know, by faith, the reality of our union with the Son of God in glory; but we have to labour for something more. We need the whole armour of God, and we press to the mark of our high calling in Christ Jesus. There is a promised Sabbatismos-keeping of a Sabbath,-lying before us. And the more we know of a Canaan rest here, the more we shall long for that, for we have been made conscious in the sensibility of our new nature, of foes and trials which we never knew before.

There are thus three distinct things.

1. Rest, as from Egyptian toil and slavery.

2. Rest as in Canaan, with the assurance of victory in every conflict, but with the knowledge and sad experience that we are surrounded and impeded by spiritual wickedness in high places.

3. Rest as still further shining forth in the Word, as a future thing towards which we labour, and of which we must beware (notwithstanding all that we seem already to have obtained) of falling short.

For the Word is living (quick is the old English word), and it is powerful. It speaks as an eternal word, with a full range of application, in all varying circumstances, to all in every age. As it is written in Hosea xii., "He found him in Bethel, and there he spake with us". Faith sees its entire scope. As when Abraham and the patriarchs beheld the promised Canaan, and looked through it to a better country. The Word spoken to Israel lights upon us, and through their typical Canaan, and the Word spoken therein to them reveals to us a goal yet to be reached, and the It is need of the faith which was pressed on them. also energetic. Its power reveals our need of taking heed to the warnings of the Holy Ghost. But then the figure is changed. It is also a scalpel, a dissecting knife, and searches and lays bare the inward parts. The burnt offering, which according to Rom. xii. we present, is cut into its several parts. All is laid naked "Search me, O and open unto God: nothing hid. Lord, and try me, and see if there be any wicked way in me."

Therefore, we see the need and blessedness of the ministry of our great High Priest. It is in the knowledge of His sympathy and power that we are encouraged to hold fast our confidence. For He, though Himself ever without sin, understands our infirmities. He has been down here in this scene of darkness and sorrow, and he has known the subtle snares, and the

active enmity of Satan, and now He ever lives to make intercession. "Therefore let us come boldly to the throne of grace," (which is a New Testament name for the Mercy Seat,)" that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

THE

SHETLAND.

M. W.

THE second half-yearly conference of believers in the Lord Jesus throughout the Shetland Isles was held in Lerwick on Jan, 14th. The meetings were well attended, some travelling on foot as far as 28 miles. Addresses, which were felt to be profitable, were given by Br. Sloan from the Faroe Islands, and other servants of Christ, and interesting reports were given. of the Lord's work in different parts.

Special mention was made of an awakening in Sandness, where a large number have professed conversion, and 10 have recently been baptized.

The enemy has raised a hot persecution, and some are threatened to be deprived of home. Prayer is desired on behalf of the converts and the labourers in those parts.

These meetings have proved to be beneficial and helpful to the saints; it is purposed to have them, God willing, every six months.

THE CHURCH.

THE Gospel according to Paul, gives us fully, the

results of redemption; viz., the revelation of God in His manifold wisdom and grace, so that now by the Church, the principalities and powers in the heavenlies, learn God, as they never would, had man not fallen.

It was no sudden change of plan on God's part, after the entrance of sin, but a counsel from all eternity, (Ephes. i. 4; 1 Peter, i. 19, 20.)

The God of love, desired to be known and loved. He created all things, therein declaring His eternal power and Godhead; and the Sons of God, shouted for joy, as they beheld the evidences of His almighty power, (Job. xxxviii, 4-7.)

But with what pent-up expectancy did they hear the utterance in Genesis i. 26, and watch its execution. Deeper still their wonder, as they listened to the blessing, and heard the mighty giver, handing all over to the one formed from the dust. (Gen. i. 28-31.)

A deeper knowledge would still be theirs, when they beheld Jehovah God coming down, to reprove, and yet to bless and clothe, the guilty recipients of all His gifts. (Genesis iii.)

Now however, they know God as they never did before. The only begotten Son hath told Him out, and in the fruit of His toil, they learn God's wisdom and grace, triumphing for man, over all obstacles, and raising thus, the beggar from the dunghill to the throne. (Ephes. ii. 4, 5, 6.)

This hidden wisdom, Paul refers to in 1 Cor. ii. 7, 8; in which is shown, that the church, for which Christ gave Himself, was a hidden thing. (Ephes. v. 25; Mat. xiii. 45, 46.)

The princes of this world, we know, were led by Satan, in crucifying the Lord: they were taken captive by him at his will, see Ephes. ii. 2; John viii. 44; 2 Tim. ii. 26; Job i. 12-15.

