as His body and glorious Bride. And this is entirely confirmed by the verses immediately before and after verse 10; in the one case where the mystery of God's will is made known touching all things in heaven and on earth, and in the other, because we are spoken of as having the Holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance. Such is what we have in the mean time: not the actual possession which comes at the fulness of times, not previously, but the Spirit meanwhile, as the earnest until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of His glory. For when that fulness arrives, it will be glory, His glory, and not as now the dealings and riches of His grace. The Lord hasten the glorious day!

THE PROSPECT.

Head of the Church, Thy body,
Jesus, our great salvation!
Sweet to Thy saints

It is to think

Of all thine exaltation!

All power to Thee 's committed,
All power in earth, and heaven,
To thee a name

Above all fame,

Above all glory 's given.

Thy saints with Thee are raised,
With thee on high are seated,
Poor, sinful now,

But soon with thee

(Blest thought!) to be completed;
For when Thou, Lord, and Saviour,
Shalt come again in glory,
There by Thy side

Thy SPOTLESS Bride

Shall crown the wondrous story.

Then comes the final Kingdom,
No bound, nor end possessing,
When Heaven, and earth,
Entranced shall lie

In universal blessing;

No murmuring tongue to sadden,
No breath of sin to wither,

In earth-on high-
Be nought but joy,

And blissful peace for ever!

No. XXIV.

MOSES' SONG.

Deuteronomy, xxxii.

THERE is a whole system of divine lyrics in the word of God; and the one theme of them, I think I may state to be-God in connection with his people. They vary as to the degree in which different points of them are put forward in prominence; but the highest order is where God is dwelt upon more fully in His own glories and worthy praises. I do not mean God abstractedly; with that I think the scripture has little indeed to do. But perhaps we should find this thought characterise such Psalms as I refer to God in His own greatness and glories, yet still the covenant-God of His people. For this reason, I think I should put such Psalms as 1 Chron. xvi., Psalm cv., and the song of Moses (Psalm cxlv. is something of this character, though scarcely of the kind now spoken of) among "the high places" of the word. I will take an example to illustrate: very glorious is the strain of triumph in which Moses says, by faith, in Exod. xv. "Thou in Thy mercy hast led forth Thy people, whom Thou hast redeemed; Thou hast guided them in Thy strength to Thy holy habitation." And very beautiful is it in Balaam's song (which is more akin to the subject now in hand), the aspect which Israel holds in the divine mind; "How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob; thy tabernacles, O Israel" (Numb. xxiv.) But higher still are the thoughts when God is dwelt on, and gloried in by his people, for his own glories and worthiness (1 Chron. xvi. 10), "Glory ye in His holy name, let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord: seek the Lord, and His strength; seek His face continually. Remember His marvellous works, and the judgments of his mouth." And ver. 27, "Glory and honour are in His presence; strength and gladness are in His place." We should not value God, if I may so speak, only for what we can get from him (I mean as to our wants, etc.); it is our privilege

to feed upon the wondrous manifestation which He has made of Himself. In its highest sense, it is indeed "eternal life, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent."

Yet, let me add, it is wonderful too, to see in what terms the Spirit of God, the true Psalmist, speaking by his people, hath set forth what God has done for us personally, in the riches of His grace. "He lifteth up," Hannah says (1 Sam. ii.), "the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory." How true this is every way; we, the beggars from the dunghill (may we keep it more before our eyes!) are indeed raised up with Christ, and shall indeed, according to His own promise, "sit down with Him in His throne."

But to come now to this song of Moses. In sweet and blessed numbers truly is it introduced to us. "My doctrine shall distil as the dew; BECAUSE I will publish the name of the Lord: ascribe ye greatness to our God." Because; aye, that's what gives sweetness and power to His people's song. It is not singing about themselves, but Him-"He is the Rock; His work is perfect." The great object of the song seems to be this; to vindicate God, to shew that His work is perfect, though in connection with an evil rebellious people, the people of His choice. "Are not My ways equal, are not your ways unequal, saith the Lord?" And with what strong shining does the character of God, and that of His people stand out here in contrast! Of God he says, "All His ways are judgment," etc.; but of His people, the first word we get is, "They have corrupted themselves." They have corrupted themselves! And is that all about man? That's all, "He hath corrupted himself." "They have turned aside quickly out of the way," says the Lord (Ex. xxxii. 8), "they have corrupted themselves." And is that true of the Church too! Yes. Men, blind as bats, talk of the succession in the Church: but how was it when Paul was permitted of God to take a look into the dark future of the Church? "I KNOW that after my departure shall grievous wolves enter in" (Acts xx.) "Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse." "In the last days perilous times shall come."

