only true1 the only just ,god4 ,what should we think of a government that could not or would not punish evil-doers8 ,would we like to live under it8 ,what should we think of the government of ,england if1 because her majesty is so kind1 so gracious1 so tender-hearted1 she could not allow criminals to be punished as the law directs8 ,who would care to live in ,england8 ,reader1 do you not see how that one verse which is now before us demolishes completely all the theories and arguments which men1 in their folly and ignorance1 have advanced on the subject of the divine government8 ,the ,lord thy ,god1 ,he is ,god1 the faithful ,god1 which 444 repayeth them that hate ,him to their face1 to destroy them2 ,he will not be slack to him that hateth ,him1 ,he will repay him to his face4 ,oh that men would hearken to the ,word of ,god6 that they would be warned by its clear1 emphatic1 and solemn statements as to coming wrath1 judgment1 and eternal punishment6 that1 instead of seeking to persuade themselves and others that there is no hell1 no deathless worm and unquenchable fire1 no eternal torment1 they would listen to the warning voice1 and1 ere it be too late1 flee for refuge to the hope set before them in the gospel6 ,truly this would be their wisdom4 ,god declares that ,he will repay those that hate ,him4 ,how awful the thought of this repayment6 ,who can meet it8 ,the government of ,god is perfect1 and because it is so1 it is utterly impossible that it can allow evil to pass unjudged4 ,nothing can be plainer than this4 ,all ,scripture1 from ,genesis to ,revelation1 sets it forth in terms so clear and forcible as to render it the very height of folly for men to argue against it4 ,how much better and wiser and safer to flee from the wrath to come than to deny that it is coming1 and that when it does come1 it will be eternal in its duration4 ,it is utterly vain for any one to attempt to reason in opposition to the truth of ,god4 ,every word of ,god shall stand forever4 ,we see the actings of ,his government in reference to ,his people ,israel1 and in reference to ,christians now4 ,did ,he pass over evil in ,his people of old8 ,nay2 on the contrary1 ,he visited them continually with ,his chastening rod1 and this1 too1 just because they were ,his people1 as ,he said to them by ,his prophet ,amos--,hear this word which the ,lord hath spoken against you1 ,o children of ,israel1 against the whole family which ,i brought up from the land of ,egypt1 saying1 ',you only have ,i known of all the families of the earth2 therefore ,i will punish you for all your iniquities4' 7,amos iii4 #a1 #b47 ,we have the same weighty principle set forth in the first epistle of ,peter1 in its application to ,christians now4--,for the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of ,god2 and if it first begin at us1 what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of ,god8 ,and if the righteous scarcely be saved1 where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear8 7,chap4 iv4 #ag1 #ah47 ,god chastens ,his own just because they are ,his own1 and that they may not be condemned with the world4 7#a ,cor4 xi47 ,the children of this world are allowed to go on their way2 but their day is coming--a dark and heavy day--a day of judgment and unmitigated wrath4 ,men may question and argue and reason1 but ,scripture is distinct and emphatic4 ,god hath appointed a day in which ,he will judge the world in righteousness1 by that ,man whom ,he hath ordained4 ,the great day of reckoning is at hand1 when ,god will repay every man to his face4 ,it is truly edifying to mark the way in which ,moses1 that beloved and honored servant of ,god1 led assuredly by the ,spirit of ,god1 pressed the grand and solemn realities of the divine government upon the conscience of the congregation4 ,hear how he pleads and exhorts3 ,thou shalt therefore keep the commandments1 and the statutes1 and the judgments1 which ,i command thee this day1 to do them4 ,wherefore it shall come to pass1 if ye hearken to these judgments1 and keep and do them1 that the ,lord thy ,god shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which ,he sware unto thy fathers4 ,and ,he will love thee1 and bless thee1 and multiply thee2 ,he will also bless the fruit of thy womb1 and the fruit of thy land1 thy corn1 and thy wine1 and thine oil1 the increase of thy kine1 and the flocks of thy sheep1 in the land which ,he sware unto thy fathers to give thee4 ,thou shalt be blessed above all people2 there shall not be male nor female barren among you or among your cattle4 ,and the ,lord will take away from thee all sickness1 and will put none of the evil diseases of ,egypt1 which thou knowest1 upon thee2 but will lay them upon all them that hate thee4 ,and thou shalt consume all the people which the ,lord thy ,god shall deliver thee2 thine eye shall have no pity upon them2 neither shalt thou serve their gods2 for that will be a snare unto thee4 7,ver4 #aa-af47 ,what a powerful appeal6 how affecting6 ,mark the two groups of words4 ,israel was to hearken1 keep1 and do4 ,jehovah was to love1 bless1 and multiply4 ,alas6 alas6 ,israel failed--sadly1 shamefully failed1 under law and under government2 and hence1 instead of the love and the blessing and the multiplying1 there has been judgment1 curse1 barrenness1 dispersion1 desolation4 ,but1 blessed be the ,god of ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob1 the ,god and ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 if ,israel has failed under law and government1 ,he has not failed in ,his rich and precious sovereign grace and mercy4 ,he will keep the covenant and the mercy which ,he sware unto their fathers4 ,not one jot or tittle of ,his covenant-promise shall ever fail4 ,he will make all good by and by4 ,he will fulfill1 to the very letter1 all ,his gracious promises4 ,though ,he cannot do this on the ground of ,israel's obedience1 ,he can and will do it through the blood of the everlasting covenant1 the precious blood of ,jesus1 ,his eternal ,son--all homage to ,his peerless name6 ,yes1 reader1 the ,god of ,israel cannot suffer one of ,his precious promises to fall to the ground4 ,what would become of us if ,he could8 ,what security1 what rest1 what peace could we have1 if ,jehovah's covenant with ,abraham were to fail in any single point8 ,true it is that ,israel has forfeited all claim4 ,if it be a question of fleshly descent1 ,ishmael and ,esau have a prior claim3 if it be a question of legal obedience1 the golden calf and the broken tables tell their melancholy tale3 if it be a question of government on the ground of the ,moab covenant1 they have not a single plea to urge4 ,but ,god will be ,god1 spite of ,israel's lamentable unfaithfulness4 ,the gifts and calling of ,god are without repentance1 and hence all ,israel shall be saved4 ,god will most assuredly make good ,his oath to ,abraham1 spite of all the wreck and ruin of ,abraham's seed4 ,we must steadfastly hold to this1 in the face of every opposing thought1 feeling1 or opinion4 ,israel shall be restored and blessed and multiplied in their own beloved and holy land4 ,they shall take down their harps from the willows and1 beneath the peaceful shade of their own vines and fig-trees1 chant the high praises of their loving ,saviour and ,god1 throughout that bright millennial ,sabbath which lies before them4 ,such is the unvarying testimony of ,scripture1 from beginning to end1 which must be maintained in its integrity1 and made good in every particular1 to the glory of ,god1 and on the ground of ,his everlasting covenant4 ,but we must return to our chapter1 the closing verses of which demand our special attention4 ,it is very touching and beautiful to mark the way in which ,moses seeks to encourage the heart of the people in reference to the dreaded nations of ,canaan4 ,he enters into and anticipates their very inmost thoughts and feelings4 ,if thou shalt say in thine heart1 ,these nations are more than ,i2 how can ,i dispossess them8 ,thou shalt not be afraid of them2 but shalt well remember what the ,lord thy ,god did unto ,pharaoh1 and unto all ,egypt2 the great temptations which thine eyes saw1 and the signs1 and the wonders1 and the mighty hand1 and the stretched-out arm1 whereby the ,lord thy ,god brought thee out3 so shall the ,lord thy ,god do unto all the people of whom thou art afraid4 ,moreover1 the ,lord thy ,god will send the hornet among them1 until they that are left1 and hide themselves from thee1 be destroyed4 ,thou shalt not be affrighted at them2 for the ,lord thy ,god is among you1 a mighty ,god and terrible4 ,and the ,lord thy ,god will put out those nations before thee by little and little2 thou mayest not consume them at once1 lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee4 ,but the ,lord thy ,god shall deliver them unto thee1 and shall destroy them with a mighty destruction1 until they be destroyed4 ,and ,he shall deliver their kings into thine hand1 and thou shalt destroy their name from under heaven2 there shall no man be able to stand before thee1 until thou have destroyed them4 ,the graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire2 thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them1 nor take it unto thee1 lest thou be snared therein2 for it is an abomination to the ,lord thy ,god4 ,neither shalt thou bring an abomination into thine house1 lest thou be a cursed thing like it2 but thou shalt utterly detest it1 and thou shalt utterly abhor it1 for it is a cursed thing4 7,ver4 #ag-bf47 ,the grand remedy for all unbelieving fears is1 simply to fix the eye upon the living ,god2 thus the heart is raised above the difficulties1 whatever they may be4 ,it is of no possible use to deny that there are difficulties and opposing influences of all sorts4 ,this will not minister comfort and encouragement to the sinking heart4 ,some people affect a certain style of speaking of trials and difficulties which just goes to prove1 not their practical knowledge of ,god1 but their profound ignorance of the stern realities of life4 ,they would fain persuade us that we ought not to feel the trials1 sorrows1 and difficulties of the way4 ,they might as well tell us that we ought not to have a head on our shoulders or a heart in our bosom4 ,such persons know not how to comfort those that are cast down4 ,they are mere visionary theorists1 wholly unfit to deal with souls passing through conflict or grappling with the actual facts of our daily history4 ,how did ,moses seek to encourage the hearts of his brethren8 ,be not affrighted1 he says2 but why8 ,was it that there were no enemies1 no difficulties1 no dangers8 ,no2 but the ,lord thy ,god is among you1 a mighty ,god and terrible4 ,here is the true comfort and encouragement4 ,the enemies were there1 but ,god is the sure resource4 ,thus it was that ,jehoshaphat1 in his time of trial and pressure1 sought to encourage himself and his brethren4 ,o our ,god1 wilt ,thou not judge them8 ,for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us1 neither know we what to do2 but our eyes are upon ,thee4 ,here lies the precious secret4 ,the eyes are upon ,god4 ,his power is brought in1 and this settles every thing4 ,if ,god be for us1 who can be against us8 ,moses meets1 by his precious ministry1 the rising fears in the heart of ,israel--,these nations are more than ,i4 ,yes1 but they are not more than the mighty and terrible ,god4 ,what nations could stand before ,him8 ,he had a solemn controversy with those nations because of their terrible sins2 their iniquity was full2 the reckoning-time had come1 and the ,god of ,israel was going to drive them out before ,his people4 ,hence1 therefore1 ,israel had no need to fear the power of the enemy4 ,jehovah would see to that4 ,but there was something far more to be dreaded than the enemy's power1 and that was1 the insnaring influence of their idolatry4 ,the graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire4 ,what6 the heart might say1 are we to destroy the gold and silver that adorn these images8 ,might not that be turned to some good account8 ,is it not a pity to destroy what is so very valuable in itself8 ,it is all right to burn the images1 but why not spare the gold and silver8 ,ah1 it is just thus the poor heart is prone to reason2 thus ofttimes we deceive ourselves when called to judge and abandon what is evil4 ,we persuade ourselves of the rightness of making some reserve2 we imagine we can pick and choose and make some distinction4 ,we are prepared to give up some of the evil1 but not all4 ,we are ready to burn the wood of the idol1 but spare the gold and silver4 ,fatal delusion6 ,thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them1 nor take it unto thee1 lest thou be snared therein2 for it is an abomination to the ,lord thy ,god4 ,all must be given up1 all destroyed4 ,to retain an atom of the accursed thing is to fall into the snare of the devil1 and link ourselves with that which1 however highly esteemed among men1 is an abomination in the sight of ,god4 ,and let us mark and ponder the closing verses of our chapter4 ,to bring an abomination into the house is to become like it6 ,how very solemn6 ,do we fully understand it8 ,the man who brought an abomination into his house became a cursed thing like it6 ,reader1 may the ,lord keep our hearts separated from all evil1 and true and loyal to ,himself4 ,,chapter ,,viii4 ,all the commandments which ,i command thee this day shall ye observe to do1 that ye may live1 and multiply1 and go in and possess the land which the ,lord sware unto your fathers4 ,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 7,ver4 #a1 #b47 ,it is at once refreshing1 edifying1 and encouraging to look back over the whole course along which the faithful hand of our ,god has conducted us2 to trace ,his wise and gracious dealings with us2 to call to mind ,his many marvelous interpositions on our behalf2 how ,he delivered us out of this strait and that difficulty2 how1 ofttimes1 when we were at our wits' end1 ,he appeared for our help1 and opened the way before us1 rebuking our fears and filling our hearts with songs of praise and thanksgiving4 ,we must not1 by any means1 confound this delightful exercise with the miserable habit of looking back at our ways1 our attainments1 our progress1 our service1 what we have been able to do1 even though we are ready to admit1 in a general way1 that it was only by the grace of ,god that we were enabled to do any little work for ,him4 ,all this only ministers to self-complacency1 which is destructive of all true spirituality of mind4 ,self-retrospection1 if we may be allowed to use such a term1 is quite as injurious in its moral effect as self-introspection4 ,in short1 self-occupation1 in any of its multiplied phases1 is most pernicious2 it is1 in so far as it is allowed to operate1 the death-blow to fellowship4 ,any thing that tends to bring self before the mind must be judged and refused1 with stern decision2 it brings in barrenness1 darkness1 and feebleness4 ,for a person to sit down to look back at his attainments or his doings1 is about as wretched an occupation as any one could engage in4 ,we may be sure it was not to any such thing as this that ,moses exhorted the people when he charged them to remember all the way by which the ,lord their ,god had led them4 ,we may here recur1 for a moment1 to the memorable words of the apostle in ,philippians iii4--,brethren1 ,i count not myself to have apprehended2 but this one thing ,i do1 forgetting those things which are behind1 and reaching forth unto those things which are before1 ,i press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of ,god in ,christ ,jesus4 ,now1 the question is1 what were the things of which the blessed apostle speaks8 ,did he forget the precious dealings of ,god with his soul throughout the whole of his wilderness-journey8 ,impossible6--indeed we have the very fullest and clearest evidence to the contrary4 ,hear his touching words before ,agrippa--,having therefore obtained help of ,god1 ,i continue unto this day1 witnessing both to small and great4 ,so also1 in writing to his beloved son and fellow-laborer1 ,timothy1 he reviews the past1 and speaks of the persecutions and afflictions which he had endured2 but1 he adds1 out of them all the ,lord delivered me4 ,and again1 ,at my first answer no man stood with me1 but all forsook me2 ,i pray ,god that it may not be laid to their charge4 ,notwithstanding1 the ,lord stood with me1 and strengthened me2 that by me the preaching might be fully known1 and that all the ,gentiles might hear2 and ,i was delivered out of the mouth of the lion4 ,to what then does the apostle refer when he speaks of forgetting those things which are behind8 ,we believe he refers to all those things which had no connection with ,christ--things in which the heart might rest1 and nature might glory--things which might act as weights and hindrances1--all these were to be forgotten in the ardent pursuit of those grand and glorious realities which lay before him4 ,we do not believe that ,paul1 or any other child of ,god or servant of ,christ1 could ever desire to forget a single scene or circumstance in his whole earthly career in any way illustrative of the goodness1 the loving-kindness1 the tender mercy1 the faithfulness of ,god4 ,on the contrary1 we believe it will ever be one of our very sweetest exercises to dwell upon the blessed memory of all our ,father's ways with us while passing across the desert1 home to our everlasting rest4 ,there with what joy reviewing ,past conflicts1 dangers1 fears1 ,thy hand our foes subduing1 ,and drying all our tears4 ,our hearts with rapture burning1 ,the path we shall retrace1 ,where now our souls are learning ,the riches of ,thy grace4 ,but let us not be misunderstood4 ,we do not1 by any means1 wish to give countenance to the habit of dwelling merely upon our own experience4 ,this is often very poor work1 and resolves itself into self-occupation4 ,we have to guard against this as one of the many things which tend to lower our spiritual tone and draw our hearts away from ,christ4 ,but we need never be afraid of the result of dwelling upon the record of the ,lord's dealings and ways with us4 ,this is a blessed habit1 tending ever to lift us out of ourselves1 and fill us with praise and thanksgiving4 ,why1 we may ask1 were ,israel charged to remember all the way by which the ,lord their ,god had led them8 ,assuredly1 to draw out their hearts in praise for the past1 and to strengthen their confidence in ,god for the future4 ,thus it must ever be4 ,we'll praise ,him for all that is past1 ,and trust ,him for all that's to come4 ,may we do so more and more4 ,may we just move on1 day by day1 praising and trusting1 trusting and praising4 ,these are the two things which redound to the glory of ,god1 and to our peace and joy in ,him4 ,when the eye rests on the ,ebenezers which lie all along the way1 the heart must give forth its sweet halleluiahs to ,him who has helped us hitherto1 and will help us right on to the end4 ,he hath delivered1 and ,he doth deliver1 and ,he will deliver4 ,blessed chain6 ,its every link is divine deliverance4 ,nor is it merely upon the signal mercies and gracious deliverances of our ,father's hand that we are to dwell1 with devout thankfulness1 but also upon the humblings and the provings of ,his wise1 faithful1 and holy love4 ,all these things are full of richest blessing to our souls4 ,they are not1 as people sometimes call them1 mercies in disguise1 but plain1 palpable1 unmistakable mercies1 for which we shall have to praise our ,god throughout the golden ages of that bright eternity which lies before us4 ,thou shalt remember all the way--every stage of the journey1 every scene of wilderness-life1 all the dealings of ,god1 from first to last1 with the special object thereof1 to humble thee1 and to prove thee1 to know what was in thine heart4 ,how wonderful to think of ,god's patient grace and painstaking love with ,his people in the wilderness6 ,what precious instruction for us6 ,with what intense interest and spiritual delight we can hang over the record of the divine dealings with ,israel in all their desert-wanderings6 ,how much we can learn from the marvelous history6 ,we1 too1 have to be humbled and proved1 and made to know what is in our hearts4 ,it is very profitable and morally wholesome4 ,on our first setting out to follow the ,lord1 we know but little of the depths of evil and folly in our hearts4 ,indeed1 we are superficial in every thing4 ,it is as we get on in our practical career that we begin to prove the reality of things2 we find out the depths of evil in ourselves1 the utter hollowness and worthlessness of all that is in the world1 and the urgent need of the most complete dependence upon the grace of ,god every moment4 ,all this is very good2 it makes us humble and self-distrusting2 it delivers us from pride and self-sufficiency1 and leads us to cling1 in childlike simplicity1 to the ,one who alone is able to keep us from falling4 ,thus1 as we grow in self-knowledge1 we get a deeper sense of grace1 a more profound acquaintance with the wondrous love of the heart of ,god1 ,his tenderness toward us1 ,his marvelous patience in bearing with all our infirmities and failings1 ,his rich mercy in having taken us up at all1 ,his loving ministry to all our varied need1 ,his numberless interpositions on our behalf1 the exercises through which ,he has seen fit to lead us for our souls' deep and permanent profit4 ,the practical effect of all this is invaluable2 it imparts depth1 solidity1 and mellowness to the character2 it cures us of all our crude notions and vain theories2 it delivers us from one-sidedness and wild extremes2 it makes us tender1 thoughtful1 patient1 and considerate toward others2 it corrects our harsh judgments and gives a gracious desire to put the best possible construction upon the actions of others1 and a readiness to attribute the best motives in cases which may seem to us equivocal4 ,these are precious fruits of wilderness-experience which we may all earnestly covet4 ,and ,he humbled thee1 and suffered thee to hunger1 and fed thee with manna1 which thou knewest not1 neither did thy fathers know1 that ,he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only1 but by every word which proceedeth out of the mouth of the ,lord doth man live4 7,ver #c47 ,this passage derives special interest and importance from the fact that it is the first of our ,lord's quotations from the book of ,deuteronomy in ,his conflict with the adversary in the wilderness4 ,let us ponder this deeply2 it demands our earnest attention4 ,why did our ,lord quote from ,deuteronomy8 ,because that was the book which1 above all others1 specially applied to the condition of ,israel at the moment4 ,israel had utterly failed1 and this weighty fact is assumed in the book of ,deuteronomy from beginning to end4 ,but notwithstanding the failure of the nation1 the path of obedience lay open to every faithful ,israelite4 ,it was the privilege and duty of every one who loved ,god to abide by ,his ,word under all circumstances and in all places4 ,now1 our blessed ,lord was divinely true to the position of the ,israel of ,god4 ,israel after the flesh had failed and forfeited every thing2 ,he was there1 in the wilderness1 as the true ,israel of ,god1 to meet the enemy by the simple authority of the ,word of ,god4 ,and ,jesus1 being full of the ,holy ,ghost1 returned from ,jordan1 and was led by the ,spirit into the wilderness1 being forty days tempted of the devil4 ,and in those days ,he did eat nothing2 and when they were ended1 ,he afterward hungered4 ,and the devil said unto ,him1 ',if ,thou be the ,son of ,god1 command this stone that it be made bread4' ,and ,jesus answered ,him1 saying1 ',it is written1 that man shall not live by bread alone1 but by every word of ,god4' 7,luke iv47 ,here1 then1 is something for us to ponder4 ,the perfect ,man1 the true ,israel1 in the wilderness1 surrounded by the wild beasts1 fasting for forty days1 in the presence of the great adversary of ,god1 of man1 of ,israel4 ,there was not a single feature in the scene to speak for ,god4 ,it was not with the second ,man as it was with the first2 ,he was not surrounded with all the delights of ,eden1 but with all the dreariness and desolation of a desert--there in loneliness and hunger1 but there for ,god6 ,yes1 blessed be ,his name1 and there for man1--there to show man how to meet the enemy in all his varied temptations1 there to show man how to live4 ,we must not suppose for a moment that our adorable ,lord met the adversary as ,god over all4 ,true1 ,he was ,god1 but if it were only as such that ,he stood in the conflict1 it could not afford any example for us4 ,besides1 it would be needless to tell us that ,god was able to vanquish and put to flight a creature which ,his own hand had formed4 ,but to see ,one who was1 in every respect1 a man1 and in all the circumstances of humanity1 sin excepted1--to see ,him there in weakness1 in hunger1 standing amid the consequences of man's fall1 and to find ,him triumphing completely over the terrible foe1 it is this which is so full of comfort1 consolation1 strength1 and encouragement for us4 ,and how did ,he triumph8 ,this is the grand and all-important question for us1--a question demanding the most profound attention of every member of the ,church of ,god--a question the magnitude and importance of which it would be utterly impossible to overstate4 ,how1 then1 did the ,man ,christ ,jesus vanquish ,satan in the wilderness8 ,simply by the ,word of ,god4 ,he overcame1 not as the almighty ,god1 but as the humble1 dependent1 self-emptied1 and obedient ,man4 ,we have before us the magnificent spectacle of a ,man standing in the presence of the devil and utterly confounding him with no other weapon whatsoever save the ,word of ,god4 ,it was not by the display of divine power1 for that could be no model for us2 it was simply with the ,word of ,god1 in ,his heart and in ,his mouth1 that the ,second ,man confounded the terrible enemy of ,god and man4 ,and let us carefully note that our blessed ,lord does not reason with ,satan4 ,he does not appeal to any facts connected with ,himself--facts with which the enemy was well acquainted4 ,he does not say1 ,i know ,i am the ,son of ,god2 the opened heavens1 the descending ,spirit1 the ,father's voice1 have all borne witness to the fact of ,my being the ,son of ,god4 ,no2 this would not do2 it would not and could not be an example for us4 ,the one special point for us to seize and learn from is1 that our great ,exemplar1 when meeting all the temptations of the enemy1 used only the weapon which we have in our possession1 namely1 the simple1 precious1 written1 ,word of ,god4 ,we say1 all the temptations1 because in all the three instances our ,lord's unvarying reply is1 ,it is written4 ,he does not say1 ,i know--,i think--,i feel--,i believe this1 that1 or the other2 ,he simply appeals to the written ,word of ,god--the book of ,deuteronomy in particular1--that very book which infidels have dared to insult1 but which is pre-eminently the book for every obedient man1 in the face of total1 universal1 hopeless1 wreck and ruin4 ,this is of unspeakable moment for us1 beloved reader4 ,it is as though our ,lord ,christ had said to the adversary1 ,whether ,i am the ,son of ,god or not is not now the question1 but how man is to live1 and the answer to this question is only to be found in holy ,scripture2 and it is to be found there as clear as a sunbeam1 quite irrespective of all questions respecting ,me4 ,whoever ,i am1 the ,scripture is the same3 man doth not live by bread only1 but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the ,lord4 ,here we have the only true1 the only safe1 the only happy attitude for man1 namely1 hanging in earnest dependence upon every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the ,lord4 ,blessed attitude6 ,we may well say there is nothing like it in all this world4 ,it brings the soul into direct1 living1 personal contact with the ,lord ,himself1 by means of ,his ,word4 ,it makes the ,word so absolutely essential to us1 in every thing2 we cannot do without it4 ,as the natural life is sustained by bread1 so the spiritual life is sustained by the ,word of ,god4 ,it is not merely going to the ,bible to find doctrines there1 or to have our opinions or views confirmed2 it is very much more than this2 it is going to the ,bible for the staple commodity of life--the life of the new man2 it is going there for food1 for light1 for guidance1 for comfort1 for authority1 for strength--for all1 in short1 that the soul can possibly need1 from first to last4 ,and let us specially note the force and value of the expression1 every word4 ,how fully it shows that we cannot afford to dispense with a single word that has proceeded out of the mouth of the ,lord4 ,we want it all4 ,we cannot tell the moment in which some exigence may present itself for which ,scripture has already provided4 ,we may not perhaps have specially noticed the scripture before1 but when the difficulty arises1 if we are in a right condition of soul--the true posture of heart1 the ,spirit of ,god will furnish us with the needed scripture1 and we shall see a force1 beauty1 depth1 and moral adaptation in the passage which we had never seen before4 ,scripture is a divine and therefore exhaustless treasury1 in which ,god has made ample provision for all the need of ,his people1 and for each believer in particular1 right on to the end4 ,hence we should study it all1 ponder it1 dig deeply into it1 and have it treasured up in our hearts1 ready for use when the demand arises4 ,there is not a single crisis occurring in the entire history of the ,church of ,god1 not a single difficulty in the entire path of any individual believer1 from beginning to end1 which has not been perfectly provided for in the ,bible4 ,we have all we want in that blessed volume1 and hence we should be ever seeking to make ourselves more and more acquainted with what that volume contains1 so as to be thoroughly furnished for whatever may arise1 whether it be a temptation of the devil1 an allurement of the world1 or a lust of the flesh2 or1 on the other hand1 for equipment for that path of good works which ,god has afore prepared that we should walk in it4 ,and we should1 further1 give special attention to the expression1 ,out of the mouth of the ,lord4 ,this is unspeakably precious4 ,it brings the ,lord so very near to us1 and gives us such a sense of the reality of feeding upon ,his every word--yea1 of hanging upon it as something absolutely essential and indispensable4 ,it sets forth the blessed fact that our souls can no more exist without the ,word than our bodies could without food4 ,in a word1 we are taught by this passage that man's true position1 his proper attitude1 his only place of strength1 safety1 rest1 and blessing1 is to be found in habitual dependence upon the ,word of ,god4 ,this is the life of faith which we are called to live--the life of dependence--the life of obedience--the life that ,jesus lived perfectly4 ,that blessed ,one would not move a step1 utter a word1 or do a single thing save by the authority of the ,word of ,god4 ,no doubt ,he could have turned stone into bread1 but ,he had no command from ,god to do that2 and inasmuch as ,he had no command1 ,he had no motive for action4 ,hence ,satan's temptations were perfectly powerless4 ,he could do nothing with a man who would only act on the authority of the ,word of ,god4 ,and we may also note1 with very much interest and profit1 that our blessed ,lord does not quote ,scripture for the purpose of silencing the adversary1 but simply as authority for ,his position and conduct4 ,here is where we are so apt to fail2 we do not sufficiently use the precious ,word of ,god in this way2 we quote it1 at times1 more for victory over the enemy than for power and authority for our own souls4 ,thus it loses its power in our hearts4 ,we want to use the ,word as a hungry man uses bread1 or as a mariner uses his chart and his compass2 it is that on which we live1 and by which we move and act and think and speak4 ,such it really is1 and the more fully we prove it to be all this to us1 the more we shall know of its infinite preciousness4 ,who is it that knows most of the real value of bread8 ,is it a chemist8 ,no2 but a hungry man4 ,a chemist may analyze it1 and discuss its component parts1 but a hungry man proves its worth4 ,who knows most of the real value of a chart8 is it the teacher of navigation8 ,no2 but the mariner as he sails along an unknown and dangerous coast4 ,these are but feeble figures to illustrate what the ,word of ,god is to the true ,christian4 ,he cannot do without it4 ,it is absolutely indispensable1 in every relationship of life and in every sphere of action4 ,his hidden life is fed and sustained by it2 his practical life is guided by it4 ,in all the scenes and circumstances of his personal and domestic history1 in the privacy of his closet1 in the bosom of his family1 in the management of his affairs1 he is cast upon the ,word of ,god for guidance and counsel4 ,and it never fails those who simply cleave to it and confide in it4 ,we may trust ,scripture without a single shade of misgiving4 ,go to it when we will1 we shall always find what we want4 ,are we in sorrow8 is the poor heart bereaved1 crushed1 and desolate8 ,what can soothe and comfort us like the balmy words which the ,holy ,spirit has penned for us8 ,one sentence of holy ,scripture can do more1 in the way of comfort and consolation1 than all the letters of condolence that ever were penned by human hand4 ,are we discouraged1 faint-hearted1 and cast down8 ,the ,word of ,god meets us with its bright and soul-stirring assurances4 ,are we pressed by pinching poverty8 ,the ,holy ,ghost brings home to our hearts some golden promise from the page of inspiration1 recalling us to ,him who is the ,possessor of heaven and earth1 and who1 in ,his infinite grace1 has pledged ,himself to supply all our need according to ,his riches in glory by ,christ ,jesus4 ,are we perplexed and harassed by the conflicting opinions of men1 by the dogmas of conflicting schools of divinity1 by religious and theological difficulties8 ,a few sentences of holy ,scripture will pour in a flood of divine light upon the heart and conscience1 and set us at perfect rest1 answering every question1 solving every difficulty1 removing every doubt1 chasing away every cloud1 giving us to know the mind of ,god1 putting an end to conflicting opinions by the one divinely competent authority4 ,what a boon1 therefore1 is holy ,scripture6 ,what a precious treasure we possess in the ,word of ,god6 ,how we should bless ,his holy name for having given it to us6 ,yes2 and bless ,him1 too1 for every thing that tends to make us more fully acquainted with the depth1 fullness1 and power of those words of our chapter1 ,man shall not live by bread only1 but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the ,lord doth man live4 ,truly precious are these words to the heart of the believer6 ,and hardly less so are those that follow1 in which the beloved and revered lawgiver refers1 with touching sweetness1 to ,jehovah's tender care throughout the whole of ,israel's desert-wanderings4 ,thy raiment1 he says1 waxed not old upon thee1 neither did thy foot swell1 these forty years4 ,what marvelous grace shines out in these words6 ,only think1 reader1 of ,jehovah looking after ,his people in such a manner1 to see that their garments should not wax old or their foot swell6 ,he not only fed them1 but clothed them and cared for them in every way4 ,he even stooped to look after their feet1 that the sand of the desert might not injure them4 ,thus1 for forty years1 did ,he watch over them1 with all the exquisite tenderness of a father's heart4 ,what will not love undertake to do for its object8 ,jehovah had set ,his love upon ,his people1 and this one blessed fact secured every thing for them1 had they only understood it4 ,there was not a single thing within the range of ,israel's necessities1 from ,egypt to ,canaan1 which was not secured to them and included in the fact that ,jehovah had undertaken to do for them4 ,with infinite love and almighty power on their side1 what could be lacking8 ,but then1 as we know1 love clothes itself in various forms4 ,it has something more to do than to provide food and raiment for its objects4 ,it has not only to take account of their physical but also of their moral and spiritual wants4 ,of this the lawgiver does not fail to remind the people4 ,thou shalt also consider1 he says1 in thine heart--the only true and effective way to consider--that1 as a man chasteneth his son1 so the ,lord thy ,god chasteneth thee4 ,now1 we do not like chastening2 it is not joyous1 but grievous4 ,it is all very well for a son to receive food and raiment from a father's hand1 and to have all his comforts provided by a father's thoughtful love1 but he does not like to see him taking down the rod4 ,and yet that dreaded rod may be the very best thing for the son2 it may do for him what no material benefits or earthly blessings could effect1--it may correct some bad habit1 or deliver him from some wrong tendency1 or save him from some evil influence1 and thus prove a great moral and spiritual blessing for which he shall have to be forever thankful4 ,the grand point for the son is1 to see a father's love and care in the discipline and chastening just as distinctly as in the various material benefits which strew his path from day to day4 ,here is precisely where we so signally fail in reference to the disciplinary dealings of our ,father4 ,we rejoice in ,his benefits and blessings2 we are filled with praise and thankfulness as we receive1 day by day1 from ,his liberal hand1 the rich supply of all our need2 we delight to dwell upon ,his marvelous interposition on our behalf in times of pressure and difficulty2 it is a most precious exercise to look back over the path by which ,his good hand has led us1 and mark those ,ebenezers which tell of gracious help supplied all along the road4 ,all this is very good and very right and very precious1 but then there is a great danger of our resting in the mercies1 the blessings1 and the benefits which flow1 in such rich profusion1 from our ,father's loving heart and liberal hand4 ,we are apt to rest in these things1 and say with the ,psalmist1 ,in my prosperity ,i said1 ',i shall never be moved4 ,lord1 by ,thy favor ,thou hast made my mountain to stand strong4' ,true1 it is by ,thy favor1 but yet we are prone to be occupied with our mountain and our prosperity2 we allow these things to come in between our hearts and the ,lord1 and thus they become a snare to us4 ,hence the need of chastening4 ,our ,father1 in ,his faithful love and care1 is watching over us2 ,he sees the danger and ,he sends trial1 in one shape or another4 ,perhaps a telegram comes announcing the death of a beloved child1 or the crash of a bank involving the loss of our earthly all2 or1 it may be1 we are laid on a bed of pain and sickness1 or called to watch by the sick bed of a beloved relative4 ,in a word1 we are called to wade through deep waters which seem1 to our poor1 feeble1 coward hearts1 absolutely overwhelming4 ,the enemy suggests the question4 ,is this love8 ,faith replies1 without hesitation and without reserve1 ,yes2 it is all love--perfect love2 the death of the child1 the loss of the property1 the long1 heavy1 painful illness1 all the sorrow1 all the pressure1 all the exercise1 the deep waters and dark shadows--all1 all is love--perfect love and unerring wisdom4 ,i feel assured of it1 even now2 ,i do not wait to know it by and by1 when ,i shall look back on the path from amid the full light of the glory2 ,i know it now1 and delight to own it to the praise of that infinite grace which has taken me up from the depth of my ruin1 and charged itself with all that concerns me1 and which deigns to occupy itself with my very failures1 follies1 and sins1 in order to deliver me from them1 and to make me a partaker of divine holiness1 and conform me to the image of that blessed ,one who loved ,me and gave ,himself for me4 ,christian reader1 this is the way to answer ,satan1 and to hush the dark reasonings which may spring up in our hearts4 ,we must always justify ,god4 ,we must look at all ,his disciplinary dealings in the light of ,his love4 ,thou shalt also consider in thine heart that1 as a man chasteneth his son1 so the ,lord thy ,god chasteneth thee4 ,most surely we should not like to be without the blessed pledge and proof of sonship4 ,my son1 despise not thou the chastening of the ,lord1 nor faint when thou art rebuked of ,him2 for whom the ,lord loveth ,he chasteneth1 and scourgeth every son whom ,he receiveth4 ,if ye endure chastening1 ,god dealeth with you as with sons2 for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not8 ,but if ye be without chastisement1 whereof all are partakers1 then are ye bastards1 and not sons4 ,furthermore1 we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us1 and we gave them reverence2 shall we not much rather be in subjection to the ,father of spirits1 and live8 ,for they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure2 but ,he for our profit1 that we might be partakers of ,his holiness4 ,now1 no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous1 but grievous2 nevertheless1 afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby4 ,wherefore lift up the hands which hang down1 and the feeble knees2 and make straight paths for your feet1 lest that which is lame be turned out of the way2 but let it rather be healed4 7,heb4 xii4 #e-ac47 ,it is at once interesting and profitable to mark the way in which ,moses presses upon the congregation the varied motives of obedience arising from the past1 the present1 and the future4 ,every thing is brought to bear upon them to quicken and deepen their sense of ,jehovah's claims upon them4 ,they were to remember the past1 they were to consider the present1 and they were to anticipate the future2 and all this was to act on their hearts1 and lead them forth in holy obedience to that blessed and gracious ,one who had done1 who was doing1 and who would do such great things for them4 ,the thoughtful reader can hardly fail to observe in this constant presentation of moral motives a marked feature of this lovely book of ,deuteronomy1 and a striking proof that it is no mere attempt at a repetition of what we have in ,exodus2 but1 on the contrary1 that our book has a province1 a range1 a scope1 and design entirely its own4 ,to speak of mere repetition is absurd2 to speak of contradiction is impious4 ,therefore thou shalt keep the commandments of the ,lord thy ,god1 to walk in ,his ways1 and to fear ,him4 ,the word therefore had a retrospective and prospective force4 ,it was designed to lead the heart back over the past dealings of ,jehovah1 and forward into the future4 ,they were to think of the marvelous history of those forty years in the desert1--the teaching1 the humbling1 the proving1 the watchful care1 the gracious ministry1 the full supply of all their need1 the manna from heaven1 the stream from the smitten rock1 the care of their garments1 and of their very feet1 the wholesome discipline for their moral good4 ,what powerful moral motives were here for ,israel's obedience6 ,but this was not all3 they were to look forward into the future2 they were to anticipate the bright prospect which lay before them2 they were to find in the future1 as well as in the past and the present1 the solid basis of ,jehovah's claims upon their reverent and whole-hearted obedience4 ,for the ,lord thy ,god bringeth thee into a good land1 a land of brooks of water1 of fountains and depths that spring out of valleys and hills2 a land of wheat1 and barley1 and vines1 and fig-trees1 and pomegranates1 a land of oil olive1 and honey2 a land wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness1 thou shalt not lack any thing in it2 a land whose stones are iron1 and out of whose hills thou mayest dig brass4 ,how fair was the prospect6 how bright the vision6 ,how marked the contrast to the ,egypt behind them and the wilderness through which they had passed6 ,the ,lord's land lay before them in all its beauty and verdure1 its vine-clad hills and honeyed plains1 its gushing fountains and flowing streams4 ,how refreshing the thought of the vine1 the fig-tree1 the pomegranate1 and the olive6 ,how different from the leeks1 onions1 and garlic of ,egypt6 ,yes1 all so different6 ,it was the ,lord's own land3 this was enough4 ,it produced and contained all they could possibly want4 ,above its surface1 rich profusion2 below1 untold wealth--exhaustless treasure4 ,what a prospect6 ,how the faithful ,israelite would long to enter upon it6--long to exchange the sand of the desert for that bright inheritance6 ,true1 the desert had its deep and blessed experiences1 its holy lessons1 its precious memories2 there they had known ,jehovah in a way they could not know ,him even in ,canaan2--all this was quite true1 and we can fully understand it2 but still the wilderness was not ,canaan1 and every true ,israelite would long to set his foot on the land of promise1 and truly we may say that ,moses presents the land1 in the passage just quoted1 in a way eminently calculated to attract the heart4 ,a land1 he says1 wherein thou shalt eat bread without scarceness1 thou shalt not lack any thing in it4 ,what more could be said8 ,here was the grand fact in reference to that good land into which the hand of covenant-love was about to introduce them4 ,all their wants would be divinely met4 ,hunger and thirst should never be known there4 ,health and plenty1 joy and gladness1 peace and blessing1 were to be the assured portion of the ,israel of ,god in that fair inheritance upon which they were about to enter4 ,every enemy was to be subdued2 every obstacle swept away2 the pleasant land was to pour forth its treasures for their use2 watered continually by heaven's rain1 and warmed by its sunlight1 it was to bring forth1 in rich abundance1 all that the heart could desire4 ,what a land6 what an inheritance6 what a home6 ,of course1 we are looking at it now from a divine stand-point--looking at it according to what it was in the mind of ,god1 and what it shall most assuredly be to ,israel during that bright millennial age which lies before them4 ,we should have but a very poor idea indeed of the ,lord's land were we to think of it merely as possessed by ,israel in the past1 even in the very brightest days of its history1 as it appeared amid the splendors of ,solomon's reign4 ,we must look onward to the times of the restitution of all things1 in order to have any thing like a true idea of what the land of ,canaan will yet be to the ,israel of ,god4 ,now1 ,moses speaks of the land according to the divine idea of it4 ,he presents it as given by ,god1 and not as possessed by ,israel4 ,this makes all the difference4 ,according to his charming description1 there was neither enemy nor evil occurrent3 nothing but fruitfulness and blessing from end to end4 ,that is what it would have been1 that is what it should have been1 and that is what it shall be1 by and by1 to the seed of ,abraham1 in pursuance of the covenant made with their fathers--the new1 the everlasting covenant1 founded on the sovereign grace of ,god1 and ratified by the blood of the cross4 ,no power of earth or hell can hinder the purpose or the promise of ,god4 ,hath ,he said1 and shall ,he not do it8 ,god will make good1 to the letter1 every word1 spite of all the enemy's opposition and the lamentable failure of ,his people4 ,though ,abraham's seed have utterly failed under law and under government1 yet ,abraham's ,god will give grace and glory1 for ,his gifts and calling are without repentance4 ,moses fully understood all this4 ,he knew how it would turn out with those who stood before him1 and with their children after them1 for many generations2 and he looked forward into that bright future in which a covenant-,god would display1 in the view of all created intelligences1 the triumphs of ,his grace in ,his dealings with the seed of ,abraham ,his friend4 ,meanwhile1 however1 the faithful servant of ,jehovah1 true to the object before his mind1 in all those marvelous discourses in the opening of our book1 proceeds to unfold to the congregation the truth as to their mode of acting in the good land on which they were about to plant their foot4 ,as he had spoken of the past and of the present1 so would he make use of the future2 he would turn all to account in his holy effort to urge upon the people their obvious1 bounden duty to that blessed ,one who had so graciously and tenderly cared for them all their journey through1 and who was about to bring them in and plant them in the mountain of ,his inheritance4 ,let us hearken to his touching and powerful exhortations4 ,when thou hast eaten and art full1 then thou shalt bless the ,lord thy ,god for the good land which ,he has given thee4 ,how simple6 how lovely6 how morally suitable6 ,filled with the fruit of ,jehovah's goodness1 they were to bless and praise ,his holy name4 ,he delights to surround ,himself with hearts filled to overflowing with the sweet sense of ,his goodness1 and pouring forth songs of praise and thanksgiving4 ,he inhabits the praises of ,his people4 ,he says1 ,whoso offereth praise glorifieth ,me4 ,the feeblest note of praise from a grateful heart ascends as fragrant incense to the throne and to the heart of ,god4 ,let us remember this1 beloved reader4 ,it is as true for us1 most surely1 as it was for ,israel1 that praise is comely4 ,our grand primary business is to praise the ,lord4 ,our every breath should be a halleluiah4 ,it is to this blessed and most sacred exercise the ,holy ,ghost exhorts us1 in manifold places4 ,by ,him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to ,god continually1 that is1 the fruit of our lips giving thanks to ,his name4 ,we should ever remember that nothing so gratifies the heart and glorifies the name of our ,god as a thankful1 worshiping spirit on the part of ,his people4 ,it is well to do good and communicate1--,god is well pleased with such sacrifices2 it is our high privilege1 while we have opportunity1 to do good unto all men1 and especially unto them who are of the household of faith2 we are called to be channels of blessing between the loving heart of our ,father and every form of human need that comes before us in our daily path2--all this is most blessedly true1 but we must never forget that the very highest place is assigned to praise4 ,it is this which shall employ our ransomed powers throughout the golden ages of eternity1 when the sacrifices of active benevolence shall no longer be needed4 ,but the faithful lawgiver knew but too well the sad proneness of the human heart to forget all this--to lose sight of the gracious ,giver1 and rest in ,his gifts2 hence he addresses the following admonitory words to the congregation--wholesome words1 truly1 for them and for us4 ,may we bend our ears and our hearts to them1 in holy reverence and teachableness of spirit4 ,beware that thou forget not the ,lord thy ,god1 in not keeping ,his commandments1 and ,his judgments1 and ,his statutes1 which ,i command thee this day4 ,lest when thou hast eaten and art full1 and hast built goodly houses1 and dwelt therein2 and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply1 and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied1 and all that thou hast is multiplied2 then thine heart be lifted up1 and thou forget the ,lord thy ,god1 which brought thee forth out of the land of ,egypt1 from the house of bondage2 who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness1 wherein were fiery serpents1 and scorpions1 and drought1 where there was no water2 who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint2 who fed thee in the wilderness with manna1 which thy fathers knew not1 that ,he might humble thee1 and that ,he might prove thee1 to do thee good at thy latter end2 and thou say in thine heart1 ,my power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth4 ,but thou shalt remember the ,lord thy ,god2 for it is ,he that giveth thee power to get wealth1 that ,he may establish ,his covenant which ,he sware unto thy fathers1 as it is this day4 ,and it shall be1 if thou do at all forget the ,lord thy ,god1 and walk after other gods1 and serve them1 and worship them1 ,i testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish4 ,as the nations which the ,lord destroyeth before your face1 so shall ye perish1 because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the ,lord your ,god4 7,ver4 #aa-bj47 ,here is something for us to ponder deeply4 ,it has most assuredly a voice for us1 as it had for ,israel4 ,we may perhaps feel disposed to marvel at the frequent reiteration of the note of warning and admonition1 the constant appeals to the heart and conscience of the people as to their bounden duty to obey in all things the word of ,god1 the recurrence again and again to those grand soul-stirring facts connected with their deliverance out of ,egypt and their journey through the wilderness4 ,but wherefore should we marvel8 ,in the first place1 do we not deeply feel and fully admit our own urgent need of warning1 admonition1 and exhortation8 ,do we not need line upon line1 precept upon precept1 and that continually8 ,are we not prone to forget the ,lord our ,god--to rest in ,his gifts instead of ,himself8 ,alas6 alas6 we cannot deny it4 ,we rest in the stream1 instead of getting up to the ,fountain2 we turn the very mercies1 blessings1 and benefits which strew our path in rich profusion into an occasion of self-complacency and gratulation1 instead of finding in them the blessed ground of continual praise and thanksgiving4 ,and then1 as to those great facts of which ,moses so continually reminds the people1 could they ever lose their moral weight1 power1 or preciousness8 ,surely not4 ,israel might forget and fail to appreciate those facts1 but the facts remained the same4 ,the terrible plagues of ,egypt1 the night of the passover1 their deliverance from the land of darkness1 bondage1 and degradation1 their marvelous passage through the ,red ,sea1 the descent of that mysterious food from heaven morning by morning1 the refreshing stream gushing forth from the flinty rock1--how could such facts as these ever lose their power over a heart possessing a spark of genuine love to ,god8 and why should we wonder to find ,moses again and again appealing to them and using them as a most powerful lever wherewith to move the hearts of the people8 ,moses felt the mighty moral influence of these things himself1 and he would fain lead others to feel it also4 ,to him1 they were precious beyond expression1 and he longed to make his brethren feel their preciousness as well as himself4 ,it was his one object to set before them1 in every possible way1 the powerful claims of ,jehovah upon their hearty and unreserved obedience4 ,this1 reader1 will account for what might1 to an unspiritual1 unintelligent1 cursory reader1 seem the too frequent recurrence to the scenes of the past in those wonderful discourses of ,moses4 ,we are reminded1 as we read them1 of the lovely words of ,peter1 in his second epistle1--,wherefore ,i will not be negligent to put you always in remembrance of these things1 though ye know them1 and be established in the present truth4 ,yea1 ,i think it meet1 as long as ,i am in this tabernacle1 to stir you up1 by putting you in remembrance2 knowing that shortly ,i must put off this my tabernacle1 even as our ,lord ,jesus ,christ hath showed me4 ,moreover1 ,i will endeavor that ye may be able1 after my decease1 to have these things always in remembrance4 7,chap4 i4 #ab-ae47 ,how striking the unity of spirit and purpose in these two beloved and venerable servants of ,god6 ,both the one and the other felt the tendency of the poor human heart to forget the things of ,god1 of heaven1 and of eternity1 and they felt the supreme importance and infinite value of the things of which they spoke2 hence their earnest desire to keep them continually before the hearts and abidingly in the remembrance of the ,lord's beloved people4 ,unbelieving1 restless nature might say to ,moses1 or to ,peter1 ,have you nothing new to tell us8 ,why are you perpetually dwelling on the same old themes8 ,we know all you have got to say2 we have heard it again and again4 ,why not strike out into some new field of thought8 ,would it not be well to try and keep abreast of the science of the day8 ,if we keep perpetually moping over those antiquated themes1 we shall be left stranded on the bank1 while the stream of civilization rushes on4 ,pray give us something new4 ,thus might the poor unbelieving mind--the worldly heart reason1 but faith knows the answer to all such miserable suggestions4 ,we can well believe that both ,moses and ,peter would have made short work with all such reasonings4 ,and so should we4 ,we know whence they emanate1 whither they tend1 and what they are worth2 and we should have1 if not on our lips1 at least deep down in our hearts1 a ready answer--an answer perfectly satisfactory to us1 however contemptible it may seem to the men of this world4 ,could a true ,israelite ever tire of hearing of what the ,lord had done for him1 in ,egypt1 in the ,red ,sea1 and in the wilderness8 ,never6 ,such themes would be ever fresh1 ever welcome to his heart4 ,and just so with the ,christian4 ,can he ever tire of the cross and all the grand and glorious realities that cluster around it8 can he ever tire of ,christ1 ,his peerless glories and unsearchable riches1 ,his ,person1 ,his work1 ,his offices8 ,never6 ,no1 never1 throughout the bright ages of eternity4 ,does he crave any thing new8 ,can science improve upon ,christ8 can human learning add aught to the great mystery of godliness1 which has for its foundation ,god manifest in the flesh1 and for its top-stone a ,man glorified in heaven8 can we ever get beyond this8 ,no1 reader1 we could not if we would1 and we would not if we could4 ,and even were we1 for a moment1 to take a lower range1 and look at the works of ,god in creation2 do we ever tire of the sun8 ,he is not new2 he has been pouring his beams upon this world for well-nigh six thousand years1 and yet those beams are as fresh and as welcome to-day as they were when first created4 ,do we ever tire of the sea8 ,it is not new2 its tide has been ebbing and flowing for nearly six thousand years1 but its waves are as fresh and as welcome on our shores as ever4 ,true1 the sun is often too dazzling to man's feeble vision1 and the sea often swallows up1 in a moment1 man's boasted works2 but yet the sun and the sea never lose their power1 their freshness1 their charm4 ,do we ever tire of the dew-drops that fall in refreshing virtue upon our gardens and fields8 do we ever tire of the perfume that emanates from our hedge-rows8 do we ever tire of the notes of the nightingale and the thrush8 ,and what are all these when compared with the glories which cluster around the ,person and the cross of ,christ8 what are they when put in contrast with the grand realities of that eternity which is before us8 ,reader1 let us beware how we listen to such suggestions1 whether they come from without or spring from the depths of our own evil hearts1 lest we be found1 like ,israel after the flesh1 loathing the heavenly ,manna and despising the pleasant land2 or like ,demas1 who forsook the blessed apostle1 having loved this present age2 or like those of whom we read in the sixth of ,john1 who1 offended by our ,lord's close and pointed teaching1 went back1 and walked no more with ,him4 ,may the ,lord keep our hearts true to ,himself1 and fresh and fervent in ,his blessed cause1 till ,he come4 ,,chapter ,,ix4 ,hear1 ,o ,israel3 ,thou art to pass over ,jordan this day1 to go in to possess nations greater and mightier than thyself1 cities great and fenced up to heaven1 a people great and tall1 the children of the ,anakims1 whom thou knowest1 and of whom thou hast heard say1 ',who can stand before the children of ,anak6' 7,ver4 #a1 #b47 ,this chapter opens with the same grand ,deuteronomic sentence1 ,hear1 ,o ,israel4 ,this1 we may say1 is the key-note of this most blessed book1 and especially of those opening discourses which have been engaging our attention4 ,but the chapter which now lies open before us presents subjects of immense weight and importance4 ,in the first place1 the lawgiver sets before the congregation1 in terms of deep solemnity1 that which lay before them in their entrance upon the land4 ,he does not hide from them the fact that there were serious difficulties and formidable enemies to be encountered4 ,this he does1 we need hardly say1 not to discourage their hearts1 but that they might be forewarned1 forearmed1 and prepared4 ,what that preparation was we shall see presently2 but the faithful servant of ,god felt the rightness1 yea1 the urgent need of putting the true state of the case before his brethren4 ,there are two ways of looking at difficulties2 we may look at them from a human stand-point1 or from a divine one2 we may look at them in a spirit of unbelief1 or we may look at them in the calmness and quietness of confidence in the living ,god4 ,we have an instance of the former in the report of the unbelieving spies in ,numbers xiii2 we have an instance of the latter in the opening of our present chapter4 ,it is not the province1 nor the path1 of faith to deny that there are difficulties to be encountered by the people of ,god2 it would be the height of folly to do so1 inasmuch as there are difficulties1 and it would be but fool-hardiness1 fanaticism1 or fleshly enthusiasm to deny it4 ,it is always well for people to know what they are about1 and not to rush blindly into a path for which they are not prepared4 ,an unbelieving sluggard may say1 ,there is a lion in the way2 a blind enthusiast may say1 ,there is no such thing2 the true man of faith will say1 ,though there were a thousand lions in the way1 ,god can soon dispose of them4 ,but1 as a great practical principle of general application1 it is very important for all the ,lord's people to consider1 deeply and calmly1 what they are about1 ere they enter upon any particular path of service or line of action4 ,if this were more attended to1 we should not witness so many moral and spiritual wrecks around us4 ,what mean those most solemn1 searching1 and testing words addressed by our blessed ,lord to the multitudes that thronged around ,him in ,luke xiv8--,he turned and said to them1 ',if any man come to ,me1 and hate not his father and mother1 his wife and children1 and brethren and sisters1 yea1 and his own life also1 he cannot be ,my disciple4 ,and whosoever doth not bear his cross1 and come after ,me1 cannot be ,my disciple4 ,for which of you1 intending to build a tower1 sitteth not down first1 and counteth the cost1 whether he have sufficient to finish it8 lest haply1 after he hath laid the foundation1 and is not able to finish it1 all that behold it begin to mock him1 saying1 ,this man began to build1 and was not able to finish4' 7,ver4 #bf-cj47 ,these are solemn and seasonable words for the heart4 ,how many unfinished buildings meet our view as we look forth over the wide field of ,christian profession1 giving sad occasion to the beholders for mockery6 ,how many set out upon a path of discipleship under some sudden impulse1 or under the pressure of mere human influence1 without a proper understanding1 or a due consideration of all that is involved2 and then when difficulties arise1 when trials come1 when the path is found to be narrow1 rough1 lonely1 unpopular1 they give it up1 thus proving that they had never really counted the cost1 never taken the path in communion with ,god1 never understood what they were doing4 ,now1 such cases are very sorrowful2 they bring great reproach on the cause of ,christ1 give occasion to the adversary to blaspheme1 and greatly dishearten those who care for the glory of ,god and the good of souls4 ,better far not to take the ground at all than1 having taken it1 to abandon it in dark unbelief and worldly-mindedness4 ,hence1 therefore1 we can perceive the wisdom and faithfulness of the opening words of our chapter4 ,moses tells the people plainly what was before them2 not1 surely1 to discourage them1 but to preserve them from self-confidence1 which is sure to give way in the moment of trial1 and to cast them upon the living ,god1 who never fails a trusting heart4 ,understand therefore this day1 that the ,lord thy ,god is ,he which goeth over before thee2 as a consuming fire ,he shall destroy them1 and ,he shall bring them down before thy face3 so shalt thou drive them out1 and destroy them quickly1 as the ,lord hath said unto thee4 ,here1 then1 is the divine answer to all difficulties1 be they ever so formidable4 ,what were mighty nations1 great cities1 fenced walls1 in the presence of ,jehovah8 ,simply as chaff before the whirlwind4 ,if ,god be for us1 who can be against us8 ,the very things which scare and stumble the coward heart afford an occasion for the display of ,god's power1 and the magnificent triumphs of faith4 ,faith says1 ,grant me but this1 that ,god is before me and with me1 and ,i can go any where4 ,thus the only thing in all this world that really glorifies ,god is the faith that can trust ,him and use ,him and praise ,him2 and inasmuch as faith is the only thing that glorifies ,god1 so is it the only thing that gives man his proper place1 even the place of complete dependence upon ,god1 and this insures victory and inspires praise--unceasing praise4 ,but we must never forget that there is moral danger in the very moment of victory--danger arising out of what we are in ourselves4 ,there is the danger of self-gratulation--a terrible snare to us poor mortals4 ,in the hour of conflict we feel our weakness1 our nothingness1 our need4 ,this is good and morally safe4 ,it is well to be brought down to the very bottom of self and all that pertains to it1 for there we find ,god1 in all the fullness and blessedness of what ,he is1 and this is sure and certain victory and consequent praise4 ,but our treacherous and deceitful hearts are prone to forget whence the strength and victory come2 hence the moral force1 value1 and seasonableness of the following admonitory words addressed by the faithful minister of ,god to the hearts and consciences of his brethren3 ,speak not thou in thine heart--here is where the mischief always begins--after that the ,lord hath cast them out from before thee1 saying1 ,for my righteousness the ,lord hath brought me in to possess this land2 but for the wickedness of these nations the ,lord doth drive them out from before thee4 ,alas6 what materials there are in us6 what ignorance of our own hearts6 what a shallow sense of the real character of our ways6 ,how terrible to think that we are capable of saying in our hearts such words as1 ,for my righteousness6 ,yes1 reader1 we are verily capable of such egregious folly2 for as ,israel was capable of it1 so are we1 inasmuch as we are made of the very same material2 and that they were capable of it is evident from the fact of their being warned against it2 for1 most assuredly1 the ,spirit of ,god does not warn against phantom dangers or imaginary temptations4 ,we are verily capable of turning the actings of ,god on our behalf into an occasion of self-complacency2 instead of seeing in those gracious actings a ground for heartfelt praise to ,god1 we use them as a ground for self-exaltation4 ,hence1 therefore1 we would do well to ponder the words of faithful admonition addressed by ,moses to the hearts and consciences of the people2 they furnish a very wholesome antidote for the self-righteousness so natural to us as well as to ,israel4 ,not for thy righteousness1 or for the uprightness of thine heart1 dost thou go to possess their land2 but for the wickedness of those nations the ,lord thy ,god doth drive them out from before thee1 and that ,he may perform the word which the ,lord sware unto thy fathers1 ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob4 ,understand1 therefore1 that the ,lord giveth thee not this good land to possess it for thy righteousness2 for thou art a stiff-necked people4 ,remember1 and forget not1 how thou provokedst the ,lord thy ,god to wrath in the wilderness2 from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of ,egypt1 until ye came unto this place1 ye have been rebellious against the ,lord4 7,ver4 #e-g47 ,this paragraph sets forth two great principles1 which1 if fully laid hold of1 must put the heart into a right moral attitude4 ,in the first place1 the people were reminded that their possession of the land of ,canaan was simply in pursuance of ,god's promise to their fathers4 ,this was placing the matter on the most solid basis--a basis which nothing could ever disturb4 ,as to the seven nations which were to be dispossessed1 it was on the ground of their wickedness that ,god1 in the exercise of ,his righteous government1 was about to drive them out4 ,every landlord has a perfect right to eject bad tenants2 and the nations of ,canaan had not only failed to pay their rent1 as we say1 but they had injured and defiled the property to such an extent that ,god could no longer endure them1 and therefore ,he was going to drive them out1 irrespective altogether of the incoming tenants4 ,whoever was going to get possession of the property1 these dreadful tenants must be evicted4 ,the iniquity of the ,amorites had reached its highest point1 and nothing remained but that judgment should take its course4 ,men might argue and reason as to the moral fitness and consistency of a benevolent ,being unroofing the houses of thousands of families and putting the occupants to the sword1 but we may depend upon it the government of ,god will make very short work with all such arguments4 ,god1 blessed forever be ,his holy name1 knows how to manage ,his own affairs1 and that1 too1 without asking man's opinion4 ,he had borne with the wickedness of the seven nations to such a degree that it had become absolutely insufferable2 the very land itself could not bear it4 ,any further exercise of forbearance would have been a sanction of the most terrible abominations2 and this1 of course1 was a moral impossibility4 ,the glory of ,god absolutely demanded the expulsion of the ,canaanites4 ,yes2 and we may add1 the glory of ,god demanded the introduction of the seed of ,abraham into possession of the property1 to hold as tenants forever under the ,lord ,god ,almighty--the ,most ,high ,god1 ,possessor of heaven and earth4 ,thus the matter stood for ,israel1 had they but seen it4 ,their possession of the land of promise and the maintenance of the divine glory were so bound up together that one could not be touched without touching the other4 ,god had promised to give the land of ,canaan to the seed of ,abraham as an everlasting possession4 ,had ,he not a right to do so8 ,will infidels question ,god's right to do as ,he will with ,his own8 ,will they refuse to the ,creator and ,governor of the universe a right which they claim for themselves8 ,the land was ,jehovah's1 and ,he gave it to ,abraham ,his friend forever2 and although this was true1 yet were not the ,canaanites disturbed in their tenure of the property until their wickedness had become positively unbearable4 ,thus we see that in the matter both of the outgoing and incoming tenants the glory of ,god was involved4 ,that glory demanded that the ,canaanites should be expelled1 because of their ways2 and that glory demanded that ,israel should be put in possession1 because of the promise to ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob4 ,but1 in the second place1 ,israel had no ground for self-complacency1 as ,moses most plainly and faithfully instructs them4 ,he rehearses in their ears1 in the most touching and impressive manner1 all the leading scenes of their history from ,horeb to ,kadesh-barnea2 he refers to the golden calf1 to the broken tables of the covenant1 to ,taberah and ,massah1 and ,kibroth-hattaavah2 and sums all up1 at verse #bd1 with these pungent1 humbling words1 ,ye have been rebellious against the ,lord from the day that ,i knew you4 ,this was plain dealing with heart and conscience4 ,the solemn review of their whole career was eminently calculated to correct all false notions about themselves2 every scene and circumstance in their entire history1 if viewed from a proper stand-point1 only brought to light the humbling fact of what they were1 and how near they had been1 again and again1 to utter destruction4 ,with what stunning force must the following words have fallen upon their ears6--,and the ,lord said unto me1 ',arise1 get thee down quickly from hence1 for thy people which thou hast brought forth out of ,egypt have corrupted themselves2 they are quickly turned aside out of the way which ,i commanded them2 they have made them a molten image4' ,furthermore1 the ,lord spake unto me1 saying1 ',i have seen this people1 and behold1 it is a stiff-necked people2 let ,me alone1 that ,i may destroy them1 and blot out their name from under heaven2 and ,i will make of thee a nation mightier and greater than they4' 7,ver4 #ab-ad47 ,how withering was all this to their natural vanity1 pride1 and self-righteousness6 ,how should their hearts have been moved to their very deepest depths by those tremendous words1 ,let ,me alone1 that ,i may destroy them6 ,how solemn to reflect upon the fact which these words revealed--their appalling nearness to national ruin and destruction6 ,how ignorant they had been of all that passed between ,jehovah and ,moses on the top of ,mount ,horeb6 ,they had been on the very brink of an awful precipice4 ,another moment might have dashed them over4 ,the intercession of ,moses had saved them1 the very man whom they had accused of taking too much upon him4 ,alas6 how they had mistaken and misjudged him6 ,how utterly astray they had been in all their thoughts6 ,why1 the very man whom they had accused of self-seeking and desiring to make himself altogether a prince over them1 had actually refused a divinely given opportunity of becoming the head of a greater and mightier nation than they6 ,yes1 and this same man had earnestly requested that if they were not to be forgiven and brought into the land1 his name might be blotted out of the book4 ,how wonderful was all this6 ,what a turning of the tables upon them6 ,how exceedingly small they must have felt1 in view of all these wonderful facts6 ,surely1 as they reviewed all these things1 they might well see the utter folly of the words1 ,for my righteousness the ,lord hath brought me in to possess this land4 ,how could the makers of a molten image use such language6 ,ought they not rather to see and feel and own themselves to be no better than the nations that were about to be driven out from before them8 ,for what had made them to differ8 ,the sovereign mercy and electing love of their covenant-,god4 ,and to what did they owe their deliverance out of ,egypt1 their sustenance in the wilderness1 and their entrance into the land8 ,simply to the eternal stability of the covenant made with their fathers1 a covenant ordered in all things and sure1 a covenant ratified and established by the blood of the ,lamb1 in virtue of which all ,israel shall yet be saved and blessed in their own land4 ,but we must now quote for the reader the splendid paragraph with which our chapter closes--a paragraph eminently fitted to open ,israel's eyes to the utter folly of all their thoughts respecting ,moses1 their thoughts respecting themselves1 and their thoughts respecting that blessed ,one who had so marvelously borne with all their dark unbelief and daring rebellion4 ,thus ,i fell down before the ,lord forty days and forty nights1 as ,i fell down at the first2 because the ,lord had said ,he would destroy you4 ,i prayed therefore unto the ,lord1 and said1 ',o ,lord ,god1 destroy not ,thy people and ,thine inheritance1 which ,thou hast redeemed through ,thy greatness1 which ,thou hast brought forth out of ,egypt with a mighty hand4 ,remember thy servants1 ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob2 look not unto the stubbornness of this people1 nor to their wickedness1 nor to their sin2 lest the land whence thou broughtest us out say1 ,because the ,lord was not able to bring them into the land which ,he promised them1 and because ,he hated them1 ,he hath brought them out to slay them in the wilderness4 ,yet they are ,thy people1 and ,thine inheritance1 which ,thou broughtest out by ,thy mighty power1 and by ,thy stretched-out arm4' ,what marvelous words are these to be addressed by a human being to the living ,god6 ,what powerful pleadings for ,israel6 what self-renunciation6 ,moses refuses the offered dignity of being the founder of a greater and mightier nation than ,israel4 ,he only desires that ,jehovah should be glorified1 and ,israel pardoned1 blessed1 and brought into the promised land4 ,he could not endure the thought of any reproach being brought upon that glorious ,name so dear to his heart1 neither could he bear to witness ,israel's destruction4 ,these were the two things he dreaded2 and as to his own exaltation1 it was just the thing about which he cared nothing at all4 ,this beloved and honored servant cared only for the glory of ,god and the salvation of ,his people2 and as to himself1 his hopes1 his interests1 his all1 he could rest1 with perfect composure1 in the assurance that his individual blessing and the divine glory were bound together by a link which could never be snapped4 ,and1 oh1 how grateful must all this have been to the heart of ,god6 ,how refreshing to ,his spirit were those earnest1 loving pleadings of ,his servant6 ,how much more in harmony with ,his mind than the intercession of ,elias against ,israel hundreds of years afterward6 ,how they remind us of the blessed ministry of our great ,high-,priest1 who ever liveth to make intercession for ,his people1 and whose active intervention on our behalf never ceases for a single moment6 ,and then how very touching and beautiful to mark the way in which ,moses insists upon the fact that the people were ,jehovah's inheritance1 and that ,he had brought them up out of ,egypt4 ,the ,lord had said1 ,thy people which thou hast brought forth out of ,egypt2 but ,moses says1 ,they are ,thy people1 and ,thine inheritance1 which ,thou broughtest out4 ,this is perfectly exquisite4 ,indeed this whole scene is full of profound interest4 ,,chapter ,x ,at that time the ,lord said unto me1 ',hew thee two tables of stone like unto the first1 and come up unto ,me into the mount1 and make thee an ark of wood2 and ,i will write on the tables the words that were in the first tables which thou brakest1 and thou shalt put them in the ark4' ,and ,i made an ark of shittim wood1 and hewed two tables of stone like unto the first1 and went up into the mount1 having the two tables in mine hand4 ,and ,he wrote on the tables1 according to the first writing1 the ten commandments1 which the ,lord spake unto you in the mount out of the midst of the fire1 in the day of the assembly2 and the ,lord gave them unto me4 ,and ,i turned myself and came down from the mount1 and put the tables in the ark which ,i had made2 and there they be1 as the ,lord commanded me4 7,ver4 #a-e47 ,the beloved and revered servant of ,god seemed never to weary of rehearsing in the ears of the people the interesting1 momentous1 and significant sentences of the past4 ,to him they were ever fresh1 ever precious4 ,his heart delighted in them4 ,they could never lose their charm in his eyes2 he found in them an exhaustless treasury for his own heart1 and a mighty moral lever wherewith to move the heart of ,israel4 ,we are constantly reminded1 in these powerful and deeply affecting addresses1 of the inspired apostle's words to his beloved ,philippians--,to write the same things to you1 to me is not grievous1 but for you it is safe4 ,the poor1 restless1 fickle1 vagrant heart might long for some new theme2 but the faithful apostle found his deep and unfailing delight in unfolding and dwelling upon those precious subjects which clustered1 in rich luxuriance1 around the ,person and the cross of his adorable ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,he had found in ,christ all he needed for time and eternity4 ,the glory of ,his ,person had completely eclipsed all the glories of earth and of nature4 ,he could say1 ,what things were gain to me1 those ,i counted loss for ,christ4 ,yea1 doubtless1 and ,i count all things but loss1 for the excellency of the knowledge of ,christ ,jesus my ,lord2 for whom ,i have suffered the loss of all things1 and do count them but dung1 that ,i may win ,christ4 7,phil4 iii4 #g1 #h47 ,this is the language of a true ,christian1 of one who had found a perfectly absorbing and commanding object in ,christ4 ,what could the world offer to such an one8 what could it do for him8 ,did he want its riches1 its honors1 its distinctions1 its pleasures8 ,he counted them all as dung4 ,how was this8 ,because he had found ,christ2 he had seen an object in ,him which so riveted his heart that to win ,him and know more of ,him and be found in ,him was the one ruling desire of his soul4 ,if any one had talked to ,paul about something new1 what would have been his answer8 ,if any one had suggested to him the thought of getting on in the world or of seeking to make money1 what would have been his reply8 ,simply this3 ,i have found my ,,all in ,christ2 ,i want no more4 ,i have found in ,him unsearchable riches--durable riches and righteousness4 ,in ,him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge4 ,what do ,i want of this world's riches1 its wisdom1 or its learning8 ,these things all pass away like the vapors of the morning2 and even while they last1 are wholly inadequate to satisfy the desires and aspirations of an immortal spirit4 ,christ is an eternal object1 heaven's centre1 the delight of the heart of ,god2 ,he shall satisfy me throughout the countless ages of that bright eternity which is before me2 and surely1 if ,he can satisfy me forever1 ,he can satisfy me now4 ,shall ,i turn to the wretched rubbish of this world--its pursuits1 its pleasures1 its amusements1 its theatres1 its concerts1 its riches1 or its honors to supplement my portion in ,christ8 ,god forbid6 ,all such things would be simply an intolerable nuisance to me4 ,christ is my all and in all1 now and forever4 ,such1 we may well believe1 would have been the distinctly pronounced reply of the blessed apostle2 such was the distinct reply of his whole life2 and such1 beloved ,christian reader1 should be ours also4 ,how truly deplorable1 how deeply humbling1 to find a ,christian turning to the world for enjoyment1 recreation1 or pastime6 ,it simply proves that he has not found a satisfying portion in ,christ4 ,we may set it down as a fixed principle that the heart which is filled with ,christ has no room for aught beside4 ,it is not a question of the right or the wrong of things2 the heart does not want them1 would not have them2 it has found its present and everlasting portion and rest in that blessed ,one that fills the heart of ,god1 and will fill the vast universe with the beams of ,his glory throughout the everlasting ages4 ,we have been led into the foregoing line of thought in connection with the interesting fact of ,moses' unwearied rehearsal of all the grand events in ,israel's marvelous history from ,egypt to the borders of the promised land4 ,to him they furnished a perpetual feast2 and he not only found his own deep1 personal delight in dwelling upon them1 but he also felt the immense importance of unfolding them before the whole congregation4 ,to him1 most surely1 it was not grievous1 but for them it was safe4 ,how delightful for him1 and how good and needful for them1 to dwell upon the facts connected with the two sets of tables--the first set smashed to atoms1 at the foot of the mountain1 and the second set inclosed in the ark4 ,what human language could possibly unfold the deep significance and moral weight of such facts as these8 ,those broken tables6 how impressive6 how pregnant with wholesome instruction for the people6 how powerfully suggestive6 ,will any one presume to say that we have here a mere barren repetition of the facts recorded in ,exodus8 ,certainly no one who reverently believes in the divine inspiration of the ,pentateuch4 ,no1 reader1 the tenth of ,deuteronomy fills a niche and does a work entirely its own4 ,in it the lawgiver holds up to the hearts of the people past scenes and circumstances in such a way as to rivet them upon the very tablets of the soul4 ,he allows them to hear the conversation between ,jehovah and himself2 he tells them what took place during those mysterious forty days upon that cloud-capped mountain2 he lets them hear ,jehovah's reference to the broken tables--the apt and forcible expression of the utter worthlessness of man's covenant4 ,for why were those tables broken8 ,because they had shamefully failed4 ,those shattered fragments told the humiliating tale of their hopeless ruin on the ground of the law4 ,all was gone4 ,such was the obvious meaning of the fact4 ,it was striking1 impressive1 unmistakable4 ,like a broken pillar over a grave1 which tells at a glance that the prop and stay of the family lies mouldering beneath4 ,there is no need of any inscription1 for no human language could speak with such eloquence to the heart as that most expressive emblem4 ,so the broken tables were calculated to convey to the heart of ,israel the tremendous fact that1 so far as their covenant was concerned1 they were utterly ruined--hopelessly undone2 they were complete bankrupts on the score of righteousness4 ,but then that second set of tables6 ,what of them8 ,thank ,god1 they tell a different tale altogether4 ,they were not broken4 ,god took care of them4 ,i turned myself