This was before Solomon's death; but it came to Solomon's ears; and so foolish was he, that he sought to kill Jeroboam, but Jeroboam fled into Egypt, and was there until the death of Solomon; whose epitaph is brief, but great in meaning; "The time Solomon reigned in Jerusalem, over all Israel, was forty years. And Solomon slept with his fathers; and was buried in the city of David his father; and Rehoboam his son reigned in his stead."

But Rehoboam's reign was much disturbed. He began wrong, he went on wrong, and in the wrong, we fear, he died.

Here, then, the kingdom is divided between a son and a servant; yet neither the son Rehoboam, nor the servant Jeroboam, are saved. Mere natural sonship, being the heir even of Solomon's throne, will not save a soul, if there be no grace; nor will the hardest servitude, (even when that servitude is appointed by God, and given to God's people,) save the servant, if there be no real change of heart, no living faith in Christ, no possession of life in the soul by the Holy Spirit. These are humbling lessons; and they are confirmed by the fact that many sons and daughters of godly men stand in our churches, from whom no satisfactory testimony of grace can be received; so, also, there are many servants hard at work, yet, of their conformity to Christ's image, no reflection can be seen.

Let us consider these things.

Jeroboam means one that contended with, or fought against, the people. Not only in things concerning time; but, also, in things relating to eternity. It appears that when Jeroboam found himself king over the ten tribes, he became jealous of Rehoboam, who was at Jerusalem; and thinking if his people went up to Jerusalem to worship, as God commanded them, and as he ought to have directed them, it is clear, I say, he feared they would all return to the house of David. "In his heart," he said, "if this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam, king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam, king of Judah.".

Had not the Lord said unto him, "If thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways and do that is right in my sight, keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee?" All this the Lord had said unto Jeroboam; but he had no faith in God: the fear of man brought a snare; so he took counsel, (not of the Lord, but of his own foolish heart;) and made two calves of gold, and said unto the tribes, "It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem, behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt; and he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan; AND THIS THING BECAME A SIN," &c. How many of these Jeroboams have we now? And how many golden calves are set up for the people to fall down and worship? Ah! echo, answers, "How many ?" many! many!! many!!!

To be brief here, for this history is the type; our times furnish plenty of anti-types; but I will not enumerate all. One of these golden calves is at Rome, in the shape of what is termed Popery. Another of these golden calves is in England, in the guise of Puseyism. This statement might be verified and illustrated, and confirmed, but not now. Then in our own circle, there is a golden calf in the north; and there is a

golden calf in the south; yet the announcement must be sufficient for the present.

Jerusalem is the New Testament name for the whole truth as it is in Jesus; and is the casket word which contains in itself all the Saviour meant when to His disciples He said, "Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

"The Jerusalem that now is, is in bondage with her children." This is the professing Jerusalem almost everywhere to be found with her two golden calves, and leading all her children into a bondage of some kind or other. There is, however, a Jerusalem which is from above, and the ancient copies read (expressing the faith of the heaven-born children), "she is our mother;" that is God's everlasting new covenant of electing love, of redeeming mercy, and of all-conquering, and all-curing grace. To most of the present race of Jerusalemites this new covenant appears a long way off. To travel all the way up to God's preparing, predestinating, electing, and eternally purposing covenant is "too much." It is going too high a great deal. Therefore, "let us make a nice golden calf here in the south," on which shall be engraven, "It is the duty of every man to believe (in this calf, and a poor calf, indeed, must he be that does so believe) to the saving of his soul." And then there is another calf in the north, and on it is engraven, "If you are dreadfully, and awfully, and fearfully, and wofully acquainted with the darkness, the dirtiness, the devilishness of your own hearts; and if you have been often and fearfully shaken over hell; and if you have many times tried to make away with yourselves; and if you subscribe to all, and only, to what we write, then there is hope you may be saved."

Let me say two things most positively. First, against it being the duty of man to believe God's Word and to hear Christ's Gospel, and to render reverent homage unto his Maker, I say not one word; in these things every man is morally responsible. But to tell people it is their duty to believe unto the saving of their souls indiscriminately, is to ignore the person and work of the Holy Ghost, to becloud the Sovereignty of Jehovah, and to render the blood of atonement—which is particular and precious-a common and, in many cases, a useless thing. Therefore, the golden calf of duty-faith, is an abomination, I believe, in the sight of a holy God, although to thousands of parsons it is a golden calf indeed. If they dared to knock it down, down would go their substance, standing, salary, and all; and a good thing it would be, although it would not answer their present purpose.

