Passing from the particular to the general, he next sees, in prophetic vision, 'the gathering of the nations,' or the congregation of the nations (ver. 7), which are His saints, encompassing the Saviour-Judge, and 'over it' He returneth on high. As Venema paraphrases it: Universo coetu inspectante, cælum, unde descendisti, repete. And this is not only most glorious but most comforting to weary saints. For as the promise of His coming is the pledge of all present needful help and deliverance, so is each particular judgment an earnest and anticipation of the final setting right of all things, and of the joy which this implies to the 'Lamb's bride.' 1. To make my refuge in God is the sum and substance of my faith. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the declaration of God that there is 'a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.' 'The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.' This is enough; and faith betakes itself to Him and rests contented upon that assurance and provision. The simplicity of our faith consists in absolutely trusting; the strength of our faith in implicitly resting. And what more could be required? He has satisfied all the demands which law and justice can make upon us. He has opened a way into the holiest of all. He has conciliated to us the righteous favour of God, so that Jehovah is now our God. All that is left to me is to avail myself of the offer of His Holy Spirit, who receiveth of the things that are His and showeth them unto us. To hesitate were to question either His ability or His willingness. Doubts, though seemingly concerning ourselves, are in reality concerning Him. Nothing so much glorifies God, because nothing so fully manifests the grace of God, as simply to give credence to the declaration of His love. Therefore let me come this day, and as I am; let me come for refuge; let me come as unto my God, who has become such by giving His own Son for me unto death. 2. How readily can He dissipate all our fears! It needeth only that He show Himself in His greatness and glory, and the rising tide is stemmed and the overflowing flood pressed back. Our confidence therefore springs not so much from the removal of obstacles as from the manifestation of God. When, like Peter, we look to the wind and the waves, we speedily mark their rising, and, filled with fear, would perish, were it not for His interposition of grace. Saints are so often fearful, because spiritually so short-sighted. By grace, never let us calculate chances, but ever remember the living God. The enemy has the will but not the power to swallow us up. Yet here is our faith tried. In that strain and stress it seems as if every timber in the frail craft were creaking, and any defective part will certainly spring a leak. Sin is our weakness as well as our misery. The waters will enter in where sin has made a way for them. Hence times of trial, or rather times of expected help, are times of selfexamination and sanctification. We never loathe sin more than when we feel shut up to God and alone with Him. Then most do we feel that inward separation from all sin, and that determined renouncing of it, which is always conjoined with simple cleaving to Christ. That alone is a spiritually sanctified trial which shuts us up to Christ, and empties us of self. It is not a real trial of our faith so long. as we have, or hope for, any help out of Him. It is not really sanctified until it lead us mourning as well as rejoicing to the Lord our help. And then how calm are we while waiting, and how humble and joyous when delivered! 3. What a blessed and glorious prospect is this of the gathering of the nations,' of the congregation of His saints! On earth, and in the present dispensation, let us not look for the one and indivisible Church of Christ. Thoughts of it are like the chime of distant bells, borne upon the breeze to the ear of the weary pilgrim. We have Churches and He has a Church; and when He cometh, will He not only manifest His own and His Father's glory, but also the beauty and the unity of His Church? Carnal men, who judge by sight, seek even in their carnal faith for an outward unity. Yet we remember that this is the time for believing, not for seeing; for inward experience, not for outward manifestation. And when the Lord cometh, the day shall break, and the shadows flee away. Amen. So teach us to love Thine appearing and to wait for it! WHEN the Lord recalls the banish'd, Frees the captives all at last, Every sorrow will have vanish'd And with glad resounding voice We shall praise the Lord who sought us, BÜRDE. E X. VICTORY AND REST. 8 THE LORD shall judge the people! Judge me, O Lord, According to my righteousness, and according to mine integrity that is in me. 9 Oh let the wickedness of the wicked come to an end; but establish the just! For the righteous God trieth the hearts and reins. 10 My defence is of God, which saveth the upright in heart. II God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day. 12 If he turn not, he will whet his sword; he hath bent his bow, and made it ready. 13 He hath also prepared for him the instruments of death; He ordaineth his arrows against the persecutors. 14 Behold, he travaileth with iniquity, And hath conceived mischief, and brought forth falsehood. 15 He made a pit, and digged it, and is fallen into the ditch which he made. 16 His mischief shall return upon his own head, And his violent dealing shall come down upon his own pate. 17 I will praise the Lord according to his righteousness; And will sing praise to the name of the Lord most high.—PSALM VII. MOST awful as the prospect of judgment is,—whether particular or general, the one being the anticipation of the other, —there are times when it almost seems to be the comfort of our hearts. Having given ourselves to the Lord, and washed away our sins in His precious blood, we also commit ourselves unto Him in welldoing. Surrounded by enemies, when evil spoken of, persecuted, or forsaken, we feel as if we were all the happier for having none other on our side than the 'Friend that sticketh closer than a brother.' His is not merely the friendship of choice and intimacy, nor the relationship established by His incarnation, but a friendship closer, more continuous, and efficacious far than any earthly ties. We know in whom we have believed, and are well assured that He will keep that which we have committed unto Him to the end. Therefore, while looking forward with intensity of hope to that judgment, which in reality is the public proclamation of Christ as King of kings and Lord of lords, we can, though deeply conscious of our guilt, yet fully trusting in His grace and power, add, 'Judge me, O Jehovah ; according to my righteousness and mine integrity upon me' (not in me,' as in our version), ver. 8. At the same time let us ever remember that it is not only 'according to my righteousness,' but also according to mine integrity' or uprightness,' that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works.' To be 'upright' in Christ implies entire and thorough heart-and-life dedication. Nothing tends more to break up our peace and to deprive us of our strength than any compromise with the world. Our spiritual man may suffer grievously by breathing a poisoned atmosphere, even though life itself be not extinguished. We may feel destitute of the sense of spiritual 'integrity,'-of oneness of aim and life,—and so go mourning many a day, in view of those very realities which at one time had been our hope and joy. In full accordance with these views are the prayer of ver. 9 and the assurance of ver. 10. The cessation of evil,-the conversion |