Almighty," they were "goodly," and whoever did not see them as such, needed to have "his eyes open." If I am looking at the people of God" from the top of the rocks," I shall see them as God sees them, and that is, as clothed with all the comeliness of Christ-complete in Him-accepted in the Beloved. This is what will enable me to get on with them, to walk with them, to have fellowship with them, to rise above their points and angles, blots and blemishes, failures and infirmities. If I do not contemplate them from this lofty ground, I shall be sure to fix my eye upon some little point or other which will completely mar my communion and alienate my affections. In Israel's case, we see, in the very next chapter, what terrible evil they fell into. Did this alter Jehovah's judgment? Surely not. He is not "the son of man that he should repent." He judged and chastened them for their evil, because He is holy, and can never sanction, in His people, aught that is contrary to His nature; but He could never reverse His judgment. He knew all about them. He knew what they were, and what they would do; but yet, He said, "How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob!" Was this making light of their evil? The thought were blasphemy. He could chasten them for their sins; but when an enemy comes forth to curse or accuse, He stands in front of His people and says, "I see no iniquity"—" How goodly are their tents!" Precious, adorable grace! May we drink more deeply of it, and manifest its purifying, elevating influence !

IV. In the fourth and last parable, we reach, as it were, the very loftiest crag of "the rocks," from whence we can discern the beams of the glory gilding the horizon. “And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said; he hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the Most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty....I shall see him, but not now; I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a star out of Jacob, and

scene.

a sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth." (chap. xxiv. 15-17.) This gives great completeness to the entire The topstone is here laid upon the magnificent superstructure. The thoughtful reader of these sublime parables must be very sensible that, as he reads, he is mounting upwards. In the opening parable, the people are seen in separation "dwelling alone;" and then as Balak continues to shift the corrupt and covetous prophet from place to place, with the fond hope that the glittering pile may yet evoke the desired curse, we find ourselves conducted from height to height, until, at length, we stand upon the very summit and survey the plains of glory, in all their length and breadth, stretching away far beyond the limits of mortal vision. We hear the lion's roar. We see him pouncing, in crushing power, upon all his enemies. The star of Jacob rises to set no more. The true David seizes the sceptre and ascends the throne. Israel is preeminent in the earth, and all his enemies covered with shame and everlasting contempt.

Christian reader, may we abide, in spirit, on "the top of the rocks "-may we ever have "our eyes open "—may we "hear the words of God, and know the knowledge of the Most High," and may we only see "THE VISION OF THE ALMIGHTY."

THE PLUCKED BRAND.

Zechariah iii.

WHEN the soul has been truly awakened by the voice of God, and the conscience exercised as to its state before Him, the great question then is, How can I meet God? I have been offending Him, and living without Him all my life; how can I stand before Him? Oh! how can I ever be fit to dwell in His holy presence? These questions, all impor

tant to every lost sinner, are fully answered in the scene before us.

"And he shewed me Joshua the high priest, standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right hand to resist him. And the Lord said unto Satan, The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan; even the Lord that hath chosen Jerusalem, rebuke thee; is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?" Here, Joshua represents Jerusalem,-the Jewish people. But they are guilty and polluted. He "was clothed with filthy garments," a true type of every sinner's condition before God. "There is no difference, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." His "filthy garments," like the rags of the far country, bear witness to his guilt and pollution. But as he is, he stands before God. And now, what will He do with him? What can He do with such a guilty one? Will He cast Him out? Will He say, "O, he is blacker than I thought he was; how can I make him whiter than the snow ?" Oh, no! blessed be His name! He will cast out his sins, but not himself. None who so came, ever was cast out, and none ever shall. He has given His word, that "him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." On no account-on no consideration will He "cast out." It is His will to save. But Satan is "standing at his right hand to resist him." Mark the place he takes, “his right hand." He seeks to resist his deliverance; to terrify, degrade, and paralyze him. If he could, he would have him thrown back into the fire, out of which, God in His boundless mercy had plucked him. But the Lord speaks for the poor trembling sinner. "The Lord rebuke thee, O Satan...... is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?” He throws His shield around him, who can touch him? He has been plucked as a brand out of the fire, by the mighty arm of God's salvation, and all the powers of hell are as nothing; they cannot reach him now. God is everything to him, He spreads the wing of His protection over him, and he is safe for ever. Oh! what a refuge for the soul! and it is

open to all, "whosoever will, let him come." May every unsaved sinner who reads this paper, flee at once. Stay not, I pray thee, until thou hast finished it. Thy need is urgent-thy danger is great-Satan is at thy right hand, watching to deceive thy soul, and hold thee in his fearful grasp. Flee, Oh! flee at once for thy life,-thy soul's eternal life! The door stands wide open night and day, and the voice of Jesus still says, "Come unto me--I will give you rest.” Thus we learn, that the presence of God, is the only place of safety and blessing for a guilty soul. It is the only place where we can get rid of our sins-our filthy garments; and it is the only hiding place from the dreadful enemy of souls. How could Joshua have answered Satan? How could he have resisted him? He was guilty, polluted, and unfit for the divine presence. Had he been dealt with as he deserved, the lake of fire would have been his portion for ever. God alone could meet his need, and silence the accuser.

The Lord now takes Joshua's case entirely into His own hands, and answers for him in every matter. Joshua opens not his mouth. What could he say? He was guilty, and as such, he was cast upon the grace of God. Divine mercy was his only resource. And now, God acts towards him according to what He is in Himself. His own love directs Him, and He meets all his need in the riches of His own grace. "And he answered and spake unto those that stood before him, saying, Take away the filthy garments from him.” His sins which were many are all forgiven, not one is left. They are put away according to the demands of holiness, and the perfectness of the work of the cross. God cannot look on sin; it is unbearable to His nature; but He can put it away, blessed be His name, and this is the first thing He does for the soul that is before Him. "Take away the filthy garments from him." What can Satan now say? He is silenced for ever. Sin, the armour in which he trusted, is put away. And now, sin gone, the soul saved, and Satan silenced, the God of mercy, with grace and love ineffable,

speaks directly to the sinner himself. "And unto him he said, Behold I have caused thine iniquity to pass from thee." Oh! what tender compassion for a troubled soul, and what a solid ground of peace these words are! What can be more solid, sure, or unchangeable than the word of God? "BEHOLD, I HAVE CAUSED THINE INIQUITY TO PASS FROM THEE." Oh! troubled soul, look again at these blessed words! Think on whose they are! He can never deceive; and be assured, that this is God's way in grace with every soul that is really cast on what He is. They are fitted and intended to give you immediate peace in His holy presence. Can you ever doubt more, with such an assurance before you? Surely not! It is God who says it, and that is enough. Such are His ways in grace to every soul that believes in Jesus. "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek; for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon Him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Romans x. 12, 13.

And now that the filthy garments are gone, Joshua is clothed with raiment of God's own providing. The best robe is put upon him. "I will clothe thee with change of raiment." God not only speaks for Joshua, but He acts for him. Joshua now stands before the Lord, not in "filthy garments," but in divine righteousness. So will it be with Israel in the latter day. The Lord will undertake the cause of His beloved people, and stand up for them against every adversary. He will cleanse them from all their defilements, and clothe them in garments of salvation. It is in His heart to bless them, and they shall be blessed. "Even the LORD that hath chosen Jerusalem rebuke thee; is not this a brand plucked out of the fire?" But He cannot clothe a guilty people with a robe of glory; therefore, His way is, first to cleanse, and then to clothe. This is God's way of dealing with all them that believe. Our filthy garments are displaced by the spotless robe of righteousness. Our sins being washed