and came down from the mount1 and put the tables in the ark which ,i had made2 and there they be1 as the ,lord commanded me4 ,blessed fact6 ,there they be4 ,yes1 covered up in that ark which spoke of ,christ1 that blessed ,one who magnified the law and made it honorable1 who established every jot and tittle of it1 to the glory of ,god and the everlasting blessing of ,his people4 ,thus1 while the broken fragments of the first tables told the sad and humbling tale of ,israel's utter failure and ruin1 the second tables1 shut up intact in the ark1 set forth the glorious truth that ,christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth1 to the ,jew first1 and also to the ,gentile4 ,we do not1 of course1 mean to say that ,israel understood the deep meaning and far-reaching application of those wonderful facts which ,moses rehearsed in their ears4 ,as a nation1 they certainly did not then1 though1 through the sovereign mercy of ,god1 they will by and by4 ,individuals may1 and doubtless did1 enter into somewhat of their significance4 ,this is not now the question4 ,it is for us to see and make our own of the precious truth set forth in those two sets of tables1 namely1 the failure of every thing in the hands of man1 and the eternal stability of ,god's covenant of grace1 ratified by the blood of ,christ1 and to be displayed in all its glorious results1 in the kingdom1 by and by1 when the ,son of ,david shall reign from sea to sea1 and from the river to the ends of the earth2 when the seed of ,abraham shall possess1 according to the divine gift1 the land of promise2 and when all the nations of the earth shall rejoice under the beneficent reign of the ,prince of peace4 ,bright and glorious prospect for the now desolate land of ,israel1 and this groaning earth of ours6 ,the ,king of righteousness and peace will then have it all ,his own way4 ,all evil will be put down with a powerful hand4 ,there will be no weakness in that government2 no rebel tongue will be permitted to prate1 in accents of insolent sedition1 against the decrees and enactments thereof2 no rude and senseless demagogue will be allowed to disturb the peace of the people1 or to insult the majesty of the throne4 ,every abuse will be put down1 every disturbing element will be neutralized1 every stumbling-block will be removed1 and every root of bitterness eradicated4 ,the poor and the needy shall be well looked after1 yea1 all shall be divinely attended to2 toil1 sorrow1 poverty1 and desolation shall be unknown2 the wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad1 and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose4 ,behold a king shall reign in righteousness1 and princes shall rule in judgment4 ,and a man shall be as a hiding-place from the wind1 and a covert from the tempest2 as rivers of water in a dry place1 as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land4 ,reader1 what glorious scenes are yet to be enacted in this poor sin-stricken1 ,satan-enslaved1 sorrowful world of ours6 ,how refreshing to think of them6 ,what a relief to the heart amid all the mental misery1 the moral degradation1 and physical wretchedness exhibited around us on every side6 ,thank ,god1 the day is rapidly approaching when the prince of this world shall be hurled from his throne and consigned to the bottomless pit1 and the ,prince of heaven1 the glorious ,emmanuel shall stretch forth ,his blessed sceptre over the wide universe of ,god1 and heaven and earth shall bask in the sunlight of ,his royal countenance4 ,well may we cry out1 ,o ,lord1 hasten the time6 ,and the children of ,israel took their journey from ,beeroth of the children of ,jaakan to ,mosera2 there ,aaron died1 and there he was buried2 and ,eleazar his son ministered in the priest's office in his stead4 ,from thence they journeyed unto ,gudgodah2 and from ,gudgodah to ,jotbath1 a land of rivers of waters4 ,at that time the ,lord separated the tribe of ,levi1 to bear the ark of the covenant of the ,lord1 to stand before the ,lord to minister unto ,him1 and to bless in ,his name1 unto this day4 ,wherefore ,levi hath no part nor inheritance with his brethren2 the ,lord is ,his inheritance1 according as the ,lord thy ,god promised him4 ,the reader must not allow his mind to be disturbed by any question of historical sequence in the foregoing passage4 ,it is simply a parenthesis in which the lawgiver groups together1 in a very striking and forcible manner1 circumstances culled1 with holy skill1 from the history of the people1 illustrative at once of the government and grace of ,god4 ,the death of ,aaron exhibits the former2 the election and elevation of ,levi presents the latter4 ,both are placed together1 not with a view to chronology1 but for the grand moral end which was ever present to the mind of the lawgiver--an end which lies far away beyond the range of infidel reason1 but which commends itself to the heart and understanding of the devout student of ,scripture4 ,how utterly contemptible are the quibbles of the infidel when looked at in the brilliant light of divine inspiration6 ,how miserable the condition of a mind which can occupy itself with chronological hair-splittings in order1 if possible1 to find a flaw in the divine ,volume1 instead of grasping the real aim and object of the inspired writer6 ,but why does ,moses bring in1 in this parenthetical and apparently abrupt manner1 those two special events in ,israel's history8 ,simply to move the heart of the people toward the one grand point of obedience4 ,to this end he culls and groups according to the wisdom given unto him4 ,do we expect to find in this divinely taught servant of ,god the petty preciseness of a mere copyist8 ,infidels may affect to do so1 but true ,christians know better4 ,a mere scribe could copy events in their chronological order2 a true prophet will bring those events to bear1 in a moral way1 upon the heart and conscience4 ,thus1 while the poor deluded infidel is groping amid the shadows of his own creation1 the pious student delights himself in the moral glories of that peerless ,volume which stands like a rock1 against which the waves of infidel thought dash themselves with contemptible impotency4 ,we do not attempt to dwell upon the circumstances referred to in the above parenthesis2 they have been gone into elsewhere1 and therefore we only feel it needful1 in this place1 to point out to the reader what we may venture to call the ,deuteronomic bearing of the facts--the use which the lawgiver makes of them to strengthen the foundation of his final appeal to the heart and conscience of the people1 to give pungency and power to his exhortation1 as he urged upon them the absolute necessity of unqualified obedience to the statutes and judgments of their covenant-,god4 ,such was his reason for referring to the solemn fact of the death of ,aaron4 ,they were to remember that notwithstanding ,aaron's high position as the high-priest of ,israel1 yet he was stripped of his robes and deprived of his life for disobedience to the word of ,jehovah4 ,how important1 then1 that they should take heed to themselves6 ,the government of ,god was not to be trifled with1 and the very fact of ,aaron's elevation only rendered it all the more needful that his sin should be dealt with1 in order that others might fear4 ,and then they were to remember the ,lord's dealings with ,levi1 in which grace shines with such marvelous lustre4 ,the fierce1 cruel1 self-willed ,levi was taken up from the depths of his moral ruin and brought nigh to ,god1 to bear the ark of the covenant of the ,lord1 to stand before the ,lord1 to minister unto ,him1 and to bless in ,his name4 ,but why should this account of ,levi be coupled with the death of ,aaron8 ,simply to set forth the blessed consequences of obedience4 ,if the death of ,aaron displayed the awful result of disobedience1 the elevation of ,levi illustrates the precious fruit of obedience4 ,hear what the prophet ,malachi says on this point4--,and ye shall know that ,i have sent this commandment unto you1 that ,my covenant might be with ,levi1 saith the ,lord of hosts4 ,my covenant was with him of life and peace2 and ,i gave them to him for the fear wherewith he feared ,me1 and was afraid before ,my name4 ,the law of truth was in his mouth1 and iniquity was not found in his lips2 he walked with ,me in peace and equity1 and did turn many away from iniquity4 7,chap4 ii4 #d-f47 ,this is a very remarkable passage1 and throws much light upon the subject now before us4 ,it tells us distinctly that ,jehovah gave ,his covenant of life and peace to ,levi for the fear wherewith he feared ,him on the terrible occasion of the golden calf which ,aaron 7himself a ,levite of the very highest order7 made4 ,why was ,aaron judged8 ,because of his rebellion at the waters of ,meribah4 7,num4 xx4 #bd47 ,why was ,levi blessed8 ,because of his reverent obedience at the foot of ,mount ,horeb4 7,ex4 xxxii47 ,why are both grouped together in ,deuteronomy x8 ,in order to impress upon the heart and conscience of the congregation the urgent necessity of implicit obedience to the commandments of their covenant-,god4 ,how perfect is ,scripture in all its parts6 how beautifully it hangs together6 and how plain it is to the devout reader that the lovely book of ,deuteronomy has its own divine niche to fill1 its own distinctive work to do1 its own appointed sphere1 scope1 and object6 ,how manifest it is that the fifth division of the ,pentateuch is neither a contradiction nor a repetition1 but a divine application of its divinely inspired predecessors6 ,and1 finally1 we cannot help adding1 how convincing the evidence that infidel writers know neither what they say nor whereof they affirm1 when they dare to insult the oracles of ,god--yea1 that they greatly err1 not knowing the ,scriptures1 nor the power of ,god6#g #g ,we have1 in human writings1 numerous examples of the same thing that infidels object to in ,deuteronomy x4 #f-i4 ,suppose a man is anxious to call the attention of the ,english nation to some great principle of political economy1 or some matter of national importance2 he does not hesitate to select facts however widely separated on the page of history1 and group them together in order to illustrate his subject4 ,do infidels object to this8 ,no2 not when found in the writings of men4 ,it is only when it occurs in ,scripture1 because they hate the ,word of ,god1 and cannot bear the idea that ,he should give to ,his creatures a book-revelation of ,his mind4 ,blessed be ,his name1 ,he has given it notwithstanding1 and we have it in all its infinite preciousness and divine authority1 for the comfort of our hearts and the guidance of our path amid all the darkness and confusion of this scene through which we are passing home to glory4 ,at verse #aj of our chapter1 ,moses returns to the subject of his discourse4 ,and ,i stayed in the mount1 according to the first time1 forty days and forty nights2 and the ,lord hearkened unto me at that time also1 and the ,lord would not destroy thee4 ,and the ,lord said unto me1 ',arise1 take thy journey before the people1 that they may go in and possess the land which ,i sware unto their fathers to give unto them4' ,jehovah would accomplish ,his promise to the fathers spite of every hindrance4 ,he would put ,israel in full possession of the land concerning which ,he had sworn to ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob1 to give it to their seed for an everlasting inheritance4 ,and now1 ,israel1 what doth the ,lord thy ,god require of thee1 but to fear the ,lord thy ,god1 to walk in all ,his ways1 and to love ,him1 and to serve the ,lord thy ,god with all thy heart and with all thy soul4 ,to keep the commandments of the ,lord1 and ,his statutes1 which ,i command thee this day1 for thy good4 ,it was all for their real good--their deep1 full blessing to walk in the way of the divine commandments4 ,the path of whole-hearted obedience is the only path of true happiness2 and1 blessed be ,god1 this path can always be trodden by those who love the ,lord4 ,this is an unspeakable comfort1 at all times4 ,god has given us ,his precious ,word1 the perfect revelation of ,his mind2 and ,he has given us what ,israel had not1 even ,his ,holy ,spirit to dwell in us1 whereby we can understand and appreciate ,his ,word4 ,hence our obligations are vastly higher than were ,israel's4 ,we are bound to a life of obedience by every argument that could be brought to bear on the heart and understanding4 ,and surely it is for our good to be obedient4 ,there is indeed great reward in keeping the commandments of our loving ,father4 ,every thought of ,him and of ,his gracious ways1 every reference to ,his marvelous dealings with us--,his loving ministry1 ,his tender care1 ,his thoughtful love--all should bind our hearts in affectionate devotion to ,him1 and quicken our steps in treading the path of loving obedience to ,him4 ,wherever we turn our eyes we are met by the most powerful evidences of ,his claim upon our heart's affections and upon all the energies of our ransomed being2 and1 blessed be ,his name1 the more fully we are enabled1 by ,his grace1 to respond to ,his most precious claims1 the brighter and happier our path must be4 ,there is nothing in all this world more deeply blessed than the path and portion of an obedient soul4 ,great peace have they that love ,thy law1 and nothing shall offend them4 ,the lowly disciple who finds his meat and his drink in doing the will of his beloved ,lord and ,master1 possesses a peace which the world can neither give nor take away4 ,true1 he may be misunderstood and misinterpreted2 he may be dubbed narrow and bigoted1 and such like2 but none of these things move him4 ,one approving smile from his ,lord is more than ample recompense for all the reproach that men can heap upon him4 ,he knows how to estimate at their proper worth the thoughts of men2 they are to him as the chaff which the wind driveth away4 ,the deep utterance of his heart1 as he moves steadily along the sacred path of obedience1 is1-- ,let me my feebleness recline ,on that eternal love of ,thine1 ,and human thoughts forget2 ,childlike attend what ,thou wilt say1 ,go forth and serve ,thee while 'tis day1 ,nor leave ,thy sweet retreat4 ,in the closing verses of our chapter1 the lawgiver seems to rise higher and higher in his presentation of moral motives for obedience1 and to come closer and closer to the hearts of the people4 ,behold1 he says1 the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the ,lord's thy ,god1 the earth also1 with all that therein is4 ,only the ,lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them1 and ,he chose their seed after them1 even you above all people1 as it is this day4 ,what a marvelous privilege to be chosen and loved by the ,possessor of heaven and earth6 what an honor to be called to serve and obey ,him6 ,surely nothing in all this world could be higher or better4 ,to be identified and associated with the ,most ,high ,god1 to have ,his name called upon them1 to be ,his peculiar people1 ,his special possession1 the people of ,his choice1 to be set apart from all the nations of the earth to be the servants of ,jehovah and ,his witnesses4 ,what1 we may ask1 could exceed this1 except it be that to which the ,church of ,god and the individual believer are called8 ,assuredly1 our privileges are higher1 inasmuch as we know ,god in a higher1 deeper1 nearer1 more intimate manner than the nation of ,israel ever did4 ,we know ,him as the ,god and ,father of the ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 and as our ,god and ,father4 ,we have the ,holy ,ghost dwelling in us1 shedding abroad the love of ,god in our hearts1 and leading us to cry1 ,abba1 ,father4 ,all this is far beyond any thing that ,god's earthly people ever knew or could know2 and1 inasmuch as our privileges are higher1 ,his claims upon our hearty and unreserved obedience are also higher4 ,every appeal to the heart of ,israel should come home with augmented force to our hearts1 beloved ,christian reader2 every exhortation addressed to them should speak far more powerfully to us4 ,we occupy the very highest ground on which any creature could stand4 ,neither the seed of ,abraham on earth nor the angels of ,god in heaven could say what we can say or know what we know4 ,we are linked and eternally associated with the risen and glorified ,son of ,god4 ,we can adopt as our own the wondrous language of #a ,john iv4 #ag1 and say1 ,as ,he is1 so are we in this world4 ,what can exceed this1 as to privilege and dignity8 ,surely nothing1 save to be1 in body1 soul1 and spirit1 conformed to ,his adorable image1 as we shall be ere long1 through the abounding grace of ,god4 ,well then1 let us ever bear in mind--yea1 let us have it deep1 deep down in our hearts1 that according to our privileges are our obligations4 ,let us not refuse the wholesome word obligation1 as though it had a legal ring about it4 ,far from it6 it would be utterly impossible to conceive any thing further removed from all thought of legality than the obligations which flow out of the ,christian's position4 ,it is a very serious mistake to be continually raising the cry of ,legal6 legal6 whenever the holy responsibilities of our position are pressed upon us4 ,we believe that every truly pious ,christian will delight in all the appeals and exhortations which the ,holy ,ghost addresses to us as to our obligations1 seeing they are all grounded upon privileges conferred upon us by the sovereign grace of ,god1 through the precious blood of ,christ1 and made good to us by the mighty ministry of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,but let us hearken still further to the stirring appeals of ,moses4 ,they are truly profitable for us1 with all our higher light1 knowledge1 and privilege4 ,circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart1 and be no more stiff-necked4 ,for the ,lord your ,god is ,god of gods1 and ,lord of lords1 a great ,god1 a mighty1 and a terrible1 which regardeth not persons1 nor taketh reward4 ,he doth execute the judgment of the fatherless and widow1 and loveth the stranger1 in giving him food and raiment4 ,here1 ,moses speaks not merely of ,god's doings and dealings and ways1 but of ,himself1 of what ,he is4 ,he is high over all1 the great1 the mighty1 and the terrible4 ,but ,he has a heart for the widow and the fatherless--those helpless objects deprived of all earthly and natural props1 the poor bereaved and broken-hearted widow1 and the desolate orphan4 ,god thinks of and cares for such in a very special way2 they have a claim upon ,his loving heart and mighty hand4 ,a father of the fatherless1 and a ,judge of the widow is ,god in ,his holy habitation4 ,she that is a widow indeed and desolate trusteth in ,god1 and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day4 ,leave thy fatherless children1 ,i will preserve them alive2 and let thy widows trust in ,me4 ,what a rich provision is here for widows and orphans6 ,how wondrous ,god's care of such6 ,how many widows are much better off than when they had their husbands6 how many orphans are better cared and provided for than when they had their parents6 ,god looks after them6 ,this is enough4 ,thousands of husbands and thousands of parents are worse1 by far1 than none2 but ,god never fails those who are cast upon ,him4 ,he is ever true to ,his own name1 whatever relationship ,he takes4 ,let all widows and orphans remember this for their comfort and encouragement4 ,and then the poor stranger6 ,he is not forgotten4 ,he loveth the stranger1 in giving him food and raiment4 ,how precious is this6 ,our ,god cares for all those who are bereft of earthly props1 human hopes1 and creature-confidences4 ,all such have a special claim upon ,him1 to which ,he will most surely respond according to all the love of ,his heart4 ,the widow1 the fatherless1 and the stranger are the special objects of ,his tender care1 and all such have but to look to ,him1 and draw upon ,his exhaustless resources in all their varied need4 ,but then ,he must be known in order to be trusted4 ,they that know ,thy name will put their trust in ,thee2 for ,thou1 ,lord1 hast not forsaken them that seek ,thee4 ,those who do not know ,god would vastly prefer an insurance policy or a government annuity to ,his promise2 but the true believer finds in that promise the unfailing stay of his heart1 because he knows and trusts and loves the ,promiser4 ,he delights in the thought of being absolutely shut up to ,god--wholly dependent upon ,him4 ,he would not1 for worlds1 be in any other position4 ,the very thing which would almost drive an unbeliever out of his senses is to the ,christian--the man of faith1 the very deepest joy of his heart4 ,the language of such an one will ever be1 ,my soul1 wait thou only upon ,god2 for my expectation is from ,him4 ,he only is my rock4 ,blessed position6 precious portion6 ,may the reader know it as a divine reality1 a living power1 in his heart1 by the mighty ministry of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,then will he be able to sit loose to earthly things4 ,he will be able to tell the world that he is independent of it1 having found all he wants1 for time and eternity1 in the living ,god and ,his ,christ4 ,thou1 ,o ,christ1 art all ,i want2 ,more than all in ,thee ,i find4 ,but let us specially note the provision which ,god makes for the stranger4 ,it is very simple--food and raiment4 ,this is enough for a true stranger1 as the blessed apostle says to his son ,timothy1 ,we brought nothing into this world1 and it is certain we can carry nothing out4 ,and having food and raiment1 let us be therewith content4 ,christian reader1 let us ponder this4 ,what a cure for restless ambition is here6 what an antidote against covetousness6 what a blessed deliverance from the feverish excitement of commercial life1 the grasping spirit of the age in which our lot is cast6 ,if we were only content with the divinely appointed provision for the stranger1 what a different tale we should have to tell6 how calm and even would be the current of our daily life6 how simple our habits and tastes6 how unworldly our spirit and style6 what moral elevation above the self-indulgence and luxury so prevalent amongst professing ,christians6 ,we should simply eat and drink to the glory of ,god1 and to keep the body in proper working order4 ,to go beyond this1 either in eating or drinking1 is to indulge in fleshly lusts1 which war against the soul4 ,alas6 alas6 how much of this there is1 specially in reference to drink6 ,it is perfectly appalling to think of the consumption of intoxicating drink amongst professing ,christians4 ,it is our thorough conviction that the devil has succeeded in ruining the testimony of hundreds1 and in causing them to make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience1 by the use of stimulants4 ,thousands ruin their fortunes1 ruin their families1 ruin their health1 ruin their souls1 through the senseless1 vile1 and cursed desire for stimulants4 ,we are not going to preach a crusade against stimulants or narcotics4 ,the wrong is not in the things themselves1 but in our inordinate and sinful use of them4 ,it not unfrequently happens that persons who fall under the horrible dominion of drink seek to lay the blame on their medical adviser1 but surely no proper medical man would ever advise his patient to indulge in the use of stimulants4 ,he may prescribe the use of a little wine1 for the stomach's sake and frequent infirmities1 and he has the very highest authority for so doing2 but why should this lead any one to become a drunkard8 ,each one is responsible to walk in the fear of ,god in reference to both eating and drinking4 ,if a doctor prescribes a little nourishing food for his patient1 is he to be blamed if that patient becomes a glutton8 ,surely not4 ,the evil is not in the doctor's prescription1 or in the stimulant or in the nourishment1 but in the wretched lust of the heart4 ,here1 we are persuaded1 lies the root of the evil2 and the remedy is found in that precious grace of ,god which1 while it bringeth salvation unto all men1 teacheth those who are saved to live soberly1 righteously1 and godly in this present world4 ,and be it remembered that to live soberly means a great deal more than temperance in eating and drinking2 it means this1 most surely1 but it takes in also the whole range of inward self-government--the government of the thoughts1 the government of the temper1 the government of the tongue4 ,the grace that saves us not only tells us how to live1 but teaches how to do it1 and if we follow its teachings1 we shall be well content with ,god's provision for the stranger4 ,it is at once interesting and edifying to notice the way in which ,moses sets the divine example before the people as their model4 ,jehovah loveth the stranger1 in giving him food and raiment4 ,love ye therefore the stranger2 for ye were strangers in the land of ,egypt4 ,this is very touching4 ,they were not only to keep before their eyes the divine model1 but also to remember their own past history and experience1 in order that their hearts might be drawn out in sympathy and compassion toward the poor homeless stranger4 ,it was the bounden duty and high privilege of the ,israel of ,god to place themselves in the circumstances and enter into the feelings of others4 ,they were to be the moral representatives of that blessed ,one whose people they were1 and whose name was called upon them4 ,they were to imitate ,him in meeting the wants and gladdening the hearts of the fatherless1 the widow1 and the stranger4 ,and if ,god's earthly people were called to this lovely course of action1 how much more are we who are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in ,christ ,jesus4 ,may we abide more in ,his presence1 and drink more into ,his spirit1 that so we may more faithfully reflect ,his moral glories upon all with whom we come in contact4 ,the closing lines of our chapter give us a very fine summing up of the practical teaching which has been engaging our attention4 ,thou shalt fear the ,lord thy ,god2 ,him shalt thou serve1 and to ,him shalt thou cleave1 and swear by ,his name4 ,he is thy praise1 and ,he is thy ,god1 that hath done for thee these great and terrible things1 which thine eyes have seen4 ,thy fathers went down into ,egypt with threescore and ten persons1 and now the ,lord hath made thee as the stars of heaven for multitude4 7,ver4 #bj-bb47 ,how thoroughly bracing is all this to the moral being6 ,this binding of the heart to the ,lord ,himself by means of all that ,he is1 and all ,his wondrous actings and gracious ways1 is unspeakably precious4 ,it is1 we may truly say1 the secret spring of all true devotedness4 ,god grant that the writer and the reader may abidingly realize its motive power4 ,,chapter ,,xi4 ,therefore thou shalt love the ,lord thy ,god1 and keep ,his charge1 and ,his statutes1 and ,his judgments1 and ,his commandments1 alway4 ,and know ye this day2 for ,i speak not with your children which have not known1 and which have not seen the chastisements of the ,lord your ,god1 ,his greatness1 ,his mighty hand1 and ,his stretched-out arm1 and ,his miracles1 and ,his acts1 which ,he did in the midst of ,egypt unto ,pharaoh the king of ,egypt1 and unto all his land2 and what ,he did unto the army of ,egypt1 unto their horses1 and to their chariots2 how ,he made the water of the ,red ,sea to overflow them as they pursued after you1 and how the ,lord hath destroyed them unto this day2 and what ,he did unto you in the wilderness1 until ye came into this place2 and what ,he did unto ,dathan and ,abiram1 the sons of ,eliab1 the son of ,reuben2 how the earth opened her mouth1 and swallowed them up1 and their households1 and their tents1 and all the substance that was in their possession1 in the midst of all ,israel2 but your eyes have seen all the great acts of the ,lord which ,he did4 ,moses felt it to be of the very highest importance that all the mighty acts of ,jehovah should be kept prominently before the hearts of the people1 and deeply engraved on the tablets of their memory4 ,the poor human mind is vagrant1 and the heart volatile1 and notwithstanding all that ,israel had seen of the solemn judgments of ,god upon ,egypt and upon ,pharaoh1 they were in danger of forgetting them1 and losing the impression which they were designed and eminently fitted to make upon them4 ,it may be we feel disposed to wonder how ,israel could ever forget the impressive scenes of their history in ,egypt from first to last--the descent of their fathers thither as a mere handful1 their steady growth and progress as a people1 spite of formidable difficulties and hindrances1 so that from the insignificant few1 they had become1 by the good hand of their ,god upon them1 as the stars of heaven for multitude4 ,and then those ten plagues upon the land of ,egypt6 ,how full of awful solemnity6 how pre-eminently calculated to impress the heart with a sense of the mighty power of ,god1 the utter impotency and insignificance of man1 in all his boasted wisdom1 strength1 and glory1 and the egregious folly of his attempting to set himself up against the almighty ,god6 ,what was all the power of ,pharaoh and of ,egypt in the presence of the ,lord ,god of ,israel8 ,in one hour all was plunged into hopeless ruin and destruction4 ,all the chariots of ,egypt1 all the pomp and glory1 the valor and might1 of that ancient and far-famed nation--all was overwhelmed in the depths of the sea4 ,and why8 ,because they had presumed to meddle with the ,israel of ,god2 they had dared to set themselves in opposition to the eternal purpose and counsel of the ,most ,high4 ,they sought to crush those on whom ,he had set ,his love4 ,he had sworn to bless the seed of ,abraham1 and no power of earth or hell could possibly annul ,his oath4 ,pharaoh1 in his pride and hardness of heart1 attempted to countervail the divine actings1 but he only meddled to his own destruction4 ,his land was shaken to its very centre1 and himself and his mighty army overthrown in the ,red ,sea1 a solemn example to all who should ever attempt to stand in the way of ,jehovah's purpose to bless the seed of ,abraham ,his friend4 ,nor was it merely what ,jehovah had done to ,egypt and to ,pharaoh that the people were called to remember1 but also what ,he had done amongst themselves4 ,how soul-subduing the judgment upon ,dathan and ,abiram and their households6 ,how awful the thought of the earth opening her mouth and swallowing them up6 ,and for what8 ,for their rebellion against the divine appointment4 ,in the history given in ,numbers1 ,korah1 the ,levite1 is the prominent character2 but here1 he is omitted1 and the two ,reubenites are named--two members of the congregation1 because ,moses is seeking to act on the whole body of the people by setting before them the terrible consequence of self-will in two of their number--two ordinary members1 as we should say1 and not merely a privileged ,levite4 ,in a word1 then1 whether the attention was called to the divine actings without or within1 abroad or at home1 it was all for the purpose of impressing their hearts and minds with a deep sense of the moral importance of obedience4 ,this was the one grand aim of all the rehearsals1 all the comments1 all the exhortations1 of the faithful servant of ,god who was so soon to be removed from their midst4 ,for this1 he ranges over their history for centuries1 culling1 grouping1 commenting1 taking up this fact and omitting that1 as guided by the ,spirit of ,god4 ,the journey down to ,egypt1 the sojourn there1 the heavy judgments upon the self-willed ,pharaoh1 the exodus1 the passage through the sea1 the scenes in the wilderness1 and specially the awful fate of the two rebellious ,reubenites--all is brought to bear1 with marvelous force and clearness1 upon the conscience of the people1 in order to strengthen the basis of ,jehovah's claim upon their unqualified obedience to ,his holy commandments4 ,therefore shall ye keep all the commandments which ,i command you this day1 that ye may be strong1 and go in and possess the land1 whither ye go to possess it2 and that ye may prolong your days in the land1 which the ,lord sware unto your fathers to give unto them and to their seed1 a land that floweth with milk and honey4 ,let the reader note the beautiful moral link between those two clauses--keep all the commandments--that ye may be strong4 ,there is great strength gained by unreserved obedience to the ,word of ,god4 ,it will not do to pick and choose4 ,we are prone to this--prone to take up certain commandments and precepts which suit ourselves2 but this is really self-will4 ,what right have we to select such and such precepts from the ,word1 and neglect others8 ,none whatever4 ,to do so is1 in principle1 simply self-will and rebellion4 ,what business has a servant to decide as to which of his master's commands he will obey8 ,surely none whatever2 each commandment stands clothed with the master's authority1 and therefore claims the servant's attention2 and1 we may add1 the more implicitly the servant obeys1 the more he bends his respectful attention to every one of his master's commands1 be it ever so trivial1 the more does he strengthen himself in his position and grow in his master's confidence and esteem4 ,every master loves and values an obedient1 faithful1 devoted servant4 ,we all know what a comfort it is to have a servant whom we can trust--one who finds his delight in carrying out our every wish1 and who does not require perpetual looking after1 but knows his duty and attends to it4 ,now1 ought we not to seek to refresh the heart of our blessed ,master1 by a loving obedience to all ,his commandments8 ,only think1 reader1 what a privilege it is to be allowed to give joy to the heart of that blessed ,one who loved us and gave ,himself for us4 ,it is something wonderful that poor creatures such as we can in any way refresh the heart of ,jesus2 yet so it is1 blessed be ,his name4 ,he delights in our keeping ,his commandments2 and assuredly the thought of this should stir our whole moral being1 and lead us to study ,his ,word1 in order to find out1 more and more1 what ,his commandments are1 so that we may do them4 ,we are forcibly reminded1 by those words of ,moses which we have just quoted1 of the apostle's prayer for the saints and faithful brethren in ,christ at ,colosse4 ,for this cause we also1 since the day we heard it1 do not cease to pray for you1 and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of ,his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding2 that ye might walk worthy of the ,lord unto all pleasing1 being fruitful in every good work1 and increasing in the knowledge of ,god2 strengthened with all might1 according to ,his glorious power1 unto all patience and long-suffering with joyfulness2 giving thanks unto the ,father1 which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light2 who hath delivered us from the power of darkness1 and hath translated us into the kingdom of the ,son of ,his love2 in whom we have redemption through ,his blood1 the forgiveness of sins4 7,col4 i4 #i-ad47 ,making allowance for the difference between the earthly and the heavenly--between ,israel and the ,church1 there is a striking similarity between the words of the lawgiver and the words of the apostle4 ,both together are eminently fitted to set forth the beauty and preciousness of a willing-hearted1 loving obedience4 ,it is precious to the ,father1 precious to ,christ1 precious to the ,holy ,ghost2 and this surely ought to be enough to create and strengthen in our hearts the desire to be filled with the knowledge of ,his will1 that so we might walk worthy of ,him to all pleasing1 being fruitful in every good work1 and increasing in the knowledge of ,god4 ,it should lead us to a more diligent study of the ,word of ,god1 so that we might be ever finding out more and more of our ,lord's mind and will1 learning what is well-pleasing to ,him1 and looking to ,him for grace to do it4 ,thus should our hearts be kept near to ,him1 and we should find an ever-deepening interest in searching the ,scriptures1 not merely to grow in the knowledge of truth1 but in the knowledge of ,god1 the knowledge of ,christ--the deep1 personal1 experimental knowledge of all that is treasured up in that blessed ,one who is the fullness of the ,godhead bodily4 ,oh1 may the ,spirit of ,god1 by ,his most precious and powerful ministry1 awaken in us a more intense desire to know and to do the will of our blessed ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ1 that thus we may refresh ,his loving heart and be well-pleasing to ,him in all things4 ,we must now turn1 for a moment1 to the lovely picture of the promised land which ,moses holds up before the eyes of the people4--,for the land whither thou goest in to possess it1 is not as the land of ,egypt1 from whence ye came out1 where thou sowedst thy seed1 and wateredst it with thy foot1 as a garden of herbs2 but the land whither ye go to possess it1 is a land of hills and valleys1 and drinketh water of the rain of heaven2 a land which the ,lord thy ,god careth for2 the eyes of the ,lord thy ,god are always upon it1 from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year4 7,ver4 #aj-ab47 ,what a vivid contrast between ,egypt and ,canaan6 ,egypt had no rain from heaven2 it was all human effort there4 ,not so in the ,lord's land2 the human foot could do nothing there1 nor was there any need1 for the blessed rain from heaven dropped upon it2 ,jehovah ,himself cared for it and watered it with the early and latter rain4 ,the land of ,egypt was dependent upon its own resources2 the land of ,canaan was wholly dependent upon ,god--upon what came down from heaven4 ,my river is mine own1 was the language of ,egypt2 the river of ,god was the hope of ,canaan4 ,the habit in ,egypt was to water with the foot2 the habit in ,canaan was to look up to heaven4 ,we have in the sixty-fifth psalm a lovely statement of the condition of things in the ,lord's land1 as viewed by the eye of faith4 ,thou visitest the earth1 and waterest it2 ,thou greatly enrichest it with the river of ,god1 which is full of water2 ,thou preparest them corn1 when ,thou hast so provided for it4 ,thou waterest the ridges thereof abundantly2 ,thou settlest the furrows thereof2 ,thou makest it soft with showers2 ,thou blessest the springing thereof4 ,thou crownest the year with ,thy goodness1 and ,thy paths drop fatness4 ,they drop upon the pastures of the wilderness2 and the little hills rejoice on every side4 ,the pastures are clothed with flocks2 the valleys also are covered over with corn2 they shout for joy1 they also sing4 7,ver4 #i-ac47 ,how perfectly beautiful6 ,only think of ,god watering the ridges and settling the furrows6 think of ,his stooping down to do the work of a husbandman for ,his people6 ,yes1 and delighting to do it6 ,it was the joy of ,his heart to pour ,his sunbeams and ,his refreshing showers upon the hills and valleys of ,his beloved people4 ,it was refreshing to ,his spirit1 as it was to the praise of ,his name1 to see the vine1 the fig-tree1 and the olive flourishing1 the valleys covered with the golden grain1 and the rich pastures covered with flocks of sheep4 ,thus it should ever have been1 and thus it would have been1 had ,israel only walked in simple obedience to the holy law of ,god4 ,it shall come to pass1 if ye shall hearken diligently unto ,my commandments which ,i command you this day1 to love the ,lord your ,god1 and to serve ,him with all your heart and with all your soul1 that ,i will give you the rain of your land in his due season1 the first rain and the latter rain1 that thou mayest gather in thy corn1 and thy wine1 and thine oil4 ,and ,i will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle1 that thou mayest eat and be full4 7,ver4 #ac-ae47 ,thus the matter stood between the ,god of ,israel and the ,israel of ,god4 ,nothing could be simpler1 nothing more blessed4 ,it was ,israel's high and holy privilege to love and serve ,jehovah2 it was ,jehovah's prerogative to bless and prosper ,israel4 ,happiness and fruitfulness were to be the sure accompaniments of obedience4 ,the people and their land were wholly dependent upon ,god4 ,all their supplies were to come down from heaven2 and hence1 so long as they walked in loving obedience1 the copious showers dropped upon their fields and vineyards1 the heavens dropped down the dew1 and the earth responded in fruitfulness and blessing4 ,but1 on the other hand1 when ,israel forgot the ,lord1 and forsook ,his precious commandments1 the heaven became brass and the earth iron2 barrenness1 desolation1 famine1 and misery were the melancholy accompaniments of disobedience4 ,how could it be otherwise8 ,if ye be willing and obedient1 ye shall eat the good of the land2 but if ye refuse and rebel1 ye shall be devoured with the sword2 for the mouth of the ,lord hath spoken it4 ,now1 in all this there is deep1 practical instruction for the ,church of ,god4 ,although we are not under law1 we are called to obedience2 and as we are enabled1 through grace1 to yield a loving1 hearty obedience1 we are blessed in our own spiritual state1 our souls are watered1 refreshed1 and strengthened1 and we bring forth the fruits of righteousness which are by ,jesus ,christ to the glory and praise of ,god4 ,the reader may refer with much profit1 in connection with this great practical subject1 to the opening of ,john xv4--a most precious scripture1 and one demanding the earnest attention of every true-hearted child of ,god4 ,i am the true vine1 and ,my ,father is the ,husbandman4 ,every branch in ,me that beareth not fruit ,he taketh away2 and every branch that beareth fruit1 ,he purgeth it1 that it may bring forth more fruit4 ,now ye are clean through the word which ,i have spoken unto you4 ,abide in ,me1 and ,i in you4 ,as the branch cannot bear fruit of itself1 except it abide in the vine2 no more can ye1 except ye abide in ,me4 ,i am the vine1 ye are the branches3 he that abideth in ,me1 and ,i in him1 the same bringeth forth much fruit2 for without or apart from ,me ye can do nothing4 ,if a man abide not in ,me1 he is cast forth as a branch1 and is withered2 and men gather them1 and cast them into the fire1 and they are burned4 ,if ye abide in ,me1 and ,my words abide in you1 ye shall ask what ye will1 and it shall be done unto you4 ,herein is ,my ,father glorified1 that ye bear much fruit2 so shall ye be ,my disciples4 ,as the ,father hath loved ,me1 so have ,i loved you2 continue ye in ,my love4 ,if ye keep ,my commandments1 ye shall abide in ,my love2 even as ,i have kept ,my ,father's commandments1 and abide in ,his love4 7,ver4 #a-aj47 ,this weighty passage of ,scripture has suffered immensely through theological controversy and religious strife4 ,it is as plain as it is practical1 and only needs to be taken as it stands1 in its own divine simplicity4 ,if we seek to import into it what does not belong to it1 we mar its integrity and miss its true application4 ,in it we have ,christ1 the true vine1 taking the place of ,israel1 who had become to ,jehovah the degenerate plant of a strange vine4 ,the scene of the parable is obviously earth1 and not heaven2 we do not think of a vine and a husbandman 77 in heaven4 ,besides1 our ,lord says1 ,i am the true vine4 ,the figure is very distinct4 ,it is not the head and the members1 but a tree and its branches4 ,moreover1 the subject of the parable is as distinct as the parable itself2 it is not eternal life1 but fruit-bearing4 ,if this were borne in mind1 it would greatly help to an understanding of this much-misunderstood passage of ,scripture4 ,in a word1 then1 we learn from the figure of the vine and its branches that the true secret of fruit-bearing is1 to abide in ,christ1 and the way to abide in ,christ is1 to keep ,his precious commandments4 ,if ye keep ,my commandments1 ye shall abide in ,my love2 even as ,i have kept ,my ,father's commandments1 and abide in ,his love4 ,this makes it all so simple4 ,the way to bear fruit in season is1 to abide in the love of ,christ1 and this abiding is proved by our treasuring up ,his commandments in our hearts and yielding a loving obedience to every one of them4 ,it is not running hither and thither in the mere energy of nature2 it is not the excitement of mere fleshly zeal displaying itself in spasmodic efforts after devotedness4 ,no2 it is something quite different from all this2 it is the calm and holy obedience of the heart--a loving obedience to our own beloved ,lord1 which refreshes ,his heart and glorifies ,his name4 ,how blest are they who still abide ,close sheltered by ,thy watchful side2 ,who life and strength from ,thee receive1 ,and with ,thee move and in ,thee live4 ,reader1 may we apply our hearts diligently to this great subject of fruit-bearing4 ,may we better understand what it is4 ,we are apt to make great mistakes about it4 ,it is to be feared that much--very much of what passes for fruit would not be accredited in the divine presence4 ,god cannot own any thing as fruit which is not the direct result of abiding in ,christ4 ,we may earn a great name among our fellows for zeal1 energy1 and devotedness2 we may be abundant in labors1 in every department of the work2 we may acquit ourselves as great travelers1 great preachers1 earnest workers in the vineyard1 great philanthropists and moral reformers2 we may spend a princely fortune in promoting all the great objects of ,christian benevolence1 and all the while not produce a single cluster of fruit acceptable to the ,father's heart4 ,and1 on the other hand1 it may be our lot to pass the time of our sojourn here in obscurity and retirement from human gaze2 we may be little accounted of by the world and the professing church2 we may seem to leave but little mark on the sands of time2 but if only we abide in ,christ1 abide in ,his love1 treasure up ,his precious words in our hearts1 and yield ourselves up to a holy and loving obedience to ,his commandments1 then shall our fruit be in season1 and our ,father will be glorified1 and we shall grow in the experimental knowledge of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,we shall now look for a moment at the remainder of our chapter1 in which ,moses1 in words of intense earnestness1 presses upon the congregation the urgent need of watchfulness and diligence in reference to all the statutes and judgments of the ,lord their ,god4 ,the beloved and faithful servant of ,god1 and true lover of the people1 was unwearied in his efforts to brace them up to that whole-hearted obedience which he knew to be at once the spring of their happiness and their fruitfulness2 and just as our blessed ,lord warns ,his disciples by setting before them the solemn judgment of the unfruitful branch1 so does ,moses warn the people as to the sure and terrible consequences of disobedience4 ,take heed to yourselves1 that your heart be not deceived1 and ye turn aside1 and serve other gods1 and worship them4 ,sad progress downward6 ,the heart deceived4 ,this is the beginning of all declension4 ,and ye turn aside4 ,the feet are sure to follow the heart4 ,hence the deep need of keeping the heart with all diligence2 it is the citadel of the whole moral being1 and so long as it is kept for the ,lord1 the enemy can gain no advantage2 but when once it is surrendered1 all is really gone1--there is the turning aside2 the secret departure of the heart is proved by the practical ways1--other gods are served and worshiped4 ,the descent down along the inclined plane is terribly rapid4 ,and then--mark the sure and solemn consequences--the ,lord's wrath be kindled against you1 and ,he shut up the heaven1 that there be no rain1 and that the land yield not her fruit2 and ye perish quickly from off the good land which the ,lord giveth you4 ,what barrenness and desolation there must be when heaven is shut up6 ,no refreshing showers coming down1 no dew-drops falling1 no communication between the heaven and the earth4 ,alas6 how often had ,israel tasted the awful reality of this6 ,he turneth rivers into a wilderness1 and the water-springs into dry ground2 a fruitful land into barrenness1 for the wickedness of them that dwell therein4 ,and may we not see in the barren land and the desolate wilderness an apt and striking illustration of a soul out of communion through disobedience to the precious commandments of ,christ8 ,such an one has no refreshing communications with heaven--no showers coming down--no unfoldings of the preciousness of ,christ to the heart--no sweet ministrations of an ungrieved ,spirit to the soul2 the ,bible seems a sealed book2 all is dark1 dreary1 and desolate4 ,oh1 there cannot be any thing more miserable in all this world than a soul in this condition4 ,may the writer and the reader never experience it4 ,may we bend our ears to the fervent exhortations addressed by ,moses to the congregation of ,israel4 ,they are most seasonable1 most healthful1 most needful1 in this day of cold indifferentism and positive willfulness4 ,they set before us the divine antidote against the special evils to which the ,church of ,god is exposed at this very hour--an hour critical and solemn beyond all human conception4 ,therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul1 and bind them for a sign upon your hand1 that they may be as frontlets between your eyes4 ,and ye shall teach them your children1 speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house1 and when thou walkest by the way1 when thou liest down1 and when thou risest up2 and thou shalt write them upon the door-posts of thine house1 and upon thy gates1 that your days may be multiplied1 and the days of your children1 in the land which the ,lord sware unto your fathers to give them1 as the days of heaven upon the earth4 ,blessed days6 ,and oh1 how ardently the large1 loving heart of ,moses longed that the people might enjoy many such days6 ,and how simple the condition6 ,truly nothing could be simpler1 nothing more precious4 ,it was not a heavy yoke laid upon them1 but the sweet privilege of treasuring up the precious commandments of the ,lord their ,god in their hearts1 and breathing the very atmosphere of ,his holy ,word4 ,all was to hinge upon this4 ,all the blessings of the land of ,canaan--that goodly1 highly favored land1 a land flowing with milk and honey1 a land on which ,jehovah's eyes ever rested in loving interest and tender care--all its precious fruits1 all its rare privileges1 were to be theirs in perpetuity1 on the one simple condition of loving obedience to the word of their covenant-,god4 ,for if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which ,i command you1 to do them1 to love the ,lord your ,god1 to walk in all ,his ways1 and to cleave unto ,him2 then will the ,lord drive out all these nations from before you1 and ye shall possess greater nations and mightier than yourselves4 ,in a word1 sure and certain victory was before them1 a most complete overthrow of all enemies and obstacles1 a triumphal march into the promised inheritance--all secured to them on the blessed ground of affectionate and reverential obedience to the most precious statutes and judgments that had ever been addressed to the human heart--statutes and judgments every one of which was but the very voice of their most gracious ,deliverer4 ,every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours2 from the wilderness and ,lebanon1 from the river1 the river ,euphrates1 even unto the uttermost sea1 shall your coast be4 ,there shall no man be able to stand before you2 for the ,lord your ,god shall lay the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the land that ye shall tread upon1 as ,he hath said unto you4 ,here was the divine side of the question4 ,the whole land1 in its length1 breadth1 and fullness1 lay before them2 they had but to take possession of it1 as the free gift of ,god2 it was for them simply to plant the foot1 in artless1 appropriating faith1 upon that fair inheritance which sovereign grace had bestowed upon them4 ,all this we see made good in the book of ,joshua1 as we read in chapter xi4--,so ,joshua took the whole land1 according to all that the ,lord said unto ,moses2 and ,joshua gave it for an inheritance unto ,israel1 according to their divisions by their tribes4 ,and the land rested from war4 7,ver4 #bc47h #h ,no doubt it was in faith that ,joshua took--and could take nothing less than--the whole land2 but as to actual possession1 chapter xiii4 #a shows there was yet much land to be possessed4 ,but alas6 there was the human side of the question as well as the divine4 ,canaan as promised by ,jehovah and made good by the faith of ,joshua was one thing1 and ,canaan as possessed by ,israel was quite another4 ,hence the vast difference between ,joshua and ,judges4 ,in ,joshua1 we see the infallible faithfulness of ,god to ,his promise2 in ,judges1 we see ,israel's miserable failure from the very outset4 ,god pledged ,his immutable word that not a man should be able to stand before them1 and the sword of ,joshua--type of the great ,captain of our salvation--made good this pledge in its every jot and tittle2 but the book of ,judges records the melancholy fact that ,israel failed to drive out the enemy--failed to take possession of the divine grant in all its royal magnificence4 ,what then8 ,is the promise of ,god made of none effect8 ,nay1 verily2 but the utter failure of man is made apparent4 ,at ,gilgal1 the banner of victory floated over the twelve tribes1 with their invincible captain at their head3 at ,bochim1 the weepers had to mourn over ,israel's lamentable defeat4 ,have we any difficulty in understanding the difference8 ,none whatever4 ,we see the two things running all through the divine ,volume4 ,man fails to rise to the height of the divine revelation--fails to take possession of what grace bestows4 ,this is as true in the history of the ,church as it was in the history of ,israel2--in the ,new ,testament1 as well as in the ,old1 we have ,judges as well as ,joshua4 ,yes1 reader1 and in the history of each individual member of the ,church we see the same thing4 ,where is the ,christian1 beneath the canopy of heaven1 that lives up to the height of his spiritual privileges8 where is the child of ,god who has not to mourn over his humiliating failure in grasping and making good practically the high and holy privileges of his calling of ,god8 ,but does this make the truth of ,god of none effect8 ,no2 blessed forever be ,his holy name4 ,his ,word holds good in all its divine integrity and eternal stability4 ,just as in ,israel's case1 the land of promise lay before them in all its fair proportions and divinely given attractions2 and not only so1 but they could count on the faithfulness and almighty power of ,god to bring them in and put them in full possession2 so with us1 we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in ,christ4 ,there is absolutely no limit to the privileges connected with our standing1 and as to our actual enjoyment1 it is only a question of faith taking possession of all that ,god's sovereign grace has made ours in ,christ4 ,we must never forget that it is the privilege of the ,christian to live at the very height of the divine revelation4 ,there is no excuse for a shallow experience or a low walk4 ,we have no right whatever to say that we cannot realize the fullness of our portion in ,christ1 that the standard is too high1 the privileges are too vast1 that we cannot expect to enjoy such marvelous blessings and dignities in our present imperfect state4 ,all this is downright unbelief1 and should be so treated by every true ,christian4 ,the question is1 ,has the grace of ,god bestowed the privileges upon us8 has the death of ,christ made good our title to them8 and has the ,holy ,ghost declared them to be the proper portion of the very feeblest member of the body of ,christ8 ,if so--and ,scripture declares it is so--why should we not enjoy them8 ,there is no hindrance on the divine side4 ,it is the desire of the heart of ,god that we should enter into the fullness of our portion in ,christ4 ,hear the earnest breathing of the inspired apostle on behalf of the saints at ,ephesus and of all saints4--,wherefore ,i also1 after ,i heard of your faith in the ,lord ,jesus1 and love unto all the saints1 cease not to give thanks for you1 making mention of you in my prayers2 that the ,god of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 the ,father of glory1 may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of ,him3 the eyes of your understanding being enlightened2 that ye may know what is the hope of ,his calling1 and what the riches of the glory of ,his inheritance in the saints1 and what the exceeding greatness of ,his power to usward who believe1 according to the working of ,his mighty power1 which ,he wrought in ,christ1 when ,he raised ,him from the dead1 and set ,him at ,his own right hand in the heavenlies1 far above all principality1 and power1 and might1 and dominion1 and every name that is named1 not only in this world1 but also in that which is to come3 and hath put all things under ,his feet1 and gave ,him to be the head over all things to the ,church1 which is ,his body1 the fullness of ,him that filleth all in all4 7,eph4 i4 #ae-bc47 ,from this marvelous prayer we may learn how earnestly the ,spirit of ,god desires that we should apprehend and enjoy the glorious privileges of the true ,christian position4 ,he would ever1 by ,his precious and powerful ministry1 keep our hearts up to the mark2 but1 alas6 like ,israel1 we grieve ,him by our sinful unbelief1 and rob our own souls of incalculable blessing4 ,but1 all praise to the ,god of all grace1 the ,father of glory1 the ,god and ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 ,he will yet make good every jot and tittle of ,his most precious truth1 both as to ,his earthly and heavenly people4 ,israel shall yet enjoy to the full all the blessings secured to them by the everlasting covenant2 and the ,church shall yet enter upon the perfect fruition of all that which eternal love and divine counsels have laid up for her in ,christ2 and not only so1 but the blessed ,comforter is able and willing to lead the individual believer into the present enjoyment of the hope of ,god's glorious calling1 and the practical power of that hope1 in detaching the heart from present things and separating it to ,god in true holiness and living devotedness4 ,may our hearts1 beloved ,christian reader1 long more ardently after the full realization of all this1 that thus we may live more as those who are finding their portion and their rest in a risen and glorified ,christ4 ,god1 in ,his infinite goodness1 grant it1 for ,jesus ,christ's name and glory's sake4 99 99 99 99 99 ,the remaining verses of our chapter close the first division of the book of ,deuteronomy1 which1 as the reader will notice1 consists of a series of discourses addressed by ,moses to the congregation of ,israel--memorable discourses1 most surely1 in whatever way we view them4 ,the closing sentences are1 we need hardly say1 in perfect keeping with the whole1 and breathe the same deep-toned earnestness in reference to the subject of obedience--a subject which1 as we have seen1 formed the special burden on the heart of the beloved speaker in his affecting farewell addresses to the people4 ,behold1 ,i set before you this day a blessing and a curse2--,how pointed and solemn is this6--a blessing1 if ye obey the commandments of the ,lord your ,god1 which ,i command you this day2 and a curse1 if ye will not obey the commandments of the ,lord your ,god1 but turn aside out of the way which ,i command you this day1 to go after other gods1 which ye have not known4 ,and it shall come to pass1 when the ,lord thy ,god hath brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it1 that thou shalt put the blessing upon ,mount ,gerizim1 and the curse upon ,mount ,ebal4 ,are they not on the other side ,jordan1 by the way where the sun goeth down1 in the land of the ,canaanites1 which dwell in the champaign over against ,gilgal1 beside the plains of ,moreh8 ,for ye shall pass over ,jordan1 to go in to possess the land which the ,lord your ,god giveth you1 and ye shall possess it1 and dwell therein4 ,,and ,,ye ,,shall ,,observe ,,to ,,do ,,all ,,the ,,statutes ,,and ,,judgments ,,which ,i ,,set ,,before ,,you ,,this ,,day4 7,ver4 #bf-cb47 ,here we have the summing up of the whole matter4 ,the blessing is linked on to obedience2 the curse1 to disobedience4 ,mount ,gerizim stands over against ,mount ,ebal--fruitfulness and barrenness4 ,we shall see1 when we come to chapter xxvii1 that ,mount ,gerizim and its blessings are entirely passed over4 ,the curses of ,mount ,ebal fall1 with awful distinctness1 on ,israel's ear1 while terrible silence reigns on ,mount ,gerizim4 ,as many as are of the works of the law1 are under the curse4 ,the blessing of ,abraham can only come on those who are on the ground of faith4 ,but more of this by and by4 ,,chapter ,,xii4 ,we now enter upon a new section of our marvelous book4 ,the discourses contained in the first eleven chapters having established the all-important principle of obedience1 we now come to the practical application of the principle to the habits and ways of the people when settled in possession of the land4 ,these are the statutes and judgments which ye shall observe to do in the land which the ,lord ,god of thy fathers giveth thee to possess it1 all the days that ye live upon the earth4 ,it is of the utmost moral importance that the heart and conscience should be brought into their true attitude in reference to divine authority1 irrespective altogether of any question as to details4 ,these will find their due place when once the heart is taught to bow down1 in complete and absolute submission1 to the supreme authority of the ,word of ,god4 ,now1 as we have seen in our studies on the first eleven chapters1 the lawgiver labors1 most earnestly and faithfully1 to lead the heart of ,israel into this all-essential condition4 ,he felt1 to speak after the manner of men1 it was of no use entering upon practical details until the grand foundation-principle of all morality was fully established in the very deepest depths of the soul4 ,the principle is this 7let us ,christians apply our hearts to it73 ,it is man's bounden duty to bow implicitly to the authority of the ,word of ,god4 ,it matters not1 in the smallest degree1 what that ,word may enjoin1 or whether we can see the reason of this1 that1 or the other institution4 ,the one grand1 all-important1 and conclusive point is this3 ,has ,god spoken8 ,if ,he has1 that is quite enough4 ,there is no room1 no need1 for any further question4 ,until this point is fully established1 or rather until the heart is brought directly under its full moral force1 we are not in a condition to enter upon details4 ,if self-will be allowed to operate1 if blind reason be permitted to speak1 the heart will send up its endless questionings2 as each divine institution is laid before us1 some fresh difficulty will present itself as a stumbling-block in the path of simple obedience4 ,what6 it may be said1 are we not to use our reason8 ,if not1 to what end was it given8 ,to this we have a twofold reply4 ,in the first place1 our reason is not as it was when ,god gave it4 ,we have to remember that sin has come in2 man is a fallen creature2 his reason1 his judgment1 his understanding--his whole moral being is a complete wreck2 and moreover1 it was the neglect of the ,word of ,god that caused all this wreck and ruin4 ,and then1 in the second place1 we must bear in mind that if reason were in a sound condition1 it would prove its soundness by bowing to the ,word of ,god4 ,but it is not sound2 it is blind1 and utterly perverted2 it is not to be trusted for a moment in things spiritual1 divine1 or heavenly4 ,if this simple fact were thoroughly understood1 it would settle a thousand questions and remove a thousand difficulties4 ,it is reason that makes all the infidels4 ,the devil whispers into man's ear1 ,you are endowed with reason2 why not use it8 ,it was given to be used--used in every thing2 you ought not to give your assent to any thing which your reason cannot grasp4 ,it is your chartered right as a man to submit every thing to the test of your reason2 it is only for a fool or an idiot to receive1 in blind credulity1 all that is set before him4 ,what is our answer to such wily and dangerous suggestions8 ,a very simple and conclusive one2 namely1 this3 ,the ,word of ,god is above and beyond reason altogether2 it is as far above reason as ,god is above the creature1 or heaven above earth4 ,hence1 when ,god speaks1 all reasonings must be cast down4 ,if it be merely man's word1 man's opinion1 man's judgment1 then verily reason may exert its powers2 or rather1 to speak more correctly1 we must judge what is said by the only perfect standard--the ,word of ,god4 ,but if reason be set to work on the ,word of ,god1 the soul must inevitably be plunged in the thick darkness of infidelity1 from which the descent to the awful blackness of atheism is but too easy4 ,in a word1 then1 we have to remember--yea1 to cherish in the very deepest depths of our moral being1 that the only safe ground for the soul is1 divinely wrought faith in the paramount authority1 divine majesty1 and all-sufficiency of the ,word of ,god4 ,this was the ground which ,moses occupied in dealing with the heart and conscience of ,israel4 ,his one grand object was1 to lead the people into the attitude of profound1 unqualified subjection to divine authority4 ,without this1 all was useless4 ,if every statute1 every judgment1 every precept1 every institution1 were to be submitted to the action of human reason1 then farewell to divine authority1 farewell to ,scripture1 farewell to certainty1 farewell to peace2 but1 on the other hand1 when the soul is led by ,god's ,spirit into the delightful attitude of absolute and unquestioning submission to the authority of ,god's ,word1 then every one of ,his judgments1 every one of ,his commandments1 every sentence of ,his blessed book1 is received as coming direct from ,himself1 and the most simple ordinance or institution stands invested with all the importance which ,his authority is fitted to impart4 ,we may not be able to understand the full meaning or exact bearing of each statute and judgment1--that is not the question2 it is sufficient for us to know that it comes from ,god4 ,he has spoken2 this is conclusive4 ,till this great principle is grasped1 or rather till it takes full possession of the soul1 nothing is done2 but when it is fully understood and submitted to1 the solid foundation is laid for all true morality4 ,the foregoing line of thought will enable the reader to seize the connection between the chapter which now lies open before us and the preceding section of this book2 and not only will it do this1 but we trust it will also help him to understand the special place and bearing of the opening verses of chapter xii4 ,ye shall utterly destroy all the places wherein the nations which ye shall possess served their gods1 upon the high mountains1 and upon the hills1 and under every green tree4 ,and ye shall overthrow their altars1 and break their pillars1 and burn their groves with fire2 and ye shall hew down the graven images of their gods1 and destroy the names of them out of that place4 7,ver4 #b1 #c47 ,the land was ,jehovah's2 they were to hold as tenants under ,him1 and therefore their very first duty on entering upon possession was1 to demolish every trace of the old idolatry4 ,this was absolutely indispensable4 ,it might1 according to human reason1 seem to be very intolerant to act in this way toward other people's religion4 ,we reply1 without any hesitation1 ,yes1 it was intolerant2 for how could the one only true and living ,god be otherwise than intolerant of all false gods and false worship8 ,to suppose for a moment that ,he could permit the worship of idols in ,his land would be to suppose that ,he could deny ,himself1 which were simply blasphemy4 ,let us not be misunderstood4 ,it is not that ,god does not bear with the world1 in ,his long-suffering mercy4 ,it seems hardly needful to state this1 with the history of well-nigh six thousand years of divine forbearance before our eyes4 ,blessed forever be ,his holy name1 ,he has borne with the world most marvelously from the days of ,noah1 and ,he still bears with it1 though stained with the guilt of crucifying ,his beloved ,son4 ,all this is plain1 but it leaves wholly untouched the great principle laid down in our chapter4 ,israel had to learn that they were about to take possession of the ,lord's land1 and that1 as ,his tenants1 their first and indispensable duty was1 to obliterate every trace of idolatry4 ,to them there was to be but the one ,god4 ,his name was called upon them4 ,they were ,his people1 and ,he could not permit them to have fellowship with demons4 ,thou shalt worship the ,lord thy ,god2 and ,him only shalt thou serve4 ,this might1 in the judgment of the uncircumcised nations around1 seem very intolerant1 very narrow1 very bigoted4 ,they indeed might boast of their freedom1 and glory in the broad platform of their worship which admitted gods many and lords many4 ,it might1 according to their thinking1 argue greater breadth of mind to let every one think for himself in matters of religion1 and choose his own object of worship1 and his own mode of worshiping also2 or1 still further1 it might give evidence of a more advanced condition of civilization1 greater polish and refinement1 to erect1 as in ,rome1 a ,pantheon1 in which all the gods of heathendom might find a place4 ,what did it matter about the form of a man's religion1 or the object of his worship1 provided he himself were sincere8 ,all would be sure to come right in the end2 the great point for all was1 to attend to material progress1 to help on national prosperity as the surest means of securing individual interests4 ,of course1 it is all right for every man to have some religion1 but as to the form of that religion1 it is immaterial4 ,the great question is1 what you are yourself1 not what your religion is4 ,all this1 we can well conceive1 would admirably suit the carnal mind1 and be very popular amongst the uncircumcised nations2 but as for ,israel1 they had to remember that one commanding sentence1 ,the ,lord thy ,god is one ,god2 and again1 ,thou shalt have none other gods before ,me4 ,this was to be their religion2 the platform of their worship was to be as wide and as narrow as the one true and living ,god1 their ,creator and ,redeemer4 ,that1 assuredly1 was broad enough for every true worshiper--every member of the circumcised assembly--all whose high and holy privilege it was to belong to the ,israel of ,god4 ,they were not to concern themselves with the opinions or observations of the uncircumcised nations around4 ,what were they worth8 ,not the weight of a feather4 ,what could they know about the claims of the ,god of ,israel upon ,his circumcised people8 ,just nothing4 ,were they competent to decide as to the proper breadth of ,israel's platform8 ,clearly not2 they were wholly ignorant of the subject4 ,hence their thoughts1 reasonings1 arguments1 and objections were perfectly worthless1 not to be listened to for a moment4 ,it was ,israel's one1 simple1 bounden duty to bow down to the supreme and absolute authority of the word of ,god2 and that word insisted upon the complete abolition of every trace of idolatry from that goodly land which they were privileged to hold as tenants under ,him4 ,but not only was it incumbent upon ,israel to abolish all the places in which the heathen had worshiped their gods1--this they were solemnly bound to do1 most surely2 but there was more than this4 ,the heart might readily conceive the thought of doing away with idolatry in the various places1 and setting up the altar of the true ,god instead1--this might seem to be the right course to adopt2 but ,god thought differently4 ,ye shall not do so unto the ,lord your ,god4 ,but unto the place which the ,lord your ,god shall choose out of all your tribes to put ,his name there1 even unto ,his habitation shall ye seek1 and thither thou shalt come2 and thither ye shall bring your burnt-offerings1 and your sacrifices1 and your tithes1 and heave-offerings of your hand1 and your vows1 and your free-will offerings1 and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks2 and there ye shall eat before the ,lord your ,god2 and ye shall rejoice in all that ye put your hand unto1 ye and your households1 wherein the ,lord thy ,god hath blessed thee4 ,here a great cardinal truth is unfolded to the congregation of ,israel4 ,they were to have one place of worship--a place chosen of ,god1 and not of man4 ,his habitation--the place of ,his presence was to be ,israel's grand centre2 thither they were to come with their sacrifices and their offerings1 and there they were to offer their worship1 and find their common joy4 ,does this seem exclusive8 ,of course it was exclusive2 how else could it be8 ,if ,god was pleased to select a spot in which ,he would take up ,his abode in the midst of ,his redeemed people1 surely they were1 of necessity1 shut up to that spot as their place of worship4 ,this was divine exclusiveness1 and every pious soul would delight in it4 ,every true lover of ,jehovah would say1 with all his heart1 ,lord1 ,i have loved the habitation of ,thy house1 and the place where ,thine honor dwelleth2 and again1 ,how amiable are ,thy tabernacles1 ,o ,lord of hosts6 ,my soul longeth1 yea1 even fainteth for the courts of the ,lord2 my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living ,god4444 ,blessed are they that dwell in ,thy house2 they will be still praising ,thee4444 ,a day in ,thy courts is better than a thousand4 ,i had rather be a door-keeper in the house of ,my ,god1 than to dwell in the tents of wickedness4 7,ps4 xxvi1 lxxxiv47 ,here was the one grand and all-important point4 ,it was the dwelling-place of ,jehovah which was dear to the heart of every true ,israelite4 ,restless self-will might desire to run hither and thither1 the poor vagrant heart might long for some change1 but1 for the heart that loved ,god1 any change from the place of ,his presence1 the place where ,he had recorded ,his blessed name1 could only be a change for the worse4 ,the truly devout worshiper could find satisfaction and delight1 blessing and rest1 only in the place of the divine presence2 and this1 on the double ground1--the authority of ,his precious ,word and the powerful attractions of ,his presence4 ,such an one could never think of going anywhere else4 ,whither could he go8 ,there was but one altar1 one habitation1 one ,god1--that was the place for every right-minded1 every true-hearted ,israelite4 ,to think of any other place of worship would1 in his judgment1 be not only a departure from the word of ,jehovah1 but from ,his holy habitation4 ,this great principle is largely insisted upon throughout the whole of our chapter4 ,moses reminds the people that from the moment they entered ,jehovah's land there was to be an end to all the irregularity and self-will that had characterized them in the plains of ,moab1 or in the wilderness4 ,ye shall not do after all the things that we do here this day1 every man whatsoever is right in his own eyes4 ,for ye are not as yet come to the rest and to the inheritance1 which the ,lord your ,god giveth you4 ,but when ye go over ,jordan1 and dwell in the land which the ,lord your ,god giveth you to inherit1 and when ,he giveth you rest from all your enemies round about1 so that ye dwell in safety2 then there shall be a place which the ,lord your ,god shall choose1 to cause ,his name to dwell there2 thither shall ye bring all that ,i command you4444 ,take heed to thyself that thou offer not thy burnt-offerings in every place that thou seest2 but in the place which the ,lord shall choose in one of thy tribes1 there thou shalt offer thy burnt-offerings1 and there thou shalt do all that ,i command thee4 7,ver4 #d-ad47 ,thus1 not only in the object1 but also in the place and mode of ,israel's worship1 they were absolutely shut up to the commandment of ,jehovah4 ,self-pleasing--self-choosing--self-will was to have an end1 in reference to the worship of ,god1 the moment they crossed the river of death and1 as a redeemed people1 planted their foot on their divinely given inheritance4 ,once there1 in the enjoyment of ,jehovah's land1 and the rest which the land afforded1 obedience to ,his word was to be their reasonable1 their intelligent service4 ,things might be allowed to pass in the wilderness which could not be tolerated in ,canaan4 ,the higher the range of privilege1 the higher the responsibility and the standard of action4 ,now1 it may be that our broad thinkers1 and those who contend for freedom of will and freedom of action1 for the right of private judgment in matters of religion1 for liberality of mind and catholicity of spirit1 will be ready to pronounce all this which has been engaging our attention extremely narrow1 and wholly unsuited to our enlightened age1 and to men of intelligence and education4 ,what is our answer to all who adopt this form of speech8 ,a very simple and conclusive one2 it is this3 ,has not ,god a right to prescribe the mode in which ,his people should worship ,him8 ,had ,he not a perfect right to fix the place where ,he would meet ,his people ,israel8 ,surely we must either deny ,his existence1 or admit ,his absolute and unquestionable right to set forth ,his will as to how1 when1 and where ,his people should approach ,him4 ,will any one1 however educated and enlightened1 deny this8 ,is it a proof of high culture1 refinement1 breadth of mind1 or catholicity of spirit to deny ,god ,his rights8 ,if then ,god has a right to command1 is it narrowness or bigotry for ,his people to obey8 ,this is just the point4 ,it is1 in our judgment1 as simple as any thing can be4 ,we are thoroughly convinced that the only true breadth of mind1 largeness of heart1 and catholicity of spirit is1 to obey the commandments of ,god4 ,hence1 when ,israel were commanded to go to one place and there offer their sacrifices1 it most assuredly was neither bigotry nor narrowness on their part to go thither1 and to refuse1 with holy decision1 to go any where else4 ,uncircumcised ,gentiles might go where they pleased2 the ,israel of ,god were to go only to the place of ,his appointment4 ,and oh1 what an unspeakable privilege for all who loved ,god and loved one another to assemble themselves at the place where ,he recorded ,his name6 and what touching grace shines in the fact of ,his desiring to gather ,his people around ,himself from time to time6 ,did that fact infringe their personal rights and domestic privileges8 ,nay1 it enhanced them immensely4 ,god1 in ,his infinite goodness1 took care of this4 ,it was ,his delight to minister to the joy and blessing of ,his people1 privately1 socially1 and publicly4 ,hence we read1 ,when the ,lord thy ,god shall enlarge thy border1 as ,he hath promised thee1 and thou shalt say1 ,i will eat flesh1 because thy soul longeth to eat flesh1 thou mayest eat flesh1 whatsoever thy soul lusteth after4 ,if the place which the ,lord thy ,god hath chosen to put ,his name there be too far from thee1 then thou shalt kill of thy herd and of thy flock1 which the ,lord hath given thee1 as ,i have commanded thee1 and thou shalt eat in thy gates whatsoever thy soul lusteth after4 ,even as the roebuck and the hart is eaten1 so thou shalt eat them2 the unclean and the clean shall eat of them alike4 ,here we have1 most surely1 a broad margin afforded by the goodness and tender mercy of ,god for the fullest range of personal and family enjoyment4 ,the only restriction was in reference to the blood4--,only be sure that thou eat not the blood2 for the blood is the life1 and thou mayest not eat the life with the flesh4 ,thou shalt not eat it2 thou shalt pour it upon the earth as water4 ,thou shalt not eat it2 that it may go well with thee1 and with thy children after thee1 when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the ,lord4 ,this was a great cardinal principle under the law1 to which reference has been made in our ,notes on ,leviticus4 ,how far ,israel understood it is not the question2 they were to obey1 that it might go well with them and with their children after them4 ,they were to own1 in this matter1 the solemn rights of ,god4 ,having made this exception in reference to personal and family habits1 the lawgiver returns to the all-important subject of their public worship4--,only thy holy things which thou hast1 and thy vows1 thou shalt take1 and go unto the place which the ,lord shall choose2 and thou shalt offer thy burnt-offerings1 the flesh and the blood1 upon the altar of the ,lord thy ,god2 and the blood of the sacrifices shall be poured out upon the altar of the ,lord thy ,god1 and thou shalt eat the flesh4 7,ver4 #bf1 #bg47 ,if reason1 or self-will1 were permitted to speak1 it might say1 ,why must we all go to this one place8 ,can we not have an altar at home8 or1 at least1 an altar in each principal town1 or in the centre of each tribe8 ,the conclusive answer is1 ,god has commanded otherwise2 this is enough for every true ,israelite4 ,even though we may not be able1 by reason of our ignorance1 to see the why or the wherefore1 simple obedience is our obvious and bounden duty4 ,it may be1 moreover1 that1 as we cheerfully tread the path of obedience1 light will break in upon our souls as to the reason1 and we shall find abundant blessing in doing that which is well-pleasing to the ,lord our ,god4 ,yes1 reader2 this is the proper method of answering all the reasonings and questionings of the carnal mind1 which is not subject to the law of ,god1 neither indeed can be4 ,light is sure to break in upon our souls as we tread1 with a lowly mind1 the sacred path of obedience2 and not only so1 but untold blessing will flow into the heart in that conscious nearness to ,god which is only known to those who lovingly keep ,his most precious commandments4 ,are we called upon to explain to carnal objectors and infidels our reasons for doing this or that8 ,most certainly not2 that is no part of our business3 it would be time and labor lost1 inasmuch as objectors and reasoners are wholly incapable of understanding or appreciating our reasons4 ,for example1 in the matter now under our consideration1 could a carnal mind--an unbeliever--a mere child of nature understand why ,israel's twelve tribes were commanded to worship at one altar1 to gather in one place1 to cluster around one centre8 ,not in the smallest degree4 ,the grand moral reason of such a lovely institution lies far away beyond his ken4 ,but to the spiritual mind1 all is as plain as it is beautiful4 ,jehovah would gather ,his beloved people around ,himself1 from time to time1 that they might rejoice together before ,him1 and that ,he might have ,his own peculiar joy in them4 ,was not this something most precious8 ,assuredly it was1 to all who really loved the ,lord4 ,no doubt1 if the heart were cold and careless toward ,god1 it would matter little about the place of worship1--all places would be alike2 but we may set it down as a fixed principle that every loyal1 loving heart1 from ,dan to ,beersheba1 would rejoice to flock to the place where ,jehovah had recorded ,his name1 and where ,he had appointed to meet ,his people4 ,i was glad when they said unto me1 ,let us go unto the house of the ,lord4 ,our feet shall stand within thy gates1 ,o ,jerusalem ,god's centre for ,israel4 ,jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together2 whither the tribes go up1 the tribes of the ,lord1 unto the testimony of ,israel1 to give thanks unto the name of the ,lord4 ,for there--and no where else--are set thrones of judgment1 the thrones of the house of ,david4 ,pray for the peace of ,jerusalem3 they shall prosper that love thee4 ,peace be within thy walls1 and prosperity within thy palaces4 ,for my brethren and companions' sakes1 ,i will now say1 ,peace be within thee4 ,because of the house of the ,lord our ,god ,i will seek thy good4 7,ps4 cxxii47 ,here we have the lovely breathings of a heart that loved the habitation of the ,god of ,israel--,his blessed centre--the gathering-place of ,israel's twelve tribes--that hallowed spot which was associated1 in the mind of every true ,israelite1 with all that was bright and joyous in connection with the worship of ,jehovah and the communion of ,his people4 ,we shall have occasion to refer to this most delightful theme again when we come to study the sixteenth chapter of our book1 and shall draw this section to a close by quoting for the reader the last paragraph of the chapter before us4 ,when the ,lord thy ,god shall cut off the nations from before thee1 whither thou goest to possess them1 and thou succeedest them1 and dwellest in their land2 take heed to thyself1 that thou be not snared by following them1 after that they be destroyed from before thee2 and that thou inquire not after their gods1 saying1 ,how did these nations serve their gods8 even so will ,i do likewise4 ,thou shalt not do so unto the ,lord thy ,god3 for every abomination to the ,lord1 which ,he hateth1 have they done unto their gods2 for even their sons and their daughters they have burnt in the fire to their gods4 ,what thing soever ,i command you1 observe to do it3 thou shalt not add thereto1 nor diminish from it4 7,ver4 #bi-cb47 ,the precious ,word of ,god was to form a sacred inclosure round about ,his people1 within which they might enjoy ,his presence1 and delight themselves in the abundance of ,his mercy and loving-kindness1 and wherein they were to be entirely apart from all that was offensive to ,him whose presence was to be1 at once1 their glory1 their joy1 and their grand moral safeguard from every snare and every abomination4 ,alas6 alas6 they did not abide within that inclosure2 they speedily broke down