to us, we are taught that our place is" without the camp bearing His reproach" (xiii. 13). The principles of our calling will surely lead to separation from this evil world, not merely from its ungodliness, excess, and folly, but from its whole course and current, its schemes, politics, and glory, knowing that all is soon to be dissolved, and that our kingdom is one that cannot be moved.

We learn from this Epistle what power this heavenly hope had over the lives and conversation of these early Christians; they "endured a great fight of afflictions.. were made a gazing-stock, gazing-stock, both by reproaches and afflictions took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing that they had "in heaven a better and an enduring substance" (x. 32-34.)

...

The statements made concerning "the rest" in chapters iii. and iv. and in chapter xi. are well worthy of notice.

The Lord brought Israel into the Promised Land, and blessed them in it, notwithstanding their forfeiture of every blessing by making the calf, and their subsequent rebellions; but for all that, it was not " His rest," nor could it be upon the terms and covenant they agreed to take it, conditional upon their obedience; for He can find rest alone in the provisions of His own grace. This rest of God in them and the Land is yet future, and cannot be till Israel is restored, and all the promises made to Abraham are fulfilled, through the blood of the Mediator of the New Covenant.

This is yet future, as well as the heavenly inheritance of Christians, so that it can be said to us, "There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God."

But of Israel it might be asked, Had they not rest when brought into Canaan? They had in measure; but it was not God's rest: "For if Joshua had given them rest, then would he [David] not have spoken of another day" iv. 8; and this was spoken by David at least four hundred years after Joshua had brought them into the Land, proving that God looked upon the rest as yet future. So David himself felt at the close of his career:-"For we are strangers before Thee, and sojourners as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and there is none abiding" (1 Chron. xxix. 15). And the faith of many of the saints from Abraham onwards seemed to have looked beyond the dispensational and national promises to Israel to a heavenly hope, 66 a better country, that is, a heavenly"—" a city which hath foundations,"-" a better resurrection," and so walked individually as pilgrims and strangers, suffering from the world, despising its pleasures and glory, and thus become a more direct example to us; but if these are not enough, let us "consider Him" even Jesus, the Prince of faith, who for the joy that was set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

We have then to bear in mind, "that this is not our rest, it is polluted", and walk accordingly, not in self-enjoyment and establishment, but hasting through the world, thankful for the rest our souls have now by faith in Christ, but still waiting for the rest of God.

2ndly. Our Worship. The second division of the subject leads to the consideration of the bearing which the truth of "the Heavenly Calling" has upon our Worship.

Here again we must remember the prominent features of Israel's worship, and the very strong hold which all the offices and ordinances connected with it had over their minds and affections. We can well understand this:First. Because they were of Divine appointment, and so sacred in their eyes.

Secondly. They were the tokens of God's special favour to them as His nation and people.

Thirdly. They were associated with every domestic and social thought and feeling from infancy.

Fourthly. From the strong hold which outward ordinances have over the natural mind-the tendency of the human heart, when at all exercised in conscience, to seek satisfaction and relief in that which is obvious to sense. And this is often the case, even after the soul has been long exercised, and found, through bitter experience, that it is not by works of righteousness that man can be made meet for the presence of a Just and Holy God; yet the poor heart, clinging to every thing but simple faith, will turn and seek to find its rest and meetness for God in ordinances. Such was the case in the early Church. Circumcision was maintained by some to be necessary to salvation; and in our day Baptism and the Lord's Supper are declared to be as necessary-the mind of the Lord in these institutions being mistaken altogether.

Remembering, then, this tendency of the flesh, and the former habits and associations of these Hebrews, at once we see the danger they were in, if faith declined, to turn again to those shadows and beggarly elements as they are called, and to forget how they were fulfilled and taken up by Christ in His Person, Sacrifice, and Offices.

That there were symptoms of this declension is very evident from the whole character of the Epistle, and from the solemn warnings and searching exhortations given unto them; but the Apostle does more; he takes the greatest pains to enlighten their understanding, and to give a right direction to their deep-rooted associations

in all those points connected with their consciences and

service.

