relations of the latter are much higher and wider than those of the former.

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And the Christian must also bear in mind, when reading the Psalms, that some of the expressions which were consistent with Jewish condition, would be positive unbelief for him to use-such as verse 7 of this psalm. "Will the Lord cast off for ever? and will he be favourable no more ?" The Jews are cast off as regards their national position and privileges; but not as regards the councils of God, as Paul plainly teaches in Romans xi. "I say then, hath God cast away his people? God forbid." But the Christian knows that God will never cast him off; and such a thought, even for a moment, should never cross his mind; though, alas! such thoughts will intrude, and may happen at an unguarded moment, with any one. But we can conceive of no deeper anguish for a soul to pass through in this life, than to be without the sense of the favour of God, when under His chastening hand. And this must always be the result when the shield is lowered, and the heart exposed to the fiery darts of the wicked. The Christian must never forget that he stands in present favour-the unchanging and unchangeable favour of God. This is his shield of faith. Whoever, whatever, else may change, the favour in which he stands knows no change. This must be held in the integrity of a faith which hangs on the word of God, though everything may appear to be going against him, and when there may be nothing else to rest upon.

Even the pious Jew, in this most touching psalm, thinks of former mercies; recollects how gracious God is, and turns to Him. “And I said, This is my in

firmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the Most High. I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings. Thy way, O God, is in the sanctuary: who is so great a God as our God?" This is Jewish, not christian experience, though the Christian, in measure, may sometimes pass through it. But this would be failure. There can be no interruption to the divine favour. But if the soul be communing with itself, indulging its own thoughts, and reasoning about its own troubles, in place of looking to God, and communing with Him in the sanctuary, it is sure to fall back into Jewish experience; and every Christian is exposed to this perplexity, in degree, who knows not God as He reveals Himself in the sanctuary.

There only God is known, as He has revealed Himself in the Person and work of the blessed Lord. There only we learn His thoughts and purposes towards us, even before the foundation of the world. It is God's speaking-place; and, through the power of the Holy Ghost, above the distracting influences of this present scene, the soul is silent, and listens to His voice through the word. And now the will is bowed, His way is seen to be in accordance with His perfect love, though His hand may be heavy upon us, and the soul is ready to exclaim, "The will of the Lord be done;" let His name be glorified, whatever course things may take.

"He always wins who sides with God,

To him no chance is lost;

God's will is sweetest to him, when

It triumphs at his cost."

But inquirest thou, dear reader, who may thus commune with God in the sanctuary, the place of His holiness, as well as of His love? It is surely the privileged place of all who are in Christ as risen and glorified the children's place—the home of every believer. But art thou well assured of thy place and portion in Christ, through faith in Him? Then know

thy Father's love, who gave thee to Christ before the foundation of the world, that He might fit thee for the most holy place, even as He Himself is fit to be there. As the apostle plainly says, "According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love." (Eph. i. 4.) Christ, as the glorified Man, is the only standard of the sanctuary. To be at home there in happy liberty, we must be as He is. But the verse just quoted would be enough for faith, were our hearts in simple subjection to the word of God. Here we learn His purposes of love concerning us, long before the world was made, and before sin or redemption are referred to; so that we may fall back and rest, not only on the cross, but on the heart in which we had a place before time was.

When in the light and power of this truth, through the presence of the Holy Ghost, we are at home in the sanctuary. We may fail for the moment, under a sudden overwhelming sorrow, to realise that this is the way of love, but it cannot be anything else, however He who spared nothing, not even His wellbeloved Son, that we might be reconciled to Him, and morally fitted for the presence of His holiness, is only accomplishing the purposes of His love. When we

severe.

have well examined and weighed verses 3, 4, 5, and 6 of Ephesians i., and received the precious truths they contain as the words of the living God, the heart will be at rest for ever as to His thoughts, purposes, and faithful love. No calamity, however great; no affliction, however severe; no bereavement, however desolating, can alter these eternal realities. God's love, perfect and absolute, having its spring in His own heart, remains unchanged; the efficacy of redemption is unchangeable as the love which is its source; the glory of the exalted Saviour at God's right hand is surely established for ever, and we are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Him; and is not the Holy Ghost in us the seal of all these blessings?

And let us also bear in mind that these four verses are revealed as the thoughts of God about His children, before either sin, redemption, or the church is spoken of, so that their full accomplishment rests on no condition but the good pleasure of His own will, and the praise of the glory of His grace.

But ought we not, some may inquire, to judge ourselves when laid aside, or when the Lord is evidently chastening us, and inquire whether we may not have displeased Him with some of our past ways? Selfjudgment is always right, and ought to be a daily thing with us, whether in health or in sickness; indeed, without this, we must be practically unacquainted with the ways of the sanctuary. "If I wash thee not," said the Lord to Peter, "thou hast no part with me." Communion would be interrupted. Daily defilements need the daily use of the water of purification. But such exercise of soul ought not to weaken the believer's hold

of the purposes of God. These were formed long before he failed, and can never be changed. Our sins and shortcomings were all judged in the cross of the blessed Lord, so that in place of these things, hateful as we may see ourselves because of them, filling us with doubts and fears as to our welcome in the sanctuary, they ought to deepen our faith, and increase our love to Him. These are the very things, faith says, even my unworthy thoughts and feelings, for which my Saviour died. But mark the effect of so looking at our shortcomings: we love Him more; the heart cannot refrain from exclaiming, Oh, what love to me! that He should have borne the judgment of God for my sins, and my every failure, in His own body on the tree; oh, how can I praise Him more ! His precious blood cleanseth me from ali sin, so that I can walk in the light even as God is in the light.

But as to inquiring or asking the reason why we are thus afflicted, the soul, in such a case, would be off the ground of faith. God gives no account of His ways. He reveals Himself in the sanctuary, but His ways are in the sea, His path in the great waters, and His footsteps are not known. But we must never lose hold of this grand truth-if we would be perfectly happy under trial-that, though God's ways are in the sea-meaning untraceable—they are never inconsistent with His perfect love as revealed in the sanctuary. The same love that gave me to Christ, faith would say, has plunged me in the deep waters, not that I may be overwhelmed, but that I may learn one of the highest expressions of His love, even that I may be a partaker of His holiness