court. Thus the ark is entirely divested of its true spheres, Christ in the highest heavens, Christ in the bearing, when viewed as the symbol of "the means of heavenly places, the proper, destined home of our salvation." The mercy-seat was really the throne of glory, and Christ in relation to the earth, that we God's holy presence in the midst of Israel; the law have set forth in the tabernacle and its external prebeneath, which attested the righteousness which He cincts, where Israel draw near to God. But it is could not but exact, and the cherubim, not looking quite clear that if Dr. F.'s view were correct, if the outwards, as in the day of glory, pictured by the tem- sharp line of limitation which appropriates the inple's order, but looking inwards and toward the most shrine to the types of Christ as the object of mercy-seat. They were the emblems of the judicial faith, and the apartment outside the veil to the reprepower which guarded His throne and righteousness. sentation of what Christians should be and do; the Now not a word appears in all this, shadowing the Lord Jesus must not be immediately and directly conmeans of salvation. Hence, Dr. F. is compelled to connected with any vessels save the ark and the mercynect therewith the rites of the great day of atonement, seat. And even on his own showing, the theory as detailed in Lev. xvi. But this is to wander from which thus limits the Lord to the holiest, and His the end of the Spirit in the book of Exodus, in this people to what was found on the other side of the particular part of it, which does not bear on the way veil, does not stand the test: for, as we have seen and means of approaching God, but develops the various in a previous part of the book, (and it is repeated displays of God Himself. The design is to display here too,) the cherubim, made of the same piece as God enthroned according to the rights of His moral the golden mercy-seat, are regarded by the author as nature, though in relationship with Israel. representations chiefly of "redeemed and glorified. humanity," the "ideal heirs of salvation." (p. 302.) Christ, therefore, instead of being the grand object as well as expression of God, instead of being impressed on the entire tabernacle, and on every part within and without, is restrained to the narrowest bounds that can be conceived. The table of shittim wood, overlaid with gold, which comes next, but without the veil, of course, is the manifestation of God in man, as the golden candlestick is His display by the Holy Ghost-both the one and the other found in perfection in Christ Himself, like that closest of all set forth in the holiest. In every particular, then, Dr. F. is in error. None of these Happily, the system is most inconsistent, and the vessels, as exhibited in Exodus, properly refers to the language used, even respecting the altar in the court, means of salvation and access to heaven; all of them is such as to suggest to others, if not to the author, refer directly to divine manifestations in Christ, how-that Christ alone is the full answer to that altar, as ever by grace we may have fellowship and identifica- well as to the burnt-offerings which characterized it. tion with Him in some of them. The same remark Thus he says, in p. 283, "this altar of sacrifice was applies to the particulars about the tabernacle, its to be the grand point of meeting between God and coverings, veil and door in Exod. xxvi, as well as to sinful men, between God and man as sinful; and only the court and such of its contents as are given in by first meeting there and entering into a state of Exod. xxvii. In this space, outside, the great altar reconciliation and peace, could they afterwards be overlaid with brass was the conspicuous object, where admitted into His house, as those who had the privithe people met God, or rather where He is here re-lege of communion and fellowship with Him. The presented as manifesting Himself in righteousness about sin and in love to the sinner-the place, not of sin-offerings, but of burnt-offerings, where Christ, by the eternal Spirit, offered Himself without spot unto God, where he who believes may draw near to the God displaying Himself in grace. Again, if we glance for a moment at the golden altar in Exod. xxx, the seriousness of the error is apparent, for being an instrument of service outside the veil, it must directly refer only to the works of Christ's people, according to the canon of Dr. F. That is, Christ is positively blotted out from the ministrations of the sanctuary. The golden altar and its incense directly refer to us, and not to Him, according to this calmly stated but rash theory. Are Christians really prepared for this? Dr. F. may introduce saving clauses to conciliate those who would reject such a summary rejection of Christ from a large, if not the highest, department of His priestly office for we must not forget that in the types Aaron acted not only