trampled under foot; then there was no sin; now sin has raised a whole world into rebellion; but when the rest cometh, that same world will be once more subjected to the will of God. Then there was no Church of the first-born, now he is gathering his little band in the midst of opposition; and when he cometh, there will be the vast multitude adorned as the bride for the bridegroom, and presented as a chaste virgin to the Lord.

And oh! how vastly does it exceed the rest after an earthly victory! There are no laurels here which are not stained with blood, no shout of the conqueror that is not blended with the groans of the dying, or the sob of the widow. But he will carry his little band through the heat of the battle, and not suffer one to perish. There will not be wanting one single follower of the Lamb, nor left upon the battle-field one single child of God. The bravest and the boldest, who had stood in the forefront of the fray, will be before the throne, untouched by the enemy; and the weakest and the gentlest, whose tender spirit had shrunk from the turmoil, will be there likewise, all holding the palm of victory, and all rejoicing in the triumph of their King.

Lastly. It will be the rest of satisfied love. The great joy of that rest appears to consist in

this, that He will then be able to give unfettered vent to his love; love will then flow forth unchecked by sin. Thus we read, Zeph. iii. 17, "The Lord thy God in the midst of thee is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice over thee with joy; he will rest in his love, he will joy over thee with singing;" the idea of which passage is evidently this, that his love will then have its full exercise; and, therefore, he will rest. So long as there shall be anything which Divine love can purpose for his people, but which is not yet prepared, there is no rest to our Covenant Head; but when he comes he will rest, for his love, though infinite, will be satisfied. There is in it

a height and depth, and length and breadth, that passeth knowledge, but then the whole will be full. There will be nothing remaining, nothing undone; all will be finished, all complete; and he will rejoice over us with joy, while he rests in the blessedness of unfathomable and unfettered love.

There are many great conclusions which follow naturally from this blessed subject, but I had rather confine our attention to the use which the Spirit of God himself has made of it. He does not employ it simply for encouragement, but for warning: "Let us, therefore, fear," and "Let us, therefore, labour," are his words. "Let us fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you

hould seem to come short of it." "Let us labour to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief." The solemn point in these words is, that they were not spoken to the world, or to the heathen, but to professed believers, to members of the visible Church, to persons bearing the name of Jesus. And do they not teach us, with overwhelming power, that while we look for our rest in Him we must not be resting in the mere externals of religion? There is a wide distinction between the untaught heathen, and the professing Christian; but there is a distinction wider still between the merely nominal believers and the people of God. To enjoy this rest we must be of this latter class, born again of the Holy Ghost, justified in the Lord's righteousness, sanctified by his Spirit, and kept safe in his right hand. And now, brethren, the prize is before us: in a few short years, it may be ours; a little while, yea, perhaps, a very little while, and we may be found with all God's people, perfect before the throne. Shall the hands hang down, then, and the spirit slumber,―shall we be content to sleep at the very time that our heart waketh? Before the throne they rest not day or night in praise, and shall we on earth be content to rest in prayer? We must not rest content with an easy, luxurious, and self-indulgent pro

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fession, as if this were our home, and this our resting-place before God. We must not rest in outward truth, but reach on for the fixed assurance that we are safe in the right hand of the Lord; nor must we rest in past experiences, but be marching on with a progressive faith to victory. There is a mighty work to be done, a deadly enemy to be subdued, a triumphant Captain to be followed, and a glorious rest to be won. Press onward, then, believer; gird up the loins of thy mind, be sober, and hope to the end; nor ever cherish fond dreams of rest till he comes forth in his kingdom, and unites his whole elect in undivided rest before his throne. Then we may all rest without a fear, for he himself shall rest in the midst of us, yea, shall rest in his love, and shall joy over us with singing. The Lord grant that we and our children may be found amongst his people at that day!

LECTURE VI.

THE MELCHISEDEC PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST IN THE PRESENT AND COMING DISPENSATIONS.

BY THE REV. T. R. BIRKS, M.A.,

RECTOR OF KELSHALL, HERTS.

HEBREWS V. 10.

"Called of God, an high priest after the order of Melchisedec."

THE discoveries of modern science are great and wonderful. Every part of the book of nature has been searched with eager assiduity, and innumerable secrets have been brought to light. Men, for the first time, have awakened to a clearer sense of the grandeur of the material universe. The heavens have now begun, more wonderfully than ever, to declare the glory of God, and the firmament, in truths never dreamed of by Chal