Secondly, as regards the golden calf in the north. Against the deep and dreadful experiences of God's poor afflicted children I would not say one word. I have known too much of my own wicked heart, of my own vile nature, and of Satan's dreadful temptations, to allow me to think lightly of them. But when a set of men adopt this line of things simply ministerially; when they hereby hire themselves out to a certain patron, and become hereby identified with a certain party, because, forsooth, they must be put into the priest's office for a morsel of bread, then in all such cases their worship is not pure; and although they may "meet with" some who have all these things, they cannot prove that thereby any come into the liberty wherewith Christ doth make His people free.

Four things stand in Jeroboam's text-"It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem."

1. There is acknowledgment. He acknowledges Jerusalem is the place; so when you push these Jeroboams close up, they will, at least some will, acknowledge the truth is the truth. But, then,

2. Here is sympathy. "It is too much for you," poor things, to go so far. This fleshly sympathy is the deceitful cloak many are wearing; it is like those ugly hoods and black blankets in which the Sisters of Mercy walk our streets. There is no real truth in it. Then,

3. Here is substitution of the wrong sort. God, in boundless mercy, substitutes in a law sense, His Son instead of the sinner; these Jeroboams substitute their golden calves instead of the Lamb of God. So that this doctrine of Jeroboam's, "It is too much for you," is, in fact,

4. A most awfully delusive falsehood, of which no more can be said now, than, beware of men, even if it be C. W. B.

The Elder Brother.

BY JOHN BRUNT.

"He is not ashamed to call them brethrem."

WHOм the Lord of life intended by "The Elder Brother," is still a disputed point. We ourselves do not know, neither are we acquainted with any one who does know. Perhaps some might be found who might hazard an assertion; but since assertions do not necessarily involve conclusions, we may not always accept assertions for conclusions. Of the Elder Brother, of the parable, we learn conclusively that, "He was ashamed of his brother the prodigal; "As soon as this thy son"-well let him rest. We will use him, but, "to point a moral, and adorn a tale."

We too have an Elder Brother, even the Lord Jesus Christ, who is not ashamed of His brethren: and simply on the ground that He is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever, we conclude that He is but what he was, and will ever be what He is, the Saviour of His brethren. When the Lord Jesus Christ arose from the grave, He for the first time called His disciples His brethren, "Go tell My brethren." Many floods of tribulation could not drown His love, His passion could not burn up His interest, the corruption of the grave did not taint Him, but He ascended from the grave as He had descended into the grave-not ashamed of His brethren. The people of Jehovah's choice, are by the will of God the brethren of Jesus. I therefore write it down with, I hope, the deepest reverence, that Jesus is not ashamed of the will of God; He came to do that will, nor did He ever interpose His own will, "I came down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him that sent Me." He acknowledged the supremacy of His Father's will, He asserted its authority, and proved its excellency, lived according to it, died, rose again, and ascended into heaven, in obedience to the will of God.

Again, the people of God are the children of God, and the children of God are Christ's brethren, "Ye are all the children of God, by faith Now faith in Christ is the work of the

which is in Christ Jesus."

Holy Spirit of God; but we believe in Christ for salvation, we are therefore the children of God, and so must be the brethren of Jesus Christ; and the Lord Jesus Christ who is not ashamed of His brethren, is therefore not ashamed of the work of God the Holy Ghost.

