The forty-second chapter of Jeremiah has, it seems to me, a sober lesson for the present time, to which the Lord's people may well take heed.

The patience of God had come to an end toward Israel. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, had laid siege against Jerusalem, taken and destroyed it, slain the nobles of Judah, and carried the chief part of the people in captivity to Babylon.

But "the king of Babylon had made Gedaliah the son of Ahikam governor in the land, and had committed unto him men, and women, and children, and of the poor of the land, of them that were not carried away captive to Babylon." Jeremiah had remained also in the land with this feeble remnant, and they were already being cheered and encouraged by the words of Gedaliah:'' Dwell in the land, and serve the king of Babylon, and it will be well with you. . . . Gather ye wine, and summer fruits, and oil, and put them in your vessels, and dwell in your cities that ye have taken."

Further encouragement follows:"When all the Jews that were in Moab, and among the Ammonites, and in Edom, and that were in all the countries, heard that the king of Babylon had left a remnant of Judah, . . . even all the Jews returned out of all places whither they were driven, and came in the land of Judah, to Gedaliah, unto Mizpah, and gathered wine and summer fruits very much."

But new sorrows soon returned. A conspiracy issuing from the king of the Ammonites had been formed against this reviving remnant. A traitor had carried it out; and now, in the despair of discouragement, "they departed, and dwelt in the habitation of Chimham, which is by Bethlehem, to go to enter into Egypt."

But they hesitate here. They know well that Egypt is not the place where God leads His people. But the place where He puts them is a place of judgment if they walk not with Him-a place of strife and battle with the enemy without or within; and they are weary of difficulty.

This is a solemn moment for them:two ways are open to them; one is to fall on their faces, confess to God the sins which caused their break-up, the carrying away of their nobles to Babylon, and their present distress, and abide there in obedience and confidence under the blessed God whose encouraging words might well banish all their fears and stir up their hearts:" If ye will abide in this land, then will [ build you, and not pull you down; and I will plant you, and not pluck you up; for I repent me of the evil that I have done unto you." Oh how this tells of a Father's heart, after the chastening which His hand had to inflict!

The other way is to yield to their natural feelings, and go where they think they will find a path in which they will see war no more.

Solemn, solemn, indeed is the hour! Will they abide where God can identify Himself with them in the fullest way, despite their weakness and circumstances of shame; or will they follow their inclination, and hear God's voice but to prophesy their ruin ?

Alas! the test but brings out their true condition. While professing apparently the honest desire to
know what the mind of the Lord is, and the readiness to obey it whatever it may be, they have already set their faces toward Egypt. Their minds have been made up without God. Their state is so low that they cannot exercise faith. They send Jeremiah to inquire of the Lord; but in reality it is to get His approval of the path which suits their state. They cannot openly give up the path of obedience, but their wills are opposed to it. They soon find an excuse, therefore, which satisfies them:"Then spake Azariah the son of Hoshaiah, and Johanan the son of Kareah, and all the proud men, saying unto Jeremiah, Thou speakest falsely; the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say, Go not into Egypt to sojourn there; but Baruch the son of Neri-ah setteth thee on against us, for to deliver us into the hand of the Chaldeans, that they might put us to death, and carry us away captives into Babylon."

Accordingly they return to Egypt, to prove the message sent to them,-" It shall come to pass, that the sword, which ye feared, shall overtake you there in the land of Egypt; and the famine, whereof ye were afraid, shall follow close after you, there in Egypt. …. I will send and take Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon. . . . and when he cometh, he shall smite the land of Egypt, and deliver such as are for death to death; and such as are for captivity to captivity. "

Beloved brethren, does this bit of Israel's history need comment ? Is our spiritual discernment not able to recognize God's voice to us in it at this special time ? The chastening of our God has been sore upon us. He is holy and just in it; we deserved it. It leaves us a poor, feeble remnant, exposed to the pity and ridicule of some, to the assaults and accusations of others. Shall we turn to worldly principles and ways to escape difficulty ? or shall we confess our sins and abide with God in the place of chastening, but also of grace and truth ? Shall we submit in brokenness of heart and be yet blessed and for blessing ? or shall we turn to Egypt and be utterly consumed ? Shall we hold that fast which we have ? or shall we let it go ? Have we faith to abide where faith alone can abide ? Brethren, this requires reality and lowliness. Here we cannot preach one thing and do another, and yet abide. We cannot enjoy the sweets of grace and refuse the responsibilities of it. When our adorable Lord left His glory above to come down here in grace after us, every step was real, and its cost real. '' So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple."

Had this remnant of Israel had the character of true disciples, they would not have thought of Egypt to save their lives; for a true disciple hates '' his own life also," and is free therefore from the thought of saving this or that; he has nothing to do but obey his Master.

Grace saves that it may make disciples. If it be received and held with a single eye, it makes disciple-ship the glory of this life, though it be in suffering and loss. If not, it produces a light, frivolous spirit -the spirit now so prevalent with holy things, which lightly esteems, or even despises, what is not directly for man's enjoyment. Christ will do as Saviour, but as Lord and Master, revealer of God's will and glory, to be in all things solemnly heard and obeyed, He is not wanted.

Beloved, the days are evil. Man fills the vision, not Christ. Therefore "truth faileth, and he that departeth from evil maketh himself a prey."

The Lord show us mercy, and keep us abiding with Himself, waiting patiently on Him, in no haste to forget our Meribahs, yet full of confidence and hope in Him! This He will not deceive. "Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is ! P. J. L.