the walls thereof1 and wandered away from the holy commandment of ,god4 ,they did the very things they were told not to do1 and they have had to reap the terrible consequences4 ,but more of this and of their future by and by4 ,,chapter ,,xiii4 ,this chapter abounds in most weighty principles4 ,it consists of three distinct sections1 each one of which claims our deep attention4 ,we must not attempt to weaken the admonitory force of such a scripture1 or turn aside its keen edge1 by saying that it does not apply to ,christians--that it is wholly ,jewish in its scope and application4 ,no doubt1 primarily1 it was addressed to ,israel2 this is so obvious as not to admit of a question4 ,but let us not forget that it was written for our learning1 and not only so1 but the more closely we study it1 the more we shall see that its teaching is of universal importance4 ,if there arise among you a prophet1 or a dreamer of dreams1 and giveth thee a sign or a wonder1 and the sign or the wonder come to pass1 whereof he spake unto thee1 saying1 ,let us go after other gods1 which thou hast not known1 and let us serve them3 thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet1 or that dreamer of dreams2 for the ,lord your ,god proveth you1 to know whether ye love the ,lord your ,god with all your heart and with all your soul4 ,ye shall walk after the ,lord your ,god1 and fear ,him1 and keep ,his commandments1 and obey ,his voice1 and ye shall serve ,him1 and cleave unto ,him4 ,and that prophet1 or that dreamer of dreams1 shall be put to death2 because he hath spoken to turn you away from the ,lord your ,god1 which brought you out of the land of ,egypt1 and redeemed you out of the house of bondage1 to thrust thee out of the way which the ,lord thy ,god commanded thee to walk in4 ,so shalt thou put the evil away from the midst of thee4 7,ver4 #a-e47 ,here we have divine provision made for all cases of false teaching and false religious influence4 ,we all know how easily the poor human heart is led astray by any thing in the shape of a sign or a wonder1 and especially when such things stand connected with religion4 ,this is not confined to the nation of ,israel2 we see it every where and at all times4 ,any thing supernatural1 any thing involving an infringement of what are called the ordinary laws of nature1 is almost sure to act powerfully on the human mind4 ,a prophet rising up in the midst of the people and confirming his teaching by miracles1 signs1 and wonders1 would be almost sure to get a hearing and obtain an influence4 ,in this way1 ,satan has worked in all ages1 and he will work yet more powerfully1 at the end of this present age1 in order to deceive and lead to their everlasting destruction those who will not hearken to the precious truth of the gospel4 ,the mystery of iniquity1 which has been working in the professing church for eighteen centuries1 will be headed up in the person of that ,wicked whom the ,lord shall consume with the spirit of ,his mouth1 and shall destroy with the brightness of ,his coming2 even him1 whose coming is after the working of ,satan1 with all power and signs and lying wonders1 and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish2 because they received not the love of the truth1 that they might be saved4 ,and for this cause ,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 #h-ab47 ,so also in the twenty-fourth chapter of ,matthew1 our ,lord warns ,his disciples against the same kind of influence4--,then if any man shall say unto you1 ,lo1 here is ,christ1 or there2 believe it not4 ,for there shall arise false ,christs1 and false prophets1 and shall show great signs and wonders2 insomuch that1 if it were possible1 they shall deceive the very elect4 ,behold1 ,i have told you before4 7,ver4 #bc-be47 ,again1 in ,revelation xiii1 we read of the second beast1 coming up out of the earth1 the great false prophet1 the antichrist1 doing great wonders1 so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men1 and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by means of those miracles which he had power to do in the sight of the beast2 saying to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast1 which had the wound by a sword1 and did live4 7,ver4 #ac1 #ad47 ,now1 each of the above three passages of holy ,scripture refers to scenes which shall be enacted after the ,church has been taken away out of this world2 but on this we do not dwell1 inasmuch as our object in quoting them for the reader is1 to let him see how far the devil can go in the way of signs and wonders1 to lead people away from the truth2 and also to set before him the one divine and therefore perfect safeguard against all the delusive power of the enemy4 ,the human heart has no ability whatever to resist the influence of great signs and wonders1 put forth in favor of the most deadly error4 ,there is but the one thing which can fortify the soul1 and enable it to resist the devil and his deadly delusions1 and that is1 the ,word of ,god4 ,to have the precious truth of ,god treasured up in the heart is the divine secret of preservation from all error1 even though backed up by the most astounding miracles4 ,hence1 in the first of the above quotations1 we see that the reason why people will be deceived by the signs and lying wonders of that wicked one is1 because they received not the love of the truth1 that they might be saved4 ,it is the love of the truth that preserves from error1 be it ever so persuasive1 ever so fascinating1 ever so strongly supported by the powerful evidence of great signs and wonders4 ,it is not cleverness1 intellectual power1 mental grasp1 extensive learning--all these things are perfectly powerless in the presence of ,satan's wiles and machinations4 ,the most gigantic human intellect must fall an easy prey to the wiles of the serpent4 ,but1 blessed be ,god1 the craft1 the subtilty1 the signs and lying wonders1 all the resources of ,satan1 all the machinery of hell1 are perfectly powerless with a heart that is governed by the love of the truth4 ,a little child who knows and believes and loves the truth is blessedly shielded1 sheltered1 and divinely preserved from the blinding and deceiving power of the wicked one4 ,if ten thousand false prophets were to arise and perform the most extraordinary miracles that were ever presented to the human gaze1 in order to prove that the ,bible is not the inspired ,word of ,god1 or that our ,lord ,jesus ,christ is not ,god over all1 blessed forever1 or in order to set aside the glorious truth that the blood of ,jesus ,christ1 ,god's ,son1 cleanseth from all sin1 or any other precious truth revealed in holy ,scripture1 it could have no effect whatever on the very simplest babe in ,christ whose heart is governed by the ,word of ,god4 ,yea1 if an angel from heaven were to come down and preach any thing contrary to what we are taught in the ,word of ,god1 we have a divine warrant to pronounce him anathema1 without any discussion or argument whatever4 ,this is an unspeakable mercy4 ,it puts the simple-hearted1 unlettered child of ,god into the most blessed position--a position1 not only of moral security1 but of sweetest repose4 ,we are not called upon to analyze the false doctrine1 or to weigh the evidence advanced in favor of it2 we reject1 with stern decision1 both the one and the other1 simply because we have the certainty of the truth and the love of it in our hearts4 ,thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet1 or that dreamer of dreams2--although the sign or the wonder had come to pass--for the ,lord your ,god proveth you1 to know whether ye love the ,lord your ,god with all your heart and with all your soul4 ,here1 beloved reader1 was the all-important point for ,israel1 and it is the same for us4 ,then1 now1 and always1 the true moral security is in having the heart fortified with the love of the truth1 which is only another way of expressing the love of ,god4 ,the faithful ,israelite who loved ,jehovah1 with all his heart and with all his soul1 would have a ready and conclusive answer for all the false prophets and dreamers who might arise--a thoroughly effectual method of dealing with them4 ,thou shalt not hearken4 ,if the enemy does not get the ear1 he is not likely to reach the heart4 ,the sheep follow the ,shepherd2 for they know ,his voice4 ,and a stranger--even though showing signs and wonders--will they not follow1 but will flee from him4 ,why8 ,is it because they are able to discuss and argue and analyze8 ,no1 thanks and praise to ,god2 but because they know not the voice of strangers4 ,the simple fact of not knowing the voice is a sufficient reason for not following the speaker4 ,all this is full of comfort and consolation for the beloved lambs and sheep of the flock of ,christ4 ,they can hear the voice of their loving1 faithful ,shepherd2 they can gather around ,him1 and find in ,his presence true rest and perfect safety4 ,he makes them to lie down in green pastures1 and leads them by the still waters of ,his love4 ,this is enough4 ,they may be very weak--yea1 perfect weakness in themselves--but this is no hindrance to their rest and blessing2 quite the contrary1 it only casts them more upon ,his almighty power4 ,we need never be afraid of weakness2 it is fancied strength we have to dread1 vain confidence in our own wisdom1 our own intelligence1 our scriptural knowledge1 our spiritual attainments--these are the things we have to fear2 but as for our weakness1 the more deeply we feel it the better1 for our ,shepherd's strength is made perfect in weakness1 and ,his precious grace is amply sufficient for all the need of ,his beloved and blood-bought flock as a whole1 and for each member in particular4 ,only let us keep near to ,him in the abiding sense of our own perfect helplessness and nothingness2 let us treasure up ,his precious ,word in our hearts2 let us feed upon it1 as the very sustenance of our souls1 day by day1 the staple article of our lives1 the living bread for the strengthening of the inward man4 ,thus shall we be safe from every strange voice1 every false prophet1 every snare of the devil1 every influence which might tend to draw us away from the path of obedience1 and the practical confession of the name of ,christ4 ,we must now quote for the reader the second paragraph of our chapter1 in which the ,lord's people are warned against another snare of the devil4 ,oh1 how many and varied are his snares and wiles6 how manifold are the dangers of the people of ,god6 but1 blessed be ,his holy name1 there is full provision in ,his ,word for all4 ,if thy brother1 the son of thy mother1--nearer1 dearer1 and more tender than the son of the father--or thy son1 or thy daughter1 or the wife of thy bosom1 or thy friend which is as thine own soul1 entice thee secretly1 saying1 ,let us go and serve other gods1 which thou hast not known1 thou1 nor thy fathers1 namely1 of the gods of the people which are round about you1 nigh unto thee1 or far off from thee1 from the one end of the earth even unto the other end of the earth2 thou shalt not consent unto him1 nor hearken unto him2 neither shall thine eye pity him1 neither shalt thou spare1 neither shalt thou conceal him2 but thou shalt surely kill him2 thine hand shall be first upon him to put him to death1 and afterwards the hand of all the people4 ,and thou shalt stone him with stones that he die2 because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the ,lord thy ,god1 which brought thee out of the land of ,egypt1 from the house of bondage4 ,and all ,israel shall hear1 and fear1 and shall do no more any such wickedness as this is among you4 7,ver4 #f-aa47 ,here1 then1 we have something quite different from the false prophet or the dreamer of dreams4 ,thousands might be proof against the influence of these1 and yet fall before the insnaring and seductive power of natural affection4 ,it is very hard to resist the action of this latter4 ,it demands deep-toned devotedness1 great singleness of eye1 firm purpose of heart1 to deal faithfully with those who live deep down in our hearts' tender affections4 ,the trial to some of withstanding and rejecting a prophet or a dreamer with whom there was no personal relationship1 no tender link of fond affection1 would be as nothing compared with having to treat with stern and severe decision the wife of the bosom1 the beloved brother or sister1 the devoted and tenderly loved friend4 ,but where the claims of ,god1 of ,christ1 of truth are at stake1 there must be no hesitation4 ,if any should seek to make use of the ties of affection in order to draw us aside from our allegiance to ,christ1 we must resist them with unqualified decision4 ,if any man come to ,me1 and hate not his father1 and mother1 and wife1 and children1 and brethren1 and sisters1 yea1 and his own life also1 he cannot be ,my disciple4 7,luke x4 #bf47 ,let us see that we thoroughly understand this aspect of the truth1 and also that we give it its proper place4 ,if poor blind reason be listened to1 it will be sure to present to the mind the most hideous perversion of this great practical subject4 ,reason1 whenever it attempts to exercise its powers in the things of ,god1 is sure to prove itself the active and efficient agent of the devil in opposition to the truth4 ,in things human and earthly1 reason may go for what it is worth2 but in things divine and heavenly1 it is not only worthless1 but positively mischievous4 ,what then1 we may ask1 is the true moral force of ,luke xiv4 #bf and ,deuteronomy xiii4 #h-aj8 ,most assuredly1 they do not mean that we are to be without natural affection1 which is one of the special marks of the apostasy of the last days4 ,this is perfectly clear4 ,god ,himself has established our natural relationships1 and each of these relationships has its characteristic affections1 the exercise and display of which are in lovely harmony with the mind of ,god4 ,christianity does not interfere with our relationships in nature1 but it introduces a power whereby the responsibilities which attach to those relationships can be duly fulfilled to the glory of ,god4 ,and not only so1 but in the various epistles1 the ,holy ,ghost has given the most ample instructions to husbands and wives1 parents and children1 masters and servants1 thus proving1 in the very fullest and most blessed manner1 the divine sanction of those relationships and the affections which belong to them4 ,all this is perfectly plain2 but still we have to inquire how it fits in with ,luke xiv4 and ,deuteronomy xiii4 ,the answer is simply this3 ,the harmony is divinely perfect4 ,those scriptures apply only to cases in which our natural relationships and affections interfere with the claims of ,god and of ,christ4 ,when they operate in this way1 they must be denied and mortified4 ,if they dare to intrude upon a domain which is wholly divine1 the sentence of death must be written upon them4 ,in contemplating the life of the only perfect man that ever trod this earth of ours1 we can see how beautifully ,he adjusted the various claims which1 as a man and a servant1 ,he had to meet4 ,he could say to ,his mother1 ,woman1 what have ,i to do with thee8 and yet1 at the fitting moment1 ,he could1 with exquisite tenderness1 commend that mother to the care of the disciple whom ,he loved4 ,he could say to ,his parents1 ,wist ye not that ,i must be about ,my ,father's business8 and1 at the same time1 go home with them and be sweetly subject to parental authority4 ,thus the written teachings of holy ,scripture1 and the perfect ways of the living ,christ1 do both combine to teach us how to discharge aright the claims of nature and the claims of ,god4 ,but it may be that the reader feels considerable difficulty in reference to the line of action enjoined in ,deuteronomy xiii4 #i1 #aj4 ,he may find it hard to reconcile it with a ,god of love1 and with the grace1 gentleness1 and tenderness inculcated in the ,new-,testament scriptures4 ,here again we must keep a vigilant eye upon reason4 ,it always affects to find ample scope for its powers in the stern enactments of the divine government2 but1 in reality1 it only displays its blindness and folly4 ,still1 though we would make very short work with infidel reason1 we earnestly desire to help any honest soul who may not be able to see his way through this question4 ,we have had occasion1 in our studies on the earlier chapters of this book1 to refer to the very weighty subject of ,god's governmental dealings both with ,israel and the nations2 but1 in addition to what has already come under our notice1 we have to bear in mind the very important difference between the two economies of law and grace4 ,if this be not clearly apprehended1 we shall find very considerable difficulty in such passages as ,deuteronomy xiii4 #i1 #aj4 ,the great characteristic principle of the ,jewish economy was righteousness2 the characteristic principle of ,christianity is grace--pure1 unqualified grace4 ,if this fact be fully grasped1 all difficulty vanishes4 ,it was perfectly right1 perfectly consistent1 and in perfect harmony with the mind of ,god for ,israel to slay their enemies4 ,god commanded them to do so4 ,and1 in like manner1 it was right and consistent for them to execute righteous judgment1 even unto death1 upon any member of the congregation who should seek to draw them aside after false gods1 as in the passage before us4 ,to do so was in full moral harmony with the grand ruling principles of government and law1 under which they were placed1 in accordance with the dispensational wisdom of ,god4 ,all this is perfectly plain4 ,it runs through the entire canon of ,old-,testament scripture4 ,god's government in ,israel1 and ,his government of the world in connection with ,israel1 was on the strict principle of righteousness4 ,and as it was in the past1 so shall it be in the future1--,a king shall reign in righteousness1 and princes shall rule in judgment4 ,but in ,christianity1 we see something quite different4 ,the moment we open the pages of the ,new ,testament1 and hearken to the teachings and mark the actings of the ,son of ,god1 we find ourselves on entirely new ground1 and in a new atmosphere2 in a word1 we are in the atmosphere and on the ground of pure1 unqualified grace4 ,thus1 as a sample of the teaching1 take a passage or two from what is called ,the ,sermon on the ,mount--that marvelous and precious compendium of the principles of the kingdom of heaven4--,ye have heard that it hath been said1 ',an eye for an eye1 and a tooth for a tooth'2 but ,i say unto you1 that ye resist not evil2 but whosoever shall smite thee on the one cheek1 turn to him the other also4 ,and if any man will sue thee at the law1 and take away thy coat1 let him have thy cloke also4 ,and whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile1 go with him twain4 ,again1 ,ye have heard that it hath been said1 ',thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy'2 but ,i say unto you1 ,love your enemies1 bless them that curse you1 do good to them that hate you1 and pray for them which despitefully use you1 and persecute you2 that ye may be the sons of your ,father which is in heaven2 for ,he maketh ,his sun to rise on the evil and on the good1 and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust4444 ,be ye therefore perfect 1 even as your ,father which is in heaven is perfect4 7,matt4 v4 #ch-dh47 ,we cannot now dwell upon those blessed sentences2 we merely quote them for the reader in order to let him see the immense difference between the ,jewish and ,christian economy4 ,what was perfectly right and consistent for a ,jew1 might be quite wrong and inconsistent for a ,christian4 ,this is so plain that a child may see it2 and yet1 strange to say1 many of the ,lord's beloved people seem to be clouded on the subject4 ,they judge it to be perfectly right for ,christians to deal in righteousness1 and go to war1 and to exercise worldly power4 ,well1 then1 if it be right for ,christians to act thus1 we would simply ask1 ,where is it taught in the ,new ,testament8 where have we a single sentence from the lips of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 or from the pen of the ,holy ,ghost1 to warrant or sanction such a thing8 ,as we have said1 in reference to other questions that have come before us in our studies on this book1 it is of no possible use for us to say1 ,we think so and so4 ,our thoughts are simply worth nothing4 ,the one grand question1 in all matters of ,christian faith and morals1 is1 ,what saith the ,new ,testament8 ,what did our ,lord and ,master teach1 and what did ,he do8 ,he taught that ,his people now are not to act as ,his people of old acted4 ,righteousness was the principle of the old economy2 grace is the principle of the new4 ,this was what ,christ taught1 as may be seen in numberless passages of ,scripture4 ,and how did ,he act8 ,did ,he deal in righteousness with people8 did ,he assert ,his rights8 did ,he exercise worldly power8 did ,he go to law8 did ,he vindicate ,himself1 or retaliate8 ,when ,his poor disciples1 in utter ignorance of the heavenly principles which ,he taught1 and in total forgetfulness of ,his whole course of action1 said to ,him1 on one occasion in the which a certain village of the ,samaritans refused to receive ,him1 ,lord1 wilt ,thou that we command fire to come down from heaven and consume them1 even as ,elias did8 what was ,his answer8 ,he turned and rebuked them1 and said1 ',ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of2 for the ,son of ,man is not come to destroy men's lives1 but to save4' ,and they went to another village4 ,it was perfectly consistent with the spirit1 principle1 and genius of the dispensation of which ,elias was the exponent and representative1 to call down fire from heaven to consume the men sent by a godless king to arrest him2 but the blessed ,lord was the perfect ,exponent and divine ,representative of another dispensation altogether4 ,his was a life of perfect self-surrender1 from first to last4 ,he never asserted ,his rights4 ,he came to serve and to give2 ,he came to represent ,god--to be the perfect expression of the ,father in every way4 ,the ,father's character shone out in ,his every look1 ,his every word1 ,his every act1 ,his every movement4 ,such was the ,lord ,christ when ,he was down here among men1 and such was ,his teaching4 ,he did what ,he taught1 and ,he taught what ,he did4 ,his words expressed what ,he was1 and ,his ways illustrated ,his words4 ,he came to serve and to give1 and ,his whole life was marked by those two things1 from the manger to the cross4 ,we may truly say1 time would fail us to quote the passages in proof and illustration of this2 nor is there any need1 inasmuch as the truth of it will hardly be called in question4 ,well1 then1 is not ,he our great ,exemplar in all things8 is it not by ,his teaching and ways that our course and character as ,christians are to be formed8 ,how are we to know how we ought to walk1 save by hearkening to ,his blessed words and gazing on ,his perfect ways8 ,if we as ,christians are to be guided and governed by the principles and precepts of the ,mosaic economy1 then1 assuredly1 it would be right for us to go to law1 to contend for our rights1 to engage in war1 to destroy our enemies2 but then what becomes of the teaching and example of our adorable ,lord and ,saviour8 what of the teachings of the ,holy ,ghost8 what of the ,new ,testament8 ,is it not as plain as a sunbeam to the reader that for a ,christian to do these things is to act in flagrant opposition to the teaching and example of his ,lord8 ,here1 however1 we may be met by the old and oft-repeated inquiry1 ,what would become of the world1 what would become of its institutions1 what would become of society1 if such principles were to be universally dominant8 ,the infidel historian1 in speaking of the early ,christians1 and their refusal to join the ,roman army1 sneeringly inquires1 ,what would have become of the empire1 surrounded as it was on all sides by barbarians1 if every one had indulged in such pusillanimous ideas as these8 ,we reply at once1 ,if those spiritual and heavenly principles were universally dominant1 there would be no wars--no fighting1 and hence there would be no need of soldiers1 no need of standing armies or navies1 no need of constabulary or police2 there would be no wrong-doings1 no strife about property1 and hence no need of courts of law1 judges1 or magistrates2 in short1 the world as it now is would have an end2 the kingdoms of this world would have become the kingdoms of our ,lord and of ,his ,christ4 ,but the plain fact is1 those heavenly principles of which we speak are not intended for the world at all1 inasmuch as the world could not adopt them1 or act upon them for a single hour2 to do so would involve the immediate and complete break-up of the present system of things1 the dissolution of the entire frame-work of society as at present constituted4 ,hence1 the objection of the infidel crumbles into dust beneath our feet1 like all other infidel objections1 and the questions and the difficulties which are based upon them4 ,they are deprived of every atom of moral force4 ,heavenly principles are not designed for this present evil world at all2 they are designed for the ,church1 which is not of the world1 even as ,jesus is not of the world4 ,if1 said our ,lord to ,pilate1 ,my kingdom were of this world1 then would ,my servants fight1 that ,i should not be delivered to the ,jews2 but now is ,my kingdom not from hence4 ,mark the word now4 ,by and by1 the kingdoms of this world will become the kingdom of our ,lord2 but now1 ,he is rejected1 and all who belong to ,him--,his ,church--,his people--are called to share ,his rejection1 to follow ,him into the outside place1 and walk as pilgrims and strangers here below1 waiting for the moment when ,he shall come to receive them to ,himself1 that where ,he is1 there they may be also4 ,now1 it is the attempt to mix the world and the ,church together that produces such terrible confusion4 ,it is one of ,satan's special wiles1 and it has done more to mar the testimony of the ,church of ,god and hinder its progress than most of us are aware4 ,it involves a complete turning of things upside down1 a confounding of things that differ essentially1 an utter denial of the ,church's true character1 her position1 her walk1 and her hope4 ,we sometimes hear the expression1 ,christian world3 what does it mean8 ,it is simply an attempt to combine two things which in their source1 nature1 and character are as diverse as light and darkness4 ,it is an effort to tack a new piece upon an old garment1 which1 as our ,lord tells us1 only makes the rent worse4 ,it is not ,god's object to ,christianize the world1 but to call ,his people out of the world1 to be a heavenly people1 governed by heavenly principles1 formed by a heavenly object1 and cheered by a heavenly hope4 ,if this be not clearly seen2 if the truth as to the ,church's true calling and course be not realized as a living power in the soul1 we shall be sure to make the most grievous mistakes in our work1 walk1 and service4 ,we shall make an entirely wrong use of the ,old-,testament scriptures1 not only on prophetic subjects1 but in reference to the whole range of practical life2 indeed1 it would be utterly impossible to calculate the loss which must result from not seeing the distinctive calling1 position1 and hope of the ,church of ,god1 her association and identification--her living union with a rejected1 risen1 and glorified ,christ4 ,we cannot attempt to enlarge upon this most precious and interesting theme2 but we should just like to point out to the reader an instance or two illustrative of the ,spirit's method of quoting and applying ,old-,testament scripture4 ,take1 for example1 the following passage from that lovely thirty-fourth psalm1--,the face of the ,lord is against them that do evil1 to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth4 ,now1 mark the way in which the ,holy ,spirit quotes this passage in the first epistle of ,peter4--,the face of the ,lord is against them that do evil4 7,chap4 iii4 #ab47 ,not a word about cutting off4 ,why is this8 ,because the ,lord is not now acting upon the principle of cutting off4 ,he acted upon it under the law1 and ,he will act upon it in the kingdom by and by2 but just now1 ,he is acting in grace and long-suffering mercy4 ,his face is quite as much and quite as decidedly against all evil-doers as ever it was or ever it will be1 but not now to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth4 ,the most striking illustration of this marvelous grace and forbearance1 and of the difference between the two principles on which we have been dwelling1 is seen in the fact that the very men who with wicked hands crucified ,his only begotten and well-beloved ,son--evil-doers1 surely1 of the most pronounced type1--instead of being cut off from the earth1 were the very first to hear the message of full and free pardon through the blood of the cross4 ,now1 it may appear to some that we are making too much of the mere omission of a single clause of ,old-,testament scripture4 ,let not the reader think so4 ,even had we but this one instance1 it would be a serious mistake to treat it with any thing like indifference4 ,but the fact is1 there are scores of passages of the same character as the one just quoted1 all illustrative of the contrast between the ,jewish and ,christian economies1 and also between ,christianity and the coming kingdom4 ,god is now dealing in grace with the world1 and so should ,his people1 if they want to be like ,him1 and such they are called to be4 ,be ye therefore perfect1 even as your ,father which is in heaven is perfect4 ,and again1 ,be ye therefore imitators of ,god1 as dear children2 and walk in love1 as ,christ also hath loved us1 and hath given ,himself for us1 an offering and a sacrifice to ,god for a sweet-smelling savor4 7,eph4 v4 #a47 ,this is our model4 ,we are called to copy our ,father's example--to imitate ,him4 ,he is not going to law with the world2 ,he is not enforcing ,his rights with the strong hand of power4 ,by and by ,he will2 but just now1 in this day of grace1 ,he showers ,his blessings and benefits in rich profusion upon those whose life is one of enmity and rebellion against ,him4 ,all this is perfectly marvelous1 but thus it is2 and we1 as ,christians1 are called to act on this morally glorious principle4 ,it may be said by some1 ,how could we ever get on in the world--how could we conduct our business on such a principle as this8 ,we should be robbed and ruined2 designing people would take advantage of us if they knew that we would not go to law with them2 they would take our goods1 or borrow our money1 or occupy our houses1 and refuse to pay us4 ,in short1 we could never get on in a world like this if we did not assert our rights and establish our claims by the strong hand of power4 ,what is the law for but to make people behave themselves8 ,are not the powers that be ordained of ,god for the very purpose of maintaining peace and good order in our midst8 ,what would become of society if we had not soldiers1 policemen1 magistrates1 and judges8 ,and if ,god has ordained that such things should be1 why should not ,his people avail themselves of them8 and not only so1 but who so fit to occupy places of authority and power1 or to wield the sword of justice1 as the people of ,god8 ,there is1 no doubt1 very great apparent force in all this line of argument4 ,the powers that be are ordained of ,god4 ,the king1 the governor1 the judge1 the magistrate1 are1 each in his place1 the expression of the power of ,god4 ,it is ,god who invests each with the power which he wields2 it is ,he who has put the sword into his hand1 for the punishment of evil-doers1 and the praise of them that do well4 ,we bless ,god with all our hearts for the constituted authorities of the country4 ,day and night1 in private and in public1 we pray for them4 ,it is our bounden duty to obey and submit ourselves to them in all things1 provided always that they do not call upon us to disobey ,god1 or do violence to conscience4 ,if they do this1 we must--what8 ,resist8 ,nay1 but suffer4 ,all this is perfectly plain4 ,the world as it now is could not go on for a single day if men were not kept in order by the strong hand of power4 ,we could not live1 or at least life would be perfectly intolerable1 were it not that evil-doers are kept in terror of the glittering sword of justice4 ,even as it is1 through lack of moral power on the part of those who bear the sword1 lawless demagogues are allowed to stir up the evil passions of men to resist the law of the land and disturb the peace and threaten the lives and property of well-disposed and harmless subjects of the government4 ,but admitting all this1 in the fullest possible manner1 as every intelligent ,christian1 every one taught by ,scripture1 most assuredly will1 it leaves wholly untouched the question of the ,christian's path in this world4 ,christianity fully recognizes all the governmental institutions of the country4 ,it forms no part of the ,christian's business to interfere1 in any one way1 with such institutions4 ,wherever he is1 whatever be the principle or character of the government of the country in which his lot is cast1 it is his duty to recognize its municipal and political arrangements1 to pay taxes1 pray for the government1 honor governors in their official capacity1 wish well to the legislature and the executive1 pray for the peace of the country1 live in peace with all1 so far as in him lies4 ,we see all this in the blessed ,master ,himself in perfection1 blessed be ,his holy name for evermore6 ,in ,his memorable reply to the crafty ,herodians1 ,he recognizes the principle of subjection to the powers that be--,render to ,csar the things that be ,csar's1 and to ,god the things that be ,god's4 ,and not only so1 but we find ,him also paying tribute1 although personally free4 ,they had no right to demand it of ,him1 as ,he plainly shows to ,peter2 and it might be said1 ,why did ,he not appeal8 ,appeal6 ,nay2 ,he shows us something quite different4 ,hear ,his exquisite reply to ,his mistaken apostle--,notwithstanding1 lest we should offend them1 go thou to the sea1 and cast a hook1 and take up the fish that first cometh up2 and when thou hast opened his mouth1 thou shalt find a piece of money2 that take and give unto them for ,me and thee4#i 7,matt4 xvii47 #i ,the fact that the tribute-money may have been for the temple does not touch the principle set forth in the text4 ,and here we get back1 with increased moral force1 to our thesis1 namely1 the ,christian's path in this world4 ,what is it8 ,he is to follow his ,master--to imitate ,him in all things4 ,did ,he assert ,his rights8 did ,he go to law8 did ,he try to regulate the world8 did ,he meddle with municipal or political matters8 was ,he a politician8 did ,he wield the sword8 did ,he consent to be a judge or a divider1 even when appealed to1 as we say1 to arbitrate about property8 was not ,his whole life one of complete self-surrender1 from first to last8 was ,he not continually giving up1 until1 at the cross1 ,he gave up ,his precious life as a ransom for many8 ,we shall leave these questions to find their answer deep down in the heart of the ,christian reader1 and to produce their practical effect in his life4 ,we trust that the foregoing line of truth will enable him to interpret aright such passages as ,deuteronomy xiii4 #i1 #aj4 ,our opposition to idolatry and our separation from evil1 in every shape and form1 while not less intense and decided1 most surely1 than that of ,israel of old1 is not to be displayed in the same way4 ,the ,church is imperatively called upon to put away evil and evil-doers1 but not after the same fashion as ,israel4 ,it is no part of her duty to stone idolaters and blasphemers1 or burn witches4 ,the church of ,rome has acted upon this principle1 and even ,protestants 7to the shame of ,protestantism7 have followed her example4#aj ,the ,church is not called--nay1 she is positively and peremptorily forbidden to use the temporal sword4 ,it is a flat denial of her calling1 character1 and mission to do so4 ,when ,peter1 in ignorant zeal and carnal haste1 drew the sword in defense of his blessed ,master1 he was at once corrected by his ,master's faithful word1 and instructed by his ,master's gracious act1--,put up thy sword into the sheath2 for all they that take the sword shall perish by the sword4 ,and having thus reproved the act of ,his mistaken though well-meaning servant1 ,he undid the mischief by ,his gracious touch4 ,the weapons of our warfare1 says the inspired apostle1 are not carnal1 but mighty through ,god to the pulling down of strongholds1 casting down imaginations1 and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of ,god1 and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of ,christ4 7#b ,cor4 x4 #d1 #e47 #aj ,the burning of ,servetus1 in #aeec1 for his theological opinions1 is a frightful blot upon the ,reformation1 and upon the man who sanctioned such an unchristian proceeding4 ,true1 the opinions of ,servetus were fatally and fundamentally false1--he held the ,arian heresy1 which is simply blasphemy against the ,son of ,god2 but to burn him1 or any one else1 for false doctrine1 was a flagrant sin against the spirit1 genius1 and principle of the gospel1 the deplorable fruit of ignorance as to the essential difference between ,judaism and ,christianity4 ,the professing church has gone all astray as to this great and most important question4 ,she has joined herself with the world1 and sought to further the cause of ,christ by carnal and worldly agency4 ,she had ignorantly attempted to maintain the ,christian faith by the most shameful denial of ,christian practice4 ,the burning of heretics stands as a most fearful moral blot upon the page of the church's history4 ,we can form no adequate idea of the terrible consequences resulting from the notion that the ,church was called to take ,israel's place and act on ,israel's principles4#aa ,it completely falsified her testimony1 robbed her of her entirely spiritual and heavenly character1 and led her upon a path which ends in ,revelation xvii4 and xviii4 ,let him that readeth understand4 #aa ,it is one thing for the ,church to learn from the history of ,israel1 and another thing altogether to take ,israel's place1 act on ,israel's principles1 and appropriate ,israel's promises4 ,the former is the ,church's duty and privilege2 the latter has been the ,church's fatal mistake4 ,but we must not pursue this line of things further here4 ,we trust that what has passed before us will lead all whom it may concern to consider the whole subject in the light of the ,new ,testament1 and thus be the means1 through the infinite goodness of ,god1 of leading them to see the path of entire separation which we as ,christians are called to tread2 in the world1 but not of it1 even as our ,lord ,christ is not of it4 ,this will solve a thousand difficulties1 and furnish a grand general principle which can be practically applied to a thousand details4 ,we shall now conclude our study of ,deuteronomy xiii4 by a glance at its closing paragraph4 ,if thou shalt hear say in one of thy cities1 which the ,lord thy ,god hath given thee to dwell there1 saying1 ,certain men1 the children of ,belial1 are gone out from among you1 and have withdrawn the inhabitants of their city1 saying1 ,let us go and serve other gods1 which ye have not known2 then shalt thou inquire1 and make search1 and ask diligently2 and1 behold1 if it be truth1 and the thing certain1 that such abomination is wrought among you1 thou shalt surely smite the inhabitants of that city with the edge of the sword1 destroying it utterly1 and all that is therein1 and the cattle thereof1 with the edge of the sword4 ,and thou shalt gather all the spoil of it into the midst of the street thereof1 and shalt burn with fire the city1 and all the spoil thereof every whit1 for the ,lord thy ,god2 and it shall be a heap forever2 it shall not be built again4 ,and there shall cleave naught of the cursed thing to thine hand2 that the ,lord may turn from the fierceness of ,his anger1 and show thee mercy1 and have compassion upon thee1 and multiply thee1 as ,he hath sworn unto thy fathers2 when thou shalt hearken to the voice of the ,lord thy ,god1 to keep all ,his commandments which ,i command thee this day1 to do that which is right in the eyes of the ,lord thy ,god4 7,ver4 #ab-ah47 ,here we have instruction of the most solemn and weighty character4 ,but the reader must bear in mind that1 solemn and weighty as it most surely is1 it is based upon a truth of unspeakable value1 and that is1 ,israel's national unity4 ,if we do not see this1 we shall miss the real force and meaning of the foregoing quotation4 ,a case is supposed of grave error in some one of the cities of ,israel1 and the question might naturally arise1 ,are all the cities involved in the evil of one8#ab #ab ,it is1 of course1 needful to bear in mind that the evil referred to in the text was of the very gravest character4 ,it was an attempt to draw the people away from the one living and true ,god4 ,it touched the very foundation of ,israel's national existence4 ,it was not merely a local or municipal question1 but a national one4 ,assuredly1 inasmuch as the nation was one4 ,the cities and tribes were not independent2 they were bound up together by a sacred bond of national unity--a unity which had its centre in the place of the divine presence4 ,israel's twelve tribes were indissolubly bound together4 ,the twelve loaves on the golden table in the sanctuary formed the beauteous type of this unity1 and every true ,israelite owned and rejoiced in this unity4 ,the twelve stones in ,jordan's bed1 the twelve stones on ,jordan's bank1 ,elijah's twelve stones on ,mount ,carmel--all set forth the same grand truth--the indissoluble unity of ,israel's twelve tribes4 ,the good king ,hezekiah recognized this truth when he commanded that the burnt-offering and the sin-offering should be made for all ,israel4 7#b ,chron4 xxix4 #bd47 ,the faithful ,josiah owned it and acted upon it when he carried his reformatory operations into all the countries that pertained to the children of ,israel4 7#b ,chron4 xxxiv4 #cc47 ,paul1 in his magnificent address before king ,agrippa1 bears witness to the same truth when he says1 ,unto which promise our twelve tribes1 instantly serving ,god day and night1 hope to come4#ac 7,acts xxvi4 #g47 ,and when we look forward into the bright future1 the same glorious truth shines1 with heavenly lustre1 in the seventh chapter of ,revelation1 where we see the twelve tribes sealed and secured for blessing1 rest1 and glory1 in connection with a countless multitude of the ,gentiles4 ,and finally1 in ,revelation xxi4 we see the names of the twelve tribes engraved on the gates of the holy ,jerusalem1 the seat and centre of the glory of ,god and the ,lamb4 #ac ,it may interest the reader to know that the word rendered1 in the above passage1 twelve tribes1 is singular-- ,it certainly gives very full and vivid expression to the grand idea of indissoluble unity which is so precious to ,god1 and therefore so precious to faith4 ,thus1 from the golden table in the sanctuary to the golden city descending out of heaven from ,god1 we have a marvelous chain of evidence in proof of the grand truth of the indissoluble unity of ,israel's twelve tribes4 ,and then1 if the question be asked1 ,where is this unity to be seen8 or how did ,elijah or ,hezekiah or ,josiah or ,paul see it8 ,the answer is a very simple one--,they saw it by faith2 they looked within the sanctuary of ,god1 and there1 on the golden table1 they beheld the twelve loaves1 setting forth the perfect distinctness and yet the perfect oneness of the twelve tribes4 ,nothing can be more beautiful4 ,the truth of ,god must stand forever4 ,israel's unity was seen in the past1 and it will be seen in the future2 and though1 like the higher unity of the ,church1 it is unseen in the present1 faith believes it all the same1 holds it and confesses it in the face of ten thousand hostile influences4 ,and now let us look for a moment at the practical application of this most glorious truth1 as presented in the closing paragraph of ,deuteronomy xiii4 ,a report reaches a city in the far north of the land of ,israel of serious error taught in a certain city in the extreme south--deadly error1 tending to draw the inhabitants away from the true ,god4 ,what is to be done8 ,the law is as plain as possible2 the path of duty is laid down with such distinctness that it only needs a single eye to see it1 and a devoted heart to tread it4 ,then shalt thou inquire1 and make search1 and ask diligently4 ,this surely is simple enough4 ,but some of the citizens might say1 ,what have we in the north to do with error taught in the south8 ,thank ,god1 there is no error taught amongst us2 it is entirely a local question2 each city is responsible for the maintenance of the truth within its own walls4 ,how could we be expected to examine into every case of error which may spring up here and there all over the land8 our whole time would be taken up1 so that we could not attend to our fields1 our vineyards1 our oliveyards1 our flocks1 and our herds4 ,it is quite as much as we can do to keep our own borders all right4 ,we certainly condemn the error1 and if any one holding or teaching it were to come here1 and that we knew of it1 we should most decidedly shut our gates against him4 ,beyond this1 we do not feel ourselves responsible to go4 ,now1 what1 we may ask1 would be the reply of the faithful ,israelite to all this line of argument which1 in the judgment of mere nature1 seems so exceedingly plausible8 ,a very simple and very conclusive one1 we may be sure4 ,he would say it was simply a denial of ,israel's unity4 ,if every city and every tribe were to take independent ground1 then verily the high-priest might take the twelve loaves off the golden table before the ,lord and scatter them here and there and every where2 our unity is gone2 we are all broken up into independent atoms1 having no national ground of action4 ,besides1 the commandment is most distinct and explicit--,thou shalt inquire1 and make search1 and ask diligently4 ,we are bound1 therefore1 on the double ground of the nation's unity and the plain command of our covenant-,god4 ,it is of no possible use to say there is no error taught amongst us1 unless we want to separate ourselves from the nation2 if we belong to ,israel1 then verily the error is taught amongst us1 as the ,word says1 ,such abomination is wrought among you4 ,how far does the you extend8 ,as far as the national boundaries4 ,error taught at ,dan affects those dwelling at ,beersheba4 ,how is this8 ,because ,israel is one4 ,and then the ,word is so plain1 so distinct1 so emphatic4 ,we are bound to search into it4 ,we cannot fold our arms and sit down in cold indifference and culpable neutrality1 else we shall be involved in the awful consequences of this evil2 yea1 we are involved until we clear ourselves of it by judging it1 with unflinching decision and unsparing severity4 ,such1 beloved reader1 would be the language of every loyal ,israelite1 and such his mode of acting in reference to error and evil wherever found4 ,to speak or act otherwise would simply be indifference as to the truth and glory of ,god1 and independency as regards ,israel4 ,for any to say that they were not responsible to act according to the instructions given in ,deuteronomy xiii4 #ab-ah1 would be a complete surrender of the truth of ,god and of ,israel's unity4 ,all were bound to act1 or else be involved in the judgment of the guilty city4 ,and surely if all this was true in ,israel of old1 it is not less true in the ,church of ,god now4 ,we may rest assured that any thing like indifference where ,christ is concerned is most hateful to ,god4 ,it is the eternal purpose and counsel of ,god to glorify ,his ,son2 that every knee should bow to ,him1 and every tongue confess that ,he is ,lord to the glory of ,god the ,father2 that all should honor the ,son even as they honor the ,father4 ,hence1 if ,christ be dishonored1--if doctrines be taught derogatory to the glory of ,his ,person1 the efficacy of ,his work1 or the virtue of ,his offices1 we are bound1 by every motive which could possibly act on our hearts1 to reject1 with stern decision1 such doctrines4 ,indifference or neutrality where the ,son of ,god is concerned is high treason in the judgment of the high court of ,heaven4 ,we would not be indifferent if it were a question of our own reputation1 our personal character1 or our personal or family property2 we should be thoroughly alive to any thing affecting ourselves or those dear to us4 ,how much more deeply ought we to feel in reference to what concerns the glory and honor1 the name and cause1 of the ,one to whom we owe our present and everlasting all--the ,one who laid aside ,his glory1 came down into this wretched world1 and died a shameful death upon the cross1 in order to save us from the everlasting flames of hell4 ,could we be indifferent to ,him8 neutral where ,he is concerned8 ,god1 in ,his great mercy1 forbid6 ,no1 reader2 it must not be4 ,the honor and glory of ,christ must be more to us than all beside4 ,reputation1 property1 family1 friends--all must stand aside if the claims of ,christ are involved4 ,does not the ,christian reader own this1 with all the energy of his ransomed soul8 ,we feel persuaded he does1 even now2 and oh1 how shall we feel when we see ,him face to face1 and stand in the full light of ,his moral glory8 with what feelings shall we then contemplate the idea of indifference or neutrality with respect to ,him6 ,and are we not justified in declaring that next to the glory of the ,head stands the great truth of the unity of ,his body--the ,church8 ,unquestionably4 ,if the nation of ,israel was one1 how much more is the body of ,christ one6 and if independency was wrong in ,israel1 how much more wrong in the ,church of ,god6 ,the plain fact is this3 the idea of independency cannot be maintained for a moment in the light of the ,new ,testament4 ,as well might we say that the hand is independent of the foot1 or the eye of the ear1 as assert that the members of the body of ,christ are independent one of another4 ,for as the body is one1 and hath many members1 and all the members of that one body1 being many1 are one body2 so also is ,christ--a very remarkable statement1 setting forth the intimate union of ,christ and the ,church4--,for by one ,spirit are we all baptized into one body1 whether we be ,jews or ,gentiles1 whether bond or free2 and have been all made to drink into one ,spirit4 ,for the body is not one member1 but many4 ,if the foot shall say1 ,because ,i am not the hand1 ,i am not of the body2 is it therefore not of the body8 ,and if the ear shall say1 ,because ,i am not the eye1 ,i am not of the body2 is it therefore not of the body8 ,if the whole body were an eye1 where were the hearing8 ,if the whole were hearing1 where were the smelling8 ,but now hath ,god set the members every one of them in the body1 as it hath pleased ,him4 ,and if they were all one member1 where were the body8 ,but now are they many members1 yet but one body4 ,and the eye cannot say unto the hand1 ,i have no need of thee2 nor again1 the head to the feet1 ,i have no need of you4 ,nay1 much more1 those members of the body which seem to be more feeble1 are necessary2 and those members of the body which we think to be less honorable1 upon these we bestow more abundant honor2 and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness2 for our comely parts have no need2 but ,god hath tempered the body together1 having given more abundant honor to that part which lacked3 that there should be no schism in the body2 but that the members should have the same care one for another4 ,and whether one member suffer1 all the members suffer with it2 or one member be honored1 all the members rejoice with it4 ,,now ,,ye ,,are ,,the ,,body ,,of ,,christ1 ,,and ,,members ,,in ,,particular4 7#a ,cor4 xii4 #ab-bg47 ,we do not attempt to dwell upon this truly marvelous scripture2 but we earnestly desire to call the attention of the ,christian reader to the special truth which it so forcibly sets before us--a truth which intimately concerns every true believer on the face of the earth1 namely1 that he is a member of the body of ,christ4 ,this is a great practical truth1 involving1 at once1 the very highest privileges and the very weightiest responsibilities4 ,it is not merely a true doctrine1 a sound principle1 or an orthodox opinion2 it is a living fact1 designed to be a divine power in the soul4 ,the ,christian can no longer view himself as an independent person1 having no association1 no vital link1 with others4 ,he is livingly bound up with all the children of ,god--all true believers--all the members of ,christ's body upon the face of the earth4 ,by one ,spirit are we all baptized into one body4 ,the ,church of ,god is not a mere club1 or a society1 an association1 or a brotherhood2 it is a body united by the ,holy ,ghost to the ,head in heaven2 and all its members on earth are indissolubly bound together4 ,this being so1 it follows1 of necessity1 that all the members of the body are affected by the state and walk of each4 ,if one member suffer1 all the members suffer with it1--that is1 all the members of the body4 ,if there is any thing wrong with the foot1 the hand feels it4 ,how8 ,through the head4 ,so in the ,church of ,god1 if any thing goes wrong with an individual member1 all feel it through the ,head with whom all are livingly connected by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,some find it very hard to grasp this great truth2 but there it stands plainly revealed on the inspired page1 not to be reasoned about1 or submitted in any way to the human judgment1 but simply to be believed4 ,it is a divine revelation4 ,no human mind could ever have conceived such a thought2 but ,god reveals it1 faith believes it1 and walks in the blessed power of it4 ,it may be the reader feels disposed to ask1 ,how is it possible for the state of one believer to affect those who know nothing about it8 ,the answer is1 ,if one member suffer1 all the members suffer with it4 ,all the members of what8 ,is it of any mere local assembly or company who may happen to know or be locally connected with the person concerned8 ,nay1 but the members of the body wherever they are4 ,even in the case of ,israel1 where it was only a national unity1 we have seen that if there was evil in any one of their cities1 all were concerned1 all involved1 all affected4 ,hence1 when ,achan sinned1 although there were myriads of people totally ignorant of the fact1 the ,lord said1 ,israel hath sinned1 and the whole assembly suffered a humiliating defeat4 ,can reason grasp this weighty truth8 ,no2 but faith can4 ,if we listen to reason1 we shall believe nothing2 but1 by the grace of ,god1 we shall not listen to reason1 but believe what ,god says because ,he says it4 ,and oh1 beloved ,christian reader1 what an immense truth is this unity of the body6 ,what practical consequences flow out of it6 ,how eminently calculated it is to minister to holiness of walk and life6 ,how watchful it would make us over ourselves--our habits1 our ways1 our whole moral condition6 ,how careful it would make us not to dishonor the ,head to whom we are united1 or grieve the ,spirit by whom we are united1 or injure the members with whom we are united6 ,but we must close this chapter1 much as we should like to linger over one of the very grandest1 most profound1 and most powerful formative truths that can possibly engage our attention4 ,may the ,spirit of ,god make it a living power in the soul of every true believer on the face of the earth4 ,,chapter ,,xiv4 ,ye are the children of the ,lord your ,god2 ye shall not cut yourselves1 nor make any baldness between your eyes for the dead2 for thou art a holy people unto the ,lord thy ,god1 and the ,lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto ,himself1 above all the nations that are upon the earth4 7,ver4 #a4 #b47 ,the opening clause of this chapter sets before us the basis of all the privileges and responsibilities of the ,israel of ,god4 ,it is a familiar thought amongst us that we must be in a relationship before we can know the affections or discharge the duties which belong to it4 ,this is a plain and undeniable truth4 ,if a man were not a father1 no amount of argument or explanation could make him understand the feelings or affections of a father's heart2 but the very moment he enters upon the relationship1 he knows all about them4 ,thus it is as to every relationship and position1 and thus it is in the things of ,god4 ,we cannot understand the affections or the duties of a child of ,god until we are on the ground4 ,we must be ,christians before we can perform ,christian duties4 ,even when we are ,christians1 it is only by the gracious aid of the ,holy ,ghost that we can walk as such2 but clearly1 if we are not on ,christian ground1 we can know nothing of ,christian affections or ,christian duties4 ,this is so obvious that argument is needless4 ,now1 most evidently1 it is ,god's prerogative to declare how ,his children ought to conduct themselves1 and it is their high privilege and holy responsibility to seek1 in all things1 to meet ,his gracious approval4 ,ye are the children of the ,lord your ,god3 ye shall not cut yourselves4 ,they were not their own2 they belonged to ,him1 and therefore they had no right to cut themselves or disfigure their faces for the dead4 ,nature1 in its pride and self-will1 might say1 ,why may we not do like other people8 ,what harm can there be in cutting ourselves1 or making a baldness between our eyes8 ,it is only an expression of grief1 an affectionate tribute to our loved departed ones4 ,surely there can be nothing morally wrong in such a suited expression of sorrow4 ,to all this there was one simple but conclusive answer--,ye are the children of the ,lord your ,god4 ,this fact altered every thing4 ,the poor ignorant and uncircumcised ,gentiles around them might cut and disfigure themselves1 inasmuch as they knew not ,god1 and were not in relationship to ,him2 but as for ,israel1 they were on the high and holy ground of nearness to ,god1 and this one fact was to give tone and character to all their habits4 ,they were not called upon to adopt or refrain from any particular habit or custom in order to be the children of ,god4 ,this would be1 as we say1 beginning at the wrong end2 but being ,his children1 they were to act as such4 ,thou art a holy people unto the ,lord thy ,god4 ,he does not say1 ,ye ought to be a holy people4 ,how could they ever make themselves a holy people1 or a peculiar people1 unto ,jehovah8 ,utterly impossible4 ,if they were not ,his people1 no efforts of theirs could ever make them such4 ,but ,god1 in ,his sovereign grace1 in pursuance of ,his covenant with their fathers1 had made them ,his children1 made them a peculiar people above all the nations that were upon the earth4 ,here was the solid foundation of ,israel's moral edifice4 ,all their habits and customs1 all their doings and ways1 their food and their clothing1 what they did and what they did not do--all was to flow out of the one grand fact1 with which they had no more to do than with their natural birth1 namely1 that they actually were the children of ,god1 the people of ,his choice1 the people of ,his own special possession4 ,now1 we cannot but acknowledge it to be a privilege of the very highest order to have the ,lord so near to us1 and so interested in all our habits and ways4 ,to mere nature1 no doubt--to one who does not know the ,lord--is not in relationship to ,him1 the very idea of ,his holy presence1 or of nearness to ,him1 would be simply intolerable3 but to every true believer--every one who really loves ,god1 it is a most delightful thought to have ,him near us1 and to know that ,he interests ,himself in all the most minute details of our personal history and most private life2 that ,he takes cognizance of what we eat and what we wear2 that ,he looks after us by day and by night1 sleeping and waking1 at home and abroad2 in short1 that ,his interest in and care for us go far beyond those of the most tender1 loving mother for her babe4 ,all this is perfectly wonderful2 and surely1 if we only realized it more fully1 we should live a very different sort of life1 and have a very different tale to tell4 ,what a holy privilege--what a precious reality1 to know that our loving ,lord is about our path by day1 and about our bed by night2 that ,his eye rests upon us when we are dressing in the morning1 when we sit down to our meals1 when we go about our business1 and in all our intercourse from morning till night6 ,may the sense of this be a living and abiding power in the heart of every child of ,god on the face of the earth4 ,from verse #c to #bj1 we have the law as to clean and unclean beasts1 fishes1 and fowls4 ,the leading principles as to all these have already come under our notice in the eleventh chapter of ,leviticus2#ad but there is a very important difference between the two scriptures4 ,the instructions in ,leviticus are given primarily to ,moses and ,aaron2 in ,deuteronomy1 they are given directly to the people4 ,this is perfectly characteristic of the two books4 ,leviticus may be specially termed1 ,the priest's guide-book4 ,in ,deuteronomy1 the priests are almost entirely in the back-ground1 and the people are prominent4 ,this is strikingly apparent all through the book1 so that there is not the slightest foundation for the idea that ,deuteronomy merely repeats ,leviticus4 ,nothing can be further from the truth4 ,each book has its own peculiar province1 its own design1 its own work4 ,the devout student sees and owns this with deep delight4 ,infidels are willfully blind1 and can see nothing4 #ad ,as we have given in our ,notes on the ,book of ,leviticus1 chapter xi41 what we believe to be the scriptural import of verses #d-bj of our chapter1 we must refer the reader to what is there advanced4 ,in verse #ba of our chapter1 the marked distinction between the ,israel of ,god and the stranger is strikingly presented4--,ye shall not eat of any thing that dieth of itself2 thou shalt give it unto the stranger that is in thy gates1 that he may eat it2 or thou mayest sell it unto an alien2 for thou art a holy people unto the ,lord thy ,god4 ,the grand fact of ,israel's relationship to ,jehovah marked them off from all the nations under the sun4 ,it was not that they were1 in themselves1 a whit better or holier than others2 but ,jehovah was holy1 and they were ,his people4 ,be ye holy1 for ,i am holy4 ,worldly people often think that ,christians are very pharisaic in separating themselves from other people1 and refusing to take part in the pleasures and amusements of the world2 but they do not really understand the question4 ,the fact is1 for a ,christian to participate in the vanities and follies of a sinful world would be1 to use a typical phrase1 like an ,israelite eating that which had died of itself4 ,the ,christian1 thank ,god1 has gotten something better to feed upon than the poor dead things of this world4 ,he has the ,living ,bread that came down from heaven--the true ,manna2 and not only so1 but he eats of the old corn of the land of ,canaan1 type of the risen and glorified ,man in the heavens4 ,of these most precious things the poor unconverted worldling knows absolutely nothing1 and hence he must feed upon what the world has to offer him4 ,it is not a question of the right or the wrong of things looked at in themselves4 ,no one could possibly have known aught about the wrong of eating of any thing that had died of itself if ,god's word had not settled it4 ,this is the all-important point for us4 ,we cannot expect the world to see or feel with us as to matters of right and wrong4 ,it is our business to look at things from a divine stand-point4 ,many things may be quite consistent for a worldly man to do which a ,christian could not touch at all1 simply because he is a ,christian4 ,the question which the true believer has to ask as to every thing which comes before him is simply1 ,can ,i do this to the glory of ,god8 can ,i connect the name of ,christ with it8 ,if not1 he must not touch it4 ,in a word1 the ,christian's standard and test for every thing is ,christ4 ,this makes it all so simple4 ,instead of asking1 ,is such a thing consistent with our profession1 our principles1 our character1 or our reputation8 we have to ask1 ,is it consistent with ,christ8 ,this makes all the difference4 ,whatever is unworthy of ,christ is unworthy of a ,christian4 ,if this be thoroughly understood and laid hold of1 it will furnish a great practical rule which may be applied to a thousand details4 ,if the heart be true to ,christ1--if we walk according to the instincts of the divine nature1 as strengthened by the ministry of the ,holy ,ghost1 and guided by the authority of holy ,scripture1 we shall not be much troubled with questions of right or wrong in our daily life4 ,before proceeding to quote for the reader the lovely paragraph which closes our chapter1 we would very briefly call his attention to the last clause of verse #ba4--,thou shalt not seethe a kid in his mother's milk4 ,the fact that this commandment is given three times1 in various connections1 is sufficient to mark it as one of special interest and practical importance4 ,the question is1 ,what does it mean8 what are we to learn from it8 ,we believe it teaches very plainly that the ,lord's people must carefully avoid every thing contrary to nature4 ,now1 it was manifestly contrary to nature that what was intended for a creature's nourishment should be used to seethe it4 ,we find1 all through the ,word of ,god1 great prominence given to what is according to nature--what is comely4 ,does not even nature itself teach you8 says the inspired apostle to the assembly at ,corinth4 ,there are certain feelings and instincts implanted in nature by the ,creator which must never be outraged4 ,we may set it down as a fixed principle1 an axiom in ,christian ethics1 that no action can possibly be of ,god that offers violence to the sensibilities proper to nature4 ,the ,spirit of ,god may1 and often does1 lead us beyond and above nature1 but never against it4 ,we shall now turn to the closing verses of our chapter1 in which we shall find some uncommonly fine practical instruction4 ,thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed1 that the field bringeth forth year by year4 ,and thou shalt eat before the ,lord thy ,god1 in the place which ,he shall choose to place ,his name there1 the tithe of thy corn1 of thy wine1 and of thine oil1 and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks2 that thou mayest learn to fear the ,lord thy ,god always4 ,and if the way be too long for thee1 so that thou art not able to carry it2 or if the place be too far from thee1 which the ,lord thy ,god shall choose to set ,his name there1 when the ,lord thy ,god hath blessed thee2 then shalt thou turn it into money1 and bind up the money in thine hand1 and shalt go unto the place which the ,lord thy ,god shall choose2 and thou shalt bestow that money for whatsoever thy soul lusteth after--for oxen1 or for sheep1 or for wine1 or for strong drink1 or for whatsoever thy soul desireth2 and thou shalt eat there before the ,lord thy ,god1 and thou shalt rejoice1 thou1 and thine household1 and the ,levite that is within thy gates2 thou shalt not forsake him1 for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee4 ,at the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year1 and shalt lay it up within thy gates4 ,and the ,levite 7because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee71 and the stranger1 and the fatherless1 and the widow1 which are within thy gates1 shall come1 and shall eat and be satisfied1 that the ,lord thy ,god may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest4 7,ver4 #bb-bi47 ,this is a deeply interesting and most important passage1 setting before us1 with special simplicity1 the basis1 the centre1 and practical features of ,israel's national and domestic religion4 ,the grand foundation of ,israel's worship was laid in the fact that both they themselves and their land belonged to ,jehovah4 ,the land was ,his1 and they held as tenants under ,him4 ,to this precious truth they were called1 periodically1 to bear testimony by faithfully tithing their land3 ,thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed that thy field bringeth forth year by year4 ,they were to own1 in this practical way1 the proprietorship of ,jehovah1 and never lose sight of it3 they were to own no other landlord but the ,lord their ,god4 ,all they were and all they had belonged to ,him4 ,this was the solid ground-work of their national worship--their national religion4 ,and then as to the centre1 it is set forth with equal clearness4 ,they were to gather to the place where ,jehovah recorded ,his name4 ,precious privilege for all who truly loved that glorious name6 ,we see in this passage1 as also in many other portions of the ,word of ,god1 what importance ,he attached to the periodical gatherings of ,his people around ,himself4 ,blessed be ,his name1 ,he delighted to see ,his beloved people assembled in ,his presence1 happy in ,him and in one another2 rejoicing together in their common portion1 and feeding in sweet and loving fellowship on the fruit of ,jehovah's land4 ,thou shalt eat before the ,lord thy ,god1 in the place which ,he shall choose1 to place ,his name there1 the tithe of thy corn1 444 that thou mayest learn to fear the ,lord thy ,god always4 ,there was1 there could be1 no other place like that1 in the judgment of every faithful ,israelite1 every true lover of ,jehovah4 ,all such would delight to flock to the hallowed spot where that beloved and revered name was recorded4 ,it might seem strange and unaccountable to those who knew not the ,god of ,israel1 and cared nothing about ,him1 to see the people traveling--many of them--a long distance from their homes1 and carrying their tithes to one particular spot4 ,they might feel disposed to call in question the needs-be for such a custom4 ,why not eat at home8 they might say4 ,but the simple fact is1 such persons knew nothing whatever about the matter1 and were wholly incapable of entering into the preciousness of it4 ,to the ,israel of ,god1 there was the one grand moral reason for journeying to the appointed place1 and that reason was found in the glorious motto1 ,jehovah ,shammah--,the ,lord is there4 ,if an ,israelite had willfully determined to stay at home1 or to go to some place of his own choosing1 he would neither have met ,jehovah there nor his brethren1 and hence he would have eaten alone4 ,such a course would have incurred the judgment of ,god2 it would have been an abomination4 ,there was but one centre1 and that was not of man's choosing1 but of ,god's4 ,the godless ,jeroboam1 for his own selfish1 political ends1 presumed to interfere with the divine order1 and set up his calves at ,bethel and ,dan2 but the worship offered there was offered to demons and not to ,god4 ,it was a daring act of wickedness1 which brought down upon him and upon his house the righteous judgment of ,god2 and we see1 in ,israel's after history1 that ,jeroboam the son of ,nebat is used as the terrible model of iniquity for all the wicked kings4 ,but all the faithful in ,israel were sure to be found at the one divine centre1 and no where else4 ,you would not find such making all sorts of excuses for staying at home2 neither would you find them running hither and thither to places of their own or other people's choosing2 no1 you would find them gathered to ,jehovah ,shammah1 and there alone4 ,was this narrowness and bigotry8 ,nay2 it was the fear and love of ,god4 ,if ,jehovah had appointed a place where ,he would meet ,his people1 assuredly ,his people should meet ,him there4 ,and not only had ,he appointed a place1 but1 in ,his abounding goodness1 ,he devised a means of making that place as convenient as possible for ,his worshiping people4 ,thus we read1 ,and if the way be too long for thee1 so that thou art not able to carry it2 or if the place be too far from thee which the ,lord thy ,god shall choose to set ,his name there1 when the ,lord thy ,god hath blessed thee2 then thou shalt turn it into money1 and bind up the money in thine hand1 and shalt go unto the place which the ,lord thy ,god shall choose3 444 and thou shalt eat there before the ,lord thy ,god1 and thou shalt rejoice1 thou and thy household4 ,this is perfectly beautiful4 ,the ,lord1 in ,his tender care and considerate love1 took account of every thing4 ,he would not leave a single difficulty in the way of ,his beloved people1 in the matter of their assembling around ,himself4 ,he had ,his own special joy in seeing ,his redeemed people happy in ,his presence1 and all who loved ,his name would delight to meet the loving desire of ,his heart by being found at the divinely appointed centre4 ,if any ,israelite were found neglecting the blessed occasion of assembling with his brethren at the divinely chosen place and time1 it would have simply proved that he had no heart for ,god or for ,his people1 or1 what was worse1 that he was willfully absent4 ,he might reason as he pleased about his being happy at home1 happy elsewhere2 it was a false happiness1 inasmuch as it was happiness found in the path of disobedience1 the path of willful neglect of the divine appointment4 ,all this is full of most valuable instruction for the ,church of ,god now4 ,it is the will of ,god now1 no less than of old1 that ,his people should assemble in ,his presence1 on divinely appointed ground1 and to a divinely appointed centre4 ,this1 we presume1 will hardly be called in question by any one having a spark of divine light in his soul4 ,the instincts of the divine nature1 the leadings of the ,holy ,ghost1 and the teachings of holy ,scripture do all most unquestionably lead the ,lord's people to assemble themselves together for worship1 communion1 and edification4 ,however dispensations may differ1 there are certain great principles and leading characteristics which always hold good1 and the assembling of ourselves together is most assuredly one of these4 ,whether under the old economy or under the new1 the assembling of the ,lord's people is a divine institution4 ,now1 this being so1 it is not a question of our happiness1 one way or the other2 though we may be perfectly sure that all true ,christians will be happy in being found in their divinely appointed place4 ,there is ever deep joy and blessing in the assembly of ,god's people4 ,it is impossible for us to find ourselves together in the ,lord's presence and not be truly happy4 ,it is simply heaven upon earth for the ,lord's dear people--those who love ,his name1 love ,his person1 love one another1 to be together around ,his table1 around ,himself4 ,what can exceed the blessedness of being allowed to break bread together in remembrance of our beloved and adorable ,lord1 to show forth ,his death until ,he come2 to raise1 in holy concert1 our anthems of praise to ,god and the ,lamb2 to edify1 exhort1 and comfort one another1 according to the gift and grace bestowed upon us by the risen and glorified ,head of the ,church2 to pour out our hearts1 in sweet fellowship1 in prayer1 supplication1 intercession1 and giving of thanks for all men1 for kings and all in authority1 for the whole household of faith--the ,church of ,god--the body of ,christ1 for the ,lord's work and workmen all over the earth8 ,where1 we would ask with all possible confidence1 is there a true ,christian1 in a right state of soul1 who would not delight in all this1 and say1 from the very depths of his heart1 that there is nothing this side the glory to be compared with it8 ,but1 we repeat1 our happiness is not the question2 it is less than secondary4 ,we are to be ruled1 in this as in all beside1 by the will of ,god as revealed in ,his holy ,word4 ,the question for us is simply this3 ,is it according to the mind of ,god that ,his people should assemble themselves together for worship and mutual edification8 ,if this be so1 woe be to all who willfully refuse1 or indolently neglect to do so1 on any ground whatsoever2 they not only suffer serious loss in their own souls1 but they are offering dishonor to ,god1 grieving ,his ,spirit1 and doing injury to the assembly of ,his people4 ,these are very weighty consequences1 and they demand the serious attention of all the ,lord's people4 ,it must be obvious to the reader that it is according to the revealed will of ,god that ,his people should assemble themselves together1 in ,his presence4 ,the inspired apostle exhorts us1 in the tenth chapter of his epistle to the ,hebrews1 not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together4 ,there is special value1 interest1 and importance attaching to the assembly4 ,the truth as to this begins to dawn upon us in the opening pages of the ,new ,testament4 ,thus1 in ,matthew xviii4 #bj1 we read the words of our blessed ,lord--,where two or three are gathered together in ,my name1 there am ,i in the midst of them4 ,here we have the divine centre4 ,my name4 ,this answers to ,the place which the ,lord thy ,god shall choose to place ,his name there1 so constantly named and so strongly insisted upon in the book of ,deuteronomy4 ,it was absolutely essential that ,israel should gather at that one place4 ,it was not a matter as to which people might choose for themselves4 ,human choice was absolutely and rigidly excluded4 ,it was ,the place which the ,lord thy ,god shall choose1 and no other4 ,this we have seen distinctly4 ,it is so plain that we have only to say1 ,how readest thou8 ,nor is it otherwise with the ,church of ,god4 ,it is not human choice1 or human judgment1 or human opinion1 or human reason1 or human any thing4 ,it is absolutely and entirely divine4 ,the ground of our gathering is divine1 for it is accomplished redemption2 the centre around which we are gathered is divine1 for it is the ,name of ,jesus2 the power by which we are gathered is divine1 for it is the ,holy ,ghost2 and the authority for our gathering is divine1 for it is the ,word of ,god4 ,all this is as clear as it is precious1 and all we need is the simplicity of faith to take it in and act upon it4 ,if we begin to reason about it1 we shall be sure to get into darkness2 and if we listen to human opinions1 we shall be plunged in hopeless perplexity between the conflicting claims of christendom's sects and parties4 ,our only refuge1 our only resource1 our only strength1 our only comfort1 our only authority1 is the precious ,word of ,god4 ,take away that1 and we have absolutely nothing2 give us that1 and we want no more4 ,this is what makes it all so real and so solid for our souls4 ,yes1 reader2 and so consolatory and tranquilizing too4 ,the truth as to our assembly is as clear and as simple and as unquestionable as the truth in reference to our salvation4 ,it is the privilege of all ,christians to be as sure that they are gathered on ,god's ground1 around ,god's centre1 by ,god's power1 and on ,god's authority1 as that they are within the blessed circle of ,god's salvation4 ,and then1 if we be asked1 ,how can we be certain of being around ,god's centre8 we reply1 ,simply by the ,word of ,god4 ,how could ,israel of old be sure as to ,god's chosen place for their assembly8 ,by ,his express commandment4 ,were they at any loss for guidance8 ,surely not4 ,his word was as clear and as distinct as to their place of worship as it was in reference to every thing else4 ,it left not the slightest ground for uncertainty4 ,it was so plainly set before them that for any one to raise a question could only be regarded as willful ignorance or positive disobedience4 ,now1 the question is1 ,are ,christians worse off than ,israel in reference to the great subject of their place of worship1 the centre and ground of their assembly8 ,are they left in doubt and uncertainty8 ,is it an open question8 ,is it a matter as to which every man is left to do what is right in his own eyes8 ,has ,god given us no positive1 definite instruction on a question so intensely interesting and so vitally important8 ,could we imagine for a moment that the ,one who graciously condescended to instruct ,his people of old in matters which we1 in our fancied wisdom1 would deem unworthy of notice1 would leave ,his ,church now without any definite guidance as to the ground1 centre1 and characteristic features of our worship8 ,utterly impossible6 ,every spiritual mind must reject1 with decision and energy1 any such idea4 ,no1 beloved ,christian reader2 you know it would not be like our gracious ,god to deal thus with ,his heavenly people4 ,true1 there is no such thing now as a particular place to which all ,christians are to betake themselves periodically for worship4 ,there was such a place for ,god's earthly people1 and there will be such a place for restored ,israel and for all nations by and by4 ,it shall come to pass in the last days1 that the mountain of the ,lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains1 and shall be exalted above the hills2 and all nations shall flow unto it4 ,and many people shall go and say1 ,come ye1 and let us go up to the mountain of the ,lord1 to the house of the ,god of ,jacob2 and ,he will teach us of ,his ways1 and we will walk in ,his paths2 for out of ,zion shall go forth the law1 and the word of the ,lord from ,jerusalem4 7,is4 ii47 ,and again1 ,it shall come to pass1 that every one that is left of all the nations which came against ,jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the ,king1 the ,lord of ,hosts1 and to keep the feast of tabernacles4 ,and it shall be that whoso will not come up of all the families of the earth unto ,jerusalem to worship the ,king1 the ,lord of ,hosts1 even upon them shall be no rain4 7,zech4 xiv4 #af1 #ag47 ,here are two passages culled1 one from the first1 and the other from the last but one of the divinely inspired prophets1 both pointing forward to the glorious time when ,jerusalem shall be ,god's centre for ,israel and for all nations4 ,and we may assert1 with all possible confidence1 that the reader will find all the prophets1 with one consent1 in full harmony with ,isaiah and ,zechariah on this profoundly interesting subject4 ,to apply such passages to the ,church1 or to heaven1 is to do violence to the clearest and grandest utterances that ever fell on human ears2 it is to confound things heavenly and earthly1 and to give a flat contradiction to the divinely harmonious voices of prophets and apostles4 ,it is needless to multiply quotations4 ,all ,scripture goes to prove that ,jerusalem was1 and will yet be1 ,god's earthly centre for ,his people1 and for all nations2 but just now--that is to say1 from the day of ,pentecost1 when ,god the ,holy ,ghost came down to form the ,church of ,god1 the body of ,christ1 until the moment when our ,lord ,jesus ,christ shall come to take ,his people away out of this world--there is no place1 no city1 no sacred locality1 no earthly centre1 for the ,lord's people4 ,to talk to ,christians about holy places1 or consecrated ground1 is as thoroughly foreign to them 7at least1 it ought to be7 as it would have been to talk to a ,jew about having his place of worship in heaven4 ,the idea is wholly out of place1 wholly out of character4 ,if the reader will turn for a moment to the fourth chapter of ,john1 he will find1 in our ,lord's marvelous discourse with the woman of ,sychar1 the most blessed teaching on this subject4 ,the woman saith unto ,him1 ',sir1 ,i perceive that ,thou art a prophet4 ,our fathers worshiped in this mountain1 and ye say that in ,jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship4' ,jesus saith unto her1 ',woman1 believe ,me2 the hour cometh1 when ye shall neither in this mountain nor yet at ,jerusalem worship the ,father4 ,ye worship ye know not what2 we know what we worship1 for salvation is of the ,jews4 ,but the hour cometh1 and now is1 when the true worshipers shall worship the ,father in spirit and in truth1 for the ,father seeketh such to worship ,him4 ,god is a spirit1 and they that worship ,him must worship ,him in spirit and in truth4' 7,ver4 #ai-bd47 ,this passage entirely sets aside the thought of any special place of worship now4 ,there really is no such thing4 ,the ,most ,high dwelleth not in temples made with hands2 as saith the prophet1 ',heaven is ,my throne1 and earth is ,my footstool3 what house will ye build ,me8' saith the ,lord1 'or what is the place of ,my rest8 ,hath not ,my hand made all these things8' 7,acts vii4 #dh-ej47 ,and again1 ,god that made the world1 and all things therein1 seeing that ,he is ,lord of heaven and earth1 dwelleth not in temples made with hands2 neither is worshiped with men's hands1 as though ,he needed any thing1 seeing ,he giveth to all life and breath and all things4 7,acts xvii4 #bd1 #be47 ,the teaching of the ,new ,testament1 from beginning to end1 is clear and decided as to the subject of worship2 and the ,christian reader is solemnly bound to give heed to that teaching1 and to seek to understand1 and submit his whole moral being to its authority4 ,there has ever been1 from the very earliest ages of the ,church's history1 a strong and fatal tendency to return to ,judaism1 not only on the subject of righteousness1 but also on that of worship4 ,christians have not only been put under the law for life and righteousness1 but also under the ,levitical ritual for the order and character of their worship4 ,we have dealt with the former of these in chapters iv4 and v4 of these ,notes1 but the latter is hardly less serious in its effect upon the whole tone and character of ,christian life and conduct4 ,we have to bear in mind that ,satan's great object is1 to cast the ,church