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J^Q. S -PETER I N PRISON. A CTS XII. ^Q. e -BAPTISM ACCORDING TO THE HQLY^SCRIPTURES. ^^. \ Q. f.-THE BRIDE OF THE LAMB. WHO IS SHE ? JT®. 8 -THE MYSTIC CITIES OF SCRIP- TURE: HON AND BABYLON. Copies of cither of the above, or complete nets, sent post free to (my part of Canada or the United States of America. t t r t o u hi Sj ai to at to m .Si th in k] tol tri ofl ^L yo| .-/ ^i *•-, ^ H. OB. XII. HE iB. '■•I BIP- JhE ^OOK Of l(UTH. J.' »«f' , There is but one key whereby we are able to unlock the hidden treasures contained in the Old Testa- ment, and this one key — which is Christ — aided by the spiritual discernment which the Holy Spirit only can give of sacred things, will enable us to unfold and dig up many hidden truths, lying far beneath the surface of apparently simple narrative, but which will be found to be highly typical of our Savicur, the Eedeemer of the world. His Person and work. If we read God's "Word with our own xmaided in- tellect, we shall only remain in the darkness of ignorance, and not comprehending it, may be led to doubt the whole. Let us therefore first take God at His word — " If ye then, being evil^ know how to give good gifts unto your children : how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy sfi .Spirit to them that ask Him ? " {Luke xi. 13) — and thus asking in sincerity of heart, then open its pages in full assuratice of receiving that comfort and knowledge from the Word of God that may be en- joyed by all true believers in Christ, and a blessing to those who are honest and earnest seekers after truth. *^ But the anointing which ye have received of Him abideth in you, and ye need not that any MAN teach you : but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and ;i^ t even as it hath taught you, abide in Him (1 John ii. 27). " ' / * ^- ^ " -t • > The history of Euth is a singularly beautiful typo of Christ and His saints. It will be remembered that the Moabites were the descendants of Lot by his own daughter (^Genesis xix. 33-37). Evilly be- gotten by incest, in drunkenness, they became an idolatrous nation, and were ever the enemies to God's people Israel. These were the i)osterity of one who, through a righteous man himself, yet lived amongst the evil men of Sodom, and preferred worldly advantages, pleasui*es, and society, with all its dignities ; for Lot sat in the gate of Sodom — a place where the chief men of the people were wont to sit — and he was gratified in such a position, much esteemed by the world, but far removed from a clo«e walk with God. What a contrast to hisunoie Abraham, whose posterity was so [blessed, who separated himself from the intercourse of evil men, preferring to dwell in the wilderness .with God (Genesis xiii.). • ,^i ...,,„. The land of Israel being visited by famine, a chastisement from God upon His people for their' waywardness and rebellion,Elimeloch and his fami- ly endeavour to evade the judgment by leaving the land which God had graciously given them, for that of their enemies, and leaving also their kindred for the company of idolators : they trust to the Moab- ites, rather than trusting to the God of Israel. What unbelief is shown here 1 They seek food among the Moabites j bodily food they obtain, but what food for the soul do they receive ? They left in th( the an urn i >red by be- 3 an 9 to y of ivcd irred bhaU n — a wont nauch om a moie who men, God line, a their' fami- ng the )r that rod for Moab- iarael. k food in, but ley left. t Israel, with whcm was God and life and eternal blessing, and sought the Moabitcs, with whom was Satan and death and eternal woe. Thev tied from the rod of famine, and so met with the rod of death! What a picture of our pi esent times, ifow many- seek to drown trouble in intoxication, or rush into worldly amusements, pleasures, vanities, and dissi- pations of all sortS) to endeavour to forget, and so vainly try to escape from that rod of trouble, which may be sent from God in mercy, to di-aw our souls froiu the world to Himself. How foolish and blii\d we are by natui-e. See the word of the Lord on this point in Jeremiah xlii. 13-16. Elimelech went to sojourn in Moab — this was his fir^t mistake. In verse 2 we