being laid in a manger; His taking the human nature upon Him in its low state, and under those infirmities brought upon it by the Fall; His being born in the form of sinful flesh, had the nature of satisfaction. And so all His sufferings in His infancy and childhood, and all that labour, and contempt, and reproach, and temptation, and difficulty of any kind, or that He suffered through the whole course of His life, was of a propitiatory and satisfactory nature.

"And so His purchase of happinness by His righteousness was also carried on through the whole time of His humiliation till His resurrection; not only in that obedience He performed through the course of His life, but also in the obedience He performed in laying down His life.

"3. It was by the same things that Christ hath satisfied God's justice, and also purchased eternal happiness. This satisfaction and purchase of Christ were not only both carried on through the whole time of Christ's humiliation, but they were both carried on by the same things. He did not make satisfaction by some things that He did, and then work out a righteousness by other different things; but in the same acts by which He wrought out righteousness, He also made satisfaction, but only taken in a different relation. One and the same act of Christ, considered with respect to the obedience there was in it, was part of His righteousness, and purchased heaven: but considered with respect to the self-denial, and difficulty, and humiliation, with which He performed it, had the nature of satisfaction for sin, and procured our pardon. Thus His going about doing good, preaching the gospel, and teaching His disciples, was a part of His righteousness, and purchase of heaven, as it was done in obedience to the Father; and the same was a part of His satisfaction, as He did it with great labour, trouble, and weariness, and under great temptations, exposing Himself hereby to reproach and contempt. So His laying down His life had the nature of satisfaction to God's offended justice, considered as His bearing our punishment in our stead: but considered as an act of obedience to God, who had given Him this command, that He should lay down His life for sinners, it was a part of His righteousness and purchase of heaven, and as much the principal part of His righteousness as it was the principal part of His satisfaction. And so to instance in His circumcision, what He suffered in that, had the nature of satisfaction: the blood that was shed in His circumcision was propitiatory blood; but as it was a conformity to the law of Moses, it was part of His meritorious righteousness. Though it was not properly the act of His human nature, He being an infant; yet it being what the human nature was the subject of, and being the act of that person, it was accepted as an act of His obedience as our Mediator.

"And so even His being born in such a low condition, had the nature of satisfaction, by reason of the humiliation that was in it; and also of righteousness, as it was the act of His person in obedience to the Father, and what the human nature was the subject of, and what the will of the human nature did acquiesce in, though there was no act of the will of the human nature prior to it."-I am, yours, &c., A READER OF OLD DIVINITY.

To the Editor of the Quarterly Journal of Prophecy.

SIR,-In the portion set apart in the January Number of your Journal for the review of books on prophetic subjects, a few extracts are given from a work by the Rev. W. Savile, on "the First and Second Advent," one of which refers to the future division of the land of Israel. As to the general boundaries, there can be but little difference of opinion, these being so distinctly pointed out both in length and breadth; neither with regard to the portions

of the twelve tribes extending within these limits from east to west, consecutively and by name.

Mr S. adopts this arrangement, yet omits from his list a most prominent and important portion, "The holy oblation." He takes, however, a literal GENERAL PLAN OF THE HOLY OBLATION.

view of that portion of the land described in Ezek. xlviii. 8, 22, as being placed between the lots of Judah and Benjamin.

He rightly makes it four-square, agreeing with Ezek. xlviii. 20, being 25,000, or about 42 English miles each way. The space is divided into three portions

1st, 25,000 reeds in length, and 10,000 reeds in breadth.

In the midst of the first portion was to be placed "the sanctuary" (Ezek. xlviii. 8), "the most holy place" (xlv. 3), the "sanctuary of the house" (xlviii. GENERAL DIVISION OF THE LAND-EZEK. xlviii.

21), three different titles of what Mr Savile rightly considers to be the future temple.

"The sanctuary" being in the midst of it, cannot, without straining, be placed anywhere else than in the centre of this division of the oblation.

The breadth of this portion is 10,000 reeds (or 17 English miles), whilst the breadth of the sanctuary and suburbs is only 600 cubits (Ezek. xlv. 2). There are therefore eight miles to the north and south of the sanctuary; that to the north separates it from the portion of Judah, that on the south from the Levites.

Jerusalem has always appertained to the tribe of Judah; it is emphatically the royal city, neither is there anywhere any intimation that it will ever belong to any other tribe.

But Jerusalem is clearly proved to be in existence in those days; and that it is the same city as exists now, is evident from the boundaries being enlarged to certain well-known hills and landmarks which surround the city of Jerusalem. It will therefore not only be the Jerusalem of the past and present, but also of the future (Jer. xxxi. 38-40). That it is to be inhabited as a city, and not as a temple, is proved from Zech. xiv. 10, 11. Jerusalem cannot, therefore, be in the oblation at all, for hills are mentioned as existing round it at that time; and it cannot have its site occupied by the new temple, since it is to be a city, and the same city re-established.

The site of the future temple must therefore be sought elsewhere—viz., in the midst of the holy oblation apportioned to the sons of Zadok.

Having stated various objections to Mr Savile's scheme, with respect to the site of the sanctuary, allow me to offer another view of the same interesting portion, brought out by literality, and by comparing scripture with scripture, regarding the re-division of the land of Israel.

