the saints at Corinth; but that was made fruitful, like the carcase of the lion. For not merely does a vindication of the doctrine itself come forth, but glory after glory, belonging to that mystery, passes before him. He is given, through the Spirit, to see resurrection in its order, or in its different seasons; the interval between such seasons, and the business to be done in each of them, according to divine dispensations, the scene which is to succeed the last of those seasons, and also the great era of the resurrection of the saints, in all its power and magnificence, with the shout of triumph which is to accompany it (1 Cor. xv). Here was honey, and honey again, I may say, out of a lion's carcase, for such is controversy among brethren. But as it was once written, so is it, in the abounding grace of God, still existent. "Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness."

"NOT UNTO us, O LORD, NOT UNTO US, BUT UNTO THY NAME GIVE GLORY, FOR THY MERCY AND FOR THY TRUTH'S

GIVING thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: for by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell.

No XVI.

JUDGES.

THE book of Judges is the history of the failure of Israel. Joshua sets before us the energy of God acting in the midst of the people, who err nevertheless. In Judges we see the miserable state of the nation, now become unfaithful; and at the same time, the intervention of the God of mercy in the circumstances into which their unfaithfulness had brought them. This corresponds with what are called revivals in the history of the Church of God.

In this book we no longer see blessing and power marking the establishment of the people of God. Neither does it contain the fulfilment of God's purposes, after that the people had manifested their inability to retain the blessing they had received; nor the forms and government which, in spite of the evil and internal unfaithfulness of the people, could maintain their external unity, until God judged them in their leaders. God was still the only leader acknowledged in Israel; so that the people always bore themselves the penalty of their sin.

The misery into which their unfaithfulness brought them, moving the compassion of God, His mighty grace raised up deliverers by His spirit in the midst of the fallen and wretched people. "For His soul was grieved for the misery of Israel." "And the Lord raised up Judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.” "And when the Lord raised them up Judges, then the Lord was with the Judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the Judge; for it repented the Lord because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them." But Israel was unchanged. "And yet they would not hearken unto their Judges." "And it came to pass, when the Judge was dead, that they

returned and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way." This is the sorrowful history of the people of God; but it is also the history of the grace of God, and of His compassions towards His people.

Thus, in the beginning of the book, we see evil and failure, and also simple and blessed deliverances. But, alas! the picture darkens more and more. There are grievous features even in the conduct of the Judges, and the state of Israel becomes worse and worse; until, weary of the results of their own unfaithfulness, in spite of the presence of the Prophet, and the express word of God, they reject the kingship of the Almighty, to adopt human forms of government and establish themselves on the same footing as the world, when they had God for their king! This, indeed, was the reason why God left some of the nations in the midst of His people to prove them. The presence of these nations was in itself a proof of Israel's lack of energy and of confidence in the power of God, who nevertheless would have preserved them from their subsequent disasters. But, in the wisdom of his counsels, God, who knew His people, left these nations in their midst, as a means of proving them. They will be fully blest under Messiah, who by His might will bring in their blessing, and by His might will preserve

it to them.

Alas! this history of Israel in Canaan is also that of the Church; set up in heavenly blessing on the earth, she has failed from the beginning in realising that which was given her; and evil developed itself in her as soon as the first and mighty instruments of blessing who had been granted her were removed. Things have gone from bad to worse. There have been revivals, but there was still the same principle of unbelief; and the decay of each revival has marked increasing progress in evil and unbelief, in proportion to the good which had been thus forsaken, by departing from the primitive source of blessing and of strength.

Nevertheless, God has always had His own people;

and His faithfulness has never failed them, whether in secret, or openly, in His kindness, to manifest His grace towards His church in public power-a power that she ought always to have enjoyed. This sad succession

of falls will have an end at the coming of Jesus, who will accomplish His purposes respecting the Church in her heavenly glory; purposes, of which she should have always been the faithful witness here below.

The power and the presence of God did not forsake Israel at the time of Joshua's departure. It was always to be found wherever there was faith to make use of it. This is the first truth which this book presents. It is what Paul said to the Philippians, "Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, for it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do." This presence of God with them in blessing, to faith, makes itself known at one time by victory over most powerful enemies (ch. i. 1-7) at another by the obtaining of special blessings "springs of water," (13-15) and in‘all the detail of their realisation of the promises.

The

Philistines even were driven out (18). But at the same time, the faith of Judah and Simeon, of Ephraim and Manasseh, and of all the tribes failed; and consequently their energy, and their sense of the value of God's presence, and of their own consecration to Him failed also; together with their perception of the evil existing among their adversaries; a perception which would have rendered their presence in the midst of them insupportable.

What dishonour to God, what sin, to spare, to tolerate such people! What unfaithfulness towards God was this indifference; and what an infallible source of evil and corruption in Israel! But they were insensible to all this. They were wanting in spiritual discernment as well as in faith; and the sources of evil and misery dwelt beside the people, even in the land, the land of God and of Israel!

Alas! if such was the condition of the people, and they were satisfied with it, chastening, as at Ai, was no longer in question. But the angel of the Lord (the operative power of God in the midst of the people) quits

Gilgal (that spiritual circumcision of heart which precedes victory and tempers the soul anew, that we may overcome in conflict) and comes up to Bochim, to the place of weeping, in the midst of the people, declaring that He will no longer drive out the enemy whom Israel had spared.

God had been then at Gilgal! What a blessing amid those exereises and inward conflicts of heart, in which true practical circumcision is accomplished, in which the source and influence of sin are felt in order to judge them before God; so that sin being mortified, we may in conflict (and also in communion) enjoy the strength of God, who cannot grant it to the flesh and to sin. This inward mortification is a work of no outward glory, it is little and pitiful in the eyes of man; historically it did not appear that the strength of God was at Gilgal; but when forsaken, it was discovered that the angel of the Lord had been there. It is exchanged for tears-God may be worshipped in Bochim. His relation to the people was unaltered. He accepts these tears. But what a difference! The strength and the light of the Lord's countenance are not there. Sorrowful position, although alleviated by grace! This change from Gilgal to Bochim is the key to the book; it is so, alas! but too often to the condition of God's children.

The Holy Ghost having laid these general foundations, goes on to the historical development of Israel's position.

All the days of Joshua, and of the elders that outlived him, Israel walked before the Lord. It is the history of the Church; while the Apostles were there, she was preserved; but Paul (Acts xx. 29) and Peter (2 Pet. ii.) alike warned the saints that unfaithfulness and rebellion would unhappily follow their departure. These evil principles were already there. The intermixture of unbelievers (the enemy's work) would become the means through which the evil would unfold itself and gain ground amongst them.

The Lord had spoken of this (Matt. xiii.) and Jude develops its progress and results with solemn perspicuity and precision.

But, when another generation arises in Israel, which