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morial (Jehovah) on which to build their hopes of his future appearance. Hence they are said to be a people for his name. Acts, xv. 14. Here also we may see the propriety of its being termed (har-kodsho) the hill of his separation; and as another radical signification suggests, to prepare them for another and more glorious abode. This preparation, whatever it may be, is plainly intimated in the words, " he who hath begun the good work in you, will carry it on up to the day of Phil.1.6 Christ." Having the keys of Hades and of death, Rev.1.18 is explanatory of the terms Kedosh-Israel, or separator to himself of all those who truly belong to this commonwealth.

If Zion then be the house of David, in the most sublime sense, it corresponds to the abode of the Lamb, who is the allegorical David, and who, in the midst of the throne, stretches his grateful shade over his people, so that "the sun does not light on them, nor any heat." Rev. 7.16.

It appears both from the words of Christ, and of St. John, that the former is not essentially, but visionally present with the spirits of the happy. This vision, unquestionably, far transcends in brightness all former appearances that were vouchsafed either to Abraham, to Moses, to Isaiah, or last of all to John, in the isle of Patmos. This is that "better thing" that God has provided for us, and which the patriarchs and prophets were without antecedent to the coming of Messiah. Heb..40

f

It would appear that in that happy world, the different visions with which they are favoured, are figuratively designed the living fountains to which Messiah leads them, and the pastures in which they feed. If at times he appears as the lion of the tribe of Judah, this assures them in the most convincing manner of his having fought and overcome. If sitting on a white cloud, and thrusting his sickle into the earth, this, while it fills them with joy, sets before them the certainty of numbers, who being turned unto righteousness, shall come to join their assembly. If he appears as the Lamb that has been slain, this prompts the enraptured song, "thou art worthy, for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood." If having on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, this announces to them his supreme dominion over all the plans of men, and that while they are executing their pleasure, he will divert their exertions to run in the channel of his own designs : "the wrath of man he will make to praise him, and the remainder of wrath he will restrain: but to see him enthroned in that glory in which he is to appear at the last day, will not be given till the time of the restitution of all things." This is clear from the promise which he made to his disciples, just before his ascension. "I will come again and receive you unto myself;" a promise which yet waits for its accomplishment.

In

In Paradise his people are in the state of expectants, as well as those who are inhabitants of earth; and well they may, for they have yet much to receive, and much to behold.

If the apostle John, while on earth, was fully sensible that what he saw of Christ, after his ascension, was only through the medium of vision, and confessing his ignorance of what his future appearance would be, yet firmly expecting that his essential presence was far to transcend anyvision, much more they who are in Paradise, who, whatever happiness they may receive from his visional appearance, entertain the most lively expectation of seeing him as he is-unveiled, and of being then made like him. The events of this glorious pcriod are emphatically termed salvation. "Unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time, without a sin offering for salvation ;"* i. e. in order to accomplish it. On that day such a flood of glory will burst upon the view, as no state could support, but the glorified state. It is an eternal weight of glory. Yet to be absent from the body, and present with the Lord, during the interval between death and the resurrection, al

*Tois auton apekdechomenois correspond exactly to KoveJehovah, expectants of Jehovah. both the verbs, he will appear, and they expect, tend to one point, eis soterian. The first, ut salutem perficeret; the second ut salutem assequerentur. Heb.

ix. 28.

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though

though but in vision, infinitely transcends any situation on earth. They now rest from their labours-are out of the reach of every enemy-are sealed, and in a state of preparation for exertions, nobler and more glorious, in a higher sphere.

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CHAPTER

CHAPTER XV.

The House over which Messiah presides.

And Moses verily was faithful in all his house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after, but Christ as a son over his own house, whose house we are. Heb. iii. 5, 6.

THEN Solomon the prophet said, how beautiful

is the house of the sanctuary of Jehovah, which is built by my hands of the wood of cedar, but fairer is the house of the sanctuary which is to be built in the days of King Messiah. Chaldee Paraph. Song, i. 17.

This house is the church of God, partly as it exists here, and partly, although vastly superior in number, in the invisible state. Its component parts are the souls and bodies of men. In this building, a variety of workmen have been, and are employed according to its different economies, through the different ages. This, from its very commencement, Christ, as a son, presides over. From the first of time, he had the ordering of it, as to its plan and mode of execution; so that whatever prosphet arose to speak of its manifold and diversified glories, was moved to it by the spirit of Messiah. "The spirit of Christ," says Peter, "which was in them testifying before Kk 2

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