sentation, which was a parable of the state of things under the Old Testament dispensation, the vail was interposed between the ark and the candlestick. By this the Holy Ghost signified that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: Heb. ix. 8. In the vision granted to John, however, there is no mention made of the vail. The seven lamps are represented as immediately before the throne; and the same position is attributed even to the laver, or brazen sea, though it was anciently placed in the outer court, beyond the first as well as the second vail. "Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like unto crystal:" Rev. iv. 6. How strikingly do these representations indicate the superiority of privilege enjoyed under the gospel, as the consequence of the death of the Saviour! The whole fabric of the tabernacle or temple is by the rending of the vail converted into one holy place; it has become to us "the holiest of all," for we are permitted to look into all its mysteries, to enjoy all the varied benefit prefigured by these, and to come boldly even to the throne of grace. The way into the holiest is now made manifest. The divine plan of mediation must still be acknowledged and honoured by us, though the typical exhibition is abolished; but through Jesus, by whom the vail was done away in making reconciliation, we all have access by one Spirit unto the Father." D. D. H.

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THE PRAYER OF JABEZ.

1ST CHRON. iv. 10.

WHEN we peruse the sacred scriptures, or meditate on the lives of the illustrious dead, whose names they contain, we are, as if compassed about with a great cloud of witnesses, who have appeared in successive ages, and who all attest it to be good for us that we draw near to God. Among those religious worthies of other times is Jabez, the eminent personage on whose prayer for the divine blessing we shall now offer a few remarks.

He was a genuine son of Jacob, whom God surnamed Israel for his wrestling in prayer with the Angel of the Covenant, and as a prince prevailing, when he refused to depart without the blessing. A brief summary of what had been his frequent, perhaps his daily prayer, is recorded. He "called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested." This prayer was addressed to the God of Israel, which then was the character of God, as a reconciled God, merciful and gracious to sinners, and corresponded to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, now the character in which he is to be approached by us under the present dispensation. The prayer consists of four important and comprehensive petitions. First of all, he implored the divine blessing on himself. Secondly, he entreated the enlargement of his coast, in the land given by promise to Israel, or the extension of his boundaries, which were

confined and straitened by the ancient native inhabitants of Canaan. Thirdly, he sought that God's presence, and the power of his hand might be with him, to protect him, and to give success to all his enterprises, and the engagements which he undertook. And, fourthly, he sought preservation from evil, that it might not grieve him. His prayer was answered. "God granted him that which he requested." We shall restrict our remarks to the first of his petitions," Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed."

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I. We apprehend these words of Jabez suggest, that he had in view a particular promise of God in his prayer, and so direct us to draw up the subject to a definite point. Though his family and parentage be obscure or unknown, he was of the seed of Abraham; and, like the greater part of Jews, acquainted with God's dealings towards the patriarchs. His words, "Bless me indeed," are of the same import with "Blessing, bless me ;" and were, we suppose, used with a direct reference to God's solemn promise to Abraham (Gen. xxii. 16, 17),— By myself have I sworn, saith the Lord, that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore, and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies." It was a renewal and confirmation of this great promise which was afterwards made to Isaac, when the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him (as in Gen. xxvi. 24),—“ I am the God of Abraham thy father; fear not, for I am with thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed, for my servant Abraham's sake.” The same promise was renewed to Jacob, when God appeared to him at Bethel, and said (as in Gen. xxviii. 14),—“ In thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed." It was a renewal and confirmation of the same great and comprehensive promise which Jacob so earnestly besought in prayer, when he wrestled with the angel of thé covenant, and said, "I will not let thee go except thou bless me;" and "he blessed him there." The enjoyment of the blessing promised to Abraham in the covenant established with him and his seed, viewed generally, was what all the believing Israelites, all the genuine worshippers of the God of Israel, supremely desired. Their eye of faith, while engaged in prayer, was ever upon the blessing of Abraham, or the blessing in the covenant promises made to him. Such was the special blessing which Jabez sought, when he said, “ Bless me indeed.” was the blessing to which he attached so great importance.

