The Books of the Bible

1. The Books of the Bible: Part 1, Genesis - 2 Kings

2. The Books of the Bible: Part 2, 1 Chronicles - Jeremiah

3. The Books of the Bible: Part 3, Lamentations - Malachi

The Books of the Bible: Part 1, Genesis - 2 Kings

THE Bible is the oldest book in existence, and its Greek and Hebrew manuscripts are the most ancient. The earliest portions of the Bible were written fourteen centuries and a half B.C.; thus, several centuries before: the first known of human productions-the Greek poems of Homer and Hesiod-and about a thousand years before Herodotus published his celebrated history. The former, according to some, date from the times of Elijah, and the latter from the days of Malachi. Hence, Moses was the first of all inspired or uninspired writers. The Pentateuch was extant in the days of the godly king, Josiah, about eight hundred years after it was penned by the hand of Moses. (2 Chron. 34)

It is very probable that the original inspired documents of the early books of scripture perished in the destruction of the temple, in the year 588 B.C., and a month after the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans_ (2 Kings 25) This we gather from the fact that the temple was the sacred depository of the holy writings. It is also very likely that the writings of the prophets were destroyed during the reign of the Syrian monarch, Antiochus Epiphanes, a man of infamous memory amongst ancient and modern Jews. If so, it would be about two hundred and fifty years after the canon of the Old Testament was completed, and thus about a hundred years after the translation of the whole into Greek, termed the Septuagint, was begun, if not finished.

The New Testament was completed a few years before the death of the apostle John. The three oldest New Testament manuscripts are respectively deposited in St. Petersburg, Rome, and London. Two are believed to date from the fourth century, the third from the fifth century. It is supposed that the original document of the New Testament perished during the reign of Diocletian. The external form in which the Bible as a whole, and its separate books, have come down to us, is deeply interesting, but the faith of the Christian is founded on what God has written. The scriptures are inspired, and from that fact flows their authority over the soul.

The Bible contains a greater variety and rangeof subjects than will be found in any human production whatever. Take a few chapters in the book of Genesis as illustrative of our statement.

Chapter 1 is the basis of geology and kindred sciences. Chapter 2 reveals the source of all our moral relationships. Chapter 3 details the entrance of sin into the world, and unfolds its governmental effects. Chapter 4 shows the earliest attempt to make a comfortable world apart from God, the earliest attempt to approach Him on the ground of works, as also the divinely-revealed ground on which a sinner can meet God in grace and righteousness. Chapter 5 is the basis of all true systems of chronology-the first date recorded in scripture is found here. Chapter 6 gives the moral characteristics of the times preceding the /universal deluge. Chapter 7 shows the baptism unto death and judgment of the old wor] d-the traditions concerning which are universal; here only have we the true account. Chapter 8 reveals the new (present) world, as founded on sacrifice, and on the ground of which the seasons are to continue, and harvests promised by the diligent use of agricultural means. Chapter 9 reveals the institution of civil government, God's covenant of goodness with creation, and the respective sources of the various branches of the human family. Chapter 10 unfolds the origin of every nation on the earth, tracing all up to the sons of Noah; thus this highly important chapter is not only the basis of all history-universal, general, or particular-but is the only and authoritative source on which the science of ethnology is founded. Chapter 11 morally accounts for the distribution of the one family of mankind into distinct nationalities, and now speaking more than two thousand six hundred known languages and dialects. Chapter 12 begins the biographical section of the Bible.

What, however, lends such a wonderful charm and interest to the Bible, is its one object, which is to glorify CHRIST. Beloved readers, take care of mere occupation with the letter of scripture. Never allow the question of who wrote the various sacred books to set aside the more vital one of what is written. God in His word speaks to your soul. May we hear and read in growing simplicity and deepening faith.

We will, in as brief terms as possible, indicate, what appear to us to be the general character and leading divisions of the books of the Bible.

GENESIS is the " seed-plot" of the Bible, as it contains in germ every subject developed in the succeeding books of scripture. Chapters 1.-8. 19-history of the old world, a period of sixteen hundred and fifty-six years; chapters 8: 20-11—governmental dealings with the world at large; chapters 12.-l.—-God's ways with His people in grace, discipline, government, and glory.