see that he came to the country of Moab, and continued there — this was his second mistake, • The path downwards is easy to travel in self-confidence, but the return will be through trial and sorrow. We soon come to the result of continuing there. The first warning comes in the death of Elimelech ; but the contact with the evil nation had done its work in his family, and the warning was unheeded ; rather than being arrested by it they plunged further into the evil^ and in verse 4 we find that the two sons took wives of the women of Moad, thus uniting themselves to idolators. Another ten years pass, and two moj'e warnings are sent — the judgment is doubled this time in its intensity (verse 6). The power and strength. of the family is wasted. Naomi and her daughters-in-law are truly brought low ; bereft and afflicted they tire now powerless. Naomi was alone .•4 6 ll in tho midst of idolators. How true is it '' If we would judf(o ourselves, we should not l)e judged " (1 Corinthians xi. 31). This last rending of earthly ties to the land of Moah brings repentance : she also had hoai-d th; t God " had visited His people in giving them bread ". This faithfulness of a God formerly deserted, may also have had its softening ef- fects on her heart, so she arises to return, acknowledg- ing that the hand of the Lord had gone out against her {verse 13). Naomi haeginning of barley harvest. These same precious truths, scattered throughont the Word of God from the earliest times, surely prove that the long-suifcring God o^ Exodus xxxiv. 6, 7, is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. In chapter ii., the Avealthy kinsman of Naomi is mentioned—Boaz, the type of C'hrist— truly a mighty man of wealth. There was a law in j.,i'ael concern- ing gleaning (see Leviticus xix. 9), so Euth takes knowledge of this custom, and i^o^ ; to see)^ iood. She sc^^- the reapers of the harvest, a- id gleaning a^^ / 1^ conquering and to conquer. This is shown also iis verse 4, in the salutation of Boaz to the reapers — '^The Lord be with you". ii« » lu ^..«, m . , i The true reaj^ers of God will ever bo lifting up Christ and Him crucified only, and by'so doing will draw souls to the Saviour (*/o/iwxii. 32), sheaves that will be stored up in the eternal and blessed granary, of heaven. The souls that hunger after truth will do well to follow after such reapers : they will glean ears of corn among the sheaves also ; the very society of God's children will be an encouragement, and help to teach them truth, until by continuing, as Ruth did, steadfast in her purpose, they meet with the Lord Himself If God's children would keep closer to their Lord, and consider this responsibility which rests upon them, and this privilege which is given to them of" helping forward those who may be of the seeking, timid, helpless, unprotected ones, as Ruth w^as, with- out friends or advisers upon spii'itual matters, they would become then living sheaves, from whom the anxious gleaner would get food and help, counsel and comfort. When spiritual communion with Christ is enjoyed, then there is ever a continual flowing from a heart full of Christ, a well spring, a witness for the truth, a blessing to all around. Is this so in daily life ? Is it not too constantly the case that those who profess to bo, and often are, really true believers in Christ, are ashamed of their Master's Name before others, a Name that is seldom mention- ed in everyday life: so they appear only as one of the world, d|io with the ordinary multitude. They n also iit •capers — •f. , ifting up oing will aves that I granary, ruth will ►vill glean y society lent, and inuing, as neet with leir Lord, sts upon them of seeking, vas, with- ers, they ^honi the counsel th Christ flowing a witness =} this so case that dly true Master's mention- as one of 0. They 11 do not show boldly and confidently the seal of God in their forelieads ; for note, that this is Clod's chosen ])lace to put His seal, — a place of visible testimony; for Christ's soldiers are not to hide or be ashamed of their colours. Such Christians rather imitate those who have the Beast's mark, which any who are ashamed of it in their foreheads, are allowed to place in their hand, where it is easily concealed