“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery [“a thing to be seized upon and held fast”] to be equal with God: but emptied himself, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men.” Phil. 2: 5-7.
In the first chapter of Hebrews, as we have seen, Christ’s likeness to God is set forth in greater detail than in any other one portion of Scripture.
This likeness to God, as set forth in the first chapter of Hebrews, is only introductory to the setting forth of His likeness to men, as in the second chapter of Hebrews.
His likeness to God, as in the first chapter of Hebrews, is the only basis of true understanding of His likeness to men, as in the second chapter of Hebrews.
And this likeness to God as given in the first chapter of Hebrews, is likeness,—not in the sense of a mere picture, or representation; but is likeness in the sense of being actually like in very nature,—the very “impress of His substance,” Spirit of Spirit, substance of substance, with God.
And this is His likeness to men: not merely in shape, in picture, or representation, but in nature, in very substance. Otherwise, the whole first chapter of Hebrews, with all its detail of information, is, in that connection, utterly meaningless and misplaced.
What, then, is this truth of Christ made in the likeness of men, as given in the second chapter of Hebrews?
Bearing in mind the great thought of the first chapter, and the first four verses of the second chapter,—of Christ in contrast with the angels, higher than the angels, as God,—we begin with the fifth verse of the second chapter, where begins the thought of Christ in contrast with the angels: lower than the angels, as man.
So we read: “For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see Jesus.” Heb. 2: 5-9.
That is to say, God has not put into subjection to the angels the world to come; but He has put it in subjection to man: yet not the man to whom it was originally put in subjection; for, though it was so, now we see it not so. The man lost his dominion, and, instead of having all things in subjection under his feet, he himself is now in subjection to death. And he is in subjection to death only because he is in subjection to sin; for “by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” Rom. 5: 12. He is in subjection to death because he is in subjection to sin; for death is the only wages of sin.
Nevertheless, it stands eternally true that not unto the angels hath He put in subjection the world to come, but unto man. And, now,JESUS CHRIST is THE MAN.
For, though having been put in subjection to man, and though now we see it not so; though man was given the dominion over all, and now we see that dominion lost to that particular man; yet we do “see Jesus,” as man, come to regain that original dominion. We do “see Jesus,” as man, come to have all things put in subjection under Him.
That man was the first Adam; this other Man is the last Adam. That first Adam was made a little lower than the angels; this last Adam, Jesus, we see “made a little lower than the angels.”
That first man did not remain in the position where he was made, “lower than the angels.” He lost that, and went still lower, and became subject to sin, and, in that, subject to suffering, even to the suffering of death.
And the last Adam we see in the same place, in the same condition: “We see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death.” And again: “Both He that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all OF ONE.”
He which sanctifieth is Jesus. They who are sanctified are men of all nations, kindreds, tongues, and peoples. And one man sanctified, out of any nation, any kindred, any tongue, or any people, is divine demonstration that every soul of that nation, kindred, tongue, or people might have been sanctified. And Jesus’ having become one with these, that He might bring them to glory, is proof that He is one with mankind altogether; that He, as man, and all men themselves, are “all of one: for which cause He is not ashamed to call them brethren.”
Therefore, as He was, in heaven, He was higher than the angels, as God; so, as He was, on earth, He was lower than the angels, as man. As when He was higher than the angels, as God, He and God were of one; so when He was on the earth, lower than the angels, as man, He and man are “of one.” So that, just as certainly as, on the side of God, Jesus and God are of one—of one Spirit, of one nature, of one substance; so, on the side of man, Christ and man are “of one”—of one flesh, of one nature, of one substance.
And so it is further written: “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also himself likewise took part of the same.” As man, Christ is of the same flesh as is that of men. As man, He is of the same blood as is that of men. He is of “the same” flesh and blood as are the children of men. They are “all of one.”
And so it is further written: “Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto his brethren.”
The likeness of Christ to God is in substance as well as in form. And the likeness of Christ to man is in substance as well as in form. Otherwise, there is no meaning at all in the first chapter of Hebrews as introductory to the second chapter; no meaning at all in the parallels of contrast between the first and second chapters; and the first chapter is utterly out of place, and empty, as a basis of instruction to the second chapter.