of ,god down from her excellency1 in reference to her standing1 her walk1 and her worship4 ,no sooner was the ,church set up on the day of ,pentecost than he commenced his corrupting and undermining process1 and for eighteen long centuries he has carried it on with diabolical persistency4 ,in the face of these plain passages quoted above1 in reference to the character of worship which the ,father is now seeking1 and as to the fact that ,god does not dwell in temples made with hands1 we have seen1 in all ages1 the strong tendency to return to the condition of things under the ,mosaic economy4 ,hence the desire for great buildings1 imposing rituals1 sacerdotal orders1 choral services1 all of which are in direct opposition to the mind of ,christ and to the plainest teachings of the ,new ,testament4 ,the professing church has entirely departed from the spirit and authority of the ,lord in all these things2 and yet1 strange and sad to say1 these very things are continually appealed to as proofs of the wonderful progress of ,christianity4 ,we are told by some of our public teachers and guides that the blessed apostle ,paul had little idea of the grandeur to which the ,church was to attain2 but if he could only see one of our venerable cathedrals1 with its lofty aisles and painted windows1 and listen to the peals of the organ and the voices of the choristers1 he would see what an advance had been made upon the upper room at ,jerusalem6 ,ah6 reader1 be assured1 it is all a most thorough delusion4 ,it is true indeed1 the ,church has made progress1 but it is in the wrong direction2 it is not upward1 but downward4 ,it is away from ,christ1 away from the ,father1 away from the ,spirit1 away from the ,word4 ,we should like to ask the reader this one question3 ,if the apostle ,paul were to come to ,london for next ,lord's day1 where could he find what he found in ,troas eighteen hundred years ago1 as recorded in ,acts xx4 #g8 ,where could he find a company of disciples gathered simply by the ,holy ,ghost1 to the ,name of ,jesus1 to break bread in remembrance of ,him1 and to show forth ,his death till ,he come8 ,such was the divine order then1 and such must be the divine order now4 ,we cannot for a moment believe that the apostle would accept any thing else4 ,he would look for the divine thing2 he would have that or nothing4 ,now1 where could he find it8 where could he go and find the table of his ,lord1 as appointed by ,himself the same night in which ,he was betrayed8 ,mark1 reader1 we are bound to believe that the apostle ,paul would insist upon having the table and the supper of his ,lord as he had received them direct from ,himself in the glory1 and given them by the ,spirit in the tenth and eleventh chapters of his epistle to the ,corinthians--an epistle addressed to all that in every place call on the name of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 both theirs and ours4 ,we cannot believe that he would teach ,god's order in the first century and accept man's disorder in the nineteenth4 ,man has no right to tamper with a divine institution4 ,he has no more authority to alter a single jot or tittle connected with the ,lord's supper than ,israel had to interfere with the order of the passover4 ,now1 we repeat the question1 and earnestly entreat the reader to ponder and answer it in the divine presence and in the light of ,scripture1--,where could the apostle find this in ,london1 or any where else in christendom1 on next ,lord's day8 ,where could he go and take his seat at the table of his ,lord1 in the midst of a company of disciples gathered simply on the ground of the one body1 to the one centre--the ,name of ,jesus1 by the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 and on the authority of the ,word of ,god8 ,where could he find a sphere in which he could exercise his gifts without human authority1 appointment1 or ordination8 ,we ask these questions in order to exercise the heart and conscience of the reader4 ,we are fully convinced that there are places here and there where ,paul could find these things carried out1 though in weakness and failure1 and we believe the ,christian reader is solemnly responsible to find them out4 ,alas6 alas6 they are few and far between1 compared with the mass of ,christians meeting otherwise4 ,we may perhaps be told that if people knew that it was the apostle ,paul1 they would willingly allow him to minister4 ,but then he would neither seek nor accept their permission1 inasmuch as he tells us plainly1 in the first chapter of ,galatians1 that his ministry was not of men1 neither by man1 but by ,jesus ,christ1 and ,god the ,father1 who raised ,him from the dead4 ,and not only so1 but we may rest assured that the blessed apostle would insist upon having the ,lord's table spread upon the divine ground of the one body1 and he could only consent to eat the ,lord's supper according to its divine order as laid down in the ,new ,testament4 ,he could not accept for a moment any thing but the divine reality4 ,he would say1 ,either that or nothing4 ,he could not admit any human interference with a divine institution2 neither could he accept any new ground of gathering1 or any new principle of organization4 ,he would repeat his own inspired statements--,there is one body and one ,spirit1 and1 ,we being many1 are one bread--one body1 for we are all partakers of that one bread4 ,these words apply to all that in every place call on the name of ,jesus ,christ our ,lord1 and they hold good in all ages of the ,church's existence on earth4 ,the reader must be very clear and distinct as to this4 ,god's principle of gathering and unity must on no account be surrendered4 ,the moment men begin to organize--to form societies1 churches1 or associations1 they act in direct opposition to the ,word of ,god1 the mind of ,christ1 and the present action of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,man might as well set about to form a world as to form a church4 ,it is entirely a divine work4 ,the ,holy ,ghost came down on the day of ,pentecost to form the ,church of ,god--the body of ,christ1 and this is the only ,church--the only body that ,scripture recognizes2 all else is contrary to ,god1 even though it may be sanctioned and defended by thousands of true ,christians4 ,let not the reader misunderstand us4 ,we are not speaking of salvation1 of eternal life1 or of divine righteousness1 but of the true ground of gathering1 the divine principle on which the ,lord's table should be spread and the ,lord's supper celebrated4 ,thousands of the ,lord's beloved people have lived and died in the communion of the church of ,rome2 but the church of ,rome is not the ,church of ,god1 but a horrible apostasy2 and the sacrifice of the mass is not the ,lord's supper1 but a marred1 mutilated1 and miserable invention of the devil4 ,if the question in the mind of the reader be merely what amount of error he can sanction without forfeiting his soul's salvation1 it is useless to proceed with the grand and important subject before us4 ,but where is the heart that loves ,christ that could be content to take such miserably low ground as this8 ,what would have been thought of an ,israelite of old who could content himself with being a child of ,abraham1 and could enjoy his vine and his fig-tree1 his flocks and his herds1 but never think of going to worship at the place where ,jehovah had recorded ,his name8 ,where was the faithful ,jew who did not love that sacred spot8 ,lord1 ,i have loved the habitation of ,thine house1 and the place where ,thine honor dwelleth4 ,and when1 by reason of ,israel's sin1 the national polity was broken up1 and the people were in captivity1 we hear the true-hearted exiles amongst them pouring forth their lament in the following touching and eloquent strain1 ,by the rivers of ,babylon1 there we sat down2 yea1 we wept when we remembered ,zion4 ,we hanged our harps upon the willows in the midst thereof4 ,for there they that carried us away captive required of us a song1 and they that wasted us required of us mirth1 saying1 ',sing us one of the songs of ,zion4' ,how shall we sing the ,lord's song in a strange land8 ,if ,i forget thee1 ,o ,jerusalem ,god's centre for ,his earthly people1 let my right hand forget her cunning4 ,if ,i do not remember thee1 let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth2 if ,i prefer not ,jerusalem above my chief joy4 7,ps4 cxxxvii47 ,and again1 in the sixth chapter of ,daniel1 we find that beloved exile opening his window three times a day1 and praying toward ,jerusalem1 although he knew that the lions' den was the penalty4 ,but why insist upon praying toward ,jerusalem8 ,was it a piece of ,jewish superstition8 ,nay1 it was a magnificent display of divine principle2 it was an unfurling of the divine standard amid the depressing and humiliating consequences of ,israel's folly and sin4 ,true1 ,jerusalem was in ruins2 but ,god's thoughts respecting ,jerusalem were not in ruins4 ,it was ,his centre for ,his earthly people4 ,jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together1 whither the tribes go up1 the tribes of the ,lord1 unto the testimony of ,israel1 to give thanks unto the name of the ,lord4 ,for there are set thrones of judgment1 the thrones of the house of ,david4 ,pray for the peace of ,jerusalem2 they shall prosper that love thee4 ,peace be within thy walls1 and prosperity within thy palaces4 ,for my brethren and companions' sakes1 ,i will now say1 ,peace be within thee4 ,because of the house of the ,lord our ,god ,i will seek thy good4 7,ps4 cxxii47 ,jerusalem was the centre for ,israel's twelve tribes in days gone by1 and it will be so in the future4 ,to apply the above and similar passages to the ,church of ,god here or hereafter--on earth or in heaven1 is simply turning things upside down1 confounding things essentially different1 and thus doing an incalculable amount of damage both to ,scripture and the souls of men4 ,we must not allow ourselves to take such unwarrantable liberties with the ,word of ,god4 ,jerusalem was and will be ,god's earthly centre2 but now1 the ,church of ,god should own no centre but the glorious and infinitely precious ,name of ,jesus4 ,where two or three are gathered together in ,my name1 there am ,i in the midst of them4 ,precious centre6 ,to this alone the ,new ,testament points1 to this alone the ,holy ,ghost gathers4 ,it matters not where we are gathered--in ,jerusalem or ,rome1 ,london1 ,paris1 or ,canton4 ,it is not where1 but how4 ,but be it remembered1 it must be a divinely real thing4 ,it is of no possible use to profess to be gathered in1 or to1 the blessed ,name of ,jesus1 if we are not really so4 ,the apostle's word as to faith may apply with equal force to the question of our centre of gathering4--,what doth it profit1 my brethren1 though a man say he is gathered to the ,name of ,jesus8 ,god deals in moral realities2 and while it is perfectly clear that a man who desires to be true to ,christ cannot possibly consent to own any other centre or any other ground of gathering but ,his ,name1 yet it is quite possible--alas6 alas6 how very possible--for people to profess to be on that blessed and holy ground1 while their spirit and conduct1 their habits and ways1 their whole course and character1 go to prove that they are not in the power of their profession4 ,the apostle said to the ,corinthians that he would know1 not the speech1 but the power4 ,a weighty word1 most surely1 and much needed at all times1 but specially needed in reference to the important subject now before us4 ,we would lovingly1 yet most solemnly1 press upon the conscience of the ,christian reader his responsibility to consider this matter in the holy retirement of the ,lord's presence1 and in the light of the ,new ,testament4 ,let him not set it aside on the plea of its not being essential4 ,it is in the very highest degree essential1 inasmuch as it concerns the ,lord's glory and the maintenance of ,his truth4 ,this is the only standard by which to decide what is essential and what is not4 ,was it essential for ,israel to gather at the divinely appointed centre8 ,was it left an open question8 ,might every man choose a centre for himself8 ,let the answer be weighed in the light of ,deuteronomy xiv4 ,it was absolutely essential that the ,israel of ,god should assemble around the centre of the ,god of ,israel4 ,this is unquestionable4 ,woe be to the man who presumed to turn his back on the place where ,jehovah had set ,his ,name4 ,he would very speedily have been taught his mistake4 ,and if this was true for ,god's earthly people1 is it not equally true for the ,church and the individual ,christian8 ,assuredly it is4 ,we are bound1 by the very highest and most sacred obligations1 to refuse every ground of gathering but the one body1 every centre of gathering but the ,name of ,jesus1 every power of gathering but the ,holy ,ghost1 every authority of gathering but the ,word of ,god4 ,may all the ,lord's beloved people every where be led to consider these things1 in the fear and love of ,his holy name4 ,we shall now close this section by quoting the last paragraph of our chapter1 in which we shall find some valuable practical teaching4 ,at the end of three years1 thou shalt bring forth all the tithe of thine increase the same year1 and shalt lay it up within thy gates2 and the ,levite1 7because he hath no part nor inheritance with thee17 and the stranger1 and the fatherless1 and the widow1 which are within thy gates1 shall come1 and shall eat and be satisfied2 that the ,lord thy ,god may bless thee in all the work of thine hand which thou doest4 ,here we have a lovely home-scene1 a most touching display of the divine character1 a beautiful outshining of the grace and kindness of the ,god of ,israel4 ,it does the heart good to breathe the fragrant air of such a passage as this4 ,it stands in vivid and striking contrast with the cold selfishness of the scene around us4 ,god would teach ,his people to think of and care for all who were in need4 ,the tithe belonged to ,him1 but ,he would give them the rare and exquisite privilege of devoting it to the blessed object of making hearts glad4 ,there is peculiar sweetness in the words1 shall come--shall eat--and be satisfied4 ,so like our own ever-gracious ,god6 ,he delights to meet the need of all4 ,he opens ,his hand1 and satisfies the desire of every living thing4 ,and not only so1 but it is ,his joy to make ,his people the channel through which the grace1 the kindness1 and the sympathy of ,his heart may flow forth to all4 ,how precious is this6 ,what a privilege to be ,god's almoners--the dispensers of ,his bounty--the exponents of ,his goodness6 ,would that we entered more fully into the deep blessedness of all this6 ,may we breathe more the atmosphere of the divine presence1 and then we shall more faithfully reflect the divine character4 ,as the deeply interesting and practical subject presented in verses #bh and #bi will come before us in another connection in our study of chapter xxvi1 we shall not dwell further upon it here4 ,,chapter ,,xv4 ,at the end of every seven years thou shalt make a release4 ,and this is the manner of the release3 ,every creditor that lendeth aught unto his neighbor shall release it2 he shall not exact it of his neighbor1 or of his brother1 because it is called the ,lord's release4 ,of a foreigner thou mayest exact it again2 but that which is thine with thy brother thine hand shall release1 save when there shall be no poor among you2 for the ,lord shall greatly bless thee in the land which the ,lord thy ,god giveth thee for an inheritance to possess it3 only if thou carefully hearken unto the voice of the ,lord thy ,god1 to observe to do all these commandments which ,i command thee this day4 ,for the ,lord thy ,god blesseth thee1 as ,he promised thee2 and thou shalt lend unto many nations1 but thou shalt not borrow2 and thou shalt reign over many nations1 but they shall not reign over thee4 7,ver4 #a-f47 ,it is truly edifying to mark the way in which the ,god of ,israel was ever seeking to draw the hearts of ,his people to ,himself by means of the various sacrifices1 solemnities1 and institutions of the ,levitical ceremonial4 ,there was the morning and evening lamb every day1 there was the holy ,sabbath every week1 there was the new moon every month1 there was the passover every year1 there was the tithing every three years1 there was the release every seven years1 and there was the jubilee every fifty years4 ,all this is full of deepest interest4 ,it tells its own sweet tale1 and teaches its own precious lesson to the heart4 ,the morning and evening lamb1 as we know1 pointed ever to the ,lamb of ,god1 which taketh away the sin of the world2 the ,sabbath was the lovely type of the rest that remaineth to the people of ,god2 the new moon beautifully prefigured the time when restored ,israel shall reflect back the beams of the ,sun of ,righteousness upon the nations2 the passover was the standing memorial of the nation's deliverance from ,egyptian bondage2 the year of tithing set forth the fact of ,jehovah's proprietorship of the land1 as also the lovely way in which ,his rents were to be expended in meeting the need of ,his workmen and of ,his poor2 the sabbatic year gave promise of a bright time when all debts would be canceled1 all loans disposed of1 all burdens removed2 and finally1 the jubilee was the magnificent type of the times of the restitution of all things1 when the captive shall be set free1 when the exile shall return to his long-lost home and inheritance1 and when the land of ,israel and the whole earth shall rejoice beneath the beneficent government of the ,son of ,david4 ,now1 in all these lovely institutions we notice two prominent characteristic features1 namely1 glory to ,god1 and blessing to man4 ,these two things are linked together by a divine and everlasting bond4 ,god has so ordained that ,his full glory and the creature's full blessing should be indissolubly bound up together4 ,this is deep joy to the heart1 and it helps us to understand more fully the force and beauty of that familiar sentence--,we rejoice in hope of the glory of ,god4 ,when that glory shines forth in its full lustre1 then1 assuredly1 human blessedness1 rest1 and felicity shall reach their full and eternal consummation4 ,we see a lovely pledge and foreshadowing of all this in the seventh year4 ,it was the ,lord's release1 and therefore its blessed influence was to be felt by every poor debtor from ,dan to ,beersheba4 ,jehovah would grant unto ,his people the high and holy privilege of having fellowship with ,him in causing the debtor's heart to sing for joy4 ,he would teach them1 if they would only learn1 the deep blessedness of frankly forgiving all4 ,this is what ,he ,himself delights in1 blessed forever be ,his great and glorious name4 ,but1 alas6 the poor human heart is not up to this lovely mark4 ,it is not fully prepared to tread this heavenly road4 ,it is sadly cramped and hindered1 by a low and miserable selfishness1 in grasping and carrying out the divine principle of grace4 ,it is not quite at home in this heavenly atmosphere2 it is but ill-prepared for being the vessel and channel of that royal grace which shines so brightly in all the ways of ,god4 ,this will only too fully account for the cautionary clauses of the following passage4 ,if there be among you a poor man of one of thy brethren within any of thy gates1 in thy land1 which the ,lord thy ,god giveth thee1 thou shalt not harden thine heart1 nor shut thine hand from thy poor brother2 but thou shalt open thine hand wide unto him1 and surely lend him sufficient for his need1 in that which he wanteth4 ,beware that there be not a thought in thy wicked heart1 saying1 ,the seventh year1 the year of release1 is at hand2 and thine eye be evil against thy poor brother1 and thou givest him naught2 and he cry unto the ,lord against thee1 and it be sin unto thee4 ,thou shalt surely give him1 and thine heart shall not be grieved when thou givest unto him2 because that for this thing the ,lord thy ,god shall bless thee in all thy works1 and in all that thou puttest thine hand unto4 ,for the poor shall never cease out of thy land2 therefore ,i command thee1 saying1 ,thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother1 to thy poor1 and to thy needy1 in thy land4 7,ver4 #g-aa47 ,here the deep springs of the poor selfish heart are discovered and judged4 ,there is nothing like grace for making manifest the hidden roots of evil in human nature4 ,man must be renewed in the very deepest springs of his moral being ere he can be the vehicle of divine love2 and even those who are thus through grace renewed1 have to watch continually against the hideous forms of selfishness in which our fallen nature clothes itself4 ,nothing but grace can keep the heart open wide to every form of human need4 ,we must abide hard by the fountain of heavenly love if we would be channels of blessing in the midst of a scene of misery and desolation like that in which our lot is cast4 ,how lovely are those words1 ,thou shalt open thine hand wide6 ,they breathe the very air of heaven4 ,an open heart and a wide hand are like ,god4 ,the ,lord loveth a cheerful giver1 because that is precisely what ,he is ,himself4 ,he giveth to all liberally1 and upbraideth not4 ,and ,he would grant unto us the rare and most exquisite privilege of being imitators of ,him4 ,marvelous grace6 ,the very thought of it fills the heart with wonder1 love1 and praise4 ,we are not only saved by grace1 but we stand in grace1 live under the blessed reign of grace1 breathe the very atmosphere of grace1 and are called to be the living exponents of grace1 not only to our brethren1 but to the whole human family4 ,as we therefore have opportunity1 let us do good unto all1 especially unto them which are of the household of faith4 ,christian reader1 let us diligently apply our hearts to all this divine instruction4 ,it is most precious3 but its real preciousness can only be tasted in the practical carrying out of it4 ,we are surrounded by ten thousand forms of human misery1 human sorrow1 human need4 ,there are broken hearts1 crushed spirits1 desolate homes1 around us on every side4 ,the widow1 the orphan1 and the stranger meet us daily in our walks4 ,how do we carry ourselves in reference to all these8 ,are we hardening our hearts and closing our hands against them8 or are we seeking to act in the lovely spirit of the ,lord's release8 ,we must bear in mind that we are called to be reflectors of the divine nature and character--to be direct channels of communication between our ,father's loving heart and every form of human need4 ,we are not to live for ourselves2 to do so is a most miserable denial of every feature and principle of that morally glorious ,christianity which we profess4 ,it is our high and holy privilege1 yea1 it is our special mission1 to shed around us the blessed light of that heaven to which we belong4 ,wherever we are--in the family1 in the field1 in the mart or the manufactory1 in the shop or in the counting-house1 all who come in contact with us should see the grace of ,jesus shining out in our ways1 our words1 our very looks4 ,and then1 if any object of need come before us1 if we can do nothing more1 we should drop a soothing word into the ear1 or shed a tear or heave a sigh of genuine1 heart-felt sympathy4 ,reader1 is it thus with us8 ,are we so living near the fountain of divine love1 and so breathing the very air of heaven1 that the blessed fragrance of these things shall be diffused around us8 or are we displaying the odious selfishness of nature1 the unholy tempers and dispositions of our fallen and corrupt humanity8 ,what an unsightly object is a selfish ,christian6 ,he is a standing contradiction1 a living1 moving lie4 ,the ,christianity which he professes throws into dark and terrible relief the unholy selfishness which governs his heart and comes out in his life4 ,the ,lord grant that all who profess and call themselves ,christians may so carry themselves1 in daily life1 as to be an unblotted epistle of ,christ1 known and read of all men4 ,in this way1 infidelity will1 at least1 be deprived of one of its weightiest arguments1 its gravest objections4 ,nothing affords a stronger plea to the infidel than the inconsistent lives of professing ,christians4 ,not that such a plea will stand for a moment1 or even be urged1 before the judgment-seat of ,christ1 inasmuch as each one who has within his reach a copy of the holy ,scriptures will be judged by the light of those ,scriptures1 even though there were not a single consistent ,christian on the face of the earth4 ,nevertheless1 ,christians are solemnly responsible to let their light so shine before men that they may see their good works and glorify our ,father in heaven4 ,we are solemnly bound to exhibit and illustrate in daily life the heavenly principles unfolded in the ,word of ,god4 ,we should leave the infidel without a shred of a plea or an argument2 we are responsible so to do4 ,may we lay these things to heart1 and then we shall have occasion to bless ,god for our meditation on the delightful institution of the ,lord's release4 ,we shall now quote for the reader the touching and beautiful institution in reference to the ,hebrew servant4 ,we increasingly feel the importance of giving the veritable language of the ,holy ,ghost2 for albeit it may be said that the reader has his ,bible to refer to1 yet we know1 as a fact1 that when passages of ,scripture are referred to1 there is1 in many cases1 a reluctance to lay down the volume which we hold in our hand in order to read the reference4 ,and beside1 there is nothing like the ,word of ,god2 and as to any remarks which we may offer1 their object is simply to help the beloved ,christian reader to understand and appreciate the scriptures which we quote4 ,if thy brother1 a ,hebrew man1 or a ,hebrew woman1 be sold unto thee1 and serve thee six years1 then in the seventh year thou shalt let him go free from thee4 ,and when thou sendest him out free from thee1 thou shalt not let him go away empty2 thou shalt furnish him liberally out of thy flock1 and out of thy floor1 and out of thy wine-press2 of that wherewith the ,lord thy ,god hath blessed thee thou shalt give unto him4 ,how perfectly beautiful6 how like our own ever-gracious ,god is all this6 ,he would not have the brother go away empty4 ,liberty and poverty would not be in moral harmony4 ,the brother was to be sent on his way free and full1 emancipated and endowed1 not only with his liberty1 but with a liberal fortune to start with4 ,truly1 this is divine4 ,we do not want to be told the school where such exquisite ethics are taught4 ,they have the very ring of heaven about them2 they emit the fragrant odor of the very paradise of ,god4 ,is it not in this way that our ,god has dealt with us8 ,all praise to ,his glorious name6 ,he has not only given us life and liberty1 but ,he has furnished us liberally with all we can possibly want for time and eternity4 ,he has opened the exhaustless treasury of heaven for us2 yea1 ,he has given the ,son of ,his bosom for us and to us--for us1 to save2 to us1 to satisfy4 ,he has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness2 all that pertains to the life that now is1 and to that which is to come1 is fully and perfectly secured by our ,father's liberal hand4 ,and is it not deeply affecting to mark how the heart of ,god expresses itself in the style in which the ,hebrew servant was to be treated8 ,thou shalt furnish him liberally4 ,not grudgingly1 or of necessity4 ,it was to be done in a manner worthy of ,god4 ,the actings of ,his people are to be the reflection of ,himself4 ,we are called to the high and holy dignity of being ,his moral representatives4 ,it is marvelous2 but thus it is1 through ,his infinite grace4 ,he has not only delivered us from the flames of an everlasting hell1 but ,he calls us to act for ,him1 and to be like ,him1 in the midst of a world that crucified ,his ,son4 ,and not only has ,he conferred this lofty dignity upon us1 but ,he has endowed us with a princely fortune to support it4 ,the inexhaustible resources of heaven are at our disposal4 ,all things are ours1 through ,his infinite grace4 ,oh that we may more fully realize our privileges1 and thus more faithfully discharge our holy responsibilities6 ,at verse #ae of our chapter1 we have a very touching motive presented to the heart of the people1 one eminently calculated to stir their affections and sympathies4 ,and thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in the land of ,egypt1 and the ,lord thy ,god redeemed thee2 therefore ,i command thee this thing to-day4 ,the remembrance of ,jehovah's grace in redeeming them out of ,egypt was to be the ever-abiding and all-powerful motive-spring of their actings toward the poor brother4 ,this is a never-failing principle1 and nothing lower than this will ever stand4 ,if we look for our motive-springs any where but in ,god ,himself1 and in ,his dealings with us1 we shall soon break down in our practical career4 ,it is only as we keep before our hearts the marvelous grace of ,god displayed toward us in the redemption which is in ,christ ,jesus that we shall be able to pursue a course of true1 active benevolence1 whether toward our brethren or those outside4 ,mere kindly feelings1 bubbling up in our own hearts1 or drawn out by the sorrows and distresses and necessities of others1 will prove evanescent4 ,it is only in the living ,god ,himself we can find perennial springs4 ,at verse #af1 a case is contemplated in which a servant might prefer remaining with his master4 ,and it shall be1 if he say unto thee1 ,i will not go away from thee1 because he loveth thee and thine house1 because he is well with thee1 then thou shalt take an awl1 and thrust it through his ear unto the door1 and he shall be thy servant forever4 ,in comparing this passage with ,exodus xxi4 #a-f1 we observe a marked difference arising1 as we might expect1 from the distinctive character of each book4 ,in ,exodus1 the typical feature is prominent2 in ,deuteronomy1 the moral4 ,hence1 in the latter1 the inspired writer omits all about the wife and the children1 as foreign to his purpose here1 though so essential to the beauty and perfectness of the type in ,exodus xxi4 ,we merely notice this as one of the many striking proofs that ,deuteronomy is very far indeed from being a barren repetition of its predecessors4 ,there is neither repetition on the one hand1 nor contradiction on the other1 but lovely variety in perfect accordance with the divine object and scope of each book4 ,so much for the contemptible shallowness and ignorance of those infidel writers who have had the impious temerity to level their shafts at this magnificent portion of the oracles of ,god4 ,in our chapter1 then1 we have the moral aspect of this interesting institution4 ,the servant loved his master1 and was happy with him4 ,he preferred perpetual slavery and the mark thereof with a master whom he loved1 to liberty and a liberal portion away from him4 ,this1 of course1 would argue well for both parties4 ,it is ever a good sign for both master and servant when the connection is of long standing4 ,perpetual changing may1 as a general rule1 be taken as a proof of moral wrong somewhere4 ,no doubt there are exceptions2 and not only so1 but in the relation of master and servant1 as in every thing else1 there are two sides to be considered4 ,for instance1 we have to consider whether the master is perpetually changing his servants1 or the servant perpetually changing his masters4 ,in the former case1 appearances would tell against the master2 in the latter1 against the servant4 ,the fact is1 we have all to judge ourselves in this matter4 ,those of us who are masters have to consider how far we really seek the comfort1 happiness1 and solid profit of our servants4 ,we should bear in mind that we have very much more to think of1 in reference to our servants1 than the amount of work we can get out of them4 ,even upon the low-level principle of live and let live1 we are bound to seek1 in every possible way1 to make our servants happy and comfortable2 to make them feel that they have a home under our roof2 that we are not content merely with the labor of their hands1 but that we want the love of their hearts4 ,we remember once asking the head of a very large establishment1 ,how many hearts do you employ8 ,he shook his head1 and owned1 with real sorrow1 how little heart there is in the relation of master and servant4 ,hence the common1 heartless phrase of employing hands4 ,but the ,christian master is called to stand upon a higher level altogether2 he is privileged to be an imitator of his ,master--,christ4 ,the remembrance of this will regulate all his actings toward the servant2 it will lead him to study1 with ever-deepening interest and solid profit1 his divine model1 in order to reproduce ,him in all the practical details of daily life4 ,so also in reference to the ,christian servant1 in his position and line of action4 ,he1 as well as the master1 has to study the great example set before him in the path and ministry of the only true ,servant that ever trod this earth4 ,he is called to walk in ,his blessed footsteps1 to drink into ,his spirit1 to study ,his ,word4 ,it is not a little remarkable that the ,holy ,ghost has devoted more attention to the instruction of servants than to all the other relationships put together4 ,this the reader can see at a glance1 in the epistles to the ,ephesians1 ,colossians1 and ,titus4 ,the ,christian servant can adorn the doctrine of ,god our ,saviour by not purloining and not answering again4 ,he can serve the ,lord ,christ in the most common-place duties of domestic life just as effectually as the man who is called to address thousands on the grand realities of eternity4 ,thus1 when both master and servant are mutually governed by heavenly principles1 both seeking to serve and glorify the one ,lord1 they will get on happily together4 ,the master will not be severe1 arbitrary1 and exacting2 and the servant will not be self-seeking1 heady1 and high-minded3 each will contribute1 by the faithful discharge of their relative duties1 to the comfort and happiness of the other1 and to the peace and happiness of the whole domestic circle4 ,would that it were more after this heavenly fashion in every ,christian household on the face of the earth6 ,then indeed would the truth of ,god be vindicated1 ,his ,word honored1 and ,his name glorified in our domestic relations and practical ways4 ,in verse #ah1 we have an admonitory word which reveals to us1 very faithfully1 but with great delicacy1 a moral root in the poor human heart4 ,it shall not seem hard unto thee when thou sendest him away free from thee1 for he has been worth a double hired servant to thee in serving thee six years1 and the ,lord thy ,god shall bless thee in all that thou doest4 ,this is very affecting4 ,only think of the most high ,god condescending to stand before the human heart--the heart of a master1 to plead the cause of a poor servant1 and set forth his claims6 ,it is as if ,he were asking a favor for ,himself4 ,he leaves nothing unsaid in order to strengthen the case2 ,he reminds the master of the value of six years' service1 and encourages him by the promise of enlarged blessing as a reward for his generous acting4 ,it is perfectly beautiful4 ,the ,lord would not only have the generous thing done1 but done in such a way as to gladden the heart of the one to whom it was done2 ,he thinks not only of the substance of an action1 but also of the style4 ,we may1 at times1 brace ourselves up to the business of doing a kindness2 we do it as a matter of duty1 and all the while it may seem hard that we should have to do it2 thus the act will be robbed of all its charms4 ,it is the generous heart that adorns the generous act4 ,we should so do a kindness as to assure the recipient that our own heart is made glad by the act4 ,this is the divine way3 ,when they had nothing to pay1 he frankly forgave them both4--,it is meet that we should make merry1 and be glad4--,there is joy in heaven over one sinner that repenteth4 ,oh1 to be a brighter reflection of the precious grace of our ,father's heart6 ,ere closing our remarks on this deeply interesting chapter1 we shall quote for the reader its last paragraph4 ,all the firstling males that come of thy herd and of thy flock thou shalt sanctify unto the ,lord thy ,god2 thou shalt do no work with the firstling of thy bullock1 nor shear the firstling of thy sheep2 thou shalt eat it before the ,lord thy ,god year by year in the place which the ,lord shall choose1 thou and thy household4 ,and if there be any blemish therein1 as if it be lame1 or blind1 or have any ill blemish1 thou shalt not sacrifice it unto the ,lord thy ,god4 ,thou shalt eat it within thy gates1 the unclean and the clean person shall eat it alike1 as the roebuck1 and as the hart4 ,only thou shalt not eat the blood thereof2 thou shalt pour it upon the ground as water4 7,ver4 #ai-bc47 ,only that which was perfect was to be offered to ,god4 ,the first-born1 unblemished male1 the apt figure of the spotless ,lamb of ,god1 offered upon the cross for us1 the imperishable foundation of our peace1 and the precious food of our souls1 in the presence of ,god4 ,this was the divine thing1--the assembly gathered together around the divine centre1 feasting in the presence of ,god on that which was the appointed type of ,christ1 who is at once our sacrifice1 our centre1 and our feast4 ,eternal and universal homage to ,his most precious and glorious ,name6 ,,chapter ,,xvi ,we now approach one of the most profound and comprehensive sections of the book of ,deuteronomy1 in which the inspired writer presents to our view what we may call the three great cardinal feasts of the ,jewish year1 namely1 the passover1 ,pentecost1 and tabernacles2 or1 redemption1 the ,holy ,ghost1 and the glory4 ,we have here a more condensed view of those lovely institutions than that given in ,leviticus xxiii1 where we have1 if we count the ,sabbath1 eight feasts2 but if we view the ,sabbath as distinct1 and having its own special place as the type of ,god's own eternal rest1 then there are seven feasts1 namely1 the passover1 the feast of unleavened bread1 the feast of first-fruits1 ,pentecost1 trumpets1 the day of atonement1 and tabernacles4 ,such is the order of feasts in the book of ,leviticus1 which1 as we have ventured to remark in our studies on that most marvelous book1 may be called ,the priest's guide-book4 ,but in ,deuteronomy1 which is pre-eminently the people's book1 we have less of ceremonial detail1 and the lawgiver confines himself to those great moral and national landmarks which1 in the very simplest manner1 as adapted to the people1 present the past1 the present1 and the future4 ,observe the month of ,abib1 and keep the passover unto the ,lord thy ,god2 for in the month of ,abib the ,lord thy ,god brought thee forth out of ,egypt by night4 ,thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the ,lord thy ,god1 of the flock and the herd1 in the place which the ,lord shall choose to place ,his name there4 ,thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it2 seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith1 even the bread of affliction2 for thou camest forth out of the land of ,egypt in haste3 that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of ,egypt all the days of thy life4 ,and there shall be no leavened bread seen with thee in all thy coasts seven days2 neither shall there any thing of the flesh1 which thou sacrificedst the first day at even1 remain all night until the morning4 ,thou mayest not sacrifice the passover within any of thy gates which the ,lord thy ,god giveth thee--as if it were a matter of no importance where1 provided the feast were kept--but at the place which the ,lord thy ,god shall choose to place ,his name in1 there and no where else1 thou shalt sacrifice the passover at even1 at the going down of the sun1 at the season that thou camest forth out of ,egypt4 ,and thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the ,lord thy ,god shall choose2 and thou shalt turn in the morning1 and go unto thy tents4 ,six days thou shalt eat unleavened bread2 and on the seventh day shall be a solemn assembly to the ,lord thy ,god2 thou shalt do no work therein4 7,ver4 #a-h47 ,having1 in our ,notes on ,exodus1 gone somewhat fully into the great leading principles of this foundation-feast1 we must refer the reader to that volume if he desires to study the subject4 ,but there are certain features peculiar to ,deuteronomy to which we feel it our duty to call his special attention2 and1 in the first place1 we have to notice the remarkable emphasis laid upon the place where the feast was to be kept4 ,this is full of interest and practical moment4 ,the people were not to choose for themselves4 ,it might1 according to human thinking1 appear a very small matter how or where the feast was kept1 provided it was kept at all4 ,but1 be it carefully noted and deeply pondered by the reader1 human thinking had nothing whatever to do in the matter2 it was divine thinking and divine authority altogether4 ,god had a right to prescribe and definitively settle where ,he would meet ,his people2 and this ,he does in the most distinct and emphatic manner1 in the above passage1 where1 three times over1 ,he inserts the weighty clause1 ,in the place which the ,lord thy ,god shall choose4 ,is this vain repetition8 ,let no one dare to think1 much less to assert it4 ,it is most necessary emphasis4 ,why most necessary8 ,because of our ignorance1 our indifference1 and our willfulness4 ,god1 in ,his infinite goodness1 takes special pains to impress upon the heart1 the conscience1 and the understanding of ,his people that ,he would have one place in particular where the memorable and most significant feast of the passover was to be kept4 ,and be it remarked that it is only in ,deuteronomy that the place of celebration is insisted upon4 ,we have nothing about it in ,exodus1 because there it was kept in ,egypt2 we have nothing about it in ,numbers1 because there it was kept in the wilderness2 but in ,deuteronomy it is authoritatively and definitively settled1 because there we have the instructions for the land4 ,another striking proof that ,deuteronomy is very far indeed from being a barren repetition of its predecessors4 ,the all-important point in reference to the place1 so prominently and so peremptorily insisted upon in all the three great solemnities recorded in our chapter1 is this3 ,god would gather ,his beloved people around ,himself1 that they might feast together in ,his presence1 that ,he might rejoice in them and they in ,him and in one another4 ,all this could only be in the one special place of divine appointment4 ,all who desired to meet ,jehovah and to meet ,his people--all who desired worship and communion according to ,god1 would thankfully betake themselves to the divinely appointed centre4 ,self-will might say1 ,can we not keep the feast in the bosom of our families8 ,what need is there of a long journey8 ,surely if the heart is right1 it cannot matter much as to the place4 ,to all this we reply that the clearest1 finest1 and best proof of the heart being right would be found in the simple1 earnest desire to do the will of ,god4 ,it was quite sufficient for every one who loved and feared ,god that ,he had appointed a place where ,he would meet ,his people2 there they would be found1 and no where else4 ,his presence it was that could alone impart joy1 comfort1 strength1 and blessing to all their great national reunions4 ,it was not the mere fact of a large number of people gathering together1 three times a year1 to feast and rejoice together2 this might minister to human pride1 self-complacency1 and excitement4 ,but to flock together to meet ,jehovah1 to assemble in ,his blessed presence1 to own the place where ,he had recorded ,his ,name1 this would be the deep joy of every truly loyal heart throughout the twelve tribes of ,israel4 ,for any one willfully to abide at home1 or to go any where else than to the one divinely appointed place1 would not only be to neglect and insult ,jehovah1 but actually to rebel against ,his supreme authority4 ,and now1 having briefly spoken of the place1 we may1 for a moment1 glance at the mode of celebration4 ,this1 too1 is1 as we might expect1 quite characteristic of our book4 ,the leading feature here is the unleavened bread4 ,but the reader will specially note the interesting fact that this bread is styled ,the bread of affliction4 ,now1 what is the meaning of this8 ,we all understand that unleavened bread is the type of that holiness of heart and life so absolutely essential to the enjoyment of true communion with ,god4 ,we are not saved by personal holiness1 but1 thank ,god1 we are saved to it4 ,it is not the ground of our salvation1 but it is an essential element in our communion4 ,allowed leaven is the death-blow to communion and worship4 ,we must never1 for one moment1 lose sight of this great cardinal principle in that life of personal holiness and practical godliness which1 as redeemed by the blood of the ,lamb1 we are called1 bound1 and privileged to live from day to day1 in the midst of the scenes and circumstances through which we are journeying home to our eternal rest in the heavens4 ,to speak of communion and worship while living in known sin is the melancholy proof that we know nothing of either the one or the other4 ,in order to enjoy communion with ,god or the communion of saints1 and in order to worship ,god in spirit and in truth1 we must be living a life of personal holiness1 a life of separation from all known evil4 ,to take our place in the assembly of ,god's people1 and appear to take part in the holy fellowship and worship pertaining thereto1 while living in secret sin1 or allowing evil in others1 is to defile the assembly1 grieve the ,holy ,ghost1 sin against ,christ1 and bring down upon us the judgment of ,god1 who is now judging ,his house and chastening ,his children in order that they may not ultimately be condemned with the world4 ,all this is most solemn1 and calls for the earnest attention of all who really desire to walk with ,god and serve ,him with reverence and godly fear4 ,it is one thing to have the doctrine of the type in the region of our understanding1 and another thing altogether to have its great moral lesson engraved on the heart and worked out in the life4 ,may all who profess to have the blood of the ,lamb sprinkled on their conscience seek to keep the feast of unleavened bread4 ,know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump8 ,purge out therefore the old leaven1 that ye may be a new lump1 as ye are unleavened4 ,for even ,christ our passover is sacrificed for us2 therefore let us keep the feast1 not with old leaven1 neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness1 but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth4 7#a ,cor4 v4 #f-h47 ,but what are we to understand by the bread of affliction8 ,should we not rather look for joy1 praise1 and triumph in connection with a feast in memory of deliverance from ,egyptian bondage and misery8 ,no doubt there is very deep and real joy1 thankfulness1 and praise in realizing the blessed truth of our full deliverance from our former condition1 with all its accompaniments and all its consequences2 but it is very plain that these were not the prominent features of the paschal feast--indeed1 they are not even named4 ,we have the bread of affliction1 but not a word about joy1 praise1 or triumph4 ,now1 why is this8 what great moral lesson is conveyed to our hearts by the bread of affliction8 ,we believe it sets before us those deep exercises of heart which the ,holy ,ghost produces by bringing powerfully before us what it cost our adorable ,lord and ,saviour to deliver us from our sins and from the judgment which those sins deserved4 ,those exercises are also typified by the bitter herbs of ,exodus xii1 and they are illustrated again and again in the history of ,god's people of old1 who were led1 under the powerful action of the ,word and ,spirit of ,god1 to chasten themselves and afflict their souls in the divine presence4 ,and be it remembered that there is not a tinge of the legal element or of unbelief in these holy exercises--far from it4 ,when an ,israelite partook of the bread of affliction1 with the roasted flesh of the passover1 did it express a doubt or a fear as to his full deliverance8 ,impossible6 ,how could it8 ,he was in the land2 he was gathered to ,god's own centre--,his own very presence4 ,how could he1 then1 doubt his full and final deliverance from the land of ,egypt8 ,the thought is simply absurd4 ,but although he had no doubts or fears as to his deliverance1 yet had he to eat the bread of affliction2 it was an essential element in his paschal feast1 ,for thou camest forth out of the land of ,egypt in haste1 that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of ,egypt all the days of thy life4 ,this was very deep and real work4 ,they were never to forget their exodus out of ,egypt1 but to keep up the remembrance of it1 in the promised land1 throughout all generations4 ,they were to commemorate their deliverance by a feast emblematical of those holy exercises which ever characterize true1 practical1 ,christian piety4 ,we would very earnestly commend to the serious attention of the ,christian reader the whole line of truth indicated by the bread of affliction4 ,we believe it is much needed by those who profess great familiarity with what are called the doctrines of grace4 ,there is very great danger1 especially to young professors1 while seeking to avoid legality and bondage1 of running into the opposite extreme of levity--a most terrible snare4 ,aged and experienced ,christians are not so liable to fall into this sad evil2 it is the young amongst us who so need to be most solemnly warned against it4 ,they hear1 it may be1 a great deal about salvation by grace1 justification by faith1 deliverance from the law1 and all the peculiar privileges of the ,christian position4 ,now1 we need hardly say that all these are of cardinal importance2 and it would be utterly impossible for any one to hear too much about them4 ,would they were more spoken about1 written about1 and preached about6 ,thousands of the ,lord's beloved people spend all their days in darkness1 doubt1 and legal bondage1 through ignorance of those great foundation-truths4 ,but while all this is perfectly true1 there are1 on the other hand1 many--alas6 too many--who have a merely intellectual familiarity with the principles of grace1 but 7if we are to judge from their habits and manners1 their style and deportment--the only way we have of judging7 who know but little of the sanctifying power of those great principles--their power in the heart and in the life4 ,now1 to speak according to the teaching of the paschal feast1 it would not have been according to the mind of ,god for any one to attempt to keep that feast without the unleavened bread1 even the bread of affliction4 ,such a thing would not have been tolerated in ,israel of old4 ,it was an absolutely essential ingredient4 ,and so1 we may rest assured1 it is an integral part of that feast which we1 as ,christians1 are exhorted to keep1 to cultivate personal holiness and that condition of soul which is so aptly expressed by the bitter herbs of ,exodus xii4 or the ,deuteronomic ingredient--the bread of affliction1 which latter would seem to be the permanent figure for the land4 ,in a word1 then1 we believe there is a deep and urgent need amongst us of those spiritual feelings and affections1 those profound exercises of soul1 which the ,holy ,ghost would produce by unfolding to our hearts the sufferings of ,christ--what it cost ,him to put our sins away--what ,he endured for us when passing under the billows and waves of ,god's righteous wrath against our sins4 ,we are sadly lacking--if one may be permitted to speak for others--in that deep contrition of heart which flows from spiritual occupation with the sufferings and death of our precious ,saviour4 ,it is one thing to have the blood of ,christ sprinkled on the conscience1 and another thing to have the death of ,christ brought home1 in a spiritual way1 to the heart1 and the cross of ,christ applied1 in a practical way1 to our whole course and character4 ,how is it that we can so lightly commit sin1 in thought1 word1 and deed8 how is it that there is so much levity1 so much unsubduedness1 so much self-indulgence1 so much carnal ease1 so much that is merely frothy and superficial8 ,is it not because that ingredient typified by the bread of affliction is lacking in our feast8 ,we cannot doubt it4 ,we fear there is a very deplorable lack of depth and seriousness in our ,christianity4 ,there is too much flippant discussion of the profound mysteries of the ,christian faith1 too much head-knowledge without the inward power4 ,all this demands the serious attention of the reader4 ,we cannot shake off the impression that not a little of this melancholy condition of things is but too justly traceable to a certain style of preaching the gospel1 adopted1 no doubt1 with the very best intentions1 but none the less pernicious in its moral effects4 ,it is all right to preach a simple gospel4 ,it cannot1 by any possibility1 be put more simply than ,god the ,holy ,ghost has given it to us in ,scripture4 ,all this is fully admitted2 but1 at the same time1 we are persuaded there is a very serious defect in the preaching of which we speak4 ,there is a want of spiritual depth1 a lack of holy seriousness4 ,in the effort to counteract legality1 there is that which tends to levity4 ,now1 while legality is a great evil1 levity is much greater4 ,we must guard against both4 ,we believe grace is the remedy for the former1 truth for the latter2 but spiritual wisdom is needed to enable us rightly to adjust and apply these two4 ,if we find a soul deeply exercised under the powerful action of truth1 thoroughly plowed up by the mighty ministry of the ,holy ,ghost1 we should pour in the deep consolation of the pure and precious grace of ,god1 as set forth in the divinely efficacious sacrifice of ,christ4 ,this is the divine remedy for a broken heart1 a contrite spirit1 a convicted conscience4 ,when the deep furrow has been made by the spiritual plowshare1 we have only to cast in the incorruptible seed of the gospel of ,god1 in the assurance that it will take root1 and bring forth fruit in due season4 ,but1 on the other hand1 if we find a person going on in a light1 airy1 unbroken condition1 using very high-flown language about grace1 talking loudly against legality1 and seeking1 in a merely human way1 to set forth an easy way of being saved1 we consider this to be a case calling for a very solemn application of truth to the heart and conscience4 ,now1 we greatly fear there is a vast amount of this last named element abroad in the professing church4 ,to speak according to the language of our type1 there is a tendency to separate the passover from the feast of unleavened bread--to rest in the fact of being delivered from judgment and forget the roasted lamb1 the bread of holiness1 and the bread of affliction4 ,in reality1 they never can be separated1 inasmuch as ,god has bound them together2 and hence we do not believe that any soul can be really in the enjoyment of the precious truth that ,christ our passover is sacrificed for us1 who is not seeking to keep the feast4 ,when the ,holy ,spirit unfolds to our hearts something of the deep blessedness1 preciousness1 and efficacy of the death of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 ,he leads us to meditate upon the soul-subduing mystery of ,his sufferings--to ponder in our hearts all that ,he passed through for us1 all that it cost ,him to save us from the eternal consequences of that which we1 alas6 so often lightly commit4 ,now1 this is very deep and holy work1 and leads the soul into those exercises which correspond with the bread of affliction in the feast of unleavened bread4 ,there is a wide difference between the feelings produced by dwelling upon our sins and those which flow from dwelling upon the sufferings of ,christ to put those sins away4 ,true1 we can never forget our sins1 never forget the hole of the pit from whence we were digged2 but it is one thing to dwell upon the pit1 and another and a deeper thing altogether to dwell upon the grace that digged us out of it1 and what it cost our precious ,saviour to do it4 ,it is this latter we so much need to keep continually in the remembrance of the thoughts of our hearts4 ,we are so terribly volatile1 so ready to forget4 ,we need to look very earnestly to ,god to enable us to enter more deeply and practically into the sufferings of ,christ1 and into the application of the cross to all that in us which is contrary to ,him4 ,this will impart depth of tone1 tenderness of spirit1 an intense breathing after holiness of heart and life1 practical separation from the world1 in its every phase1 a holy subduedness1 jealous watchfulness over ourselves1 our thoughts1 our words1 our ways1 our whole deportment in daily life4 ,in a word1 it would lead to a totally different type of ,christianity from what we see around us1 and what1 alas6 we exhibit in our own personal history4 ,may the ,spirit of ,god graciously unfold to our hearts1 by ,his own direct and powerful ministry1 more and more of what is meant by the roasted lamb1 the unleavened bread1 and the bread of affliction4#ae #ae ,for further remarks on the passover and the feast of unleavened bread1 the reader is referred to ,exodus xii4 and ,numbers ix4 ,specially in the latter--the connection between the passover and the ,lord's supper4 ,this is a point of deepest interest and immense practical importance4 ,the passover looked forward to the death of ,christ2 the ,lord's supper looks back to it4 ,what the former was to a faithful ,israelite1 the latter is to the ,church4 ,if this were more fully seen1 it would greatly tend to meet the prevailing laxity1 indifference1 and error as to the table and supper of the ,lord4 ,to any one who lives habitually in the holy atmosphere of ,scripture1 it must seem strange indeed to mark the confusion of thought and the diversity of practice in reference to a subject so very important1 and one so simply and clearly presented in the ,word of ,god4 ,it can hardly be called in question1 by any one who bows to ,scripture1 that the apostles and the early ,church assembled on the first day of the week to break bread4 ,there is not a shadow of warrant in the ,new ,testament for confining that most precious ordinance to once a month1 once a quarter1 or once in six months4 ,this can only be viewed as a human interference with a divine institution4 ,we are aware that much is sought to be made of the words1 ,as oft as ye do it2 but we do not see how any argument based on this clause can stand for a moment in the face of apostolic precedent in ,acts xx4 #g4 ,the first day of the week is unquestionably the day for the ,church to celebrate the ,lord's supper4 ,does the ,christian reader admit this8 ,if so1 does he act upon it8 ,it is a serious thing to neglect a special ordinance of ,christ1 and one appointed by ,him the same night in which ,he was betrayed1 under circumstances so deeply affecting4 ,surely1 all who love the ,lord ,jesus ,christ in sincerity would desire to remember ,him in this special way1 according to ,his own word--,this do in remembrance of ,me4 ,can we understand any true lover of ,christ living in the habitual neglect of this precious memorial8 ,if an ,israelite of old neglected the passover1 he would have been cut off4 ,but this was law1 and we are under grace4 ,true2 but is that a reason for neglecting our ,lord's commandment8 ,we would commend this subject to the reader's careful attention4 ,there is much more involved in it than most of us are aware4 ,we believe the entire history of the ,lord's supper for the last eighteen centuries is full of interest and instruction4 ,we may see in the way in which the ,lord's table has been treated a striking moral index of the ,church's real condition4 ,in proportion as the ,church departed from ,christ and ,his ,word did she neglect and pervert the precious institution of the ,lord's supper2 and on the other hand1 just as the ,spirit of ,god wrought1 at any time1 with special power in the ,church1 the ,lord's supper has found its true place in the hearts of ,his people4 ,but we cannot pursue this subject further in a foot-note2 we have ventured to suggest it to the reader1 and we trust he may be led to follow it up for himself4 ,we believe he will find it a most profitable and suggestive study4 ,we shall now briefly consider the feast of ,pentecost1 which stands next in order to the passover4 ,seven weeks shalt thou number unto thee2 begin to number the seven weeks from such time as thou beginnest to put the sickle to the corn4 ,and thou shalt keep the feast of weeks unto the ,lord thy ,god with a tribute of a free-will offering of thine hand1 which thou shalt give unto the ,lord thy ,god1 according as the ,lord thy ,god hath blessed thee2 and thou shalt rejoice before the ,lord thy ,god1 thou1 and thy son1 and thy daughter1 and thy man-servant1 and thy maid-servant1 and the ,levite that is within thy gates1 and the stranger1 and the fatherless1 and the widow1 that are among you1 in the place which the ,lord thy ,god hath chosen to place ,his name there4 ,and thou shalt remember that thou wast a bondman in ,egypt2 and thou shalt observe and do these statutes4 7,ver4 #i-ab47 ,here we have the well-known and beautiful type of the day of ,pentecost4 ,the passover sets forth the death of ,christ2 the sheaf of first-fruits is the striking figure of a risen ,christ2 and in the feast of weeks1 we have prefigured before us the descent of the ,holy ,ghost1 fifty days after the resurrection4 ,we speak1 of course1 of what these feasts convey to us1 according to the mind of ,god1 irrespective altogether of the question of ,israel's apprehension of their meaning4 ,it is our privilege to look at all these typical institutions in the light of the ,new ,testament2 and when we so view them1 we are filled with wonder and delight at the divine perfectness1 beauty1 and order of all those marvelous types4 ,and not only so1 but--what is of immense value to us--we see how the scriptures of the ,new ,testament dovetail1 as it were1 into those of the ,old2 we see the lovely unity of the divine ,volume1 and how manifestly it is one ,spirit that breathes through the whole1 from beginning to end4 ,in this way we are inwardly strengthened in our apprehension of the precious truth of the divine inspiration of the holy ,scriptures1 and our hearts are fortified against all the blasphemous attacks of infidel writers4 ,our souls are conducted to the top of the mountain where the moral glories of the ,volume shine upon us in all their heavenly lustre1 and from whence we can look down and see the clouds and chilling mists of infidel thought rolling beneath us4 ,these clouds and mists cannot affect us1 inasmuch as they are far away below the level on which1 through infinite grace1 we stand4 ,infidel writers know absolutely nothing of the moral glories of ,scripture2 but one thing is awfully certain1 namely1 that one moment in eternity will completely revolutionize the thoughts of all the infidels and atheists that have ever raved or written against the ,bible and its ,author4 ,now1 in looking at the deeply interesting feast of weeks1 or ,pentecost1 we are at once struck with the difference between it and the feast of unleavened bread4 ,in the first place1 we read of a free-will offering4 ,here we have a figure of the ,church1 formed by the ,holy ,ghost and presented to ,god as a kind of first-fruits of ,his creatures4 ,we have dwelt upon this feature of the type in the ,notes on ,leviticus1 chapter xxiii1 and shall not therefore enter upon it here1 but confine ourselves to what is purely ,deuteronomic4 ,the people were to present a tribute of a free-will offering of their hand1 according as the ,lord their ,god had blessed them4 ,there was nothing like this at the passover1 because that sets forth ,christ offering ,himself for us1 as a sacrifice1 and not our offering any thing4 ,we remember our deliverance from sin and ,satan1 and what that deliverance cost2 we meditate upon the deep and varied sufferings of our precious ,saviour as prefigured by the roasted lamb2 we remember that it was our sins that were laid upon ,him4 ,he was bruised for our iniquities--judged in our stead1 and this leads to deep and hearty contrition1 or1 what we may call true ,christian repentance4 ,for we must never forget that repentance is not a mere transient emotion of a sinner when his eyes are first opened1 but an abiding moral condition of the ,christian1 in view of the cross and passion of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,if this were better understood and more fully entered into1 it would impart a depth and solidity to the ,christian life and character in which the great majority of us are lamentably deficient4 ,but in the feast of ,pentecost1 we have before us the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 and the varied effects of ,his blessed presence in us and with us4 ,he enables us to present our bodies and all that we have as a free-will offering unto our ,god1 according as ,he hath blessed us4 ,this1 we need hardly say1 can only be done by the power of the ,holy ,ghost2 and hence the striking type of it is presented1 not in the passover1 which prefigures the death of ,christ2 not in the feast of unleavened bread1 which sets forth the moral effect of that death upon us1 in repentance1 self-judgment1 and practical holiness2 but in ,pentecost1 which is the acknowledged type of the precious gift of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,now1 it is the ,spirit who enables us to enter into the claims of ,god upon us--claims which are to be measured only by the extent of the divine blessing4 ,he gives us to see and understand that all we are and all we have belong to ,god4 ,he gives us to delight in consecrating ourselves--spirit1 soul1 and body--to ,god4 ,it is truly a free-will offering4 ,it is not of constraint1 but willingly4 ,there is not an atom of bondage1 for where the ,spirit of the ,lord is1 there is liberty4 ,in short1 we have here the lovely spirit and moral character of the entire ,christian life and service4 ,a soul under law cannot understand the force and beauty of this4 ,souls under the law never received the ,spirit4 ,the two things are wholly incompatible4 ,thus the apostle says to the poor misguided assemblies of ,galatia1 ,this only would ,i learn of you1 ,received ye the ,spirit by works of law1 or by the hearing of faith8444 ,he therefore that ministereth to you the ,spirit1 and worketh miracles among you1 doeth ,he it by works of law1 or by the hearing of faith8 ,the precious gift of the ,spirit is consequent upon the death1 resurrection1 ascension1 and glorification of our adorable ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ1 and consequently can have nothing whatever to do with works of law in any shape or form4 ,the presence of the ,holy ,ghost on earth1 ,his dwelling with and in all true believers1 is a grand characteristic truth of ,christianity4 ,it was not1 and could not be1 known in ,old-,testament times4 ,it was not even known by the disciples in our ,lord's lifetime4 ,he ,himself said to them1 on the eve of ,his departure1 ,nevertheless1 ,i tell you the truth2 it is expedient or profitable-- for you that ,i go away2 for if ,i go not away1 the ,comforter will not come unto you2 but if ,i depart1 ,i will send ,him unto you4 7,john xvi4 #g47 ,this proves1 in the most conclusive manner1 that even the very men who enjoyed the high and precious privilege of personal companionship with the ,lord ,himself were to be put in an advanced position by ,his going away and the coming of the ,comforter4 ,again1 we read1 ,if ye love ,me1 keep ,my commandments2 and ,i will pray the ,father1 and ,he shall give you another ,comforter1 that ,he may abide with you forever2 even the ,spirit of truth2 whom the world cannot receive1 because it seeth ,him not1 neither knoweth ,him2 but ye know ,him1 for ,he dwelleth with you and shall be in you4 ,we cannot1 however1 attempt to go elaborately into this immense subject here2 our space does not admit of it1 much as we should delight in it4 ,we must confine ourselves to one or two points suggested by the feast of weeks1 as presented in our chapter4 ,we have referred to the very interesting fact that the ,spirit of ,god is the living spring and power of the life of personal devotedness and consecration beautifully prefigured by the tribute of a free-will offering4 ,the sacrifice of ,christ is the ground1 the presence of the ,holy ,ghost is the power1 of the ,christian's dedication of himself--spirit1 soul1 and body--to ,god4 ,i beseech you therefore1 brethren1 by the mercies of ,god1 that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice1 holy1 acceptable unto ,god1 which is your reasonable service4 7,rom4 xii4 #a47 ,but there is another point of deepest interest presented in verse #aa of our chapter1--,and thou shalt rejoice before the ,lord thy ,god4 ,we have no such word in the paschal feast1 or in the feast of unleavened bread4 ,it would not be in moral keeping with either of these solemnities4 ,true it is1 the passover lies at the very foundation of all the joy we can or ever shall realize here or hereafter2 but we must ever think of the death of ,christ1 ,his sufferings1 ,his sorrows--all that ,he passed through when the waves and billows of ,god's righteous wrath passed over ,his soul4 ,it is upon these profound mysteries that our hearts are1 or ought to be1 mainly fixed when we surround the ,lord's table and keep that feast by which we show the ,lord's death until ,he come4 ,now1 it is plain to the spiritual and thoughtful reader that the feelings proper to such a holy and solemn institution are not of a jubilant character4 ,we certainly can and do rejoice that the sorrows and sufferings of our blessed ,lord are over1 and over forever--that those terrible hours are passed1 never to return2 but what we recall in the feast is not simply their being over1 but their being gone through1 and that for us4 ,ye do show the ,lord's death2 and we know that whatever may accrue to us from that precious death1 yet when we are called to meditate upon it1 our joy is chastened by those profound exercises of soul which the ,holy ,spirit produces by unfolding to us the sorrows1 the sufferings1 the cross1 and passion of our blessed ,saviour4 ,our ,lord's words are1 ,this do in remembrance of ,me2 but what we especially remember in the supper is1 ,christ suffering and dying for us2 what we show1 is ,his death2 and with these solemn realities before our souls1 in the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 there will1 there must be1 holy subduedness and seriousness4 ,we speak1 of course1 of what becomes the immediate occasion of the celebration of the supper--the suited feelings and affections of such a moment4 ,but these must be produced by the powerful ministry of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,it can be of no possible use to seek1 by any pious efforts of our own1 to work ourselves up to a suitable state of mind4 ,this would be ascending by steps to the altar1 a thing most offensive to ,god4 ,it is only by the ,holy ,spirit's ministry that we can worthily celebrate the holy supper of the ,lord4 ,he alone can enable us to put away all levity1 all formality1 all mere routine1 all wandering thoughts1 and to discern the body and blood of the ,lord in those memorials which1 by ,his own appointment1 are laid on ,his table4 ,but in the feast of ,pentecost1 rejoicing was a prominent feature4 ,we hear nothing of bitter herbs or bread of affliction on this occasion1 because it is the type of the coming of the other ,comforter--the descent of the ,holy ,ghost1 proceeding from the ,father1 and sent down by the risen1 ascended1 and glorified ,head in the heavens1 to fill the hearts of ,his people with praise1 thanksgiving1 and triumphant joy--yea1 to lead them into full and blessed fellowship with their glorified ,head1 in ,his triumph over sin1 death1 hell1 ,satan1 and all the powers of darkness4 ,the ,spirit's presence is connected with liberty1 light1 power1 and joy4 ,thus we read1 ,the disciples were filled with joy and with the ,holy ,ghost4 ,doubts1 fears1 and legal bondage flee away before the precious ministry of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,but we must distinguish between ,his work and ,his indwelling--,his quickening and ,his sealing4 ,the very first dawn of conviction in the soul is the fruit of the ,spirit's work4 ,it is ,his blessed operation that leads to all true repentance1 and this is not joyful work4 ,it is very good1 very needful1 absolutely essential2 but it is not joy--nay1 it is deep sorrow4 ,but when1 through grace1 we are enabled to believe in a risen and glorified ,saviour1 then the ,holy ,ghost comes and takes up ,his abode in us1 as the seal of our acceptance and the earnest of our inheritance4 ,now1 this fills us with joy unspeakable and full of glory2 and being thus filled ourselves1 we become channels of blessing to others4 ,he that believeth on ,me1 as the ,scripture hath said1 out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water4 ,but this spake ,he of the ,spirit1 which they that believe on ,him should receive2 for the ,holy ,ghost was not yet1 because that ,jesus was not yet glorified4 ,the ,spirit is the spring of power and joy in the heart of the believer4 ,he fits1 fills1 and uses us as ,his vessels in ministering to poor thirsty1 needy souls around us4 ,he links us with the ,man in the glory1 maintains us in living communion with ,him1 and enables us to be1 in our feeble measure1 the expression of what ,he is4 ,every movement of the ,christian should be redolent with the fragrance of ,christ4 ,for one who professes to be a ,christian to exhibit unholy tempers1 selfish ways1 a grasping1 covetous1 worldly spirit1 envy and jealousy1 pride and ambition1 is to belie his profession1 dishonor the holy name of ,christ1 and bring reproach upon that glorious ,christianity which he professes1 and of which we have the lovely type in the feast of weeks--a feast pre-eminently characterized by a joy which had its source in the goodness of ,god1 and which flowed out far and wide1 and embraced in its hallowed circle every object of need4 ,thou shalt rejoice before the ,lord thy ,god1 thou1 and thy son1 and thy daughter1 and thy man-servant1 and thy maid-servant1 and the ,levite that is within thy gates1 and the stranger1 and the fatherless1 and the widow1 that are among you4 ,how lovely6 how perfectly beautiful6 ,oh that its antitype were more faithfully exhibited amongst us6 ,where are those streams of refreshing which ought to flow from the ,church of ,god8 where those unblotted epistles of ,christ known and read of all men8 where can we see a practical exhibition of ,christ in the ways of ,his people--something to which we could point and say1 ,there is true ,christianity8 ,oh1 may the ,spirit of ,god stir up our hearts to a more intense desire after conformity to the image of ,christ1 in all things6 ,may ,he clothe with ,his own mighty power the ,word of ,god1 which we have in our hands and in our homes1 that it may speak to our hearts and consciences1 and lead us to judge ourselves1 our ways1 and our associations by its heavenly light1 so that there may be a thoroughly devoted band of witnesses gathered out to ,his name1 to wait for ,his appearing4 ,will the reader join us in asking for this8 ,we shall now turn for a moment to the lovely institution of the feast of tabernacles1 which gives such remarkable completeness to the range of truth presented in our chapter4 ,thou shalt observe the feast of tabernacles seven days1 after that thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine2 and thou shalt rejoice in thy feast1 thou1 and thy son1 and thy daughter1 and thy man-servant1 and thy maid-servant1 and the ,levite1 the stranger1 and the fatherless1 and the widow1 that are within thy gates4 ,seven days shalt thou keep a solemn feast unto the ,lord thy ,god in the place which the ,lord shall choose2 because the ,lord thy ,god shall bless thee in all thine increase1 and in all the works of thine hands1 therefore thou shalt surely rejoice4 ,three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the ,lord thy ,god in the place which ,he shall choose2 in the feast of unleavened bread1 and in the feast of weeks1 and in the feast of tabernacles2 and they shall not appear before the ,lord empty2 every man shall give as he is able1 according to the blessing of the ,lord thy ,god which ,he hath given thee4 7,ver4 #ac-ag47 ,here1 then1 we have the striking and beautiful type of ,israel's future4 ,the feast of tabernacles has not yet had its antitype4 ,the passover and ,pentecost have had their fulfillment in the precious death of ,christ and the descent of the ,holy ,ghost1 but the third great solemnity points forward to the times of the restitution of all things1 which ,god has spoken of by the mouth of all ,his holy prophets which have been since the world began4 ,and let the reader note particularly the time of the celebration of this feast4 ,it was to be after thou hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine2 in other words1 it was after the harvest and the vintage4 ,now1 there is a very marked distinction between these two things4 ,the one speaks of grace1 the other of judgment4 ,at the end of the age1 ,god will gather ,his wheat into ,his garner1 and then will come the treading of the wine-press1 in awful judgment4 ,we have in the fourteenth chapter of the book of ,revelation a very solemn passage bearing upon the subject now before us4 ,and ,i looked1 and behold a white cloud1 and upon the cloud one sat like unto the ,son of ,man1 having on his head a golden crown1 and in his hand a sharp sickle4 ,and another angel came out of the temple1 crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud1 ',thrust in thy sickle1 and reap2 for the time is come for thee to reap2 for the harvest of the earth is ripe4' ,and he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth1 and the earth was reaped4 ,here we have the harvest2 and then another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven1 he also having a sharp sickle4 ,and another angel came out from the altar1 which had power over fire--the emblem of judgment--and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle1 saying1 ',thrust in thy sharp sickle1 and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth1 for her grapes are fully ripe4' ,and the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth1 and gathered the vine of the earth1 and cast it into the great wine-press of the wrath of ,god4 ,and the wine-press was trodden without the city1 and blood came out of the wine-press1 even unto the horse-bridles1 by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs--equal to the whole length of the land of ,palestine6 ,now1 these apocalyptic figures set before us1 in their own characteristic way1 scenes which must be enacted previous to the celebration of the feast of tabernacles4 ,christ will gather ,his wheat into ,his heavenly garner1 and after that ,he will come in crushing judgment upon christendom4 ,thus1 every section of the volume of inspiration--,moses1 the ,psalms1 the ,prophets1 the ,gospels 7or the acts of ,christ71 the ,acts of the ,holy ,ghost1 the ,epistles1 and ,apocalypse--all go to establish1 unanswerably1 the fact that the world will not be converted by the gospel1 that things are not improving1 and will not improve1 but grow worse and worse4 ,that glorious time prefigured by the feast of tabernacles must be preceeded by the vintage1 the treading of the wine-press of the wrath of almighty ,god4 ,why1 then1 we may well ask1 in the face of such an overwhelming body of divine evidence1 furnished by every section of the inspired canon1 will men persist in cherishing the delusive hope of a world converted by the gospel8 ,what mean gathered wheat and a trodden wine-press8 ,assuredly1 they do not and cannot mean a converted world4 ,we shall perhaps be told that we cannot build any thing upon ,mosaic types and apocalyptic symbols4 ,perhaps not1 if we had but types and symbols2 but when the accumulated rays of ,inspiration's heavenly lamp converge upon these types and symbols and unfold their deep meaning to our souls1 we find them in perfect harmony with the voices of prophets and apostles1 and the living teachings of our ,lord ,himself4 ,in a word1 all speak the same language1 all teach the same lesson1 all bear the same unequivocal testimony to the solemn truth that at the end of this age1 instead of a converted world1 prepared for a spiritual millennium1 there will be a vine covered and borne down with terrible clusters1 fully ripe for the wine-press of the wrath of almighty ,god4 ,oh1 may the men and women of christendom1 and the teachers thereof1 apply their hearts to these solemn realities6 ,may these things sink down into their ears1 and into the very depths of their souls1 so that they may fling to the winds their fondly cherished delusion1 and accept instead the plainly revealed and clearly established truth of ,god6 ,but we must draw this section to a close2 and ere doing so1 we would remind the ,christian reader that we are called to exhibit in our daily life the blessed influence of all those great truths presented to us in the three interesting types on which we have been meditating4 ,christianity is characterized by those three great formative facts--redemption1 the presence of the ,holy ,ghost1 and the hope of glory4 ,the ,christian is redeemed by the precious blood of ,christ1 sealed by the ,holy ,ghost1 and he is looking for the ,saviour4 ,yes1 beloved reader1 these are solid facts1 divine realities1 great formative truths4 ,they are not mere principles or opinions1 but they are designed to be a living power in our souls1 and to shine in our lives4 ,see how thoroughly practical were these solemnities on which we have been dwelling2 mark what a tide of praise and thanksgiving and joy and blessing and active benevolence flowed from the assembly of ,israel when gathered around ,jehovah in the place which ,he had chosen4 ,praise and thanksgiving ascended to ,god1 and the blessed streams of a large-hearted benevolence flowed forth to every object of need4 ,three times in a year shall all thy males appear before the ,lord thy ,god4444 ,and they shall not appear before the ,lord empty2 every man shall give as he is able1 according to the blessing of the ,lord thy ,god which ,he hath given thee4 ,lovely words6 ,they were not to come empty into the ,lord's presence2 they were to come with the heart full of praise1 and the hands full of the fruits of divine goodness to gladden the hearts of the ,lord's workmen and the ,lord's poor4 ,all this was perfectly beautiful4 ,jehovah would gather ,his people around ,himself1 to fill them to overflowing with joy and praise1 and to make them ,his channels of blessing to others4 ,they were not to remain under their vine and under their fig-tree1 and there congratulate themselves upon the rich and varied mercies which surrounded them4 ,this might be all right and good in its place1 but it would not have fully met the mind and heart of ,god4 ,no2 three times in the year they had to arise and betake themselves to the divinely appointed meeting-place1 and there raise their halleluiahs to the ,lord their ,god1 and there1 too1 to minister liberally of that which ,he had bestowed upon them to every form of human need4 ,god would confer upon ,his people the rich privilege of rejoicing the heart of the ,levite1 the stranger1 the widow1 and the fatherless4 ,this is the work in which ,he ,himself delights--blessed forever be ,his name--and ,he would share ,his delight with ,his people4 ,he would have it to be known1 seen1 and felt that the place where ,he met ,his people was a sphere of joy and praise1 and a centre from whence streams of blessing were to flow forth in all directions4 ,has not all this a voice and a lesson for the ,church of ,god8 ,does it not speak home to the writer and the reader of these lines8 ,assuredly it does4 ,may we listen to it2 may it tell upon our hearts4 ,may the marvelous grace of ,god so act upon us that our hearts may be full of praise to ,him1 and our hands full of good works4 ,if the mere types and shadows of our blessings were connected with so much thanksgiving and active benevolence1 how much more powerful should be the effect of the blessings themselves6 ,but ah6 the question is1 ,are we realizing the blessings8 are we making our own of them8 are we grasping them in the power of an artless faith8 ,here lies the secret of the whole matter4 ,where do we find professing ,christians in the full and settled enjoyment of what the passover prefigured1 namely1 full deliverance from judgment and this present evil world8 ,where do we find them in the full and settled enjoyment of their ,pentecost1 even the indwelling of the ,holy ,ghost--the seal1 the earnest1 the unction1 and the witness8 ,ask the vast majority of professors the plain question1 ,have you received the ,holy ,ghost8 and see what answer you will get4 ,what answer can the reader give8 ,can he say1 ,yes1 thank ,god1 ,i know ,i am washed in the precious blood of ,christ1 and sealed with the ,holy ,ghost8 ,it is greatly to be feared that comparatively few of the vast multitudes of professors around us know any thing of these precious things1 which nevertheless are the chartered privileges of the very simplest member of the body of ,christ4 ,so also as to the feast of tabernacles1 how few understand its meaning6 ,true1 it has not yet been fulfilled2 but the ,christian is called to live in the present power of that which it sets forth4 ,faith is the substance of things hoped for1 the evidence of things not seen4 ,our life is to be governed and our character formed by the combined influence of the grace in which we stand and the glory for which we wait4 ,but if souls are not established in grace--if they do not even know that their sins are forgiven--if they are taught that it is presumption to be sure of salvation1 and that it is humility and piety to live in perpetual doubt and fear1 and that no one can be sure of their salvation until they stand before the judgment-seat of ,christ1 how can they possibly take ,christian ground1 manifest the fruits of ,christian life1 or cherish proper ,christian hope8 ,if an ,israelite of old was in doubt as to whether he was a child of ,abraham1 a member of the congregation of the ,lord1 and in the land1 how could he keep the feast of unleavened bread1 ,pentecost1 or tabernacles8 ,there would have been no sense1 meaning1 or value in such a thing2 indeed1 we may safely affirm that no ,israelite would have thought for a moment of any thing so utterly absurd4 ,how is it1 then1 that professing ,christians--many of them1 we cannot doubt1 real children of ,god--never seem to be able to enter upon proper ,christian ground8 ,they spend their days in doubt and fear1 darkness and uncertainty4 ,their religious exercises and services1 instead of being the outcome of life possessed and enjoyed1 are entered upon and gone through more as a matter of legal duty1 and as a moral preparation for the life to come4 ,many truly pious souls are kept in this state all their days2 and as to the blessed hope which grace has set before us1 to cheer our hearts and detach us from present things1 they do not enter into it or understand it4 ,it is looked upon as a mere speculation1 indulged in by a few visionary enthusiasts here and there4 ,they are looking forward to the day of judgment1 instead of looking out for the bright and morning ,star2 they are praying for the forgiveness of their sins1 and asking ,god to give them ,his ,holy ,spirit1 when they ought to be rejoicing in the assured possession of eternal life1 divine righteousness1 and the ,spirit of adoption4 ,all this is directly opposed to the simplest and clearest teaching of the ,new ,testament2 it is utterly foreign to the very genius of ,christianity1 subversive of the ,christian's peace and liberty1 and destructive of all true and intelligent ,christian worship1 service1 and testimony4 ,it is plainly impossible that people can appear before the ,lord with their hearts full of praise for privileges which they do not enjoy1 or their hands full of the blessing which they have never realized4 ,we call the earnest attention of all the ,lord's people1 throughout the length and breadth of the professing church1 to this weighty subject4 ,we entreat them to search the ,scriptures1 and see if they afford any warrant for keeping souls in darkness1 doubt1 and bondage all their days4 ,that there are solemn warnings1 searching appeals1 weighty admonitions1 is most true1 and we bless ,god for them1--we need them1 and should diligently apply our hearts to them2 but let the reader distinctly understand that it is the sweet privilege of the very babes in ,christ to know that their sins are all forgiven1 that they are accepted in a risen ,christ1 sealed by the ,holy ,ghost1 and heirs of eternal glory4 ,such1 through infinite and sovereign grace1 are their clearly established and assured blessings--blessings to which the love of ,god makes them welcome1 for which the blood of ,christ makes them fit1 and as to which the testimony of the ,holy ,ghost makes them sure4 ,may the great ,shepherd and ,bishop of souls lead all ,his beloved people--the lambs and sheep of ,his blood-bought flock--to know1 by the teaching of ,his ,holy ,spirit1 the things that are freely given to them of ,god2 and may those who do know them1 in measure1 know them more fully1 and exhibit the precious fruits of them in a life of genuine devotedness to ,christ and ,his service4 ,it is greatly to be feared that many of us who profess to be acquainted with the very highest truths of the ,christian faith are not answering to our profession2 we are not acting up to the principle set forth in verse #ag of our beautiful chapter1--,every man shall give as he is able1 according to the blessing of the ,lord thy ,god which ,he hath given thee4 ,we seem to forget that although we have nothing to do and nothing to give for salvation1 we have much that we can do for the ,saviour1 and much that we can give to ,his workmen and to ,his poor4 ,there is very great danger of pushing the do-nothing and give-nothing principle too far4 ,if in the days of our ignorance and legal bondage we worked and gave upon a false principle and with a false object1 we surely ought not to do less and give less now that we profess to know that we are not only saved1 but blessed with all spiritual blessings in a risen and glorified ,christ4 ,we have need to take care that we are not resting in the mere intellectual perception and verbal profession of these great and glorious truths1 while the heart and conscience have never felt their sacred action1 nor the conduct and character been brought under their powerful and holy influence4 ,we venture1 in all tenderness and love1 just to offer these practical suggestions to the reader for his prayerful consideration4 ,we would not wound1 offend1 or discourage the very feeblest lamb in all the flock of ,christ2 and further1 we can assure the reader that we are not casting a stone at any one1 but simply writing as in the immediate presence of ,god1 and sounding in the ears of the ,church a note of warning as to that which we deeply feel to be our common danger4 ,we believe there is an urgent call1 on all sides1 to consider our ways1 to humble ourselves before the ,lord on account of our manifold failures1 shortcomings1 and inconsistencies1 and to seek grace from ,him to be more real1 more thoroughly devoted1 more pronounced in our testimony for ,him1 in this dark and evil day4 ,,chapter ,,xvii4 ,we must remember that the division of ,scripture into chapters and verses is entirely a human arrangement1 often very convenient1 no doubt1 for reference2 but not unfrequently it is quite unwarrantable1 and interferes with the connection4 ,thus we can see at a glance that the closing verses of chapter xvi4 are much more connected with what follows than with what goes before4 ,judges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy gates1 which the ,lord thy ,god giveth thee1 throughout thy tribes2 and they shall judge the people with just judgment4 ,thou shalt not wrest judgment2 thou shalt not respect persons1 neither take a gift2 for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise1 and pervert the words of the righteous4 ,that which is altogether just shalt thou follow1 that thou mayest live and inherit the land which the ,lord thy ,god giveth thee4 ,these words teach us a twofold lesson2 in the first place1 they set forth the even-handed justice and perfect truth which ever characterize the government of ,god4 ,every case is dealt with according to its own merits and on the ground of its own facts4 ,the judgment is so plain that there is not a shadow of ground for a question2 all dissension is absolutely closed2 and if any murmur is raised1 the murmurer is at once silenced by ,friend1 ,i do thee no wrong4 ,this holds good every where1 and at all times1 in the holy government of ,god1 and it makes us long for the time when that government shall be established from sea to sea1 and from the river to the ends of the earth4 ,but on the other hand1 we learn1 from the lines just quoted1 what man's judgment is worth if left to himself4 ,it cannot be trusted for a moment4 ,man is capable of wresting judgment1 of respecting persons1 of taking a gift1 of attaching importance to a person because of his position and wealth4 ,that he is capable of all this is evident from the fact of his being told not to do it4 ,we must ever remember this4 ,if ,god commands man not to steal1 it is plain that man has theft in his nature4 ,hence1 therefore1 human judgment and human government are liable to the grossest corruption4 ,judges and governors1 if left to themselves1 if not under the direct sway of divine principle1 are capable of perverting justice for filthy lucre's sake--of favoring a wicked man because he is rich1 and of condemning a righteous man because he is poor--of giving a judgment in flagrant opposition to the plainest facts because of some advantage to be gained1 whether in the shape of money or influence or popularity or power4 ,to prove this1 it is not necessary to point to such men as ,pilate and ,herod and ,felix and ,festus2 we have no need to go beyond the passage just quoted1 in order to see what man is1 even when clothed in the robes of official dignity1 seated on the throne of government1 or on the bench of justice4 ,some1 as they read these lines1 may feel disposed to say1 in the language of ,hazael1 ,is thy servant a dog1 that he should do this thing8 ,but let such reflect for a moment on the fact that the human heart is the seed-plot of every sin1 and of every vile and abominable and contemptible wickedness that ever was committed in this world2 and the unanswerable proof of this is found in the enactments1 commandments1 and prohibitions which appear on the sacred page of inspiration4 ,and herein we have an uncommonly fine reply to the oft-repeated question1 ,what have we to do with many of the laws and institutions set forth in the ,mosaic economy8 ,why are such things set down in the ,bible8 ,can they possibly be inspired8 ,yes1 they are inspired1 and they appear on the page of inspiration in order that we may see1 as reflected in a divinely perfect mirror1 the moral material of which we ourselves are made--the thoughts we are capable of thinking1 the words we are capable of speaking1 and the deeds we are capable of doing4 ,is not this something8 ,is it not good and wholesome to find1 for example1 in some of the passages of this most profound and beautiful book of ,deuteronomy1 that human nature is capable1 and hence we are capable1 of doing things that put us morally below the level of a beast8 ,assuredly it is2 and well would it be for many a one who walks in pharisaic pride and self-complacency--puffed up with false notions of his own dignity and high-toned morality1 to learn this deeply humbling lesson4 ,but how morally lovely1 how pure1 how refined and elevated1 were the divine enactments for ,israel6 ,they were not to wrest judgment1 but allow it to flow in its own straight and even channel1 irrespective altogether of persons4 ,the poor man in vile raiment was to have the same impartial justice as the man with a gold ring and gay clothing4 ,the decision of the judgment-seat was not to be warped by partiality or prejudice1 or the robe of justice to be defiled by the stain of bribery4 ,oh1 what will it be for this oppressed and groaning earth to be governed by the admirable laws which are recorded in the inspired pages of the ,pentateuch1 when a king shall reign in righteousness1 and princes shall decree justice6 ,give the king ,thy judgments1 ,o ,god1 and ,thy righteousness unto the king's son4 ,he shall judge ,thy people with righteousness1 and ,thy poor with judgment--no wresting1 no bribery1 no partial judgments then4--,the mountains or higher dignities shall bring peace to the people1 and the little hills or lesser dignities1 by righteousness4 ,he shall judge or defend the poor of the people1 he shall save the children of the needy1 and shall break in pieces the oppressor4 ,they shall fear ,thee as long as the sun and moon endure1 throughout all generations4 ,he shall come down like rain upon the mown grass2 as showers that water the earth4 ,in his days shall the righteous flourish1 and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth4 ,he shall have dominion also from sea to sea1 and from the river unto the ends of the earth4444 ,he shall deliver the needy when he crieth1 the poor also1 and him that hath no helper4 ,he shall spare the poor and needy1 and shall save the souls of the needy4 ,he shall redeem their souls from deceit and violence1 and precious shall their blood be in his sight4 7,ps4 lxxii47 ,well may the heart long for the time--the bright and blessed time when all this shall be made good1 when the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the ,lord as the waters cover the sea1 when the ,lord ,jesus shall take to ,himself ,his great power and reign1 when the ,church in the heavens shall reflect the beams of ,his glory upon the earth1 when ,israel's twelve tribes shall repose beneath the vine and fig-tree in their own promised land1 and all the nations of the earth shall rejoice beneath the peaceful and beneficent rule of the ,son of ,david4 ,thanks and praise be to our ,god1 thus it shall be1 ere long1 as sure as ,his throne is in the heavens4 ,a little while and all shall be made good1 according to the eternal counsels and immutable promise of ,god4 ,till then1 beloved ,christian reader1 be it ours to live in the constant1 earnest1 believing anticipation of this bright and blessed time1 and to pass through this ungodly scene as thorough strangers and pilgrims1 having no place or portion down here1 but ever breathing forth the prayer1 ,come1 ,lord ,jesus6 ,in the closing lines of chapter xvi1 ,israel is warned against the most distant approach to the religious customs of the nations around4 ,thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the ,lord thy ,god1 which thou shalt make thee4 ,neither shalt thou set thee up any image which the ,lord thy ,god hateth4 ,they were carefully to avoid every thing which might lead them in the direction of the dark and abominable idolatries of the heathen nations around4 ,the altar of ,god was to stand out in distinct and unmistakable separation from those groves and shady places where false gods were worshiped1 and things were done which are not to be named4#af ,in a word1 every thing was to be most carefully avoided which might in any way draw the heart away from the one living and true ,god4 #af ,it may interest the reader to know that the ,holy ,ghost1 in speaking of the altar of ,god in the ,new ,testament1 does not apply to it the word used to express a heathen altar1 but has a comparatively new word--a word unknown in the world's classics4 ,the heathen altar is 7,acts xvii4 #bc473 the altar of ,god is 4 ,the former occurs but once2 the latter1 twenty-three times4 ,so jealously is the worship of the only true ,god guarded and preserved from the defiling touch of heathen idolatry4 ,men may feel disposed to inquire why this should be1 or how could the altar of ,god be affected by a name8 ,we reply1 ,the ,holy ,ghost is wiser than we are2 and although the heathen word was before ,him--a short and convenient word1 too1--,he refuses to apply it to the altar of the one true and living ,god4 ,see ,trench's ,synonyms of the ,new ,testament1 p4 #bdb4 ,new edition revised4 ,nor this only2 it was not enough to maintain a correct outward form2 images and groves might be abolished1 and the nation might profess the dogma of the unity of the ,godhead1 and all the while there might be an utter want of heart and genuine devotedness in the worship rendered4 ,hence we read1 ,thou shalt not sacrifice unto the ,lord thy ,god any bullock or sheep wherein is blemish1 or any ill-favoredness1 for that is an abomination unto the ,lord4 ,that which was absolutely perfect could alone suit the altar and answer to the heart of ,god4 ,to offer a blemished thing to ,him was simply to prove the absence of all true sense of what became ,him1 and of all real heart for ,him4 ,to attempt to offer an imperfect sacrifice was tantamount to the horrible blasphemy of saying that any thing was good enough for ,him4 ,let us hearken to the indignant pleadings of the ,spirit of ,god1 by the mouth of the prophet ,malachi4 ,ye offer polluted bread upon ,mine altar2 and ye say1 ',wherein have we polluted ,thee8' ,in that ye say1 ',the table of the ,lord is contemptible4' ,and if ye offer the blind for sacrifice1 is it not evil8 and if ye offer the lame and sick1 is it not evil8 offer it now unto thy governor2 will he be pleased with thee1 or accept thy person8 saith the ,lord of ,hosts4 ,and now1 ,i pray you1 beseech ,god that ,he will be gracious unto us2 this hath been by your means2 will ,he regard your persons8 saith the ,lord of ,hosts4 ,who is there even among you that would shut the doors for naught8 neither do ye kindle fire on ,mine altar for naught4 ,i have no pleasure in you1 saith the ,lord of ,hosts1 neither will ,i accept an offering at your hand4 ,for from the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same1 ,my name shall be great among the ,gentiles2 and in every place incense shall be offered unto ,my name1 and a pure offering2 for ,my name shall be great among the heathen1 saith the ,lord of ,hosts4 ,but ye have profaned it1 in that ye say1 ',the table of the ,lord is polluted1 and the fruit thereof1 even ,his meat is contemptible4' ,ye said also1 ',behold1 what a weariness is it6' and ye have snuffed at it1 saith the ,lord of ,hosts2 and ye brought that which was torn1 and the lame1 and the sick2 thus ye brought an offering3 should ,i accept this of your hand8 saith the ,lord4 ,but cursed be the deceiver1 which hath in his flock a male1 and voweth and sacrificeth unto the ,lord a corrupt thing2 for ,i am a great ,king1 saith the ,lord of ,hosts1 and ,my name is dreadful among the heathen4 7,mal4 i4 #g-ad47 ,has all this no voice for the professing church8 has it no voice for the writer and the reader of these lines8 ,assuredly it has4 ,is there not in our private and public worship a deplorable lack of heart1 of real devotedness1 deep-toned earnestness1 holy energy1 and integrity of purpose8 ,is there not much that answers to the offering of the lame and the sick1 the blemished and the ill-favored8 ,is there not a deplorable amount of cold formality and dead routine in our seasons of worship1 both in the closet and in the assembly8 ,have we not to judge ourselves for barrenness1 distraction1 and wandering1 even at the very table of our ,lord8 ,how often are our bodies at the table while our vagrant hearts and volatile minds are at the ends of the earth6 how often do our lips utter words which are not the true expression of our whole moral being6 ,we express far more than we feel2 we sing beyond our experience4 ,and then1 when we are favored with the blessed opportunity of dropping our offerings in our ,lord's treasury1 what heartless formality6 what an absence of loving1 earnest1 hearty devotedness6 what little reference to the apostolic rule--as ,god hath prospered us6 what detestable niggardliness6 how little of the whole-heartedness of the poor widow who having but two mites in the world1 and having the option of at least keeping one for her living1 willingly cast in both--cast in her all6 ,pounds may be spent on ourselves1 perhaps on superfluities1 during the week1 but when the claims of the ,lord's work1 ,his poor1 and ,his cause in general are brought before us1 how meagre is the response6 ,christian reader1 let us consider these things2 let us look at the whole subject of worship and devotedness in the divine presence1 and in the presence of the grace that has saved us from everlasting burnings2 let us calmly reflect upon the precious and powerful claims of ,christ upon us4 ,we are not our own2 we are bought with a price4 ,it is not merely our best1 but our all1 we owe to that blessed ,one who gave ,himself for us4 ,do we not fully own it8 do not our hearts own it8 ,then may our lives express it6 ,may we more distinctly declare whose we are and whom we serve4 ,may the heart1 the head1 the hands1 the feet--the whole man be dedicated1 in unreserved devotedness1 to ,him1 in the power of the ,holy ,ghost1 and according to the direct teaching of holy ,scripture4 ,god grant it may be so1 with us and with all ,his beloved people6 ,a very weighty and practical subject now claims our attention4 ,we feel it right to adhere as much as possible to the custom of quoting at full length the passages for the reader2 we believe it to be profitable to give the very ,word of ,god itself2 and moreover1 it is convenient to the great majority of readers to be saved the trouble of laying aside the volume and turning to the ,bible in order to find the passages for themselves4 ,if there be found among you1 within any of thy gates which the ,lord thy ,god giveth thee1 man or woman that hath wrought wickedness in the sight of the ,lord thy ,god1 in transgressing ,his covenant1 and hath gone and served other gods1 and worshiped them1 either the sun or moon1 or any of the hosts of heaven1 which ,i have not commanded2 and it be told thee1 and thou hast heard of it1 and inquired diligently1 and1 behold1 it be true1 and the thing certain1 that such abomination is wrought in ,israel2--something affecting the whole nation--then shalt thou bring forth that man or that woman1 which have committed that wicked thing1 unto thy gates1 even that man or that woman1 and shalt stone them with stones till they die4 ,at the mouth of two witnesses1 or three witnesses1 shall he that is worthy of death be put to death2 but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death4 ,the hands of the witnesses shall be first upon him to put him to death1 and afterward the hands of all the people4 ,so thou shalt put the evil away from among you4 7,ver4 #b-g47 ,we have already had occasion to refer to the great principle laid down in the foregoing passage4 ,it is one of immense importance1 namely1 the absolute necessity of having competent testimony ere forming a judgment in any case4 ,it meets us constantly in ,scripture2 indeed1 it is the invariable rule in the divine government1 and therefore it claims our earnest attention4 ,we may be sure it is a safe and wholesome rule1 the neglect of which must always lead us astray4 ,we should never allow ourselves to form1 much less to express and act upon1 a judgment without the testimony of two or three witnesses4 ,however trustworthy and morally reliable any one witness may be1 it is not a sufficient basis for a conclusion4 ,we may feel convinced in our minds that the thing is true because affirmed by one in whom we have confidence2 but ,god is wiser than we4 ,it may be that the one witness is thoroughly upright and truthful1 that he would not for worlds tell an untruth or bear false witness against any one1--all this may be true1 but we must adhere to the divine rule--,in the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established4 ,would that this were more diligently attended to in the ,church of ,god6 ,its value in all cases of discipline1 and in all cases affecting the character or reputation of any one1 is simply incalculable4 ,ere ever an assembly reaches a conclusion or acts on a judgment in any given case1 it should insist on adequate evidence4 ,if this be not forthcoming1 let all wait on ,god--wait patiently and confidingly1 and ,he will surely supply what is needed4 ,for instance1 if there be moral evil or doctrinal error in an assembly of ,christians1 but it is only known to one2 that one is perfectly certain--deeply and thoroughly convinced of the fact4 ,what is to be done8 ,wait on ,god for further witness4 ,to act without this1 is to infringe a divine principle laid down with all possible clearness again and again in the ,word of ,god4 ,is the one witness to feel himself aggrieved or insulted because his testimony is not acted upon8 ,assuredly not2 indeed he ought not to expect such a thing1 yea1 he ought not to come forward as a witness until he can corroborate his testimony by the evidence of one or two more4 ,is the assembly to be deemed indifferent or supine because it refuses to act on the testimony of a solitary witness8 ,nay1 it would be flying in the face of a divine command were it to do so4 ,and be it remembered that this great practical principle is not confined in its application to cases of discipline1 or questions connected with an assembly of the ,lord's people2 it is of universal application4 ,we should never allow ourselves to form a judgment or come to a conclusion without the divinely appointed measure of evidence2 if that be not forthcoming1 it is our plain duty to wait1 and if it be needful for us to judge in the case1 ,god will1 in due time1 furnish the needed evidence4 ,we have known a case in which a man was falsely accused because the accuser based his charge upon the evidence of one of his senses2 had he taken the trouble of getting the evidence of one or two more of his senses1 he would not have made the charge4 ,thus the entire subject of evidence claims the serious attention of the reader1 let his position be what it may4 ,we are all prone to rush to hasty conclusions1 to take up impressions1 to give place to baseless surmisings1 and allow our minds to be warped and carried away by prejudice4 ,all these have to be most carefully guarded against4 ,we need more calmness1 seriousness1 and cool deliberation in forming and expressing our judgment about men and things2 but especially about men1 inasmuch as we may inflict a grievous wrong upon a friend1 a brother1 or a neighbor by giving utterance to a false impression or a baseless charge4 ,we may allow ourselves to be the vehicle of an utterly groundless accusation1 whereby the character of another may be seriously damaged4 ,this is very sinful in the sight of ,god1 and should be most jealously watched against in ourselves1 and sternly rebuked in others1 whenever it comes before us4 ,whenever any one brings a charge against another behind his back1 we should insist upon his proving or withdrawing his statement4 ,were this plan adopted1 we should be delivered from a vast amount of evil-speaking1 which is not only most unprofitable1 but positively wicked1 and not to be tolerated4 ,before turning from the subject of evidence1 we may just remark that inspired history supplies us with more than one instance in which a righteous man has been condemned with an appearance of attention to ,deuteronomy xvii4 #f1 #g4 ,witness the case of ,naboth1 in #a ,kings xxi2 and the case of ,stephen1 in ,acts vi4 and vii2 and above all1 the case of the only perfect ,man that ever trod this earth4 ,alas6 men can1 at times1 put on the appearance of wonderful attention to the letter of ,scripture when it suits their own ungodly ends2 they can quote its sacred words in defense of the most flagrant unrighteousness and shocking immorality4 ,two witnesses accused ,naboth of blaspheming ,god and the king1 and that faithful ,israelite was deprived of his inheritance and of his life on the testimony of two liars1 hired by the direction of a godless1 cruel woman4 ,stephen1 a man full of the ,holy ,ghost1 was stoned to death for blasphemy1 on the testimony of false witnesses received and acted upon by the great religious leaders of the day1 who could doubtless quote ,deuteronomy xvii4 as their authority4 ,but all this1 while it so sadly and forcibly illustrates what man is1 and what mere human religiousness without conscience is1 leaves wholly untouched the fine moral rule laid down for our guidance in the opening lines of our chapter4 ,religion without conscience or the fear of ,god is the most degrading1 demoralizing1 hardening thing beneath the canopy of heaven2 and one of its most terrible features is seen in this1 that men under its influence are not ashamed or afraid to make use of the letter of holy ,scripture as a cloak wherewith to cover the most horrible wickedness4 ,but thanks and praise to our ,god1 ,his ,word stands forth before the vision of our souls in all its heavenly purity1 divine virtue1 and holy morality1 and flings back in the face of the enemy his every attempt to draw from its sacred pages a plea for aught that is not true1 venerable1 just1 pure1 lovely1 and of good report4 ,we shall now proceed to quote for the reader the second paragraph of our chapter1 in which we shall find instruction of great moral value1 and much needed in this day of self-will and independence4 ,if there arise a matter too hard for thee in judgment1 between blood and blood1 between plea and plea1 and between stroke and stroke1 being matters of controversy within thy gates2 then shalt thou arise and get thee up into the place which the ,lord thy ,god shall choose2 and thou shalt come unto the priests the ,levites1 and unto the judges that shall be in those days1 and inquire2 and they shall show thee the sentence of judgment3 and thou shalt do according to the sentence which they of that place which the ,lord shall choose shall show thee2 and thou shalt observe to do according to all that they inform thee2 according to the sentence of the law which they shall teach thee1 and according to the judgment which they shall tell thee1 thou shalt do3 thou shalt not decline from the sentence which they shall show thee1 to the right hand1 nor to the left1 and the man that will do presumptuously1 and will not hearken unto the priest that standeth to minister there before the ,lord thy ,god1 or unto the judge1 even that man shall die2 and thou shalt put away the evil from ,israel4 ,and all the people shall hear and fear and do no more presumptuously4 7,ver4 #h-ac47 ,here we have divine provision made for the perfect settlement of all questions which might arise throughout the congregation of ,israel4 ,they were to be settled in the divine presence1 at the divinely appointed centre1 by the divinely appointed authority4 ,thus self-will and presumption were effectually guarded against4 ,all matters of controversy were to be definitively settled by the judgment of ,god as expressed by the priest or the judge appointed by ,god for the purpose4 ,in a word1 it was absolutely and entirely a matter of divine authority4 ,it was not for one man to set himself up in self-will and presumption against another4 ,this would never do in the assembly of ,god4 ,each one had to submit his cause to a divine tribunal1 and bow implicitly to its decision4 ,there was to be no appeal1 inasmuch as there was no higher court4 ,the divinely appointed priest or judge spoke as the oracle of ,god1 and both plaintiff and defendant had to bow1 without a demur1 to the decision4 ,now1 it must be very evident to the reader that no member of the congregation of ,israel would ever have thought of bringing his case before a ,gentile tribunal for judgment4 ,this1 we may feel assured1 would have been utterly foreign to the thoughts and feelings of every true ,israelite4 ,it would have involved a positive insult to ,jehovah ,himself1 who was in their midst to give judgment in every case which might arise4 ,surely ,he was sufficient4 ,he knew the ins and outs1 the pros and cons1 the roots and issues1 of every controversy1 however involved or difficult4 ,all were to look to ,him1 and to bring their causes to the place which ,he had chosen1 and no where else4 ,the idea of two members of the assembly of ,god appearing before a tribunal of the uncircumcised for judgment would not have been tolerated for a moment4 ,it would be as much as to say that there was a defect in the divine arrangement for the congregation4 ,has this any voice for us8 ,how are ,christians to have their questions and their controversies settled8 ,are they to betake themselves to the world for judgment8 ,is there no provision in the assembly of ,god for the proper settlement of cases which may arise8 ,hear what the inspired apostle says on the point to the assembly at ,corinth1 and to all that in every place call on the name of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 both theirs and ours1 and therefore to all true ,christians now4 ,dare any of you1 having a matter against another1 go to law before the unjust1 and not before the saints8 ,do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world8 and if the world shall be judged by you1 are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters8 ,know ye not that we shall judge angels8 how much more things that pertain to this life6 ,if then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life1 set them to judge who are least esteemed in the ,church4 ,i speak to your shame4 ,is it so1 that there is not a wise man among you8 no1 not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren8 ,but brother goeth to law with brother1 and that before the unbelievers4 ,now therefore there is utterly a fault among you1 because ye go to law one with another4 ,why do ye not rather take wrong8 why do ye not rather be defrauded8 ,nay1 ye do wrong1 and defraud1 and that your brethren4 ,know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of ,god8 ,be not deceived4 7#a ,cor4 vi4 #a-i47 ,here1 then1 we have divine instruction for the ,church of ,god in all ages4 ,we must never1 for a moment1 lose sight of the fact that the ,bible is the book for every stage of the ,church's earthly career4 ,true it is1 alas6 the ,church is not as it was when the above lines were penned by the inspired apostle2 a vast change has taken place in the ,church's practical condition4 ,there was no difficulty in early days in distinguishing between the ,church and the world--between the saints and unbelievers--between those within and those without4 ,the line of demarkation was broad1 distinct1 and unmistakable in those days4 ,any one who looked at the face of society in a religious point of view would see three things1 namely1 ,paganism1 ,judaism1 and ,christianity--the ,gentile1 the ,jew1 and the ,church of ,god--the heathen temple1 the synagogue1 and the assembly of ,god4 ,there was no confounding these things4 ,the ,christian assembly stood out in vivid contrast with all beside4 ,christianity was strongly and clearly pronounced in those primitive times4 ,it was neither a national1 provincial1 nor parochial affair1 but a personal1 practical1 living reality4 ,it was not a mere nominal1 national1 professional creed1 but a divinely wrought faith1 a living power in the heart flowing out in the life4 ,but now1 things are totally changed4 ,the ,church and the world are so mixed up1 that the vast majority of professors could hardly understand the real force and proper application of the passage which we have just quoted4 ,were we to speak to them about the saints going to law before the unbelievers1 it would seem like a foreign tongue4 ,indeed1 the term saint is hardly heard in the professing church1 save when used with a sneer1 or as applied to such as have been canonized by a superstitious reverence4 ,but has any change come over the ,word of ,god1 or over the grand truths which that ,word unfolds to our souls8 ,has any change come over the thoughts of ,god in reference to what ,his ,church is1 or what the world is1 or as to the proper relation of the one to the other8 ,does ,he not know who are saints and who are unbelievers8 ,has it ceased to be a fault for brother to go to law with brother1 and that before the unbelievers8 ,in a word1 has holy ,scripture lost its power1 its point1 its divine application8 ,is it no longer our guide1 our authority1 our one perfect rule and unerring standard8 ,has the marked change that has come over the ,church's moral condition deprived the ,word of ,god of all power of application to us--to all that in every place call on the name of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ8 ,has our ,father's most precious revelation become1 in any one particular1 a dead letter--a piece of obsolete writing--a document pertaining to days long gone by8 ,has our altered condition robbed the ,word of ,god of a single one of its moral glories8 ,reader1 what answer does your heart return to these questions8 ,let us most earnestly entreat of you to weigh them honestly1 humbly1 and prayerfully in the presence of your ,lord4 ,we believe your answer will be a wonderfully correct index of your real position and moral state4 ,do you not clearly see and fully admit that ,scripture can never lose its power8 ,can the principles of #a ,corinthians vi4 ever cease to be binding on the ,church of ,god8 ,it is fully admitted--for who can deny that things are sadly changed8--but ,scripture cannot be broken1 and therefore what was a fault in the first century cannot be right in the nineteenth2 there may be more difficulty in carrying out divine principles1 but we must never consent to surrender them1 or to act on any lower ground4 ,if once we admit the idea that because the whole professing church has gone wrong it is impossible for us to do right1 the whole principle of ,christian obedience is surrendered4 ,it is as wrong for brother to go to law with brother before the unbelievers to-day as when the apostle wrote his epistle to the assembly at ,corinth4#ag ,true1 the ,church's visible unity is gone2 she is shorn of many gifts1 she has departed from her normal condition2 but the principles of the ,word of ,god can no more lose their power than the blood of ,christ can lose its virtue or ,his priesthood lose its efficacy4 #ag ,it is well for us to bear in mind that wherever there are two or three gathered to the ,name of the ,lord ,jesus1 in ever such weakness1 there will be found1 if only they are truly humble and dependent1 spiritual ability to judge in any case that may arise between brethren4 ,they can count on divine wisdom being supplied for the settlement of any question1 plea1 or controversy1 so that there need not be any reference to a worldly tribunal4 ,no doubt worldly men would smile at such an idea2 but we must adhere1 with holy decision1 to the guidance of ,scripture4 ,brother must not go to law with brother before the unbelievers4 ,this is distinct and emphatic4 ,there are resources available for the assembly in ,christ1 the ,head and ,lord1 for the settlement of every possible question4 ,let the ,lord's people seriously apply their hearts to the consideration of this subject4 ,let them see that they are gathered on the true ground of the ,church of ,god2 and then1 though ever conscious that things are not as they once were in the ,church--though sensible of the greatest weakness1 failure1 and shortcoming1 they will nevertheless find the grace of ,christ ever sufficient for them1 and the ,word of ,god full of all needed instruction and authority1 so that they need never betake themselves to the world for help1 counsel1 or judgment4 ,where two or three are gathered together in ,my name1 there am ,i in the midst of them4 ,this surely is enough for every exigence4 ,is there any question that our ,lord ,christ cannot settle8 ,do we want natural cleverness1 worldly wisdom1 long-headedness1 great learning1 keen sagacity1 if we have ,him8 ,surely not2 indeed all such things can only prove like ,saul's armor to ,david4 ,all we want is1 simply to use the resources which we have in ,christ4 ,we shall assuredly find1 in the place where ,his name is recorded1 priestly wisdom to judge in every case which may arise between brethren4 ,and further1 let the ,lord's dear people remember1 in all cases of local difficulty which may arise1 that there is no need whatever for them to look for extraneous aid1 to write to other places to get some wise man to come and help them4 ,no doubt1 if the ,lord sends any of ,his beloved servants at the moment1 their sympathy1 fellowship1 counsel1 and help will be highly prized4 ,we are not encouraging independence one of the other1 but absolute and complete dependence upon ,christ1 our ,head and ,lord4 ,and further1 we must bear in mind that there are resources of wisdom1 grace1 power1 and spiritual gift treasured up for the ,church in ,christ her ,head1 ever available for those who have faith to use them4 ,we are not straitened in our blessed and adorable ,head4 ,we need never expect to see the body restored to its normal condition on the earth1 but for all that1 it is our privilege to see what the true ground of the body is1 and it is our duty to occupy that ground and no other4 ,now1 it is perfectly wonderful the change that takes place in our whole condition--in our view of things1 in our thoughts of ourselves and our surroundings--the moment we plant our foot on the true ground of the ,church of ,god4 ,every thing seems changed2 the ,bible seems a new book2 we see every thing in a new light2 portions of ,scripture which we have been reading for years without interest or profit now sparkle with divine light1 and fill us with wonder1 love1 and praise4 ,we see everything from a new stand-point2 our whole range of vision is changed2 we have made our escape from the murky atmosphere which inwraps the whole professing church1 and can now look around and see things clearly in the heavenly light of ,scripture4 ,in fact1 it seems like a new conversion2 and we find we can now read ,scripture intelligently1 because we have the divine key4 ,we see ,christ to be the centre and object of all the thoughts1 purposes1 and counsels of ,god from everlasting to everlasting1 and hence we are conducted into that marvelous sphere of grace and glory which the ,holy ,ghost delights to unfold in the precious ,word of ,god4 ,may the reader be led into the thorough understanding of all this1 by the direct and powerful ministry of the ,holy ,spirit4 ,may he be enabled to give himself to the study of ,scripture1 and to surrender himself1 unreservedly1 to its teaching and authority4 ,let him not confer with flesh and blood1 but cast himself1 like a little child1 on the ,lord1 and seek to be led on in spiritual intelligence and practical conformity to the mind of ,christ4 ,we must now look for a moment at the closing verses of our chapter1 in which we have a remarkable onlook into ,israel's future1 anticipating the moment in which they should seek to set a king over them4 ,when thou art come unto the land which the ,lord thy ,god giveth thee1 and shalt possess it1 and shalt dwell therein1 and shalt say1 ,i will set a king over me1 like as all the nations that are about me2 thou shalt in any wise set him king over thee whom the ,lord thy ,god shall choose2 one from among thy brethren shalt thou set king over thee2 thou mayest not set a stranger over thee1 which is not thy brother4 ,but he shall not multiply horses to himself1 nor cause the people to return to ,egypt1 to the end that he should multiply horses2 forasmuch as the ,lord hath said unto you1 ',ye shall henceforth return no more that way4' ,neither shall he multiply wives to himself1 that his heart turn not away2 neither shall he greatly multiply to himself silver and gold4 ,how very remarkable that the three things which the king was not to do were just the very things which were done--and extensively done by the greatest and wisest of ,israel's monarchs4 ,king ,solomon made a navy of ships in ,ezion-geber1 which is beside ,eloth1 on the shore of the ,red ,sea1 in the land of ,edom4 ,and ,hiram sent in the navy his servants1 shipmen that had knowledge of the sea1 with the servants of ,solomon4 ,and they came to ,ophir1 and fetched from thence gold1 four hundred and twenty talents over two millions1 and brought it to king ,solomon4 ,and ,hiram sent to the king sixscore talents of gold4 ,and the weight of gold that came to ,solomon in one year was six hundred threescore and six talents of gold nearly three and a half millions1 beside that he had of the merchantmen1 and of the traffic of the spice merchants1 and of all the kings of ,arabia1 and of the governors of the country4 ,again1 we read1 ,and the king made silver to be in ,jerusalem as stones4444 ,and ,solomon had horses brought out of ,egypt4444 ,but king ,solomon loved many strange women4444 ,and he had seven hundred wives1 princesses1 and three hundred concubines2 and his wives turned away his heart4 7#a ,kings ix1 x1 xi47 ,what a tale this tells6 what a commentary it furnishes upon man in his very best and highest estate6 ,here was a man endowed with wisdom beyond all others1 surrounded by unexampled blessings1 dignities1 honors1 and privileges2 his earthly cup was full to the brim2 there was nothing lacking which this world could supply to minister to human happiness4 ,and not only so1 but his remarkable prayer at the dedication of the temple might well lead us to cherish the brightest hopes respecting him1 both personally and officially4 ,but sad to say1 he broke down most deplorably in every one of the particulars as to which the law of his ,god had spoken so definitely and so clearly4 ,he was told not to multiply silver and gold1 and yet he multiplied them2 he was told not to return to ,egypt to multiply horses1 and yet to ,egypt he went for horses2 he was told not to multiply wives1 and yet he had a thousand of them1 and they turned away his heart4 ,such is man6 ,oh1 how little is he to be counted upon6 ,all flesh is as grass1 and all the glory of man as the flower of grass4 ,the grass withereth1 and the flower thereof falleth away4 ,cease ye from man whose breath is in his nostrils1 for wherein is he to be accounted of8 ,but we may ask1 ,how are we to account for ,solomon's signal1 sorrowful1 and humiliating failure8 what was the real secret of it8 ,to answer this1 we must quote for the reader the closing verses of our chapter4 ,and it shall be1 when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom1 that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the ,levites2 and it shall be with him1 and he shall read therein all the days of his life2 that he may learn to fear the ,lord his ,god1 to keep all the words of this law and these statutes1 to do them2 that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren1 and that he turn not aside from the commandment1 to the right hand or to the left2 to the end that he may prolong his days in his kingdom1 he and his children1 in the midst of ,israel4 7,ver4 #ah-bj47 ,had ,solomon attended to these most precious and weighty words1 his historian would have had a very different task to perform2 but he did not4 ,we hear nothing of his having made a copy of the law2 and most assuredly1 if he did make a copy of it1 he did not attend to it--yea1 he turned his back upon it1 and did the very things which he was told not to do4 ,in a word1 the cause of all the wreck and ruin that so rapidly followed the splendor of ,solomon's reign1 was the neglect of the plain ,word of ,god4 ,it is this which makes it all so solemn for us1 in this our own day1 and which leads us to call the earnest attention of the reader to it4 ,we deeply feel the need of seeking to rouse the attention of the whole ,church of ,god to this great subject4 ,neglect of the ,word of ,god is the source of all the failure1 all the sin1 all the error1 all the mischief and confusion1 the heresies1 sects1 and schisms that have ever been or are now in this world4 ,and we may add1 with equal confidence1 that the only real1 sovereign remedy for our present lamentable condition will be found in returning1 every one for himself and herself1 to the simple but sadly neglected authority of the ,word of ,god4 ,let each one see his own departure1 and that of the whole professing body1 from the plain and positive teaching of the ,new ,testament--the commandments of our blessed ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,let us humble ourselves under the mighty hand of our ,god1 because of our common sin1 and let us turn to ,him in true self-judgment1 and ,he will graciously restore and heal and bless us1 and lead us in that most blessed path of obedience which lies open before every truly humble soul4 ,may ,god the ,holy ,ghost1 in ,his own resistless power1 bring home to the heart and conscience of every member of the body of ,christ on the face of the earth1 the urgent need of an immediate and unreserved surrender to the authority of the ,word of ,god4 ,,chapter ,,xviii4 ,the opening paragraph of this chapter suggests a deeply interesting and practical line of truth4 ,the priests the ,levites1 and all the tribe of ,levi1 shall have no part nor inheritance with ,israel2 they shall eat the offerings of the ,lord made by fire1 and ,his inheritance4 ,therefore shall they have no inheritance among their brethren3 the ,lord is their inheritance1 as ,he hath said unto them4 ,and this shall be the priest's due from the people1 from them that offer a sacrifice1 whether it be ox or sheep2 and they shall give unto the priest the shoulder1 and the two cheeks1 and the maw4 ,the first-fruits also of thy corn1 of thy wine1 and of thine oil1 and the first of the fleece of thy sheep shalt thou give him4 ,for the ,lord thy ,god hath chosen him out of all thy tribes1 to stand to minister in the name of the ,lord1 him and his sons forever4 ,and if a ,levite come from any of thy gates out of all ,israel1 where he sojourned1 and come with all the desire of his mind unto the place which the ,lord shall choose2 then he shall minister in the name of the ,lord his ,god1 as all his brethren the ,levites do1 which stand there before the ,lord4 ,they shall have like portions to eat1 beside that which cometh out of the sale of his patrimony4 7,ver4 #a-h47 ,here1 as in every part of the book of ,deuteronomy1 the priests are classed with the ,levites in a very marked way4 ,we have called the reader's attention to this as a special characteristic feature of our book1 and shall not dwell upon it now1 but merely1 in passing1 remind the reader of it1 as something claiming his attention4 ,let him weigh the opening words of our chapter1 ,the priests the ,levites1 and compare them with the way in which the priests the sons of ,aaron are spoken of in ,exodus1 ,leviticus1 and ,numbers2 and if he should be disposed to ask the reason of this distinction1 we believe it to be this1 that in ,deuteronomy the divine object is1 to bring the whole assembly of ,israel more into prominence1 and hence it is that the priests in their official capacity come rarely before us4 ,the grand ,deuteronomic idea is1 ,israel in immediate relationship with ,jehovah4 ,now1 in the passage just quoted1 we have the priests and the ,levites linked together1 and presented as the ,lord's servants1 wholly dependent upon ,him1 and intimately identified with ,his altar and ,his service4 ,this is full of interest1 and opens up a very important field of practical truth1 to which the ,church of ,god would do well to attend4 ,in looking through the history of ,israel1 we observe that when things were in any thing like a healthful condition1 the altar of ,god was well attended to1 and1 as a consequence1 the priests and the ,levites were well supplied4 ,if ,jehovah had ,his portion1 ,his servants were sure to have theirs2 if ,he was neglected1 so were they4 ,they were bound up together4 ,the people were to bring their offerings to ,god1 and ,he shared them with ,his servants4 ,the priests the ,levites were not to exact or demand of the people1 but the people were privileged to bring their gifts to the altar of ,god1 and ,he permitted ,his servants to feed upon the fruit of ,his people's devotedness to ,him4 ,such was the true--the divine idea as to the ,lord's servants of old4 ,they were to live upon the voluntary offerings presented to ,god by the whole congregation4 ,true it is that in the dark and evil days of the sons of ,eli we find something sadly different from this lovely moral order4 ,then1 the priest's custom with the people was1 that when any one offered sacrifice1 the priest's servant came1 while the flesh was in seething1 with a flesh-hook of three teeth in his hand2 and he struck it into the pan1 or kettle1 or caldron1 or pot2 all that the flesh-hook brought up1 the priest took for himself4 ,so they did in ,shiloh unto all the ,israelites that came thither4 ,also before they burnt the fat ,god's special portion1 the priest's servant came1 and said to the man that sacrificed1 ',give flesh to roast for the priest2 for he will not have sodden flesh of thee1 but raw4' ,and if any man said unto him1 ,let them not fail to burn the fat presently1 and then take as much as thy soul desireth2 then he would answer him1 ',nay2 but thou shalt give it me now2 and if not1 ,i will take it by force4' ,wherefore the sin of the young men was very great before the ,lord2 for men abhorred the offering of the ,lord4 7#a ,sam4 ii4 #ac-ag47 ,all this was truly deplorable1 and ended in the solemn judgment of ,god upon the house of ,eli4 ,it could not be otherwise4 ,if those who ministered at the altar could be guilty of such terrible iniquity and impiety1 judgment must take its course4 ,but the normal condition of things1 as presented in our chapter1 was in vivid contrast with all this frightful iniquity4 ,jehovah would surround ,himself with the willing offerings of ,his people1 and from these offerings ,he would feed ,his servants who ministered at ,his altar4 ,hence1 therefore1 when the altar of ,god was diligently1 fervently1 and devotedly attended to1 the priests the ,levites had a rich portion--an abundant supply2 and on the other hand1 when ,jehovah and ,his altar were treated with cold neglect1 or merely waited upon in a barren routine or heartless formalism1 the ,lord's servants were correspondingly neglected4 ,in a word1 they stood intimately identified with the worship and service of the ,god of ,israel4 ,thus1 for example1 in the bright days of the good king ,hezekiah1 when things were fresh and hearts happy and true1 we read1 ,and ,hezekiah appointed the courses of the priests and the ,levites after their courses1 every man according to his service1 the priests and ,levites for burnt-offerings and for peace-offerings1 to minister1 and to give thanks1 and to praise in the gates of the tents of the ,lord4 ,he appointed also the king's portion of his substance for the burnt-offerings1 to wit1 for the morning and evening burnt-offerings1 and the burnt-offerings for the ,sabbaths1 and for the new moons1 and for the set feasts1 as it is written in the law of the ,lord4 ,moreover1 he commanded the people that dwelt in ,jerusalem to give the portion of the priests and the ,levites1 that they might be encouraged in the law of the ,lord4 ,and as soon as the commandment came abroad1 the children of ,israel brought in abundancethe first-fruits of corn1 wine1 and oil1 and honey1 and of all the increase of the field2 and the tithe of all things brought they in abundantly4 ,and concerning the children of ,israel and ,judah1 that dwelt in the cities of ,judah1 they also brought in the tithe of oxen and sheep1 and the tithe of holy things which were consecrated unto the ,lord their ,god1 and laid them by heaps4 ,in the third month they began to lay the foundation of the heaps1 and finished them in the seventh month4 ,and when ,hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps1 they blessed the ,lord and ,his people ,israel4 ,then ,hezekiah questioned with the priests and the ,levites concerning the heaps4 ,and ,azariah the chief priest of the house of ,zadok answered him1 and said1 ',since the people began to bring the offerings into the house of the ,lord1 we have had enough to eat1 and have left plenty2 for the ,lord hath blessed ,his people2 and that which is left is this great store4 7#b ,chron4 xxxi4 #b-aj47 ,how truly refreshing is all this6 and how encouraging6 ,the deep1 full1 silvery tide of devotedness flowed around the altar of ,god1 bearing upon its bosom an ample supply to meet all the need of the ,lord's servants1 and heaps beside4 ,this1 we may feel assured1 was grateful to the heart of the ,god of ,israel1 as it was to the hearts of those who had given themselves1 at ,his call and by ,his appointment1 to the service of ,his altar and ,his sanctuary4 ,and let the reader specially note those precious words1 ,as it is written in the law of the ,lord4 ,here was ,hezekiah's authority1 the solid basis of his whole line of conduct from first to last4 ,true1 the nation's visible unity was gone2 the condition of things when he began his blessed work was most discouraging2 but the word of the ,lord was as true1 as real1 and as direct in its application in ,hezekiah's day as it was in the days of ,david or ,joshua4 ,hezekiah rightly felt that ,deuteronomy xviii4 #a-h applied to his day and to his conscience1 and that he and the people were responsible to act upon it1 according to their ability4 ,were the priests and the ,levites to starve because ,israel's national unity was gone8 ,surely not4 ,they were to stand or fall with the ,word1 the worship1 and the work of ,god4 ,circumstances might vary1 and the ,israelite might find himself in a position in which it would be impossible to carry out in detail all the ordinances of the ,levitical ceremonial1 but he never could find himself in circumstances in which it was not his high privilege to give full expression to his heart's devotedness to the service1 the altar1 and the law of ,jehovah4 ,thus1 then1 we see1 throughout the entire history of ,israel1 that when things were at all bright and healthy1 the ,lord's worship1 ,his work1 and ,his workmen were blessedly attended to2 but on the other hand1 when things were low1 when hearts were cold1 when self and its interests had the uppermost place1 then all these great objects were treated with heartless neglect4 ,look1 for example1 at ,nehemiah xiii4 ,when that beloved and faithful servant returned to ,jerusalem1 after an absence of certain days1 he found1 to his deep sorrow1 that1 even in that short time1 various things had gone sadly astray2 amongst the rest1 the poor ,levites had been left without any thing to eat4 ,and ,i perceived that the portions of the ,levites had not been given them2 for the ,levites and the singers that did the work were fled every one to his field4 ,there were no heaps of first-fruits in those dismal days1 and surely it was hard for men to work and sing when they had nothing to eat4 ,this was not according to the law of ,jehovah1 nor according to ,his loving heart4 ,it was a sad reproach upon the people that the ,lord's servants were obliged1 through their gross neglect1 to abandon ,his worship and ,his work in order to keep themselves from starving4 ,this1 truly1 was a deplorable condition of things4 ,nehemiah felt it keenly1 as we read1 ,then contended ,i with the rulers1 and said1 ',why is the house of ,god forsaken8' ,and ,i gathered them together1 and set them in their place4 ,then brought all ,judah the tithe of the corn1 and the new wine1 and the oil1 unto the treasuries4 ,and ,i made treasurers over the treasuries1 444 for they were counted faithful2--they were entitled to the confidence of their brethren--and their office was to distribute unto their brethren4 ,it needed a number of tried and faithful men to occupy the high position of distributing to their brethren the precious fruit of the people's devotedness2 they could take counsel together1 and see that the ,lord's treasury was faithfully managed1 according to ,his ,word1 and the need of ,his true and bona-fide workmen fully met1 without prejudice or partiality4 ,such was the lovely order of the ,god of ,israel--an order to which every true ,israelite such as ,nehemiah and ,hezekiah would delight to attend4 ,the rich tide of blessing flowed forth from ,jehovah to ,his people1 and back from ,his people to ,him1 and from that flowing tide ,his servants were to draw a full supply for all their need4 ,it was a dishonor to ,him to have the ,levites obliged to return to their fields2 it proved that ,his house was forsaken1 and that there was no sustenance for ,his servants4 ,now1 the question may here be asked1 ,what has all this to say to us8 what has the ,church of ,god to learn from ,deuteronomy xviii4 #a-h8 ,in order to answer this question1 we must turn to #a ,corinthians ix1 where the inspired apostle deals with the very important subject of the support of the ,christian ministry--a subject so little understood by the great mass of professing ,christians4 ,as to the law of the case1 it is as distinct as possible4 ,who goeth a warfare at any time at his own charges8 who planteth a vineyard1 and eateth not of the fruit thereof8 or who feedeth a flock1 and eateth not of the milk of the flock8 ,say ,i these things as a man8 or saith not the law the same also8 ,for it is written in the law of ,moses1 ',thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn4 ,doth ,god take care for oxen8 or saith ,he it altogether for our sakes8 ,for our sakes1 no doubt1 this is written2 that he that ploweth should plow in hope1 and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope4 ,if we have sown unto you spiritual things1 is it a great thing if we shall reap your carnal things8 ,if others be partakers of this power over you1 are not we rather8 ,nevertheless--here grace shines out1 in all its heavenly lustre--we have not used this power2 but suffer all things lest we should hinder the gospel of ,christ4 ,do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple8 and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar8 ,even so hath the ,lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel4 ,but--here again grace asserts its holy dignity--,i have used none of these things2 neither have ,i written these things that it should be so done unto me2 for it were better for me to die than that any man should make my glorying void4 ,for though ,i preach the gospel1 ,i have nothing to glory of2 for necessity is laid upon me2 yea1 woe is unto me if ,i preach not the gospel6 ,for if ,i do this thing willingly1 ,i have a reward2 but if against my will1 a dispensation of the gospel is committed unto me4 ,what is my reward1 then8 ,verily that when ,i preach the gospel1 ,i may make the gospel of ,christ without charge1 that ,i abuse not my power in the gospel4 7,ver4 #g-ah47 ,here we have this interesting and weighty subject presented in all its bearings4 ,the inspired apostle lays down1 with all possible decision and clearness1 the divine law on the point4 ,there is no mistaking it4 ,the ,lord hath ordained that they that preach the gospel should live of the gospel2 that just as the priests and the ,levites of old lived on the offerings presented by the people1 so now1 those who are really called of ,god1 gifted by ,christ1 and fitted by the ,holy ,ghost to preach the gospel1 and who are giving themselves constantly and diligently to that glorious work1 are morally entitled to temporal support4 ,it is not that they should look to those to whom they preach for a certain stipulated sum4 ,there is no such idea as this in the ,new ,testament4 ,the workman must look to his ,master1 and to ,him alone1 for support4 ,woe be to him if he looks to the church1 or to men in any way4 ,the priests and ,levites had their portion in and from ,jehovah4 ,he was the lot of their inheritance4 ,true1 ,he expected the people to minister to ,him in the persons of ,his servants4 ,he told them what to give1 and blessed them in giving3 it was their high privilege1 as well as their bounden duty1 to give2 had they refused or neglected1 it would have brought drought and barrenness upon their fields and vineyards4 7,hag4 i4 #e-aa47 ,but the priests the ,levites had to look only to ,jehovah4 ,if the people failed in their offerings1 the ,levites had to fly to their fields and work for their living4 ,they could not go to law with any one for tithes and offerings2 their only appeal was to the ,god of ,israel1 who had ordained them to the work and given them the work to do4 ,so also with the ,lord's workmen now--they must look only to ,him4 ,they must be well assured that ,he has fitted them for the work1 and called them to it1 ere they attempt to push out 7if we may so express it7 from the shore of circumstances1 and give themselves wholly to the work of preaching4 ,they must take their eyes completely off from men--from all creature-streams and human props1 and lean exclusively upon the living ,god4 ,we have seen the most disastrous consequences resulting from acting under a mistaken impulse in this most solemn matter2 men not called of ,god1 or fitted for the work1 giving up their occupations1 and coming forth1 as they said1 to live by faith and give themselves to the work4 ,deplorable shipwreck was the result in every instance4 ,some1 when they began to look the stern realities of the path straight in the face1 became so alarmed that they actually lost their mental balance1 lost their reason for a time2 some lost their peace1 and some went right back into the world again4 ,in short1 it is our deep and thorough conviction1 after forty years' observation1 that the cases are few and far between in which it is morally safe and good for one to abandon his bread-winning calling in order to preach the gospel4 ,it must be so distinct and unquestionable to the man himself1 that he has only to say1 with ,luther1 at the ,diet of ,worms1 ,here ,i am2 ,i can do no otherwise3 ,god help me6 ,amen4 ,then he may be perfectly sure that ,god will sustain him in the work to which ,he has called him1 and meet all his need according to ,his riches in glory by ,christ ,jesus4 ,and as to men and their thoughts respecting him and his course1 he has simply to refer them to his ,master4 ,he is not responsible to them1 nor has he ever asked them for any thing4 ,if they were compelled to support him1 reason would that they might complain or raise questions2 but as they are not1 they must just leave him1 remembering that to his own ,master he standeth or falleth4 ,but when we look at the splendid passage just quoted from #a ,corinthians ix1 we find that the blessed apostle1 after having established1 beyond all question1 his right to be supported1 relinquishes it completely4--,nevertheless1 ,i have used none of these things4 ,he worked with his hands2 he wrought with labor and travail night and day1 in order not to be chargeable or burdensome to any4 ,these hands1 he says1 have ministered to my necessities1 and those that were with me4 ,he coveted no man's silver or gold or apparel4 ,he traveled1 he preached1 he visited from house to house1 he was the laborious apostle1 the earnest evangelist1 the diligent pastor1 he had the care of all the churches4 ,was not he entitled to support8 ,assuredly he was4 ,it ought to have been the joy of the ,church of ,god to minister to his every need4 ,but he never enforced his claim--nay1 he surrendered it4 ,he supported himself and his companions by the labor of his hands2 and all this as an example1 as he says to the elders of ,ephesus1 ,i have showed you all things1 how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak1 and to remember the words of the ,lord ,jesus1 how ,he said1 ',it is more blessed to give than to receive4' ,now1 it is perfectly wonderful to think of this beloved and revered servant of ,christ1 with his extensive travels from ,jerusalem and round about to ,illyricum1 his gigantic labors as an evangelist1 a pastor1 and a teacher1 and yet finding time to support himself and others by the work of his hands4 ,truly he occupied high moral ground4 ,his case is a standing testimony against hirelingism1 in every shape and form4 ,the infidel's sneering references to well-paid ministers could have no application whatever to him4 ,he certainly did not preach for hire4 ,and yet he thankfully received help from those who knew how to give it4 ,again and again the beloved assembly at ,philippi ministered to the necessities of their revered and beloved father in ,christ4 ,how well for them that they did so6 ,it will never be forgotten4 ,millions have read the sweet record of their devotedness1 and been refreshed by the odor of their sacrifice2 it is recorded in heaven1 where nothing of the kind is ever forgotten--yea1 it is engraved on the very tablets of the heart of ,christ4 ,hear how the blessed apostle pours out his grateful heart to his much-loved children4--,i rejoiced in the ,lord greatly1 that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again2 wherein ye were also careful1 but ye lacked opportunity4 ,not that ,i speak in respect of want2--blessed1 self-denying servant6--for ,i have learned1 in whatsoever state ,i am1 to be content4 ,i know both how to be abased1 and ,i know how to abound2 every where and in all things ,i am instructed both to be full and to be hungry1 both to abound and to suffer need4 ,i can do all things through ,christ1 which strengtheneth me4 ,notwithstanding1 ye have well done that ye did communicate with my affliction4 ,now ye ,philippians know also1 that in the beginning of the gospel1 when ,i departed from ,macedonia1 no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving1 but ye only4 ,for even in ,thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity4 ,not because ,i desire a gift2 but ,i desire fruit that may abound to your account4 ,but ,i have all1 and abound2 ,i am full1 having received from ,epaphroditus the things which were sent from you1 an odor of a sweet smell1 a sacrifice acceptable1 well-pleasing to ,god4 ,but my ,god shall supply all your need according to ,his riches in glory by ,christ ,jesus4 7,phil4 iv4 #aj-ai47 ,what a rare privilege to be allowed to comfort the heart of such an honored servant of ,christ1 at the close of his career1 and in the solitude of his prison at ,rome6 ,how seasonable1 how right1 how lovely1 was their ministry6 ,what joy to receive the apostle's grateful acknowledgments6 and then how precious the assurance that their service had gone up1 as an odor of sweet smell1 to the very throne and heart of ,god6 ,who would not rather be a ,philippian ministering to the apostle's need1 than a ,corinthian calling his ministry in question1 or a ,galatian breaking his heart8 ,how vast the difference6 ,the apostle could not take any thing from the assembly at ,corinth2 their state did not admit of it4 ,individuals in that assembly did minister to him1 and their service is recorded on the page of inspiration1 remembered above1 and it will be abundantly rewarded in the kingdom by and by4 ,i am glad of the coming of ,stephanas and ,fortunatus and ,achaicus2 for that which was lacking on your part they have supplied4 ,for they have refreshed my spirit and yours1 therefore acknowledge ye them that are such4 7#a ,cor4 xvi4 #ag1 #ah47 ,thus1 then1 from all that has passed before us1 we learn most distinctly that both under the law and under the gospel it is according to the revealed will1 and according to the heart of ,god1 that those who are really called of ,him to the work1 and who devote themselves earnestly1 diligently1 and faithfully to it1 should have the hearty sympathy and practical help of ,his people4 ,all who love ,christ will count it their deepest joy to minister to ,him in the persons of ,his servants4 ,when ,he ,himself was here upon earth1 ,he graciously accepted help from the hands of those who loved ,him1 and had reaped the fruit of ,his most precious ministry--certain women1 which had been healed of evil spirits and infirmities1 ,mary1 called ,magdalene1 out of whom went seven devils1 and ,joanna the wife of ,chuza1 ,herod's steward1 and ,susanna1 and many others1 which ministered unto ,him of their substance4 7,luke viii4 #b1 #c47 ,happy1 highly privileged women6 ,what joy to be allowed to minister to the ,lord of glory1 in the days of ,his human need and humiliation6 ,there stand their honored names1 on the divine page1 written down by ,god the ,holy ,ghost1 to be read by untold millions1 to be borne along the stream of time right onward into eternity4 ,how well it was for those women that they did not waste their substance in self-indulgence1 or hoard it up to be rust on their souls1 or a positive curse1 as money must ever be if not used for ,god6 ,but on the other hand1 we learn the urgent need1 on the part of all who take the place of workers1 whether in or out of the assembly1 of keeping themselves perfectly free from all human influence1 all looking to men1 in any shape or form4 ,they must have to do with ,god in the secret of their own souls1 or they will assuredly break down1 sooner or later4 ,they must look to ,him alone for the supply of their need4 ,if the church neglect them1 the church will be the serious loser here and hereafter4 ,if they can support themselves by the labor of their hands1 without curtailing their direct service to ,christ1 so much the better2 it is unquestionably the more excellent way4 ,we are as persuaded of this as of the truth of any proposition that could be submitted to us4 ,there is nothing more spiritually and morally noble than a truly gifted servant of ,christ supporting himself and his family by the sweat of his brow or the sweat of his brain1 and1 at the same time1 giving himself diligently to the ,lord's work1 whether as an evangelist1 a pastor1 or a teacher4 ,the moral antipodes of this is presented to our view in the person of a man who1 without gift or grace or spiritual life1 enters what is called the ministry1 as a mere profession or means of living4 ,the position of such a man is morally dangerous and miserable in the extreme4 ,we shall not dwell upon it1 inasmuch as it does not come within the range of the subject which has been engaging our attention1 and we are only too thankful to leave it and proceed with our chapter4 ,when thou art come into the land which the ,lord thy ,god giveth thee1 thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations4 ,there shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire1 or that useth divination1 or an observer of times1 or an enchanter1 or a witch1 or a charmer1 or a consulter with familiar spirits1 or a wizard1 or a necromancer2 for all that do these things are an abomination unto the ,lord1 and because of these abominations the ,lord thy ,god doth drive them out from before thee4 ,thou shalt be perfect with the ,lord thy ,god4 ,for these nations1 which thou shalt possess1 hearkened unto observers of times1 and unto diviners2 but as for thee1 the ,lord thy ,god hath not suffered thee so to do4 7,ver4 #i-ad47 ,now1 it may be that1 on reading the foregoing quotation1 the reader feels disposed to ask what possible application it can have to professing ,christians4 ,we ask1 in reply1 ,are there any professing ,christians who are in the habit of going to witness the performances of wizards1 magicians1 and necromancers8 are there any who take part in table-turning1 spirit-rapping1 mesmerism1 or clairvoyance8#ah ,if so1 the passage which we have just quoted bears very pointedly and solemnly upon all such4 ,we most surely believe that all these things which we have named are of the devil4 ,this may sound harsh and severe1 but we cannot help that4 ,we are thoroughly persuaded that when people lend themselves to the awful business of bringing up1 in any way1 the spirits of the departed1 they are simply putting themselves into the hands of the devil1 to be deceived and deluded by his lies4 ,what1 we may ask1 do those who hold in their hands a perfect revelation from ,god want of table-turning and spirit-rapping8 ,surely nothing4 ,and if1 not content with that precious ,word1 they turn to the spirits of departed friends or others1 what can they expect but that ,god will judicially give them over to be blinded and deceived by wicked spirits1 who come up and personate the departed1 and tell all manner of lies8 #ah ,some of our readers may object to our classing mesmerism with spirit-rapping and table-turning4 ,it may be they would regard it in the same light1 and use it in the same way1 as ether or chloroform1 in medical practice4 ,we do not attempt to dogmatize on the point4 ,we can only say that we could have nothing whatever to do with it4 ,we consider it a most solemn thing for any one to allow himself to be placed by another in a state of utter unconsciousness1 for any purpose whatsoever4 ,and as to the idea of listening to1 or being guided by1 the ravings of a person in that state1 we can only regard it as absolutely absurd1 if not positively sinful4 ,we cannot attempt to go fully into this subject here2 we have no time1 nor space1 nor inclination1 for any thing of the sort4 ,we merely feel it to be our solemn duty to warn the reader against having any thing whatever to do with consulting departed spirits4 ,we believe it to be most dangerous work4 ,we do not enter upon the question as to whether souls can come back to this world2 no doubt ,god could permit them to come if ,he saw fit1 but this we leave4 ,the great point for us to keep ever before our hearts is1 the perfect sufficiency of divine revelation4 ,what do we want of departed spirits8 ,the rich man imagined that if ,lazarus were to go back to earth and speak to his five brethren1 it would have a great effect4--',i pray thee therefore1 father1 that thou wouldest send him to my father's house2 for ,i have five brethren2 that he may testify unto them1 lest they also come into this place of torment4' ,abraham saith unto him1 ',they have ,moses and the prophets2 let them hear them4' ,and he said1 ',nay1 father ,abraham2 but if one went unto them from the dead1 they will repent4' ,and he said unto him1 ',if they hear not ,moses and the prophets1 neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead4' 7,luke xvi4 #bg-ca47 ,here we have a thorough settlement of this question4 ,if people will not hear the ,word of ,god1 if they will not believe its clear and solemn statements as to themselves1 their present condition1 and their future destiny1 neither will they be persuaded though a thousand departed souls were to come back and tell them what they saw and heard and felt in heaven above or in hell beneath2 it would produce no saving or permanent effect upon them1 ,it might cause great excitement--great sensation1 furnish great material for talk1 and fill the newspapers far and wide2 but there it would end4 ,people would go on all the same with their traffic and gain1 their folly and vanity1 their pleasure-hunting and self-indulgence4 ,if they hear not ,moses and the prophets1 and1 we may add1 ,christ and ,his holy apostles1 neither will they be persuaded though one rose from the dead4 ,the heart that will not bow to ,scripture will not be convinced by any thing2 and as to the true believer1 he has in ,scripture all he can possibly want1 and therefore he has no need to have recourse to table-turning1 spirit-rapping1 or magic4 ,and when they shall say unto you1 ,seek unto them that have familiar spirits1 and unto wizards that peep1 and that mutter2 should not a people seek unto their ,god8 for the living to the dead8 ,to the law and to the testimony2 if they speak not according to this word1 it is because there is no light in them4 7,is4 viii4 #ai1 #bj47 ,here is the divine resource of the ,lord's people1 at all times and in all places2 and to this it is that ,moses refers the congregation in the splendid paragraph which closes our chapter4 ,he shows them very distinctly that they had no need to apply to familiar spirits1 enchanters1 wizards1 or witches1 which were all an abomination to the ,lord4 ,the ,lord thy ,god1 he says1 will raise up unto thee a ,prophet from the midst of thee1 of thy brethren1 like unto me2 unto him ye shall hearken2 according to all that thou desiredst of the ,lord thy ,god in ,horeb in the day of the assembly1 saying1 ',let me not hear again the voice of the ,lord my ,god1 neither let me see this great fire any more1 that ,i die not4' ,and the ,lord said unto me1 ',they have well spoken that which they have spoken4 ,i will raise them up a ,prophet from among their brethren1 like unto thee1 and will put ,my words into his mouth2 and he shall speak unto them all that ,i shall command him4 ,and it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken unto ,my words which he shall speak in ,my name1 ,i will require it of him4 ,but the prophet which shall presume to speak a word in ,my name which ,i have not commanded him to speak1 or that shall speak in the name of other gods1 even that prophet shall die4 ,and if thou say in thine heart1 ,how shall we know the word which the ,lord hath not spoken8 ,when a prophet speaketh in the name of the ,lord1 if the thing follow not1 nor come to pass1 that is the thing which the ,lord hath not spoken1 but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously3 thou shalt not be afraid of him4 7,ver4 #ae-bb47 ,we can be at no loss to know who this ,prophet is1 namely1 our adorable ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,in the third chapter of ,acts1 ,peter so applies the words of ,moses4--,he shall send ,jesus ,christ1 which before was preached unto you2 whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things1 which ,god hath spoken by the mouth of all ,his holy prophets since the world began4 ,for ,moses truly said unto the fathers1 ',a ,prophet shall the ,lord your ,god raise up unto you of your brethren1 like unto me2 him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you4 ,and it shall come to pass that every soul which will not hear that ,prophet shall be destroyed from among the people4' 7,ver4 #bj-bc47 ,how precious the privilege of hearing the voice of such a ,prophet6 ,it is the voice of ,god speaking through the lips of the ,man ,christ ,jesus--speaking1 not in thunder1 not with flaming fire1 nor the lightning's flash1 but in that still small voice of love and mercy which falls in soothing power on the broken heart and contrite spirit1 which distills like the gentle dew of heaven upon the thirsty ground4 ,this voice we have in the holy ,scriptures--that precious revelation which comes so constantly and so powerfully before us in our studies on this blessed book of ,deuteronomy4 ,we must never forget this4 ,the voice of ,scripture is the voice of ,christ1 and the voice of ,christ is the voice of ,god4 ,we want no more4 ,if any one presumes to come with a fresh revelation1 with some new truth not contained in the divine ,volume1 we must judge him and his communication by the standard of ,scripture and reject them utterly4 ,thou shalt not be afraid of him4 ,false prophets come with great pretensions1 high-sounding words1 and sanctimonious bearing4 ,moreover1 they seek to surround themselves with a sort of dignity1 weight1 and impressiveness which are apt to impose on the ignorant4 ,but they cannot stand the searching power of the ,word of ,god4 ,some simple clause of holy ,scripture will strip them of all their imposing surroundings1 and cut up by the roots their wonderful revelations4 ,those who know the voice of the true ,prophet will not listen to any other3 those who have heard the voice of the good ,shepherd will not listen to the voice of a stranger4 ,reader1 see that you listen only to the voice of ,jesus4 ,,chapter ,,xix4 ,when the ,lord thy ,god hath cut off the nations whose land the ,lord thy ,god giveth thee1 and thou succeedest them1 and dwellest in their cities1 and in their houses2 thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land1 which the ,lord thy ,god giveth thee to possess it4 ,thou shalt prepare thee a way1 and divide the coasts of thy land1 which the ,lord thy ,god giveth thee to inherit1 into three parts1 that every slayer may flee thither4 7,ver4 #a-c47 ,what a very striking combination of goodness and severity we observe in these few lines6 ,we have the cutting off of the nations of ,canaan because of their consummated wickedness1 which had become positively unbearable2 and on the other hand1 we have a most touching display of divine goodness in the provision made for the poor man-slayer in the day of his deep distress1 when flying for his life from the avenger of blood4 ,the government and the goodness of ,god are1 we need hardly say1 both divinely perfect4 ,there are cases in which goodness would be nothing but a toleration of sheer wickedness and open rebellion1 which is utterly impossible under the government of ,god4 ,if men imagine that because ,god is good they may go on and sin with a high hand1 they will sooner or later find out their woeful mistake4 ,behold1 says the inspired apostle1 the goodness and severity of ,god6#ai ,god will most assuredly cut off evil-doers who despise ,his goodness and long-suffering mercy4 ,he is slow to anger1 blessed be ,his holy name6 and of great kindness4 ,for hundreds of years ,he bore with the seven nations of ,canaan1 until their wickedness rose up to the very heavens1 and the land itself could bear them no longer4 ,he bore with the enormous wickedness of the guilty cities of the plain2 and if ,he had found even ten righteous people in ,sodom1 ,he would have spared it for their sakes4 ,but the day of terrible vengeance came1 and they were cut off4 #ai ,the word rendered severity is 1 which literally means cutting off4 ,and so will it be ere long with guilty christendom4 ,thou also shalt be cut off4 ,the reckoning-time will come1 and oh1 what a reckoning-time it will be6 ,the heart trembles at the thought of it1 while the eye scans and the pen traces the soul-subduing words4 ,but mark how divine goodness shines out in the opening lines of our chapter4 ,see the gracious painstaking of our ,god to make the city of refuge as available as possible for the slayer4 ,the three cities were to be in the midst of thy land4 ,it would not do to have them in remote corners1 or in places difficult of access4 ,and not only so1 but thou shalt prepare thee a way2 and again1 ,thou shalt divide the coasts of thy land 444 into three parts4 ,everything was to be done to facilitate the slayer's escape4 ,the gracious ,lord thought of the feelings of the distressed one flying for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before him4 ,the city of refuge was to be brought near1 just as the righteousness of ,god is brought near to the poor broken-hearted helpless sinner--so near1 that it is to him that worketh not1 but believeth on ,him that justifieth the ungodly4 ,there is peculiar sweetness in the expression1 ,thou shalt prepare thee a way4 ,how like our own ever-gracious ,god--the ,god and ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ6 and yet