from> view. As long as the mark is on the person, seen or unseen, the devil cares not. And remark the contrast : God's seal — the distinctive sign of roijalty and authority, is placed on the forehejid ; hut the Beast's mark, a disfigurement, a brand of the P]vil One, may be placed in the hand (see Revelation vii. 3, and xiv. 9).. '^■. . ,. . . , The earnest continuance of Ruth among the reapers meets a reward (see Romans ii. 7). How unexpected is the gracious salutation of Boaz — ' My daughter '. " If children, then heirs ; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ " (Romans viii.. 17). Yet with this condescending kindness and ac- ceptation of Ruth, comes the admonition ^' Go not to glean in another field ; Let thine eyes be on the field that they do reap ; go thou after them. When thou art at hirst, drink that which the young men., have drawn ". How little did this helpless Moabito widow, one of a nation of idolators, expect such a reception as this ! Her heart broke down before it : ^* she fell on her face, and bowed herself to the ground". The heart that truly and wholly falls on Jesus will be broken by His love into willing submission to \ I in / u 12 His words and teaching ; but on the rebellious heart that rejects this * corner stone ' the day will comQ of overwhelming judgment and wrath of the Lamb. But note the admonitions of Boaz : how necessary indeed in this our day of spurious counterfeits of the truth, a day of compromise between God and Mammon. There are many, even true believers, who go to glean in other fields rather than follow the clear commands of God's Word ; who prefer to loll )W the multitude, as an easier path, — the tradi- tions and teaching of men, which, though having the outward ap23earance, the %]\jow of wisdom and humility, does nothing more than simply satisfy the flesh (see Colosstans ii. 20-23). There arc others whose e3"es are looking into other fields, go- ing into the world and its so-called pleasures, under the i)retence — the whisper of Satan — that they should go to exert their intiuonce fen* good ! ! What does the Word of God say ? '* Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" {James iv. 4). Many put their hand to the plough, but looking back get no blessing (Luke ix. 62). Eemember how Peter began to sink immediately he took his eyes off from Christ (Matthew xiv. 30). How Lot's wife looked back and wtyj turned into a pillar of salt (Genesis xix. 26). How Eve, looking from God, listened to the serpent, looked at the fruit, so lusted for it, then took it, ate it, and fell into disobedience, sinking the worlxl in sin and curse. , So long as Moses remained in the king's court, and the grandeur of this world, he was of no use to his people Israel; but when brought out and ut- ti el Q 0( 0U8 heart rill comQ lie Lamb. lecossary orfeits of God and believers, ,n follow prefer to the tradi- h having idom and y satisfy 'here arc fields, go- [es, under liat they ! What herefore of G-od" plough, ix. 62). lediately xiv. 30). ed into a looking the fruit, fell into curse. 's court, ■ no use t and ut- 13 terly separated, and comparatively unknown, at the back side of the desert, and able to confess his en- tire nothingness by his answer to God, 'Who am I ', otc, then God calls him, and sends him as the de- liverer of Israel from Egypt. Worldly Christians, mark this I n* <-t** i>ii«t .\--^m t*? / mu -'* ■ ". «cu- Kuth was also to drink of the water that was drawn, but many sinners, having an anxiety for their souls, are trying to draw water themselves. Christ has suffered once for all, for all those who will come to Him and simply accept that salvation already finished by Ilim. We have not to ivork it out ourselces as many vainly try to do, drawing their own water as it were, but to take what is drawn (^ee Revelation xxii. 17), and having thus obtained salvation by fiiith in Christ, let us carry it out in our daily lives, as enjoined by the Apostle in Phi- itpplans ii. 12, 13, because God then works in us, and we become the temples of the living God (see 2 Corinthians \i. 16). ••»»! u^ mty, ti\ w^ >://*»' The venes 11 to 14 teach the same truth as our Saviour's vords in Mark x. 29, 30. Yet in the face oi this injunction of God to ' take what is drawn ', to accept what has been ' finished ' for us, do souls continue to cry out, ' O Lord, make haste to help us 1' ' O God make speed to save us ! ' — entirely disbelieving the truth of God's statements, that all things necesstry for their salvation was accomplish- ed 1800 years ago, and that it is God Himself who is now beseeching souls to come and be saved (2 Corinthians v. 19-21). The responsibility rests on as, but ma , in lis ignorance or rebeiliousnees, would \ \ -■ ' Jmtffc. f H ) 14 threw it back upon God — a mere excuse to continue in sin. .