in the holiest, but in the sanctuary; not exclusively, of course, but most prominently. In the antitype, it is Christ in various altar was, in a sense, God's table," &c. And where but in Christ is such a table, or meeting-place, between God and sinful man to be found? We trust that Dr. F. looks for it in Him only, and would repudiate it anywhere else. But if so, his systematic parcelling out of the sanctuary and its court is fundamentally defective and erroneous. Christ is set forth everywhere, according to the heavenly pattern, and this in relation to sinful men on earth, as well as to His saints as such, and to God in the intimacy of His being and as the supreme object of worship and allegiance. The most holy place naturally answers to the heaven of heavens, and the holy place to the lower heavens, according to the principle laid down in Heb. ix, 24-the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man, as they are called in Heb. viii, 2. The court without would, in like manner, correspond with the earthly scene of the manifestation of God to man and of his approach to God, as a sinner coming out of the world, not as a saint or priest, which is a relationship rather appertaining to the holy place. That we are justified in thus viewing the whole universe, including the heavens and the earth, as the house or habitation, "the true," answering to the Verses 1, 2. Abraham, having become old, says to figures made with hands, is to us evident from Heb. the eldest servant of his house, that ruled over all that iii, 4, "Every house is builded by some man, but he he had," Put, I pray thee, thy hand under my thigh: that built all things is God." The application of this and I will make thee swear by the Lord, the God of could hardly be mistaken by an unprejudiced mind, heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not least of all by the Hebrew believer, especially con- take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the nected as it is with Moses the servant in the house of Canaanites, among whom I dwell." The first thing God. It is true that the tabernacle also applies to the which is presented to us here is Eliezer, who has the Church, as the dwelling or house of God-Christ's superintendence of all the goods of his master. He own house, as we are here designated; and it is realized is not the heir-the son is the heir. Thus the Holy in the highest sense in the person of Christ Himself, Spirit has the disposal of all things. He takes of the the true temple. But these are far from being in- things of Christ and shows them unto us, i.e., to the compatible representations, but rather so many con- Church. Verse 4. "But thou shalt go unto my centric circles round the one great thought the habi- country, and to my kindred, and take a wife unto my tation or dwelling-place of God, which, true of all, son Isaac. And the servant said unto him, Peradis emphatically verified in Christ and in His body, venture the woman will not be willing to follow me the fulness of Him that filleth all in all. unto this land: must I needs bring thy son again unto the land from whence thou camest? And Abraham said unto him, Beware thou that thou bring not my son thither again." It is impossible that there should be any relation between Christ risen again and this world. Isaac does not go for Rebekah, but she must come to him. Abraham gives directions to his servant; thus the first thing is to be directed by the word of God. Instead of making further enquiries, Abraham's servant makes ready and goes off to Mesopotamia, to the city of Nahor, with no other information. (verses 9-11.) We do not, of course, coincide with Dr. F.'s incredulity, (p. 230,) as to any special and spiritual reasons for the drapery and disposition of Exod. xxvi, xxvii, though fully allowing that the details of this, as of every other subject, which depends on the measure of our subjection to scripture and intelligence in the Spirit, are open to ready misapprehension, and may be abused by mere fanciful conjectures. On these the reader will find some profitable hints in the "Synopsis," pp. 75, 76. Original Contributions. NOTES ON SCRIPTURE. THE CALL OF THE BRIDE. GENESIS XXIV. IN Abraham, as being the depositary of the promises of God to the patriarchs, we find the fundamental principles of the believer. Abraham having offered up his son Isaac, and having received him back, this act gives us the type of the resurrection of Jesus, who becomes, like Isaac, heir of all the goods of His Father. Rebekah, type of the Church, is called to be the bride of Isaac risen. Afterwards in Jacob we have the typical history of the Jewish people. In Abraham we have the principle of man's relationship with God, pure grace without law. Hagar is introduced as a figure of the law coming in. Isaac, raised from the dead in figure, shows us Christ, the Head, having accomplished His work, and being in the position to maintain all the