their own righteousness in opposition to the righteousness of Jesus. Thus Jeshurun "waxed fat and kicked thou art waxen fat, thou art grown thick; thou art covered with fatness. Then he forsook God which made him, and lightly esteemed the Rock (the Christ) of his salvation.” (Deut. xxxii. 15.) Hence also, such characters are said to be "enclosed in their own fat." (Ps. xvii. 16.) If these views be well founded, it may serve also by way of additional testimony to the truth of Scripture, that the law in all points was but a shadow, the body is Christ. And JEHOVAH SO strikingly saying," all the fat is the Lord's," (Lev. iii. 16.) sets forth that Christ is the Christ of God. (1 Cor. iii. 23.)

FATHER. This name in Scripture hath many applications. Not only the father of a family and head of an house or tribe, but also it is frequently put for the inventor of any art or science. Thus Jubal is said to have been the father of such as dwell in tents; and "Tubal the father of all such as handle the harp or organ." (Gen. iv. 20.) And in a yet more interesting sense, the word of God calls them father, who stand distinguished in the church in a way of pre-eminency, such as Abraham, the father of the faithful, so called for the greatness of his faith. And so on the contrary, the wicked and ungodly are called evil. Hence Christ told the enemies of his gospel, "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do.” (John viii. 44.)

But while we carefully attend to these distinctions, respecting the application of the name of father in Scripture, it should be always kept in remembrance that the name Father is in a peculiar and blessed sense had in special reference to God, as "the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named." (Eph.iii. 14, 15.)

Hence, in relation to him under this sweet appellation and character, the Lord Jesus himself said to Mary after he arose from the dead, "I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God." (John xx. 17.) Christ also is the everlasting Father of his church and people. (Isa. ix. 6.) I refer the reader to what was said under the article Abba, for the farther view of the blessedness of this relationship. Nothing can be more sweet or consolatory. (Let the reader consult also those Scriptures, Matt. xxiii. 9. Isa. Ixiii. 16. Mal. ii. 10.)

FEAR. There are several ideas intended to be conveyed to the mind, by that passion which is called in Scripture fear. There is but one creature in the creation of God, that is said to be wholly void of fear, namely, the leviathan. (Job xli. 33.) The fear for the most part spoken of by the word of God, is what relates to our nature, of which there is athreefold description, natural fear, sinful fear and holy fear. Since the fall of man, the whole race of Adam have known the effects both of natural and sinful fear; none but the regenerated are acquainted with what is known in Scripture by a religious, or holy fear.

Natural and slavish fear, arising from a conscious sense of sin, manifested itself immediately upon the fall, when Adam sought to hide himself from the presence of the Lord amidst the trees of the garden. (See Gen, iii. 8.) But when a poor sinner is awakened from the sleep and death of sin, and brought forth to a new and spiritual life, "perfect love casteth out fear." Hence the apostle saith, "Ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Rom. viii. 15.) It is very blessed when freed from slavish fear. And it is

very blessed to have that child-like fear which marks the Lord's people. And it is very blessed to discover how the slavish fear which bringeth bondage is removed, and from whence the holy child-like fear is derived. The sweet promise of God by the prophet explains the whole. (Jer. xxxii. 40.) "I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me."

I will only add, for the comfort and encouragement of the Lord's timid and tried ones, who, in the midst of strong faith, feel at times much natural fear, that it is sweetly accommodating to consider the Lord Jesus Christ, in the days of his flesh, was graciously pleased in this, as in all other points of grace, to be our example. Of Jesus it is said, that "though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience, by the things which he suffered. And in the days of his flesh he offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears, unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared." (Heb. v. 7, 8.) Sweet and precious thought! "Jesus who knew no sin, yet coming to us in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh, knew what it was to be sore amazed, to be sorrowful even unto death, to fear, and to be very heavy. Reader, think how Jesus sympathizes with his people under their fears, and heaviness, and sorrow of heart.

FEASTS. In the Jewish church we find much said

concerning the festivals observed; and what makes the subject important is, that they were of the Lord's own appointment. They had the constant feast of the Sabbath every seventh day, in commemoration of the Lord's resting on the seventh

day from the works of creation. And when the church was formed in the wilderness, they had the several feasts as appointed in regular order. The feast of the Passover, typical of the Lord Jesus Christ, on their going out of Egypt. The feast of Pentecost, the fifteenth day from the Passover, in commemoration of the giving of the Law on mount Sinai, fifty days after the people left Egypt. They had also the feast of Tabernacles, which formed the third great feast of the year, in which all the males were enjoined to appear before the Lord. (Deut. xvi. 16.) These were among the standing feasts appointed by the Lord in the church of Israel.

But beside these, they had others by the same appointment. The feast of Trumpets of the New Moon; the feasts of Expiation, or, as the Jews called it, Chippur; that is, pardon; because on this day it was considered, that an act of grace took place from heaven, for the cleansing the sins and infirmities of all the people through the year. What a striking allusion to that great day of the Lord Jesus, when "by the one offering of himself once offered, he perfected for ever them that were sanctified!" (Heb. x. 14.) And what a beautiful correspondence to the same, was the prophet Zechariah's account of this glorious event, when speaking in the person of the Lord of hosts: “I will remove the iniquity of that land in one day.” (Zech. iii. 9.)

In this account of the Jewish feasts we must not overlook the feast of Jobel, or Jubilee Trumpets, in the forty-ninth year, called the Sabbatical year, or seven times seven. For surely, nothing could be more striking as typical of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord made a blessed provision, by this feast, for the freedom of every poor captive in the land.

I refer the reader to the account of it in the Scriptures themselves, (Lev. xxv. throughout ;) for it would not come within the limits of the present work, to go through the particulars. But of all the subjects in the Jewish church, which pointed in a direct allusion to the Lord Jesus Christ, there is not one more striking. And I venture to believe, that though this trumpet was never sounded but once in forty-nine years, and consequently few, if any, ever heard it before, or ever lived to hear it a second Jubilee, yet there was not a soul in the camp but understood the joyful sound, and felt the meaning (if I may be allowed the expression,) like the archangel's trumpet, as it will be understood by all flesh, when Jesus comes to judgment. The rigorous master on the morning of the Jubilee, whose tyranny then expired, understood by it his sentence. And what were the feelings of the poor oppressed servant, whom the Lord hath then made free, when the mor nirgshered in the sound of the blessed, though never before heard, trumpet!

I hope the reader will not overlook the sweetest and most interesting part of this feast of the Jubilee. It was the Lord Jesus in his great salvation who was thus proclaimed. Every poor sinner, captive to Satan, sin, and hell, who heard the sound, heard it in the sweet voice, "Ye have sold yourselves for nought, and ye shall be redeemed without money, saith the Lord.” (Isa, lii. 3.)

I think it highly proper, before I dismiss this article concerning the Jewish feasts, to remark to the reader, the distinguishing privilege we enjoy in the Christian church, in having all in one the sum and substance of every feast in the person, work, grace, and glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have our Christian Sabbaths weekly, in which we