Such

If, therefore, we would see fully and clearly, and with distinctness, what was included in the blessing which he so earnestly sought, we must still advert a little to some particular characteristics of the bless→ ing promised to Abraham. And (1.) It was a distinguishing blessing,

such a blessing as is not the common attainment of men, but is a fruit of sovereign, free, distinguishing grace in God. Abraham was distinguished among men by such a blessing from God. He was set apart as a godly one for himself; and similar is the privilege of all those among men to whom is granted the blessing which Jabez sought. (2.) It was an effective blessing. Men in their blessing God confer nothing upon him; they can add nothing to his infinite and eternal blessedness; they acknowledge with gratitude what he is in himself; and they declare and celebrate him as the Blessed God and the source

of all blessings. But God's blessing is effective. His New Covenant blessing makes the objects of it blessed indeed; it makes the poor rich, -the miserable, happy,-the diseased, whole, the hungry, full,-the weak, strong in him, the exposed, safe, and the corrupt, holy. (3.) It was a temporal blessing. God greatly blessed Abraham in all things. When he first gave the promise, Abraham was childless. The promise bore that God would make of him a great nation; and the divine faithfulness did not fail. But farther, a temporal inheritance in the good land of promise was included in the blessing of Abraham; and this, it is evident, Jabez sought. Temporal and earthly blessings belonged in a certain way to the former dispensation of the covenant of grace; they were, at least, as types and shadows, figures and earnests of spiritual and heavenly blessings; and were thus included in the blessing promised to Abraham, and in that sought by Jabez. (4.) It was a spiritual blessing. The principal matter of the blessing promised was spiritual, or what is vouchsafed to all saints. The greatest profusion-the fullest confluence of temporal and earthly good things cannot bless us indeed. In order to this, we must be made partakers of spiritual blessings, such as pardon, acceptance, peace with God, his favour, conformity to his likeness and will, and the enjoyment of his gracious presence with our spirits. These are blessings of the soul, conducing to its present and everlasting happiness,-blessings, all of which are enjoyed only through the mediation of Christ, the promised Messiah, the seed of the woman, the seed of Abraham, in whom alone men are spiritually blessed. As conferred, they are fruits of the Spirit, which is expressly said to be the blessing of Abraham that has come on us Gentiles by Jesus Christ. The Messiah himself was included in the blessing promised to Abraham, and with him all spiritual and heavenly blessings, of which the good things in Canaan were but types. Now, nothing less than what was included in the promise contemplated by his faith was sought by Jabez. (5.) In the blessing promised was comprehended the gift of righteousness as the ground of justification. This was a special part of the blessing conferred on Abraham, according to the promise. The righteousness imputed to him came not by the law, but was his through faith. Thus was he justified, and so interested in the permanent blessing of an everlasting righteousness then to be wrought by Messiah, and now, having been wrought out, revealed from faith to faith in the gospel. How the apostle Paul insists on this article of blessedness, in his epistle to the Romans, is deserving of notice, and may be seen in the fourth chapter, 2-8 verses: "What shall we then say that Abraham, our father as pertaining to the flesh, hath found? For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory, but not before God. For what saith the Scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness: even as David also describeth the righteousness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin." Are the people blessed who know the joyful sound? Is the man blessed

whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered, to whom the Lord will not impute sin? All this belonged to the blessing promised to Abraham, and sought by Jabez. In fine here (6), It was the blessing of grace, and at length of eternal glory. Grace reigns through righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord. This is the order in which salvation is now enjoyed; and it was the same from the beginning, and in all generations. The blessing of the grace of faith to believe the promise, of hope to expect its contents, and of love and joy; -nay, the spirit of all grace as a promised blessing, was sought by Jabez. And as the design of saving grace is to make its subjects meet for glory in the better world, can we doubt of this being desired by a genuine, evangelical worshipper of the God of Israel? Surely, as he looked, so he prayed, for "the better country, even the heavenly."