results of the divine counsels. In this chapter Abraham sends Eliezer to seek a wife for Isaac. This represents the Holy Spirit sent by the Father to seek the Church, "the bride, the Lamb's wife." It is not Isaac who goes to look for a bride. No more does Christ return to this earth to choose a Church for Himself. Rebekah must leave her country, and come to the land of promise. In this chapter we see the features of the Holy Spirit's work, and how a soul is conducted under His guidance. This is what we are about to see in Eliezer and Rebekah. It is important that we should act in the same manner. Natural wisdom can form a judgment up to a certain point; but it takes the soul away from the presence of God, even when we are doing things according to God: if we begin to deliberate, there is hesitation; we take counsel of flesh and blood. The first thing is, to put ourselves in the presence of God; without that, there is neither wisdom nor power; whereas, placed in the path of blessing, we get from Him all the intelligence which we shall need. We observe this in the journey of Abraham's servant. Eliezer says, "O Lord God of my master Abraham." He does not say "my God;" the promises had been made to Abraham, and God had revealed Himself as the God of Abraham. Here the servant shows himself in entire dependence, and we find him in the path of promise, not exalting himself, but acting according to the counsels of God in entire dependence, and not pretending to have anything, except where God had placed the blessing; for the promises had been made to Abraham. For us this blessing is in Christ, and there is the answer to our requests; nor do we desire to obtain anything save where God has put His blessing, namely, in the path of obedience to the faith. Eliezer addresses the God of his master Abraham, praying him to favour his master: "O Lord, let it come to pass that the damsel to whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I pray thee, that I may drink; and she shall say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink also, let the same be she that thou hast appointed for thy servant Isaac; and thereby shall I know that thou hast showed kindness unto my master." (0 Lord, thou must act, and I must know by that the one whom thou hast designed to be the wife of thy servant Isaac; the one who will do these things will be the one whom thou hast chosen.) 66 "And the damsel ran and told them of her mother's house these things. And Rebekah had a brother, and his name was Laban: and Laban ran out unto the man, unto the well. And it came to pass when he saw the earring and bracelets upon his sister's hands, and when he heard the words of Rebekah his sister, saying, Thus spake the man unto me, that he came unto the man; and, behold, he stood by the camels at the well. And he said, Come in, thou blessed of the Lord; wherefore standest thou without? for I have prepared the house, and room for the camels." And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder. And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up. And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher." And when Laban and Bethuel, after having heard Abraham's she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw servant narrate the circumstances, acknowledge that water for thy camels also, until they have done drink- the thing proceeds from the Lord, and say, "We ing. And she hasted, and emptied her pitcher into cannot speak unto thee bad or good." (Verse 50.) the trough, and ran again unto the well to draw Thus, if in the circumstances of our christian life we water, and drew for all his camels. And the man act in entire dependence on God, He will make our wondering at her held his peace." Why any doubt? way plain, and will even soften our enemies, on acWhy does he hesitate, since his request has obtained count of this dependence on Him in which we live. such an answer? Here is the reason. Whatever Because we have set the Lord before us, He will may be the apparent manifestation of the hand of be always at our right hand. God, there is a positive rule in the word to which the Christian must pay attention, and which he must not neglect, because of his weakness in discerning what is of God. Faith looks to the power of God, but judges all by the word; for God must act according to His word; and the servant, being in communion with God, ought to act in this thought; and even when there may be signs, he should decide nothing until the will of God be clear according to His word. He must be able to say, "This is indeed according to God." "And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands, of ten shekels weight of gold; and said, Whose daughter art thou, tell me, I pray thee; is there room in thy father's house for us to lodge in? And she said unto him, I am the daughter of Bethuel, the son of Milcah, whom she bare unto Nahor. She said moreover unto him, We have both straw and