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Christ cleanseth us from all sin."-And these are the "strong reasons," Thou "King of Jacob."

THE SINEW THAT SHRINKS.

Genesis, xxxii. 24-32.

JACOB at this period was receiving fuller light of the Gospel-when he trusted to the law he halted-the sinew shrank-but when he looked unto Jesus he saw his face, and his life was preserved! David, probably, was under terror of the law, when he said, "I am ready to halt, and my sorrow is continually before me." Psalm xxxviii. 17. See Micah, iv. 6, 7; Zep. iii. 19.

We hear nothing of the lameness of Jacob afterwards; it was therefore only while the law oppressed him he was out of joint.

Let us earnestly wrestle for this new name, that we may be Princes in Israel; not trusting to the law, for Righteousness-the sinew shrinks." Therefore the children of Israel eat not of the sinew which shrank unto this day. See Hos. xii. 4, 5.

EXODUS, xxxii. 18.

"AND he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for

being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear."

It is not the voice of victory, in overcoming sin; neither is it the voice of repentance and contrition : but the noisy mirth of earthly, sensual beings, that I hear.

THE TWO TABLES.

Exodus, xxxii. 19.

"AND it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing; and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount."

There is something awful in the act of Moses breaking the two tables of stone, written with the finger of God! The forbearance of the Almighty was surprising -wonderful that Moses was not struck dead; and still more surprising the tables were restored to him!

This is the first state of man. These two tables represent the unrenewed heart of Jew and Gentile: not only under the Jewish dispensation, but the natural state of every child of Adam: and Moses was permitted to break the tables for two evident purposes-to show unto man he could not fulfil the law for Righteousness-and he must offer unto God a broken heart. Psalm li. 17.

"God will have the whole heart, or none;

And yet he will accept a broken one."

See Deut. x. 1-5. Numberless are the sweet and precious promises, before the tables were renewed. It is worthy of notice, that though "tables of stone hewed like unto the first," yet when they were renewed, stone is not mentioned. Exo. xxxiv. 28, 29. They were now become tables of testimony; typifying they were under grace; the law had passed away for condemnation, they were come out of Egyptian darkness, separate from the world, receiving this second proof of Almighty, Fatherly, Mediatorial love. It was then, under the Gospel Type, the face of Moses shone; while Moses, or the law, is speaking, or heard, the veil is on our hearts ; but when Jesus speaks, or we hear his voice, the veil is removed, and "the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." 2 Cor. iii. 16; Rev. xix. 10. "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." Ezek. xxxvi. 26.

Paul's view of the renewed tables is similar: he says, "Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart." 2 Cor. iii. 3. "And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel,

as seemed good to the potter to make it." Jer. xviii. 4. "Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again." John, iii. 7.

So when Moses broke the tables, in type he prefigured the breaking of the stony heart; and when they were restored, it was with the testimony of the new Spirit of this Glorious, Everlasting Gospel : and both Jew and Gentile are two living tables of testimony, to the praise of the "God of Israel, the Saviour!" See 2 Chron. v. 10.

THE BODY OF MOSES.

Jude, ix.

"YET Michael the Archangel, when contending with the devil, he disputed about the body of Moses.".

The Law is always Satan's disputing point—the body of Moses is the Law-the body of Christ is the Church. Hence comes an explanation to the last chapter of Deuteronomy.

1. "And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the Lord shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan.

2. And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and *Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea,

3. And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar.

4. And the Lord said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed; I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither.

5. So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the Lord.

6. And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Beth-peor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day.

7. And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

8. And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.

9. And Joshua, the son of Nun, was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him : and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the Lord commanded Moses.

10. And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face.

11. In all the signs and the wonders, which the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land.

12. And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel." Moses, or the law, could not tread, or go over into

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