her. But although Jerusalem was eminently typical of the church on earth, it was no less so of the church triumphant in heaven. We shall contemplate, therefore, the words of David,—

I. In reference to the literal Jewish metropolis. Jerusalem was truly the "city of God" the city which he particularly chose, and to which he paid especial regard. Hence, glorious things were spoken of her. She was beautiful for situation, magnificent in her buildings, the delight of nations and the joy of the whole earth. She was the emporium of Jewish commerce, and the seat of oriental learning. Above all other things, the following were spoken of this glorious city: (1.) There was the seat of civil government. There were the splendid courts of the kings of the nations, "thrones of judgment," &c. Psa. cxxii. 5. There the princes and nobles resided. Thence issued the mandates by which the people were governed, &c. (2.) There the divine ordinances were celebrated. There was the altar, and there sacrifices were offered. The ark, and the stupendous temple which Solomon built, and the testimony of Jehovah were there. There were the singers, the musicians, and the priests, yea, all the visible symbols of the Divine glory were there; and, to crown all, the King of glory was there too: 2 Chron. vii. 16; Psa. xlviii. 3. Jerusalem was the general rendezvous of all the people of Israel. Here they all met. Three times a year all the males came up to worship. And how delightful it must have been to see such an assembly praising the Lord in the beauty of holiness, singing, making solemn processions, playing on sacred instruments-the harp and the psaltery! Psa. xxxiii. 2. (3.) There is not a more magnificent sight in the whole world to a living child of God, than the assemblies of the saints praising the Lord Jesus for having redeemed them from the curse of the law. It will be their theme in heaven. In the glory-land they sing, "Thou hast redeemed us to God by thy blood :" Rev. v. 9; x. 7; ix. 10; xiv. 15. (4.) This city received a glorious name, which was, "vision of peace ;" and was in due time honoured by the presence of the Prince of Peace, who is the King of Peace: John xiv. 27; xvi. 33; Acts x.

36.

II. We must notice the words in their spiritual application to the church. Paul speaks of this Jerusalem as being "from above," and as "the mother of us all,” (that is all the church): Gal. iv. 26. Now of this spiritual antitype of Zion glorious things are spoken. (1.) She is glorious for having been founded by the living God. The church exists by his good pleasure and purpose. The plan was formed in the Divine counsels, and fulfilled by the Divine hand. First, She is built on Jesus, the sure foundation, and precious corner-stone. Second, He purchased the church with his own blood. Third, He instituted all her ordinances; two of which we hold as binding on all believers, namely, baptism, which is immersion, and follows upon believing; and the Lord's-supper, which follows baptism. We do not believe either of these ordi| nances to be saving, but we regard all who do not observe them, according to the order in which they stand, as disobedient children. (4.) He creates every member anew, and they are “born of the Spirit:" John iii. 6. Man is dead by transgression-dead in trespasses and sins: Eph. ii. 1. What a picture of man by nature is there in Ezek. xxxvii. 1, called a valley of dry bones! But when the Lord speaks life into the souls, they live: Ezek. xxxvii. 5. (5.) He supports every part of the whole by his power, and designs, by all the wonders of his providence and grace, to "establish her for ever." Once more: She possesses glorious privileges. All enfranchised cities had, anciently, various immunities and privileges, but none had any equal to those which are enjoyed in the church of Christ. One of these is spiritual illumination; for the church is to the world what Goshen was to Egypt. Justification by faith in Christ is another. Victory over all enemies (Rom. viii. 37), with his inestimable riches, and glorious dignities, are others; to which might be added many more. (6.) She contains glorious inhabitants, suitable to the dignity of Christ; and the nature of the privileges is seen in the character of the citizens. They are all free: Gal. iv. 31. They are holy, priests and kings, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ: Rom. viii. 17.

III. We glance at the subject in its grandest typical reference to heaven itself. Heaven is emphatically the city of the great King, the city which hath founda

him anything better (ver. 16). But God, his good Father, had better things in reserve for his poor prodigal son.