The Lord Jesus Christ, as we read in the case of "The Centurion," knew faith when He saw it, pronounced it to be surpassingly great, and was not ashamed thereof, inasmuch as He healed "the servant that same hour." My reader, try and remember, that when thou desirest to press through the crowd to Jesus-when thou enquirest after Himwhen thou comest to Him, and when thy faith touch Him-"He is not ashamed of His brethren." Dost thou need Jesus? Wouldst thou have Him? Art thou coming to Him? Along every inch of the sacred road as thou pressest, by every opponent as thou thrustest, be encouraged by these sweet words, "He is not ashamed to call them brethren;" so shall thy heart be comforted, thy ways strengthened, and thy desire accomplished. "He cannot deny Himself," O thus spake that man who was a servant of Jesus Christ. But these children of God are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones; and if the Lord Jesus Christ were to be ashamed of His brethren, He would be ashamed of Himself -His own love-His own worth-His own right-His own rewardfor His brethren are His beloved. They are His jewels. In them is seen His right to the place of honour and dignity at the right hand of Jehovah. And they too are His reward. Jesus Christ cometh, my reader, to be admired in His saints, and to be glorified in all them that believe. Wycombe, Bucks.

What Christ Hath Done.

BY W. GILL, BAPTIST MINISTER, RYE, SUSSEX.

"I have redeemed thee."-Isaiah xliii.

THERE are various objects in the world to take the attention and lead the mind astray; but what a mercy it is that God has left in this world the grand old Gospel, and by it brings out His hidden family. The word at the head of this paper fully shows what Christ has done for His Church. There is not a more delightful theme the mind of man can contemplate; and we may say it's the grandest of all the works of God. It occupied His mind from eternity. Redemption presupposes loss; and we know the Church was lost in Adam. What a mercy she was found by Christ; and what He has done for His Church may well be termed a great work; having redeemed her from the curse of the Law, from the power of sin, closed the mouth of justice, and by His perfect obedience brought in an everlasting righteousness; "He hath delivered us from the power of darkness, translated us into the kingdom of grace." There is redemption by price, and by power, and we see both in Christ. He paid the price justice demanded; and left not one farthing to be paid. Here we see the completeness of Christ's work; complete salvation for empty sinners; and all the soul receives comes through the merits of Christ. He likewise redeems by power; who could break off the shackles which

hold the soul but God the Holy Spirit? Who but He could break the heart, open the eyes, unstop the ears, and cause the Gospel to fall as sweetly as it did from the angels' lips when to the shepherds on the plains of Bethlehem they sang? What was it opened the heart of Lydia, of Paul, of Peter, of you, my dear reader, but the redeeming love of Christ, applied home to your heart by the Holy Ghost? There are heights and depths in redemption which we shall never be able to fathom, nor reach unto; angels cannot understand it; they look with wonder; they stand and adore. This it is that will for ever employ our mind in heaven. If there had been no blood, there could have been no reconciliation. It is this blood which procures peace; brings pardon to the soul. There is no way to heaven but through the Red Sea of a Redeemer's blood: it is called "precious blood!" Too precious for one drop to be spilled in vain. He knew for how many He shed it; and not one of them shall be left behind. What a blessed thought is this for you who are believers, for "where I am," says Christ, "there ye shall be also." His blood is the believer's life, and the poor awakened sinner's only plea. It is this blood which perfumes the saints' prayers, and draws down the blessings. Consider what He has redeemed us to: "To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away.” There is nothing to corrupt or distress the mind; perfect peace beneath the tree of life for ever; harps for ever strung. Who would not long to be there? How cheering this, when with things of time we are done; when the trials of this life are over; when we are wafted on the wings of angels into this inheritance, we shall for ever sing of what Christ hath done. Amen.

"Thou therefore endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.”—2 Tim. ii. 3. CHRIST JESUS is the Captain of our salvation, and each one in His army and under His command is "a good soldier of Jesus Christ;" but how sweetly does Paul speak of the Captain's loving heart and sincere attachment towards His loving subjects, in Heb. ii. 11. "For both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one : for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren." Hence the glorious Prince and every one of His people are brethren. "Christ the Head and Elder Brother, and His believing people the members of His body and family." "For we are members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones."

We cannot, therefore, enter upon this subject without feeling how high the privilege, how exalted the position, to be a good soldier of Jesus Christ, seeing all such have the King of kings and Lord of lords for their Captain or leader; and He, though so high, hath respect to the lowly, and though having a name which is above every name, yet He is not ashamed to call them brethren.

Our task, then, is to present you with a sketch of a Spiritual Warrior under the command of the Highest Prince, in the contemplation of which we are led to exclaim, How unspeakably happy is the man who is a good soldier of Jesus Christ!

Follow us in tracing the character spoken of in the text under the