priesthood, a purchased people." These are almost the words of Exodus xix. He goes on: "Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God; who formerly had not obtained mercy, but have now obtained it." These are the words of Hosea ii. This sets before us, in the most interesting way, the principle on which the blessing is founded. In Exodus, the people were to have this blessing if they exactly obeyed the voice of God. But Israel had not obeyed, had been rebellious and stiff-necked, had gone after strange Gods, and rejected the testimony of the Spirit: yet, after their unfaithfulness, God Himself had laid in Žion a stone, a chief corner-stone, and whosoever believed in Him should not be confounded. It is grace, that when Israel had failed in every respect, and, on the ground of obedience, had lost everything, God should bestow on them by Jesus, through grace, that which was promised them at first on condition of obedience. In this way all was secured to them. The question of obedience was settled-on Israel's disobedience by grace, and by the obedience of Christ, the foundation laid by God in Zion But this principle of grace abounding over sin-by which is shown the inability of disobedience to frustrate the purposes of God, for this grace came after the completion of disobedience -this principle, so glorious and so comforting to the convinced sinner, is confirmed in a striking way by the quotation from Hosca. In this passage from the prophet, Israel is presented, not merely as guilty, but as having already undergone judgment. God had declared that He would no more have mercy (with regard to His patience towards the ten tribes); and that Israel was no longer His people (in His judgment on unfaithful Judah). But afterwards, when the judgment had been executed, He returns to His irrevocable pur poses of grace, and allures Israel as a forsaken wife, and gives her the Valley of Achor-the valley of trouble, in which Achan was stoned, the first judgment on unfaithful Israel after their entrance into the promised landfor a door of hope. For judgment is changed into grace, and God begins all afresh upon a new principle. It was as though Israel had again come out of Egypt,

but upon an entirely new principle. He betroths her to Him for ever, in righteousness, in judgment, in grace, in mercy, and all is blessing. Then He calls her "Ruhama," or, "the subject of mercy;" and " Ammi," "my people." These, then, are the expressions which the Apostle uses, applying them to the remnant who believed in Jesus, the stumbling-stone to the nation, but the chief corner-stone from God to the believer. Thus, the condition is taken away, and instead of a condition we have blessing after disobedience, and after judgment the full and assured grace of God, founded (in its application to believers) on the person, the obedience, and the work of Christ.

It is affecting to see the expression of this grace in the term "Achor.' It was the first judgment on Israel in the Land of Promise, for having profaned themselves with the forbidden thing. And there it is that hope is given: so entirely true is it that grace triumphs over justice. And it is this which has taken place in the most excellent way in Christ. The very judgment of God becomes in Him the door of hope, the guilt and the judgment having alike passed away for ever.

Two parts of the Christian life-so far as it is the manifestation of spiritual power-result from this, in the double priesthood, of which the one answers to the present position of Christ on high, and the other, anticipatively, to the manifestation of His glory on earth: the priesthoods of Aaron and of Melchisedec. For He is now within the veil, according to the type of Aaron; hereafter He will be a priest on his throne; it will be the public manifestation of His glory on earth. Thus, the saints exercise "a holy priesthood" (verse 5), to offer up spiritual sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving. Sweet privilege of the Christian, thus brought as near as possible to God; he offers-sure of being accepted-for it is by Jesus that he offers them-his sacrifices to God.

This part of the Christian life is the first, the most excellent, the most vital, the source of the other (which is its expression here below); the most excellent, because, in its exercise, we are in immediate connection with the

divine objects of our affections. These spiritual sacrifices are the reflex, by the action of the Holy Ghost, of the grace which we enjoy; that which the heart returns to God, moved by the excellent gifts of which we are the object, and by the love which has committed them to us. The heart (by the power of the Holy Ghost) reflects all that has been revealed to it in grace; worshipping the Author and Giver of all, according to the knowledge we have of Himself through this means: the fruits of the heavenly Canaan in which we participate, presented as an offering to God: the entrance of the soul into the presence of God, to praise and adore Him.

This is the holy priesthood, according to the analogy of the priesthood of Aaron, and of the temple at Jerusalem which God inhabited as His house.