Please think carefully on these two chapters till this time next week, when they will be considered further.
Teaching Good English
The Chicago Times-Herald, referring to the German emperor's decree making English a study in the German schools, remarks: “We hope it will be better English than they teach in some of our colleges.” Yes, and it is safe to say that it will be. Very few of the teachers in the colleges in the United States ever learned good English, while they were students, their time being largely spent on Greek and Latin, which they do not learn to speak, and never expect to learn to speak; and having never learned good English, how can they teach it? There is no living language so rich, so strong, so precise, as is the English—good English, English rightly used.
CATHOLIC FEDERATION
According to appointment, the “great meeting” to promote Catholic Federation, was held in New York City, November 29. There were “fifty delegates, representing one million one hundred thousand Roman Catholics.” They decided “to form a federation of the Roman Catholics in the United States.” Strictly according to Catholic principle, too, these “preliminary steps toward organization were taken at a secret meeting.” It was held at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. These fifty delegates represent “fourteen Catholic organizations in various States of the Union.”
Among the societies represented at the meeting were the Knights of St. John, Catholic Benevolent Legion, Ancient Order of Hibernians, Irish Catholic Benevolent Union, League of German Societies of Pennsylvania, Catholic Mutual Benefit Association, Catholic Total Abstinence Union of America, Catholic Young Men’s National Union, Catholic German State Union of New York, and the General Benevolent Association.
The meeting lasted four hours. At its close it was announced that a committee of ten, with Thomas P. McKenna, of Long Branch, N. J., as chairman, had been appointed to draft plans of the proposed federation, and report to a convention to be held in Cincinnati, May 7, 1901. A Committee on Organization, with Congressman John J. Fitzgerald, of Brooklyn, as chairman, was chosen.
The federation will be a lay organization purely. While, however, the Roman Catholic hierarchy, said a delegate, takes no official cognizance of the movement, it has the entire approval of the heads of the Church.
A schedule to guide the deliberation of the leaders for federation has been drawn up by Bishop Messmer, of Green Bay, Wis., in which there is given the following items, under division:—
III. CIVIL.
a. Religious rights of Catholics.
1. In State institutions (reformatories, prisons, workhouses, orphans’ and insane asylums, etc.).
2. In the public schools (sectarian exercises and Bible, anti-Catholic text-books, discrimination against Catholic teachers, Catholic candidates for graduation and diplomas, compulsion to State schools, etc.).
3. Chaplains in the army and navy, veterans’ homes.
b. The Catholic Indians.
c. Taxation of Church property.
d. Support of sectarian (Protestant) institutions.
e. Corruption in politics (bribery at elections, in the Legislature).
Among his remarks upon this, are the following:—
3. In our public or civil life, to vindicate our full rights as citizens under the Constitution of the United States (to this refers the civic work).
In all these we believe that we are working for the real welfare and the true interests of our country, as we see in the Catholic religion and its principles the surest guaranty of peace and happiness for a nation.
As has been continuously done by the Catholic hierarchy, in connection with this idea of federation, he next takes special pains to disavow any political object in the accomplishment of this federation; and then immediately follows the disavowal with the significant political statement:—
Yet we can not and shall not keep away from politics altogether. Catholic interests, religious and civil, are greatly affected in many of our public institutions, the management of which is subject to legislation and the ruling of public offices—whether State or federal. If it becomes necessary to claim or defend our full religious and civil rights as American citizens or those of our Catholic fellow citizens in these public institutions, it must be done through just and proper laws and lawyers; that is, through political action or influence. Again, should the social questions and troubles of the day become a matter of public or political agitation, Catholic citizens will be bound by a duty of religion as well as of citizenship to take part in it. The foregoing political duties, however, devolve on every Catholic809citizen, whether he be a member of a Catholic organization or not. While, therefore, in the very nature of the case, this federation is to be, at certain times or under certain conditions, forced to exert a political influence, yet it will never do so for merely temporal, material, or purely political purposes; it will never “go into politics pure and simple.”