provender enough, and room to lodge in." God had perfectly answered the desire of Abraham. Eliezer, for his part, sees that he has been heard. Before going farther, before even entering the house, inasmuch as he had recognized the intervention of God in the whole of this business, he bowed himself and worshipped the Lord, and said, "Blessed be the Lord God of my master Abraham, who hath not left destitute my master of His mercy and His truth: I being in the way, the Lord led me to the house of my master's brethren." We see the same thing in Daniel; be betakes himself to prayer with his companions; and when Daniel has received the revelation of the dream, before presenting himself before the king, who had commanded that he should come, he blesses God for having revealed to him that which the king wanted to know. It is always thus when God is in our hearts; we feel that it is He who is acting, and we thank Him. If I have asked anything of God, and have received His answer, I then act with assurance, with the conviction that I am in the path of God's will; I am happy and contented. If I meet with some difficulty, that does not stop me, it is only an obstacle which faith has to surmount. But if I have not this certainty before I begin, I am in indecision, I know not what to do. This may be a trial of my faith, or it may be that I ought not to do what I am doing. I am in suspense, and I hesitate; even if I am doing the will of God, I am not sure about it, and I am not happy. I ought therefore to be assured that I am doing His will before I begin to act. Observe, in passing, that God disposes all things according to the desire of Eliezer. This is what necessarily happens to all those who have their delight in the Lord. All the wheels of God's providence go in the way of His will which I am carrying out. The Holy Spirit, by the word, gives me the knowledge of His will. This is all that I want. God causes that all things should contribute to the accomplishment of His will. If, by spiritual intelligence, we are walking according to God, He assists us in the carrying out of His will, of His objects. There is need of this spiritual discernment, that it may abound in us in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. "If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light." I know not whither that will lead me, but this is the step I must take to proceed in the path in which I have to walk. "And Abraham's servant enters into the house. there was set meat before him to eat but he said, I will not eat, until I have told my errand." Laban said, "Speak on." What firmness of character in the servant. Look at a man who is not decided; he consults this one and that one, when it is a question of how he is to act; and even having some desire to do his own will, he will rather seek counsel of those who have not as much faith as himself. Paul took counsel neither of flesh nor blood. He saw that it was Christ who called him, and he went forward. Eliezer, taken up with his errand, does not accept the offer of food which is made him. He does what he has to do. One secret of the Christian's life is, as soon as he knows God's will, to do his work, to occupy himself with it, to let no delay interfere with it, even to satisfy the wants of his body; this is the effect and the sign of the Holy Spirit's work. Eliezer wishes to deliver his errand. And what was it that was in question? The interests and the honour of Abraham his master. He had entrusted to him the interests of Isaac his son. And God has committed to us, down here, the glory of Jesus His Son; and this glory occupies us by the Holy Ghost which is given to us; that is, where there is a single eye-spiritual discernment, according to the position in which God has placed us. If we are there, there is no hesitation; being in our place, we act with liberty and joy. If I think about my convenience, my interests, about what concerns myself, or my family, (there are a thousand reasons which are contrary to a prompt obedience,) this is to consult flesh and blood. But if I enquire, what is the interest of Christ, the thing will be instantly decided. If I think of anything else, I have not at heart this glory which is entrusted to me, nor confidence in Him who has placed me there. Eliezer thinks always about Abraham, who had entrusted everything to him; his thoughts are upon this, as he sets forth before Rebekah the privileges and the good-tidings of his master's house. If our hearts are filled with the Holy Spirit, it will be the same with us. It is very important for us to bear in mind, that God has confided to us the glory of Jesus. He had no need of us; besides, what can we do? It is He who works in us, and we have but to let Him act. It is His will to be glorified in us by the presence of the Holy Spirit. It is the same thing we see in those to whom the five and the ten talents were committed. Confidence in the master displays