-,; Trusting in the Lord, seeking shelter under His wings, ever meets a FULL reward. Euth, the stranger, had ah-eady been raised above those of the household of Boaz, and as the sequel shows^ becomes eventually one with Boaz, as his wife. 80 the sinner, an alien, and a stranger, to God, is brought nigh by the blood of Christ {Ephesians ii. 13) and becoming a child of God by faith alone (sec Galatiam iii. 26), is made one with Christ, " mem- bers of His body" (1 Corinthians xii. 27). ' .»»' Verse 14. The free invitation, at a time of hunger or thirst, to a meal ready prepared, — the best fruit of earth — bread and parched corn, the refreshing vinegar or sour wine in a hot country, the eating, the sufficing, and the leaving of the abundance : there was more than enough. How entirely is this the type of that Christian's privillege who fol- lows on to know the Lord ; who, yielding the whole heart to God, feeds on Christ who dwells in Hinir and realizes the exceeding greatness of His power (Ei^hesians i. 19 ; ii. 7 ; iii. 19 ; Matthew v. 6, and Psalm xxiii. 5) ; '* Open thy mouth wide and I will FILL IT " (Psalm Ixxxi. 10). God is far more ready to fill our mouths with all spiritual blessings than we are inclined to believe ; the fmlt lies with ourselves if we feel cold and dead ; tiiere is some un confessed sin or carelessness of wAlk hindering our communion with God. In verses 16 and 17 we see a pars^lel passage to James i. 5. Heine wore blessings ani food scattered 'ontinue- ■ ••ki.<' der His Lith, the those of showsy rife. So God, is sians ii. :>nc (see " iiiem- ' hunger 3st fruit Preshing^ eatings idance : irely is vho fol- c whole n Hinir \ power 6, and d I will more essings s with ; some dering age to ittcred 15 in the way of Ruth, to be for her own use if she I would pick them up. They were ?e/^ purposely for *^ her to glean, and when gleaned to be beaten out before eaten, and so able to become nourishing to the body, or to be given to feed Naomi. If we would grow in grace, strength and communion with God, we must seek, gather, and stoop with humble hearts to lAck up cars of corn out of God's Word ; to beat them out as it were by seeking the aid of the Holy Spirit, and thus getting blessed truth and teaching, nourish not our own souls ou]y, but also those of others who have not so gleaned (.He6.xi.6). In verse 23 we see the steadfastness of Ruth, proving her trueness of heart towards Boaz ; and she gleans not only to the end of the Barley harvest, — a type of temporal blessings — but also to the end of Wheat harvest, the type of spiritual blessings that endure for ever. * It is very important to distinguish this special distinction. Some persons, who humble themselves before God, and ask for temporal blessings, will fre- quently obtain them; and because they do so they consider that they are in favour with God, and in the sure road of salvation. But this is a great error ; let them remember the case of Ahab, the most evil of the kings of Israel, obtaining a tem- poral mercy because he humbled himself before God (1 Kings xxi. 25-29). But what was his end ? Chapter iii. Ruth had already gleaned handsful of temporal blessings, by her constancy to glean- only in the fields of Boaz, and among his reapers, keeping fast by them ; but she wanted something / 16 fui'ther still. She had not yet found rest, the seeking soul will not have true rest and enjoy that peace of God thatjpasseth understanding, until there is close union with Christ; and this will only be obtained and enjoyed as we follow the truth to be gathered from the opening verses of the third cha})ter. The washing, anointing, putting on of raiment, waiting