man, even in that one nation so highly privileged. God had come down, manifested in flesh, born of a woman, full of grace and truth; but there was no love of God in the nature of man. Never had there been such a tender, loving Neighbour to man as Jesus; but there was neither love to God, nor love to the neighbour, in man. The flesh was proved to be only fit for the curse, for it was sin, and only sin. Then, after all this, in the riches of His own infinite grace, God spread the feast for man as a lost sinner, and the servants were sent to call the guestssent first to that very nation, yea, that very city of Jerusalem. And what took place then? "They would not come." (Matt. xxii. 3.) And when other servants were sent, assuring them that all things were ready all that man as a sinner could need in the presence of God-entreating them to come, "they made light of it, and went THEIR WAYS, one to his farm, another to his merchandise." How terrible the sin of rejecting the riches of the grace of God! How bitterly all this came to pass, and their city was destroyed.

Thus, as to Israel as a test of man in the flesh, the green-leaved one fig-tree of profession, there was no fruit for Christ. He came, seeking fruit› but found "nothing but leaves." No more fruit in this the brightest day of profession, than in the dark days of Elijah; yet, in both cases, and

at all times, God has an election of grace. This is seen in all scripture, from Abel downwards. God has His remnant of Hannahs and Simeons. But religious man in the flesh is tested, weighed in the balances, and found utterly wanting: "nothing but leaves."

Let us now look at this remarkable miracle a little more closely: first, as to Jerusalem, or Judaism; and afterwards as to Christendom.

Jerusalem was the centre of religion-the one green fig-tree of profession-it looked upon all other nations as dogs. Its privileges were exceeding great. The flesh, or man in his natural state, had been tried now in every possible way; and the result, as seen in the last test, the sending of Jesus, the Son of God, had proved that there was only sin in man. This is a lesson that must be learnt, and it is impossible to separate sin and the curse-sin and its curse. Thus, if the one fig-tree is the one nation tested in the flesh, and the flesh is found to yield no fruitnothing but leaves, nothing but sin—its judgment, its curse, must come. But here we come to the most solemn part. The judgment on the fig-tree was terrible, and final. There was not only no fruit found then, when fully and finally tested, but it received its judgment, and there was to be no fruit from it HEREAFTER FOR EVER. There is to be no fruit from Israel as in the flesh, as children of Adam, hereafter for ever.

How little have they-yea, how little have we -understood this. It may be said, How can this be so, since we know from scripture that they will be the most highly-favoured nation on earth, when the kingdom of God shall come on this earth? The instruction of the Lord to Nicodemus settles this apparent difficulty. "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." When the Lord restores the house of Israel, He says: "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you; and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes," &c. (Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27.) No, the trial of man in the flesh, of sinful flesh, is over for ever, withered from the root. "Now is the judgment of this world." (John xii. 31.) This will take us beyond Jerusalem, or the Jews, to the whole world under judgment. Man in the flesh is like the one fig-tree, for ever under the just judgment of God: nothing but leaves; hollow, heartless profession, but no fruit. The whole world is like a condemned prisoner; all are concluded guilty, under judgment, waiting for execution. It is there the glad tidings of mercy and pardon begin, and are so suited to us. Let us, then, next see how the teaching in this most singular miracle applies to us, or rather to Christendom.

NOTES FOR YOUNG BELIEVERS ON THE

EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

XIX.

CHAPTER Xii. We come now to practical righteousness, the state and walk of those who have been made the recipients of the grace of God, who have been taken up in sovereign, free favour, justified from all things; without condemnation in Christ. It is by this very compassion of God that these precepts are addressed to them. "I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies [or compassion] of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable [or intelligent] service." It certainly does require some intelligence, as to these bodies, to yield them up thus in intelligent service. We are "waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body." (Chap. viii. 23.) They are about to be fashioned like unto His glorious body. We are about to bear the image of the heavenly. Even as to our bodies, we shall soon see Him, and be like Him. (Phil. iii. 20, 21; 1 Cor. xv. 48; 1 John iii. 2.)

Now, having intelligence as to all this, we can give up our bodies beforehand, to be His now, to be used in holy separation to Him, and for Him. What a privilege! But this cannot possibly be, if we are conformed to this world-a

world at enmity with Him. And as we have been renewed in spirit, "be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God."

If God has saved us, in pure mercy and compassion, then let us intelligently seek to know His will, prove what that will is. This will require spiritual intelligence as to the time or dispensation in which we are found. The good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God as to this can only be known and proved in lowliness of soul and entire dependence.

Verse 3. "For I say, through the grace given unto me. What a constant need of the sense of the free favour shewn to us individually, and given unto us! It is this that enables us to have low thoughts of self, and to think soberly, or to think so as to be wise, as God has dealt to each a measure of faith.

Verses 4, 5. As there was one nation in the flesh in the past dispensation, and a covenant of commandments adapted to that dispensation, "so we, being many, are one body IN CHRIST, and every one members one of another." What a contrast this is to Israel; and we must have intelligence as to this, or we cannot prove the excellent will of God to us now. In the past no person could be in Christ. Christ must die, and be raised from the dead, or remain alone; but now we are