itself in the decision of the servant; as here Eliezer says, "I will not eat until I have told my errand." This pre-occupation with his master's glory makes him refuse to take any food until his errand was performed. This is to do God's will. He tells Laban about the matter, and how he had been guided, and that, without using any argument, without saying "It would be wise to act in such and such a way," but with simplicity committing to God the issue of the affair. "Then Laban and Bethuel answered and said, the thing proceedeth from the Lord." If, instead of spending our time in reasoning, we were more simple and obedient, and presented things as the Holy Ghost tells them to us, the result would be better. But we often substitute our human wisdom for the commands of God. Often the things which are the most simply said produce the greatest effect. Peter said to the Jews, "You killed the prince of life." That is what you did, and what I have to tell you on the part of God. (Acts iii.) If we apprehend things and present them to men such as they are in the sight of God, the Holy Ghost accom panies this testimony, and the conscience is reached. Thus men think neither of Peter nor of John, (except so far as they recognize them to be men of intelligence according to God, according as God had manifested them to themselves,) it was God whom they had found, or rather who had found them. When God gives us this simplicity, which makes us occupy ourselves with things in the manner in which God sees them, we ought to speak to any one, according to the state he is in before God. If I feel that he is lost, I tell him so simply, and the most simple addresses are the best and the most blessed. "And he did eat and drink, he and the men that were with him, and tarried all night; and they were up in the morning, and he said, Send me away to my master. And her brother and mother said, Let the damsel abide with us a few days, at the least ten; after that she shall go. And he said, Hinder me not, seeing the Lord hath prospered my way; send me away, that I may go to my master." We see Eliezer asking that he may hasten his departure; he must make haste in this business, so as to conduct Rebekah to his master's son; and having accomplished his mission, he says, "Delay me not." He does not trouble himself about Laban's house, and he gives no consideration to his request; he does not stop on account of it. His love for his master makes him consider his orders before everything else. It is in this generally that weakness is shown; we spare the flesh and neglect what we owe to God: in reality, we are sparing ourselves through fear of not being agreeable to others. I have seen men who are faithful in what they have to say to others, blessed of God, when they speak with simplicity and without hesitation. "And they said, We will call the damsel, and enquire at her mouth. And they called Rebekah, and said unto her, Wilt thou go with this man? And she said, I will go." There is no hesitation here. So likewise, through the influence of the Holy Spirit, the bride says, "I will go." She makes up her mind instantly, in the most decided manner, and leaves all. "I will go," she says. Now let us examine Rebekah's position: she had neither the house of Laban nor that of Isaac. It is the same with us. We have neither the earth, on which we are, nor heaven, to which we are going. Rebekah has left everything, and said, “I will go. Eliezer, type of the Holy Ghost, talks to Rebekah, during the journey, of that which there is in the house of her bridegroom's father; precious conversation for the soul which needs to be encouraged by the view of these things, so as to be able to endure the fatigues and difficulties of the journey, and not to think of the house and the country from whence they came out. For Rebekah is going, like us, across the desert; and Eliezer, the faithful servant, who is leading her, takes care to comfort her, and to speak to her of the precious things which are in the father's house; to repeat to her the greatness and power of the father, and that "He has given all that he hath to his son." For us this servant sets forth the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, who likewise communicates to us all that there is in the Father's house for those who are the bride of Christ. It is He who takes of the things of Christ and shows them unto us. It is He who leads us into all truth, while we are crossing the wilderness of this world; and who teaches us all things. and glory which await us, and to introduce us into May God grant us all this mercy. Amen. THE TREE. If Rebekah had hesitated, and had thought about the country which she had left, she would have been unhappy; she would have had neither Isaac's house nor her father Bethuel's. To have left all, and to have neither one thing nor the other, her heart, isolated in the wilderness, would have felt itself in an untenable position. But