until the barley was winnowed, ly- ing down meekly at the feet of Boaz, here seems to sliow, in a type, how ready ;Euth was to prepare herself for her kinsman's blessing, or an entire will- ingness to surrender herself to him ; what may be also expressed in the words 'true repentance ' of soul. To a believer this communion with Christ is a fellowship that is the beginning of heaven upon earth, even now, while we are intheflesh ; but this will only be obtained, and retained, as we are willing to wash ourselves with water by the Word of God (see Ephesians v. 26); a constant washing and judg- ing of ourselves, a constant confession of sin to our Lord. Many are conten t to ask daily for forgiveness of sm, but forget the cor Session of it, — a very differ- ent, and far more difficult and heart-searching effort. The true child of God needs not to ask for forgive- ness of sins, he has God's Word for his authority for knowing them to be already blotted out. If he has once passed under the blood of Christ, then he is jnirged for ever — there is no more conscience of sin, there is no condemnation (see Psalm ciii. 12; Romans viii. 1 ; Hebrews x. 2, 14 ; 1 John ii. 12, etc.). But if we do not confess our daily sins, then that bless- ed communion with our God will be broken, as it is t-est, the id enjoy ng, until tvillonly truth to be third g on of >wed, Ij- jeems to prepare ire will- may be iiee ' of rist is a a UjDon mtthis tvilling )f God Ijudg- to our veness differ- ettbrt. give- ority Jfhe n he f sin, mans I^ut >Iess- It 18 I 17 written, "But your iniquities have separated be- tween you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you " (Isaiah lix. 2). And this in- terruption of communion will load to darkness and deadness of soul, even, at last, to loss of all peace and assurance, if it is not again restored by confes- sion to God, and being diligent in our walk with God " (see 2 Feter i. 5-1 1). .. . - f^./ . ., , - ^ And there is anointing. See how the order for the anointing of God's priests was carried out in Leviticus viii. 24. The blood of consecration was put on the ear, the thumb, and the toe. How sug- gestive is this that the soul should be entirely set apart for God, having once been brought to the blood of Jesus (1 Corinthians vi. 20). The hearing of God's truth onl}', giving wisdom and knowledge, as typified by the ear ; the work of the hands, our labour for the Lord, as typified by the thumb of the hand ; our walk before men, oui path in life, our daily conduct, as typified by the toe. And then the raiment also. We must be clothed with humility (see 1 Peter v. 5). If we would enjoy the free favour of God, and be made meet for our Master s use, we must mark the special injunc- tions to separation from all things of an evil nature, all the fellowship with the ungodly, and the iniquity, of eviKdoctrine and false teachings, so prevalent now, and in those last times increasing so rapidl}', and bec<^ming worse and worse amongst the various sects or churches of Christendom. These evils commenc- ed in the days of the apostles (see 2 Timothy ii. 17 -21 ; 2 Corinthians vi. 14-18 ; Psalm i. 1 ; 2 Peter ^ it 'i i 18 ii. 1-3 : Acts xx. 30). If wo thus wish to be con- secrated and clothed, we shall be ready to give diligence to the things of God, and so bring forth the fruit of the Spirit, and so ;ihall our calling and ■election be made sure to our eyes, and we shall have an abundant entrance into the kingdom of (rod (2 Peter i. 11). Then wo shall patiently wait for the winnowed bai'ley, the blessing and the portion that the Lord sees fit to give us for our good in this world ; for unlimited temporal blessings would be a snare to us, they must be winnowed. There is a distinction to lie noticed in wheat and barley. In Matthew iii. 12, wheat is a type of the saint, to be purged from the chaff — the tj^pe of the wicked ; these are two different parts of the car of corn, though lyiixed together : but in barley there is a long- beard or spike attached to the grain itself; this is unfit for food, and must be winnowed out. Thu.