Such are a few of the leading parts of the comprehensive divine blessings sought by Jabez. It will not appear wonderful to any who duly consider them that he attached great importance to his being blessed of God indeed. Was it possible that he, or any enlightened believing worshipper could do otherwise? We proceed by remarking

II. His hearty acknowledgment of God's sovereignty in bestowing the blessing. This is indicated in the language of deference to the will of God which he employed: "Oh, that thou wouldest bless me indeed;" -words which, while they implied a persuasion that God could bless him to the full extent of his wishes, involved also an acknowledgment that the bestowment of the blessing was wholly of God's sovereign good pleasure: "Thou mightest justly not bless me indeed; instead of blessing, thou mightest pour out on me the curses that are written in the law for my transgressions and sins; but oh, that thou wouldest bless me.'"

The enjoyment of the all-important divine blessing" is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy.” "He doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; none can stay his hand, none may say unto him, What dost thou ?" "He worketh all things according to the good pleasure of his own will.". The exercise of this adorable sovereignty of Jehovah, the God of Israel, towards angels and men, is ever regulated by his infinite wisdom, and ever in perfect righteousness. Every heir of the blessing is brought to an acknowledgment of this,that he hath mercy on whom he will have mercy," and that there is no merit to procure the blessing in any of those whom he blesses indeed more than in others. As enjoyed by them, though through the merits of Messiah, the blessing is absolute and unconditional, depending on nothing in them, or done by them. Having its origin in his own sovereign free grace, it is dispensed to every one just according to the good pleasure of his own will; "for he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion." He claims this as one of his high and inalienable prerogatives,-as part of his glory which he will not give unto another; and, as he worketh in all saints both to will and to do of his good pleasure, they are disposed, with holy awe, humbly, yet heartily, to render to him the glory of his sovereignty, whether they give thanks in remembrance of his mercies, or supplicate him to bless

them indeed. If we have an instance of this here in Jabez, we have another in the words of Job:-" Will he plead against me with his great power?" (allowing that he might justly do so) but presuming or confidently hoping in his mercy that he would not do it; and so he adds, "No, but he would put strength within me." Our next remark isIII. The fervency of Jabez in prayer to obtain the blessing. His language expresses the earnest breathing of his soul,-" Oh that thou wouldest bless me." This earnestness implies, that there was a deep impression in his mind of his need of the blessing from God. It was a fervency inspired by faith in God, as the God of Israel, flowing fromfaith in his promises, and in his character as the hearer of prayer. Such fervency in prayer is common to the approved exercise of saints, and requisite to success at the throne of grace. The cold-hearted prayers of formalists, which are like as if they would freeze on their lips, are not successful with God. There is nothing in them of the wrestling which proceeds from a believing, feeling, ardent heart. It is the earnest, the inner-working fervent prayer of the righteous man which availeth much. Such was this prayer of Jabez. His views of the divine sovereignty, in bestowing the blessing, did not abate his ardour in pleading for it, because he knew it is to be obtained in the way of seeking for it with his whole heart,. from a sense of his need of it, and of its unspeakable value.

me?"

This is the way in which we should pray for the blessing. Let it be with longing of soul, with earnestness of desire, with liveliness and ardour of spirit. Oh," saith David, "when wilt thou come unto "Oh, send forth thy light and thy truth; let them lead me, let them guide me." "Oh, my God, my soul is east down in me, therefore will I remember thee." True religion is heart work. Acceptable prayer is the breathing of the heart to God, as our own God, for the blessings in his promises. A spark from God's altar kindles up the sacred ardour of the soul in seeking either for personal or public blessings from him. The cold, formal suppliant has never seen his own guilt and danger as a sinner, neither has he felt the want, nor seen the value and necessity, of the blessing of God. It was far otherwise with Jabez, and God granted him that which he requested.

Let us learn from these statements the great importance of being blessed indeed of the God of Israel.. Let us remember, that we are under a more enlarged dispensation of the blessing which Jabez sought and obtained. The preaching of the gospel is a dispensation of spiritual blessings, held forth in free promises unto those who are naturally under all the threatenings of the law's curse. The blessing of Abraham has thus come unto us Gentiles, that we may seek the enjoyment of it by faith and prayer. Adore God's supremacy and sovereignty, while you recognise your dependence on him, and are earnest with him that may bless you indeed.

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W. H. H.

NO. VI. VOL. III.