to ~ay to their countrymen, "Know the Lord." It appears from a passage in the Epistle to the Galatians (iv. 8) to mark the transition from idolatry to the worship ot the t-rue God. "Howbeit then, when ye knew not GoJ, ye did sel'\'ice to them which by 1:ature arc no gods." 'l'here may be a designed allusion to the people in the desert, where, in a<l,lit.ion to the tabernacle, there was the tabernacle of 1\foloch, nod the ~lar of the god Hernphan. The new covenant secures the loyal adhesion of every believer to this fundHmental truth, upon which, by prayer, rnading, 11nd attend- ance upon an enlightened ministry, the soul is nourished to larger strength, brighter knowleclge, and loftier degrees of holiness. IV. There is THE ENJOYMENT OF FORGIVENESS. It was not possible for the blood of bulls an~ ~oats to_ take away sin. The b!ood of the new co~e1;1ant, shed for many lo~ the rem1ss1on of sms, cleanses from all stams, and produces D1vme peace. Looking a; forgiveness in the light of the Word of God, it is an invaluable blessing. It releases us from evil thoughts, and excuses which iippcared in the words of Adam and Eve and makes the spirit to be "without guile." It disarms the power of temptation', It introduces those who are forgiven into the safe and joyful state of justification, with all the blessings which are inseparably connected therewith. It engages the presence and gracious action of the Spirit of God, who enriches the soul with fruits of righteousness and creates, by his presence and power, an earnest of the life to come. Tho tw~ covenants cannot stand together to distract the attention of mankind, and create uncertainty about the method of salvation. As the Jews did not pass over into the blessedness of the new cove1~ant, God removed the temple, the altar, and the priest- hood by an a.et of righteous judgment, which began at" the house of God;" and in t hl' occupation of Jerusalem by an alien power, and the suspension of sacrifices for tightecn centuries, he has told the world that the old covenant is vanished away.-D, Ver. l.-T/1e Minister of the troe tabernacle, his position and his office. I. His rosrno~. 1. It is in the heavens. He has passed through the veil into the heaveus. He is no longer a localized priest, near to some and far away from others, but is in hca,·cu, which is near to all of us. This bringing of heaven in contact with every human being is set forth by the teaching of the natural world. No one man has come in contact with more than a very tiny piece, comparatively, of the world in wliich he li,•cs; but once in twenty-four hours every man in the world sees the sun, which is the great visible representative of heavenly resource and blessing. 2. In the mcst gloriuu.s position a mediator can occupy. He is at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens. This throne is the heavenly counterpart to the ark of the covenant in the earthly tabernacle. 3. Jn this position tlte High Priest Jesus is seated. Seated, for he is there permanently. Incessant are the needs of that human race for whom he acts. Seated also to indicate sonship, heir~hip, and Divine dignity, lL HIS OFFICE. 'l'he hlgh priest is a liturgical minister. He does holy offices in connection with a holy structure, on behalf of the people. Tho word "true " here is doubtless to be ta.ken in connection with the holy thin:i:s as well as with the tabernacle itself. Jesus is Minister of the true holy things in the true tabernacle. This word "true" is a most comprehensive one, as showii;.g the inward compared with the outward, the essence compared with the form, the abiding compared with the changing, type o.s compared with antitype, ends that are spiritual and invisible, as compared with means that are material and visible. Notice the frequency of this word clA.1181111is in the New 'festament. We read of the true riches, the true light, the true worshippers, the true bread, the true vine, the true God, the true witness. 'l'he priesthood of Jesus is a. new and perfect thlng, and indicates a new and perfect system. If a. number of types a.re related together, then the bringing in of the anti type to one of them means the bringing in of all the other a.ntitypes. God has a glorious place of abode in the invisible world, a true holy of holies, where Jesus has gone, where Jesus remains; and to that holy of holies all true worshlppers shall, w due time, be gathered.-Y.
Ver. 3.-The high priese-for 'Ull.at appointed. I. THE STATEMENT AB TO HIGH PBIEHTl,Y FUNCTION m <rENERAL. All high priests, whether they be Aaronic priests or Jesus himself, are appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices. Thus the classification is made 1Jf offerings for Qod.. 'l'heu: are gifts, the exprersious of thankfulness ;u1d devotioil, OH. VIII, 1-13.] THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 225