A SHORT MEDITATION ON THE NAMES OF SOME OF THE SONS OF JACOB.

LET us remember Him who has surnamed us "Israel" (Gal. vi. 16). We belong to Him who Himself is God's Israel (Isaiah xlix. 1-6). His First Born (Ex. iv. 22; Hosea xi. 1; Matt. ii. 15). Well may we think, with solemn joy, on our Israelite-names, and plead them before the Lord; bowing the knee also to HIM whose NAME is ABOVE EVERY NAME.

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ISRAEL, a prince with God; a prevailing Prince! Reuben," (see a Son!) "Surely, the Lord hath looked on (our) affliction" (Gen. xxix. 32). For unto us a Child is Born, unto us a Son is given....and His Name shall be called....The Mighty God" (Is. ix, 6). "God with us" (Matt. i. 23). "The excellency of dignity and the excellency of power" (Gen. xlix. 3). "Let Reuben live" (Deut. xxxiii. 6). "In HIM was Life, and the Life was the Light of men" (John i. 4). "Our Life is hid with Christ in God" (Col. iii. 3). "Simeon" (that hears), "Faith cometh by hearing" (Rom. x. 17). "Hear ye Him" (Matt. xvii. 5). “Levi” (joined), "They shall be joined unto thee" (Numbers xviii. 4). "That they all may be one, as Thou Father art in Me, and I in Thee, that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that thou hast sent Me" (John xvii. 21). "Judah" (Gen. xxix. 35). "Now will I praise the LORD." "Gad," a troop (Gen. xlix. 19). I overcome "by the blood of the Lamb" "Asher,” (v. 20,) I feed on royal dainties in "the high places." I suck (Jeshurun's portion), "the honey out of the rock,"

my food is butter of kine, milk of sheep, fat of lambs, with the fat of the kidneys of wheat (Deut. xxxii. 13). Let us ponder and worship, and remember the Blessed One, our Asher, who has provided the feast at a wonderful cost, and so "let us eat, and" (with solemn heavenly mirth) "be merry," while we drink the pure blood of the grape.

Beloved, how is it that our vine is not the vine of Sodom, and of the fields of Gomorrah; that our grapes are not grapes of gall, bitter clusters! Oh, beloved! how is it that our wine is not the poison of dragons, and the cruel venom of asps (Deut. xxxii. 32, 33); but that we are (as "Naphtali") "satisfied with favour, and full of the blessing of the Lord" (Deut. xxxiii. 23); in a land of corn and wine, where the heavens drop down dew (verse 28); and as "Issachar," enjoying the rest that is good, and the land that is a pleasant land (Gen. xlix. 15).

Whether we labour in our fields, or journey through our land, we "bind" our 66 foal," not as do others in other countries, to posts and hedge- trees; but "to the (abounding) Vine"-our "ass's colt to the choice Vine." We "wash (our) garments in wine, and (our) clothes in the blood of grapes." Let us meditate and pray over such a word as this (Gen. xlix. 12), "His eyes shall be red with wine." Drink abundantly, beloved. "Eat of my bread," saith the Lord, "and drink of the wine which I have mingled" (Pro. ix. 5).

The more we eat, the more we hunger; the more we drink, the more we feel our need. Beloved, wher ever we are, in whatsoever way engaged, let our heart

be with our Father and our Master, in the House of Bread and Wine. The voice of love will reach us, "Let US eat and be merry ;" and no less this word, "Do this in remembrance of ME." Brethren, see the "royal dainties on the table of the Blessed One in the House of Wine! Let us abide with God at our LORD'S TABLE, over the "pure blood of the grape," over "the wine that cheereth God and man" (Judges ix. 13), (remembering Him who brought us to the Banqueting House), until our "eyes are red with wine." We shall soon "see His face," and "be like Him" (Rev. xxii. 4; 1 John iii. 2).

We are the "Zebulon," (v. 13,) to dwell where the storms, waves, and winds are. Let our eyes be red like, and red with wine upon the lees, well refined; and we shall brave the storms ourselves, and, under God, be a haven for ships in distress. "Joseph," (v. 22), the "fruitful bough is by a well whose branches run over the wall." There was One who grew and waxed strong in Spirit (Luke ii. 40), and increased in wisdom, (and age, margin) and stature, and in favour with God and man (verse 52); who could always say, "THOU art near, O Lord." Jehovah Himself was as the well, BY which a greater than Joseph was planted, whose branches run over the wall-precious clusters for us sinners of the Gentiles! Now we are His Joseph; He, our well. The water that He has given us (John iv. 14), is in us a well of water springing up into everlasting life." That is the well whereof the Lord spake...."I will give them water."...." Spring up, O well; sing ye unto it" (Num. xxi. 16, 17)-the well-spring of life, the well-spring of wisdom, a flowing brook! Amen.

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IF GOD BE FOR US, WHO CAN BE AGAINST US? Rom. viii, 31.

WHAT a word of life! What a weighty word among the many weighty words in the same chapter!

"The pa

Was Judah against Joseph when he said, "Come, and let us sell him?" (Gen. xxxvii. 27). triarchs, moved with envy, sold Joseph into Egypt; but God was with him and delivered him" (Acts vii. 9, 10), and God was for him.

"THE LORD WAS WITH JOSEPH, and he was a prosperous man" (Gen. xxxix. 2). Was Potiphar against Joseph, when he sent him to prison? God was for Joseph: God was with Joseph. That which he did, the Lord made it to prosper (v. 23). Neither Judah nor Potiphar can be against Joseph; they help him, through pit and prison, to be next to Pharaoh, over all the land of Egypt.

Was Haman against Mordecai, for plotting as he did? So far from being against that man of God, he labours hard for him, honours him, and is the means of his excellent prosperity, and dieth as a fool; while Mordecai is exalted.

Let us not forget that "WHATSOEVER a man soweth, that shall he also reap." Judah delivered himself a bondman to Joseph, whom he had sold to the Ishmeelites (Gen. xxxvii. 26-28; xliv. 33); and Haman was hanged on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai (Esther vii. 10).

All this is of little worth, if it do not lead us to consider the Haman within, and the covetous Judah within, and Jesus Christ the Son of God, whose blood cleanseth

us from all sin ;" and also to lay to heart the plotting against the greater than Joseph or Mordecai-the sorrows of the Cross, and the joys of Jesus at the right hand of God.

"Lo, I AM WITH YOU ALWAY, EVEN UNTO THE END OF THE AGE." (Precious indeed is the record!) "Amen."

BY THEIR FRUITS YE SHALL KNOW THEM. MAT. vii. 20.

No creature's motives are to us reveal'd,

Like sap within the tree they are conceal'd:

But actions are of character a test,

Which all the wise have ever deem'd the best-
Words are but leaves, and will not serve alone,

'Tis by the fruit the tree is clearly shown!

MOSES. EXODUS 11.-IV.

THERE are two scenes in the early life of Moses which may afford us profitable admonition.

In Ex. ii. we see him under all external disadvantages. His soul has no help from without. He is in Pharaoh's court; and in the midst, as the apostle says, of the "pleasures of sin."

He is, moreover, as true a Nazarite there, as Daniel was in the court of Babylon. The scene around him cast him on his resources in God. He has to drink, all alone and in secret, of the waters at the fountain; for the land is dry and thirsty, with no grateful streams at all. But he flourishes: he is strong in faith, and stands in victory over the world.