And, behold! this Catholic Federation, made up altogether of Catholics, solely to accomplish Catholic ends,—this, the people are assured, is “not to be ‘sectarian,’” especially not “in a narrow, bigoted sense.”
Somewhat after the order of the Protestant Federation scheme, this federation will include—all co-operation with non-Catholic organizations or individuals. But wherever our field is the same as theirs, and wherever we can join our efforts with theirs on the basis of a common Christian principle of morality, without the danger of scandalizing the weaker brethren, we shall gladly work hand in hand for the best of our fellow men. Anyone who looks over our program must see at a glance the many points of contact where Catholics can work together with Protestants toward a happy solution of the burning social questions, toward eliminating or lessening some social evils, toward removing many public disadvantages, disability, etc. There is no reason why a Catholic federation should not exercise its powerful influence where non-Catholic organizations have been trying to do good long before an organized effort had been made by Catholics.
Under this thing, pushed from both sides by both “Protestants” and Catholics, when the day does come in which Protestants shall reach across the gulf to clasp the hand of the Roman power, that gulf will seem to them to be very narrow.—If, indeed, there shall appear to them to be any gulf at all. These are interesting times.
The Christian Powers’ Troubling Outlook
In speaking of the foreign work of Germany, Britain, and the United States in particular, the New York Times, November 30, says:—
The behavior and attitude of the three leading Christian Powers, toward the end of the second millennium of the so-called Christian era, afford a singular commentary upon their pretentions and upon the Christian civilization which they pretend to represent. It would take a very unscrupulous optimist to say that the outlook was encouraging.
WHO WILL ESCAPE THE PLAGUES?
By B. G. Wilkinson
The manner in which God’s wrath is poured out in the seven last plagues leaves no room for an intercessor in man’s behalf. The wrath of God expressed in those last terrible judgments is no new thing. It has been slumbering for ages. Since the fall of man, high heaven has witnessed the violation of God’s laws. God has beheld throughout the centuries the cruel and malignant treatment of His saints. But on every occasion when outraged justice has risen in terrible retribution, there has been One who raised His wounded hands, and pleaded, “Spare them yet a little longer.”
In the outpouring of the seven last plagues this Intercessor will have stepped aside. God’s silence, kept so long because of Christ’s mediation, is now broken. His wrath, unchecked by the pleadings of His Son, will have no obstacle in its way. And terrible is its path. When those scourges begin to come, they will be unendurable except by those who have been previously sealed by God, thus enabling them to stand without an intercessor.
Each one of the vial angels knows his work. John first sees them as they are commissioned to their task. It is evident that when John first catches sight of them (Rev. 15:1), they are within the temple; for the sixth verse of this chapter says: “And the seven angels came out of the temple,” and “one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God.” They issue forth from the temple, and line up in front of its heavenly walls. Then “no man was able to enter into the temple” till they had performed their duty. As man enters into that temple through his great high priest, Jesus Christ, Christ must have gone forth to enter not again “till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled.” Lined up in front of the temple, the angels stand with their vials full.
Then “I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth,” Rev. 16:1. Each angel knows his duty. They have seen the sealing work, which had gone on within the temple. They were shown the names of those who had received the Spirit of Jesus and were faithful to His law. These they are to spare. They also learned the names of those who had turned from the mercy of God, who had despised His messages; and upon them they were directed to let fall the vengeance of God.
The plagues of the seven angels will be terrible; but before they fall, a message of warning is to be given that all may escape. God unmistakably makes known upon whom it is that these judgments fall. God never punishes for sins without first pointing out what the sins are, and giving the sinner an opportunity to repent and escape.
Those upon whom the plagues will fall are indicated in Rev. 18:4: “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” The plagues belong to her; her is indicated in verse 2: “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” Babylon, because she is fallen, is the one to whom the plagues belong. This fall can not be a literal, physical fall; because in these days of newspapers, telegraphs, and cables, it would be unnecessary for a mighty angel to descend from heaven to announce the fall of a great city. It must therefore be a spiritual fall. In this case Babylon properly represents the fallen churches, the only organized multitudes who could spiritually fall. The churches in their fallen state are saved awhile from the bolts of God’s wrath, until He calls His people out from them. All who will hear His call will come out from among the unclean, and be saved.