she has left all; and, conversing with Eliezer, she occupies herself with what interests her heart, and raises it above the things which she has In the parable of the tree, we have the representanow left for ever. And she journeys in peace towards tion of what the kingdom of heaven becomes in worldly the abode of her bridegroom. The Christian who is greatness. That it is not what God intended is not spiritual, but rather worldly, has a sorrowful lot; evident from the enemy's work recorded in the prehe cannot be happy if seeking after the world. The ceding parable. It must be borne in mind that the worldly man has at least something, he makes trial of kingdom was presented to the responsibility of man; these passing pleasures, and finds in them his joy, but he failed here, as everywhere else, where responsi worthless as it may be; for in truth this joy does bility is in question. He slept; and while he slept not satisfy. But the Christian finds in these things the enemy sowed tares. Doubtless, it is for wise puronly uneasiness, because he bears about a conscience poses that God permitted it, and all must result in affected by the Holy Spirit. If he wishes to take the exaltation of His own grace; while, at the same his pleasure in the things of earth, and his heart hangs time, the fact that "men slept" proves the utter ruin back from following the Lord, he is unhappy; he and hopelessness of man in his natural state, and also cannot chide a conscience which torments him; and that where anything depends upon his faithfulness, as he has not listened to the Holy Spirit's invitation, nothing but loss and condemnation can follow. Tares and has not obeyed it; there is no joy for him. The being found sown among the wheat must necessarily spiritual things, which ought to have constituted his alter the appearance of the field, and in God's judg joy, produce reproaches in his heart when he turns ment it is spoilt. The servants perceived the altered towards them. But we have this grace of Him who appearance, and wished at once to remedy the evil. calls us, and who leads us, if we are faithful, in But it was wholly beyond their power; and lest in uniform path, for the sake of His name. If we sin, the endeavour to remedy this evil, they should comthat does not put us under the law, but we have an mit a greater, i.e., root up some of the wheat, they advocate with the Father, who intercedes for us; and were not allowed to attempt it. It no doubt is matGod, who is faithful, cannot fail when He is appealed ter of sorrow and deep humiliation to those who are to. "What wilt thou do with thy great name?" Be- instructed in the kingdom to see it thus marred; but sides, His glory is involved in lifting us up again; knowing the will of God concerning it, they are not and that is grace. Yes, we have a Saviour who in- to meddle with it, but to be separate from all that tercedes with the Father for us, and who works to bears the form of evil. The sentence is already probring us back to this gracious God, who has begun nounced upon it. The tares will be bound in bundles this work in us, and will perfect it till the day of to be burnt. Man may not deem them to be offensive, Christ, accomplishing all that concerns us. Eliezer rather are they pleasing to him, for he naturally loves conducts Rebekah to her bridegroom. So also the all that is hateful to God. Possibly he may imagine Holy Spirit conducts us to the end and goal. What them pleasing to God, for his understanding is Rebekah first perceives is Isaac, and Isaac takes his darkened. But they are the work of the enemy. bride into his mother's tent. Possessing the bride- The dispensation of the kingdom, then, as a whole, groom, she no longer takes thought for anything, she awaits the judgment of God; and the same doom thinks no longer of the possessions, but of the bride-awaits it as befel the dispensation that preceded. groom himself. (Rom. xi, 17-24.) It has already been observed that these similitutes of the kingdom are prophetic; and what is presented in the tree is the picture of the kingdom as it becomes subsequently to, and in consequence of, the presence of the tares among the wheat. "Kingdom of heaven," and " Church of God,"* do not an The important business was to bring the bride to the bridegroom: and, as to what regards us in the type which is here presented to us, God seeks us in this world of sin: He finds us; He wills that we should not delay to follow Him, when we have said, "I will go;" and He leads us into the presence of Jesus. The Holy Spirit accompanies us in the journey to help us, to comfort us, to tell us of the blessings * The Church of necessity supposes one only body of persons, believing Jews heaven, and united to Christ there and by the Spirit on earth. The kingdom and Gentiles, united on common ground, by the Holy Ghost sent down from does not necessarily, not at all in itself, imply this union, but is a display of |