it was the same ,god that cut off the nations of ,canaan in righteous judgment who thus made such gracious provision for the man-slayer4 ,behold1 the goodness and severity of ,god4 ,and this is the case of the slayer1 which shall flee thither1 that he may live3 ,whoso killeth his neighbor ignorantly1 whom he hated not in time past2 as when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbor to hew wood1 and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree1 and the head slippeth from the helve1 and lighteth upon his neighbor1 that he die2 he shall flee unto one of those cities and live2 lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer1 while his heart is hot1 and overtake him1 because the way is long1--most touching and exquisite grace6--and slay him2 whereas he was not worthy of death1 inasmuch as he hated him not in time past4 ,wherefore ,i command thee1 saying1 ',thou shalt separate three cities for thee4' 7,ver4 #d-g47 ,here we have a most minute description of the man for whom the city of refuge was provided4 ,if he did not answer to this1 the city was not for him2 but if he did1 he might feel the most perfect assurance that a gracious ,god had thought of him1 and found a refuge for him1 where he might be as safe as the hand of ,god could make him4 ,once the slayer found himself within the precincts of the city of refuge1 he might breathe freely1 and enjoy calm and sweet repose4 ,no avenging sword could reach him there1 not a hair of his head could be touched there4 ,he was safe--yes1 perfectly safe2 and not only perfectly safe1 but perfectly certain4 ,he was not hoping to be saved1 he was sure of it4 ,he was in the city1 and that was enough4 ,before he got in1 he might have many a struggle deep down in his poor terrified heart1 many doubts and fears and painful exercises4 ,he was flying for his life1 and this was a serious and an all-absorbing matter for him--a matter that would make all beside seem light and trifling4 ,we could not imagine the flying slayer stopping to gather flowers by the roadside4 ,flowers6 he would say1 ,what have ,i to do with flowers just now8 ,my life is at stake4 ,i am flying for my life4 ,what if the avenger should come and find me gathering flowers8 ,no2 the city is my one grand and all-engrossing object3 nothing else has the smallest interest or charm for me4 ,i want to be saved2 that is my exclusive business now4 ,but the moment he found himself within the blessed gates1 he was safe1 and he knew it4 ,how did he know it8 ,by his feelings8 by his evidences8 by experience8 ,nay2 but simply by the ,word of ,god4 ,no doubt he had the feeling1 the evidence1 and the experience1 and most precious they would be to him after his tremendous struggle and conflict to get in2 but these things were by no means the ground of his certainty or the basis of his peace4 ,he knew he was safe because ,god told him so4 ,the grace of ,god had made him safe1 and the ,word of ,god made him sure4 ,we cannot conceive a man-slayer within the walls of the city of refuge expressing himself as many of the ,lord's dear people do in reference to the question of safety and certainty4 ,he would not deem it presumption to be sure he was safe4 ,if any one had asked him1 ,are you sure you are safe8 ,sure6 he would say1 ,how can ,i be otherwise than sure8 ,was ,i not a slayer8 have ,i not fled to this city of refuge8 has not ,jehovah1 our covenant-,god1 pledged ,his ,word for it8 has ,he not said that fleeing thither he may live8 ,yes1 thank ,god1 ,i am perfectly sure4 ,i had a terrible run for it--a fearful struggle4 ,at times1 ,i almost felt as if the avenger had me in his dreaded grasp4 ,i gave myself up for lost2 but then1 ,god1 in ,his infinite mercy1 made the way so plain1 and made the city so easy of access to me1 that1 spite of all my doubts and fears1 here ,i am1 safe and certain4 ,the struggle is all over1 the conflict past and gone4 ,i can breathe freely now1 and walk up and down in the perfect security of this blessed place1 praising our gracious covenant-,god for ,his great goodness in having provided such a sweet retreat for a poor slayer like me4 ,can the reader speak thus as to his safety in ,christ8 ,is he saved1 and does he know it8 ,if not1 may the ,spirit of ,god apply to his heart the simple illustration of the man-slayer within the walls of the city of refuge4 ,may he know that strong consolation which is the sure1 because divinely appointed1 portion of all those who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them4 7,heb4 vi4 #ah47 ,we must now proceed with our chapter2 and in so doing1 we shall find that there was more to be thought of in the cities of refuge than the question of the slayer's safety4 ,that was provided for perfectly1 as we have seen2 but the glory of ,god1 the purity of ,his land1 and the integrity of ,his government had to be duly maintained4 ,if these things were touched1 there could be no safety for any one4 ,this great principle shines on every page of the history of ,god's ways with man4 ,man's true blessing and ,god's glory are indissolubly bound together1 and both the one and the other rest on the same imperishable foundation1 namely1 ,christ and ,his precious work4 ,and if the ,lord thy ,god enlarge thy coasts1 as ,he hath sworn unto thy fathers1 and give thee all the land which ,he promised to give unto thy fathers2 if thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them1 which ,i command thee this day1 to love the ,lord thy ,god1 and to walk ever in ,his ways2 then shalt thou add three cities more for thee1 beside these three2 that innocent blood be not shed in thy land1 which the ,lord thy ,god giveth thee for an inheritance1 and so blood be upon thee4 ,but if any man hate his neighbor1 and lie in wait for him1 and rise up against him1 and smite him mortally that he die1 and fleeth into one of these cities2 then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence1 and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood1 that he may die4 ,thine eye shall not pity him1 but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from ,israel1 that it may go well with thee4 7,ver4 #h-ac47 ,thus1 whether it was grace for the slayer1 or judgment for the murderer1 the glory of ,god and the claims of ,his government had to be duly maintained4 ,the unwitting man-slayer was met by the provision of mercy2 the guilty murderer fell beneath the stern sentence of inflexible justice4 ,we must never forget the solemn reality of divine government4 ,it meets us every where2 and if it were more fully recognized1 it would effectually deliver us from one-sided views of the divine character4 ,take such words as these--,thine eye shall not pity him4 ,who uttered them8 ,jehovah4 ,who penned them8 ,god the ,holy ,ghost4 ,what do they mean8 ,solemn judgment upon wickedness4 ,let men beware how they trifle with these weighty matters4 ,let the ,lord's people beware how they give place to foolish reasonings in reference to things wholly beyond their range4 ,let them remember that a false sentimentality may constantly be found in league with an audacious infidelity in calling in question the solemn enactments of divine government4 ,this is a very serious consideration4 ,evil-doers must look out for the sure judgment of a sin-hating ,god4 ,if a willful murderer presumed to avail himself of ,god's provision for the ignorant man-slayer1 the hand of justice laid hold of him and put him to death1 without mercy4 ,such was the government of ,god in ,israel of old1 and such will it be in a day that is rapidly approaching4 ,just now1 ,god is dealing in long-suffering mercy with the world2 this is the day of salvation--the acceptable time4 ,the day of vengeance is at hand4 ,oh that man1 instead of reasoning about the justice of ,god's dealings with evil-doers1 would flee for refuge to that precious ,saviour who died on the cross to save us from the flames of an everlasting hell6#bj #bj ,for other points presented in the cities of refuge we must refer the reader to ,notes on the ,book of ,numbers1 chapter xxxv4 ,before quoting for the reader the closing paragraph of our chapter1 we would just call his attention to verse #ad1 in which we have a very beautiful proof of ,god's tender care for ,his people1 and ,his most gracious interest in every thing which directly or indirectly concerned them4 ,thou shalt not remove thy neighbor's landmark1 which they of old time have set in thine inheritance1 which thou shalt inherit in the land that the ,lord thy ,god giveth thee to possess it4 ,this passage1 taken in its plain import and primary application1 is full of sweetness1 as presenting the loving heart of our ,god1 and showing us how marvelously ,he entered into all the circumstances of ,his beloved people4 ,the landmarks were not to be meddled with4 ,each one's portion was to be left intact1 according to the boundary-lines set up by those of old time4 ,jehovah had given the land to ,israel1 and not only so1 but ,he had assigned to each tribe and to each family their proper portion1 marked off with perfect precision1 and indicated by landmarks so plain that there could be no confusion1 no clashing of interests1 no interference one with another1 no ground for lawsuit or controversy about property4 ,there stood the ancient landmarks1 marking off each one's portion in such a manner as to remove all possible ground of dispute4 ,each one held as a tenant under the ,god of ,israel1 who knew all about his little holding1 as we say1 and every tenant had the comfort of knowing that the eye of the gracious and almighty ,landlord was upon his bit of land1 and ,his hand over it to protect it from every intruder4 ,thus he could abide in peace under his vine and under his fig-tree1 enjoying the portion assigned him by the ,god of ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob4 ,thus much as to the obvious sense of this beautiful clause of our chapter2 but surely it has a deep spiritual meaning also4 ,are there not spiritual landmarks for the ,church of ,god1 and for each individual member thereof1 marking off1 with divine accuracy1 the boundaries of our heavenly inheritance--those landmarks which they of old time1 even the apostles of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ1 have set up4 ,assuredly there are1 and ,god has ,his eye upon them1 and ,he will not permit them to be removed with impunity4 ,woe be to the man that attempts to touch them2 he will have to give account to ,god for so doing4 ,it is a serious thing for any one to interfere1 in any way1 with the place1 portion1 and prospect of the ,church of ,god2 and it is to be feared that many are doing it without being aware of it4 ,we do not attempt to go into the question of what these landmarks are2 we have sought to do this in our first volume of ,notes on ,deuteronomy1 as well as in the other four volumes of the series2 but we feel it to be our duty to warn1 in the most solemn manner1 all whom it may concern against doing that which1 in the ,church of ,god1 answers to the removal of the landmarks in ,israel4 ,if any one had come forward in the land of ,israel to suggest some new arrangement in the inheritance of the tribes1 to adjust the property of each upon some new principle1 to set up some new boundary-lines1 what would have been the reply of the faithful ,israelite8 ,a very simple one1 we may be sure4 ,he would have replied in the language of ,deuteronomy xix4 #ad4 ,he would have said1 ,we want no novelties here2 we are perfectly content with those sacred and time-honored landmarks which they of old time have set in our inheritance4 ,we are determined1 by the grace of ,god1 to keep to them1 and to resist1 with firm purpose1 any modern innovation4 ,such1 we believe1 would have been the prompt reply of every true member of the congregation of ,israel2 and surely the ,christian ought not to be less prompt or less decided in his answer to all those who1 under the plea of progress and development1 would remove the landmarks of the ,church of ,god and1 instead of the precious teaching of ,christ and ,his apostles1 offer us the so-called light of science and the resources of philosophy4 ,thank ,god1 we want them not4 ,we have ,christ and ,his ,word2 what can be added to these8 ,what do we want of human progress or development1 when we have that which was from the beginning8 ,what can science or philosophy do for those who possess all truth8 ,no doubt1 we want--yea1 long to make progress in the knowledge of ,christ2 long for a fuller1 clearer development of the life of ,christ in our daily history2 but science and philosophy cannot help us in these2 nay1 they could only prove a most serious hindrance4 ,christian reader1 let us seek to keep close to ,christ1 close to ,his ,word4 ,this is our only security in this dark and evil day4 ,apart from ,him1 we are nothing1 have nothing1 can do nothing2 in ,him1 we have all4 ,he is the portion of our cup and the lot of our inheritance4 ,may we know what it is not only to be safe in ,him1 but separated to ,him1 and satisfied with ,him1 till that bright day when we shall see ,him as ,he is1 and be like ,him and with ,him forever4 ,we shall now do little more than quote the few remaining verses of our chapter4 ,they need no exposition4 ,they set forth wholesome truth1 to which professing ,christians1 with all their light and knowledge1 may well give attention4 ,one witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity1 or for any sin1 in any sin that he sinneth2 at the mouth of two witnesses1 or at the mouth of three witnesses1 shall the matter be established4 7,ver4 #ae47 ,this subject has already come before us4 ,it cannot be too strongly insisted upon4 ,we may judge of its importance from the fact that not only does ,moses again and again press it upon ,israel's attention1 but our ,lord ,jesus ,christ ,himself1 and the ,holy ,ghost in the apostle ,paul1 in two of his epistles1 insists upon the principle of two or three witnesses1 in every case4 ,one witness1 be he ever so trustworthy1 is not sufficient to decide a case4 ,if this plain fact were more carefully weighed and duly attended to1 it would put an end to a vast amount of strife and contention4 ,we1 in our fancied wisdom1 might imagine that one thoroughly reliable witness ought to be sufficient to settle any question4 ,let us remember that ,god is wiser than we are1 and that it is ever our truest wisdom1 as well as our greatest moral security1 to hold fast by ,his unerring ,word4 ,if a false witness rise up against any man1 to testify against him that which is wrong2 then both the men1 between whom the controversy is1 shall stand before the ,lord1 before the priests and the judges which shall be in those days2 and the judges shall make diligent inquisition3 and1 behold1 if the witness be a false witness1 and have testified falsely against his brother2 then shall ye do unto him as he had thought to have done unto his brother3 so shalt thou put the evil away from among you4 ,and those which remain shall hear and fear1 and shall henceforth commit no more any such evil among you4 ,and thine eye shall not pity2 but life shall go for life1 eye for eye1 tooth for tooth1 hand for hand1 foot for foot4 7,ver4 #af-ba47 ,we may here see how ,god hates false witness2 and further1 we have to bear in mind that though we are not under law1 but under grace1 false witness is not less hateful to ,god2 and surely the more fully we enter into the grace in which we stand1 the more intensely we shall abhor false witness1 slander1 and evil-speaking1 in every shape and form4 ,the good ,lord preserve us from all such4 ,,chapter ,,xx4 ,when thou goest out to battle against thine enemies1 and seest horses and chariots1 and a people more than thou1 be not afraid of them2 for the ,lord thy ,god is with thee1 which brought thee up out of the land of ,egypt4 ,and it shall be1 when ye are come nigh unto the battle1 that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people1 and shall say unto them1 ,hear1 ,o ,israel6 ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies2 let not your hearts faint2 fear not1 and do not tremble1 neither be ye terrified because of them2 for the ,lord your ,god is ,he that goeth with you to fight for you against your enemies1 to save you4 7,ver4 #a-d47 ,how wonderful to think of the ,lord as a ,man of war6 ,think of ,his fighting against people6 ,some find it very hard to take in the idea--hard to understand how a benevolent ,being could act in such a character4 ,but the difficulty arises mainly from not distinguishing between the different dispensations4 ,it was just as consistent with the character of the ,god of ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob to fight against ,his enemies1 as it is with the character of the ,god and ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ to forgive them4 ,and inasmuch as it is the revealed character of ,god that furnishes the model on which ,his people are to be formed--the standard by which they are to act1 it was quite as consistent for ,israel to cut their enemies in pieces as it is for us to love them1 pray for them1 and do them good4 ,if this very simple principle were borne in mind1 it would remove a quantity of misunderstanding1 and save a vast amount of unintelligent discussion4 ,no doubt it is thoroughly wrong for the ,church of ,god to go to war4 ,no one can read the ,new ,testament with a mind free from bias and not see this4 ,we are positively commanded to love our enemies1 to do good to them that hate us1 and to pray for them that despitefully use us4 ,put up again thy sword into his place1 for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword4 ,and again1 in another gospel1 ,then said ,jesus unto ,peter1 ',put up thy sword into the sheath3 the cup which ,my ,father hath given ,me1 shall ,i not drink it8' ,again1 our ,lord says to ,pilate1 ,my kingdom is not of this world3 if ,my kingdom were of this world1 then would ,my servants fight--it would be perfectly consistent for them so to do2--but now is ,my kingdom not from hence--and therefore it would be wholly out of character1 utterly inconsistent1 thoroughly wrong1 for them to fight4 ,all this is so plain that we need only say1 ,how readest thou8 ,our blessed ,lord did not fight2 ,he meekly and patiently submitted to all manner of abuse and ill-treatment1 and in so doing1 ,he left us an example1 that we should follow ,his steps4 ,if we only honestly ask ourselves the question1 ,what would ,jesus do8 it would close all discussion on this point1 as well as upon a thousand other points besides4 ,there is really no use in reasoning--no need of it4 ,if the words and ways of our blessed ,lord1 and the distinct teaching of ,his ,spirit by ,his holy apostles1 be not sufficient for our guidance1 all discussion is utterly vain4 ,and if we be asked1 ,what does the ,holy ,ghost teach on this great practical point8 hear ,his precious1 clear1 and pointed words4--,dearly beloved1 avenge not yourselves2 but rather give place unto wrath2 for it is written1 ',vengeance is ,mine2 ,i will repay1 saith the ,lord4' ,therefore1 if thine enemy hunger1 feed him2 if he thirst1 give him drink2 for in so doing1 thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head4 ,be not overcome of evil1 but overcome evil with good4 7,rom4 xii47 ,these are the lovely ethics of the ,church of ,god1 the principles of that heavenly kingdom to which all true ,christians belong4 ,would they have suited ,israel of old8 ,certainly not4 ,only conceive ,joshua acting toward the ,canaanites on the principles of ,romans xii6 ,it would have been as flagrant an inconsistency as for us to act on the principle of ,deuteronomy xx4 ,how is this8 ,simply because in ,joshua's day ,god was executing judgment in righteousness1 whereas now ,he is dealing in unqualified grace4 ,this makes all the difference4 ,the principle of divine action is the grand moral regulator for ,god's people in all ages4 ,if this be seen1 all difficulty is removed1 all discussion definitively closed4 ,but then1 if any feel disposed to ask1 ,what about the world8 how could it get on upon the principle of grace8 ,could it act on the doctrine of ,romans xii4 #bj8 ,not for a moment4 ,the idea is simply absurd4 ,to attempt to amalgamate the principles of grace with the law of nations1 or to infuse the spirit of the ,new ,testament into the frame-work of political economy1 would instantly plunge civilized society into hopeless confusion4 ,and here is just where many most excellent and well-meaning people are astray4 ,they want to press the nations of the world into the adoption of a principle which would be destructive of their national existence4 ,the time is not come yet for nations to beat their swords into plowshares1 and their spears into pruning-hooks1 and learn war no more4 ,that blessed time will come1 thank ,god1 when this groaning earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the ,lord as the waters cover the sea2 but to seek to get nations now to act upon peace principles is simply to ask them to cease to be--in a word1 it is thoroughly hopeless1 unintelligent labor4 ,it cannot be4 ,we are not called upon to regulate the world1 but to pass through it as pilgrims and strangers4 ,jesus did not come to set the world right4 ,he came to seek and to save that which was lost2 and as to the world1 ,he testified of it that its deeds were evil4 ,he will1 ere long1 come to set things right2 ,he will take to ,himself ,his great power and reign4 ,the kingdoms of this world shall most assuredly become the kingdoms of our ,lord and of ,his ,christ4 ,he will gather out of ,his kingdom all things that offend1 and them that do iniquity4 ,all this is most blessedly true1 but we must wait ,his time4 ,it can be of no possible use for us1 by our ignorant efforts1 to seek to bring about a condition of things which all ,scripture goes to prove can only be introduced by the personal presence and rule of our beloved and adorable ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,but we must proceed with our chapter4 ,israel were called to fight the ,lord's battles4 ,the moment they put their foot upon the land of ,canaan it was war to the knife with the doomed inhabitants4 ,of the cities of these people which the ,lord thy ,god doth give thee for an inheritance1 thou shalt save alive nothing that breatheth4 ,this was distinct and emphatic4 ,the seed of ,abraham were not only to possess the land of ,canaan1 but they were to be ,god's instruments in executing ,his just judgment upon the guilty inhabitants1 whose sins had risen up to heaven1 and become absolutely intolerable4 ,does any one feel called upon to apologize for the divine actings toward the seven nations of ,canaan8 ,if so1 let him be well assured of this1 that his labor is perfectly gratuitous1 entirely uncalled for4 ,what folly for any poor worm of the earth to think of entering upon such work6 and what folly1 too1 for any one to require an apology or an explanation6 ,it was a high honor put upon ,israel to exterminate those guilty nations--an honor of which they proved themselves utterly unworthy1 inasmuch as they failed to do as they were commanded4 ,they left alive many of those who ought to have been utterly destroyed2 they spared them to be the wretched instruments of their own ultimate ruin1 by leading them into the self-same sins which had so loudly called for divine judgment4 ,but let us look for a moment at the qualifications which were necessary for those who would fight the ,lord's battles4 ,we shall find the opening paragraph of our chapter full of most precious instruction for ourselves in the spiritual warfare which we are called to wage4 ,the reader will observe that the people1 on approaching to the battle1 were to be addressed1 first1 by the priest1 and secondly1 by the officers4 ,this order is very beautiful4 ,the priests came forward to unfold to the people their high privileges2 the officers came to remind them of their holy responsibilities4 ,such is the divine order here4 ,privilege comes first1 and then responsibility4 ,the priest shall approach and speak unto the people1 and shall say unto them1 ,hear1 ,o ,israel6 ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies2 let not your hearts faint1 fear not1 and do not tremble1 neither be ye terrified because of them2 for the ,lord your ,god is ,he that goeth with you1 to fight for you against your enemies1 to save you4 ,what blessed words are these6 how full of comfort and encouragement6 how eminently calculated to banish all fear and depression1 and to infuse courage and confidence into the most sinking1 fainting heart6 ,the priest was the very expression of the grace of ,god1--his ministry a stream of most precious consolation flowing from the loving heart of the ,god of ,israel to each individual warrior4 ,his loving words were designed and fitted to gird up the loins of the mind1 and nerve the feeblest arm for fight4 ,he assures them of the divine presence with them4 ,there is no question1 no condition1 no if1 no but4 ,it is an unqualified statement4 ,jehovah ,elohim was with them4 ,this surely was enough4 ,it mattered not1 in the smallest degree1 how many1 how powerful1 or how formidable were their enemies1 they would all prove to be as chaff before the whirlwind in the presence of the ,lord of ,hosts1 the ,god of the armies of ,israel4 ,but then the officer had to be heard as well as the priest4--,and the officers shall speak unto the people1 saying1 ,what man is there that hath built a new house and hath not dedicated it8 let him go and return to his house1 lest he die in the battle1 and another man dedicate it4 ,and what man is he that hath planted a vineyard and hath not yet eaten of it8 let him also go and return unto his house1 lest he die in the battle1 and another man eat of it4 ,and what man is there that hath betrothed a wife and hath not taken her8 let him go and return unto his house1 lest he die in the battle1 and another man take her4 ,and the officers shall speak further unto the people1 and they shall say1 ,what man is there that is fearful and fainthearted8 let him go and return unto his house1 lest his brethren's heart faint as well as his heart4 ,and it shall be that when the officers have made an end of speaking unto the people1 that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people4 7,ver4 #e-i47 ,thus we learn that there were two things absolutely essential to all who would fight the ,lord's battles1 namely1 a heart thoroughly disentangled from the things of nature and of earth1 and a bold unclouded confidence in ,god4 ,no man that warreth entangleth himself with the affairs of this life1 that he may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier4 ,there is a very material difference between being engaged in the affairs of this life and being entangled by them4 ,a man might have had a house1 a vineyard1 and a wife and yet have been fit for the battle4 ,these things were not1 in themselves1 a hindrance2 but it was having them under such conditions as rendered them an entanglement that unfitted a man for the conflict4 ,it is well to bear this in mind4 ,we1 as ,christians1 are called to carry on a constant spiritual warfare4 ,we have to fight for every inch of heavenly ground4 ,what the ,canaanites were to ,israel1 the wicked spirits in the heavenlies are to us4 ,we are not called to fight for eternal life2 we have gotten that as ,god's free gift before we begin4 ,we are not called to fight for salvation2 we are saved before we enter upon the conflict4 ,it is most needful to know what it is that we have to fight for1 and whom we are to fight with4 ,the object for which we fight is1 to make good1 maintain1 and carry out practically our heavenly position and character in the midst of the scenes and circumstances of ordinary human life from day to day4 ,and then as to our spiritual foes1 they are wicked spirits1 who1 during this present time1 are permitted to occupy the heavenlies4 ,we wrestle not against flesh and blood1 as ,israel had to do in ,canaan1 but against principalities1 against powers1 against the world-rulers of this darkness1 against wicked spirits in the heavenlies4 ,now1 the question is1 what do we want in carrying on such a conflict as this8 ,must we abandon our lawful earthly callings8 must we detach ourselves from those relationships founded on nature and sanctioned of ,god8 ,is it needful to become an ascetic1 a mystic1 or a monk in order to carry on the spiritual warfare to which we are called8 ,by no means2 indeed1 for a ,christian to do any one of these things would1 in itself1 be a proof that he had completely mistaken his calling1 or that he had1 at the very outset1 fallen in the battle4 ,we are imperatively called upon to work with our hands the thing which is good1 that we may have to give to him that needeth4 ,and not only so1 but we have the most ample guidance1 in the pages of the ,new ,testament1 as to how we are to carry ourselves in the varied natural relationships which ,god ,himself has established1 and to which ,he has affixed the seal of ,his approval4 ,hence it is perfectly plain that earthly callings and natural relationships are1 in themselves1 no hindrance to our waging a successful spiritual warfare4 ,what1 then1 is needed by the ,christian warrior8 ,a heart thoroughly disentangled from things earthly and natural1 and an unclouded confidence in ,god4 ,but how are these things to be maintained8 ,hear the divine reply3 ,wherefore take unto you the whole armor of ,god1 that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day1--that is1 the whole time from the cross to the coming of ,christ1--and having done all1 to stand4 ,stand1 therefore2 having your loins girt about with truth1 and having on the breastplate of righteousness1 and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace2 above all1 taking the shield of faith1 wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked4 ,and take the helmet of salvation1 and the sword of the ,spirit1 which is the ,word of ,god4 ,praying always with all prayer and supplication in the ,spirit1 and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints4 7,eph4 vi47 ,reader1 mark the qualification of a ,christian warrior as here set forth by the ,holy ,ghost4 ,it is not the question of a house1 a vineyard1 or a wife1 but of having the inward man governed by truth1 the outward conduct characterized by real practical righteousness1 the moral habits and ways marked by the sweet peace of the gospel1 the whole man covered by the impenetrable shield of faith1 the seat of the understanding guarded by the full assurance of salvation1 and the heart continually sustained and strengthened by persevering prayer and supplication1 and led forth in earnest intercession for all saints1 and specially for the ,lord's beloved workmen and their blessed work4 ,this is the way in which the spiritual ,israel of ,god are to be furnished for the warfare which they are called to wage with wicked spirits in the heavenlies4 ,may the ,lord1 in ,his infinite goodness1 make all these things very real in our souls' experience1 and in our practical career from day to day4 ,the close of our chapter contains the principles which were to govern ,israel in their warfare4 ,they were most carefully to discriminate between the cities which were very far off from them and those that pertained to the seven judged nations4 ,to the former1 they were1 in the first place1 to make overtures of peace2 with the latter1 on the contrary1 they were to make no terms whatever4 ,when thou comest nigh unto a city to fight against it1 then proclaim peace unto it--a marvelous method of fighting6--,and it shall be1 if it make thee answer of peace1 and open unto thee1 then it shall be that all the people that is found therein shall be tributaries unto thee1 and they shall serve thee4 ,and if it will make no peace with thee1 but will make war against thee1 then thou shalt besiege it2 and when the ,lord thy ,god hath delivered it into thine hands1 thou shalt smite every male thereof--as expressing the positive energy of evil--with the edge of the sword4 ,but the women1 and the little ones1 and the cattle1 and all that is in the city1 even all the spoil thereof--all that was capable of being turned to account in the service of ,god and of ,his people--thou shalt take unto thyself2 and thou shalt eat the spoil of thine enemies1 which the ,lord thy ,god hath given thee4 ,thus shalt thou do unto all the cities which are very far off from thee1 which are not of the cities of these nations4 ,indiscriminate slaughter and wholesale destruction formed no part of ,israel's business4 ,if any cities were disposed to accept the proffered terms of peace1 they were to have the privilege of becoming tributaries to the people of ,god2 and in reference to those cities which would make no peace1 all within their walls which could be made use of was to be reserved4 ,there are things in nature and things of earth which are capable of being used for ,god--they are sanctified by the ,word of ,god and prayer4 ,we are told to make to ourselves friends of the mammon of unrighteousness1 that when we fail1 they may receive us into everlasting habitations2 which simply means that if this world's riches come into the ,christian's hands1 he should diligently and faithfully use them in the service of ,christ2 he should freely distribute them to the poor1 and to all the ,lord's needy workmen2 in short1 he should make them available1 in every right and prudent way1 for the furtherance of the ,lord's work in every department4 ,in this way1 the very riches which else might crumble into dust in their hands1 or prove to be as rust on their souls1 shall produce precious fruit that shall serve to minister an abundant entrance into the everlasting kingdom of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,many seem to find considerable difficulty in ,luke xvi4 #i1 but its teaching is as clear and forcible as it is practically important4 ,we find very similar instruction in #a ,timothy vi4--,charge them that are rich in this world1 that they be not high-minded1 nor trust in uncertain riches1 but in the living ,god1 who giveth us richly all things to enjoy2 that they do good1 that they be rich in good works1 ready to distribute1 willing to communicate1 laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come1 that they may lay hold on eternal life4#ba ,there is not a fraction which we spend directly and simply for ,christ which will not be before us by and by4 ,the thought of this1 though it should not by any means be a motive-spring1 may well encourage us to devote all we have and all we are to the service of our blessed ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 #ba ,it may interest the reader to know that the four leading authorities agree in reading instead of in #a ,timothy vi4 #ai4 ,thus the passage would be1 ,that they may lay hold on life in earnest1 or in reality4 ,the only real life is1 to live for ,christ--to live in the light of eternity--to use all we possess for the promotion of ,god's glory and with an eye to the everlasting mansions4 ,this1 and only this1 is life in earnest4 ,such is the plain teaching of ,luke xvi4 and #a ,timothy vi2 let us see that we understand it4 ,the expression1 ,that they may receive you into everlasting habitations simply means that what is spent for ,christ will be rewarded in the day that is coming4 ,even a cup of cold water given in ,his precious name shall have its sure reward in ,his everlasting kingdom4 ,oh1 to spend and be spent for ,him6 ,but we must close this section by quoting the few last lines of our chapter1 in which we have a very beautiful illustration of the way in which our ,god looks after the smallest matters1 and ,his gracious care that nothing should be lost or injured4 ,when thou shalt besiege a city a long time1 in making war against it to take it1 thou shalt not destroy the trees thereof1 by forcing an ax against them2 for thou mayest eat of them1 and thou shalt not cut them down 7for the tree of the field is man's life7 to employ them in the siege2 only the trees which thou knowest that they be not trees for meat1 thou shalt destroy and cut them down2 and thou shalt build bulwarks against the city that maketh war with thee1 until it be subdued4 7,ver4 #ai1 #bj47 ,let nothing be lost1 is the ,master's own word to us--a word which should ever be kept in remembrance4 ,every creature of ,god is good1 and nothing to be refused4 ,we should carefully guard against all reckless waste of aught that can be made available for human use4 ,those who occupy the place of domestic servants should give their special attention to this matter4 ,it is painful1 at times1 to witness the sinful waste of human food4 ,many a thing is flung out as offal which might supply a welcome meal for a needy family4 ,if a ,christian servant should read these lines1 we would earnestly entreat him or her to weigh this subject in the divine presence1 and never to practice or sanction the waste of the smallest atom that is capable of being turned to account for human use4 ,we may depend upon it that to waste any creature of ,god is displeasing in ,his sight4 ,let us remember that ,his eye is upon us2 and may it be our earnest desire to be agreeable to ,him in all our ways4 ,,chapter ,,xxi4 ,if one be found slain in the land which the ,lord thy ,god giveth thee to possess it1 lying in the field1 and it be not known who hath slain him2 then thy elders and thy judges--the guardians of the claims of truth and righteousness--shall come forth1 and they shall measure unto the cities that are round about him that is slain2 and it shall be1 that the city which is next unto the slain man1 even the elders of that city shall take a heifer1 which hath not been wrought with1 and hath not drawn in the yoke2 and the elders of that city shall bring down the heifer unto a rough valley which is neither eared nor sown1 and shall strike off the heifer's neck there in the valley4 ,and the priests the sons of ,levi--exponents of grace and mercy--shall come near2 for them the ,lord thy ,god hath chosen to minister unto ,him1 and to bless in the name of the ,lord1 and by their word shall every controversy and every stroke be tried2--blessed1 comforting fact6--and all the elders of that city that are next unto the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley2 and they shall answer and say1 ,our hands have not shed this blood1 neither have our eyes seen it4 ,be merciful1 ,o ,lord1 unto ,thy people ,israel1 whom ,thou hast redeemed1 and lay not innocent blood to ,thy people of ,israel's charge4 ,and the blood shall be forgiven them4 ,so shalt thou put away the guilt of innocent blood from among you1 when thou shalt do that which is right in the sight of the ,lord4 7,ver4 #a-i47 ,a very suggestive and interesting passage of holy ,scripture now lies open before us1 and claims our attention4 ,a sin is committed--a man is found slain in the land1 but no one knows aught about it2 no one can tell whether it is murder or manslaughter1 or who committed the deed4 ,it lies entirely beyond the range of human knowledge2 and yet there it is--an undeniable fact4 ,sin has been committed1 and it lies as a stain on the ,lord's land1 and man is wholly incompetent to deal with it4 ,what1 then1 is to be done8 ,the glory of ,god and the purity of ,his land must be maintained4 ,he knows all about it1 and ,he alone can deal with it2 and truly ,his mode of dealing with it is full of most precious teaching4 ,first of all1 the elders and judges appear on the scene4 ,the claims of truth and righteousness must be duly attended to2 justice and judgment must be perfectly maintained4 ,this is a great cardinal truth1 running all through the ,word of ,god4 ,sin must be judged ere sins can be forgiven or the sinner justified4 ,ere mercy's heavenly voice can be heard1 justice must be perfectly satisfied1 the throne of ,god vindicated1 and ,his name glorified4 ,grace must reign through righteousness4 ,blessed be ,god that it is so6 ,what a glorious truth for all who have taken their true place as sinners6 ,god has been glorified as to the question of sin1 and therefore ,he can1 in perfect righteousness1 pardon and justify the sinner4 ,but we must confine ourselves simply to the interpretation of the passage before us1 and in so doing1 we shall find in it a very wonderful onlook into ,israel's future4 ,true1 the great foundation-truth of atonement is presented1 but it is with special reference to ,israel4 ,the death of ,christ is here seen in its two grand aspects1 namely1 as the expression of man's guilt1 and the display of ,god's grace4 ,the former1 we have in the man found slain in the field2 the latter1 in the heifer slain in the rough valley4 ,the elders and the judges find out the city nearest to the slain man1 and nothing can avail for that city save the blood of a spotless victim--the blood of the ,one who was slain at the guilty city of ,jerusalem4 ,the reader will note with much interest that the moment the claims of justice were met by the death of the victim1 a new element is introduced into the scene4 ,the priests the sons of ,levi shall come near4 ,this is grace acting on the blessed ground of righteousness4 ,the priests are the channels of grace1 as the judges are the guardians of righteousness4 ,how perfect1 how beautiful1 is ,scripture1 in every page1 every paragraph1 every sentence6 ,it was not until the blood was shed that the ministers of grace could present themselves4 ,the heifer beheaded in the valley changed the aspect of things completely4 ,the priests the sons of ,levi shall come near2 for them the ,lord thy ,god hath chosen to minister unto ,him1 and to bless in the name of the ,lord2 and by their word--blessed fact for ,israel6 blessed fact for every true believer6--shall every controversy and every stroke be tried4 ,all is to be settled on the glorious and eternal principle of grace reigning through righteousness4 ,thus it is that ,god will deal with ,israel by and by4 ,we must not attempt to interfere with the primary application of all those striking institutions which come under our notice in this profound and marvelous book of ,deuteronomy4 ,no doubt there are lessons for us--precious lessons1 but we may rest perfectly assured that the true way in which to understand and appreciate those lessons is to see their true and proper bearing4 ,for instance1 how precious1 how full of consolation1 the fact that it is by the word of the minister of grace that every controversy and every stroke is to be tried for repentant ,israel by and by1 and for every repentant soul now6 ,do we lose aught of the deep blessedness of this by seeing and owning the proper application of the scripture8 ,assuredly not4 ,so far from this1 the true secret of profiting by any special passage of the ,word of ,god is to understand its true scope and bearing4 ,and all the elders of that city that are next unto the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer that is beheaded in the valley4#bb ,i will wash my hands in innocency1 and so will ,i compass ,thine altar4 ,the true place to wash the hands is where the blood of atonement has forever expiated our guilt4 ,and they shall answer and say1 ,our hands have not shed this blood1 neither have our eyes seen it4 ,be merciful1 ,o ,lord1 unto ,thy people ,israel1 whom ,thou hast redeemed1 and lay not innocent blood unto ,thy people of ,israel's charge4 ,and the blood shall be forgiven them4 #bb ,how full of suggestive power is the figure of the rough valley6 ,how aptly it sets forth what this world at large1 and the land of ,israel in particular1 was to our blessed ,lord and ,saviour6 ,truly it was a rough place to ,him1 a place of humiliation1 a dry and thirsty land1 a place that had never been eared or sown4 ,but1 all homage to ,his ,name6 by ,his death in this rough valley1 ,he has procured for this earth and for the land of ,israel a rich harvest of blessing1 which shall be reaped throughout the millennial age1 to the full praise of redeeming love4 ,and even now1 ,he1 from the throne of heaven's majesty1 and we1 in spirit with ,him1 can look back to that rough valley as the place where the blessed work was done which forms the imperishable foundation of ,god's glory1 the ,church's blessing1 ,israel's full restoration1 the joy of countless nations1 and the glorious deliverance of this groaning creation4 ,father1 forgive them1 for they know not what they do4 ,unto you first1 ,god having raised up ,his ,son ,jesus1 sent ,him to bless you1 by turning away every one of you from his iniquities4 ,thus all ,israel shall be saved and blessed by and by1 according to the eternal counsels of ,god1 and in pursuance of ,his promise and oath to ,abraham1 ratified and eternally established by the precious blood of ,christ1 to whom be all homage and praise1 world without end6 ,verses #aj-ag bear in a very special way upon ,israel's relationship to ,jehovah4 ,we shall not dwell upon it here4 ,the reader will find numerous references to this subject throughout the pages of the prophets1 in which the ,holy ,ghost makes the most touching appeals to the conscience of the nation--appeals grounded on the marvelous fact of the relationship into which ,he had brought them to ,himself1 but in which they had so signally and grievously failed4 ,israel has proved an unfaithful wife1 and1 in consequence thereof1 has been set aside2 but the time will come when this long-rejected but never-forgotten people shall not only be reinstated1 but brought into a condition of blessedness1 privilege1 and glory beyond any thing ever known in the past4 ,this must never1 for a moment1 be lost sight of or interfered with4 ,it runs like a brilliant golden line through the prophetic scriptures1 from ,isaiah to ,malachi1 and the lovely theme is resumed and carried on in the ,new ,testament4 ,take the following glowing passage1 which is only one of a hundred3 ,for ,zion's sake will ,i not hold my peace1 and for ,jerusalem's sake ,i will not rest1 until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness1 and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth4 ,and the ,gentiles shall see thy righteousness1 and all kings thy glory2 and thou shalt be called by a new name1 which the mouth of the ,lord shall name4 ,thou shalt also be a crown of glory in the hand of the ,lord1 and a royal diadem in the hand of thy ,god4 ,thou shalt no more be termed ,forsaken1 neither shall thy land any more be termed ,desolate2 but thou shalt be called ,hephzi-bah ,my delight is in her1 and thy land ,beulah married2 for the ,lord delighteth in thee1 and thy land shall be married4 ,for as a young man marrieth a virgin1 so shall thy sons marry thee2 and as the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride1 so shall thy ,god rejoice over thee4 ,i have set watchmen upon thy walls1 ,o ,jerusalem1 which shall never hold their peace day nor night3 ye that make mention of the ,lord1 keep not silence1 and give ,him no rest1 till ,he establish1 and till ,he make ,jerusalem a praise in the earth4 ,the ,lord hath sworn by ,his right hand1 and by the arm of ,his strength--let men beware how they meddle with this6--,surely ,i will no more give thy corn to be meat for thine enemies2 and the sons of the stranger shall not drink thy wine1 for the which thou hast labored2 but they that have gathered it shall eat it and praise the ,lord1 and they that have brought it together shall drink it in the courts of ,my holiness4444 ,behold1 the ,lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the world1 ',say ye to the daughter of ,zion1 ,behold1 thy salvation cometh2 behold1 ,his reward is with ,him1 and ,his work before ,him4 ,and they shall call them1 ,the holy people1 ,the redeemed of the ,lord2 and thou shalt be called1 ,sought out1 ,a city not forsaken4' 7,is4 lxii47 ,to attempt to alienate this sublime and glorious passage from its proper object1 and apply it to the ,christian ,church1 either on earth or in heaven1 is to do positive violence to the ,word of ,god1 and introduce a system of interpretation utterly destructive of the integrity of holy ,scripture4 ,the passage which we have just transcribed1 with intense spiritual delight1 applies only to the literal ,zion1 the literal ,jerusalem1 the literal land of ,israel4 ,let the reader see that he thoroughly seizes and faithfully holds fast this fact4 ,as to the ,church1 her position on earth is that of an espoused virgin1 not of a married wife4 ,her marriage will take place in heaven4 7,rev4 xix4 #g1 #h47 ,to apply to her such passages as the above is to falsify her position entirely1 and deny the plainest statements of ,scripture as to her calling1 her portion1 and her hope1 which are purely heavenly4 ,verses #ah-ba of our chapter record the case of a stubborn and rebellious son4 ,here again we have ,israel viewed from another stand-point4 ,it is the apostate generation1 for which there is no forgiveness4 ,if a man have a stubborn and rebellious son1 which will not obey the voice of his father1 or the voice of his mother1 and that when they have chastened him will not hearken unto them2 then shall his father and his mother lay hold on him and bring him out unto the elders of his city1 and unto the gate of his place2 and they shall say unto the elders of his city1 ,this our son is stubborn and rebellious2 he will not obey our voice2 he is a glutton and a drunkard4 ,and all the men of his city shall stone him with stones1 that he die2 so shalt thou put evil away from among you2 and all ,israel shall hear and fear4 ,the reader may with much interest contrast the solemn action of law and government in the case of the rebellious son1 with the lovely and familiar parable of the prodigal son in ,luke xv4 ,our space does not admit of our dwelling upon it here1 much as we should delight to do so4 ,it is marvelous to think that it is the same ,god who speaks and acts in ,deuteronomy xxi4 and in ,luke xv2 but oh1 how different the action6 how different the style6 ,under the law1 the father is called upon to lay hold of his son and bring him forth to be stoned2 under grace1 the father runs to meet the returning son1 falls on his neck and kisses him2 clothes him in the best robe1 puts a ring on his hand1 and shoes on his feet1 has the fatted calf killed for him1 seats him at the table with himself1 and makes the house ring with the joy that fills his own heart at getting back the poor wandering spendthrift4 ,striking contrast6 ,in ,deuteronomy xxi1 we see the hand of ,god1 in righteous government1 executing judgment upon the rebellious2 in ,luke xv1 we see the heart of ,god pouring itself out1 in soul-subduing tenderness1 upon the poor repentant one1 giving him the sweet assurance that it is ,his own deep joy to get back ,his lost one4 ,the persistent rebel meets the stone of judgment2 the returning penitent meets the kiss of love4 ,but we must close this section by calling the reader's attention to the last verse of our chapter4 ,it is referred to in a very remarkable way by the inspired apostle in the third chapter of ,galatians4 ,christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law1 being made a curse for us2 for it is written1 ',cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree4' ,this reference is full of interest and value1 not only because it presents to us the precious grace of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ1 in making ,himself a curse for us1 in order that the blessing of ,abraham might come on us poor sinners of the ,gentiles1 but also because it furnishes a very striking illustration of the way in which the ,holy ,spirit puts ,his seal upon the writings of ,moses in general1 and upon ,deuteronomy xxi4 in particular4 ,all ,scripture hangs together so perfectly that if one part be touched1 you mar the integrity of the whole4 ,the same ,spirit breathes in the writings of ,moses1 in the pages of the prophets1 in the four evangelists1 in the ,acts1 in the apostolic epistles1 general and particular1 and in that most profound and precious section which closes the divine volume4 ,we deem it our sacred duty--as it is most assuredly our high privilege--to press this weighty fact upon all with whom we come in contact2 and we would very earnestly entreat the reader to give it his earnest attention1 to hold it fast1 and bear a steady testimony to it1 in this day of carnal laxity1 cold indifference1 and positive hostility4 ,,chapters ,,xxii4-,,xxv4 ,the portion of our book on which we now enter1 though not calling for elaborate exposition1 yet teaches us two very important practical lessons4 ,in the first place1 many of the institutions and ordinances here set forth prove and illustrate1 in a most striking way1 the terrible depravity of the human heart4 ,they show us1 with unmistakable distinctness1 what man is capable of doing if left to himself4 ,we must ever remember1 as we read some of the paragraphs of this section of ,deuteronomy1 that ,god the ,holy ,ghost has indited them4 ,we1 in our fancied wisdom1 may feel disposed to ask why such passages were ever penned4 ,can it be possible that they are actually inspired by the ,holy ,ghost8 and of what possible value can they be to us8 ,if they were written for our learning1 then what are we to learn from them8 ,our reply to all these questions is at once simple and direct2 and it is this3 ,the very passages which we might least expect to find on the page of inspiration teach us1 in their own peculiar way1 the moral material of which we are made1 and the moral depths into which we are capable of plunging4 ,and is not this of great moment8 ,is it not well to have a faithful mirror held up before our eyes1 in which we may see every moral trait1 feature1 and lineament perfectly reflected8 ,unquestionably4 ,we hear a great deal about the dignity of human nature1 and very many find it exceedingly hard to admit that they are really capable of committing some of the sins prohibited in the section before us1 and in other portions of the divine volume2 but we may rest assured that when ,god commands us not to commit this or that particular sin1 we are verily capable of committing it4 ,this is beyond all question4 ,divine wisdom would never erect a dam if there was not a current to be resisted4 ,there would be no necessity to tell an angel not to steal2 but man has theft in his nature1 and hence the command applies to him4 ,and just so in reference to every other prohibited thing2 the prohibition proves the tendency--proves it beyond all question4 ,we must either admit this or imply the positive blasphemy that ,god has spoken in vain4 ,but then1 it may be said1 and is said by many1 that while some very terrible samples of fallen humanity are capable of committing some of the abominable sins prohibited in ,scripture1 yet all are not so4 ,this is a most thorough mistake4 ,hear what the ,holy ,ghost says in the seventeenth chapter of the prophet ,jeremiah4 ,the heart is deceitful above all things1 and desperately wicked4 ,whose heart is he speaking of8 ,is it the heart of some atrocious criminal1 or of some untutored savage8 ,nay2 it is the human heart--the heart of the writer and of the reader of these lines4 ,hear also what our ,lord ,jesus ,christ says on this subject4--,out of the heart proceed evil thoughts1 murders1 adulteries1 fornications1 thefts1 false witness1 blasphemies4 ,out of what heart8 ,is it the heart of some hideously depraved and abominable wretch1 wholly unfit to appear in decent society8 ,nay2 it is out of the human heart--the heart of the writer and of the reader of these lines4 ,let us never forget this2 it is a wholesome truth for every one of us4 ,we all need to bear in mind that if ,god were to withdraw ,his sustaining grace for one moment1 there is no depth of iniquity into which we are not capable of plunging2 indeed1 we may add--and we do it with deep thankfulness--it is ,his own gracious hand that preserves us1 each moment1 from becoming a complete wreck in every way1--physically1 mentally1 morally1 spiritually1 and in our circumstances4 ,may we keep this ever in the remembrance of the thoughts of our hearts1 so that we may walk humbly and watchfully1 and lean upon that arm which alone can sustain and preserve us4 ,but we have said there is another valuable lesson furnished by this section of our book which now lies open before us4 ,it teaches us1 in a manner peculiar to itself1 the marvelous way in which ,god provided for every thing connected with ,his people4 ,nothing escaped ,his gracious notice2 nothing was too trivial for ,his tender care4 ,no mother could be more careful of the habits and manners of her little child than the almighty ,creator and moral ,governor of the universe was of the most minute details connected with the daily history of ,his people4 ,by day and by night1 waking and sleeping1 at home and abroad1 ,he looked after them4 ,their clothing1 their food1 their manners and ways toward one another1 how they were to build their houses1 how they were to plow and sow their ground1 how they were to carry themselves in the deepest privacy of their personal life1--all was attended to and provided for in a manner that fills us with wonder1 love1 and praise4 ,we may here see1 in a most striking way1 that there is nothing too small for our ,god to take notice of when ,his people are concerned4 ,he takes a loving1 tender1 fatherly interest in their most minute concerns4 ,we are amazed to find the ,most ,high ,god1 the ,creator of the ends of the earth1 the ,sustainer of the vast universe1 condescending to legislate about the matter of a bird's nest2 and yet why should we be amazed when we know that it is just the same to ,him to provide for a sparrow as to feed a thousand millions of people daily8 ,but there was one grand fact which was ever to be kept prominently before each member of the congregation of ,israel1 namely1 the divine presence in their midst4 ,this fact was to govern their most private habits1 and give character to all their ways4 ,the ,lord thy ,god walketh in the midst of thy camp1 to deliver thee1 and to give up thine enemies before thee2 therefore shall thy camp be holy2 that ,he see no unclean thing in thee1 and turn away from thee4 7,chap4 xxiii4 #ad47 ,what a precious privilege to have ,jehovah walking in their midst6 what a motive for purity of conduct1 and refined delicacy in their personal and domestic habits6 ,if ,he was in their midst to secure victory over their enemies1 ,he was also there to demand holiness of life4 ,they were never for one moment to forget the august ,person who walked up and down in their midst4 ,would the thought of this prove irksome to any8 ,only to such as did not love holiness1 purity1 and moral order4 ,every true ,israelite would delight in the thought of having ,one dwelling in their midst who could not endure aught that was unholy1 unseemly1 or impure4 ,the ,christian reader will be at no loss to seize the moral force and application of this holy principle4 ,it is our privilege to have ,god the ,spirit dwelling in us1 individually and collectively4 ,thus we read1 in #a ,corinthians vi4 #ai1 ,what6 know ye not that your body is the temple of the ,holy ,ghost1 which is in you1 which ye have of ,god1 and ye are not your own8 ,this is individual4 ,each believer is a temple of the ,holy ,ghost1 and this most glorious and precious truth is the ground of the exhortation given in ,ephesians iv4 #cj--;,grieve not the holy ,spirit of ,god1 whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption4 ,how very important to keep this ever in the remembrance of the thoughts of our hearts6 what a mighty moral motive for the diligent cultivation of purity of heart and holiness of life6 ,when tempted to indulge in any wrong current of thought or feeling1 any unworthy manner of speech1 any unseemly line of conduct1 what a powerful corrective would be found in the realization of the blessed fact that the ,holy ,spirit dwells in our body as in ,his temple6 ,if only we could keep this ever before us1 it would preserve us from many a wandering thought1 many an unguarded and foolish utterance1 many an unbecoming act4 ,but not only does the ,holy ,spirit dwell in each individual believer1 ,he also dwells in the ,church collectively4 ,know ye not that ye are the temple of ,god1 and that the ,spirit of ,god dwelleth in you8 7#a ,cor4 iii4 #af47 ,it is upon this fact that the apostle grounds his exhortation in #a ,thessalonians v4 #ai--,quench not the ,spirit4 ,how divinely perfect is ,scripture8 how blessedly it hangs together6 ,the ,holy ,ghost dwells in us individually1 hence we are not to grieve ,him2 ,he dwells in the assembly1 hence we are not to quench ,him1 but give ,him ,his right place1 and allow full scope for ,his blessed operations4 ,may these great practical truths find a deep place in our hearts1 and exert a more powerful influence over our ways1 both in private life and in the public assembly4 ,we shall now proceed to quote a few passages from the section of our book which now lies open before us strikingly illustrative of the wisdom1 goodness1 tenderness1 holiness1 and righteousness which marked all the dealings of ,god with ,his people of old4 ,take1 for example1 the very opening paragraph4 ,thou shalt not see thy brother's ox or his sheep go astray1 and hide thyself from them2 thou shalt in any case bring them again unto thy brother4 ,and if thy brother be not nigh unto thee1 or if thou know him not1 then thou shalt bring it unto thine own house1 and it shall be with thee until thy brother seek after it1 and thou shalt restore it to him again4 ,in like manner shalt thou do with his ass2 and so shalt thou do with his raiment2 and with all lost thing of thy brother's which he hath lost1 and thou hast found1 shalt thou do likewise2 thou mayest not hide thyself4 ,thou shalt not see thy brother's ass or his ox fall down by the way1 and hide thyself from them2 thou shalt surely help him to lift them up again4 7,chap4 xxii4 #a-d47 ,here the two lessons of which we have spoken are very distinctly presented4 ,what a deeply humbling picture of the human heart have we in that one sentence1 ,thou mayest not hide thyself6 ,we are capable of the base and detestable selfishness of hiding ourselves from our brother's claims upon our sympathy and succor--of shirking the holy duty of looking after his interests--of pretending not to see his real need of our aid4 ,such is man6--such is the writer6 ,but oh1 how blessedly the character of our ,god shines out in this passage6 ,the brother's ox1 or his sheep1 or his ass1 was not 7to use a modern phrase7 to be thrust into pound for trespass2 it was to be brought home1 cared for1 and restored1 safe and sound1 to the owner1 without charge for damage4 ,and so with the raiment4 ,how lovely is all this6 how it breathes upon us the very air of the divine presence1 the fragrant atmosphere of divine goodness1 tenderness1 and thoughtful love6 ,what a high and holy privilege for any people to have their conduct governed and their character formed by such exquisite statutes and judgments6 ,again1 take the following passage1 so beautifully illustrative of divine thoughtfulness3 ,when thou buildest a new house1 then thou shalt make a battlement for thy roof1 that thou bring not blood upon thine house1 if any man fall from thence4 ,the ,lord would have ,his people thoughtful and considerate of others2 and hence1 in building their houses1 they were not merely to think of themselves and their convenience1 but also of others and their safety4 ,cannot ,christians learn something from this8 ,how prone we are to think only of ourselves1 our own interests1 our own comfort and convenience6 ,how rarely it happens that in the building or furnishing of our houses we bestow a thought upon other people6 ,we build and furnish for ourselves4 ,alas6 self is too much our object and motive-spring in all our undertakings2 nor can it be otherwise unless the heart be kept under the governing power of those motives and objects which belong to ,christianity4 ,we must live in the pure and heavenly atmosphere of the new creation in order to get above and beyond the base selfishness which characterizes fallen humanity4 ,every unconverted man1 woman1 and child on the face of the earth is governed simply by self in some shape or another4 ,self is the centre1 the object1 the motive-spring1 of every action4 ,true1 some are more amiable1 more affectionate1 more benevolent1 more unselfish1 more disinterested1 more agreeable1 than others2 but it is utterly impossible that the natural man can be governed by spiritual motives1 or an earthly man be animated by heavenly objects4 ,alas6 we have to confess1 with shame and sorrow1 that we who profess to be heavenly and spiritual are so prone to live for ourselves1 to seek our own things1 to maintain our own interests1 to consult our own ease and convenience4 ,we are all alive and on the alert when self1 in any shape or form1 is concerned4 ,all this is most sad and deeply humbling4 ,it realty ought not to be1 and it would not be if we were looking more simply and earnestly to ,christ as our great ,exemplar and model in all things4 ,earnest and constant occupation of heart with ,christ is the true secret of all practical ,christianity4 ,it is not rules and regulations that will ever make us ,christlike in our spirit1 manner1 and ways4 ,we must drink into ,his spirit1 walk in ,his footsteps1 dwell more profoundly upon ,his moral glories1 and then we shall1 of blessed necessity1 be conformed to ,his image4 ,we all with open face beholding as in a glass or mirroring-- the glory1 are changed into the same image1 from glory to glory even as by the ,spirit of the ,lord4 7#b ,cor4 iii47 ,we must now ask the reader to turn for a moment to the following very important practical instructions--full of suggestive power for all ,christian workers3 ,thou shalt not sow thy vineyard with divers seeds1 lest the fruit of thy seed which thou hast sown and the fruit of thy vineyard be defiled4 7,chap4 xxii4 #i47 ,what a weighty principle is here6 ,do we really understand it8 do we see its true spiritual application8 ,it is to be feared there is a terrible amount of mingled seed used in the so-called spiritual husbandry of the present day4 ,how much of philosophy and vain deceit1 how much of science falsely so called1 how much of the rudiments of the world1 do we find mixed up in the teaching and preaching throughout the length and breadth of the professing church6 ,how little of the pure1 unadulterated seed of the ,word of ,god1 the incorruptible seed of the precious gospel of ,christ1 is scattered broad-cast over the field of christendom in this our day6 ,how few1 comparatively1 are content to confine themselves within the covers of the ,bible for the material of their ministry6 ,those who are1 by the grace of ,god1 faithful enough to do so1 are looked upon as men of one idea1 men of the old school1 narrow1 and behind the times4 ,well1 we can only say1 with a full and glowing heart1 ,god bless the men of one idea--men of the precious old school of apostolic preaching6 ,most heartily do we congratulate them on their blessed narrowness1 and their being behind these dark and infidel times4 ,we are fully aware of what we expose ourselves to in thus writing1 but this does not move us4 ,we are persuaded that every true servant of ,christ must be a man of one idea1 and that idea is ,christ2 he must belong to the very oldest school--the school of ,christ2 he must be as narrow as the truth of ,god2 and he must1 with stern decision1 refuse to move one hair's breadth in the direction of this infidel age4 ,we cannot shake off the conviction that the effort on the part of the preachers and teachers of christendom to keep abreast of the literature of the day must1 to a very large extent1 account for the rapid advance of rationalism and infidelity4 ,they have got away from the holy ,scriptures1 and sought to adorn their ministry by the resources of philosophy1 science1 and literature4 ,they have catered more for the intellect than for the heart and conscience4 ,the pure and precious doctrines of holy ,scripture1 the sincere milk of the ,word1 the gospel of the grace of ,god and of the glory of ,christ1 were found insufficient to attract and keep together large congregations4 ,as ,israel of old despised the manna1 got tired of it1 and pronounced it light food1 so the professing church grew weary of the pure doctrines of that glorious ,christianity unfolded in the pages of the ,new ,testament1 and sighed for something to gratify the intellect and feed the imagination4 ,the doctrines of the cross1 in which the blessed apostle gloried1 have lost their charm for the professing church1 and any who would be faithful enough to adhere and confine themselves in their ministry to those doctrines might abandon all thought of popularity4 ,but let all the true and faithful ministers of ,christ1 all true workers in ,his vineyard1 apply their hearts to the spiritual principle set forth in ,deuteronomy xxii4 #i2 let them1 with unflinching decision1 refuse to make use of divers seeds in their spiritual husbandry2 let them confine themselves1 in their ministry1 to the form of sound words1 and ever seek rightly to divide the word of truth1 that so they may not be ashamed of their work1 but receive a full reward in that day when every man's work shall be tried of what sort it is4 ,we may depend upon it1 the ,word of ,god--the pure seed--is the only proper material for the spiritual workman to use4 ,we do not despise learning2 far from it2 we consider it most valuable in its right place4 ,the facts of science1 too1 and the resources of sound philosophy1 may all be turned to profitable account in unfolding and illustrating the truth of holy ,scripture4 ,we find the blessed ,master ,himself and ,his inspired apostles making use of the facts of history and of nature in their public teaching2 and who1 in his sober senses1 would think of calling in question the value and importance of a competent knowledge of the original languages of ,hebrew and ,greek in the private study and public exposition of the ,word of ,god8 ,but admitting all this1 as we most fully do1 it leaves wholly untouched the great practical principle before us--a principle to which all the ,lord's people and ,his servants are bound to adhere1 namely1 that the ,holy ,ghost is the only power1 and holy ,scripture the only material1 for all true ministry in the gospel and the ,church of ,god4 ,if this were more fully understood and faithfully acted upon1 we should witness a very different condition of things throughout the length and breadth of the vineyard of ,christ4 ,here1 however1 we must close this section4 ,we have elsewhere sought to handle the subject of ,the ,unequal ,yoke1 and shall not therefore dwell upon it here4#bc ,the ,israelite was not to plow with an ox and an ass together2 neither was he to wear a garment of divers sorts1 as of woolen and linen4 ,the spiritual application of both these things is as simple as it is important4 ,the ,christian is not to link himself with an unbeliever for any object whatsoever1 be it domestic1 religious1 philanthrophic1 or commercial2 neither must he allow himself to be governed by mixed principles4 ,his character must be formed and his conduct ruled by the pure and lofty principles of the ,word of ,god4 ,thus may it be with all who profess and call themselves ,christians4 #bc ,see a pamphlet entitled ,the ,unequal ,yoke1 post-paid1 #aj cts4 ,,chapter ,,xxvi ,and it shall be1 when thou art come in unto the land which the ,lord thy ,god giveth thee for an inheritance1 and possessest it1 and dwellest therein2 that thou shalt take of the first of all the fruit of the earth1 which thou shalt bring of thy land that the ,lord thy ,god giveth thee1 and shalt put it in a basket1 and shalt go unto the place which the ,lord thy ,god shall choose to place ,his name there--not to a place of their own or others' choosing4--,and thou shalt go unto the priest that shall be in those days1 and say unto him1 ,i profess this day unto the ,lord thy ,god that ,i am come unto the country which the ,lord sware unto our fathers for to give us4 ,and the priest shall take the basket out of thine hand1 and set it down before the altar of the ,lord thy ,god4 7,ver4 #a-d47 ,the chapter on which we now enter contains the lovely ordinance of the basket of first-fruits1 in which we shall find some principles of the deepest interest and practical importance4 ,it was when the hand of ,jehovah had conducted ,his people into the land of promise that the fruits of that land could be presented4 ,it was obviously necessary to be in ,canaan ere ,canaan's fruits could be offered in worship4 ,the worshiper was able to say1 ,i profess this day unto the ,lord thy ,god that ,i am come unto the country which the ,lord sware unto our fathers for to give us4 ,here lay the root of the matter4--,i am come4 ,he does not say1 ,i am coming1 hoping to come1 or longing to come4 ,no2 but1 ,i am come4 ,thus it must ever be4 ,we must know ourselves saved ere we can offer the fruits of a known salvation4 ,we may be most sincere in our desires after salvation1 most earnest in our efforts to obtain it2 but then we cannot but see that efforts to be saved1 and the fruits of a known and enjoyed salvation1 are wholly different4 ,the ,israelite did not offer the basket of first-fruits in order to get into the land1 but because he was actually in it4 ,i profess this day 444 that ,i am come4 ,there is no mistake about it--no question1 no doubt1 not even a hope4 ,i am actually in the land1 and here is the fruit of it4 ,and thou shalt speak1 and say before the ,lord thy ,god1 ,a ,syrian ready to perish was my father2 and he went down into ,egypt1 and sojourned there with a few1 and became there a nation1 great1 mighty1 and populous2 and the ,egyptians evil entreated us1 and afflicted us1 and laid upon us hard bondage2 and when we cried unto the ,lord ,god of our fathers1 the ,lord heard our voice1 and looked on our affliction and our labor and our oppression2 and the ,lord brought us forth out of ,egypt with a mighty hand1 and with an outstretched arm1 and with great terribleness1 and with signs1 and with wonders2 and ,he hath brought us into this place1 and hath given us this land1 even a land that floweth with milk and honey4 ,and now1 behold1 ,i have brought the first-fruits of the land1 which ,thou1 ,o ,lord1 hast given me4 ,and thou shalt set it before the ,lord thy ,god1 and worship before the ,lord thy ,god2 and thou shalt rejoice in every good thing which the ,lord thy ,god hath given unto thee1 and unto thine house1 thou1 and the ,levite1 and the stranger that is among you4 ,this is a very beautiful illustration of worship4 ,a ,syrian ready to perish4 ,such was the origin4 ,there is nothing to boast of1 so far as nature is concerned4 ,and as to the condition in which grace had found them1 what of it8 ,hard bondage in the land of ,egypt2 toiling amid the brick-kilns1 beneath the cruel lash of ,pharaoh's taskmasters4 ,but then1 ,we cried unto ,jehovah4 ,here was their sure and blessed resource4 ,it was all they could do1 but it was enough4 ,that cry of helplessness went directly up to the throne and to the heart of ,god1 and brought ,him down into the very midst of the brick-kilns of ,egypt4 ,hear ,jehovah's gracious words to ,moses--,i have surely seen the affliction of ,my people which are in ,egypt1 and have heard their cry1 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 ,now 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,ex4 iii4 #g-i47 ,such was the immediate response of ,jehovah to the cry of ,his people4 ,i am come down to deliver them4 ,yes1 blessed be ,his name1 ,he came down1 in the exercise of ,his own free and sovereign grace1 to deliver ,his people2 and no power of men or devils--earth or hell could hold them for a moment beyond the appointed time4 ,hence1 in our chapter1 we have the grand result as set forth in the language of the worshiper and in the contents of his basket4 ,i am come unto the country which the ,lord sware unto our fathers for to give us4444 ,and now1 behold1 ,i have brought the first-fruits of the land1 which ,thou1 ,o ,lord1 hast given me4 ,the ,lord had accomplished all1 according to the love of ,his heart and the faithfulness of ,his word4 ,not one jot or tittle had failed4--,i am come ,and ,i have brought the fruit4 ,the fruit of what8 of ,egypt8 ,nay2 but of the land1 which ,thou1 ,o ,lord1 hast given me4 ,the worshiper's lips proclaimed the completeness of ,jehovah's work2 the worshiper's basket contained the fruit of ,jehovah's land4 ,nothing could be simpler1 nothing more real4 ,there was no room for a doubt1 no ground for a question4 ,he had simply to declare ,jehovah's work and show the fruit4 ,it was all of ,god from first to last4 ,he had brought them out of ,egypt1 and ,he had brought them into ,canaan4 ,he had filled their baskets with the mellow fruits of ,his land1 and their hearts with ,his praise4 ,and now1 beloved reader1 let us just ask you1 do you think it was presumption on the part of the ,israelite to speak as he did8 ,was it right1 was it modest1 was it humble1 of him to say1 ,i am come8 ,would it have been more becoming in him merely to give expression to the faint hope that at some future period he might come8 would doubt and hesitation as to his position and his portion have been more honoring and gratifying to the ,god of ,israel8 ,what say you8 ,it may be that1 anticipating our argument1 you are ready to say1 ,there is no analogy4 ,why not8 ,if an ,israelite could say1 ,i am come unto the country which the ,lord sware unto our fathers for to give us1 why cannot the believer now say1 ,i am come unto ,jesus8 ,true1 in the one case1 it was sight2 in the other1 it is faith4 ,but is the latter less real than the former8 ,does not the inspired apostle say to the ,hebrews1 ,ye are come unto ,mount ,zion8 and again1 ,we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved1 let us have grace whereby we may serve ,god with reverence and godly fear4 ,if we are in doubt as to whether we have come or not1 and as to whether we have received the kingdom or not1 it is impossible to worship in truth or serve with acceptance4 ,it is when we are in intelligent and peaceful possession of the place and portion in ,christ that true worship can ascend to the throne above1 and effective service be rendered in the vineyard below4 ,for what1 let us ask1 is true worship8 ,it is simply telling out1 in the presence of ,god1 what ,he is1 and what ,he has done4 ,it is the heart occupied with and delighting in ,god and in all ,his marvelous actings and ways4 ,now1 if we have no knowledge of ,god1 and no faith in what ,he has done1 how can we worship ,him8 ,he that cometh to ,god must believe that ,he is1 and that ,he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek ,him4 ,but then to know ,god is eternal life4 ,i cannot worship ,god if ,i do not know ,him1 and ,i cannot know ,him without having eternal life4 ,the ,athenians had erected an altar to the unknown ,god1 and ,paul told them that they were worshiping in ignorance1 and proceeded to declare unto them the true ,god as revealed in the ,person and work of the ,man ,christ ,jesus4 ,it is deeply important to be clear as to this4 ,i must know ,god ere ,i can worship ,him4 ,i may feel after ,him1 if haply ,i may find ,him2 but feeling after ,one whom ,i have not found1 and worshiping and delighting in ,one whom ,i have found1 are two totally different things4 ,god has revealed ,himself1 blessed be ,his name6 ,he has given us the light of the knowledge of ,his glory in the face of ,jesus ,christ4 ,he has come near to us in the ,person of that blessed ,one1 so that we may know ,him1 love ,him1 trust in ,him1 delight in ,him1 and use ,him1 in all our weakness and in all our need4 ,we have no longer to grope for ,him amid the darkness of nature1 nor yet among the clouds and mists of spurious religion1 in its ten thousand forms4 ,no2 our ,god has made ,himself known by a revelation so plain that the wayfaring man1 though a fool in all beside1 may not err therein4 ,the ,christian can say1 ,i know whom ,i have believed4 ,this is the basis of all true worship4 ,there may be a vast amount of fleshly pietism1 mechanical religion1 and ceremonial routine without a single atom of true spiritual worship4 ,this latter can only flow from the knowledge of ,god4 ,but our object is not to write a treatise on worship1 but simply to unfold to our readers the instructive and beautiful ordinance of the basket of first-fruits4 ,and having shown that worship was the first thing with an ,israelite who found himself in possession of the land--and further1 that we now must know our place and privilege in ,christ before we can truthfully and intelligently worship the ,father--we shall proceed to point out another very important practical result illustrated in our chapter1 namely1 active benevolence4 ,when thou hast made an end of tithing all the tithes of thine increase the third year1 which is the year of tithing1 and hast given it unto the ,levite1 the stranger1 the fatherless1 and the widow1 that they may eat within thy gates1 and be filled2 then thou shalt say before the ,lord thy ,god1 ,i have brought away the hallowed things out of mine house1 and also have given them unto the ,levite1 and unto the stranger1 to the fatherless1 and to the widow1 according to all ,thy commandments1 which ,thou hast commanded me2 ,i have not transgressed ,thy commandments1 neither have ,i forgotten them4 7,ver4 #ab1 #ac47 ,nothing can be more beautiful than the moral order of these things4 ,it is precisely similar to what we have in ,hebrews xiii4 ,by ,him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to ,god continually1 that is1 the fruit of our lips giving thanks to ,his name4 ,here is the worship4 ,but to do good and to communicate forget not2 for with such sacrifices ,god is well pleased4 ,here is the active benevolence4 ,putting both together1 we have what we may call the upper and the nether side of the ,christian's character--praising ,god and doing good to men4 ,precious characteristics6 ,may we exhibit them more faithfully4 ,one thing is certain1 they will always go together4 ,show us a man whose heart is full of praise to ,god1 and we will show you one whose heart is open to every form of human need4 ,he may not be rich in this world's goods2 he may be obliged to say1 like one of old who was not ashamed to say it1 ,silver and gold have ,i none2 but he will have the tear of sympathy1 the kindly look1 the soothing word1 and these things tell far more powerfully upon a sensitive heart than the opening of the purse-strings1 and the jingling of silver and gold4 ,our adorable ,lord and ,master1 our great ,exemplar1 went about doing good2 but we never read of ,his giving money to any one2 indeed1 we are warranted in believing that the blessed ,one never possessed a penny4 ,when ,he wanted to answer the ,herodians on the subject of paying tribute to ,csar1 ,he had to ask them to show ,him a penny2 and when asked to pay tribute1 ,he sent ,peter to the sea to get it4 ,he never carried money1 and most assuredly money is not named in the category of gifts bestowed by ,him upon ,his servants4 ,still ,he went about doing good1 and we are to do the same1 in our little measure2 it is at once our high privilege and our bounden duty to do so4 ,and let the reader mark the divine order laid down in ,hebrews xiii4 and illustrated in ,deuteronomy xxvi4 ,worship gets the first1 the highest place4 ,let us never forget this4 ,we1 in our wisdom or our sentimentality1 might imagine that doing good to men1 usefulness1 philanthropy1 is the highest thing2 but it is not so4 ,whoso offereth praise glorifieth ,me4 ,god inhabits the praises of ,his people4 ,he delights to surround ,himself with hearts filled to overflowing with a sense of ,his goodness1 ,his greatness1 and ,his glory4 ,hence1 we are to offer the sacrifice of praise to ,god continually4 ,so also the ,psalmist says1 ,i will bless the ,lord at all times2 ,his praise shall continually be in my mouth4 ,it is not merely now and then1 or when all is bright and cheery around us1 when everything goes on smoothly and prosperously2 no1 but at all times--continually4 ,the stream of thanksgiving is to flow uninterruptedly4 ,there is no interval for murmuring or complaining1 fretfulness or dissatisfaction1 gloom or despondency4 ,praise and thanksgiving are to be our continual occupation4 ,we are ever to cultivate the spirit of worship4 ,every breath1 as it were1 ought to be a halleluiah4 ,thus it shall be by and by4 ,praise will be our happy and holy service while eternity rolls along its course of golden ages4 ,when we shall have no further call to communicate1 no demand on our resources or our sympathies1 when we shall have bid an eternal adieu to this scene of sorrow and need1 death and desolation1 then shall we praise our ,god for evermore1 without let or interruption1 in the sanctuary of ,his own blessed presence above4 ,but to do good and to communicate forget not4 ,there is singular interest attaching to the mode in which this is put4 ,he does not say1 ,but to offer the sacrifice of praise forget not4 ,no2 but lest1 in the full and happy enjoyment of our own place and portion in ,christ1 we should forget that we are passing through a scene of want and misery1 trial and pressure1 the apostle adds the salutary and much-needed admonition as to doing good and communicating4 ,the spiritual ,israelite is not only to rejoice in every good thing which the ,lord his ,god has bestowed upon him1 but he is also to remember the ,levite1 the stranger1 the fatherless1 and the widow--that is1 the one who has no earthly portion1 and is thoroughly devoted to the ,lord's work1 and the one who has no home1 the one who has no natural protector1 and the one who has no earthly stay4 ,it must ever be thus4 ,the rich tide of grace rolls down