The burning question of the issue is, How many will hear the call? So terribly has Babylon fallen that it will need the piercing Spirit of God to dispel the blindness from some eyes. Though a man is unclean and filthy, he may change, if he can realize his condition. But if he can not be awakened to his uncleanness, his case is quite hopeless. Babylon has become unclean in her desires and conditions, yet she is unable to realize it. The Spirit says: “Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become . . . a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.”
Suppose a man had recently built an elegant house, and wished to furnish it like a palace. To make his home melodious with the music of birds, he goes to a keeper of birds and buys—what?—A heron. What estimate would people place on his judgment when they should behold this unclean and awkward fowl occupying a cage within his dwelling? Such a choice has Babylon made. So blind has she grown that she can not discern the difference between a clean and an unclean bird. She chooses to be “a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.” This blindness and her resulting sins call upon her the seven last plagues. And the fateful question now before each person is, How many shall hear the warning and escape? Let us see.
Connected with the mighty angel as he descends from heaven with heavy tread, two things attract John’s attention. First, the angel has great power. But that which attracts the more attention is, “The whole earth was lightened with his glory.” Whether this glory consists in the saintly character of the messengers, the convicting power of their message, or the signs which follow the spoken word, or of all these combined, we do not know. Whatever it is, we do know that it lightens the whole earth.
But of the whole earth which sees this glory, how many so fully comprehend the message of the angel that they are warned by it?—Not all. For in the wake of this mighty angel there comes a voice from heaven, calling: “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” A small number only is reached by that voice. They are my people. Here is a case similar to Paul’s when he was journeying to Damascus. A great light from heaven fell about him; a voice from heaven spoke. He saw and heard. Yet the men who traveled with him saw the light and heard the sound, but could distinguish no voice. So it is with the warning against the coming of the plagues. The whole earth will see the light of that mighty angel, and will hear the sound, but only God’s people will distinguish the voice.
Confronted by this critical situation, one may ask, What causes this fatal deafness? Here again God’s word does not leave us in ignorance. He speaks of the causes. They are hard to be confessed, and difficult to be plucked from the ‘carnal heart. Here they are: “How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her.” Rev. 18:7. Instead of seeking to glorify God, the receiver of the plagues has walked in the unsatisfying paths of self-glorification. The spiritual eye became darkened, and the spiritual ear too deaf to hear the warning of God. The next step was to find his highest delight in yielding to the forbidden desires of appetite. God has entreated these last-day sinners to cease their destructive gratifications. He placed before them higher delight. But no; slowly the soul became dulled and its spiritual perceptions blunted. Transgression soon lost its seriousness, and sins reached unto heaven. And the sinner slept on until awakened by the falling plagues.
But there is a class who will hear and will escape. Who are they?—Those who in these remaining hours of probation have gained by God’s grace the victory over selfishness and the gratification of appetite. Shall you? Shall I?
B. G. WILKINSON.
EDITORS’ NOTE: This is the third in the series of eight studies on The Plagues. The next article will be “The First Plague.” Your friend should read these articles. Invest twenty-five cents in a two-months’ subscription for him. If you can invest fifty cents to send these eight articles to TWO friends, so much the better. We can furnish the back numbers. You may pay in postage stamps if you wish.
THE PLAGUES
“YEA” AND “AMEN”
By Uriah Smith
A seemingly trivial incident, and an ungenerous remark, led the apostle Paul to utter one of the most precious declarations of all the Scriptures.
The incident was this: The apostle had been purposing to visit the church at Corinth, and informed them so. See 1 Cor. 4:18, 19. But afterward, for sufficient reason, he changed his mind, and did not visit them at the time he first intended.
