It was thus again in Israel. Israel was set under law. But the shadows of good things to come accompanied the law. Under their own covenant, under the law, Israel, like Adam, was ruined. But God acts in the midst of the self-destroyed people, the self-wrought ruin, and by ordinances and prophecies and pledges of many kinds has ever been telling them of final grace and salvation.

And now, in like manner, the Gospel thoroughly exposes us, but fully, presently, perfectly, eternally, saves us. And through the ages of glory it will be told out that we are a washed people, a ransomed people, who owe everything to grace and redemption, though glorified for

ever.

So that these two platforms, the scene in the midst of the returned captives, and the scene in the midst of the dispersed captives, are in company with all the divine way from the beginning, and with that which is to be had in remembrance and celebrated for ever. Only we marvel afresh at this new witness of the way of God, His necessary, perfect way, in a world like this.

How complete all this makes the divine historic volume of the Old Testament! That volume ends here; and we are well satisfied to have it so.

The way of the Lord Himself in this book is specially wonderful. Apparently, He is neglectful of His people. He is "silent" towards them. He does not show Himself. There is no miracle. His name, as we have all remarked, is not once named in the whole book. His people, even in all the exercises of their hearts under the most pressing circumstances, never mention Him. Surely this is wonderful. But it is admirable as well as wonder

ful. It is perfect in its place and season. For during this present Gentile age, God is apart from Israel, like

Joseph in Egypt, or Moses in Midian, apart from their brethren, as I have already noticed. Yea, and as many voices of the prophets have anticipated. (See Ps. lxxiv. ; Isa. viii. 17; xlv. 15; xviii. 4; Hos. v. 15, etc.) And the Lord Jesus, speaking as the God of Israel, at the close of His ministry, says to them, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." (Matt. xxiii. 38, 39.)

But He cares for them. Their names are in the palms of His hands. He revokes not the judgment; but He I will in due time awake for their deliverance. It is Jesus asleep in the boat, winds and waves tossing it. But in the needed time He awoke, and rose for the quieting of all that which, in its anguish swelling, was raging against them.

Hail to the Lord's anointed!

Great David's greater Son!
When to the time appointed
The rolling years have run,
He comes to break oppression,
To set the Captive free,
To take away transgression,
And rule in equity.

FRAGMENTS.

"The history of Rahab has sometimes encouraged me about unconverted relatives; her bringing all her family under the shelter of the scarlet line."

"Soon our pilgrim journey will be over, and then we shall be recounting, like Moses to his father-in-law, what befell us by the way, and how the Lord delivered us."

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Ought I not to have learned, by this time, not to expect or desire rest here? And also, how to trust simply with child-like confidence in His unceasing tender care."

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THE CHURCH, AN HABITATION OF GOD THROUGH THE SPIRIT..

EPHESIANS II.

THERE are two great ideas in this epistle as regards the saints. The grand thought all through it is the grace of God towards them; but, as regards the saints, there are these two ideas about the Church: 1st, its hope; 2nd, what it is now, meanwhile.

It looks at it, on the one hand, as having a certain place in glory, and as enjoying the inheritance; and on the other there is this second point, what it is even now before it gets there. And this last gives it, in a certain sense, a higher character of communion and fellowship in blessing than is contained in the glory itself which it expects, though doubtless the other will not then cease. You will see these two things in considering the prayers of the apostle. (Chap. i. 3.)

We shall be in glory before Him, children (that is the expression), to bring out the glory of His grace, who has predestinated us according to the good pleasure of His will

"holy and without blame before Him in love." And here we have: "In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit," before Him in glory, and God dwelling in us.

We will just consider a little, beloved friends, how it is that the Church becomes thus the "habitation of God." It is of the deepest importance to us. I said that the blessings connected with this are, in some respects, superior to what might properly be called glory. And this is important, because we find that even now this blessing is

brought to us. In glory we shall be able to enjoy it better, but we have it now.

At the end of chapter i., where the apostle has been speaking concerning God's purpose about the saints, the thought is the "exceeding greatness of His power," and he prays. (See vv. 18–23.)

At the close of chapter iii. we have a prayer founded upon the other point I have spoken of. (See vv. 14–21.) The character of this prayer is higher, and it goes further than the former.

There are two titles given to God in this epistle. In the one, He is called the "GOD" of our Lord Jesus Christ, because Christ is looked at there as glorified Man, who has been down here, suffered, died, and been raised again. In the other, He is called the "FATHER" of our Lord Jesus Christ, because Christ is not thus looked at as the risen and glorified Man, but as the Son of God.

Now the prayer in chapter i. is founded upon the first of these titles (v. 17), and is connected with the glory of the risen Man. In chapter iii. the apostle bows his knees unto "the FATHER of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named;" and therefore he looks more at intimacy of communion, and to our being "filled into all the fulness of God." It is not God giving us knowledge of the inheritance, but God filling us with Himself.

We find these subjects, and the distinction between them, all through. In the one, the Lord Jesus Christ is considered as Man whom God has raised from the dead, and there the Church is looked at as "the fulness of Him that filleth all in all." In the other, as the Son of the Father, in the power and unity of that relationship, and so of the divine nature; this latter point being more especially connected with our being an "habitation of God through the Spirit."

There are two points in this expression, beloved friends;

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one, that of our being the "habitation of God;" and the other, that that is "through the Spirit." He is not speaking of our dwelling with God (although that is true), but of our being an habitation of God." He says, "Ye are builded together," &c. And this is evidently a different thing. It is a different thing our having glory together with Him, and God's dwelling in us; that is, I repeat, evidently a most peculiar and special blessing.

God came down to talk with man (Gen. iii.)—man already fallen-" "and they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day." But God then had no "habitation on earth.

God's Spirit had dealt in power in various ways in the history of man; but the moment the people are called out, it is: "The Lord is my strength and song, and He is become my salvation: He is my God, and I will prepare Him an habitation," &c. (Ex. xv. 2.) This is the first thing we find in the song of Moses.

He would

David had the same thought. (2 Sam. viii.) not dwell in an house of cedar whilst the ark of God dwelt within curtains. But the Lord answers him, and says, "I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle."

"But Solomon built Him an house." Having settled His people in the land, the "habitation of God" was builtafterwards called a worldly sanctuary with carnal ordinances (Heb. ix. 1, 10), but it was the "habitation of God."

And then, when the Lord Jesus came into the world, this truth applied properly to His person. He says, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up." He is regarded as the temple of God. Therefore God was then dwelling (in Him) with man, in the midst of the sorrow and evil into which man was fallen.

Well, here it is the Church. (v. 22.)