EXODUS unfolds, in numerous types, the great truth of redemption, and of the consequent relationships of the redeemed to God. Chapters 1-18-grace taking up the people in misery, and setting them down (in type) in millennial glory; chapters 11-10-1-Israel in relationship with Jehovah, on the ground of law, then of grace, and the revelation of heavenly truths, in the construction of the tabernacle and institution of priesthood.

LEVITTCUS has the tabernacle as its center; and sacrifice, priesthood, and holiness as its characteristic truths. Chapters 1-15.-Christ's work, priesthood, and man's necessity as a sinner in nature and practice; chapters 16.-27.-the holiness becoming God's house and people, and all on the basis of redemption. (Chapter 16)

NUMBERS exhibits the service, trials, and testings of the people in the wilderness; it shews the constant and unwearied care of God over the journeying host, as also over each member of the pilgrim band. Chapters1-10. 10 -Jehovah numbering, guarding, and gathering the people around Himself before they journey; chapters 10. 11- 36-the people journey, under the care and guidance of Jehovah.

DEUTERONOMY insists upon obedience to the commandments of the Lord, as the practical ground of blessing, and also morally reviews the wilderness. Chapters 1. -16. 17 detail the religious life of the nation when in Canaan; chapters 16. 18-34.-the civil life of the people when in the promised land.

JOSHUA records the wars of Canaan, figuring the spiritual conflicts of the church with wicked spirits in heavenly places. (Eph. 6) Chapters1.-5.—Jordan crossed, and 'preparation for the wars of Jehovah; chapters 6.-12.-victories and defeats; chapters 13.- 22.-Canaan portioned out amongst the tribes; chapters 23.,24.-Joshua's dying charge.

JUDGES unfolds the utter failure and corruption of all classes of the nation. Chapters 1.—3. 8-Jehovah forsaken for idols, the failure of the people in being God's instrument of judgment upon the Canaanites • chapters

9-16.-Israel under the government of the thirteen Judges, or saviors of the people, from Othniel to Samson; chapters 17.-21.-Israel's moral condition.

Ruth-Israel's past, present, and future history typically presented; the origin of David's family, and of Christ, according to the flesh will be found here.

FIRST SAMUEL contains the main subjects: the complete break-down of the priesthood as the national and normal means of maintaining the people in their varied relationships to Jehovah, the institution of the prophetic order in Samuel (Acts 3:24), by which God could address a failed people, and direct the gaze of the faithful on to the coming glory; then the establishment of monarchy-God's last resource in blessing for Israel and the earth. Chapters 1.-8.-failure of the priesthood, and rejection by Israel of the theocracy; chapters 9.-15.- the kingdom in responsibility, and its utter collapse; chapters 16 -31.—David, the chosen of Jehovah, his life and sorrows as Israel's rejected king.

SECOND SAMUEL shews the kingdom established in the house of David, according to the sovereign choice of Jehovah, as also the sovereign choice of Zion as the seat

of royalty and grace Chapters 1.-4.-David's reign at Hebron over part of the nation; chapters 5.-12.-David king over all Israel-Jerusalem and the ark, or royalgovernment and priestly grace; chapters13.-24. Absalom, the usurper, and David, the true king.

FIRST KINGS traces the public history of the kingdom from the death of David till the death of Jehoshaphat, embracing also the ministry of Elijah. Chapters 1-10 the throne and temple in connection with the reign of Solomon; chapters 11-16-the united kingdom divided, and its history, from Rehoboam till Ahab; chapters 17-22—the prophetic ministry of Elijah and Elisha amongst the apostate ten tribes of Israel. SECOND KINGS continues the public history of the kingdom till the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans, noting especially the ministry of Elisha. Chapters 1.-8. 15-the prophetic service of Elisha; chapters 8. 16-18.—history till the Assyrian captivity; chapters18.-25.-history till the Chaldean captivity.

w. s.

( To be continued, the Lord willing.)

The Books of the Bible: Part 2, 1 Chronicles - Jeremiah

FIRST CHRONICLES contains genealogical records of God's earthly elect people from the days of Adam till the captivity in Babylon, so that all classes of the returned remnants of Judah from their 70 years' exile might be able to verify their claims in resuming their place in the nation; the reign of David is the other main subject of the book. Chapters 1-9, genealogies of the kings, priests, Levites, and people from Adam to the captivity; chapters 10-21, history of the kingdom of Judah from the death of Saul and accession of David till the purchase of the threshing-floor of Oman; chapters 22-29, David's preparations for building the temple and arrangements of its services.