The ungenerous remark was that this change showed that Paul was not to be trusted, as he was of a fickle and changeable mind. Paul, in answer, assured them that he was not governed by any low or worldly considerations, or any human plans; for he was preaching the gospel; and the gospel was to be preached with a steady and settled purpose, not in any wayward and haphazard manner. And he challenges them to show that he used “lightness,” or fickleness, in his work, or that his companions had so done, so that their words were “yea, yea,” or “nay, nay.” 2 Cor. 1:17-19. This led him to remark that the gospel preached by them was not yea and nay, but in Jesus Christ, who was preached, it was yea. And that led him on to remark still further in regard to the promises of God, and make the wonderful declaration to which we have referred. Here it is: “For all the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him amen, unto the glory of God by us.” Verse 20.
Such is his declaration, and the reasons that led to it. The whole subject of the promises is here laid before us. The first thought suggested is that of the nature and dignity of these promises. They are not the promises of men, or of any human organization, which is subject to change, and decay, and uncertainty in its ways; but they are the promises of the great God. They were made by Him according to His own purpose and will. They are the links between what He has decided, and what He will carry out into acts. They are of the same nature with himself, unchangeable and eternal. They remain with Him, as His ever-present purposes and plans. A thousand years may elapse, and nothing10openly appear, but they are just as much His promises as when they were spoken at first; for with Him a thousand years are as one day, and one day as a thousand years. 2 Peter 3:8. And He is not slack in reference to His promises, as some men count slackness.
What is His guarantee of the fulfillment of these promises?—It is His own character confirmed with an oath. Paul very beautifully expresses this in Heb. 6:13. God desired to make plain unto men the immutability of His counsel. He therefore determined to confirm it with an oath. But, standing as the highest Being in the universe, by whom should He swear, to make His word more sure?—He rose to the supreme height of the occasion, and swore by himself. “That,” says the apostle, we might have “two immutable things” upon which to rest for assurance. These two “immutable things” are (1) the promise of God, which is as sure as the heavens and the earth, and all things in the universe; and (2) the oath of God, which is as sure as His own being, uttered upon himself, and superadded to His promise. And back of all this is the next highest Being in the universe, that is, His own Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. For the apostle says that it is “in Him” that the promises are yea, and in Him that they are amen. This is indeed the “oath for confirmation,” of which the apostle speaks. Nothing, then, short of the fulfillment of the promises could glorify Him. Any failure would prove disastrous to Him, His throne, and the universe which He has made.
And how wide-sweeping and comprehensive are these promises to which the apostle refers?—He says, “All the promises.” They include all that are contained in the Old Testament, as well as those that are in the New. They take in all that is symbolized in nature,—the glories of the lilies, showing the beauty of a holy character; the awakening to life of all the vegetable world, from the death and decay of winter, beautiful representation of the resurrection; the glory of the heavens in their undimmed splendor, fitly representing the cheering prospect of redemption; for “they that turn many to righteousness [shall shine] as the stars forever and ever.”
The promises pertain to all manner of conditions, bodily as well as spiritual, general and personal, temporal and eternal. They contain blessings for a great variety of characters, the penitent and believing, the serving and suffering, the praying and obeying. The Lord says that if His people will confess and turn away from their iniquity, He will remember His covenant, and be merciful to them. Lev. 26:41-44; Isa. 55:7; Jer. 3:12, 13. To the believing everlasting life is promised (John 3:16); and in every nation he that feareth God and worketh righteousness is promised acceptance with Him. Acts 10:35. To all that call upon Him He is near. Ps. 145:18. Those who are “willing and obedient” have the promise that they shall eat the good of the land (Isa. 1:19); and those who are willing to suffer with Christ have the promise of reigning with Him. 2 Tim. 2:12. The wealth of the promises is most marvelous; for they embrace the whole plan of salvation. Rom. 4:13; Heb. 11:9. And all these promises are, in Christ, yea, and in Him, amen.
The use of these two words, one from the Greek, and the other from the Hebrew, shows that the promises span the whole range of the inhabitants of this world, Jew and Gentile. Yea, “it is so,” he says in the Greek tongue to all the Gentiles; and Amen, “so let it be,” He says in the Hebrew tongue to all His people; and when God says this, in reference to anything, can it be otherwise? Whatever purpose the Lord sets the seal of these declarations to, that is established beyond all doubt, and confirmed beyond all alteration. Their stability in Christ is placed beyond all hazard; for Christ is the witness of the promises of God. He is the surety of the covenant, the sum and substance of all things.
