original pattern by which they may examine into the nature of that with which they are themselves invested. Let us, on the present occasion, following this method, enquire into the two points already suggested the origin of the priestly office, and its peculiar character: its origin is divine, its character is spiritual. "Every high priest," saith St. Paul, taken from amongst men, is ordained for men in things pertaining to God ; and no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God."

I. The Son of God, "condescending in all things to be made like unto his brethren," and, in particular, " to show himself a faithful High Priest," did not seek his own glory in taking upon himself the office, but received this honour from the Father, and was declared to be a High Priest upon his resurrection and ascension into heaven. Not that he was then first appointed to it, for this took place immediately upon his baptism; nor that he then began to exercise the office, for this he had done upon earth when he offered a sacrifice for sin, even the precious sacrifice of his own pure and spotless body but having completed his earthly ministrations, and risen from the dead, and (to use a legal phrase) being thus perfected or consecrated, he carried his own blood into the holy of holies, and presenting himself before the Father was by Him declared with an oath to be a

Priest for ever.

"FOR EVER!" This is a point very strongly insisted upon by the Apostle in that sublime discourse, in which he proves to the Hebrews the inferiority of the Levitical Priesthood to that wherewith Jesus is invested. He is not made, like the priests under the law, " after a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life."-" They were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death; but He, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood." -"The law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore." This is one strong ground of the assurance we have that the sacrifice which our great High Priest offered upon earth was accepted, and that his intercession will be always powerful on our behalf; one strong ground of our confidence in him as our Saviour; of encouragement to draw near to him in prayer, as to one who is able to help our infirmities; and of our conviction, that the covenant which he hath established is unchangeable, and that, according to his promise, he will be with his servants to the end of the world. This, I say, is one sure and solid ground of our faith in these respects, namely, that by the word and the oath of Him who hath sworn and will not repent, Jesus is made a Priest for ever.

This office he executeth in the heavens. Though

in his divine power he is in all places at all times, and by his Spirit more especially present with the faithful when they meet in his name, and particularly at that holy feast which he hath ordained; yet, as Priest, he is ever at the right hand of God. His power over his church he exercises, therefore, not in person, but by the hands of those who are duly

commissioned and ordained for this purpose. Let it not be imagined that our blessed Master was so unmindful of the welfare of those who should believe in him, or of that order and harmony without which no society can long continue, as that he should have left his fold without shepherds, his household without stewards, to give to every one meat in due season. "God is not the author of confusion, but of peace;" and to the securing of peace in any society, it is essential that there be order and good government. In civil society it is necessary that there be some to rule, where many are to obey; in religious society, that there be some whose province it is to teach, where many are to learn; in that society more particularly which is called the Christian Church, there must be some to minister in holy things for the benefit of the congregation, some to officiate in the house of God, and at the ordinances of our Lord's appointment. Having then, during the course of his ministry, selected a few disciples whom he sent before his face to prepare his way in every place which he purposed to visit, thus training them under his own

eye for more important and extended labours, he gave them, after his resurrection, their high commission to "go into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." In that style of dignified simplicity so peculiarly his own, and which strongly marked his divine origin, “As my Father hath sent me, even so send I you;" thus placing their mission upon the same authority with his own. And that they might not want an outward sign, with which it has pleased the Almighty, almost uniformly, to accompany his spiritual gifts, "when he had said this, he breathed on them, and said unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost: whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained." The change which took place in their views and sentiments, even before the Spirit was poured upon them from on high, appears from two or three circumstances recorded in the very short narrative which has been sent down to us: the great joy which they felt, when, after bestowing upon them his blessing, he was for ever parted from them; the worship they then paid him; and their proceeding, without delay, to fill up the vacancy in their body which had occurred by the death of Judas, showing at the same time their ready application of the scriptures of the Old Testament. Having soon after received the promise of the Father in the more abundant effusion of the Holy Spirit, "they went forth and preached everywhere, the Lord working

with them, and confirming the word with signs fol. lowing." The powers which they had themselves received they communicated to others, in different measures and degrees, for the speedier propagation of the Gospel, each supernatural endowment being a seal set by the Spirit in attestation of the truth.

These however were miraculous gifts, necessary in the infancy of our religion, but not to be continued in the church, lest, contrary to the uniform course of God's proceedings, men should not be left to the free exercise of their judgment and affections. The church was thenceforth to be governed, like other societies, by its proper officers; it was to continue through all succeeding generations, not deprived of divine support, but without the external display of signs and wonders. The authority vested by our Lord in his apostles was "committed by them to faithful men, who should be able to teach others also." The kingdom of Christ was soon portioned out into its several districts, as the gospel made its way, each placed under its proper overseer, surrounded by inferior officers, exercising a spiritual jurisdiction, and ministering for the glory of God and the good of his people. We learn from those short but interesting records of the apostolic age, the epistles addressed by St. Paul to Timothy and Titus, that these holy men, having received their authority by imposition of his hands, were by him placed, the one over the church at Ephesus, the other over