Dealing with the Jews as a nation, under a national covenant, the miraculous interpositions of Jehovah were of a corresponding nature. The land chosen by Him for them was distinguished from other lands in that it was not to be subjected to those evils of drought, barrenness, earthquake, plague, and famine, to which other lands were exposed. If these took place, it was as penalties, inflictions of Divine justice upon its inhabitants because of their transgressions of the covenant. And they touched the whole people, not individuals merely. Of Divine interpositions for the blessing of individuals, special cases of healing, deliverances from danger, there are, indeed, scattered instances in their history; and there were also punishments upon individuals specially inflicted; and the sin of one might bring judgments upon all, as in the cases of Achan and David. But as Jehovah's relation to the Jews was national, so were the blessings promised them and the judgments threatened. He looked upon them in their corporate capacity, and dealt with them according to their corporate action.

Thus the holy land, as the land of His elect people, and hallowed by Jehovah's dwelling in it, was distinguished from other lands in its exemption from physical evils, and in the fullness of material blessings. By His power would He preserve the people from the invasion of their enemies when attending His feasts at Jerusalem, and at all times give them the victory when invaded. All the surrounding nations should thus know that it was His land, and honor Him who could thus defend and bless His people.

With the Church, on the contrary, made up of individuals dwelling in all lands, God can stand in no such national relation. Every nation made up of the baptized may be truly called a Christian nation, and its

rulers owe allegiance to Him and to His Son; but as such it is no part of the Church, nor are its rulers rulers of the Church, nor its sins sins of the Church. But although not to be looked upon as a nation, yet is the Church capable in still higher degree of corporate action; for it is one through the unity of life, and therefore it may disobey and be punished, or obey and be blest. But these blessings and punishments must be spiritual, not material; such as may extend to the whole body, wherever its members may be found. And as the Church is made up of those individually regenerated, the dealings of God with them are individual as well as corporate. The life of the Vine is indeed the life of the branch, but each branch is dealt with according to its own spiritual condition. It may be purged to bring forth more fruit, or it may wither and be cast out.

Thus, in both the elections, Jewish and Christian, was the supernatural power of God to be continually put forth, to the end that He might be known in the carth as a God above nature; and as ruling over all for the blessing of His people, by putting forth His power in a manner corresponding to His purpose in each election.

5. We notice that in the Christian Church, a far higher measure of spiritual gifts and endowments is found than existed in the Jewish. As the body of Christ, its higher life was the basis of higher spiritual operations; it could be what the Jewish people was not, the temple of the Holy Ghost, in which He could manifest Himself in all forms of activity, and bestow upon His faithful ones all endowments of power and holiness, and all diversities of gifts. Although the gift of prophecy was common to both elections, yet among the Jews was it occasional, and to a certain degree exceptional; for there was no order of prophets, God raising them

up at intervals as He had need. But in the Church, the ministry of the prophet was constituent and permanent; since the Holy Ghost sent at Pentecost dwelt in it to make known the will of the Lord, and to show or declare the things to come. (Eph. iv. 11; John xvi. 13, etc.) The prophetic gift was one that all might possess, and which all were to covet earnestly. "He that prophesieth speaketh unto men to exhortation and edification and comfort." But the gift of tongues in the Church was the new and characteristic gift, since it especially marked the indwelling of the Spirit in men. "He that speaketh in a tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God." (1 Cor. xiv. 1-24; Acts ii. 4.) And other gifts than those of utterance were given, each of which was a manifestation of the Spirit. (1 Cor. xii. 7, 10.) To show forth the power of Christ, His members were promised all forms of supernatural help. "In my name shall they cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.' All these things were to be done in the name of Christ, and for a witness unto Him as the Saviour from sin and death. And, therefore, such a promise could not have been made till He was about to ascend and to be set Head over all things unto the Church. Such an ordinance also as that for the anointing of the sick did not exist under the law, and could have a place only amongst those made partakers of His life.

It is plain from this comparison that the Christian Church is no mere continuation and enlargement of the Jewish. This is common to them both that they are elections, some taken from the many, that through them when brought into their perfected condition, God may manifest Himself to the world. The great line of dis

tinction between them is found in their relations to the Messiah. The Jews under their covenant looked forward to Him as their Deliverer, their King, who should fulfill all covenant promises; but Christians have in Him already come the fountain of their life; of His glorified humanity they are already made partakers. The body of Christ is, therefore, something essentially new; distinct both in life and constitution, in its gifts and powers, from the election that preceded it. And the end to be hereafter accomplished by it, when both elections are completed, is distinct. Each will then serve as a means of Divine revelation; but the Church as the Lamb's wife seated in the heavenlies, moves in a sphere into which none other can be exalted, and which is for the blessing both of the Jews and the nations.

CHAPTER IV.

THE CHURCH NOT THE MESSIANIC KINGDOM.

It was natural that the Christian Church, brought into such close communion with the risen Lord, should have early begun to believe that He had already entered upon His work of rule as the Messianic King, and had called it to be ruler under Him. Since all authority in heaven and earth was given Him, and He was set at His Father's right hand "above all principality, power, might, and dominion," was He not in the fullest sense a King? Why was it necessary that He should come back to the earth to reign? As the Church was to be gathered from all nations, including the Jews, did it not show that this people had fulfilled its mission, and had no national place in the Messianic Kingdom? Why could He not reign from heaven through the Church, guided and inspired by the Spirit whom He had sent down?

Thus reasoning from the unquestioned facts, that the Risen One is Lord over all nations, and that the gospel is to be preached to all, and that the Church is His body through which He would execute His will; the conclusion was near at hand that He was seated at His ascension on the throne of His glory, and then began His reign; and had called the Church to be the administrator of His authority on the earth during His absence. This conclusion was early formulated in the phrase, "the