CONTENTS OF VOL II. XIV. The Fourteenth Chapter of John, etc. XV. Fellowship and its Responsibilities. XVI. The Child of Resurrection XXVI. The Folly of trusting to Egypt for Help XXVII. Elijah," A Man subject to like Passions as we are" XXVIII. The Resurrection, 1 Cor. xv. XXIX. "Salvation is of the Lord" XXX. The Offerings viewed in connexion with Luke xv. XXXIII. "The Earth is the Lord's, and the Fulness thereof" XXXVI. "Then will I make this House like Shiloh❞ XXXIX. Prophecy, Israel's Encouragement to build the Temple. PAGE 387 391 395 402 406 422 434 XL. Josiah and Jehoiakim; 2 Kings xxii.; Jerem, xxxvi.. 457 460 THE PRESENT TESTIMONY, ETC., ETC. No. I. SYNOPSIS OF THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE.— EXODUS. IN the book of Exodus, we have, as the general and characteristic subject, the deliverance and redemption of the people of God, and their establishment as a people before Him-whether under the law or under the government of God in long-suffering, who provided for his unfaithful people a way of access to Himself, although they had failed. God's relationship with the people had at first been in grace; but this did not continue, and the people ever entered thereinto with intelligence, neither did they understand this grace like persons who stood in need of it as sinners. We shall proceed to examine a little the course of these divine instructions. First, we have the historical circumstances which relate to the captivity of Israel-the persecutions which this people had to endure, and the providential superintendence of God answering the faith of the parents, and thus accomplishing the counsels of His grace, which not only preserved the life of Moses, but placed him in an elevated position in the court of Pharaoh. But, although Providence responds to faith, and acts in order to accomplish God's purposes and control the walk of His children, it is not the guide of faith, although it is made so sometimes by believers who are wanting in clearness of light. Moses's faith is seen in his giving up a Genesis, Vol. I, No. XII. p. 215, was printed from a paper forwarded by the Author,-his own version, in English, of one written by him in French for the " Témoignage." This (on Exodus) is a translation from his MS, but since corrected by himself.-Ed. VOL.II. PT.I. 1 all the advantages of the position in which God had set him in His providence. This faith acted through affections which attached him to God, and consequently to the people of God in their distress, and manifested itself, not in the helps or reliefs which his position could well have enabled him to give to them, but in inducing him to identify himself with that people because it was God's people. Faith attaches itself to God, and to the bond that exists between God and His people; and thus it thinks not of patronising from above, as if the world had authority over the people of God, or was able to be a blessing to them; but it has the feeling of the strength of this bond: it feels (because it is faith) that God loves His people; that His people are precious to Him; His own on the earth; and faith sets itself thus through very affection, in the position where His people find themselves. This is what Christ did. Faith does but follow Him in His career of love, however great the distance at which it walks. How many reasons might have induced Moses to remain in the position where he was; and this even under the pretext of being able to do more for the people; but this would have been leaning on the power of Pharaoh, instead of recognising the bond between the people and God: it might have resulted in a relief which the world would have granted, but not in a deliverance by God, accomplished in His love and in His power. Moses would have been spared, but dishonored; Pharaoh flattered, and his authority over the people of God recognised; and Israel would have remained in captivity, leaning on Pharaoh, instead of recognising God in the precious and even glorious relationship of His people with Him. God would not have been glorified. Yet all human reasoning, and all reasoning connected with providential ways, would have induced Moses to remain in his position: faith made him give it up. Moses then identifies himself with the people of God. A certain natural activity, and some consciousness of a strength which was not purely from on high, accompanied him, perhaps; however, it is this first devotedness which is pointed out by the Holy Ghost as the good and accept b Heb. xi. 24-26. |