And consider what part of His work He has already accomplished. His incarnation has been completed. He has lived a life of humility, suffering, and patience, and by His death has offered “one sacrifice for sins forever,” and has ascended on high with power, to the right hand of the throne of the Majesty on high. His humiliation and sacrifice are all accomplished. These crucial epochs at which a trembling universe might have looked for Him to shrink from His great undertaking, and thrust the cup of woe from His lips, are past; and the work He did has secured the approbation and acceptance of His Father. Never will He have to do this work over, nor ever again will He have to face such ordeals in the fulfillment of His work. And now, standing as He does on the verge of His crowning triumph, we may be sure He will not abandon the task, and leave His people to perish.
But it seems that we have ourselves something to do in this matter; for it says that the promises are in Him yea, and in Him amen, “unto the glory of God by us.” What is the meaning of the words “by us”? Are we, in any particular, essential to the glory of God in the promises; that is, in the carrying out of these promises in Jesus Christ?—So it reads, “Unto the glory of God by us.” But how can we do anything that is to the glory of God, in reference to the promises?—We glorify God when we show our gratitude by adoring and magnifying His love and condescension in making such promises. We glorify His power as we see Him keeping His promises, and manifesting to the world the evidences that He is moving forward in majesty in the accomplishment of His grand designs, and showing Himself true to His beneficent purposes toward His children. We glorify Him by manifesting our faith in His promises, and showing to the world that we are willing to trust them, and walk out upon them. We thus honor His veracity by showing that we live in expectation of all the good and blessings which He has promised; as, for instance, “We know that all things work together for good to them that love God.” We glorify Him by giving evidence in our experiences that He is fulfilling to us the blessings we are entitled to enjoy at the present moment. And when the promises are reduced by us to actual experience, when it is seen that they are cleansing us from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, making us partakers of the divine nature, leading us to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called, filling us with kindness and benevolence, supporting us cheerfully, to endure all trials,—it is then that God is glorified in the promises “by us.” If we are ever tempted to doubt in regard to the strength of the promises, the love of God, our duty, and the hope of life, the life of Christ ever answers, Yea, and ever, Amen, in reply to all our misgivings. “They are the promises of God. They are sure to be fulfilled; and you shall have strength to share in their fulfillment. You may hold to them in the darkness, you may follow where they lead, and you may call upon them when defeated. You may answer to their call. For to all of them the life of Christ, the love and holiness that speak in His life and death, forever say, ‘Yea,’ and forever, ‘Amen.’ This was the fixed purpose of Christ, to show in His life the certainty and fulfillment of the promises of God.”—Frederick Temple. And we are here to live the life of Christ, and testify to the world the reality of the gospel of Christ. Thus shall we be the light of the world, by letting our light shine before men.
In the unearthed streets of ancient Pompeii are still to be seen the elevated stepping stones at the intersections of the street, by which pedestrians might be able to cross the streets in times of flood, or impediments of any kind. The promises of God are just such stepping stones to the Christian. They enable him to cross streets of difficulty, pass over deceptive quicksands, or even sloughs of despond.
But we must lean, not so much upon the promises themselves, as upon Christ contained in the promises. An anonymous writer says: “Whence comes it that so many souls bring promises to the throne of grace, and carry so little away from it?—They lean upon the promises, without leaning upon Christ in the promises. Promises are like the clothes we wear. If there is life in the body, they warm us. But if there is no life in us, the promises do not affect us. We might as well try to quicken a corpse with stimulants, or warm a marble statue with clothing.” The promises are like alabaster boxes of ointment. As long as they are closed, they emit no fragrance; but when they are broken, the whole house is filled with perfume. So the promises must be vitalized by our faith. Then our lives will be filled with fragrance, and thus the promises will be “unto the glory of God by us.” U. S.
