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others share the common fate of man till the morning of the resurrection. 5th. He was to be both king and priest. This is one of the most remarkable features in the reign of the Messiah. The counsel of peace,' says the Lord of Hosts, 'shall be between them both.' Before the Messiah, these offices often clashed, and differences arose between kings and priests; but they were united in Christ, and the exercise of both these offices by him shall sweetly concur to produce peace and reconciliation, as priest; deliverance from all our spiritual enemies as king. 'For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us, * * * And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.'*

Pursuing the grand theme, the reader will find. there were crowns laid up for a memorial in the temple of the Lord, a type, perhaps, of Christ's making his servants kings and priests unto God, surrounding the throne on which he sits. And we are told that 'they who are far off shall come and build in the temple of the Lord.' This seems to complete the grandeur of the scene. Jesus sits on his throne, as ruler, and priest, and builds the temple that will ultimately include the whole human race.

What a glorious personage have we prefigured by the Branch! He is King, Priest, Saviour, Mediator, Advocate, Counsellor, Son of God, Son of Man. And 'he bears the glory.' So many offices never before centred in one being. All are sustained without difficulty and in perfect harmony.

No wonder that patriarchs and prophets looked

* Ephes. ii. 14-16.

forward to the day of Christ's coming with joy. No wonder that at his birth angelic strains were heard, announcing his approach. It is enough to move all heaven and earth. The theme of the birth and reign of Jesus is everlasting. It is the song of the elders around the throne, and will be the triumphant subject of angels and men when suffering humanity is redeemed, and made fit for the regions of endless purity and enjoyment.

'From Jesse's root a Branch did rise,
Whose fragrance fills the lofty skies,
Which spreads its leaves from pole to pole,

A healing balm for every soul.

The sick, the weak, the halt, and blind,

In him do aid and comfort find,

A remedy for every wound,
Or moral pain that can be found.

This is the Saviour long foretold;
Hear him, ye deaf; ye blind, behold:
He's come to make his grace abound,
As far as sin or death is found.'

XI. BREAD OF GOD.

'For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.' John vi. 33.

AMONG all the titles which distinguish the Son of God, no one is more significant than that which he applies to himself in the above passage. It appears that our Lord took occasion to introduce himself in this way, immediately after the miracle of feeding five thousand with a few loaves and fishes. Many seemed to have followed him from that hour from wrong motives, 'not because they saw the miracles, but because they ate of the loaves and were filled.' He seemed, on this occasion, as on every other, desirous to leave some good impression. Hence he says, 'Labor not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life.' * * * During this interesting conversation, the subject of the manna which God sent from heaven for Israel, was presented, and a masterly contrast was drawn between that and the bread sent 'from heaven to give life unto the world.' A variety of sentiment then follows which strengthens and illustrates the great doctrine. here presented under the figure of the bread of God.

A remark on the manner in which this term is used, may not be inappropriate. We read of 'the bread of affliction,' 1 Kings xxii. 27.-'the bread of tears,' and 'the bread of sorrows,' Psa. xlii. 3. cxxvii. 2, 'shew bread,' [Heb. bread of presence,] Exod. xxv.

30. It is a word signifying food in general, Gen. iii. 19, etc. In the motto, doctrine, of course, is intended. A similar use of the word in a negative form is found in Isa. lv. 2. *** 'Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which satisfieth not?' * * *

It will be perceived, even by the most superficial reader, that the subject presented is one of vast extent. The easiest and most natural inferences flowing from the metaphor, therefore, must only be expected.

This bread, it appears, was designed to 'give life to the world.' It is worthy of remark that we cannot, strictly speaking, say we have given anything until it is in the actual possession of the person for whom it was designed. It is not, perhaps, too much to say that the same reasoning applies to God himself. He cannot say He has given life unto the world, unless, at some period, the world is brought into the enjoyment of it. The gospel does not treat of offers, but of 'the gift of God,' which is 'eternal life.'

The great Creator has seen fit to organize our frail natures in such a manner, that without bread, our existence would soon terminate. He has manifested his wisdom and benevolence not only in furnishing that bread, but in giving it in such a way, that it seems rather the fruit of human toil, than the result of preestablished laws. To make a farther display of his kindness, he has so constituted our taste that we derive great enjoyment from partaking of that very food necessary for our earthly existence. The same wonderful provision is made for every sense and faculty which man possesses. This benevolence is not confined to man alone, but extends to every living

thing.* As food is adapted to our physical nature, so truth is adapted to our intellectual and moral nature. That religion then, or system of doctrine which best suits our spiritual nature must be from heaven. What then will satisfy man? All the views taken of the destiny of our race, may be ranked under annihilation, endless suffering, or universal happiness. The two former may be believed, but cannot be desired. They furnish no food for the mind. Suppose, in the natural world, we should have a beautiful spring, a luxuriant summer, but no autumn. The husbandman looks anxiously for his accustomed harvest; but nature stops in all her operations in the vegetable kingdom. The unripe fruit hangs upon the trees; the grain is unprepared for the reaper's sickle; the rose buds, expands, but never blooms; the grass springs forth, but is never ready for the hand of the mower. Decay, disease, and death pervade creation. Indeed, there is neither seed for the sower, nor bread for the eater.' What this would be in the natural world, annihilation would be in the moral world. We see man in his infancy: he reaches the period of youth, but never ripens into perfect manhood. He has noble faculties, but they never expand into perfect knowledge. There is a fine spring, a

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* 'It is a happy world after all. The air, the earth, the water, teem with delighted existence. In a spring noon, or a summer evening, on whichever side I turn my eyes, myriads of happy beings crowd upon my view. The insect youth are on the wing. Swarms of new-born flies are trying their pinions in the air. Their sportive motions, their wanton mazes, their gratuitous activity, their continual change of place, without use or purpose, testify their joy and the exultation which they feel in their lately discovered faculties.'-Paley's Nat. Theol. 8vo. p. 392.