from the bosom of ,god1 fills our hearts to overflowing1 and in its overflow1 refreshes and gladdens our whole sphere of action4 ,if we were only living in the enjoyment of what is ours in ,god1 our every movement1 our every act1 our every word1 yea1 our every look1 would do good4 ,the ,christian1 according to the divine idea1 is one who stands with one hand lifted up to ,god in the presentation of the sacrifice of praise1 and the other hand filled with the fragrant fruits of genuine benevolence to meet every form of human need4 ,o beloved reader1 let us deeply ponder these things2 let us really apply our whole hearts to the earnest consideration of them2 let us seek a fuller realization and a truer expression of these two great branches of practical ,christianity1 and not be satisfied with any thing less4 ,we shall now briefly glance at the third point in the precious chapter before us4 ,we shall do little more than quote the passage for the reader4 ,the ,israelite1 having presented his basket and distributed his tithes1 was further instructed to say1 ,i have not eaten thereof in my mourning1 neither have ,i taken away aught thereof for any unclean use1 nor given aught thereof for the dead2 but ,i have hearkened to the voice of the ,lord my ,god1 and have done according to all that ,thou hast commanded me4 ,look down from ,thy holy habitation1 from heaven1 and bless ,thy people ,israel1 and the land which ,thou hast given us1 as ,thou swarest unto our fathers1 a land that floweth with milk and honey4 ,this day the ,lord thy ,god hath commanded thee to do these statutes and judgments2 thou shalt therefore keep and do them1 with all thine heart and with all thy soul4 ,thou hast avouched the ,lord this day to be thy ,god1 and to walk in ,his ways1 and to keep ,his statutes and ,his commandments and ,his judgments1 and to hearken unto ,his voice3 and the ,lord hath avouched thee this day to be ,his peculiar people--that is1 a people of ,his own special possession--as ,he hath promised thee1 and that thou shouldest keep all ,his commandments2 and to make thee high above all nations which ,he hath made1 in praise and in name and in honor2 and that thou mayest be a holy people unto the ,lord thy ,god1 as ,he hath spoken4 7,ver4 #ad-ai47 ,here we have personal holiness1 practical sanctification1 entire separation from every thing inconsistent with the holy place and relationship into which they had been introduced1 in the sovereign grace and mercy of ,god4 ,there must be no mourning1 no uncleanness1 no dead works4 ,we have no room1 no time1 for any such things as these2 they do not belong to that blessed sphere in which we are privileged to live and move and have our being4 ,we have just three things to do3 ,we look up to ,god1 and offer the sacrifice of praise2 we look around at a needy world1 and do good2 we look in upon the circle of our own being--our inner life1 and seek1 by grace1 to keep ourselves unspotted4 ,pure religion and undefiled before ,god and the ,father is this3 ,to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction1 and to keep himself unspotted from the world4 7,jas4 i4 #bg47 ,thus1 whether we hearken to ,moses in ,deuteronomy xxvi1 or to ,paul in ,hebrews xiii1 or to ,james in his most wholesome1 needed1 practical epistle1 it is the same ,spirit that speaks to us1 and the same grand lessons that are impressed upon us--lessons of unspeakable value and moral importance--lessons loudly called for in this day of easy-going profession1 in the which the doctrines of grace are taken up and held in a merely intellectual way1 and connected with all sorts of worldliness and self-indulgence4 ,truly1 there is an urgent need of a more powerful1 practical ministry amongst us4 ,there is a deplorable lack of the prophetic and pastoral element in our ministrations4 ,by the prophetic element1 we mean that character of ministry that deals with the conscience1 and brings it into the immediate presence of ,god4 ,this is greatly needed4 ,there is a good deal of ministry which addresses itself to the intelligence1 but sadly too little for the heart and the conscience4 ,the teacher speaks to the understanding2 the prophet speaks to the conscience2#bd the pastor speaks to the heart4 ,we speak1 of course1 generally4 ,it may so happen that the three elements are found in the ministry of one man2 but they are distinct2 and we cannot but feel that where the prophetic and pastoral gifts are lacking in any assembly1 the teachers should very earnestly wait upon the ,lord for spiritual power to deal with the hearts and consciences of ,his beloved people4 ,blessed be ,his name1 ,he has all needed gift1 grace1 and power for ,his servants4 ,all we need is1 to wait on ,him in real earnestness and sincerity of heart1 and ,he will most assuredly supply us with all suited grace and moral fitness for whatever service we may be called to render in ,his ,church4 #bd ,very many seem to entertain the idea that a prophet is one who foretells future events1 but it would be a mistake thus to confine the term4 #a ,corinthians xiv4 #bh-cb lets us into the meaning of the words prophet and prophesying4 ,the teacher and the prophet are closely and beautifully connected4 ,the teacher unfolds truth from the ,word of ,god2 the prophet applies it to the conscience2 and1 we may add1 the pastor sees how the ministry of both the one and the other is acting on the heart and in the life4 ,oh1 that all the ,lord's servants may be stirred up to a more deep-toned earnestness1 in every department of ,his blessed work6 ,may we be instant in season1 out of season1 and in no wise discouraged by the condition of things around us1 but rather find in that very condition an urgent reason for more intense devotedness4 ,,chapter ,,xxvii4 ,and ,moses1 with the elders of ,israel1 commanded the people1 saying1 ',keep all the commandments which ,i command you this day4 ,and it shall be on the day when ye shall pass over ,jordan unto the land which the ,lord thy ,god giveth thee1 that thou shalt set thee up great stones1 and plaster them with plaster2 and thou shalt write upon them all the words of this law1 when thou art passed over1 that thou mayest go in unto the land which the ,lord thy ,god giveth thee1 a land that floweth with milk and honey2 as the ,lord ,god of thy fathers hath promised thee4 ,therefore it shall be when ye be gone over ,jordan1 that ye shall set up these stones1 which ,i command you this day1 in ,mount ,ebal1 and thou shalt plaster them with plaster4 ,and there shalt thou build an altar unto the ,lord thy ,god1 an altar of stones3 thou shalt not lift up any iron tool upon them4 ,thou shalt build the altar of the ,lord thy ,god of whole stones2 and thou shalt offer burnt-offerings thereon unto the ,lord thy ,god2 and thou shalt offer peace-offerings1 and shalt eat there1 and rejoice before the ,lord thy ,god4 ,and thou shalt write upon the stones all the words of this law very plainly4' ,and ,moses and the priests the ,levites spake unto all ,israel1 saying1 ',take heed1 and hearken1 ,o ,israel2 this day thou art become the people of the ,lord thy ,god4 ,thou shalt therefore obey the voice of the ,lord thy ,god1 and do ,his commandments and ,his statutes1 which ,i command thee this day4' ,and ,moses charged the people the same day1 saying1 ',these shall stand upon ,mount ,gerizim to bless the people1 when ye are come over ,jordan3 ,simeon and ,levi and ,judah and ,issachar and ,joseph and ,benjamin4 ,and these shall stand upon ,mount ,ebal to curse3 ,reuben1 ,gad1 and ,asher and ,zebulun1 ,dan1 and ,naphtali4' 7,ver4 #a-ac47 ,there could not be a more striking contrast than that which is presented in the opening and close of this chapter4 ,in the paragraph which we have just penned1 we see ,israel entering upon the land of promise--that fair and fruitful land flowing with milk and honey1 and there erecting an altar in ,mount ,ebal1 for burnt-offerings and peace-offerings4 ,we read nothing about sin-offerings or trespass-offerings here4 ,the law1 in all its fullness1 was to be written very plainly upon the plastered stones1 and the people1 in full1 recognized1 covenant-relationship1 were to offer on the altar those special offerings of sweet savor so blessedly expressive of worship and holy communion4 ,the subject here is not the trespasser in act1 or the sinner in nature1 approaching the brazen altar with a trespass-offering or a sin-offering2 but rather a people fully delivered1 accepted1 and blessed--a people in the actual enjoyment of their relationship and their inheritance4 ,true1 they were trespassers and sinners1 and as such1 needed the precious provision of the brazen altar1--this1 of course1 is obvious1 and fully understood and admitted by every one taught of ,god2 but it manifestly is not the subject of ,deuteronomy xxvii4 #a-ac1 and the spiritual reader will at once perceive the reason4 ,when we see the ,israel of ,god1 in full covenant-relationship1 entering into possession of their inheritance1 having the revealed will of their covenant-,god1 ,jehovah1 plainly and fully written before them1 and the milk and honey flowing around them1 we must conclude that all question as to trespasses and sins is definitively settled1 and that nothing remains for a people so highly privileged and so richly blessed but to surround the altar of their covenant-,god and present those sweet-savor offerings which were acceptable to ,him and suited to them4 ,in short1 the whole scene unfolded to our view in the first half of our chapter is perfectly beautiful4 ,israel having avouched ,jehovah to be their ,god1 and ,jehovah having avouched ,israel to be ,his peculiar people1 to make them high above all nations which ,he had made1 in praise and in name and in honor1 and a holy people unto the ,lord their ,god1 as ,he had spoken1--,israel thus privileged1 blessed1 and exalted1 in full possession of the goodly land1 and having all the precious commandments of ,god before their eyes1 what remained but to present the sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving1 in holy worship and happy fellowship8 ,but in the latter half of our chapter1 we find something quite different4 ,moses appoints six tribes to stand upon ,mount ,gerizim to bless the people1 and six on ,mount ,ebal to curse2 but alas6 when we come to the actual history--the positive facts of the case1 there is not a single syllable of blessing1 nothing but twelve awful curses1 each confirmed by a solemn amen from the whole congregation4 ,what a sad change6 what a striking contrast6 ,it reminds us of what passed before us in our study of ,exodus xix4 ,there could not be a more impressive commentary on the words of the inspired apostle in ,galatians iii4 #aj4--;,for as many as are of the works of the law--as many as are on that ground--are under the curse2 for it is written1--and here he quotes ,deuteronomy xxvii4--,cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them4 ,here we have the real solution of the question4 ,israel1 as to their actual moral condition1 were on the ground of law2 and hence1 although the opening of our chapter presents a lovely picture of ,god's thoughts respecting ,israel1 yet the close of it sets forth the sad and humiliating result of ,israel's real state before ,god4 ,there is not a sound from ,mount ,gerizim1 not one word of benediction2 but1 instead thereof1 curse upon curse falls on the ears of the people4 ,nor could it possibly be otherwise4 ,let people contend for it as they will1 nothing but a curse can come upon as many as are of the works of the law4 ,it does not merely say1 ,as many as fail to keep the law1 though that is true2 but1 as if to set the truth in the very clearest and most forcible manner before us1 the ,holy ,ghost declares that for all1 no matter who--,jew1 ,gentile1 or nominal ,christian--all who are on the ground or principle of works of law1 there is and can be nothing but a curse4 ,thus1 then1 the reader will be able intelligently to account for the profound silence that reigned on ,mount ,gerizim in the day of ,deuteronomy xxvii4 ,the simple fact is1 if one solitary benediction had been heard1 it would have been a contradiction to the entire teaching of holy ,scripture on the question of law4 ,we have so fully gone into the weighty subject of the law in the first volume of these ,notes that we do not feel called upon to dwell upon it here4 ,we can only say that the more we study ,scripture1 and the more we ponder the law question in the light of the ,new ,testament1 the more amazed we are at the manner in which some persist in contending for the opinion that ,christians are under the law1 whether for life1 for righteousness1 for holiness1 or for any object whatsoever4 ,how can such an opinion stand for a moment in the face of that magnificent and conclusive statement in ,romans vi4--,,ye ,,are ,,not ,,under ,,law1 ,,but ,,under ,,grace8 ,,chapter ,,xxviii4 ,in approaching the study of this remarkable section of our book1 the reader must bear in mind that it is by no means to be confounded with chapter xxvii4 ,some expositors1 in seeking to account for the absence of the blessings in the latter1 have sought for them here2 but it is a grand mistake--a mistake absolutely fatal to the proper understanding of either chapter4 ,the obvious fact is1 the two chapters are wholly distinct1 in basis1 scope1 and practical application4 ,chapter xxvii4 is 7to put it as pointedly and briefly as possible7 moral and personal2 chapter xxviii4 is dispensational and national4 ,that deals with the great root-principle of man's moral condition as a sinner1 utterly ruined and wholly incapable of meeting ,god on the ground of law2 this1 on the other hand1 takes up the question of ,israel as a nation1 under the government of ,god4 ,in short1 a careful comparison of the two chapters will enable the reader to see their entire distinctness4 ,for instance1 what connection can we trace between the six blessings of our chapter and the twelve curses of chapter xxvii8 ,none whatever4 ,it is not possible to establish the slightest relationship4 ,but a child can see the moral link between the blessings and curses of chapter xxviii4 ,let us quote a passage or two in proof4 ,and it shall come to pass1 if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the ,lord thy ,god1--the grand old ,deuteronomic motto1 the key-note of the book--to observe and to do all ,his commandments which ,i command thee this day1 that the ,lord thy ,god will set thee on high above all nations of the earth2 and all these blessings shall come on thee1 and overtake thee1 if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the ,lord thy ,god--the only safeguard1 the true secret of happiness1 security1 victory1 and strength4--,blessed shalt thou be in the city1 and blessed shalt thou be in the field4 ,blessed shall be the fruit of thy body1 and the fruit of thy ground1 and the fruit of thy cattle1 the increase of thy kine1 and the flocks of thy sheep4 ,blessed shall be thy basket and thy store4 ,blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in1 and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out4 ,is it not perfectly plain to the reader that these are not the blessings pronounced by the six tribes on ,mount ,gerizim8 ,what is here presented to us is ,israel's national dignity1 prosperity1 and glory1 founded upon their diligent attention to all the commandments set before them in this book4 ,it was the eternal purpose of ,god that ,israel should be pre-eminent on the earth1 high above all the nations4 ,this purpose shall assuredly be made good1 although ,israel1 in the past1 have shamefully failed to render that perfect obedience which was to form the basis of their national pre-eminence and glory4 ,we must never forget or surrender this great truth4 ,some expositors have adopted a system of interpretation by which the covenant-blessings of ,israel are spiritualized and made over to the ,church of ,god4 ,this is a most fatal mistake4 ,indeed1 it is hardly possible to set forth in language1 or even to conceive1 the pernicious effects of such a method of handling the precious ,word of ,god4 ,nothing is more certain than that it is diametrically opposed to the mind and will of ,god4 ,he will not and cannot sanction such tampering with ,his truth1 or such an unwarrantable alienation of the blessings and privileges of ,his people ,israel4 ,true1 we read1 in ,galatians iii1 ,that the blessing of ,abraham might come on the ,gentiles through ,jesus ,christ1 that we might receive--what8 ,blessings in the city and in the field8 blessings in our basket and store8 ,nay2 but the promise of the ,spirit through faith4 ,so also we learn from the same epistle1 in chapter iv1 that restored ,israel will be permitted to reckon amongst her children all those who are born of the ,spirit during the ,christian period4 ,but ,jerusalem which is above is free1 which is the mother of us all4 ,for it is written1 ',rejoice1 thou barren1 that bearest not2 break forth and cry1 thou that travailest not2 for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath a husband4' ,all this is blessedly true1 but it affords no warrant whatever for transferring the promises made to ,israel to ,new-,testament believers4 ,god has pledged ,himself by an oath to bless the seed of ,abraham ,his friend--to bless them with all earthly blessings1 in the land of ,canaan4 ,this promise holds good1 and is absolutely inalienable4 ,woe be to all who attempt to interfere with its literal fulfillment in ,god's own time4 ,we have referred to this in our studies on the earlier part of this book1 and must now rest content with warning the reader most solemnly against every system of interpretation which involves such serious consequences as to the ,word and ways of ,god4 ,we must ever remember that ,israel's blessings are earthly2 the ,church's blessings are heavenly4 ,blessed be the ,god and ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ1 who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in the heavenlies in ,christ4 ,thus1 both the nature and the sphere of the ,church's blessings are wholly different from those of ,israel1 and must never be confounded4 ,but the system of interpretation above referred to does confound them1 to the marring of the integrity of holy ,scripture1 and the serious damage of souls4 ,to attempt to apply the promises made to ,israel to the ,church of ,god1 either now or hereafter1 on earth or in heaven1 is to turn things completely upside down1 and to produce the most hopeless confusion in the exposition and application of ,scripture4 ,we feel called upon1 in simple faithfulness to the ,word of ,god and to the soul of the reader1 to press this matter upon his earnest attention4 ,he may rest assured it is by no means an unimportant question2 so far from this1 we are persuaded that it is utterly impossible for any one who confounds ,israel and the ,church--the earthly and the heavenly1 to be a sound or accurate interpreter of the ,word of ,god4 ,however1 we cannot pursue this subject further here4 ,we only trust that the ,spirit of ,god will arouse the heart of the reader to feel its interest and importance1 and give him to see the necessity of rightly dividing the word of truth4 ,if this be so1 our object will be fully gained4 ,with regard to this twenty-eighth of ,deuteronomy1 if the reader only seizes the fact of its entire distinctness from its predecessor1 he will be able to read it with spiritual intelligence and real profit4 ,there is no need whatever for elaborate exposition4 ,it divides itself naturally and obviously into two parts4 ,in the first1 we have a full and most blessed statement of the results of obedience 7,see verses #a-ae472 in the second1 we have a deeply solemn and affecting statement of the awful consequences of disobedience4 7,see verses #af-fh47 ,and we cannot but be struck with the fact that the section containing the curses is more than three times the length of the one containing the blessings4 ,that consists of fifteen verses2 this1 of fifty-three4 ,the whole chapter furnishes an impressive commentary on the government of ,god1 and a most forcible illustration of the fact that our ,god is a consuming fire4 ,all the nations of the earth may learn from ,israel's marvelous history that ,god must punish disobedience1 and that1 too1 first of all1 in ,his own4 ,and if ,he has not spared ,his own people1 what shall be the end of those who know ,him not8 ,the wicked shall be turned into hell1 and all the nations that forget ,god4 ,it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living ,god4 ,it is the very height of extravagant folly for any one to attempt to evade the full force of such passages1 or to explain them away4 ,it cannot be done4 ,let any one read the chapter before us and compare it with the actual history of ,israel1 and he will see that as sure as there is a ,god on the throne of the majesty in the heavens1 so surely will ,he punish evil-doers1 both here and hereafter4 ,it cannot be otherwise4 ,the government that could or would allow evil to go unjudged1 uncondemned1 unpunished1 would not be a perfect government--would not be the government of ,god4 ,it is vain to found arguments upon one-sided views of the goodness1 kindness1 and mercy of ,god4 ,blessed be ,his name1 ,he is kind and good and merciful and gracious1 long-suffering and full of compassion2 but ,he is holy and just1 righteous and true1 and ,he hath appointed a day1 in the which ,he will judge the world the habitable earth-- in righteousness by that ,man whom ,he hath ordained2 whereof ,he hath given assurance given proof-- unto all1 in that ,he hath raised ,him from the dead4 7,acts xvii47 ,however1 we must draw this section to a close2 but ere doing so1 we feel it to be our duty to call the reader's attention to a very interesting point in connection with verse #ac of our chapter4 ,the ,lord shall make thee the head1 and not the tail2 and thou shalt be above only1 and thou shalt not be beneath2 if that thou hearken unto the commandments of the ,lord thy ,god1 which ,i command thee this day1 to observe and to do them4 ,this1 no doubt1 refers to ,israel as a nation4 ,they are destined to be the head of all the nations of the earth4 ,such is the sure and settled purpose and counsel of ,god respecting them4 ,low as they are now sunk1 scattered and lost amongst the nations1 suffering the terrible consequences of their persistent disobedience1 sleeping1 as we read in ,daniel xii1 in the dust of the earth1 yet they shall1 as a nation1 arise and shine in far brighter glory than that of ,solomon4 ,all this is blessedly true1 and established beyond all question in manifold passages in ,moses1 the ,psalms1 the prophets1 and the ,new ,testament2 but in looking through the history of ,israel1 we find some very striking instances of individuals who were permitted and enabled1 through infinite grace1 to make their own of the precious promise contained in verse #ac1 and that1 too1 in very dark and depressing periods of the national history1 when ,israel1 as a nation1 was the tail and not the head4 ,we shall just give the reader an instance or two1 not only to illustrate our point1 but also to set before him a principle of immense practical importance and universal application4 ,let us turn for a moment to that charming little book of ,esther--a book so little understood or appreciated--a book which1 we may truly say1 fills a niche and teaches a lesson which no other book does4 ,it belongs to a period when most assuredly ,israel was not the head1 but the tail2 but1 notwithstanding1 it presents to our view the very edifying and encouraging picture of an individual son of ,abraham so carrying himself as to reach the very highest position1 and gaining a splendid victory over ,israel's bitterest foe4 ,as to ,israel's condition in the days of ,esther1 it was such that ,god could not publicly own them4 ,hence it is that ,his name is not found in this book1 from beginning to end4 ,the ,gentile was the head and ,israel the tail4 ,the relationship between ,jehovah and ,israel could no longer be publicly owned2 but the heart of ,jehovah could never forget ,his people1 and1 we may add1 the heart of a faithful ,israelite could never forget ,jehovah or ,his holy law2 and these are just the two facts that specially characterize this most interesting little book4 ,god was acting for ,israel behind the scenes1 and ,mordecai was acting for ,god before the scenes4 ,it is worthy of remark that neither ,israel's best ,friend nor their worst enemy is once named in the book of ,esther1 and yet the whole book is full of the actings of both4 ,the finger of ,god is stamped on every link in the marvelous chain of providence2 and on the other hand1 the bitter enmity of ,amalek comes out in the cruel plot of the haughty ,agagite4 ,all this is intensely interesting4 ,indeed1 in rising from the study of this book1 we may well say1 ,oh1 scenes surpassing fable and yet true4 ,no romance could possibly exceed in interest this simple but most blessed history4 ,but we must not expatiate1 much as we should like to do so4 ,time and space forbid4 ,we merely refer to it now in order to point out to the reader the unspeakable value and importance of individual faithfulness at a moment when the national glory was faded and gone4 ,mordecai stood like a rock for the truth of ,god4 ,he refused1 with stern decision1 to own ,amalek4 ,he would save the life of ,ahasuerus1 and bow to his authority as the expression of the power of ,god2 but he would not bow to ,haman4 ,his conduct in this matter was governed simply by the ,word of ,god4 ,the authority for his course was to be found in this blessed book of ,deuteronomy4--,remember what ,amalek did unto thee by the way1 when ye were come forth out of ,egypt2 how he met thee by the way1 and smote the hindmost of thee1 even all that were feeble behind thee1 when thou wast faint and weary2 and he feared not ,god--here was the true secret of the whole matter--therefore it shall be1 when the ,lord thy ,god hath given thee rest from all thine enemies round about1 in the land which the ,lord thy ,god giveth for an inheritance to possess it1 that thou shalt blot out the remembrance of ,amalek from under heaven2 thou shalt not forget it4 7,chap4 xxv4 #ag-ai47 ,this was distinct enough for every circumcised ear1 every obedient heart1 every upright conscience4 ,equally distinct is the language of ,exodus xvii4--,and the ,lord said unto ,moses1 ',write this for a memorial in a book1 and rehearse it in the ears of ,joshua2 for ,i will utterly put out the remembrance of ,amalek from under heaven4' ,and ,moses built an altar1 and called the name of it ,,jehovah-nissi the ,lord my banner2 for he said1 ',because the ,lord hath sworn that the ,lord will have war with ,amalek from generation to generation4' 7,ver4 #ad-af47 ,here1 then1 was ,mordecai's authority for refusing a single nod of his head to the ,agagite4 ,how could a faithful member of the house of ,israel bow to a member of a house with which ,jehovah was at war8 ,impossible4 ,he could clothe himself in sackcloth1 fast and weep for his people1 but he could not1 he would not1 he dare not1 bow to an ,amalekite4 ,he might be charged with presumption1 blind obstinacy1 stupid bigotry1 and contemptible narrow-mindedness2 but with that he had nothing whatever to do4 ,it might seem the most unaccountable folly to withhold the common mark of respect from the highest noble in the kingdom2 but that noble was an ,amalekite1 and that was enough for ,mordecai4 ,the apparent folly was simple obedience4 ,it is this which makes the case so interesting and important for us4 ,nothing can ever do away with our responsibility to obey the ,word of ,god4 ,it might be said to ,mordecai that the commandment as to ,amalek was a by-gone thing1 having reference to ,israel's palmy days4 ,it was quite right for ,joshua to fight with ,amalek2 ,saul1 too1 ought to have obeyed the word of ,jehovah instead of sparing ,agag2 but now1 all was changed2 the glory was departed from ,israel1 and it was perfectly useless to attempt to act on ,exodus xvii4 or ,deuteronomy xxv4 ,all such arguments1 we feel assured1 would have no weight whatever with ,mordecai4 ,it was enough for him that ,jehovah had said1 ,remember what ,amalek did4444 ,thou shalt not forget it4 ,how long was this to hold good8 ,from generation to generation4 ,jehovah's war with ,amalek was never to cease until his very name and remembrance were blotted out from under heaven4 ,and why8 ,because of his cruel and heartless treatment of ,israel4 ,such was the kindness of ,god toward ,his people6 ,how1 then1 could a faithful ,israelite ever bow to an ,amalekite8 ,impossible4 ,could ,joshua bow to ,amalek8 ,nay4 ,did ,samuel8 ,nay2 he hewed ,agag in pieces before the ,lord in ,gilgal4 ,how1 then1 could ,mordecai bow to him8 ,he could not do it1 cost what it might4 ,it mattered not to him that the gallows was erected for him4 ,he could be hanged1 but he could never do homage to ,amalek4 ,and what was the result8 ,a magnificent triumph6 ,there stood the proud ,amalekite near the throne1 basking in the sunshine of royal favor1 boasting himself in his riches1 his greatness1 his glory1 and about to crush beneath his foot the seed of ,abraham4 ,there1 on the other hand1 lay poor ,mordecai in sackcloth and ashes and tears4 ,what could he do8 ,he could obey4 ,he had neither sword nor spear2 but he had the ,word of ,god1 and by simply obeying that ,word1 he gained a victory over ,amalek quite as decisive and splendid in its way as that gained by ,joshua in ,exodus xvii4--a victory which ,saul failed to gain1 though surrounded by a host of warriors selected from the twelve tribes of ,israel4 ,amalek sought to get ,mordecai hanged2 but instead of that1 he was obliged to act as his footman1 and conduct him1 in all but regal pomp and splendor1 through the street of the city4 ,and ,haman answered the king1 ',for the man whom the king delighteth to honor1 let the royal apparel be brought which the king useth to wear1 and the horse that the king rideth upon1 and the crown royal which is set upon his head2 and let this apparel and horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king's most noble princes1 that they may array the man withal whom the king delighteth to honor1 and bring him on horseback through the street of the city1 and proclaim before him1 ,thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delighteth to honor4' ,then the king said to ,haman1 ',make haste1 and take the apparel and the horse1 as thou hast said1 and do even so to ,mordecai the ,jew1 that sitteth at the king's gate3 let nothing fail of all that thou hast spoken4' ,then took ,haman the apparel and the horse1 and arrayed ,mordecai1 and brought him on horseback through the street of the city1 and proclaimed before him1 ',thus shall it be done unto the man whom the king delighteth to honor4' ,and ,mordecai came again to the king's gate2 but ,haman hasted to his house mourning1 and having his head covered4 ,here1 assuredly1 ,israel was the head and ,amalek the tail--,israel1 not nationally1 but individually4 ,but this was only the beginning of ,amalek's defeat and of ,israel's glory4 ,haman was hanged on the very gallows he had erected for ,mordecai1 and ,mordecai went out from the presence of the king in royal apparel of blue and white1 and with a great crown of gold1 and with a garment of fine linen and purple2 and the city of ,shushan rejoiced and was glad4 ,nor was this all4 ,the effect of ,mordecai's marvelous victory was felt far and wide over the hundred and twenty-seven provinces of the empire4 ,in every province1 and in every city whithersoever the king's commandment and his decree came1 the ,jews had joy and gladness1 a feast and a good day4 ,and many people of the land became ,jews1 for the fear of the ,jews fell upon them4 ,and1 to crown all1 we read that ,mordecai the ,jew was next unto king ,ahasuerus1 and great among the ,jews1 and accepted of the multitude of his brethren1 seeking the wealth of his people1 and speaking peace to all his seed4 ,now1 reader1 does not all this prove to us1 in the most striking manner1 the immense importance of individual faithfulness8 ,is it not eminently calculated to encourage us to stand for the truth of ,god1 cost what it may8 ,only see what marvelous results followed from the actings of one man6 ,many might have condemned ,mordecai's conduct4 ,it might have seemed like unaccountable obstinacy to refuse a simple mark of respect to the highest noble in the empire2 but it was not so4 ,it was simple obedience2 it was decision for ,god1 and it led to a most magnificent victory1 the spoils of which were reaped by his brethren at the very ends of the earth4 ,for further illustration of the subject suggested by ,deuteronomy xxviii4 #ac1 we must refer the reader to ,daniel iii4 and vi4 ,there he will see what morally glorious results can be reached by individual faithfulness to the true ,god1 at a moment when ,israel's national glory was gone--their city and temple in ruins4 ,the three worthies refused to worship the golden image4 ,they dared to face the wrath of the king1 to withstand the universal voice of the empire1 yea1 to meet the fiery furnace itself1 rather than disobey4 ,they could surrender life1 but they could not surrender the truth of ,god4 ,and what was the result8 ,a splendid victory6 ,they walked through the furnace with the ,son of ,god1 and were called forth from the furnace as witnesses and servants of the ,most ,high ,god4 ,glorious privilege6 wondrous dignity6 and all the simple result of obedience4 ,had they gone with the crowd1 and bowed the head in worship to the national god1 in order to escape the dreadful furnace1 see what they would have lost6 ,but1 blessed be ,god1 they were enabled to stand fast in the confession of the grand foundation-truth of the unity of the ,godhead--that truth which had been trampled underfoot amid the splendors of ,solomon's reign2 and the record of their faithfulness has been penned for us by the ,holy ,spirit in order to encourage us to tread1 with firm step1 the path of individual devotedness1 in the face of a ,god-hating1 ,christ-rejecting world1 and in the face of a truth-neglecting christendom4 ,it is impossible to read the narrative and not have our whole renewed being stirred up and drawn out in earnest desire for more deep-toned personal devotedness to ,christ and ,his precious cause4 ,similar must be the effect produced by the study of ,daniel vi4 ,we cannot allow ourselves to quote or expatiate2 we can only commend the soul-stirring record to the attention of the reader4 ,it is uncommonly fine1 and it furnishes a splendid lesson for this day of soft1 self-indulgent1 easy-going profession1 in which it costs people nothing to give a nominal assent to the truths of ,christianity2 but in which1 notwithstanding1 there is so little desire or readiness to follow1 with whole-hearted decision1 a rejected ,lord1 or to yield an unqualified and unhesitating obedience to ,his commandments4 ,how refreshing1 in the face of so much heartless indifference1 to read of the faithfulness of ,daniel6 ,he1 with unflinching decision1 persisted in his holy habit of praying three times a day1 with his window open toward ,jerusalem1 although he knew that the den of lions was the penalty of his act4 ,he might have closed his window and drawn his curtains and retired into the privacy of his chamber to pray1 or he might have waited for the midnight hour1 when no human eye could see or human ear hear him4 ,but no2 this beloved servant of ,god would not hide his light under a bed or a bushel4 ,there was a great principle at stake4 ,it was not merely that he would pray to the one living and true ,god1 but he would pray with his windows open toward ,jerusalem4 ,and why toward ,jerusalem8 ,because it was ,god's centre4 ,but it was in ruins4 ,true1 for the present1 and as looked at from a human stand-point2 but to faith1 and from a divine stand-point1 ,jerusalem was ,god's centre for ,his earthly people4 ,it was1 and it shall be1 beyond all question4 ,and not only so1 but its dust is precious to ,jehovah2 and hence ,daniel was in full communion with the mind of ,god when he opened his windows toward ,jerusalem and prayed4 ,he had ,scripture for what he did1 as the reader may see by referring to #b ,chronicles vi4 ,if they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity1 whither they have carried them captives1 and pray toward their land1 which ,thou gavest unto their fathers1 and toward the city which ,thou hast chosen1 and toward the house which ,i have built for ,thy name4 ,here was ,daniel's warrant4 ,this was what he did1 utterly regardless of human opinions1 and utterly regardless1 too1 of pains and penalties4 ,he would rather be thrown into the den of lions than surrender the truth of ,god2 he would rather go to heaven with a good conscience than remain on earth with a bad one4 ,and what was the result8 ,another splendid triumph6 ,daniel was taken up out of the den1 and no manner of hurt was found upon him1 ,,because ,,he ,,believed ,,in ,,his ,,god4 ,blessed servant6 noble witness6 ,assuredly he was the head on this occasion1 and his enemies the tail4 ,and how8 ,simply by obedience to the ,word of ,god4 ,this is what we deem to be of such vast moral importance for this our day4 ,it is to illustrate and enforce this that we refer to those brilliant examples of individual faithfulness at a time when ,israel's national glory was in the dust1 their unity gone1 and their polity broken up4 ,we cannot but regard it as a fact full of interest1 full of encouragement1 full of suggestive power1 that in the darkest days of ,israel's history as a nation we have the brightest and noblest examples of personal faith and devotedness4 ,we earnestly press this upon the attention of the ,christian reader4 ,we consider it eminently calculated to strengthen and cheer up our hearts in standing for the truth of ,god at a moment like the present1 when there is so much to discourage us in the general condition of the professing church4 ,it is not that we are to look for such speedy1 striking1 and splendid results as were realized in those cases to which we have referred4 ,this is by no means the question4 ,what we have to keep before our hearts is the fact that1 no matter what may be the condition of the ostensible people of ,god at any given time1 it is the privilege of the individual man of ,god to tread the narrow path and reap the precious fruits of simple obedience to the ,word of ,god and the precious commandments of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,this1 we feel persuaded1 is a truth for the day4 ,may we all feel its holy power4 ,we are in imminent danger of lowering the standard of personal devotedness because of the general condition4 ,this is a fatal mistake1 yea1 it is the positive suggestion of the enemy of ,christ and ,his cause4 ,if ,mordecai1 ,shadrach1 ,meshach1 ,abednego1 and ,daniel had acted thus1 what would have been the result8 ,ah1 no1 reader2 we have ever to bear in mind that our one great business is1 to obey1 and leave results with ,god4 ,it may please ,him to permit ,his servants to see striking results1 or ,he may see fit to allow them to wait for that great day that is coming1 when there will be no danger of our being puffed up by seeing any little fruit of our testimony4 ,be this as it may1 it is our plain and bounden duty to tread that bright and blessed path indicated for us by the commandments of our precious and adorable ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,may ,god enable us1 by the grace of ,his ,holy ,spirit1 so to do4 ,may we cleave to the truth of ,god with purpose of heart1 utterly regardless of the opinions of our fellow-men who may charge us with narrowness1 bigotry1 intolerance1 and such like4 ,we have just to go on with the ,lord6 ,,chapter ,,xxix ,this chapter closes the second grand division of our book4 ,in it we have a most solemn appeal to the conscience of the congregation4 ,it is what we may term the summing up and practical application of all that has gone before in this most profound1 practical1 and hortatory section of the five books of ,moses4 ,these are the words of the covenant1 which the ,lord commanded ,moses to make with the children of ,israel in the land of ,moab1 beside the covenant which ,he made with them in ,horeb4 ,allusion has already been made to this passage as one of the many proofs of the entire distinctness of the book of ,deuteronomy from the preceding section of the ,pentateuch2 but it claims the reader's attention on another ground4 ,it speaks of a special covenant made with the children of ,israel in the land of ,moab1 in virtue of which they were to be brought into the land4 ,this covenant was as distinct from the covenant made at ,sinai as it was from the covenant made with ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob4 ,in a word1 it was neither pure law on the one hand1 nor pure grace on the other1 but government exercised in sovereign mercy4 ,it is perfectly clear that ,israel could not enter the land on the ground of the ,sinai or ,horeb-covenant1 inasmuch as they had completely failed under it1 by making a golden calf4 ,they forfeited all right and title to the land1 and were only saved from instant destruction by sovereign mercy exercised toward them through the mediation and earnest intercession of ,moses4 ,it is equally plain that they did not enter the land on the ground of the ,abrahamic covenant of grace1 for had they done so1 they would not have been turned out of it4 ,neither the extent nor the duration of their tenure answered to the terms of the covenant made with their fathers4 ,it was by the terms of the ,moab-covenant that they entered upon the limited and temporary possession of the land of ,canaan2 and inasmuch as they have as signally failed under the ,moab-covenant as under that of ,horeb--failed under government as completely as under law1 they are expelled from the land and scattered over the face of the earth1 under the governmental dealings of ,god4 ,but not forever4 ,blessed be the ,god of all grace1 the seed of ,abraham ,his friend shall yet possess the land of ,canaan according to the magnificent terms of the original grant4 ,the gifts and calling of ,god are without repentance4 ,gifts and calling must not be confounded with law and government4 ,mount ,zion can never be classed with ,horeb and ,moab4 ,the new and everlasting covenant of grace1 ratified by the precious blood of the ,lamb of ,god1 shall be gloriously fulfilled to the letter1 spite of all the powers of earth and hell--men and devils combined4 ',behold1 the days come1 saith the ,lord1 when ,i will make a new covenant with the house of ,israel and with the house of ,judah2 not according to the covenant that ,i made with their fathers in the day when ,i took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of ,egypt2 because they continued not in ,my covenant1 and ,i regarded them not1 saith the ,lord4 ,for this is the covenant that ,i will make with the house of ,israel after those days1 saith the ,lord3 ,i will put ,my laws into their mind1 and write them in their hearts2 and ,i will be to them a ,god1 and they shall be to ,me a people2 and they shall not teach every man his neighbor1 and every man his brother1 saying1 ,know the ,lord2 for all shall know ,me1 from the least to the greatest4 ,for ,i will be merciful to their unrighteousness1 and their sins and their iniquities will ,i remember no more4' ,in that ,he saith1 ',a new covenant1' ,he hath made the first old4 ,now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away4 7,heb4 viii4 #h-ac47 ,now1 the reader must carefully guard against a system of interpretation that would apply this precious and beautiful passage to the ,church4 ,it involves a threefold wrong1 namely1 a wrong to the truth of ,god1 a wrong to the ,church1 and a wrong to ,israel4 ,we have raised a warning note on this subject again and again in the course of our studies on the ,pentateuch1 because we feel its immense importance4 ,it is our deep and thorough conviction that no one can understand1 much less expound1 the ,word of ,god who confounds ,israel with the ,church4 ,the two things are as distinct as heaven and earth2 and hence1 when ,god speaks of ,israel1 ,jerusalem1 and ,zion1 if we presume to apply those names to the ,new-,testament ,church1 it can only issue in utter confusion4 ,we believe it to be a simple impossibility to set forth the mischievous consequences of such a method of handling the ,word of ,god4 ,it puts an end to all accuracy of interpretation1 and to all that holy precision and divine certainty which ,scripture is designed and fitted to impart2 it mars the integrity of truth1 damages the souls of ,god's people1 and hinders their progress in divine life and spiritual intelligence4 ,in short1 we cannot too strongly urge upon every one who reads these lines the absolute necessity of guarding against this fatally false system of handling holy ,scripture4 ,we must beware of meddling with the scope of prophecy1 or the true application of the promises of ,god4 ,we have no warrant whatever to interfere with the divinely appointed sphere of the covenants4 ,the inspired apostle tells us distinctly1 in the ninth of ,romans1 that they pertain to ,israel2 and if we attempt to alienate them from the ,old-,testament fathers and transfer them to the ,church of ,god--the body of ,christ1 we may depend upon it1 we are doing what ,jehovah-,elohim will never sanction4 ,the ,church forms no part of the ways of ,god with ,israel and the earth4 ,her place1 her portion1 her privileges1 her prospect1 are all heavenly4 ,she is called into existence in this time of ,christ's rejection1 to be associated with ,him where ,he is now hidden in the heavens1 and to share ,his glory in the coming day4 ,if the reader fully grasps this grand and glorious truth1 it will go far toward helping him to put things into their right places and leave them there4 ,we must now turn our attention to the very solemn1 practical application of all that has passed before us to the conscience of every member of the congregation4 ,and ,moses called unto all ,israel1 and said unto them1 ',ye have seen all that the ,lord did before your eyes in the land of ,egypt unto ,pharaoh1 and unto all his servants1 and unto all his land2 the great temptations which thine eyes have seen1 the signs1 and those great miracles2 yet the ,lord hath not given you a heart to perceive1 and eyes to see1 and ears to hear1 unto this day4' ,this is peculiarly solemn4 ,the most astounding miracles and signs may pass before us1 and leave the heart untouched4 ,these things may produce a transient effect upon the mind and upon the natural feelings1 but unless the conscience is brought into the light of the divine presence1 and the heart brought under the immediate action of the truth by the power of the ,spirit of ,god1 there is no permanent result reached4 ,nicodemus inferred from the miracles of ,christ that ,he was a teacher come from ,god2 but this was not enough4 ,he had to learn the deep and wondrous meaning of that mighty sentence1 ,ye must be born again4 ,a faith founded on miracles may leave people unsaved1 unblessed1 unconverted--awfully responsible1 no doubt1 but wholly unconverted4 ,we read1 at the close of the second chapter of ,john's gospel1 of many who professed to believe on ,christ when they saw ,his miracles2 but ,he did not commit ,himself unto them4 ,there was no divine work1 nothing to be trusted4 ,there must be a new life--a new nature1 and miracles and signs cannot impart this4 ,we must be born again--born of the ,word and ,spirit of ,god4 ,the new life is communicated by the incorruptible seed of the gospel of ,god1 lodged in the heart by the power of the ,holy ,ghost4 ,it is not a head-belief founded on miracles1 but a heart-belief in the ,son of ,god4 ,it is something which could never be known under law or government4 ,the gift of ,god is eternal life1 through ,jesus ,christ our ,lord4 ,precious gift6 glorious source6 blessed channel6 ,universal and everlasting praise to the ,eternal ,trinity6 ,and ,i have led you forty years in the wilderness2 your clothes are not waxen old upon you1 and thy shoe is not waxen old upon thy foot4--,wonderful clothes6 wonderful shoes6 ,god took care of them and made them last1 blessed forever be ,his great and holy name6--,ye have not eaten bread1 neither have ye drunk wine or strong drink2 that ye might know that ,i am the ,lord your ,god4 ,they were fed and clothed by ,god's own gracious hand4 ,man did eat angels' food4 ,they had no need of wine or strong drink--no need of stimulants4 ,they drank of that spiritual rock that followed them1 and that rock was ,christ4 ,that pure stream refreshed them in the dreary desert1 and the heavenly manna sustained them day by day4 ,all they wanted was the capacity to enjoy the divine provision4 ,here1 alas6 like ourselves1 they failed2 they got tired of the heavenly food1 and lusted for other things4 ,how sad that we should be so like them6 how very humbling that we should so fail to appreciate that precious ,one whom ,god has given to be our life1 our portion1 our object1 our all in all6 ,how terrible to find our hearts craving the wretched vanities and follies of this poor passing world--its riches1 its honors1 its distinctions1 its pleasures1 which all perish in the using1 and which1 even if they were lasting1 are not for a moment to be compared with the unsearchable riches of ,christ6 ,may ,god1 in ,his infinite goodness1 grant us1 according to the riches of ,his glory1 to be strengthened with might by ,his ,spirit in the inner man2 that ,christ may dwell in our hearts by faith2 that we1 being rooted and grounded in love1 may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height2 and to know the love of ,christ1 which passeth knowledge1 that we may be filled with all the fullness of ,god4 ,oh1 that this most blessed prayer may be answered in the deep and abiding experience of the reader and the writer6 ,and when ye came unto this place1 ,sihon the king of ,heshbon1 and ,og the king of ,bashan--formidable and much-dreaded foes6--came out against us unto battle1 and we smote them4 ,and had they been ten thousand times as great and as formidable1 they would have proved to be as chaff before the presence of the ,god of the armies of ,israel4 ,and we took their land1 and gave it for an inheritance unto the ,reubenites1 and to the ,gadites1 and to the half tribe of ,manasseh4 ,will any one dare to compare this with what human history records respecting the invasion of ,south ,america by the ,spaniards8 ,woe be to those who do so6 they will find themselves terribly mistaken4 ,there is this grand and all-important difference1 that ,israel had the direct authority of ,god for what they did to ,sihon and ,og2 the ,spaniards could show no such authority for what they did to the poor ignorant savages of ,south ,america4 ,this alters the case completely4 ,the introduction of ,god and ,his authority is the one perfect answer to every question1 the divine solution of every difficulty4 ,may we ever keep this weighty fact in the remembrance of the thoughts of our hearts1 as a divine antidote against every infidel suggestion6 ,keep therefore the words of this the ,moab covenant1 and do them1 that ye may prosper in all that ye do4 ,simple obedience to the ,word of ,god ever has been1 is now1 and ever shall be the deep and real secret of all true prosperity4 ,to the ,christian1 of course1 the prosperity is not in earthly or material things1 but in heavenly and spiritual2 and we must never forget that it is the very height of folly to think of prospering or making progress in the divine life if we are not yielding an implicit obedience to all the commandments of our blessed and adorable ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,if ye abide in ,me1 and ,my words abide in you1 ye shall ask what ye will1 and it shall be done unto you4 ,herein is ,my ,father glorified1 that ye bear much fruit2 so shall ye be ,my disciples4 ,as the ,father hath loved ,me1 so have ,i loved you2 continue ye in ,my love4 ,if ye keep ,my commandments1 ye shall abide in ,my love2 even as ,i have kept ,my ,father's commandments1 and abide in ,his love4 ,here is true ,christian prosperity4 ,may we earnestly long after it1 and diligently pursue the proper method of attaining it4 ,ye stand this day1 all of you1 before the ,lord your ,god2 your captains of your tribes1 your elders1 and your officers1 with all the men of ,israel1 your little ones--touching and interesting fact6--your wives1 and thy stranger that is in thy camp4 ,how exquisite1 how deeply affecting1 the expression1 thy stranger6 ,what a powerful appeal to ,israel's heart on behalf of the stranger6 ,from the hewer of thy wood unto the drawer of thy water2 that thou shouldest enter into covenant with the ,lord thy ,god1 and into ,his oath1 which the ,lord thy ,god maketh with thee this day2 that ,he may establish thee to-day for a people unto ,himself1 and that ,he may be unto thee a ,god1 as ,he hath said unto thee1 and as ,he hath sworn unto thy fathers1 to ,abraham1 to ,isaac1 and to ,jacob4 ,neither with you only do ,i make this covenant and this oath1 but with him that standeth here with us this day before the ,lord our ,god1 and also with him that is not here with us this day2 for ye know how we have dwelt in the land of ,egypt1 and how we came through the nations which ye passed by2 and ye have seen their abominations that is1 the objects of their worship--their false gods and their idols1 wood and stone1 silver and gold1 which were among them4 7,ver4 #aj-ag47 ,this earnest appeal is not only general1 but also intensely individual4 ,this is very important4 ,we are ever prone to generalize1 and thus miss the application of truth to our individual conscience4 ,this is a grave mistake1 and a most serious loss to our souls4 ,we are every one of us responsible to yield an implicit obedience to the precious commandments of our ,lord4 ,it is thus we enter into the real enjoyment of our relationship1 as ,moses says to the people1 that ,he may establish thee for a people unto ,himself1 and that ,he may be unto thee a ,god4 ,nothing can be more precious4 ,and then it is so very simple4 ,there is no vagueness1 obscurity1 or mysticism about it4 ,it is simply having ,his most precious commandments treasured up in our hearts1 acting upon the conscience1 and carried out in the life4 ,this is the true secret of habitually realizing our relationship with our ,father and with our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,for any one to imagine that he can enjoy the blessed sense of intimate relationship while living in the habitual neglect of our ,lord's commandments is a miserable and mischievous delusion4 ,if ye keep ,my commandments1 ye shall abide in ,my love4 ,this is the grand point2 let us deeply ponder it4 ,if ye love ,me1 keep ,my commandments4 ,not every one that saith unto ,me1 ,lord1 ,lord1 shall enter into the kingdom of heaven2 but he that doeth the will of ,my ,father which is in heaven4 ,for whosoever shall do the will of ,my ,father which is in heaven1 the same is ,my brother1 and sister1 and mother4 ,circumcision is nothing1 and uncircumcision is nothing1 but the keeping of the commandments of ,god4 ,these are seasonable words for this day of easy-going1 self-indulgent1 worldly profession4 ,may they sink down into our ears and into our hearts4 ,may they take full possession of our whole moral being1 and bring forth fruit in our individual history4 ,we feel persuaded of the need of this practical side of things4 ,we are in imminent danger1 while seeking to keep clear of every thing like legality1 of running into the opposite evil of carnal laxity4 ,the passages of holy ,scripture which we have just quoted--and they are but a few of many--supply the divine safeguard against both these pernicious and deadly errors4 ,it is blessedly true that we are brought into the holy relationship of children by the sovereign grace of ,god1 through the power of ,his ,word and ,spirit4 ,this one fact cuts up by the roots the noxious weed of legality4 ,but then1 surely the relationship has its suited affections1 its duties1 and its responsibilities1 the due recognition of which furnishes the true remedy for the terrible evil of carnal laxity so prevalent on all hands4 ,if we are delivered from law-works--as1 thank ,god1 we are1 if we are true ,christians--it is not that we should be good-for-nothing self-pleasers1 but that life-works might be produced in us1 to the glory of ,him whose name we bear1 whose we are1 and whom we are bound1 by every argument1 to love obey1 and serve4 ,may we1 beloved reader1 earnestly seek to apply our hearts to this practical line of things4 ,we are imperatively called upon to do so1 and we may fully count upon the abundant grace of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ to enable us to respond to the call1 spite of the ten thousand difficulties and hindrances that lie in our way4 ,oh1 for a deeper work of grace in our souls1 a closer walk with ,god1 a more pronounced discipleship6 ,let us give ourselves to the earnest pursuit of these things6 ,we must now proceed with the lawgiver's solemn appeal4 ,he warns the people to take heed1 lest there should be among you man or woman or family or tribe whose heart turneth away this day from the ,lord our ,god1 to go and serve the gods of these nations2 lest there should be among you a root that beareth gall and wormwood4 ,these searching words are referred to by the inspired apostle in his epistle to the ,hebrews in a very emphatic manner4 ,looking diligently1 he says1 lest any man fail of the grace of ,god2 lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you1 and thereby many be defiled4 ,what weighty words are these6 how full of wholesome admonition and warning6 ,they set forth the solemn responsibility of all ,christians4 ,we are all called upon to exercise a holy1 jealous1 godly care over each other1 which1 alas6 is but little understood or recognized4 ,we are not all called to be pastors or teachers4 ,the passage just quoted does not refer particularly to such2 it refers to all ,christians1 and we are bound to attend to it4 ,we hear great complaints on all sides1 of the sad lack of pastoral care4 ,no doubt there is a great lack of true pastors in the ,church of ,god1 as there is of every other gift4 ,this is only what we might expect4 ,how could it be otherwise8 ,how could we expect a profusion of spiritual gifts in our present miserable condition8 ,the ,spirit is grieved and quenched by our lamentable divisions1 our worldliness1 our gross unfaithfulness4 ,need we1 then1 marvel at our deplorable poverty8 ,but our blessed ,lord is full of deep and tender compassion toward us in the midst of our ruin and spiritual desolation1 and if we only humbled ourselves under ,his mighty hand1 ,he would graciously lift us up1 and enable us1 in many ways1 to meet the deficiency of pastoral gift amongst us4 ,we might1 through ,his precious grace1 look more diligently and lovingly after one another1 and seek each other's spiritual progress and prosperity in a thousand ways4 ,let not the reader imagine for a moment that we mean to give the smallest countenance to prying officiousness or unwarrantable espionage on the part of ,christians4 ,far away be the thought6 ,we look upon such things as perfectly insufferable in the ,church of ,god4 ,they stand at the very moral antipodes of that loving1 holy1 tender1 diligent pastoral care of which we speak and for which we long4 ,but does it not strike the reader that1 while giving the widest possible berth to these most contemptible evils to which we have just referred1 we might cultivate and exercise a loving1 prayerful interest in one another1 and a holy watchfulness and care1 which might prevent many a root of bitterness from springing up8 ,we cannot doubt it4 ,it is quite true we are not all called to be pastors1 and it is equally true that there is a grievous dearth of pastors in the ,church of ,god4 ,we mean1 of course1 true pastors--pastors given by the ,head of the ,church--men with a pastor's heart1 and real pastoral gift and power4 ,all this is undeniable1 and for this very reason it ought to stir the hearts of the ,lord's beloved people every where to seek of ,him grace to enable them to exercise a tender1 loving1 brotherly care over one another1 which might go a great way toward supplying the need of pastors amongst us4 ,one thing is clear1 that in the passage just quoted from ,hebrews xii4 there is nothing said about pastors4 ,it is simply a most stirring exhortation to all ,christians to exercise a mutual care1 and to watch against the springing up of any root of bitterness4 ,and oh1 how needful this is6 ,how terrible are those roots6 ,how bitter they are6 ,how widely spread are their pernicious tendrils at times6 ,what irreparable mischief they do6 ,how many are defiled by them6 ,how many precious links of friendship are snapped1 and how many hearts broken by them6 ,yes1 reader1 and how often we have felt persuaded that a little judicious pastoral or even brotherly care1 a little loving1 godly counsel1 might have nipped the evil in the bud1 and thus hindered an incalculable amount of mischief and sorrow4 ,may we all lay these things to heart1 and earnestly seek grace to do what we can to prevent roots of bitterness springing up and spreading abroad their defiling influence4 ,but we must hearken to further weighty and searching words from the beloved and venerable lawgiver4 ,he draws a most solemn picture of the end of the one who caused the root of bitterness to spring up4 ,and it come to pass1 when he heareth the words of this curse1 that he bless himself in his heart1 saying1 ,i shall have peace1 though ,i walk in the imagination of mine heart1 to add drunkenness to thirst4 ,fatal delusion6 ,crying1 ,peace1 peace6 when there is no peace1 but imminent wrath and judgment4 ,the ,lord will not spare him1 but then the anger of the ,lord and ,his jealousy shall smoke against that man1 and1--instead of the peace which he vainly promised himself1--all the curses that are written in this book shall lie upon him1 and the ,lord shall blot out his name from under heaven4 ,awful warning to all who act as roots of bitterness in the midst of the people of ,god1 and to all who countenance them6 ,and the ,lord shall separate him unto evil out of all the tribes of ,israel1 according to all the curses of the covenant that are written in this book of the law2 so that the generation to come of your children1 that shall rise up after you1 and the stranger that shall come from a far land1 shall say1 when they see the plagues of that land1 and the sicknesses which the ,lord hath laid upon it2 and that the whole land thereof is brimstone and salt and burning1 that it is not sown1 nor beareth1 nor any grass groweth therein1 like the overthrow of ,sodom and ,gomorrah1 ,admah and ,zeboim1 which the ,lord overthrew in ,his anger and in ,his wrath3--,soul-subduing examples of the governmental dealings of the living ,god1 which ought to speak with a voice of thunder in the ears of all those who are turning the grace of our ,god into lasciviousness1 and denying the ,lord that bought them6--even all nations shall say1 ,wherefore hath the ,lord done thus unto this land8 ,what meaneth the heat of this great anger8 ,then men shall say1 ,because they have forsaken the covenant of the ,lord ,god of their fathers1 which ,he made with them when ,he brought them forth out of the land of ,egypt2 for they went and served other gods1 and worshiped them1 gods whom they knew not1 and whom ,he had not given unto them2 and the anger of the ,lord was kindled against this land1 to bring upon it all the curses that are written in this book2 and the ,lord rooted them out of their land in anger1 and in wrath1 and in great indignation1 and cast them into another land1 as it is this day4 7,ver4 #ai-bh47 ,reader1 how peculiarly solemn is all this6 ,what a powerful illustration of the apostle's words1 ,it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living ,god6 and again1 ,our ,god is a consuming fire6 ,how important that the professing church should give heed to such warning notes6 ,most assuredly1 she is called to learn much from the history of ,god's dealings with ,his people ,israel2 ,romans xi4 is perfectly clear and conclusive as to this4 ,the apostle1 in speaking of the divine judgment upon the unbelieving branches of the olive-tree1 thus appeals to christendom3 ,if some of the branches be broken off'1 and thou1 being a wild olive-tree2 wert grafted in among them1 and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive-tree2 boast not against the branches4 ,but if thou boast1 thou bearest not the root1 but the root thee4 ,thou wilt say then1 ,the branches were broken off that ,i might be grafted in4 ,well2 because of unbelief they were broken off2 and thou standest by faith4 ,,be ,,not ,,high-,,minded1 ,,but ,,fear2 for if ,god spared not the natural branches1 take heed lest ,he also spare not thee4 ,behold therefore the goodness and severity of ,god2 on them which fell1 severity2 but toward thee1 goodness1 if thou continue in ,his goodness2 otherwise thou also shalt be cut off4 ,alas6 the professing church has not continued in the goodness of ,god4 ,it is utterly impossible to read her history in the light of ,scripture and not see this4 ,she has grievously departed1 and there is nothing before her save the unmingled wrath of ,almighty ,god4 ,the beloved members of the body of ,christ who1 sad to say1 are mingled with the terrible mass of corrupt profession1 will be gathered out of it and taken to the place prepared in the ,father's house in heaven4 ,then1 if not before1 they will see how wrong it was to have remained in connection with what was so flagrantly opposed to the mind of ,christ as revealed1 with divine clearness and simplicity1 in the holy ,scriptures4 ,but as to the great thing known as christendom1 it will be spued out and cut off4 ,it will be given over to strong delusion1 to believe a lie1 that they all might be damned who believed not the truth1 but had pleasure in unrighteousness4 ,tremendous words6 ,may they ring in the ears and sink down into the hearts of thousands who are going on from day to day1 week to week1 and year to year1 content with a mere name to live1 a form of godliness1 but denying the power1 lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of ,god4 ,what an awfully graphic picture of so-called ,christian ,england6 ,how appalling the condition and the destiny of the pleasure-hunting thousands who are rushing blindly1 heedlessly1 and madly down the inclined plane that leads to hopeless and everlasting misery6 ,may ,god1 in ,his infinite goodness1 by the power of ,his ,spirit and by the mighty action of ,his ,word1 rouse the hearts of ,his people every where to a more profound and influential sense of these things4 ,we must now1 ere closing this section1 briefly direct the reader's attention to the last verse of our chapter4 ,it is one of those passages of ,scripture sadly misunderstood and misapplied4 ,the secret things belong unto the ,lord our ,god2 but those things which are revealed belong unto us1 and to our children forever1 that we may do all the words of this law4 ,this verse is constantly used to hinder the progress of souls in the knowledge of the deep things of ,god1 but its simple meaning is this3 ,the things revealed are what we have had before us in the preceding chapter of this book2 the things secret1 on the other hand1 refer to those resources of grace which ,god had in store1 to be unfolded when the people should have utterly failed to do all the words of this law4 ,the revealed things are what ,israel ought to have done1 but did not do2 the secret things are what ,god would do1 spite of ,israel's sad and shameful failure1 and they are most blessedly presented in the following chapters--the counsels of divine grace1 the provisions of sovereign mercy to be displayed when ,israel shall have thoroughly learnt the lesson of their utter failure under both the ,moab and the ,horeb-covenants4 ,thus this passage1 when rightly understood1 so far from affording any warrant for the use so constantly made of it1 encourages the heart to search into these things which1 though secret to ,israel in the plains of ,moab1 are fully and clearly revealed to us for our profit1 comfort1 and edification4#be ,the ,holy ,spirit came down1 on the day of ,pentecost1 to lead the disciples into all truth4 ,the canon of ,scripture is complete2 all the purposes and counsels of ,god are fully revealed4 ,the mystery of the ,church completes the entire circle of divine truth4 ,the apostle ,john could say to all ,god's children1 ,ye have an unction from the ,holy ,one1 and know all things4 #be #a ,corinthians ii4 #i is another of the misunderstood and misapplied passages4 ,but1 as it is written1 ',eye hath not seen1 nor ear heard1 neither have entered into the heart of man1 the things which ,god hath prepared for them that love ,him4' ,here1 people are sure to stop1 and hence conclude that we cannot possibly know aught of the precious things which ,god has in store for us2 but the very next verse proves the gross absurdity of any such conclusion4 ,but ,god hath revealed them unto us by ,his ,spirit2 for the ,spirit searcheth all things1 yea1 the deep things of ,god4 ,for what man knoweth the things of a man1 save the spirit of man which is in him8 even so the things of ,god knoweth no man1 but the ,spirit of ,god4 ,now we that is1 all the ,lord's people have received1 not the spirit of the world1 but the spirit which is of ,god2 that we might know the things that are freely given to us of ,god4 ,thus this passage1 like ,deuteronomy xxix4 #bj1 teaches the very opposite of what is so constantly deduced from it4 ,how important to examine and weigh the context of the passages which are quoted4 ,thus the entire ,new ,testament abounds with evidence to prove the mistaken use that is so constantly made of ,deuteronomy xxix4 #bi4 ,we have dwelt upon it because we are aware that the ,lord's beloved people are sadly hindered by it in their progress in divine knowledge4 ,the enemy would ever seek to keep them in the dark1 when they ought to be walking in the sunlight of divine revelation--to keep them as babes feeding upon milk1 when they ought1 as those of full age1 to be feeding upon the strong meat so freely provided for the ,church of ,god4 ,we have but little idea of how the ,spirit of ,god is grieved and ,christ dishonored by the low tone of things amongst us4 ,how few really know the things that are freely given to us of ,god6 ,where are the proper privileges of the ,christian understood1 believed1 and realized8 ,how meagre is our apprehension of divine things6 ,how stunted our growth6 ,how feeble our practical exposition of the truth of ,god6 ,what a blotted epistle of ,christ we present6 ,beloved ,christian reader1 let us seriously ponder these things in the divine presence4 ,let us honestly search out the root of all this lamentable failure1 and have it judged and put away1 that so we may more faithfully and unmistakably declare whose we are and whom we serve4 ,may it be more thoroughly manifest that ,christ is our one absorbing object4 ,,chapter ,,xxx4 ,this chapter is one of very deep interest and importance4 ,it is prophetic1 and presents to us some of the secret things referred to at the close of the preceding chapter4 ,it unfolds some of those most precious resources of grace treasured up in the heart of ,god1 to be unfolded when ,israel1 having utterly failed to keep the law1 should be scattered to the ends of the earth4 ,and it shall come to pass1 when all these things are come upon thee1 the blessing and the curse1 which ,i have set before thee1 and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations1 whither the ,lord thy ,god hath driven thee1 and shalt return unto the ,lord thy ,god1 and shalt obey ,his voice according to all that ,i command thee this day1 thou and thy children1 with all thine heart and with all thy soul2 that then the ,lord thy ,god will turn thy captivity1 and have compassion upon thee1 and will return and gather thee from all the nations1 whither the ,lord thy ,god hath scattered thee4 ,how touching1 how perfectly beautiful1 is all this6 ,it is no question of law-keeping1 but something far deeper1 far more precious2 it is the turning of the heart--the whole heart--the whole soul to ,jehovah1 at a time when a literal obedience to the law is utterly impossible4 ,it is a broken and contrite heart turning to ,god1 and ,god1 in deep and tender compassion1 meeting that heart4 ,this is true blessedness1 at all times and in all places4 ,it is something above and beyond all dispensational dealings and arrangements4 ,it is ,god ,himself1 in all the fullness and ineffable blessedness of what ,he is1 meeting a repentant soul2 and we may truly say that when these two meet1 all is divinely and eternally settled4 ,it must be perfectly clear to the reader that what we have now before us is something as far removed from law-keeping and human righteousness as heaven is above earth4 ,the first verse of our chapter proves in the clearest possible manner that the people are viewed as in a condition in which the carrying out of the ordinances of the law is a simple impossibility4 ,but blessed be ,god1 there is not a spot on the face of the earth1 be it ever so remote1 from which the heart cannot turn to ,god4 ,the hands might not be able to present a victim for the altar1 the feet might not be able to travel to the appointed place of worship1 but the heart could travel to ,god4 ,yes2 the poor crushed1 broken1 contrite heart could go directly to ,god1 and ,god1 in the depth of ,his compassion and tender mercy1 could meet that heart1 bind it up1 and fill it to overflowing with the rich comfort and consolation of ,his love1 and the full joy of ,his salvation4 ,but let us hearken yet further to those secret things which belong to ,god--things precious beyond all human thought4 ,if any of thine be driven out unto the utmost parts of heaven--as far as they could go--from thence will the ,lord thy ,god gather thee1 and from thence will ,he fetch thee2 and the ,lord thy ,god will bring thee into the land which thy fathers possessed1 and thou shalt possess it2 and ,he will do thee good1 and multiply thee above thy fathers4 ,how precious is all this6 ,but there is something far better still4 ,not only will ,he gather them1 fetch them1 and multiply them--not only will ,he act in power for them1 but ,he will do a mighty work of grace in them of far more value than any outward prosperity however desirable4 ,and the ,lord thy ,god will circumcise thine heart--the very centre of the whole moral being1 the source of all those influences which go to form the character--and the heart of thy seed1 to love the ,lord thy ,god with all thine heart--the grand moral regulator of the entire life--and with all thy soul1 that thou mayest live4 ,and the ,lord thy ,god will put all these curses upon thine enemies1 and on them that hate thee1 which persecuted thee--a solemn word for all those nations who have ever sought to oppress the ,jews6--,and thou shalt return1 and obey the voice of the ,lord1 and do all ,his commandments1 which ,i command thee this day4 ,nothing can be more morally lovely than all this4 ,the people gathered1 fetched1 multiplied1 blessed1 circumcised in heart1 thoroughly devoted to ,jehovah1 and yielding a whole-hearted1 loving obedience to all ,his precious commandments6 ,what can exceed this in blessedness for a people on the earth8 ,and the ,lord thy ,god will make thee plenteous in every work of thine hand1 in the fruit of thy body1 and in the fruit of thy cattle1 and in the fruit of thy land1 for good2 for the ,lord will again rejoice over thee for good1 as ,he rejoiced over thy fathers3 if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the ,lord thy ,god1 to keep ,his commandments and ,his statutes which are written in this book of the law1 and if thou turn unto the ,lord thy ,god1 with all thine heart and with all thy soul4 ,for this commandment which ,i command thee this day1 it is not hidden from thee1 neither is it far off4 ,it is not in heaven1 that thou shouldest say1 ,who shall go up for us to heaven1 and bring it unto us1 that we may hear it and do it8 ,neither is it beyond the sea1 that thou shouldest say1 ,who shall go over the sea for us1 and bring it unto us1 that we may hear it and do it8 ,but the ,word is very nigh unto thee1 in thy mouth1 and in thy heart1 that thou mayest do it4 7,ver4 #aj-ad47 ,this is a singularly interesting passage4 ,it furnishes a key to the secret things already referred to1 and sets forth the great principles of divine righteousness1 in vivid and beautiful contrast to legal righteousness in every possible aspect4 ,according to the truth here unfolded1 it matters not in the least where a soul may be--here1 there1 or any where2 the ,word is nigh thee4 ,it could not possibly be nigher4 ,what could be nigher than in thy mouth1 and in thy heart8 ,we need not1 as we say1 move a muscle to get it4 ,if it were above us or beyond us1 reason would that we might complain of our utter inability to reach it2 but no1 there is no need of either hands or feet in this most blessed and all-important matter4 ,the heart and the mouth are here called into exercise4 ,there is a very beautiful allusion to the above passage in the tenth chapter of the epistle to the ,romans1 to which the reader may refer with much interest and profit4 ,indeed1 it is so full of evangelic sweetness1 that we must quote it4 ,brethren1 my heart's desire and prayer to ,god for ,israel is1 that they might be saved4 ,for ,i bear them record1 that they have a zeal of ,god1 but not according to knowledge4 ,for they1 being ignorant of ,god's righteousness1 and going about to establish their own righteousness1 have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of ,god4 ,for ,christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth--not to every one who says he believes1 as in ,james ii4 #ad4--;,for ,moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law1 that the man which doeth those things shall live by them4 ,but the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise3 ,say not in thine heart1 ,who shall ascend into heaven8 7that is1 to bring ,christ down27--,striking parenthesis6 ,marvelous instance of the ,spirit's use of ,old-,testament scripture6 ,it bears the distinct stamp of ,his master-hand4--or1 ,who shall descend into the deep8 7that is1 to bring up ,christ again from the dead47 ,but what saith it8 ,the ,word is nigh thee1 even in thy mouth1 and in thy heart2 that is1 the word of faith1 which we preach2--,how perfectly beautiful the addition6 ,who but the ,spirit could have supplied it8--that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the ,lord ,jesus1 and shalt believe in thine heart that ,god hath raised ,him from the dead1 thou shalt be saved4 ,for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness1 and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation4 ,for the ,scripture saith1 ',whosoever believeth on ,him shall not be ashamed4' ,mark this beautiful word--whosoever4 ,it most assuredly takes in the ,jew4 ,it meets him wherever he may be1 a poor exile at the very ends of the earth1 under circumstances where obedience to the law as such was simply impossible1 but where the rich and precious grace of ,god and ,his most glorious salvation could meet him in the depth of his need4 ,there1 though he could not keep the law1 he could confess with his mouth the ,lord ,jesus1 and believe in his heart that ,god had raised ,him from the dead2 and this is salvation4 ,but then1 if it be whosoever1 it cannot possibly be confined to the ,jew2 nay1 it cannot be confined at all2 and hence the apostle goes on to say1 ,there is no difference between the ,jew and the ,greek4 ,there was the greatest possible difference under the law4 ,there could not be a broader or more distinct line of demarkation than that which the lawgiver had drawn between the ,jew and the ,greek2 but that line is obliterated1 for a double reason3 first1 because all have sinned and come short of the glory of ,god 7chap4 iii4 #bc472 and secondly1 because the same ,lord over all is rich unto all that call upon ,him2 for whosoever shall call upon the name of the ,lord shall be saved4 ,how blessedly simple6 ,calling--believing--confessing6 ,nothing can exceed the transcendent grace that shines in these words4 ,no doubt it is assumed that the soul is really in earnest--that the heart is engaged4 ,god deals in moral realities4 ,it is not a nominal1 notional head-belief2 but divine faith wrought in the heart by the ,holy ,ghost--a living faith1 which connects the soul1 in a divine way and by an everlasting link1 to ,christ4 ,and then there is the confessing with the mouth the ,lord ,jesus4 ,this is of cardinal importance4 ,a man may say1 ,i believe in my heart1 but ,i am not one for parading my religious belief4 ,i am not a talker4 ,i keep my religion to myself4 ,it is entirely a matter between my soul and ,god2 ,i do not believe in that perpetual intruding our religious impressions upon other people4 ,many who talk loudly and largely about their religion in public1 make but a sorry figure in private1 and ,i certainty do not want to be identified with such4 ,i utterly abhor all cant4 ,deeds1 not words1 for me4 ,all this sounds very plausible1 but it cannot stand for a moment in the light of ,romans x4 #i4 ,there must be the confession with the mouth4 ,many would like to be saved by ,christ1 but they shrink from the reproach of confessing ,his precious ,name4 ,they would like to get to heaven when they die1 but they do not want to be identified with a rejected ,christ4 ,now ,god does not own such4 ,he looks for the full1 bold1 clear confession of ,christ1 in the face of a hostile world4 ,our ,lord ,christ1 too1 looks for this confession4 ,he declares that whoso confesses ,him before men1 ,he will confess before the angels of ,god2 but whoso denies ,him before men1 ,he will deny before the angels of ,god4 ,the thief on the cross exhibited the two great branches of true saving faith4 ,he believed with his heart1 and confessed with his mouth4 ,yes1 he gave a flat contradiction to the whole world on the most vital question that ever was or ever could be raised1 and that question was ,christ4 ,he was a thoroughly pronounced disciple of ,christ4 ,oh1 that there were more such6 ,there is a terrible amount of indefiniteness and cold half-heartedness in the professing church1 grievous to the ,holy ,ghost1 offensive to ,christ1 hateful to ,god4 ,we long for bold decision1 out-and-out1 unmistakable testimony to the ,lord ,jesus4 ,may ,god the ,holy ,spirit stir up all our hearts1 and lead us forth1 in more thorough consecration of heart1 to that blessed ,one who freely gave ,his life to save us from everlasting burnings6 ,we shall close this section by quoting for the reader the last few verses of our chapter1 in which ,moses makes a peculiarly solemn appeal to the hearts and consciences of the people4 ,it is a most powerful word of exhortation4 ,see1 ,i have set before thee this day life and good and death and evil4 ,thus it is ever in the government of ,god4 ,the two things are inseparably linked together4 ,let no man dare to snap the link4 ,god will render to every man according to his deeds2 to them who1 by patient continuance in well-doing1 seek for glory and honor and immortality1 eternal life2 but unto them that are contentious1 and do not obey the truth1 but obey unrighteousness1 indignation and wrath1 tribulation and anguish1 upon every soul of man that doeth evil1 of the ,jew first1 and also of the ,gentile2 but glory1 honor1 and peace to every man that worketh good1 to the ,jew first1 and also to the ,gentile3 for there is no respect of persons with ,god4 7,rom4 ii4 #f-aa47 ,the apostle does not1 in this great practical passage1 go into the question of power2 he simply states the broad fact--a fact applicable at all times and under all dispensations--government1 law1 and ,christianity2 it ever holds good that ,god will render to every man according to his deeds4 ,this is of the very last possible importance4 ,may we ever bear it in mind4 ,it may perhaps be said1 ,are not ,christians under grace8 ,yes1 thank ,god2 but does this weaken1 in the smallest degree1 the grand governmental principle stated above8 ,nay1 it strengthens and confirms it immensely4 ,but again1 some may feel disposed to say1 ,can any unconverted person do good8 ,we reply1 ,this question is not raised in the scripture just quoted4 ,every one taught of ,god knows and feels and owns that not one atom of good has ever been done in this world but by the grace of ,god2 that man left to himself will do evil only--evil continually4 ,every good gift and every perfect gift is from above1 and cometh down from the ,father of lights4 ,all this is most blessedly true1 and thankfully owned by every pious soul1 but it leaves wholly untouched the fact set forth in ,deuteronomy xxx4 and confirmed by ,romans ii1 that life and good1 death and evil1 are bound together by an inseparable link4 ,may we never forget it4 ,may it ever abide in the remembrance of the thoughts of our hearts4 ,see1 ,i have set before thee this day life and good1 and death and evil2 in that ,i command thee this day to love the ,lord thy ,god1 to walk in ,his ways1 and to keep ,his commandments and ,his statutes and ,his judgments1 that thou mayest live and multiply2 and the ,lord thy ,god shall bless thee in the land whither thou goest to possess it4 ,but if thine heart turn away1 so that thou wilt not hear1 but shalt be drawn away1 and worship other gods1 and serve them2 ,i denounce unto you this day1 that ye shall surely perish1 and that ye shall not prolong your days upon the land1 whither thou passest over ,jordan to go to possess it4 ,i call heaven and earth to record this day against you1 that ,i have set before you life and death1 blessing and cursing2 therefore choose life1 that both thou and thy seed may live2 that thou mayest love the ,lord thy ,god1 and that thou mayest obey ,his voice1 and that thou mayest cleave unto ,him--the all-important1 essential thing for each1 for all1 the very spring and power of all true religion1 in every age1 in every place2--for ,he is thy life1 and the length of thy days2--,how close6 how vital6 how real6 how very precious6--that thou mayest dwell in the land which the ,lord sware unto thy fathers1 to ,abraham1 to ,isaac1 and to ,jacob1 to give them4 7,ver4 #ae-bj47 ,nothing can be more solemn than this closing appeal to the congregation2 it is in full keeping with the tone and character of the entire book of ,deuteronomy--a book marked throughout by the most powerful exhortations that ever fell on mortal ears4 ,we have no such soul-stirring appeals in any of the preceding sections of the ,pentateuch4 ,each book1 we need not say1 has its own specific niche to fill1 its own distinct object and character2 but the great burden of ,deuteronomy1 from beginning to end1 is exhortation2 its thesis1 the ,word of ,god2 its object1 obedience--whole-hearted1 earnest1 loving obedience1 grounded on a known relationship and enjoyed privileges4 ,,chapter ,,xxxi4 ,the heart of ,moses still lingers1 with deep tenderness and affectionate solicitude1 over the congregation4 ,it seems as though he could never weary of pouring into their ears his earnest exhortations4 ,he felt their need1 he foresaw their danger1 and1 like a true and faithful shepherd1 he sought1 with all the deep and tender affection of ,his large1 loving heart1 to prepare them for what was before them4 ,no one can read his closing words without being struck with their peculiarly solemn tone4 ,they remind us of ,paul's touching farewell to the elders of ,ephesus4 ,both these beloved and honored servants realized1 in a very vivid manner1 the seriousness of their own position and that of the persons they were addressing4 ,they felt the uncommon gravity of the interests at stake1 and the urgent need of the most faithful dealing with the heart and conscience4 ,this will account for what we may term the awful solemnity of their appeals4 ,all who really enter into the situation and destiny of the people of ,god in a world like this must be serious4 ,the true sense of these things1 the apprehension of them in the divine presence1 must1 of necessity1 impart a holy gravity to the character1 and a special pungency and power to the testimony4 ,and ,moses went and spake these words unto all ,israel4 ,and he said unto them1 ',i am a hundred and twenty years old this day2 ,i can no more go out and come in2 also the ,lord hath said unto me1 ,thou shalt not go over this ,jordan4' ,how very touching this allusion to his great age1 and this fresh and final reference to the solemn governmental dealing of ,god with himself personally6 ,the direct and manifest object of both was1 to give effect to his appeal to the hearts and consciences of the people1 to strengthen the moral lever by which this beloved and honored servant of ,god sought to move them in the direction of simple obedience4 ,if he points to his gray hairs1 or to the holy discipline exercised toward him1 it most assuredly is not for the purpose of bringing himself1 his circumstances1 or his feelings before them1 but simply to touch the deepest springs of their moral being by every possible means4 ,the ,lord thy ,god1 ,he will go over before thee1 and ,he will destroy these nations from before thee1 and thou shalt possess them2 and ,joshua1 he shall go over before thee1 as the ,lord hath said4 ,and the ,lord shall do unto them as ,he did to ,sihon and to ,og1 kings of the ,amorites1 and unto the land of them whom ,he destroyed4 ,and the ,lord shall give them up before your face1 that ye may do unto them according unto all the commandments which ,i have commanded you4 ,not a word of murmuring or repining as to himself1 not the faintest tinge of envy or jealousy in his reference to the one who was to take his place1 not the most distant approach to aught of the kind2 every selfish consideration is swallowed up in the one grand object of encouraging the hearts of the people to tread1 with firm step1 the pathway of obedience1 which was then1 is now1 and ever must be the path of victory1 the path of blessing1 the path of peace4 ,be strong and of a good courage1 fear not1 nor be afraid of them2 for the ,lord thy ,god1 ,he it is that doth go with thee2 ,he will not fail thee nor forsake thee4 ,what precious1 soul-sustaining words are these1 beloved ,christian reader6 how eminently calculated to lift the heart above every discouraging influence6 ,the blessed consciousness of the ,lord's presence with us1 and the remembrance of ,his gracious ways with us1 in days gone by1 must ever prove the true secret of strength in moving onward4 ,the same mighty hand which had subdued before them ,sihon and ,og1 could subdue all the kings of ,canaan4 ,the ,amorites were quite as formidable as the ,canaanites2 ,jehovah was more than a match for all4 ,we have heard with our ears1 ,o ,god1 our fathers have told us1 what work ,thou didst in their days1 in the times of old4 ,how ,thou didst drive out the heathen with ,thy hand1 and plantedst them2 how ,thou didst afflict the people1 and cast them out4 ,only think of ,god driving out people with ,his own hand6 ,what an answer to all the arguments and difficulties of a morbid sentimentality6 ,how very shallow and erroneous are the thoughts of some in reference to the governmental ways of ,god6 ,how miserably one-sided their notions of ,his character and actings6 ,how perfectly absurd the attempt to measure ,god by the standard of human judgment and feeling6 ,it is very evident that ,moses had not the smallest particle of sympathy with such sentiments when he addressed to the congregation of ,israel the magnificent exhortation quoted above4 ,he knew something of the gravity and solemnity of the government of ,god1 something1 too1 of the blessedness of having ,him as a shield in the day of battle1 a refuge and a resource in every hour of peril and need4 ,let us hearken to his encouraging words addressed to the man who was to succeed him4 ,and ,moses called unto ,joshua1 and said unto him in the sight of all ,israel1 ',be strong and of a good courage2 for thou must go with this people unto the land which the ,lord hath sworn unto their fathers to give them2 and thou shalt cause them to inherit it4 ,and the ,lord1 ,he it is that doth go before thee2 ,he will be with thee2 ,he will not fail thee1 neither forsake thee2 fear not1 neither be dismayed4' ,joshua needed a special word for himself1 as one called to occupy a prominent and very distinguished place in the congregation4 ,but the word to him embodies the same precious truth as that addressed to the whole assembly4 ,he is assured of the divine presence and power with him4 ,this is enough for each1 for all2 for ,joshua as for the most obscure member of the assembly4 ,yes1 reader1 and enough for thee1 whoever thou art1 or whatever be thy sphere of action4 ,it matters not in the least what difficulties or dangers may lie before us1 our ,god is amply sufficient for all4 ,if only we have the sense of the ,lord's presence with us1 and the authority of ,his ,word for the work in which we are engaged1 we may move on with joyful confidence1 spite of ten thousand difficulties and hostile influences4 ,and ,moses wrote this law1 and delivered it unto the priests the sons of ,levi1 which bear the ark of the covenant of the ,lord1 and unto all the elders of ,israel4 ,and ,moses commanded them1 saying1 ',at the end of every seven years1 in the solemnity of the year of release1 in the feast of tabernacles1 when all ,israel is come to appear before the ,lord thy ,god in the place which ,he shall choose1 thou shalt read this law before all ,israel1 in their hearing4 ,gather the people together1 men and women and children1 and thy stranger that is within thy gates1 that they may hear1 and that they may learn1 and fear the ,lord your ,god1 and observe to do all the words of this law2 and that their children1 which have not known any thing1 may hear1 and learn to fear the ,lord your ,god1 as long as ye live in the land whither ye go over ,jordan to possess it4 7,ver4 #i-ce47 ,two things in the foregoing passage claim our special attention2 first1 the fact that ,jehovah attached the most solemn importance to the public assembly of ,his people for the purpose of hearing ,his ,word4 ,all ,israel--men1 women1 and children--with the stranger who had cast in his lot amongst them1 were commanded to assemble themselves together to hear the reading of the book of the law of ,god1 that all might learn ,his holy will and their duty4 ,each member of the assembly1 from the eldest to the youngest1 was to be brought into direct personal contact with the revealed will of ,jehovah1 that each one might know his solemn responsibility4 ,and secondly1 we have to weigh the fact that the children were to be gathered before the ,lord to hearken to ,his ,word4 ,both these facts are full of weighty instruction for all the members of the ,church of ,god--instruction urgently called for on all sides4 ,there is a most deplorable amount of failure as to these two points4 ,we sadly neglect the assembling of ourselves together for the simple reading of the holy ,scriptures4 ,there does not seem to be sufficient attraction in the ,word of ,god itself to bring us together4 ,there is an unhealthy craving for other things2 human oratory1 music1 religious excitement of some kind or other seems needful to bring people together1--any thing and every thing but the precious ,word of ,god4 ,it will perhaps be said that people have the ,word of ,god in their houses1 that it is quite different now from what it was with ,israel2 every one can read the ,scriptures at home1 and there is not the same necessity for the public reading4 ,such a plea will not stand the test of truth for a moment4 ,we may rest assured1 if the ,word of ,god were loved and prized and studied in private and in the family1 it would be loved and prized and studied in public4 ,we should delight to gather together around the fountain of holy ,scripture1 to drink1 in happy fellowship1 of the living water1 for our common refreshment and blessing4 ,but it is not so4 ,the ,word of ,god is not loved and studied1 either privately or publicly4 ,trashy literature is devoured in private1 and music1 ritualistic services1 and imposing ceremonies are eagerly sought after in public4 ,thousands will flock to hear music1 and pay for admission1 but how few care for a meeting to read the holy ,scriptures6 ,these are facts1 and facts are powerful arguments4 ,we cannot get over them4 ,there is a growing thirst for religious excitement1 and a growing distaste for the calm study of holy ,scripture and the spiritual exercises of the ,christian assembly4 ,it is perfectly useless to deny it4 ,we cannot shut our eyes to it4 ,the evidence of it meets us on every hand4 ,thank ,god1 there are a few1 here and there1 who really love the ,word of ,god1 and delight to meet1 in holy fellowship1 for the study of its precious truths4 ,may the ,lord increase the number of such1 and bless them abundantly4 ,may our lot be cast with them1 till traveling days are done4 ,they are but an obscure and feeble remnant every where2 but they love ,christ and cleave to ,his ,word1 and their richest enjoyment is1 to get together and think and speak and sing of ,him4 ,may ,god bless them and keep them4 ,may ,he deepen ,his precious work in their souls1 and bind them more closely to ,himself and one another1 and thus prepare them1 in the state of their affections1 for the appearing of the ,bright and ,morning ,star4 ,we must now turn for a few moments to the closing verses of our chapter1 in which ,jehovah speaks to ,his beloved and honored servant1 in tones of deep and touching solemnity1 as to his own death1 and as to ,israel's dark and gloomy future4 ,and the ,lord said unto ,moses1 ',behold1 thy days approach that thou must die3 call ,joshua1 and present yourselves in the tabernacle of the congregation1 that ,i may give him a charge4' ,and ,moses and ,joshua went and presented themselves in the tabernacle of the congregation4 ,and the ,lord appeared in the tabernacle in a pillar of a cloud2 and the pillar of the cloud stood over the door of the tabernacle4 ,and the ,lord said unto ,moses1 ',behold1 thou shalt sleep with thy fathers2 and this people will rise up and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land1 whither they go to be among them1 and will forsake ,me1 and break ,my covenant which ,i have made with them4 ,then ,my anger shall be kindled against them in that day1 and ,i will forsake them1 and ,i will hide ,my face from them1 and they shall be devoured1 and many evils and troubles shall befall them2 so that they will say in that day1 ,are not these evils come upon us because our ,god is not among us8 ,and ,i will surely hide ,my face in that day1 for all the evils which they shall have wrought1 in that they are turned unto other gods4' ,their sorrows shall be multiplied that hasten after another god4 ,so says the ,spirit of ,christ in ,psalm xvi4 ,israel has proved1 is proving1 and shall yet more fully prove the solemn truth of these words4 ,their history in the past1 their present dispersion and desolation1 and1 beyond all1 that great tribulation through which they have yet to pass1 at the time of the end1--all go to confirm and illustrate the truth that the sure and certain way to multiply our sorrows is1 to turn away from the ,lord and look to any creature-resource4 ,this is one of the many and varied practical lessons which we have to gather from the marvelous history of the seed of ,abraham4 ,may we learn it effectually4 ,may we learn to cleave to the ,lord with purpose of heart1 and turn away1 with holy decision1 from every other object4 ,this1 we feel persuaded1 is the only path of true happiness and peace4 ,may we ever be found in it4 ,now therefore write ye this song for you1 and teach it the children of ,israel2 put it in their mouths1 that this song may be a witness for ,me against the children of ,israel4 ,for when ,i shall have brought them into the land which ,i sware unto their fathers1 that floweth with milk and honey2 and they shall have eaten and filled themselves and waxen fat2 then will they turn unto other gods1 and serve them1 and provoke ,me1 and break ,my covenant4 ,and it shall come to pass1 when many evils and troubles are befallen them1 that this song shall testify against them as a witness2 for it shall not be forgotten out of the mouths of their seed2 for ,i know their imaginations which they go about1 even now1 before ,i have brought them into the land which ,i sware4 ,how deeply affecting1 how peculiarly solemn1 is all this6 ,instead of ,israel being a witness for ,jehovah before all nations1 the song of ,moses was to be a witness for ,jehovah against the children of ,israel4 ,they were called to be ,his witnesses2 they were responsible to declare ,his name and to show forth ,his praise in that land into which1 in ,his faithfulness and sovereign mercy1 ,he conducted them2 but alas6 they utterly and shamefully failed1 and hence1 in view of this sad and most humiliating failure1 a song was to be written which1 in the first place1 as we shall see1 sets forth1 in most magnificent strains1 the glory of ,god2 and secondly1 records1 in accents of inflexible faithfulness1 ,israel's deplorable failure1 in every stage of their history4 ,moses therefore wrote this song the same day1 and taught it the children of ,israel4 ,and he gave ,joshua the son of ,nun a charge1 and said1 ',be strong1 and of a good courage2 for thou shalt bring the children of ,israel into the land which ,i sware unto them2 and ,i will be with thee4' ,joshua was not to be discouraged or faint-hearted because of the predicted unfaithfulness of the people4 ,he was1 like his great progenitor1 to be strong in faith giving glory to ,god4 ,he was to move forward with joyful confidence1 leaning on the arm and confiding in the word of ,jehovah1 the covenant-,god of ,israel1 in nothing terrified by his adversaries1 but resting in the precious1 soul-sustaining assurance that1 however the seed of ,abraham might fail to obey1 and1 as a consequence1 bring down judgment on themselves1 yet the ,god of ,abraham would infallibly maintain and make good ,his promise1 and glorify ,his name in the final restoration and everlasting blessing of ,his chosen people4 ,all this comes out with uncommon vividness and power in the song of ,moses1 and ,joshua was called to serve in the faith of it4 ,he was to fix his eye1 not upon ,israel's ways1 but upon the eternal stability of the divine covenant with ,abraham4 ,he was to conduct ,israel across the ,jordan and plant them in that fair inheritance designed for them in the purpose of ,god4 ,had ,joshua occupied his mind with ,israel1 he must have flung down his sword and given up in despair2 but no1 he had to encourage himself in the ,lord his ,god1 and serve in the energy of a faith that endures as seeing ,him who is invisible4 ,precious1 soul-sustaining1 ,god-honoring faith6 ,may the reader1 whatever be his line of life or sphere of action1 know1 in the profoundest depths of his soul1 the moral power of this divine principle4 ,may every beloved child of ,god and every servant of ,christ know it4 ,it is the only thing which will enable us to grapple with the difficulties1 hindrances1 and hostile influences which surround us in the scene through which we are passing1 and to finish our course with joy4 ,and it came to pass when ,moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book1 until they were finished1 that ,moses commanded the ,levites1 which bare the ark of the covenant of the ,lord1 saying1 ',take this book of the law1 and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the ,lord your ,god1 that it may be there for a witness against thee4 ,for ,i know thy rebellion1 and thy stiff neck2 behold1 while ,i am yet alive with you this day1 ye have been rebellious against the ,lord2 and how much more after my death8 ,gather unto me all the elders of your tribes1 and your officers1 that ,i may speak these words in their ears1 and call heaven and earth to record against them4 ,for ,i know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves1 and turn aside from the way which ,i have commanded you2 and evil will befall you in the latter days2 because ye will do evil in the sight of the ,lord1 to provoke ,him to anger through the work of your hands4' ,how forcibly we are here reminded of ,paul's farewell address to the elders of ,ephesus6--,for ,i know this1 that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you1 not sparing the flock4 ,also from among your own selves shall men arise1 speaking perverse things1 to draw away disciples after them4 ,therefore watch1 and remember1 that by the space of three years ,i ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears4 ,and now1 brethren1 ,i commend you to ,god1 and to the word of ,his grace1 which is able to build you up1 and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified4 7,acts xx4 #bi-cb47 ,man is the same always and every where4 ,his history is a blotted one from beginning to end4 ,but oh1 it is such a relief and solace to the heart to know and remember that ,god is ever the same1 and ,his ,word abides and is settled forever in heaven4 ,it was hid in the side of the ark of the covenant and there preserved intact1 spite of all the grievous sin and folly of the people4 ,this gives sweet rest to the heart at all times1 in the face of human failure1 and the wreck and ruin of every thing committed to man's hand4 ,the ,word of our ,god shall stand forever2 and while it bears a true and solemn testimony against man and his ways1 it also conveys home to the heart the most precious and tranquilizing assurance that ,god is above all man's sin and folly1 that ,his resources are absolutely inexhaustible1 and that ere long ,his glory shall shine out and fill the whole scene4 ,the ,lord be praised for the deep consolation of all this6 ,,chapter ,,xxxii4 ,and ,moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of ,israel the words of this song1 until they were ended4 ,it is not too much to say that one of the very grandest and most comprehensive sections in the divine volume now lies open before us and claims our prayerful attention4 ,it takes in the whole range of ,god's dealings with ,israel from first to last1 and presents a most solemn record of their grievous sin and of divine wrath and judgment4 ,but1 blessed be ,god1 it begins and ends with ,him2 and this is full of deepest and richest blessing for the soul4 ,if it were not so1 if we had only the melancholy story of man's ways1 we should be completely overwhelmed2 but in this magnificent song1 as indeed in the entire volume1 we begin with ,god and we end with ,god4 ,this tranquilizes the spirit most blessedly1 and enables us1 in calm and holy confidence1 to pursue the history of man1 to see every thing going to pieces in his hands1 and to mark the actings of the enemy in opposition to the counsels and purposes of ,god4 ,we can afford to see the complete failure and ruin of the creature1 in every shape and form1 because we know and are assured that ,god will be ,god in spite of every thing4 ,he will have the upper hand in the end1 and then all will be--must be right4 ,god shall be all in all1 and there shall be neither enemy nor evil occurrent throughout that vast universe of bliss of which our adorable ,lord ,christ shall be the central sun forever4 ,but we must turn to the song4 ,give ear1 ,o ye heavens1 and ,i will speak2 and hear1 ,o earth1 the words of my mouth4 ,heaven and earth are summoned to hearken to this magnificent outpouring4 ,its range is commensurate with its vast moral importance4 ,my doctrine shall drop as the rain1 my speech shall distill as the dew1 as the small rain upon the tender herb1 and as the showers upon the grass2 because ,i will publish the name of the ,lord2 ascribe ye greatness unto our ,god4 ,here lies the solid1 the imperishable foundation of every thing4 ,come what may1 the name of our ,god shall stand forever4 ,no power of earth or hell can possibly countervail the divine purpose1 or hinder the outshining of the divine glory4 ,what sweet rest this gives the heart in the midst of this dark1 sorrowful1 sin-stricken world1 and in the face of the apparently successful schemes of the enemy6 ,our refuge1 our resource1 our sweet relief and solace1 are found in the name of the ,lord our ,god1 the ,god and ,father of our ,lord ,jesus ,christ4 ,truly the publication of that blessed name must ever be as the refreshing dew and tender rain falling upon the heart4 ,this is1 of a truth1 the divine and heavenly doctrine on which the soul can feed1 and by which it is sustained1 at all times1 and under all circumstances4 ,he is the ,rock--not merely a rock4 ,there is1 there can be1 no other ,rock but ,himself4 ,eternal and universal homage to ,his glorious name6--,his work is perfect2--not a single flaw in aught that comes from ,his blessed hand2 all bears the stamp of absolute perfection4 ,this will be made manifest to all created intelligences by and by4 ,it is manifest to faith now1 and is a spring of divine consolation to all true believers4 ,the very thought of it distills as the dew upon the thirsty soul4 ,for all ,his ways are judgment2 a ,god of truth1 and without iniquity2 just and right is ,he4 ,infidels may cavil and sneer2 they may1 in their fancied wisdom1 try to pick holes in the divine actings2 but their folly shall be manifest to all4 ,let ,god be true1 but every man a liar2 as it is written1 ',that ,thou mightest be justified in ,thy sayings1 and mightest overcome when ,thou art judged4' ,god must have the upper hand in the end4 ,let men beware how they presume to call in question the sayings and doings of the only true1 the only wise1 and the almighty ,god4 ,there is something uncommonly fine in the opening notes of this song4 ,it gives the sweetest rest to the heart to know that however man1 and even the people of ,god1 may fail and come to ruin1 yet we have to do with ,one who abideth faithful and cannot deny ,himself1 whose ways are absolutely perfect1 and who1 when the enemy has done his very utmost1 and brought all his malignant designs to a head1 shall glorify ,himself1 and bring in universal and everlasting blessedness4 ,true1 ,he has to execute judgment upon man's ways4 ,he is constrained to take down the rod of discipline and use it1 at times1 with terrible severity upon ,his own people4 ,he is perfectly intolerant of evil in those who bear ,his holy name4 ,all this comes out1 with special solemnity in the song before us4 ,israel's ways are exposed and dealt with unsparingly2 nothing is allowed to pass2 all is set forth with holy precision and faithfulness4 ,thus we read1 ,they have corrupted themselves2 their spot is not the spot of ,his children2 they are a perverse and crooked generation4 ,do ye thus requite the ,lord1 ,o foolish people and unwise8 is not ,he thy ,father that hath bought thee8 hath ,he not made thee1 and established thee8 ,here we have the first note of reproof in this song1 but no sooner has it fallen on the ear than it is followed by a most precious outpouring of testimony to the goodness1 loving-kindness1 faithfulness1 and tender mercy of ,jehovah1 the ,elohim of ,israel1 and the ,most ,high1 or ,elion of all the earth4 ,remember the days of old1 consider the years of many generations2 ask thy father1 and he will show thee2 thy elders1 and they will tell thee2 when the ,most ,high ,god's millennial title 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 ,what a glorious fact is here unfolded to our view6 a fact but little understood or taken account of by the nations of the earth4 ,how little do men consider that1 in the original settlement of the great national boundaries1 the ,most ,high had direct reference to the children of ,israel6 ,yet thus it was1 and the reader should seek to grasp this grand and intensely interesting fact4 ,when we look at geography and history from a divine stand-point1 we find that ,canaan and the seed of ,jacob are ,god's centre4 ,yes2 ,canaan1 a little strip of land lying along the eastern coast of the ,mediterranean1 with an area of eleven thousand square miles1 7about a third of the extent of ,ireland17 is the centre of ,god's geography1 and the twelve tribes of ,israel are the central object of ,god's history4 ,how little have geographers and historians thought of this6 ,they have described countries1 and written the history of nations1 which1 in geographical extent and political importance1 far outstrip ,palestine and its people1 according to human thinking1 but which1 in ,god's account1 are as nothing compared with that little strip of land which ,he deigns to call ,his own1 and which it is ,his fixed purpose to inherit through the seed of ,abraham ,his friend4#bf #bf ,how true it is that ,god's thoughts are not man's thoughts1 or ,his ways as man's ways6 ,man attaches importance to extensive territories1 material strength1 pecuniary resources1 well-disciplined armies1 powerful fleets2 ,god1 on the contrary1 takes no account of such things2 they are to ,him as the small dust of the balance4 ,have ye not known8 have ye not heard8 hath it not been told you from the beginning8 have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth8 ,it is ,he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth1 and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers2 that stretcheth out the heavens as a curtain1 and spreadeth them out as a tent to dwell in2 that bringeth the princes to nothing2 ,he maketh the judges of the earth as vanity4 ,hence we may see the moral reason why1 in selecting a country to be the centre of ,his earthly plans and counsels1 ,jehovah did not select one of vast extent1 but a very small and insignificant strip of land1 of little account in the thoughts of men4 ,but oh1 what importance attaches to that little spot6 what principles have been unfolded there6 what events have taken place there6 what deeds have been done there6 what plans and purposes are yet to be wrought out there6 ,there is not a spot on the face of the earth so interesting to the heart of ,god as the land of ,canaan and the city of ,jerusalem4 ,scripture teems with evidence as to this3 we could fill a small volume with proofs4 ,the time is rapidly approaching when living facts will do what the fullest and clearest testimony of ,scripture fails to do1 namely1 convince men that the land of ,israel was1 is1 and ever shall be ,god's earthly centre4 ,all other nations owe their importance1 their interest1 their place in the pages of inspiration1 simply to the fact of their being1 in some way or other1 connected with the land and people of ,israel4 ,how little do historians know or think of this6 ,but surely every one who loves ,god ought to know it and ponder it4 ,we cannot attempt to dwell upon this most important and suggestive fact1 but we would ask the reader to give it his serious consideration4 ,he will find it fully developed and strikingly illustrated in the prophetic scriptures of the ,old and ,new ,testaments4 ,the ,lord's portion is ,his people2 ,jacob is the lot of ,his inheritance4 ,he found him in a desert land1 and in the waste howling wilderness2 ,he led him about1 ,he instructed him1 ,he kept him as the apple of ,his eye--the most sensitive1 delicate part of the human body4--,as an eagle stirreth up her nest1 fluttereth over her young1 spreadeth abroad her wings1 taketh them1 beareth them upon her wings2--to teach them to fly and to keep them from falling--so the ,lord alone did lead him1 and there was no strange god with him4 ,he made him ride on the high places of the earth1 that he might eat the increase of the fields2 and ,he made him to suck honey out of the rock1 and oil out of the flinty rock2 butter of kine1 and milk of sheep1 with fat of lambs1 and rams of the breed of ,bashan1 and goats1 with the fat of kidneys of wheat2 and thou didst drink the pure blood of the grape4 ,need we say that the primary application of all this is to ,israel8 ,no doubt the ,church may learn from it and profit by it1 but to apply it to the ,church would involve a double mistake1 a mistake of the most serious nature2 it would involve nothing less than the reducing of the ,church from a heavenly to an earthly level1 and the most unwarrantable interference with ,israel's divinely appointed place and portion4 ,what1 we may lawfully inquire1 has the ,church of ,god1 the body of ,christ1 to do with the settlement of the nations of the earth8 ,nothing whatever4 ,the ,church1 according to the mind of ,god1 is a stranger on the earth4 ,her portion1 her hope1 her home1 her inheritance1 her all1 is heavenly4 ,it would make no difference in the current of this world's history if the ,church had never been heard of4 ,her calling1 her walk1 her destiny1 her whole character and course1 her principles and morals1 are or ought to be heavenly4 ,the ,church has nothing to do with the politics of this world4 ,her citizenship is in heaven1 from whence she looks for the ,saviour4 ,she proves false to her ,lord1 false to her calling1 false to her principles1 in so far as she meddles with the affairs of nations4 ,it is her high and holy privilege to be linked and morally identified with a rejected1 crucified1 risen1 and glorified ,christ4 ,she has no more to do with the present system of things1 or with the current of this world's history1 than her glorified ,head in the heavens4 ,they1 says our ,lord ,christ1 speaking of ,his people1 are not of the world1 even as ,i am not of the world4 ,this is conclusive4 ,it fixes our position and our path in the most precise and definite way possible4 ,as ,he is1 so are we in this world4 ,this involves a double truth1 namely1 our perfect acceptance with ,god and our complete separation from the world4 ,we are in the world1 but not of it4 ,we have to pass through it as pilgrims and strangers1 looking out for the coming of our ,lord1 the appearing of the ,bright and ,morning ,star4 ,it is no part of our business to interfere with municipal or political matters4 ,we are called and exhorted to obey the powers that be1 to pray for all in authority1 to pay tribute1 and owe no man any thing2 to be blameless and harmless1 the sons of ,god without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation1 among whom we are to shine as lights in the world1 holding forth the word of life4 ,from all this we may gather something of the immense practical importance of rightly dividing the word of truth4 ,we have but little idea of the injury done1 both to the truth of ,god and to the souls of ,his people1 by confounding ,israel with the ,church--the earthly and the heavenly4 ,it hinders all progress in the knowledge of ,scripture1 and mars the integrity of ,christian walk and testimony4 ,this may seem a strong statement1 but we have seen the truth of it painfully illustrated times without number2 and we feel that we cannot too urgently call the attention of the reader to the subject4 ,we have more than once referred to it in the progress of our studies on the ,pentateuch1 and therefore we shall not further pursue it here1 but proceed with our chapter4 ,at verse #ae1 we reach a very different note in the song of ,moses4 ,up to this point1 we have had before us ,god and ,his actings1 ,his purposes1 ,his counsels1 ,his thoughts1 ,his loving interest in ,his people ,israel1 ,his tender1 gracious dealings with them4 ,all this is full of deepest1 richest blessing4 ,there is1 there can be1 no drawback here4 ,when we have ,god and ,his ways before us1 there is no hindrance to the heart's enjoyment4 ,all is perfection--absolute1 divine perfection1 and as we dwell upon it1 we are filled with wonder1 love1 and praise4 ,but there is the human side1 and here1 alas6 all is failure and disappointment4 ,thus at the fifteenth verse of our chapter we read1 ,but ,jeshurun waxed fat and kicked--what a very full and suggestive statement6 ,how vividly it presents1 in its brief compass1 the moral history of ,israel6--thou art waxen fat1 thou art grown thick1 thou art covered with fatness2 then he forsook ,god which made him1 and lightly esteemed the ,rock of his salvation4 ,they provoked ,him to jealousy with strange gods1 with abominations provoked they ,him to anger4 ,they sacrificed unto devils1 not to ,god2 to gods whom they knew not1 to new gods that came newly up1 whom your fathers feared not4 ,of the ,rock that begat thee thou art unmindful1 and hast forgotten ,god that formed thee4 ,there is a solemn voice in all this for the writer and the reader4 ,we are each of us in danger of treading the moral path indicated by the words just quoted4 ,surrounded on all hands by the rich and varied mercies of ,god1 we are apt to make use of them to nourish a spirit of self-complacency4 ,we make use of the gifts to shut out the ,giver4 ,in a word1 we1 too1 like ,israel1 wax fat and kick--we forget ,god4 ,we lose the sweet and precious sense of ,his presence and of ,his perfect sufficiency1 and turn to other objects1 as ,israel did to false gods4 ,how often do we forget the ,rock that begat us1 the ,god that formed us1 the ,lord that redeemed us6 ,and all this is so much the more inexcusable in us1 inasmuch as our privileges are so much higher than theirs4 ,we are brought into a relationship and a position of which ,israel knew absolutely nothing2 our privileges and blessings are of the very highest order2 it is our privilege to have fellowship with the ,father and with ,his ,son ,jesus ,christ2 we are the objects of that perfect love which stopped not short of introducing us into a position in which it can be said of us1 ,as ,he ,christ is1 so are we in this world4 ,nothing could exceed the blessedness of this2 even divine love itself could go no further than this4 ,it is not merely that the love of ,god has been manifested to us in the gift and the death of ,his only begotten and well-beloved ,son1 and in giving us ,his ,spirit1 but it has been made perfect with us by placing us in the very same position as that blessed ,one on the throne of ,god4 ,all this is perfectly marvelous4 ,it passeth knowledge4 ,and yet how prone we are to forget the blessed ,one who has so loved us and wrought for us and blessed us6 ,how often we slip away from ,him in the spirit of our minds and the affections of our hearts6 ,it is not merely a question of what the professing church1 as a whole1 has done1 but the very much deeper1 closer1 more pointed question of what our own wretched hearts are constantly prone to do4 ,we are apt to forget ,god1 and to turn to other objects1 to our serious loss and ,his dishonor4 ,would we know how the heart of ,god feels as to all this8 would we form any thing like a correct idea of how ,he resents it8 ,let us hearken to the burning words addressed to ,his erring people ,israel1 the overwhelming strains of the song of ,moses4 ,may we have grace to hear them aright1 and deeply profit by them4 ,and when the ,lord saw it1 ,he abhorred them1 because of the provoking of ,his sons and of ,his daughters4 ,and ,he said1 ',i will hide ,my face from them1 ,i will see what their end shall be2'--alas6 alas6 a truly deplorable end--'for they are a very froward generation1 children in whom is no faith4 ,they have moved ,me to jealousy with that which is not ,god2 they have provoked ,me to anger with their vanities2 and ,i will move them to jealousy with those which are not a people2 ,i will provoke them to anger with a foolish nation4 ,for a fire is kindled in ,mine anger1 and shall burn unto the lowest hell1 and shall consume the earth with her increase1 and shall set on fire the foundations of the mountains4 ,i will heap mischiefs upon them2 ,i will spend ,mine arrows upon them4 ,they shall be burnt with hunger1 and devoured with burning heat and with bitter destruction2 ,i will also send the teeth of beasts upon them1 with the poison of serpents of the dust4 ,the sword without and terror within shall destroy both the young man and the virgin1 the suckling also with the man of gray hairs4' 7,ver4 #ai-bf47 ,here we have a most solemn record of ,god's governmental dealings with ,his people--a record eminently calculated to set forth the awful truth of ,hebrews x4 #ca--;,it is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living ,god4 ,the history of ,israel in the past1 their condition at present1 and what they are yet to pass through in the future--all goes to prove1 in the most impressive manner1 that our ,god is a consuming fire4 ,no nation on the face of the earth has ever been called to pass through such severe discipline as the nation of ,israel4 ,as the ,lord reminds them in those deeply solemn words1 ,you only have ,i known of all the families of the earth1 therefore will ,i punish you for your iniquities4 ,no other nation was ever called to occupy the highly privileged place of actual relationship with ,jehovah4 ,this dignity was reserved for one nation2 but the very dignity was the basis of a most solemn responsibility4 ,if they were called to be ,his people1 they were responsible to conduct themselves in a way worthy of such a wondrous position1 or else have to undergo the heaviest chastenings ever endured by any nation under the sun4 ,men may reason about all this2 they may raise all manner of questions as to the moral consistency of a benevolent ,being acting according to the terms set forth in verses #bb-be of our chapter4 ,but all such questions and reasonings must sooner or later be discovered to be utter folly4 ,it is perfectly useless for men to argue against the solemn actings of divine government1 or the terrible severity of the discipline exercised toward the chosen people of ,god4 ,how much wiser and better and safer to be warned by the facts of ,israel's history to flee from the wrath to come1 and lay hold upon eternal life and full salvation revealed in the precious gospel of ,god6 ,and then1 with regard to the use which ,christians should make of the record of ,his dealings with ,his earthly people1 we are bound to turn it to most profitable account by learning from it the urgent need of walking humbly1 watchfully1 and faithfully in our high and holy position4 ,true1 we are the possessors of eternal life1 the privileged subjects of that magnificent grace which reigns through righteousness unto eternal life by ,jesus ,christ our ,lord2 we are members of the body of ,christ1 temples of the ,holy ,ghost1 and heirs of eternal glory2 but does all this afford any warrant for neglecting the warning voice which ,israel's history utters in our ears8 are we1 because of our incomparably higher privileges1 to walk carelessly and despise the wholesome admonitions which ,israel's history supplies8 ,god forbid6 ,nay1 we are bound to give earnest heed to the things which the ,holy ,ghost has written for our learning4 ,the higher our privileges1 the richer our blessings1 the nearer our relationship1 the more does it become us1 the more solemnly are we bound1 to be faithful1 and to seek in all things to carry ourselves in such a way as to be well-pleasing to ,him who has called us into the very highest and most blessed place that even ,his perfect love could bestow4 ,the ,lord1 in ,his great goodness1 grant that we may1 in true purpose of heart1 ponder these things in ,his holy presence1 and earnestly seek to serve ,him with reverence and godly fear4 ,but we must proceed with our chapter4 ,at verse #bf1 we have a point of deepest interest in connection with the history of the divine dealings with ,israel4 ,i said ,i would scatter them into corners1 ,i would make the remembrance of them to cease from among men4 ,and why did ,he not8 ,the answer to this question presents a truth of infinite value and importance to ,israel--a truth which lies at the very foundation of all their future blessing4 ,no doubt1 so far as they are concerned1 they deserved to have their remembrance blotted out from among men2 but ,god has ,his own thoughts and counsels and purposes respecting them2 and not only so1 but ,he takes account of the thoughts and actings of the nations in reference to ,his people4 ,this comes out with singular force and beauty at verse #bg4 ,he condescends to give us ,his reasons for not obliterating every trace of the sinful and rebellious people--and oh1 what a touching reason it is6--,were it not that ,i feared the wrath of the enemy1 lest their adversaries should behave themselves strangely1 and lest they should say1 ,our hand is high1 and the ,lord hath not done all this4 ,can aught be more affecting than the grace that breathes in these words8 ,god will not permit the nations to behave themselves strangely toward ,his poor erring people4 ,he will use them as ,his rod of discipline1 but the moment they attempt1 in the indulgence of their own bitter animosity1 to exceed their appointed limit1 ,he will break the rod in pieces1 and make it manifest to all that ,he ,himself is dealing with ,his beloved though erring people1 for their ultimate blessing and ,his glory4 ,this is a truth of unspeakable preciousness4 ,it is the fixed purpose of ,jehovah to teach all the nations of the earth that ,israel has a special place in ,his heart1 and a destined place of pre-eminence on the earth4 ,this is beyond all question4 ,the pages of the prophets furnish a body of evidence perfectly unanswerable on the point4 ,if nations forget or oppose1 so much the worse for them4 ,it is utterly vain for them to attempt to countervail the divine purpose1 for they may rest assured that the ,god of ,abraham1 ,isaac1 and ,jacob will confound every scheme formed against the people of ,his choice4 ,men may think1 in their pride and folly1 that their hand is high1 but they will have to learn that ,god's hand is higher still4 ,but our space does not admit of our dwelling upon this deeply interesting subject2 we must allow the reader to pursue it for himself1 in the light of holy ,scripture4 ,he will find it a most profitable and refreshing study4 ,most gladly would we accompany him through the precious pages of the prophetic scriptures1 but we must just now confine ourselves to the magnificent song which is in itself a remarkable epitome of the entire teaching on the point--a brief but comprehensive and impressive history of ,god's ways with ,israel and ,israel's ways with ,god1 from first to last--a history strikingly illustrative of the great principles of grace1 law1 government1 and glory4 ,at verse #bi1 we have a very touching appeal4 ,o that they were wise1 that they understood this1 that they would consider their latter end6 ,how should one chase a thousand1 and two put ten thousand to flight1 except their ,rock had sold them1 and the ,lord had shut them up8 ,for their rock is not as our ,rock1 even our enemies themselves being judges4--,there is1 there can be1 but the one ,rock1 blessed throughout all ages be ,his glorious name6--,for their vine is of the vine of ,sodom1 and of the fields of ,gomorrah2 their grapes are grapes of gall1 their clusters are bitter2 their wine is the poison of dragons1 and the cruel venom of asps4 ,terrible picture of a people's moral condition drawn by a master-hand6 ,such is the divine estimate of the real state of all those whose rock was not as the ,rock of ,israel4 ,but a day of vengeance will come4 ,it is delayed in long-suffering mercy1 but it will come as sure as there is a ,god on the throne of heaven4 ,a day is coming when all those nations which have dealt proudly with ,israel shall have to answer at the bar of the ,son of ,man for their conduct1 hear ,his solemn sentence1 and meet ,his unsparing wrath4 ,is not this laid up in store with ,me1 and sealed up among ,my treasures8 ,to ,me belongeth vengeance and recompense2 their foot shall slide in due time2 for the day of their calamity is at hand1 and the things that shall come upon them make haste4 ,for the ,lord shall judge vindicate1 defend1 or avenge ,his people1 and repent ,himself for ,his servants1 when ,he seeth that their power is gone1 and there is none shut up or left4 ,precious grace for ,israel by and by--for each1 for all1 now1 who feel and own their need4 ,and ,he shall say1 ,where are their gods1 their rock in whom they trusted2 which did eat the fat of their sacrifices1 and drank the wine of their drink-offerings8 let them rise up and help you and be your protection4 ,see now that ,i1 even ,i1 am ,he1 and there is no god with ,me2 ,i kill1 and ,i make alive2 ,i wound1 and ,i heal2--wound in governmental wrath1 and heal in pardoning grace2 all homage to ,his great and holy name1 throughout the everlasting ages6--neither is there airy that can deliver out of ,my hand4 ,for ,i lift up ,my hand to heaven1 and say ',i live forever4'--,glory be to ,god in the highest6 ,let all created intelligences adore ,his matchless name6--,if ,i whet ,my glittering sword1 and ,mine hand take hold on judgment1--as it most assuredly will--,i will render vengeance to ,mine enemies1 and will reward them that hate ,me--whoever and wherever they are4 ,tremendous sentence for all whom it may concern1 for all haters of ,god--all lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of ,god6--,i will make ,mine arrows drunk with blood1 and ,my sword shall devour flesh2 and that with the blood of the slain and of the captives1 from the beginning of revenges upon the enemy4 ,here we reach the end of the heavy record of judgment1 wrath1 and vengeance so briefly presented in this song of ,moses1 but so largely unfolded throughout the prophetic scriptures4 ,the reader can refer1 with much interest and profit1 to ,ezekiel xxxviii4 and xxxix1 where we have the judgment of ,gog and ,magog1 the great northern foe who is to come up1 at the end1 against the land of ,israel1 and there meet his ignominious fall and utter destruction4 ,he may also turn to ,joel iii1 which opens with words of balm and consolation for the ,israel of the future4--,for behold1 in those days1 and in that time1 when ,i shall bring again the captivity of ,judah and ,jerusalem1 ,i will also gather all nations1 and will bring them down into the valley of ,jehoshaphat1 and will plead with them there for ,my people and for ,my heritage ,israel1 whom they have scattered among the nations1 and parted ,my land4 ,thus he will see how perfectly the voices of the prophets harmonize with the song of ,moses1 and how fully1 how clearly1 and how unanswerably1 in both the one and the other1 does the ,holy ,ghost set forth and establish the grand truth of ,israel's future restoration1 supremacy1 and glory4 ,and then1 how truly delightful is the closing note of our song6 how magnificently it places the top-stone upon the whole superstructure6 ,all the hostile nations are judged1 under whatever style or title they appear upon the scene1 whether it be ,gog and ,magog1 the ,assyrian1 or the king of the north--all the foes of ,israel shall be confounded and consigned to everlasting perdition1 and then this sweet note falls upon the ear1--,,rejoice1 ,o ,,ye ,,nations1 ,,with ,,his ,,people2 ,,for ,,he ,,will ,,avenge ,,the ,,blood ,,of ,,his ,,servants1 ,,and ,,will ,,render ,,vengeance ,,to ,,his ,,adversaries1 ,,and ,,will ,,be ,,merciful ,,unto ,,his ,,land ,,and ,,to ,,his ,,people4 ,here ends this marvelous song1 one of the very finest1 fullest1 and most forcible utterances in the whole volume of ,god4 ,it begins and ends with ,god1 and takes in1 in its comprehensive range1 the history of ,his earthly people ,israel--past1 present1 and future4 ,it shows us the ordering of the nations in direct reference to the divine purpose as to the seed of ,abraham4 ,it unfolds the final judgment of all those nations that have acted or shall yet act in opposition to the chosen seed2 and then1 when ,israel is fully restored and blessed1 according to the covenant made with their fathers1 the saved nations are summoned to rejoice with them4 ,how glorious is all this6 ,what a splendid circle of truth is presented to the vision of our souls in the thirty-second chapter of ,deuteronomy6 ,well may it be said1 ,god is the ,rock1 ,his work is perfect4 ,here the heart can rest1 in holy tranquillity1 come what may4 ,every thing may go to pieces in man's hand1 all that is merely human may and must issue in hopeless wreck and ruin1 but the ,rock shall stand forever1 and every work of the divine ,hand shall shine in everlasting perfection to the glory of ,god and the perfect blessing of ,his people4 ,such1 then1 is the song of ,moses2 such its scope1 range1 and application4 ,the intelligent reader does not need to be told that the ,church of ,god1 the body of ,christ1 the mystery of which the blessed apostle ,paul was made the minister1 finds no place in this song4 ,when ,moses wrote this song1 the mystery of the ,church lay hid in the bosom of ,god4 ,if we do not see this1 we are wholly incompetent to interpret1 or even to understand1 the holy ,scriptures4 ,to a simple mind1 taught exclusively by ,scripture1 it is as clear as a sunbeam that the song of ,moses has for its thesis the government of ,god1 in connection with ,israel and the nations2 for its sphere1 the earth2 and for its centre1 the land of ,canaan4 ,and ,moses came and spake all the words of this song in the ears of the people1 he1 and ,hoshea the son of ,nun4 ,and ,moses made an end of speaking all these words to all ,israel2 and he said unto them1 ',set your hearts unto all the words which ,i testify among you this day1 which ye shall command your children to observe to do1 all the words of this law4 ,for it is not a vain thing for you1 because it is your life2 and through this thing ye shall prolong your days in the land1 whither ye go over ,jordan to possess it4' 7,ver4 #dd-dg47 ,thus1 from first to last1 through every section of this precious book of ,deuteronomy1 we find ,moses1 that beloved and most honored servant of ,god1 urging upon the people the solemn duty of implicit1 unqualified1 hearty obedience to the ,word of ,god4 ,in this lay the precious secret of life1 peace1 progress1 prosperity--all4 ,they had nothing else to do but obey4 ,blessed business6 happy1 holy duty6 ,may it be ours1 beloved reader1 in this day of conflict and confusion1 in the which man's will is so fearfully dominant4 ,the world and the so-called church are rushing on together1 with appalling rapidity1 along the dark pathway of self-will--a pathway which must end in the blackness of darkness forever4 ,let us bear this in mind1 and earnestly seek to tread the narrow path of simple obedience to all the precious commandments of our ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ4 ,thus shall our hearts be kept in sweet peace2 and although we may seem1 to the men of this world1 and even to professing ,christians1 to be odd and narrow-minded1 let us not be moved the breadth of a hair from the path indicated by the ,word of ,god4 ,may the word of ,christ dwell in us richly1 and the peace of ,christ rule in our hearts1 until the end4 ,it is very remarkable1 and indeed eminently impressive1 to find our chapter closing with another reference to ,jehovah's governmental dealing with ,his beloved servant ,moses4 ,and the ,lord spake unto ,moses that self-same day--the very day in which he uttered his song in the ears of the people--saying1 ',get thee up into this mountain ,abarim1 unto ,mount ,nebo1 which is in the land of ,moab1 that is over against ,jericho2 and behold the land of ,canaan1 which ,i give unto the children of ,israel for a possession2 and die in the mount whither thou goest up1 and be gathered unto thy people2 as ,aaron thy brother died in ,mount ,hor1 and was gathered unto his people2 because ye trespassed against ,me among the children of ,israel at the waters of ,meribah-,kadesh1 in the wilderness of ,zin1 because ye sanctified ,me not in the midst of the children of ,israel4 ,yet thou shalt see the land before thee2 but thou shalt not go thither unto the land which ,i give the children of ,israel4' 7,ver4 #dh-eb47 ,how solemn and soul-subduing is the government of ,god6 ,surely it ought to make the heart tremble at the very thought of disobedience4 ,if such an eminent servant as ,moses was judged for speaking unadvisedly with his lips1 what will be the end of those who live from day to day1 week to week1 month to month1 and year to year in deliberate and habitual neglect of the plainest commandments of ,god1 and positive self-willed rejection of ,his authority8 ,oh1 for a lowly mind1 a broken and contrite heart6 ,this is what ,god looks for and delights in2 it is with such ,he can make ,his blessed abode4 ,to this man will ,i look1 even to him who is poor and of a contrite spirit1 and trembleth at ,my word4 ,god1 in ,his infinite goodness1 grant much of this sweet spirit to each of ,his beloved children1 for ,jesus ,christ's sake4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiii ,and this is the blessing wherewith ,moses1 the man of ,god1 blessed the children of ,israel before his death4 ,it is full of interest and comfort to find that the last words of the lawgiver were words of unmingled blessing4 ,we have dwelt upon his various discourses--those solemn1 searching1 and deeply affecting homilies addressed to the congregation of ,israel2 we have meditated upon that marvelous song1 with its mingled notes of grace and government3 but we are now called to hearken to words of most precious benediction1 words of sweetest comfort and consolation1 words flowing from the very heart of the ,god of ,israel and giving ,his own loving thoughts respecting them1 and ,his onlook into their glorious future4 ,the reader will doubtless notice a marked difference between the last words of ,moses as recorded in ,deuteronomy xxxiii4 and the last words of ,jacob as given in ,genesis xlix4 ,it is needless to say that both are given by the same pen--both divinely inspired1 and hence1 although they differ1 they do not and cannot clash2 there is1 there can be1 no discrepancy between two sections of the volume of ,god4 ,this is a cardinal truth1 a vital and fundamental principle with every devout ,christian1 every true believer--a truth to be tenaciously grasped and faithfully confessed1 in the face of all the ignorant and insolent assaults of infidelity4 ,we are not1 of course1 going to enter upon an elaborate comparison of the two chapters2 this would be impossible just now1 on various grounds4 ,we are obliged to be as concise and brief as possible4 ,but there is one grand point of difference1 which can be seized at a glance4 ,jacob gives the history of the actings of his sons--some of them1 alas6 most sad and humiliating3 ,moses1 on the contrary1 presents the actings of divine grace1 whether in them or toward them4 ,this will at once account for the difference4 ,the evil actings of ,reuben1 of ,simeon1 and of ,levi are recorded by ,jacob1 but entirely omitted by ,moses4 ,is this discrepancy8 ,nay1 but divine harmony4 ,jacob views his sons in their personal history2 ,moses views them in their covenant-relationship with ,jehovah4 ,jacob gives us human failure1 infirmity1 and sin3 ,moses gives us divine faithfulness1 goodness1 and loving-kindness4 ,jacob gives us human actings1 and judgment thereon3 ,moses gives us divine counsels1 and unmingled blessing flowing out of them4 ,thanks and praise to our ,god1 ,his counsels and ,his blessings and ,his glory are above and beyond all human failure1 sin1 and folly4 ,he will ultimately have it all ,his own way1 and that forever2 then1 ,israel and the nations shall be fully blessed1 and shall rejoice together in the abundant goodness of ,god1 and celebrate ,his praise from shore to shore1 and from the river to the ends of the earth4 ,we shall now do little more than quote for the reader the various blessings of the tribes4 ,they are full of most precious instruction1 and do not call for much in the way of exposition4 ,and he said1 ',the ,lord came from ,sinai1 and rose up from ,seir unto them2 ,he shined forth from ,mount ,paran1 and ,he came with ten thousands of saints holy ones2 from ,his right hand went a fiery law for them4 ,yea1 ,he loved the people2--precious1 unfailing source of all their future blessing6--all ,his saints are in ,thy hand2--true secret of their perfect security6--and they sat down at ,thy feet2--the only safe and proper attitude for them1 for us1 for each1 for all6--every one shall receive of ,thy words4--,blessed boon6 precious treasure6 ,every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the ,lord is more precious1 by far1 than thousands of gold and silver2 sweeter also than honey and the honey-comb4--,moses commanded us a law1 even the inheritance of the congregation of ,jacob4 ,and he was king in ,jeshurun1 when the heads of the people and the tribes of ,israel were gathered together4 ,let ,reuben live and not die1 and let not his men be few4' ,we have nothing here about ,reuben's instability1 nothing about his sin4 ,grace is in the ascendant2 blessings are flowing in rich abundance from the loving heart of the ,one who delights to bless and to surround ,himself with hearts filled to overflowing with the sense of ,his goodness4 ,and this is the blessing of ,judah2 and he said1 ',hear1 ,lord1 the voice of ,judah1 and bring him unto his people2 let his hands be sufficient for him2 and be ,thou a help to him from his enemies4' ,judah is the royal line4 ,our ,lord sprang out of ,judah1 thus illustrating1 in a truly marvelous manner1 how divine grace rises1 in its majesty1 above human sin1 and triumphs gloriously over circumstances which reveal man's utter weakness4 ,judas begat ,phares and ,zara of ,thamar6 ,who but the ,holy ,spirit could have penned these words8 ,how plainly they declare that ,god's thoughts are not as our thoughts6 ,what human hand would have introduced ,thamar into the genealogical line of our adorable ,lord and ,saviour ,jesus ,christ8 ,not one4 ,the stamp of divinity is strikingly impressed on ,matthew i4 #c1 as it is upon every clause of the holy volume from beginning to end4 ,the ,lord be praised that it is so6 ,judah1 thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise2 thy hand shall be in the neck of thine enemies2 thy father's children shall bow down before thee4 ,judah is a lion's whelp2 from the prey1 my son1 thou art gone up2 he stooped down1 he couched as a lion1 and as an old lion2 who shall rouse him up8 ,the sceptre shall not depart from ,judah1 nor a lawgiver from between his feet1 until ,shiloh come2 and unto him shall the gathering of the people be4 ,binding his foal unto the vine1 and his ass's colt unto the choice vine2 he washed his garments in wine1 and his clothes in the blood of grapes2 his eyes shall be red with wine1 and his teeth white with milk4 7,gen4 xlix4 #h-ab47 ,and ,i saw in the right hand of ,him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside1 sealed with seven seals4 ,and ,i saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice1 ',who is worthy to open the book1 and to loose the seals thereof8' ,and no man in heaven1 nor in earth1 neither under the earth1 was able to open the book1 neither to look thereon4 ,and ,i wept much1 because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book1 neither to look thereon4 ,and one of the elders saith unto me1 ',weep not3 behold1 the ,lion of the tribe of ,juda1 the ,root of ,david1 hath prevailed to open the book and to loose the seven seals thereof4' ,and ,i beheld1 and lo1 in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures1 and in the midst of the elders1 stood a ,lamb1 as it had been slain1 having seven horns and seven eyes1 which are the seven spirits of ,god sent forth into all the earth4 ,how highly favored is the tribe of ,judah6 ,surely1 to be in the genealogical line from which our ,lord sprang is a high honor1 and yet we know--for our ,lord ,himself has told us--that it is far higher1 far more blessed1 to hear the ,word of ,god and keep it4 ,to do the will of ,god1 to treasure up in our hearts ,his precious commandments1 brings us morally nearer to ,christ than even the fact of being of ,his kindred according to the flesh4 7,matt4 xii4 #df-ej47 ,and of ,levi he said1 ',let ,thy ,thummin and ,thy ,urim lights and perfections be with ,thy holy one1 whom ,thou didst prove at ,massah1 and with whom ,thou didst strive at the waters of ,meribah2 who said unto his father and to his mother1 ,i have not seen him2 neither did he acknowledge his brethren1 nor knew his own children2 for they have observed ,thy word and kept ,thy covenant4 ,they shall teach ,jacob ,thy judgments1 and ,israel ,thy law2 they shall put incense before ,thee1 and whole burnt-sacrifice upon ,thine altar4 ,bless1 ,lord1 his substance1 and accept the work of his hands2 smite through the loins of them that rise against him1 and of them that hate him1 that they rise not again4' 7,ver4 #h-aa47 ,the reader will notice the fact that ,simeon is left out here1 though so intimately associated with ,levi in ,genesis xlix4 ,simeon and ,levi are brethren2 instruments of cruelty are in their habitations4 ,o my soul1 come not thou into their secret2 unto their assembly1 mine honor1 be not thou united2 for in their anger they slew a man1 and in their self-will they digged down a wall4 ,cursed be their anger1 for it was fierce2 and their wrath1 for it was cruel3 ,i will divide them in ,jacob1 and scatter them in ,israel4 ,now1 when we compare ,genesis xlix1 with ,deuteronomy xxxiii1 we observe two things1 namely1 human responsibility on the one hand1 and divine sovereignty on the other4 ,moreover1 we see nature and its actings2 grace and its fruits4 ,jacob looks at ,simeon and ,levi linked together in nature1 and displaying nature's tempers and ways4 ,so far as they were concerned1 they both alike deserved the curse2 but in ,levi1 we see the glorious triumphs of sovereign grace4 ,it was grace which enabled ,levi1 in the days of the golden calf1 to gird on the sword and stand for the glory of the ,god of ,israel4 ,then ,moses stood in the gate of the camp1 and said1 ',who is on the ,lord's side8 let him come unto me4' ,and all the sons of ,levi gathered themselves together unto him4 ,and he said unto them1 ',thus saith the ,lord ,god of ,israel1 ,put every man his sword by his side1 and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp1 and slay every man his brother1 and every man his companion1 and every man his neighbor4' ,and the children of ,levi did according to the word of ,moses2 and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men4 ,for ,moses had said1 ',consecrate yourselves to-day to the ,lord1 even every man upon his son1 and upon his brother2 that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day4' 7,ex4 xxxii4 #bf-bi47 ,where was ,simeon on this occasion8 ,he was with ,levi in the day of nature's self-will1 fierce anger1 and cruel wrath2 why not in the day of bold decision for ,jehovah8 ,he was ready to go with his brother to avenge a family insult1 why not to vindicate the honor of ,god1 insulted as it was by the idolatrous act of the whole congregation8 ,will any one say he was not responsible8 ,let such an one beware how he raises such a question4 ,the call of ,moses was addressed to the whole congregation2 ,levi alone responded1 and he got the blessing4 ,he stood for ,god in a dark and evil day1 and for this he was honored with the priesthood--the very highest dignity that could be conferred upon him4 ,the call was addressed to ,simeon as well as to ,levi1 but ,simeon did not respond4 ,is there any difficulty here8 ,to a mere theologian there may be1 but to a devout ,christian there is none4 ,god is sovereign4 ,he does as ,he pleases1 and gives none account of any of ,his matters4 ,if any one feels disposed to ask1 ,why is ,simeon omitted in ,deuteronomy xxxiii8 ,the simple and conclusive answer is1 ,o man1 who art thou that repliest against ,god8 ,in ,simeon1 we see nature's actings judged2 in ,levi1 we see the fruits of grace rewarded2 in both1 we see ,god's truth vindicated and ,his name glorified4 ,thus it ever has been1 thus it is1 and thus it shall be4 ,man is responsible3 ,god is sovereign4 ,are we called upon to reconcile these two propositions8 ,nay2 we are called to believe them4 ,they are reconciled already1 inasmuch as they appear side by side on the page of inspiration4 ,this is enough for every pious mind2 and as for cavilers1 they will get their definitive answer by and by4#bg #bg ,for further remarks on the tribe of ,levi1 the reader is referred to ,notes on the ,book of ,exodus1 chapter xxxii2 ,notes on the ,book of ,numbers1 chapter iii1 iv1 and viii2 also a pamphlet1 first published in the year #ahdf1 entitled1 ,the ,history of the ,tribe of ,levi ,considered4 ,all these can be had from ,loizeaux ,brothers4 ,and of ,benjamin the son of my right hand he said1 ',the beloved of the ,lord shall dwell in safety by ,him2 and the ,lord shall cover him all the day long1 and he shall dwell between ,his shoulders4' ,blessed place for ,benjamin6 blessed place for each beloved child of ,god6 ,how precious is the thought of dwelling in safety in the divine presence1 in conscious nearness to the true and faithful ,shepherd and ,bishop of our souls1 day and night abiding under the covert of ,his sheltering wings6 ,how blest are they who still abide1 ,close sheltered by ,thy watchful side6 ,who life and strength from ,thee receive1 ,and with ,thee move and in ,thee live4 ,reader1 seek to know more and more the reality and blessedness of ,benjamin's place and portion4 ,be not satisfied with any thing short of the enjoyed presence of ,christ1 the abiding sense of relationship and nearness to ,him4 ,be assured of it1 it is your happy privilege4 ,let nothing rob you of it4 ,keep ever near the ,shepherd's side1 reposing in ,his love1 lying down in the green pastures and beside the still waters4 ,the ,lord grant that the writer and the reader may prove the deep blessedness of this1 in this day of hollow profession and empty talk4 ,may we know the unspeakable preciousness of deep1 personal intimacy with ,himself4 ,this is the special need of the day in which our lot is cast--a day of so much intellectual traffic in truth1 but of so little heart-knowledge and true appreciation of ,christ4 ,and of ,joseph he said1 ',blessed of the ,lord be his land1 for the precious things of heaven1 for the dew1 and for the deep that coucheth beneath1 and for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun1 and for the precious things put forth by the moon1 and for the chief things of the ancient mountains1 and for the precious things of the lasting hills1 and for the precious things of the earth and fullness thereof1 and for the good-will of ,him that dwelt in the bush2 let the blessing come upon the head of ,joseph1 and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren4 ,his glory is like the firstling of his bullock1 and his horns are like the horns of unicorns2 with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth2 and they are the ten thousands of ,ephraim1 and they are the thousands of ,manasseh4' ,joseph is a very remarkable type of ,christ4 ,we have dwelt upon his history in our studies on the book of ,genesis4 ,the reader will notice the emphatic way in which ,moses speaks of the fact of his having been separated from his brethren4 ,he was rejected and cast into the pit4 ,he passed1 in figure1 through the deep waters of death1 and thus reached the place of dignity and glory4 ,he was raised from the dungeon to be ruler over the land of ,egypt1 and the preserver and sustainer of his brethren4 ,the iron entered into his soul1 and he was made to taste the bitterness of the place of death ere he entered the sphere of glory4 ,striking type of ,him who hung upon the cross1 lay in the grave1 and is now on the throne of the ,majesty of heaven4 ,we cannot but be struck with the fullness of the blessing pronounced upon ,joseph both by ,moses in ,deuteronomy xxxiii4 and by ,jacob in ,genesis xlix4 ,jacob's utterance is uncommonly fine4 ,joseph is a fruitful bough1 even a fruitful bough by a well1--,exquisitely beautiful figure6--whose branches run over the wall4 ,the archers have sorely grieved him1 and shot at him1 and hated him2 but his bow abode in strength1 and the arms of his hands were made strong by the hands of the mighty ,god of ,jacob2 7from thence is the ,shepherd1 the ,stone of ,israel37 even by the ,god of thy father1 who shall help thee2 and by the ,almighty1 who shall bless thee with blessings of heaven above1 blessings of the deep that lieth under1 blessings of the breasts and of the womb3 the blessings of thy father have prevailed above the blessings of my progenitors unto the utmost bound of the everlasting hills3 they shall be on the head of ,joseph1 and on the crown of the head of him that was separate from his brethren4 ,magnificent range of blessing6 ,and all this flowing from and based upon his sufferings4 ,it is needless to say that all these blessings will be made good in the experience of ,israel by and by4 ,the sufferings of the true ,joseph will form the imperishable foundation of the future blessedness of ,his brethren in the land of ,canaan2 and not only so1 but the tide of blessing1 deep and full1 shall flow forth from that highly favored though now desolate land1 in refreshing virtue into all the earth4 ,and it shall be in that day1 that living waters shall go out from ,jerusalem2 half of them toward the former sea1 and half of them toward the hinder sea2 in summer and in winter shall it be4 ,bright and blessed prospect for ,jerusalem1 for the land of ,israel1 and for the whole earth6 ,what a sad mistake to apply such scriptures to the gospel dispensation or to the ,church of ,god6 ,how contrary to the testimony of holy ,scripture1 to the heart of ,god1 and to the mind of ,christ6 ,and of ,zebulun he said1 ',rejoice1 ,zebulun1 in thy going out2 and1 ,issachar1 in thy tents4 ,they shall call the people unto the mountain2 there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness3 for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas1 and of the treasures hid in the sand4' ,zebulun is to rejoice in his going forth1 and ,issachar in abiding in his tents4 ,it will be joy at home and abroad2 and there will be power to act on others also--calling the people unto the mountain to offer the sacrifices of righteousness4 ,all this grounded upon the fact that they themselves shall suck of the abundance of the seas and of hidden treasures4 ,thus it is always1 in principle4 ,it is our privilege to rejoice in the ,lord1 come what may1 and to draw from those eternal springs and hidden treasures that are to be found in ,himself4 ,then shall we be in a condition of soul to call others to taste and see that the ,lord is good2 and not only so1 but to present to ,god those sacrifices of righteousness so acceptable to ,him4 ,and of ,gad he said1 ',blessed be he that enlargeth ,gad3 he dwelleth as a lion1 and teareth the arm with the crown of the head4 ,and he provided the first part for himself1 because there1 in a portion of the lawgiver1 was he seated2 and he came with the heads of the people1 he executed the justice of the ,lord1 and ,his judgments with ,israel4' ,and of ,dan he said1 ',dan is a lion's whelp2 he shall leap from ,bashan4' ,and of ,naphtali he said1 ',o ,naphtali1 satisfied with favor1 and full with the blessing of the ,lord3 possess thou the west and the south4' ,and of ,asher he said1 ',let ,asher be blessed with children2 let him be acceptable to his brethren1 and let him dip his foot in oil4 ,thy shoes shall be iron and brass2 and as thy days thy strength4 ,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 arms3 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 ,israel3 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 thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee2 and thou shalt tread upon their high places4' 7,ver4 #bj-bi47 ,truly we may say human comment is uncalled for here4 ,nothing can exceed the preciousness of the grace that breathes in the closing lines of our book4 ,the blessings of this chapter1 like the song of chapter xxxii1 begin and end with ,god and ,his marvelous ways with ,israel4 ,it is refreshing and comforting beyond expression1 at the close of all the appeals1 all the exhortations1 all the solemn warnings1 all the faithful declarations1 all the prophetic records as to failure and sin1 judgment and governmental wrath--after all these1 to listen to such accents as those which we have just penned4 ,it is indeed a most magnificent termination to this blessed book of ,deuteronomy4 ,grace and glory shine out with uncommon lustre4 ,god will yet be glorified in ,israel1 and ,israel fully and forever blessed in ,god4 ,nothing can hinder this4 ,the gifts and calling of ,god are without repentance4 ,he will make good every jot and tittle of ,his precious ,word to ,israel4 ,the last words of the lawgiver bear the clearest and fullest testimony to all this4 ,had we nothing but the last four verses of the precious chapter on which we have been dwelling1 they would be amply sufficient to prove1 beyond all question1 the future restoration1 blessing1 pre-eminence1 and glory of the twelve tribes of ,israel in their own land4 ,true it is--blessedly true--that the ,lord's people now can draw instruction1 comfort1 and refreshment from the blessings pronounced upon ,israel4 ,blessed be ,god1 we can know what it is to be satisfied with favor1 and full of the blessing of the ,lord2 we may take comfort from the assurance that as our days shall be our strength1 we too can say1 ,the eternal ,god is our refuge1 and underneath are the everlasting arms--we can say all this1 and much more4 ,we can say what ,israel never could and never can say4 ,the ,church's blessings and privileges are all heavenly and spiritual1 but that does not hinder our taking comfort from the promises made to ,israel4 ,the grand mistake of professing ,christians is in applying to the ,church exclusively what most manifestly applies to ,god's earthly people4 ,we must once more earnestly entreat the ,christian reader to watch against this serious error4 ,he need not be in the least afraid of losing aught of his own special blessing by leaving to the seed of ,abraham the place and the portion assigned them by the counsels and promises of ,god2 on the contrary1 it is only when these are clearly understood and fully acknowledged that we can make an intelligent use of the entire canon of ,old-,testament scripture4 ,we may lay it down as a great root-principle that no one can possibly understand or interpret ,scripture who does not clearly recognize the grand distinction between ,israel and the ,church of ,god4 ,,chapter ,,xxxiv4 ,this brief chapter forms an inspired postscript to the book of ,deuteronomy4 ,we are not told who was employed as the instrument in the hand of the inspiring ,spirit1 but this is a matter of no moment to the devout student of holy ,scripture4 ,we are fully persuaded that the postscript is as truly inspired as the book1 and the book as the ,pentateuch1 and the ,pentateuch as the whole volume of ,god4 ,and ,moses went up from the plains of ,moab unto the mountain of ,nebo1 to the top of ,pisgah1 that is over against ,jericho4 ,and the ,lord showed him all the land of ,gilead1 unto ,dan1 and all ,naphtali1 and the land of ,ephraim and ,manasseh1 and all the land of ,judah1 unto the utmost sea1 and the south1 and the plain of the valley of ,jericho1 the city of palm-trees1 unto ,zoar4 ,and the ,lord said unto him1 ',this is the land which ,i sware unto ,abraham1 unto ,isaac1 and unto ,jacob1 saying1 ,i will give it unto thy seed2 ,i have caused thee to see it with thine eyes1 but thou shalt not go over thither4' ,so ,moses the servant of the ,lord died there in the land of ,moab1 according to the word of the ,lord4 ,and ,he buried him in a valley in the land of ,moab1 over against ,beth-peor2 but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day4 ,in our studies on the books of ,numbers and ,deuteronomy1 we have had occasion to dwell upon the very solemn and1 we may truly add1 soul-subduing fact recorded in the above quotation4 ,it will not therefore be needful to add many words in this our closing section4 ,we would merely remind the reader that if he would have a full understanding of the whole subject1 he must look at ,moses in a twofold aspect1 namely1 officially and personally4 ,now1 looking at this beloved and honored man in his official capacity1 it is very plain that it lay not in his province to conduct the congregation of ,israel into the promised land4 ,the wilderness was his sphere of action2 it pertained not to him to lead the people across the river of death into their destined inheritance4 ,his ministry was connected with man's responsibility under law and the government of ,god1 and hence it never could lead the people into the enjoyment of the promise3 it was reserved for his successor to do this4 ,joshua1 a type of the risen ,saviour1 was ,god's appointed instrument to lead ,his people across the ,jordan1 and plant them in their divinely given inheritance4 ,all this is plain1 and deeply interesting2 but we must look at ,moses personally1 as well as officially2 and here too we must view him in a twofold aspect--as the subject of government1 and the object of grace4 ,we must never lose sight of this most important distinction3 it runs all through ,scripture1 and is strikingly illustrated in the history of many of the ,lord's beloved people and of ,his most eminent servants4 ,the subject of grace and government demands the reader's most profound attention4 ,we have dwelt upon it again and again in the course of our studies1 but no words of ours could adequately set forth its moral importance and immense practical value4 ,we consider it one of the weightiest and most seasonable subjects that could possibly engage the attention of the ,lord's people at the present moment4 ,it was the government of ,god which1 with stern decision1 forbad the entrance of ,moses into the promised land1 much as he longed to do so4 ,he spoke unadvisedly with his lips--he failed to glorify ,god in the eyes of the congregation at the waters of ,meribah1 and for this he was forbidden to cross the ,jordan and plant his foot on the promised land4 ,let us deeply ponder this1 beloved ,christian reader4 ,let us see that we fully apprehend its moral force and practical application4 ,it is surely with the greatest tenderness and delicacy that we would refer to the failure of one of the most beloved and illustrious of the ,lord's servants1 but it has been recorded for our learning and solemn admonition1 and therefore we are bound to give earnest heed to it4 ,we should ever remember that we too1 though under grace1 are also the subjects of divine government4 ,we are here on this earth1 in the place of solemn responsibility1 under a government which cannot be trifled with4 ,true1 we are children of the ,father1 loved with an infinite and everlasting love--loved even as ,jesus is loved2 we are members of the body of ,christ1 loved1 cherished1 and nourished according to all the perfect love of ,his heart4 ,there is no question of responsibility here1 no possibility of failure2 all is divinely settled1 divinely sure3 but we are the subjects of divine government also4 ,let us never for a moment lose sight of this4 ,let us beware of one-sided and pernicious notions of grace4 ,the very fact of our being objects of divine favor and love1 children of ,god1 members of ,christ1 should lead us to yield all the more reverent attention to the divine government4 ,to use an illustration drawn from human affairs1 her majesty's children should1 above all others1 just because they are her children1 respect her government2 and were they in any way to transgress her laws1 the dignity of government would be strikingly illustrated by their being made to pay the penalty4 ,if they1 because of being the queen's children1 were to be allowed to transgress with impunity the enactments of her majesty's government1 it would be simply exposing the government to public contempt1 and affording a warrant to all her subjects to do the same4 ,and if it be thus in the case of a human government1 how much more in the government of ,god6 ,you only have ,i known of all the families of the earth1 therefore will ,i punish you for your iniquities4 ,the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of ,god2 and if it first begin at us1 what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of ,god8 ,and if the righteous scarcely be saved1 where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear8 ,solemn fact6 solemn inquiry6 ,may we ponder them deeply4 ,but1 as we have said1 ,moses was the subject of grace1 as well as of government2 and truly that grace shines with special lustre on the top of ,pisgah4 ,there the venerable servant of ,god was permitted to stand in his ,master's presence1 and1 with undimmed eye1 survey the land of promise1 in all its fair proportions4 ,he was permitted to see it from a divine stand-point--see it1 not merely as possessed by ,israel1 but as given by ,god4 ,and what then8 ,he fell asleep and was gathered to his people4 ,he died1 not as a withered and feeble old man1 but in all the freshness and vigor of matured manhood4 ,and ,moses was a hundred and twenty years old when he died3 his eye was not dim1 nor his natural force abated4 ,striking testimony6 ,rare fact in the annals of our fallen race6 ,the life of ,moses was divided into three important and strongly marked periods of forty years each4 ,he spent forty years in the house of ,pharaoh1 forty years at the backside of the desert1 and forty years in the wilderness4 ,marvelous life6 eventful history6 ,how instructive6 how suggestive6 how rich in its lessons from first to last6 ,how profoundly interesting the study of such a life6--to trace him from the river's brink1 where he lay a helpless babe1 up to the top of ,pisgah1 where he stood1 in company with his ,lord1 to gaze with undimmed vision upon the fair inheritance of the ,israel of ,god2 and to see him again on the ,mount of ,transfiguration1 in company with his honored fellow-servant ,elias1 talking with ,jesus on the grandest theme that could possibly engage the attention of men or angels4 ,highly favored man6 blessed servant6 marvelous vessel6 ,and then let us hearken to the divine testimony to this most beloved man of ,god4 ,and there arose not a prophet since in ,israel like unto ,moses1 whom the ,lord knew face to face1 in all the signs and the wonders which the ,lord sent him to do in the land of ,egypt to ,pharaoh1 and to all his servants1 and to all his land1 and in all that mighty hand1 and in all the great terror which ,moses showed in the sight of all ,israel4 ,may the ,lord1 in ,his infinite goodness1 bless our study of the book of ,deuteronomy4 ,may its precious lessons be engraved upon the tablets of our hearts with the eternal pen of the ,holy ,ghost1 and produce their proper result in forming our character1 governing our conduct1 and shaping our way through this world4 ,may we earnestly seek to tread1 with a humble spirit and firm step1 the narrow path of obedience1 till traveling days are done4 ,c4 ,h4 ,m4 ,illustration3 decorative 99 99 99 99 99 ,transcriber's note3 ,text enclosed by underscores is in italics 7italics74 ,text enclosed in ,greek indicates ,greek transliteration4 ,small capital text has been replaced with all capitals4 ,variations in spelling1 punctuation and hyphenation have been retained except in obvious cases of typographical error4