None ought surely, so deeply to have learnt this lesson of man's corruption, inherent and proved, as we who stand in the close of our dispensation. It is an unvarying truth; and let me say, it is the most important lesson we can learn for our guidance and stability in every way. It is, indeed essential. Forget it, and we are gone, "Be not high-minded, but fear; thou standest by faith;" was written, on the very forehead of our dispensation. But truly recognised, while it opens out to us the abyss of iniquity into which the Church has fallen, yet does it open to us deeper joys; for they are not in circumstances, but in God.

He then begins the history-the unchanging truth, God's obligation and man's responsibility, "Is not he thy father," etc. He begins it from the beginning, where God began with them; as in Eph., for us (to which part indeed this song is very similar). He begins with God's foreknowledge -His predestination for His people, He had been ever thinking of them, "For when the Most High divided to the nations their inheritance, He set the bounds of the peoples, according to the number of the children of Israel." Just as I think we get in Eph. iii. 9, that the Church was in God's view and deliberation, when he created all things by Jesus Christ, see also chap. i. ver. 11. How sweetly that "for" comes in (ver. 9)! it says to our faith (and why should not God think thus of His people?) "for the Lord's portion is His people: Jacob is the lot of His inheritance." So 'in Ephes. i., we have to learn what is "the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints." Then do we get some of His dealings with this chosen one. "He found him in a desert land," etc., where He found us too; but He delivered us out of it by the cross of Christ (Gal. i. 4). Then their education, "He led them about, He instructed him." Then what incomparable beauty in that description, "As an eagle," etc. So it is with us; the Lord flutters over us, so to speak, when the child of grace is being born. With what care does He watch over our first starting forth; as I think that word tells us so beautifully (Hos. xi. 3), "I taught Ephraim also to go, taking them by their arms." How does He teach us to fly! Many awkward attempts, perhaps, we may make, and come down; sometimes failing through

the weakness of the flesh; or having overflown ourselves through the strength of the flesh; but still the Lord leads onwards; He takes us on His own wings! Such, I have read, is the actual practice of these birds. Blessed position to be in! This is our security; He will teach us to fly! Thus do we indeed learn, waiting on the Lord, to mount up with wings as eagles. Joshua (chap. x. 24), after the capture of the five kings, called for Israel and their captains, to come near; the captains to put their feet upon the necks of the kings. Our Captain will have us associated with Him in His victorious strength—“ The Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange god with him." For that is one condition that the Lord always makes when He is dealing with His people, that He alone shall have to do with them (Ps. lxxxi. 8), "0 Israel, if thou wilt hearken unto me, there shall be no strange god in thee; neither shalt thou worship any strange god." We then find the rich place into which the Lord brought him. "He made him ride on the high places of the earth; He gave him butter of kine," etc. these are the good things into which the Lord brought His people. And let me say, there are two great principles attached to the people of God in His word—the narrow door through which we enter; but then the boundless field into which we are introduced!

All

Rest first, and then blessing: so with Joseph. His two children he called, first Manasseh. "For God," said he, "hath made me forget all my toil, and all my father's house." Here was rest, and then comes blessing-Ephraim. "For God," said he, "hath caused me to be fruitful in the land of my affliction" (Gen. xli. 52).

So also 1st Corinthians, we get in chapter i. the narrow door, even the cross, by which we enter, leaving behind all our own wisdom, all our own righteousness. Then in chap. ii. we get the boundless field into which we are brought in the Spirit.-" Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive what good things God hath prepared for them that love Him." All scripture bears witness to this boundless place, into which we are brought, when once introduced in the love of Christ.