III. He came to himself, (ver. 17), not by himself, nor of himself, but by redeeming grace; for he had been more like a madman, while a prodigal and selfrighteous, than one in his right mind; but now he remembers that his father's servants had bread enough, and to spare. Wherefore, he formed a resolution to go to his father, confessing his sins, and that he was no more worthy to be called a son, and wishing for a servant's place in his father's house, (ver. 18, 19). This showed he was truly humbled. And he did as he had said, being pressed by his wants, strong desire, and some hope in his father's mercy. Nor was he disappointed.

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IV. His father's reception of him seems to be above all his expectation; for he saw him a great way off, and with much compassion ran to his relief, fell on his neck, and kissed him, (ver. 20). Such is the wonderful mercy of God to his children. Sonship exists before sin is committed, and it remains unaltered after the evil is done, and is the cause of all the grace that constrains the sinner to return. It is because they are sons the Spirit comes into their hearts, crying, 'Abba, Father:" Gal. iv. 6. And though the son insisted on his own unworthiness to be called a son, the father said to his servants (gospel ministers, I suppose), Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet." Thus the prodigal is treated as a prince; and he who might have been frowned into hell, is fitted and favoured as an heir of heaven. The best robe of Christ's imputed righteousness is better than the obedience of the best saints-better than that of Adam in innocence-better than that of the angels

in heaven. It is the best of all; and such a robe on the prodigal's back must have been a strange contrast to his dirty rags. The ring on his hand was far richer than gold and diamonds, for it was an emblem of endless love to his soul; and the shoes may signify the safe and pleasant way in which he should for the future walk. But in his condition, the principal thing required was suitable food; and so the fatted calf was killed, that the father and his son might feast together on a crucified Christ (ver. 23, 24.) On this superior food the father and his quickened family can feed with sweetest satisfaction. Where justice finds its due, believers in Jesus find deliverance. Christ was killed, that his Father and his family might be comforted. In him the offended Father and the offending family meet in joyful friendship; in him the dead live, and the lost are found. "And they began to be merry.” ver. 24.

THE PRODIGAL SON.

See how the bold rebellious son
His earthly portion spent;
And by the works his hands had done,
How far from heaven he went!
Famine and want attend him there;

And there among the swine,
He would have found refreshing fare,
But found his flesh decline.
Then to himself he truly came,

For grace had made him wise; Turned him from folly, sin, and shame, With weeping in his eyes.

Soon as the Father saw him come,

With what amazing love

He ran to fetch his wanderer home,
To all the joys above.

Such is the righteous robe we wear,
And such the costly ring;
Such is the sacred food we share,
And such the joys we sing.

THOMAS ROw. Little Gransden, Feb. 25th, 1862.

be perfectly "justified," and perfectly "sanctified," before we can attempt to worship or serve him. 66 Sanctification," therefore, when used in this sense, is not

to be contrasted with justification, as if the latter were complete, but the former incomplete and progressive. Both are complete to the believer. The same moment that brings the complete "justification" of the fifth of Romans, brings the equally complete "sanctification" of the tenth of Hebrews; both being equally needed in order that God, as respects the claims of his holiness, might be "appeased," or "placated" towards us; and, therefore, both equally needed as pre-requisites to our entrance on the worship and service of God in his heavenly temple; for until wrath is effectually appeased, there can be no entrance.

The complete and finished sanctification of believers by the blood of Jesus, is the great subject of the ninth and tenth chapters of the Hebrews. "The blood of bulls and of goats" gave to them, who were sprinkled therewith, a title to enter into the courts of the typical tabernacle; but that title was not an abiding title, -it was no sooner gained, than it was lost by the first recurring taint. Repetition, therefore, of offering, and repetition of sprinkling were needed again and again. The same circle was endlessly trodden and re-trodden, and yet never was perpetuity of acceptance obtained. Nor was the typical tabernacle heaven. The tabernacle and its services were but shadows; but they teach us that, as "the blood of bulls and of goats" gave to them who were sprinkled therewith a temporary title to enter into the typical tabernacle, so the blood of Christ, once offered, gave to all those who are once sprinkled therewith (and all believers are sprinkled), a title, not temporary, but abiding, to enter into God's presence as those who are sanctified for heaven. Sanctified," says the apostle, "by the offering of the body of Jesus once :" this is the tenth verse of the tenth of Hebrews. In close connection therewith follows the fourteenth verse: "By one offering he hath perfected for ever (or in perpetuity) them that are sanctified;" that is, them that are so sanctified, sanctified in the manner that the tenth verse had defined. And again, "Jesus, that he might sanctify the people by his own blood, suffered without the gate."