SECOND CHRONICLES continues the kingdom history of Judah from Solomon to the Chaldean capture of Jerusalem. Chapters 1-9, life and reign of Solomon; chapters 10-36, royal Judean history from Rehoboam till the destruction of Jerusalem.

EZRA is occupied with the religious life and bright faith of the remnants who returned to Palestine from the Chaldean captivity. Chapters 1-6, return of a remnant under the leadership of Zerubbabel, and their temple work and worship: chapters 7-10, return of a company under the leadership of Ezra, and the energy of faith of the remnant.

NEHEMIAH is the last historical book of the Old Testament, and records the civil state and condition amongst the returned remnants to the land of their fathers. Chapters 1, 2., Nehemiah's spiritual exercise and his commission to rebuild the city; chapters 3-7. 4., the work proceeded in spite of all opposition without or within, for God was with the people: chapters 7. 5-8, genealogies verified and all duly regulated according to the written word.

ESTHER manifests the care of God over His people,

but secretly exercised because of their utter indifference to His glory and interests. The mass of the Jewish people preferred remaining in the land of their exile under the easy sway of the Persian rule, when they might have returned under the edicts of Cyrus. Chapters 1., 2., the Gentile and Jewish queens-the former degraded, the latter exalted; chapters 3.-7., the Lord frustrating the devices of the wicked against His people; chapters 8.-10., the Jew in the end exalted to power and the people blest.

JOB is a book upon the moral government of God with a godly, upright man, and apart from any revelation of the law or of the cross; in the end man and God are brought together-the former humbled and broken, and the latter proved to be righteous in all His dealings and ways, as also most pitiful and of tender mercy. Chapters 1., 2., Jehovah raises the question of the integrity of Job with Satan; chapters 3-37., a discussion in eighteen speeches between Job and his friends, on the great subject of God's earthly dealings and ways with man; chapters 38-42., here Jehovah reveals His holiness and power, and in presence of which Job abhors-himself and repents; the object is gained, man is broken, and God owned to be righteous.

BOOK OF PSALMS is a marvelous collection of 150 prophetic prayers, praises, and utterances, written during a period of about 1000 years, and probably compiled by Ezra on the return to Palestine from the Chaldean captivity. These sacred odes or compositions are divided by Jewish and christian writers into five distinct books or divisions, ending respectively with Nos. 41; 72; 89; 106; 150.

THE PROVERBS contains a mine of wisdom. Whoever regulates his life and path through earth by these-wise and gracious maxims may count, under the government of God, upon a happy and prosperous life. Chapters 1-9, the great principles of God's moral government;. chapters 10.-24., application of these principles to the details of daily life; chapters 25.-29., a collection of

wise sayings truly expressed; chapters 30.,31. contain the words and instructions of Agur, very rich in moral truth, and of King Lemuel on the character of a virtuous woman.

ECCLESIASTES was probably written by Solomon at the close of his life, as the " Song" was composed at the commencement of his reign, and the " Proverbs " uttered during his years of royalty. This book records the experience of one who has fully tried the world, but in vain, for a heart-satisfying object-all beneath the sun is pronounced " vanity." Chapters i.-vi., everything beneath the sun pronounced " vanity and vexation of spirit chapters 7-12., the path of wisdom and of counsel through the world.

SONG OF SOLOMON, besides its prophetic application, has, as its moral themes, love and communion, as developed in the intercourse between the spouse and her bridegroom. Chapters 1-2, 16, " my beloved is mine," or " what a treasure I possess;" this is the first stage in christian experience; chapters 2. 17-6. 3, " I am my beloved's," or " I am his object;" this is the second stage in Christian experience; chapters 6. 4-8. 14, " His desire is toward me," here self is done with, and the soul rests in the consciousness of His love and thoughts resting upon us; this is the third stage in our christian experience.

The strictly prophetic section of the Old Testament consists of sixteen books, from Isaiah to Malachi-the Lamentations being regarded as a supplement to the prophecy and book of Jeremiah. The earthly glory of Christ is the special design of this important section of the holy scriptures. This glory will be publicly manifested in connection with Israel and subordinately the Gentiles, first in their judgment and then in millennial blessing.