In this list of Ezekiel, the seventh lot in succession is that of Judah, the royal tribe-and Jerusalem being the royal city, must be within its border. That such is the case, is shewn by Zech. ii. 12, "The Lord shall inherit Judah his portion in the holy land, and shall yet choose Jerusalem again.” And her site ever has, and ever will be, fixed and immoveable, for "she shall never be moved" (Ps. xlvi. 5). "The city shall be builded upon her own heap (Jer. xxx. 18). "Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, the city of the great King" (Ps. xlviii. 2). "Thus saith the Lord; I am returned unto Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem: and Jerusalem shall be called a city of truth. There shall yet old men and old women dwell in the streets of Jerusalem. And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets thereof" (Zech. viii. 3–5); all which prove, that when the land is re-divided, Jerusalem will be a city full of inhabitants.

Jerusalem, thus shewn to be within her borders, is inseparably connected with the portion of Judah; the southern boundary of which, for various reasons, will probably be in line with it, and for this reason, if the boundary was drawn to the north, the city would be wholly excluded from that lot, or if to the south, every mile would add to the distance between the city and sanctuary; and it is of consequence to keep the boundary line in view, in connexion with the portion adjoining, for "By the border of Judah shall be the oblation, the holy portion of the land" (Ezek. xlv. 1-4), in which the sanctuary occupies the CENTRE of the priests' portion. Next to it is the portion for the Levites, and next again comes the profane place and the city, thus filling up “the oblation" four-square. Outside this square, and on each side of it, is "the residue or portion for the prince;" and as all these sub-divisions of this holy portion are indissolubly united, and cannot be separated from each other, therefore, to place the sanctuary (a mile square) upon the site of Jerusalem, is chimerical, as it alone would more than obliterate that city, whilst its accessories would occupy the whole of the portion of Judah.

To go more particularly into "the holy oblation." "By the border of Judah, from the east side unto the west side, shall be the offering which ye shall offer of five and twenty thousand reeds in breadth, and five and twenty thousand reeds in length" (or 424 English miles) each way; "it shall be foursquare" (Ezek. xlviii. 8, 20). And this square is sub-divided, as shewn by the diagram. "The sanctuary of the Lord shall be in the midst thereof" -that is, of the priests' portion-(Ezek. xlviii. 10), which clearly points out a distinct separation between the city of Jerusalem and the sanctuary, of eight English miles (their portion being seventeen miles broad); it may also be noticed, that throughout this portion of the vision of Ezekiel, which gives such copious details concerning the new temple, Jerusalem is not once mentioned in connexion with its site.

That Jerusalem and the sanctuary are most intimately connected is unquestionable; indeed, they are often spoken of as one, and on that account the distance between them may, at first sight, form an objection, but in this there is no weight-as in describing, generally, where Sydenham with its marvels is situated, to say in or at London would be correct, the distance in both cases being about the same. By a reference to the diagram, it will be seen that the city of Jerusalem and the sanctuary are each complete and distinct in itself that each occupies its own separate site, yet are closely and inseparably united together, and will be occupied by Him who is "a priest upon his throne" (Zech. vi. 13, Is. xvi. 5), for " At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the Lord" (Jer. iii. 17)—that is, when the land is redivided-and "the glory" (or visible presence of the Lord, the Shekinah) will then be seen resting on city and sanctuary, for "the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night" (Is. iv. 5); and, again, "the glory of the Lord came into the house by the way of the gate whose prospect is toward the east" (Ezek. xliii. 4). "And it shall come to

pass, that every one that is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall even go up from year to year to worship the King, the Lord of hosts, and to keep the feast of tabernacles" (Zech. xiv. 16). "In that day there shall be in Jerusalem, upon the bridles of the horses, Holiness unto the Lord Yea, every pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be Holiness unto the Lord" (ver. 20). "The Gentiles shall come to thy light (Jer.), and kings to the brightness of thy rising" (Is. lx. 3). "The flocks of Kedar shall be gathered unto thee, and the rams of Nebaioth shall minister unto thee: they shall come up with acceptance on mine altar, and I will glorify the house of my glory” (ver. 7). "The desire of all nations shall come: and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of hosts. The glory of this latter house shall be greater than of the former, saith the Lord of hosts" (Hag. ii. 7, 9).

By adopting this arrangement of Ezekiel literally, Jerusalem and the sanctuary stand out in their integrity, the one as the throne, the other as the temple of the Lord; and then and there shall all the earth (Jew and Gentile) "make a joyful noise unto the Lord, and rejoice, and sing praise" (Ps. xcviii. 4), for it is there that Israel goes up, "the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord," &c. (Ps. cxxii. 4). The Gentiles go up there also, for it is written, "I will gather all nations and tongues (to Jerusalem); and they shall see my glory" (Is. lxvi. 18). "And all flesh shall come to worship before me" (ver. 23).

But before this comes to pass, a great physical change will take place on the features of the land, effected perhaps by volcanic agency, for "All the land shall be turned as a plain, from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem: it shall be lifted up" (Zech. xiv. 10)—this turning and lifting up of the land, being evidently in preparation for the establishment of the holy oblation in that part, when "The Lord shall reign King over all the earth."-Yours, &c.

J. B.