extract from the ancestral estates more than a life-enjoyment, nor encumber his estates for successors. He must learn to identify himself with his children, to treat them as part and parcel of himself. Checks on selfishness God everywhere imposes. In the household of God sonship carries with it complete heirship. III. THE PRINCE IB UNDER OBLIGATION TO BIB SUBJECTS. Obligations among men are mutual. Kingship bas duties as well as rights. If subjects are under obligation to serve and support their princP, so too princes are under obligation to protect the lives and property of their subjects. Rightly understood, the prosperity of the people is identical with the prosperity of the king. The throne cannot be strong if the people are impoverished.· The king and his people are united by a common bond of interest. The invasion of his subjects' rights is suicide to his authority-suicide to kingship. "No man liveth unto himself." A selfish and avaricious policy is moral madness. No other principle is so favourable to prosperity and joy as wise benevolence. IV. THE PRINCE IS UNDER OBLIGATION TO HIS SERVANTS, No man is more dependent upon the service of others, no man so dependent, as a prince. His time and strength are as limited as any other man's, yet the demands of duty are enormous. For bis personal needs he requires servants; fur his family wants he requires servants; and for every deparment of public government he requires servants. In proportion to the value of the services, remuneration must be made. If the prince be accounted mean or parsimonious, he will lose dignity, reputation, and influence. Yet his generous impulses must never be allowed to violate principles of justice. He must never trench on others' possessions to discharge a personal debt. Yet, alas! this has often been done! Kings stand among the greatest criminals. Secret service to Lhe king has been paid in stolen coin. Yet restitution must some day bo made, for God is always on the side of righteousness. And to every prince he says, "Ba just before you are generous."-D. Vers. 2, 3, 10.-Distinction and equal-ity in the kingdom nf God. We have here n distinction drawn between one citizen and all the rest. The prince was to enter by the way of the porch of the east gate and stand by the post of the gate, "at the porch of the inner court," while the people were to stand at a distance, at the outer gate (vers. 2, 3); yet on other occasions the prince and the people together were to enter in and to go forth together without regard to social distinction (ver. 10). We are thus invited to consider that, in the coming kingdom, of which this whole vision was prophetic, there were to be both distinction and equality. And we have both. I. D1s'l'INOTION WITHIN THE KINGDOM. In the gospel of Jesus Christ there are: 1. Higher posts in the Oiiurcli to be occupied by a few; there have been (or are) apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, deacons, etc.; and there is a sense in whicb. theso have a priority of position over the ordinary members of the Church. 2. Higher order of service to be rendered by some. While every citizen of the kingdom of God has to serve by living the truth, by illustrating its essential principles in daily action in every sphere, it is given to some to commend the saving truth by powerful and persuasive utterances, or by unanswerable and imperishable literature; e.nd yet again it is given to others to contribute still nobler service by suffering, or even dying, "for the sake of the Lord Jesus" and in confirmation of the truth (see Acts v. 41; Phil. i. 29; Rev. vii. 13, 14). 3. Longer period of service granted to some thnn given to others. (1) There are those who are called and blessed from childhood to old age, who serve Christ and his cnuse through all the stages of human life,with the gathered wisdom of long and varied experience. (2) There are those who have not heard the Divine summons until the greater part of life is over, and these can only bring their wasted e.nd rapidly declining faculties to the altar of holy service. Yet is there essential- II. EQUALITY IN TIIE KINGDOM, Inasmuch as: 1. All must enter at the same gate. 'l'o one and all alike, however favoured or however denied, Jesus Christ is the one open Door by which to come (John x. 7). 2. All must advance by the snmo spiritunl course-by meo.ns of watchfulness and prayer and holy usefulness, by learning of God, by gaining from God, by working for God. 3. All must give account of their Christio.n life, and the use they have made of their life-opportunity (Luke xix. 12-26; THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET EZEKIEL. [oa. XLVI. 1-24,
2 Cor. v. 10). 4. All will be judged on principles of perfect equity (Matt. xxv. 20- 23 ; Luke xii. 48 ; 2 Cor. viii. 12).-C. ~