It will be well to notice what these points were, which were so essential and absolutely necessary for conducting the worship according to the order of the tabernacle cstablished by God.

They were as follows, though the first and indeed the last were not immediately requisite in the routine of the worship, part of the Priest's service being to inquire of the Lord.

1. A Prophet who communicated the word of the Lord to them.

2. A High Priest who appeared before the Lord for them-the priests who ministered subordinately.

3. A Tabernacle wherein the priests ministered and wherein the Lord appeared.

4. The Sacrifice and Blood, the ground of the priest's appearing before God for them.

5. The Altar which sanctified every sacrifice and gift. 6. A Mediator, the Securer of all their hopes and blessings.

Now the Apostle does not weaken one of these associa tions in connexion with the worship and service of Godall would be lifeless and powerless without them ;—but he explains and points out to them how the sacrifice had been met by Christ, that He had become their Great High Priest, and that the place of His ministration for them was not in the earthly tabernacle, but in heaven, where they must now by faith draw nigh and worship God through Him.

This will be more clearly seen by following the argument of the Apostle upon each of these points.

1. Prophet or Apostle. God had in times past spoken by the Prophets: in these last days He had spoken by His Son. He, who was the brightness of God's glory, the Creator, Sustainer and Heir of all things, came from Heaven to declare the "great salvation." He was God's Apostle: hence the increased responsibility believers are under to give heed to what is spoken, and the force of the exhortation, "Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the Hea

venly Calling," consider the Apostle... of our profession Christ Jesus."

God had communicated His Will from the Earth, but now from Heaven; so much sorer the punishment shall those be thought worthy of who turn away from such grace and condescension.

"See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on Earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from Heaven" (Heb. xii. 25). God speaking from Heaven by His Son as Apostle, is the first truth of "the Heavenly Calling."

He may still be considered as speaking from Heaven; for that which He first spoke by the Lord was confirmed by those who heard Him, "God also bearing them witness both with signs and wonders and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost" (Heb. ii. 3, 4).

2. High Priest. A clear understanding of what Priesthood really is, is deeply necessary for our souls' daily experience.

The communication of the word of the Lord by a Prophet or Apostle is one thing; but the worship and intercourse between the people and the Lord is another: this was effected through the Priest.

The Prophet speaks to man from God-the Priest speaks to God for man-the Prophet had oft to plead for God with man; but the Priest had to plead for man with God.

But the most simple definition of Priesthood is given in Heb. v. 1,2. A Priest is one "taken from among men and ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins, who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity." A few more passages cast additional light upon this office:

"Take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister to me in the Priest's office.... And they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons"

(Exod. xxviii. 1, 4.) "Aaron shall bear their [the children of Israel's] names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial" (ver. 12) also he "shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart when he goeth in to the Holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually" (ver.29). The plate of gold upon the mitre "shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the Holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord (ver. 38).

And the Lord said unto Aaron, "Thou and thy sons with thee shall minister before the Tabernacle of Witness" (Num. xviii. 2).

"Thou and thy sons with thee shall keep your priest's office for every thing of the altar, and within the vail; and ye shall serve: ... and the stranger that cometh nigh shall be put to death" (ver. 7).

Those only "whom he hath chosen will he cause to come near unto him" (Num. xvi. 5). "No stranger which is not of the seed of Aaron, [shall] come near to offer incense before the Lord" (ver. 40). "Neither must the children of Israel henceforth come nigh the tabernacle of the congregation" (Num. xviii. 22).

While all the priests had constant access into the Tabernacle, the High Priest alone entered within the vail where the Lord appeared in the cloud upon the mercy seat; and that only once every year, when reconciliation was made, "because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel" (Lev. xvi).

These will suffice to shew us that the priests were a favoured class of the people; they had nearer access to God than the people; they made reconciliation for them, presented their gifts. The High Priest bore their burdens, carried them on his heart before the Lord, hallowed their holy gifts; that they might be accepted-decided who were clean (Lev. xiii. and xiv); pronounced the blessing upon them (Lev. ix. 22. and Num. vi. 22-27); in fact, was the one through whom their worship and service were presented to God, and who stood as their representative before God. No wonder then, that an