always acquiesced in and followed. It is no such confidence. It is, in short, no confidence at all in self. It does not terminate on self. It goes far higher. It terminates on Christ, or, if it goes up higher still, it goes up to God as he is manifested in Christ. Faith is confidence in Christ. It is confidence in God, as he is manifested in Christ. It may also be represented as confidence in the Holy Spirit as the revealer of Christ. Every one who believes the gospel, has this "confidence." He unwaveringly confides in the teaching of the Holy Spirit concerning Christ. He unwaveringly confides in the propitiousness and pardoning mercy of God as he is manifested in Christ. He unwaveringly confides in the propitiation of Christ. Though all the world should rise up and say that there is no such propitiation, it would not matter to him who has this confidence. confidence reposes not in man or in men. He has got a testimony addressed to himself by the Holy Spirit of God-a gospel," and in that testimony-that gospel-he is assured that Christ did work out propitiation for his sins, and that God in Christ is propitiated through him and well pleased. Hence it is that he is confident,-confident in the Holy Spirit, in God, and in Christ. 46 His The inspired writer's language leads us to the conclusion that this "confidence of faith" occurs naturally at the "beginning of every believer's career. He tells his Hebrews that participation for ever in the bliss and glory of Christ is sure, "if we hold the 'beginning' of our confidence stedfast unto the end." This word beginning has puzzled many a learned commentator. Not a few interpret it as meaning the logical beginning, that is the "ground" or "fundamental element," of our faith. But the expression "hold stedfast unto the end" renders it obvious that it was a temporal idea, the idea of an order in time,-that was in the inspired writer's mind. The experience of believers affords us the very best commentary on the meaning of the phrase. For all who have been turned from the error of their way and converted unto God through faith in Christ Jesus, know well that when they first came to the knowledge of the truth, they embraced the Spirit's teaching with such childlike and unsophisticated simplicity, that they could not help feeling as confident of the truth of the gospel, and of the love of God, and of the propitiation of Christ for their sins, as they felt and still feel confident of the existence of the earth beneath their feet, or of the Isun above their head. This confidence was good. It was blessed. It is good. It is blessed. And it is only, says the inspired writer, if we hold "the begining of this confidence stedfast unto the very end of our probationary career," that we shall be for ever elevated into union and communion with Christ in his everlasting bliss and glory. VERSE 15. While it is said, To-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. The inspired writer, in thus requoting these words, takes occasion to imprint and impress their solemn import on our minds. But his special object is to intimate that it is needful to "hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end," during the whole currency of the time while it is said to us, "To-day, since ye are hearing his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation." VERSE 16. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. It would probably be better to read these words interrogatively, thus: "For who, having heard, did provoke? Was it not all who came out of Egypt by Moses?" VERSE 17. But with whom (or, And with whom) was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? VERSE 18. And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? These three verses are a string of queries,-intended to show that there are dangers ahead. There are temptations to the hardening of the heart by the deceitfulness of sin, even after the voice of God has been heard, and after much of the grace of God has been enjoyed. The inspired writer, as it were says, Look back to the history of your forefathers, and you will see that there are very great dangers lurking in your path. "For who, having heard, did provoke? Was it not all that came out of Egypt by Moses?"-all, I say, for there were no exceptions in the entire host of the children of Israel, but Caleb and Joshua. "And with whom was God grieved forty years? Was it not with them that sinned; whose carcases fell in the wilderness?" Though they had heard the voice of God, and seen his wonders, and enjoyed his mercies, they were unconfiding in their hearts, and "their carcases fell in the wilderness." They did not get to that happy home, which had been prepared for them. "And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest"—his Canaan-the place of his earthly home-" but to them that believed not? " Take heed, therefore, and walk not in their footsteps, in your relation to the higher and ulterior rest-the "rest that remaineth for the people of God." VERSE 19. So you see that they could not enter in because of unbelief. What was true of the rest of Canaan in relation to the Israelites, will, if ye take not heed, and beware not of an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God, be verified in a higher and more important plane of things, in relation to the rest of everlasting bliss and glory. THE MYSTERY OF GOD'S WILL ACCORDING TO HIS GOOD PLEASURE WHICH HE PURPOSED IN HIMSELF. EPHESIANS, I. 9, A LITTLE consideration will satisfy us that the scheme of mercy reaches far back into eternity past, and as far forward into eternity to come. What is present in the scheme stands not in a state of isolation. It came out of eternity and it goes into eternity. When we see a plant in flower, exhibiting its beauty and shedding its fragrance around, we know that what we see is not the only state in which the lovely object has been; nor is it the only state in which it will be. We think of the origin of the plant. We think of the seed, out of which it has sprung. We think also of the future of the plant. We think of the fruit into which the flowers will develop. So is it with the divine mercy. The revelation of this mercy in time may be said to be its flower; but there was the seed of God's eternal purpose out of which the flower hath grown; and there is the fruit of man's eternal blessedness into which