tures the imperfection of the "first" covenant, and to describe the " better promises" of the "new" ~nd final covenant, the writer quotes a most striking passage from the Book of Jeremiah (xxxi. 81-34). This oracle was given when the Jews of Judah were on the b1ink of the Babylonish captivity, to comfort their dc,olate hearts with t.he cheering hope of Messianic times. The chosen people had not "continued" in God's covenant; and, because they had broken it, he had "regarded them not" (ver. 9), but allowed first Israel, and afterwards ,Judah, to be carried into exile. Dut Jeremiah is commissioned to announce that, notwithstanding all, God in his wonderful mercy "will make a new covenant" (ver. 8), with the whole Hebrew nation. Tbe twelve tribes shall again become one rod in his hand. And all Gentiles, who by faith bolong to the true Israel, shall share the blessing. III. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE :KEW OOVENANT, What are the •• better promises"? Jeremiah's oracle mentions three. 1. The Law w,-itten on the heart. (Ver. 10.) The child is controlled b_y positive external precept; the man by moral and spiritual prin- ciple. During the pupilage of the Church, the Divine laws were written "in tables of 1,tone;" but, now that the Church has come to manhood, they are inscribed "in tables that are hearts of flesh" (2 Cor. iii. 3). The ascendancy of ritualism in any Christian Church means, therefore, a return to the" childish things" of the old covenant-a going back to the swaddling-clothes of religious babyhood. 2. Tlie univOTsal lcnowledge of God. (Ver. 11.) During the Jewish dispensation, the average Jew had only an exceed- ingly dim apprehension of religious truth, whether about God or the way to him, or about holiness or immortality. Dut, under the new covenant, spiritual truth shall become the longer the more clearly perceived, and the more widely diffused. For now the Holy Spirit is the great Teacher of the Church ; and he does not impart esoteric instruction to some special caste, but t-eaches every believer II from the least to the greatest." What, then, is modern ritualism, but a return to the dim vision of the old economy? It is the use of candles-sometimes literally-in broad daylight. 8. The full forgiveness of sins. (Ver. 12.) This II promise," although introduced last, precedes the other two in actual bestowment. Sin must be pardoned and cleansed away before the Law can be written on the heart, or the mind flooded with spiritual light. None of the Levitical sacrifices could expiate moral guilt; but on the basis of Christ's atone- ment God now imparts that forgiveness which is the precedent condition of moral renewal and of a holy life (Ps. cxxx. 4). CoNCLUSION. God said at Sinai, in setting up the "first" covenant," Thou shalt not'' (Exod. xx. 3-17); but now, in ordering the new covenant, his words are, "I will" (vers. 10-12). And what does this change of language imply? "I will" re.ally points to the effusion and dilfusion of the Holy Spirit. He was poured out on the day of Pentecost, the anniversary of the giving of the Law from Mount Sinai. It is his presence within the New Testament Church that makes the new covenant so vastly superior to the old. We should ask ourselves whether our souls individually are sharing the blessings of the gospel dispensation. We must remember also that the " better promises" imply on our part definite duties and great responsibilitie9, And, as regards the world, we mnst be persuaded that only the general acceptance of the new covenant will extirpate by the roots the enormous evils which still afflict society.
HOMILIES DY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Ver. 6.-Tliree 'better things. "Dut now bath he obtained a more excellent ministry," etc. In these words the writer states in brief what he at once proceeds to illustrate and este.Llish at considerable length, from this point on to eh. x. 18. We may perhaps with adve.ntacre take a general glance at these three better things, leaving their particuh,r e:rnmin:tion until summoned to it by the development of the Epistle. I. 'l'HE BETTER MINIBTBY. "But now hat.h he obtained a more excellent ministry" than the high priests of the Jewish Church. The proposition of the text is that our Lord's ministry is as much better than theirs as the new covenant is better than the old, and the new covenant is better than the old because it has been enacted upon better promiBes. His ministry is that of our great High Priest, or, in the word used io the text, our Medintor, Lilt u~ mcotioo a few particular! in which this minitit1y of his ort. vJtr. 1-13.] 'l'llE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 215