^ it Tuust not be inferred that the sinner who is yet without God, is to wash, anoint, and clothe himself before seeking the Lord, — this is simply an impossibility ; he must first come as liuth did in the first and second chapters bowed down, empt^-, hel])- less, longing to glean, and wishing in her heart to find her 'kinsman' or, (as better translated) the one icho had the right to redeem; he must go to Christ just as Joshua the high priest, '' clothed in filthy gar- ments ", he must stand there speechless before the accuser, for the angel (Christ) to answer for him (see Zechariah iii.). Then if he is sincerely willing that his filthy gju'ments of sin and evil should be taken from him, and wishing to walk in new and bo rai is h< 01 orl ani i' r % ■ Z; •^•u ^ be con- y to give •ing forth ''Hing and ^Jiall have f Uud (2 it for the •tion that i in this ouJd be a lore is a iey. In 't, to be ^vicked; . 5f corn, s alonir this is ^^z* who clothe J ply an in thi' J heJ])- >art to 'he one stjust gar- e the him Iling d be and r 19 Ijoly paths, he will get clothed with a change of raiment, and a mitre put on his head, and after that is the promise, that '' if thou wilt walk in my ways", lie would enjoy the privilege of walking in the pres- ence of the Lord, as is written in Hebrews xii. 14. Kuth was to mark the phicc were Boaz laid down •or rested ; she went softly and uncovered his feet, and, note, it was '* at the end of a heap of corn ". The Christian dispensation is far more precious and blessed than that of old. The sacritiees of Israel were never finished, never perfect, the priest never sat down or rested, the soul wtis never safe (see Ezekiel x\\\\. 24j; but we have the precious truth that once cleiinsed we are for ever cleansed ; the blood of Christ nQxQvhalfuiuhedSi^inwQYj but makes him '' clean every whit " {John xiii. 10). So we can mark the place where Christ now rests {Hebrews x. 11-14), He having once for all ofl'ered the full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice for sins foi* ever, sits at tlie right hand of God, and to which place those who enjoy communion with Ilim are raised up to sit also in spirit with Ilim (Ephesians ii. 6), so enter- ing into the Holiest by the blood of Josus. '' As Boaz rested at the end of the heap of corn, his eai'thly blessings being as it were behind him, — so all '• the unsearchable riches of Christ" (Ephesmns iii. 8), all s])iritual blessings are, as it were, behind the atoning work of Christ. Ho is now waiting to give to all who will 7narl: this place of a finished re- demption where He rests, and where all sinners may be reconciled to God, etei'nal life, if they come as Ruth did softl}', in meekness and humility, lying at ,20 the feet of* Jesus in token of submission, pleading- the promise in Johny\. 37,then they also shall receive six measures of barley from his hand (verse 15). When a man is aroused from the sleej) of death, and sees sin in some degree as God sees it, it will indeed make him afraid and tremble ; it will be a time of midnight to his soul, of terror and anguish, more or less, according as God allows. It is convic- tion of sin. 80 when the antitype of Boaz, Christ, appears to such a soul in the midnight of his dis- tress, asking, " Who art thou ? " and receives the prayer of '^ spread thy skirt over me, for thou art a near kinsman " (or redeemer), from the poor terrors tricken j-oul, then comes the answer of bless- ing, as in verse 11 — or conversion. » •':' • ' The request of Ruth to Boaz to spread his skirt over her, was tantamount to saying — make me thy wife. It was a custom at the time of marriage, among Jews, for the man to throw the skirt of his robe over his intended wife, and cover her head with it : it was a time of love, as so beautifully express- ed in ^2'e/:ie^ xvi. 8. , . M : .i , . There was no impropriety in Euth saying this (see the duty of next kinsman in Deuteronomy xxv. 5-7), but she is commended for it by Boaz. Her *• kindness " was shown Jin the beginning by her leaving her people, country, and relatives, to follow Naomi in her affliction ; and in the latter end, by seeking her kinsman, who, by the law of Israel, was her proper * redeemer ', rather than the young men, who were naturally more suitable to her own youth- fulness and inclinations. This obedience to the law \ 21 Ijivcn by God to the people of her late husband, got her the great