hung. It was thus that the gracious design of God was carried out," that as sin reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord." (Rom. v. 21.) This is indeed sovereign grace-grace triumphing over every obstacle, breaking down every barrier, to reach in the way of righteousness those upon whom God had set His love. But grace could not have reigned had it not been the grace of Him who ever reigns, and whose will in the highest sense can never be crossed by creature or by circumstances; as Job said, "I know that Thou canst do everything, and that no thought of Thine can be hindered." (Job xlii. 2, marg.) And it is good for us to remember that what was displayed on the grandest scale at Calvary is ever true. God can leave rebellious creatures to do their will and yet accomplish His own. Take an illustration from the history of Joseph as stated in Psalm cv. 17, "He sent a man before them: Joseph was sold for a servant." One clause states the act of God in foresight and mercy; the other, the act of Joseph's brethren in their wickedness. They sold him with the avowed object of making void his dreams, and yet, as Joseph himself put it, "It was not you that sent me hither, but God;" and again, "Ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good." (Gen. xlv. 8; 1. 20.) It is the grand truth of the sovereignty of God that above all things men are arraying themselves against, and Christians are ignoring. But if we are to maintain our ground against the evil tide of these days it must have a more prominent place in our thoughts. The greater the opposition to God and His truth, the more need is there for the heart of the believer to be stayed upon Himself in all His majesty and grace. How beautifully is this set forth in Psalm xciii., which begins with the blessed statement, "Jehovah reigneth," and then declares His majesty and the stability of His throne. If He is "clothed with strength," He owes not that strength to another, for "He hath girded Himself" with it. The Psalmist sets us the example of looking to heaven before he looks to earth: "Thy throne is established of old: Thou art from everlasting." Then he can look to earth without fear or dismay; he can behold the surging mass of those who rise in opposition to God-the floods lifting up their voice and their waves, and he takes refuge in the truth, "Jehovah on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty [or breaking] waves of the sea." "The calming of the storm on the lake of Galilee," it has been truly said, was not only a parabolic representation of the history of the kingdom of God, but also typical of the final consummation of all things: a summary of the past, a prophecy of the future, a type of the end. And what applies to the Church as a whole, holds equally true of individual believers. Our greatest dangers are only breaking waves; waves which break at His feet." "He sitteth o'er the waterfloods, Though loud around the vessel's prow The tendency of the present day is to subject everything to the reason of fallen man, as though man, with his 'understanding darkened" (Eph. iv. 18), was capable of comprehending the ways and works of God; and it is to be feared that much of what is called Christian teaching is a mere pandering to human reason. "Canst thou by searching find out God?" No. But if "thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God; for the Lord giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.” (Prov. ii. 2-6.) To man, the needy sinner, God reveals Himself as the God of salvation, and he who submits himself to God, and obeys the call to be reconciled to Him, will indeed discover depths of wisdom and heights of glory that human reason never thought of, and will see in ages to come, what already by faith we know, that God's ways are all worthy of Himself, and that the eternal happiness of both unfallen and redeemed creatures is secured by the unconditioned sovereignty of the glorious Creator, of whom, and through whom, and to whom are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. W. H. B. THE GIRDLE. THIS word frequently occurs in Scripture, and conveys instruction that is much needed in these days. Although oftener found in the Old Testament, it is also frequently referred to in the New. In eastern countries, where loose, flowing robes are worn, the girdle forms a necessary accompaniment. The Jews wore two, an inner and an outer girdle; the latter made of leather, or more frequently of curiously-wrought worsted, and one end served as a purse. (Mat. x. 9.) Turkish secretaries are said to carry their ink-horn suspended to their girdles, a custom that is alluded to in Ezek. ix. 2. To bind the girdle was a needful preparation for service, for journeying, for warfare, wrestling, or racing. After David had slain Goliath, Jonathan's soul was knit to his, and he gave him his girdle as a token of affection and honour. It is also interesting to notice that the Holy Ghost has used the girdle as a figure. "Gird up thy loins like a man . . and answer me," was God's challenge to Job; and Peter's exhortation to the disciples was, " Gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end." These are but two instances of this figurative language, but the diligent reader will find many others. In the book of Exodus the children of Israel were instructed to eat the passover with their "loins girded" (chap. xii.); and the "girdle" is also spoken of in connection with priesthood (chap. xxviii.), as forming a very important part of Aaron's priestly garments. The order in which these passages occur is interesting and edifying. THE PILGRIM'S GIRDLE. Under the shelter of the sprinkled blood, in obedience to Jehovah's word, the children of Israel stood and partook of the roast lamb on the night of the passover, and their attitude and attire was that of strangers in Egypt and pilgrims towards Canaan. Their girded loins, the sandals on their feet, and their staff in hand proclaimed their character, and they ate in haste. By the rich and sovereign grace of God, the answer to this is daily being produced by the Spirit of God in the hearts of sinners. Hearing, and believing the gospel, they shelter under the blood of the slain Lamb of God, and by faith feed on Him whose flesh is meat indeed, and His blood drink indeed; and from the moment they are born from above, born of God, they are strangers on earth and pilgrims to glory, girded with the truth of God. THE PRIESTLY GIRDLE. In due time Jehovah brought His people out of Egypt unto Himself, and the second reference in Exodus to the girdle is connected with the fulfilment of the word, "Let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." Yet the holy place would not avail without a priest, and God not only chose Aaron, but minutely described the garments in which he was to appear before Him. One part of the garments of beauty and glory in which Aaron was to be arrayed was the girdle, "the curious girdle of the ephod." By means of it he bound to his person the ephod, from which the breastplate and shoulder-pieces, containing the names of the twelve tribes, were never to be loosed. In all this the anointed eye sees and the circumcised ear hears much of Christ, who is the substance of this shadow, the antitype of the type. As the true priest after the order of Melchizedek, He binds for ever unto Himself in righteousness and faithfulness, as with a girdle, the objects of His tender, changeless love; and His patience and His power are untiringly exercised towards all who trust in Him, even to the weakest. And He calls for a response to this from those who know and value His service of love to them. It should be our joy to embrace in our affections all the objects of His love, and to serve them in patient grace, seeking to strengthen them in the Lord and to cherish in them purity of heart and reins, trueness of motive and action. THE SERVANT'S GIRDLE. The chosen and separated man, sheltered under the blood, and a stranger and a pilgrim in the world, should evermore be the priestly worshipper and the faithful servant, girding himself to serve with diligence and ease. |