ISAIAH in style, grandeur of language, comprehensiveness of treatment, and copiousness of subjects is unequaled amongst the prophetic books. Chapters 1-12., Christ's connection with Judah, and the character and doom of " The Assyrian "-Israel's latter-day political enemy; chapters13-27., the judgment of the nations and of the whole earth; the Lord will confound the pride and power of man and " break the arm of the wicked "- all needful for the re-establishment of Israel on the earth and her headship over the nations, as also that the glory of Jehovah through Israel should be published throughout the earth; chapters 28.-35., the historical circumstances connected with Israel in her latter days is here described; chapters 36 -39., this, the only strictly historical section of our prophet is most needful, as furnishing the main subjects on which the whole prophecy is based; chapters 40.—48., here Jehovah discusses the relationship of Israel to Babylon and her idolatry; chapters 49.-57., Israel's rejection of Christ is the main question here; chapters 58.-66., Jehovah's last pleadings of love with guilty Israel, and the certainty of His intervention on their behalf.

24. JEREMIAH naturally follows his great predecessor Isaiah, and whose earnest and heart-broken remonstrances with Judah prior to and subsequent to the capture of the city of Jerusalem, are touching in the extreme. Jeremiah wore the prophetic mantle for about forty years; his services, sufferings, and personal circumstances are interwoven in the very texture of his prophecies, and in this and in other respects he closely resembles the great Gentile Apostle Paul. Chapters 1-24, a series of moral appeals addressed to the heart and conscience of Judah, in view of their national guilt and near approach of judgment to be executed by the Chaldeans; chapters 25.-52., Jerusalem besieged and captured after a stubborn defense of about eighteen months, with numerous interesting particulars prior to and subsequent to the destruction of the city and temple in the year 588 B.C„ as also judgments announced upon the near and distant nations, and prophetic blessing intimated for all Israel. The last chapter forms an appendix to the book. w, s.

(To be continued, the Lord willing.)

(Continued from page 69.)

The Books of the Bible: Part 3, Lamentations - Malachi

LAMENTATIONS of Jeremiah anciently formed an appendix to the book of that prophet. The utter desolation of Judah, especially of Jerusalem, is expressed in touching strains of grief and anguish, every letter is written with a tear, and every word is the sound of a broken heart. The immediate occasion on which these lamentations were composed was the death of the last godly king of Judah, Josiah; in his death the national hopes were for the time being lost. (2 Chron. 35:25.) Chapter 1, Jerusalem utterly desolate; chapter 2., not the sword of the Chaldean, but Jehovah the author of Jerusalem's ruin; chapter EL, the prophet identifying himself with the afflicted people, because they are Jehovah's; chapter 4, Jehovah has judged His people and will assuredly judge their and His enemies. Chapter 5., Jehovah's gracious character appealed to in the confidence of faith. The alphabetical structure of these chapters according to the letters of the Hebrew alphabet, save the last chapter, is not marked in our English bibles.

EZEKIEL resided with his family at Tel Abil, on the banks of the river Chebar. His house became a favorite resort for his exiled countrymen. (See chap. 8,14,21.) The prophecies contained in this book are arranged in chronological order, unlike those in Jeremiah, in which the moral order is that adopted by the Spirit. These striking prophecies were uttered during a period of 22 years, and in the land of Mesopotamia, where large numbers of both Israel and Judah were located: the former by the Assyrians, the latter at a later epoch by the Babylonians; chapters 1-24, chronologically arranged prophecies bearing upon the destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans chapters 25-39, judgment upon those nations who assisted or sympathized in the ruin of Judah: this judgment goes on embracing Gog and her allies in the closing days; chapters 40.-48., Israel's millennial arrangements as to her land, city, and temple.

DANIEL, of the seed-royal of Judah, was taken captive at the first Babylonian invasion of Judea, and was quickly raised to the exalted position of prime minister, which office he continued to occupy through successive reigns, surviving the Babylonian dynasty, and on to the third year of Cyrus the Persian. In these prophecies, which were uttered in and about the royal court, the rise, course, and doom of Gentile power is calmly and solemnly announced, as also the connection between Daniel's people, the Jews, and the Gentiles in the latter day. Chapters 1-7, " the times of the Gentiles," or general history of the four universal empires, but in their connection with the Jews; chapters 8-12, the latter day circumstances of apostate Judah and of apostate Gentile power. (Read chapters 2. and 7. with chapters13. and 27. of the Revelation.)