ble.ssing of union with Boaz. A lesson this for seeking souls, not to be turned away from the Lord of the harvest Jby any of the gaities or vanities of youth, but humbly seeking the Redeem- er's feet, and asking boldy in faith for the skirt to be spread over them, then rest assured in a ready, willing answer — " I will do to thee all that thou requirest ". But there is a nearer kinsman whose claim must be satisfied first, so to avoid all 'appear- ance of evil ' she rises up early, before it could be known that she had been with Boaz, and departs. But now she departs with a blessing of six measures ■of the winnowed barley. ITote, however, that six is not the perfect number, — the seventh was as yet future ; now she gets six given to her as the reward of earnest following after privileges so graciously offered. Verse 18 teaches patience : waiting for the wit- ness of the Spirit in our hearts — the witness of our union with Christ. Having placed ourselves at the feet of Jesus the promise is sure : " Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you, will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ " (Philippians i. 6 ; Proverbs viii. 34). Chapter iv. The name of the near kinsman is not mentioned : there is a reason for this. We have here symbolized, in the nearer kinsman and the ten elders, the law and the ten commandments. This kinsman at once accepts to redeem the land ; the law was holy, just, and good; excellent for th 3 moral government of the earth, but immediately this mm 22 kinsman is asked to redeem Ruth, a livinii; soul, he owns his inabihty to do so, for it would fuar his inheritance. IIow true is this ! Tiie law came to condemn, not to save, as said in liomansyii. 10, and in 2 Corinthians iii. 7. It is called the ministration of death, therefore for the law to have justified a soul, and so have given life, would have been to mar its inheritance, and render void its own true work (^Romans iii. 20), so also the apostle writes — '' Know- ing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ " (Galatians ii. 16), so we arc justified only by faith in Christ, just as it is spoken of in verses 6, 9, 10. The near kinsman (the law) not being able to redeem Ruth herself, Boaz (the type of Christ) enters into a covenant before the elders that he will redeem Ruth, as well as all the land (the world), expressed in Matthew xiii. 44, and 1 Timothy ii. 6, etc. There is no hindrance now to any soul on earth obtaining everlasting salvation, if they choose to accept the free offer of the God of redemption through the blood of Christ ; and when He comes^ and His kingdom is set up on earth, then will be manifested the redemption of the land from the power of evil, for the devil is to be chained for a thousand years (^Revelation xx. 2). It should be remembered that in Exodus xix. 6, God offered to the Israelites the same privileges of grace (that was, that they should be a kingdom of priests), the blessed, high, and holy calling that we Gentiles enjoy now: but they immediately took uj)on themselves to obey all the commands of God, \ V \ in 6. k 1 23 \ putting themselves in fact under the law, whereforo the Lord Jehovah sent to them the decalogue, to show them how utterly unable they were to keep any of the laws of God, and to prove tliat they would transgress either in thought, word, or deed ; and thus the law only brought in the '' knowledge of sin " (Romans iii. 20), therefore a ministration of death. And yet how man}' are there of us (len- til as (to whom the 'hiw was never given) resting their hopes of everlasting life upon a life of out- ward morality and well-doing, thus justifying them- :selves by the wor. i of the law, and so acting directly €ontrary to the plain teaching of Sci'i])ture. But it must also be understood that though the law was given onl)/ to the Jewish nation, the Christian dis- pensation has a new commandment given (sec Jb/i/i xiii. 34 ; Mattheic xxii. 37, 39), comprehending all the obligations contained in the old law and fiar be- J^'^d. ^, ,. ^ , , ,„ This higher commandment would be yet more impossible for us to keep, but for the S[)irit of God 'who 'dwells in ' the believer in this dispensation, ^vherein we become ' temples of the living God,' ;an