character. Rather it is an eye which detects the true spiritual condition of every one upon w)iom it gazes. That awful eye never closes. It reads the most secret thoughts and desires of the soul, and pronounces judgment upon the impenitent for doom. Even the manner in which a man treats the promises and threatenings of the Bible shows what that man is. "Eye of God's Word I where'er we tum, Ever upon us I Thy keen go.ze Can all the depths of sin discern, Unravel every bosom's maze. "Who that has felt thy glanco of dread Thrill through his heart's remotest cella, About his path, about hie bed, Can doubt what spirit in thee dwells?" (Kcble.) II. THE SECRET OF ITS POWER, (Ver. 13.) Holy Scripture is thus energetic and efficacious because it is the Word of the Omniscient. It derives from him "who knows what is in man" its subtle insight into character, and its deep hold upon the world's life. The all-seeing Judge, "with whom ,ve have to do," has invested his Word with its marvellous magisterial power. AB the teachings of Scripture are an exact transcript of the nature and will of God, even the bare Word itself exercises as a Ilook transcendent moral influence over men. llut, when accompanied with the supernatural energy of the Holy Spirit, upon which it depends for its efficacy as a means of grace, Holy Scripture becomes the very omnipotence of the Omnipotent, to arouse, convict, and condemn, as well as to comfort, sanctify, and save. CoNCLUSION. 1. Let ministers" preach the Word." 'l'he faithful exhibition of the truth will lay bare the hearts of those who hear, and sometimes so thoroughly that ,/individuals will conclude that their experiences must have been reported beforehand to the preacher. And without solid spiritual instruction no Church will receive blessing or powe;r. 2. Let all hearers of the gospel, "tremble at the Word." Every human heart should submit with holy awe to its inspection, and allow its teachings to determine belief, mould character, and control conduct. Vers. 14-16.-0hrist's sympathy and help. This passage is one of the great sign- posts of the Epistle. In eh. i., ii. the writer has· discussed the superiority of Chri8t as a King to angels; and in eh. iii., iv. his superiority o.s a Prophet to Moses, He now proceeds to discourse more a~ length of his superiority as a Priest to Aaron. L A TWOFOLD STATEMENT OF DOCTRINE, This double statement concerns the cardinal truth of the Saviour's priesthood. 1. Its outer aspect. (Ver. 14.) Fallen, sinful man needs a priest to act for him before God, and the world has sought for one long and earnestly. The Jewish religion embodied an elaborate priesthood; and it:i types have at length been stereotyped under the Christian dispensation. Every believer is now a priest unto God; and Jesus Christ is the Arch-Priest of the Church. The author here encourages the Hebrew converts to steadfastness, by remindinit them of the reality and majesty of Christ's priesthood. He is II a great High Priest"-the Arche- type and Antitype of the Jewish pontiff. His majesty appears when we consider: (1) Where he i,. He "hath passed through tbe heavens." Aaron went once a year • throuah the blue veil into the sanctum sanctorum of the tabernacle; but our High Priest: after offering up himself as an expiatory sacrifice in the outer court of this world, has passed through the blue curtain of the sky into the heaven of heaven. He sits officially at the right hand of God, wearin~ both the priestly mitre and the kingly dindem. (2) W!to he is. 11 Jesus, the Son of God." His greatness is personal, as well as·official. He is a real man, bearing the human name, Jesus; but he is at tbe same time the true God, tbe possessor of a Divine and eternal sonship. 2. Its inner aspect. (Ver. 15.) This verse opens up before us the secret workings of the Redeemer's heart. It speaks pf his priestly sympathy. Sympathy is a great power in human life. It bulks so largely that an eminent Scottish thinker, Adam Smith, makes it the basis of his whole ,;ystem of morals. Now, says the apostle, the Saviour's unparalleled greatness does no~ CH. IV. 1-16.] 'l'HE EPISTLE '1'0 THE HEBREWS. 117
by any meane render him incapable of sympathy. Although he has passed throuc,h the heavens, "heaven lies about us," and thus he is very near us. Althou"h he !;ft the 0 'world nineteen hundred years ago, he is yet" with us al way." Althouc,h he is the Son of God, he has a human soul-a soul intensely human-which unde;went a complete ,mrriculum of trial, and graduated to its glory through suffering. Although he was 'l-1without sin," his earthly life was a life of constant temptation, as well as of constant and culminating sorrow because of sin. So he is "touched with the feelin" of our infirmities "--our infirmities of health, of temper, of devotion, of resolution, of service. He knows experimentally the precise force of every evil suggestion which may try us. As the Head of the Church, he is its great Nerve-centre; and he that toucheth any one of his people " toucheth the apple of his eye." IL A TWOFOLD ENFORCEMENT OF DUTY. 'l'he double exhortation corresponds to the two aspects of the doctrine respectively. The apostle exhorts to: 1. Stead/ast confession. (Ver. 14.) The early Hebrew Christians found it very difficult openly to confess Christ; for their unbelieving countrymen treated all who did so as renegades from Israel, and apostates from Israel's God. But fidelity to the truth was necessary then, and it is equally necessary now. Every believer is bound publicly to confess Christ. He must do so for Christ's sake, for his own sake, and for the sake of his fellow-men. 2. Constant supplication. (Ver. 16.) To the universe at large God'~ throne is a throne of majesty; to sinners, it is a throne of judgment; to believers, the presence of Christ at God's right hand makes it a "throne of grace." And the thought of our High Priest's tender sympathy should fill us with holy confidence to go daily and hourly into the Divine presence for the supplies which we need. What a joy to know that we have a Friend at court, and that he is our Sovereign's Son ! As often as we look up to his open, loving face, we may use all "liberty of speech" in asking pardoning mercy for the past aud helping grace for the future.