The second priesthood of which the Apostle speaks is, to shew forth the virtues of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvellous light. Its description is taken, as we have seen, from Exodus xix. It is a chosen generation, a holy nation, a royal priesthood. I only allude to the Melchisedec priesthood to shew the character of a royal priesthood. Priests, among the Jews, drew near to God. God had formed the people for Himself; they were to shew forth all His virtues, His praises. Christ will do this perfectly in the day of His glory. The Christian is called to do it now, in this world. He is to reproduce Christ in this world. It is the second part of his life.

It will be noticed that the first chapter of this Epistle presents the Christian as animated by hope, but under trial-the precious trial of faith. The second chapter presents him in his privileges, as of a holy and royal priesthood, by means of faith.

After this (chap. ii. 11.), the Apostle begins his exhortations. Whatever may be the privileges of the Christian, in this position, he is always viewed as a pilgrim on the earth; and, as we have seen, the constant government of God is the object that presents itself to the mind of the Apostle. But he warns them first, with regard to that which is inward, against those sources from which the corruptions spring, that (in the scene of

this government), would dishonour the name of God, and even bring in judgment.

Their conversation was to be honest among the Gentiles. Christians bore the name of God. The mind of men, hostile to His name, sought to bring disgrace upon it, by attributing to Christians the evil conduct which they themselves followed without remorse, while, at the same time, complaining (iv. 4) that they would not go with them into the same excesses and disorder. The Christian had only to follow the path of faithfulness to God. In the day when God would visit men, these calumniators, with their will broken and their pride subdued by the visitation of God, should be brought to confess-by means of the good works which, in spite of their calumnies, had always reached their consciencethat God had acted in these Christians, that He had been present among them.

After this general exhortation, brief, but important to believers, the Apostle takes up the relative walk of Christians in a world where, on the one hand, God watches over all, yet where He permits His own to suffer, whether for righteousness' sake, or for the name of Christ; but where they ought never to suffer for having done wrong. The path, then, of the Christian is marked out. He is subject, for the Lord's sake, to human ordinances or institutions. He gives honor to all men, and to each in his place, so that no one shall have any reproach to bring against him. He is submissive to his masters, even if they are bad men, and yields to their illtreatment. Were he subject only to the good and gentle, a worldly slave would do as much; but if, having done well, he suffers, and bears it patiently, this is acceptable to God. This is grace. It was thus that Christ acted, and to this we are called. Christ suffered in this way, and never replied by reproaches or threats to those who molested him, but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously. To Him we belong. He has suffered for our sins, in order that, having been delivered from them, we should live to God. These Christians from among the Jews had been as sheep going astray; they were now brought back to the Shepherd and Bishop

of their souls.

Likewise, wives were to be subject to their husbands in all modesty and purity, in order that this testimony to the effect of the Word by its fruits might take the place of the Word itself, if their husbands would not listen to it. They were to rest, in patience and meekness, on the faithfulness of God, and not be alarmed at seeing the power of the adversaries (compare Phil. i. 28).

Husbands were, in like manner, to dwell with the wife: their affections and relationships being governed by Christian knowledge, and not by any human passion; honoring the wife, and walking with her as being heirs together of the grace of life.

Finally, all were to walk in the spirit of peace and gentleness, carrying with them in their intercourse with others the blessing of which they were themselves the heirs, and the spirit of which they ought, consequently, to bear with them. By following that which is good, by having the tongue governed by the fear of the Lord, by avoiding evil and seeking peace, they would in quietness enjoy the present life under the eye of God. For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His cars are open to their prayers; but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. And who, moreover, would harm them, if they followed only that which is good?

This, then, is the government of God, the principle on which he superintends the course of this world. Nevertheless, it is not now a direct and immediate government, preventing all wrong. The power of evil still acts upon the earth; those who are animated by it show themselves hostile to the righteous, and act by means of that fear which Satan is able to produce. But by giving the Lord His place in the soul, this fear which the enemy excites has no longer a place there. If the heart is conscious of the presence of God, can that heart tremble at the presence of the enemy? This is the secret of boldness and peace in confessing Christ. Then, the instru ments of the enemy seek to turn us aside, and to overwhelm us by their pretensions; but the consciousness of God's presence dissipates those pretensions, and destroys all their power. Resting on the strength of His presence, we are ready to answer those who ask the reason of our