The types to which the apostle more especially refers in the ninth of Hebrews, when he spake of "the blood of bulls

and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean," are first, the ceremonies of the day of atonement, as described in the sixteenth of Leviticus, and secondly, the ordinance respecting the ashes of the red heifer, as given in the nineteenth of Numbers. The first of these refers to transgression committed by God's people in respect of holy things, whilst serving and worshipping in his tabernacle; the second, that is, the ordinance of the red heifer, refers to defilements contracted by them, not in the tabernacle, but in the external world, where the presence and power of moral death in all fulness dwell.

Israel were yet in Egypt, when, in the ordinance of the passover, they received their first great typical lesson respecting redemption.* The doom of Egypt, and their own deliverance therefrom, because of the blood sprinkled on their doors, were the thoughts there presented to their souls. It was not sin, as detected in the servants of God serving in the midst of holy things, but sin as manifested in Egypt and the Egyptian, that was there made prominent to their thoughts.

But when separated into the wilderness, a new sphere of knowledge was opened to them. In the wilderness they were brought nigh to God and to his tabernacle, that they might find in his service new interests and new joys. That service was, indeed, a counter-balance to the travail and sorrows of their weary way: but it soon taught them new lessons respecting themselves. They had not, aforetime, been brought so nigh to God. The order and services of his house were in Egypt unknown to them.

They had, aforetime, thought of themselves as in the presence of Egypt's abominations, but they had little thought of themselves as standing in the presence of God's holiness. But now a new test of their condition was presented. They entered, indeed, God's tabernacle, but they carried uncleanness with them. Holy vestments and holy offices ill became those whose touch generated defilement. The uncleanness of Israel might be hidden in the midst of Egypt's dark

*I do not mean that there were no types of redemption before; there were many. But I am speaking of the lessons given to Israel as a typically redeemed people.

MY BELOVED

and multipled are the means and instruments the Lord employs to instruct his children in the mysteries of his will, and to bring about the purposes of his heart in their experience.

This subject was laid open to my view this morning, in an attempt to survey the path we have already trodden in the wilderness, with its crosses and its conflicts; with its spiritual enjoyments and its sweet anticipations of the glory that will be revealed at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, with all his saints.

Threescore years and ten have nearly passed over our heads, and although, by oft repeated sins and transgressions, we have not only forfeited every blessing that has attended our every footstep, but justly incurred his righteous indignation; still his mercies have been new every morning, repeated every moment, and great has been his faithfulness.

By nature we were "children of wrath, even as others;" and "walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience."

May I not enquire here, "Can the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive be delivered?" Is it possible that means can be adopted to translate such an one from the power of darkness, and from the dominion of sin, to serve the living and true God? Yes, a way has been opened by the shedding of the precious blood of Chaist, who by his one offering hath put away for ever the sins of his people. Take one scripture as a key to open the mystery, and unfold the glories of this glorious subject: "God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love

, carry your thoughts back to the period when we first saw each other in the flesh: upwards of fifty years have rolled away since then, with all their cares and afflictions, never, never to return. We were then very young, our feelings buoyant, and in sinful accord with the passing events and amusements of the day. We were living "without hope, and without God in the world;" quite content to pursue the downward course, which leads to blackness, and darkness for ever: alas! how true it is, "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof is death." Oh the wonders of redeeming mercy! In all our wanderings the eye of Divine love was fixed upon us; for never should we have seen the King in his beauty, had he not, by the finger of his power convinced us of sin, of righteousness, and of a judgment to come. The conversion of a sinner from the error of his way, to God, is a strange and mighty work. He is a new creature. "Old things have passed away; and behold, all things are become new." I can well remember the