Thus, while with wicked hands the Lord of glory was slain, (Acts ii. 23), it was really Satan's work they were instruments of carrying out.

Satan knew Christ was to reign, for the moment our Lord was born, he sought to slay the King of the Jews, (Mat. ii.), also from Isaiah xlix. 6, as well as Genesis ii, and the Covenant with Abraham he knew that in Him the world would be blessed.

But that he was to have joint-heirs, and many members, making one mystical body (John xvii. 22; Rev. iii. 21; Psalm ii. 6, 7; Rev. ii. 27; 1 Cor. xii. 12; Ephes. i. 22, 23 and ii. 15 last clause) of this he was in entire ignorance; if he had known it, he would have done nothing to give effect to that which would manifest God's love as the blessing of Israel and the Gentiles never could. See Romans xi. 23, "the depth of the riches," in contrast with Ephes. ii. 7 the "exceeding riches of His grace." Thus, the love of God comes out, in His kindness toward us, through Christ Jesus, and is declared and manifested, as in nothing else (John xvii. 22-26.)

And here we would remark, that joint-heirship brings out the measure of our blessing in a most expressive form.

A father who has many children, may give to each of them a different portion, without denying their relationship to him.

The Church is of the household of God, (Ephes. ii. 19), the family in heaven and earth has one comman

Father; but the church, composed of Jews and Gentiles, made one in Christ now, has a place in the glory, we fail to see assigned to those before Christ died and rose again.

All the children have the same life, but not the same portion. All are debtors to the Lamb, but the Father assigns their place and portion, according to the good pleasure of His will. (Ephes. i. 11.)

Many think the church existed before Pentecost, but such a conclusion can only be arrived at by inference, while the opposite view seems, to us, to be supported by positive Scriptures.

For instance, our Lord in Mat. xvi. 18, speaks of what He would do in the future. He would become a foundation, and then build on that foundation. One thing which would rest on Him as a foundation was His church.

Israel's future blessing would also be secured thereby, and the blessing of all creation, but surely our Lord spoke of a different purpose in Mat. xvi, or language has no meaning.

As Israel had no existence, except in the purpose of God, till Abraham was called out (who was the first of it) and no one would dream of bringing Noah and Enoch into it; so the church had no existence till Christ, the foundation, was raised from the dead.

Then Ephes. ii. 20 shows, that in another aspect, the Apostles and Prophets are the foundation, and Christ Jesus the chief corner stone.

These prophets are clearly New Testament prophets, as seen in (Ephes. iii. 5), where they are distinguished from those who gave testimony in other ages. (Connect 1 Pet. i. 11, 12.)

Then in (Rev. xxi. 14) we have the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, in the foundations of the twelve gates; now the gate is the place of judgment; and here we have Mat. xix. 28 fulfilled, the apostles at least reigning with Christ over Israel, while in Luke xix. 17, we have those who reign with Christ over cities.

Now the New Jerusalem of Rev. xxi. is the City for which Abraham looked. (Heb. xi. 10.) He was not a part of it, as those in Mat. xix. 28, but he looked for it-his full blessing would then come (Heb. xi. 40) and when he saw Christ's day afar off he was glad. (John viii. 56.)

So that, as the world cannot be blessed till Israel is gathered '(Rom. xi. 15), the Old Testament Saints wait for the Church's completion..

But while the Church is not found as a revealed thing in the Old Testament, it does not follow that it was not written about there. Paul was used to reveal the mystery of the Church, which lay hid in the Scriptures of the Old Testament prophets; Paul made manifest, by the commandment of God (Romans xvi. 25, 26), what before was hidden, even to those who wrote (1 Pet. i. 11, 12.)

Thus Moses wrote in Genesis ii. 21, what Paul by revelation (Ephes. iii. 3.) makes known in Ephesians v. 30.

David wrote in Psalm cxxxix. 14, 15, what Paul makes known in Ephes. i. 20, and Ephes. ii. 6.

Thus Paul's revelations of the hidden wisdom and mystery of God are made known through the Scriptures of the prophets, for the obedience of faith. (Rom. xvi. 26.)

How fully Paul's conversion answers to his testimony." "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou Me" "I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest," and from that day, he was the chosen witness of the oneness of Christ the risen Head, with the Church, which is His body. (Ephes. i.)

All who now believe, are meanwhile builded together, for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

However this present purpose may be hindered, God intends the living stones to be together, as His habitation.

In this aspect, the Church answers in type, to the tabernacle in the wilderness; the tent in which God was pleased to dwell.

But in keeping with its wilderness character, this tabernacle was over and over again taken down and put up.