HOSEA wore the prophetic mantle for about sixty years, and it will be observed from the opening verse of the book, the time, length, and persons embraced in his prophetic ministry. Both houses of Israel, and not the Gentiles at all, are the subjects of these signs and stirring appeals to the conscience. Chapters 1-3, God's dispensational ways set forth under striking prophetic signs and symbols; chapters 4-14, all Israel, as also Ephraim and Judah severally, morally appealed to, and their sins faithfully declared.

JOEL enlarges upon " the day of the Lord," making Jerusalem the center, and certain local judgments the historical ground-work. These prophecies suppose Israel, or at least Judah, restored to her land, and the northeastern Gentiles gathering with one accord against the ancient people as before; but Jehovah roars out of Zion, and speaks from Jerusalem in awful judgment upon the nations, and Judah is remembered in everlasting mercy. Yea, " all flesh " of which Pentecost was a pledge and sample, will share in the heavenly blessing.

Amos has his great burden-judgment upon all Israel, as also upon those nations bordering upon Immanuel's land and which are to be incorporated within the territory prophetically assigned to Israel, but in the end glory breaks for Jehovah's people, beloved for the fathers' sake; and the ruined tabernacle of David will be raised up and glory once again fill the land. Chapters judgment upon Israel, Judah, Tire, Moab, Edom, &c., but with special reference to the former; chapters 7-9, symbolic visions and signs, first of judgment, then of rich blessing upon all Israel.

OBADIAH is a short prophecy of about 21 verses; announces the doom of Edom-a mountainous country of but 100 miles in length, and inhabited by the warlike descendants of Esau, Jacob's brother. The perpetual hatred of this people to Israel is presented as the cause of their utter destruction, whose country then becomes the everlasting possession of Israel.

JONAH was one of the earliest of the Judah prophets (2 Kings 14:25), and no doubt the Gentile mission on which he was sent-so distasteful to a Jew-was the reason of his vain attempt to get outside the range of God's presence and action. God's governmental ways with nations as witnessed in His dealings with Nineveh, the proud capital of the Assyrian kingdom, as also the personal history and circumstances of the prophet, make the book an exceedingly important and valuable one. Jehovah, Jonah, and Nineveh are so wrought up that it is scarcely possible to divide the book-it requires to be read as a whole.

MICAH was a contemporary with Isaiah and describes millennial blessedness in almost the same terms as that sublime prophet. (See 4. 1-3 with Isa. 2:2-4.) Jerusalem and Samaria, the respective capitals of the two kingdoms, are specially singled out as objects of divine judgment. Here also the place of the Savior's birth is named. Chapters 1,2, Jehovah's universal summons and judgment announced, especially on Judah; chapters 3-5., the civil and ecclesiastical leaders of Israel are here addressed, yet in this section the prophetic intimation of blessing and glory are in grandeur and fullness unequaled in the sure word of prophecy; chapters vi., vii., the Lord's controversy with His people.

NAHUM announces the certain doom of Nineveh, which had been spared for nigh a century and a half because of its repentance under the preaching of Jonah. That wonderful city, of immense size and strength, sustained a siege of about two years under the combined forces of the Medes and Babylonians. Its utter destruction however was decreed by God, and so it fell to rise no more in the year 625, B.C. Chapter 1, the character of Jehovah is grandly celebrated and Judah remembered in blessing; chapters ii. And 3., character of Nineveh " the bloody city," with details of its lengthened siege and capture.

HABAKKUK intimates the impending ruin of Judah by the Chaldeans, who in turn become the object of divine judgment; the character of these northern invaders of Palestine, as also the prophet's personal identification with the people, impart a peculiar charm to this book. Chapter 1, the prophet in trouble as he contemplates the march of the ravaging Chaldean through the land; chapter 2. the prophet in faith ascends his, watch-tower, and from thence beheld the judgment of the Chaldean; chapter 3., the prophet's sublime and fervent prayer to Jehovah.