it will finally mature. It is of no little moment to us that we should connect, in this manner, the present with the past and the future. We would have more enjoyment in our salvation were we more fully to realise its boundless relationships. The ground upon which we stand would appear to be surer and more stable. The high tower in which we dwell has its foundations stretching down into the depths of infinity, and its summit really reaches unto the heavens. Such is "the mystery of God's will, according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in himself." The Apostle's words suggest to us that God has a will. He has a will in reference to us men. It is a special will. The race of man was originally placed in somewhat peculiar circumstances. Unlike the angels, each one standing for himself,-the whole race of men were linked together under one head or representative. This head or representative has fallen; and the whole race are involved in his fall. Man has become fearfully degraded. He has sunk into the deepest mire of iniquity. He has, in the most daring manner, rebelled against his God. We might naturally expect, therefore, that God would have some special will regarding him. From the connection of the Apostle's words with the preceding context, it seems that the special will referred to, is, that God "should abound towards us, in the riches of his grace." Man must either perish with an awful destruction; or, if there be mercy for him at all, it must be of an extraordinary character. God willed that there should be grace shown to men. The grace referred to extends toward the whole race, and is for ever seeking to save all men,-by the atoning work of Jesus. Men often take a poor, limited, narrow view of the grace of God. They get to look upon God as fixing upon a few of the human race, and determining from eternity to elect and save these few, while he determined to abandon all the others. They get to look upon God as providing Christ for these few, as giving him to die for these alone, and as decreeing to save them and no more. This is what they call grace, wonderful grace. It is as if there were twelve persons within some tenement on fire. Some one appears who could save the twelve quite easily, if he chose; but he resolves to save only two or three, and allow the others to perish in the flames. They call this grace, abounding grace. Or, it is as if there were twelve persons guilty of some crime. They are condemned by the law. But some expedient is devised by the presiding ruler which would secure the dignity of the law, and allow the guilty persons to be pardoned and set free. The expedient could be brought to bear upon the twelve, as easily as upon any fraction of their number, were the magistrate so to decide. He could without any difficulty save them all by his expedient; but he chooses to cause it to bear upon two or three only, and makes no provision for the others. And again this is called grace. So do men limit the grace of God. In the face of this, and in direct opposition to it, God declares that he has "no pleasure in the death of the wicked," that he "wills all men to be saved, that he is "not willing that any should perish." If the Bible makes anything clear at all, it is that the grace of God has reference to all men, and that it is the will of God to cause this grace to bear upon the salvation of all. Others again look upon God's grace as some irresistible operation wrought upon the hearts of some men, by which they are brought into a state of salvation,-no one can tell how. You may see a young man setting out on a wild and wicked career, against God and all that is good; and you may hear people expressing their hopes that he may yet have grace given to him. By this they mean that God can, and may at some future time, interpose, and, in a miraculous or semi-miraculous irresistible manner, change the young man's course;-as if the whole matter were in the hand of God, and the young man had nothing to do with it. We sometimes hear anxious persons expressing a hope for egrac, and praying for grace.-They are often exhorted to be earnest in doing so. By this grace is meant some mysterious and unexplainable operation within their hearts. In all this there is the notion that the grace of God is limited and fitful;-that it comes to certain persons only; and that it is seeking the salvation of a portion of men only. But in opposition to all such views, the Apostle declares," the grace of God that bringeth salvation to all men hath appeared." Thus the will of God has reference to the human family as a whole, and seeks the eternal welfare of all. The will of God was not only that there should be grace to fallen man; but that there should be abundance of grace. "Wherein he hath abounded toward us." God in exercising this grace acts not like the cloth merchant, who keeps strictly by the length of his ell-wand, taking care that no more be given than due measure. Nor is he like the corn-merchant, who will stroke his measure across, and take care that the customer shall not get one grain too much. Nor is He like the gold-weigher, who will steady and adjust his balance, lest the scale preponderate in favour of the person with whom he is dealing. No, God willed abundance of mercy. When He provided a Saviour, it was a great Saviour. The Saviour was great in himself; his work was great; his sacrifice was great; his love was great. God, in seeking for a Saviour, did not think of searching through the universe for some one who should be mean enough and small enough. He gave the greatest and the best that heaven could furnish,even his own and only begotten Son. When God bestows salvation through Jesus, he does not sit down and try to pare it down, or weigh it out, that it may be as small a thing as possible. God's heart overflows with mercy. He gives liberally and upbraideth not. His salvation is a great salvation. pardons with overflowing love," and says "My ways are not as your ways, neither are your thoughts as my thoughts." He "abundantly pardons." He clothes with "the best robe." He imparts "a joy that is unspeakable and full of glory." He crowns our joy with a glory which is far too glorious for us to comprehend. This large manifestation of grace is not the result of accident. Nor is God moved to it impulsively by the tale of pity, or by the "He |