When taken down and about to move, Moses invokes Jehovah to be their strength and shield; Israel going forth in the assurance that their foes were also the enemies of their God. (Num. x. 35, 36.)

All this would seem to answer to our gathering together unto Him at stated times (Mat. xviii. 20; Acts xx. 7; Heb. x. 25,) and then separating in the assurance that the One in our midst, while so gathered, is our strength and shield for the journey. (Heb. x. 35, and xi. 1.)

For, just as each board of the tabernacle was a part of God's habitation-but only when reared, and put in its place, was God's dwelling-place seen-so each believer is a part of the habitation of God, but only

when two or three are gathered unto Him, can it be said, as in Mat. xviii. 20, "there am I".

But we separate, to come together again, till God finds His final rest in His temple, where the staves of the ark are laid aside, (1 Kings viii. 6-9), and God in Christ rests in those, whose pilgrim days are for ever done.

Thus in verse 21 of Ephes. ii., we are represented as growing unto an holy temple in the Lord.

"The Lamb is all the glory

In Emmanuel's Land."

Every whit of the temple uttered His glory, for every stone was covered with cedar wood and the cedar wood with gold, so that it was a Holy temple in the gold.

So shall the Church, in its completeness, utter His glory. He shall be admired in all them that believe (2 Thess. 1.) Every stone covered with Him, who was a root out of a dry ground, and yet now, the Lord of glory, whose glory alone shines out, in that which shall be, an Holy temple in the Lord.

In conclusion, Solomon brought great stones (1 Kings v. 17, 18, and vi. 7), and prepared all the stones, ere he set them in their places, there was no further work needed on them.

All telling out the wondrous grace of Him, "Who took us from the fearful pit

And from the miry clay;"

then patiently and lovingly disciplined and chastened 11s (1 Peter i.; Rom. v. 1-9) to fit us for our place in the final building.

Meanwhile be it ours, more and more, to utter, and tell out the virtues of Him, who called us out of darkness, into his marvellous light.

BABYLON, both

BABYLON.

T. C.

in the Old Testament and the New, seems to represent that which was always opposed either to God or to His people. It represents a great principle of opposition to, or independence of God.

It began at Babel,where men combined together to get themselves a name, and to build a tower which should reach to heaven, or, figuratively speaking, to exalt themselves to be as God. It was this that Adam began with. (Gen. iii. 5.) It is this that the Antichrist will end with. (2 Thess. ii. 4.) It is this that is the dominant principle in every unregenerate heart,

and which will sooner or later show itself, whether it be in unrestrained lusts or intellectual insubjection to the written Word of God, or, finally, in its most daring form, of worship of the Dragon and the Beast.

The kingdom of Nimrod, whose name signifies apostasy, impiety, and rebellion, began at Babel, and there is some significance in the expression, "The beginning of his kingdom was Babel," indicating that there was to be a continuance, though perhaps under other phases and forms, of that which had its beginning there.

In Nebuchadnezzar's kingdom again we see Babylon as the enslaver of God's people. The throne of the world was given him by God, but still he would be independent of the source from which his power came. He claims all worship, to the exclusion of God Himself, for the image which he set up in the plain of Dura, a type of the image which the Antichrist will set up by and bye, as described in Rev. xiii., which all shall worship whose names are not written in the Book of Life. Darius, the successor of Nebuchadnezzar, following out the same principle of independence, claims for himself the place of being the only receiver of prayer.

So much for the past history of Babylon. With regard to its future-and I believe it has a futurethere are many Old Testament prophecies, such as Isai. xiii., xiv., Jer. 1, li, &c., which had a partial fulfilment at the conquest of Babylon by Darius and others, but which could not have had their complete fulfilment then, for it continued a thriving city for centuries afterwards, and even in the Christian era it had an existence, for the Talmud of Babylon was compiled there by Jewish rabbis in the 5th century after Christ. In the prophecies referred to we read that tremendous judgments shall fall on Babylon, and in Jer. 1. 4, it states distinctly that "in those days and at that time" when the city is to be finally destroyed, the Children of Israel and the Children of Judah shall come together to seek the Lord, weeping and asking the way to Zion. Now, Judah did return in the days of Ezra and Nehemiah, but the Ten Tribes which must be This included in "Israel" have never yet done so. return of Israel and Judah together must therefore be future, and it follows of course that any other event which occurs" in those days and at that time," must be future also. Moreover, in verse 20, it says that this destruction of Babylon shall take place at the time when Israel's iniquities and Judah's sins shall be sought for and shall not be found, or, in other words,