ZEPHANIAH has as his text the expression " day of the Lord," which occurs fourteen times in the first chapter. The judgments here announced are universal in extent, yet most minute-none escape. Iniquity, judgment, and glory, are the themes of our prophet. Chapter 1, the whole land devoured by the fire of the Lord's jealousy; chapter 2., the God-fearing exhorted to seek the Lord, so that they may be hid in the day of Jehovah's anger upon the heathen; chapter 3., latter-day judgment upon the assembled heathen, and rich blessings for Israel.

HAGGAI is one of the post-captive prophets, and contains four messages carefully dated hi each case.

Chapter 1, or message one, the people's indifference to Jehovah and His interests; chapter 2. 1-9, or message two, the latter glory, or the millennial temple, Israel's encouragement; chapter 2. 10-19, or messages three, the people called to consider their ways; chapter 2. 20-23, or message four, Jehovah will overturn all opposing powers and kingdoms.

ZECHARIAH has Jerusalem in the fore front of these prophecies and details connected with the last days of Gentile supremacy over Judah. Chapters 1-6, blessing of Jerusalem and Judah, with judgment upon the Gentile opposers of God's people, presented in a series As remarkable visions-all seen in one night; chapters 7-14, this pre-eminently millennial section concerns Jews and Gentiles alike, both for judgment and blessing, Jerusalem being prominent.

MALACHI unfolds the moral condition of all classes of the returned remnants of Judah from the Babylon exile, and leaves them thus till the coming of John Baptist. Chapters 1,2, the sin of the people, and of the priests, in view of Jehovah's grace and claims, chapters 3,4, Jehovah coming in grace (chap.3), thus in judgment (chap. 4.), and a godly remnant separated from the mass distinguished. w. S.

(Concluded from page 103.)

The Books of the Bible: Part 4

" THE Holy Bible"—-a happily chosen title, in use for more than five hundred years——-does not contain simply the word of God, but is itself The Word of God; and its verbal or word-inspiration is a fact, not a theory nor a question of degree. (2 Tim. 3:15,16; 1 Cor. 2:13.) The Bible contains numerous revelations of various characters, communicated in various ways, and at various periods. Its composition was commenced by Moses, 1450 years before Christ, and finished by John-the last of " the apostolic twelve "-ere the first christian century closed. The latter, however, in his epistolary communications did not unfold new truths or reveal fresh subjects, but rather filled up in greater fullness and in minute detail what others of the New, and even of the Old, Testament writers were inspired to communicate. It was reserved for Paul to complete the subjects of the word of God. (Col. 1:25.) Creation, providence, government, law, promise, prophecy, life, grace, sin, the cross, Israel, are a few of the main topics revealed in the scriptures; but there was yet wanting one subject which for moral grandeur is only equaled by that Eternal Counsel-The Lamb Slain.

We gather from the Ephesian and the Colossian Epistles what that undisclosed and magnificent subject was, which was to complete the range and circle of divine topics, and of which Paul was the chosen vessel of its revelation and of its ministration to " all men." Believers were baptized into one body, and by the same Spirit and same act united to Christ as Man in heavenly glory. Further, God has put all things-animate and inanimate, celestial and terrestrial, man, angels, Israel, the seen and unseen, the known and unknown-under the dominion of Christ the glorified Man, and we, individually as co-heirs (Rom. 8:17), and collectively as His body (Eph. 1:22,23), are associated with Him in this vast scene and system of glory. This was the secret or locked-safe secret, " which from the beginning of the world bath lain hid in God " (Eph. 3:9), and which left the apostle, in communicating it and praying about it, incapable of measuring its breadth; for it is God's most wondrous plan, of grasping its length, as it stretches from eternity to-eternity, of fathoming its depths of wisdom, or exploring its heights of glory. (Eph. 3:18.)

The earlier revelation-" the Old Testament " (2 Cor. 3:14), consisting of thirty-nine books-and the later revelation-" the New Testament " (Matt. 26:28), of twenty-seven books-have each a distinct character impressed upon them. It is usual to speak of the latter as the outcome of or the natural development of the former. But this is to mistake the very nature of Christianity, which is as distinct from Judaism as grace is from law, as the sun is from darkness. Christianity is essentially heavenly and takes its rise from the glory of God, into, which Christ has entered as man. The characteristic feature of the Old Testament is God acting in government,. while that of the New, is God revealed in grace. In the Old, God is behind the veil, hid from the eye of priest, and people; unseen and unapproachable, surrounded with the symbols of uncreated majesty and glory, and from thence pressing His righteous claims upon men, upon. Israel, while all the time testing the creature of His.

government. Is not this the distinct character of the Old Testament? Not that there was not in type, promise, and scripture, that which cheered the hope and sustained the faith of the one, who might, however dimly, discern in these " the shadow of good things to come." Now, on the contrary, in " the New Testament " we have as its distinguishing feature, God revealed as " light " and " love;" the veil rent-holily and righteously by God Himself; and man in Christ set down with an eternally purged conscience in the light, and a conscious possessor of the glory by the Spirit, given as seal and earnest. The Old Testament opens with, " In the beginning God created;" then follows the history of that which was created-at least, the moral and responsible part of it. The opening sentence of the New Testament reads, " In the beginning was the Word." Thus the stability and glory of the new creation is founded upon the infinite perfections and absolute dignity in person and nature of Him who Is; whereas the old creation was set up in goodness and to continue in blessing conditionally on the obedience of the first man. Alas! we know the result.

It may be objected to the statement that the New Testament really opens with the quoted words from the first of John, and it may be asked, Why not quote from any of the synoptical gospels? Simply because the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, continue the moral history of the Race which closes up in the cross of Christ and hence in these Gospels we witness the last testing, the last of the probationary trials to which man was subjected for the four thousand years then drawing to a close-tested by the presence of God, active in love and grace. The fourth Gospel begins where the synoptical Gospels leave of, namely, by the absolute and utter rejection of Christ by the world and Israel. (John 1:10; 2. 5.) Christianity is based on the assumption that Christ has been disowned by them on earth, consequently God has raised Him up and set Him in heavenly glory, and there is the birth-place of Christianity. Just because there is no testing-process of man or Israel in John's Gospel, so God is free to reveal Himself simply-He has a scene of moral death and utter ruin in which unchecked He can manifest Himself without a reserve.

The whole Bible might be conveniently distributed into six main parts: three for the Old Testament, three for the New Testament. We have Christ's own authority, thus final and conclusive, for arranging the books of the Old Testament into three great sections. (Luke 24:44.) " The law of Moses " embraces the five books of the Pentateuch. " The Prophets " comprehend the historical books from Joshua to Esther, as also the prophetical writings from Isaiah to Malachi-twenty-nine books in all the primary signification of prophecy is forth-telling, not, as generally understood, " future-telling," hence all those books have one thought in common,. namely, God's mind expressed-His thoughts poured forth. " The Psalms " is the third divisional title of the Old Testament, as applied by the Lord, and embraces the remaining five books, from " Job " to the " Song;" so termed, because in this distinctly moral section the heart of man is variously expressed.

Now, in the classification of the New Testament books we have no inspired declaration as to this order or arrangement, nor need we one. As having the mind of Christ (1 Cor. 2:16) we have the Spirit of intelligence and should use it. The arrangement we propose has, at least, the merit of simplicity. We would group the four Gospels under the first division. Here on that grand and magnificent pillar, " God manifested in the flesh," is laid the solid and imperishable foundation of all blessing, for time and for eternity, for Jew and Gentile, for heaven and earth. The different characters of these displays of God to man is, of course, to be gathered from a study of the Gospels themselves. His royal and Judaic glories and dignities are unfolded in Matthew. His unwearied patience and grace in service is the great point in Mark.. The dependent and suffering Son of man is the capital truth of the third Gospel-Luke, Son of God, as to

present glory, and Son of the Father in eternal and present intimacy, with all flowing from these titles, are the exalted themes of John.

" The Acts," which is the only historical book of the New Testament, we must place apart from either Gospels or Epistles, as possessing a character peculiar to itself: yet who can fail to read this interesting book as the Spirit's link between Christ's life on earth (the Gospels) and the results to us of His present life and service in heaven (the Epistles)? " The Acts "-which specially connects itself with the close of Luke's Gospel-is the Holy Spirit's record of gospel work and service-from Jerusalem to Rome-for about thirty-three years. It is invaluable, too, in this respect, as being the divine introduction to the study of the Epistles. It unfolds the historical circumstances under which the various epistolary communications were penned. Are we not justified, therefore, in regarding " The Acts " as the second division of the New Testament books?