life. It is fraught with historic associations the most suggestive and hallowing; it takes us back to Him who, on "the first day of the week," despoiled mortality of its victory, and obtained the keys of death and Hades; it is a rest which remaineth for the people of God. But when it is regarded as having more claims on man to be holy than any other day; when it is superstitiously bowed to as the sovereign, rather than intelligently used as the servant; when its observance is sought to be imposed upon those who do not believe in it, and who have no faith to enter into its rest; when the ritual is exalted above the moral, the priest above the man, the little temple above the great world; then it becomes an evil-the brasen serpent has become a god.

II. THE TRUE INSTINCTS OF A REFORMER. Here Hezekiah acts the reformer with model propriety. "He brake in pieces the brasen serpent." Perhaps most, if not all, the evils of society may be considered as the perversion of good things. Oppression is the perversion of power, superstition the perversion of religion, priestcraft the perversion of the ministry; and all the errors that curse the world are but the perversion of truths-truths wrested from their proper connexions, and exhibited in improper and distorted aspects. Hence it is that the great mission of every Christian, every true man, is that of a reformer. He has to put an end to abuses, and to bring perverted things into their true relation and use. The old prophets were reformers, John the Baptist was a reformer, Jesus and his apostles were all reformers. To reform the moral world is the mission of every disciple of Christ.

Now, Hezekiah displays a few instincts, or attributes, which seem to me indispensable to the character of a true reformer. First. He displays insight. He saw what the people did Where his age saw a god he saw nothing more than a piece of brass-Nehushtan. He looked for himself, took not the opinions of others; and what appeared as a divinity to his contemporaries was but a piece of brass to him.

not see.

If we

would be reformers we must have this insight-this faculty to look at things as they are, and not as popular feeling and prejudice would have them to be. We must disrobe them of their imaginary importance, brush off the varnish, take off the mask, penetrate through the outside, the "vain show of things," and look into the very heart of popular institutions, conventional moralities, current creeds, and church pretensions. We must have eyes to see that the world is under the dominion of phantasies, and that its very gods are but pieces of brass.

Secondly. He displays honesty. He not only saw it was brass, but he said it. Whilst a large number of professorsyes, and, alas! of ministers too-see things just as the world sees them-look at the same outside, and practically worship the same gods-but few of those who see things rightly are honest enough to say so; honest enough to call, as Hezekiah did, the god of the people "brass :" and yet this must be done, if we would reform, in any measure, the abuses of society. Heaven enable us to learn things as they are, and to call them by their right names! Systems, customs, societies, sermons, books, and artistic productions, however admired and popular, if not true, let us be honest enough to call them brass.

Thirdly. He displays practical courage. There are some men who have sufficient penetrating insight to discover the falseness of current things, and sufficient honesty to declare popular divinities "brass;" but who, nevertheless, lack the necessary practical courage to do what Hezekiah now did-break "in pieces the brasen serpent." I have no hope of any man doing any real spiritual good who has not these three instincts. It is not the man who has no eye to see only the seeming; nor the man who, discovering the real, is not honest enough to speak out his views; nor even the man who both clearly sees and honestly declares the real, but who declines to use the manly hand to break "in pieces" the false that will do the divine work of reform. The man that has the three combined is the reformer. Almighty love, multiply amongst us men of this threefold instinct-men which the age, the world, demands!

Analysis of Homily the Fifty-second.

"And I beheld, and, lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne," &c.-Rev. v. 6-10.

THE general subject of these and the foregoing verses of this chapter is the GOVERNMENT OF GOD. In a preceding number* we noticed the three general truths which the first five verses suggest, in relation to this grand theme. They were-first, that it is conducted according to a vast preconcerted plan; secondly, that this vast plan is sealed in mystery ; and, thirdly, that the mystery of this plan is to be expounded by Christ. The passage we have now read leads us on another consecutive step, which, for the sake of connexion, we may numerate-fourthly, that Christ, as the Expounder of the mystery of this plan, is an object of immense interest to the universe. He is in the midst of the throne. Various orders of intelligence surround him as he takes "the book :" they prostrate themselves at his "footstool," with "harps,” and "vials," and "song." The present branch of the subject, therefore, is

Christ the Expounder of the Mystery.

I. THAT CHRIST, AS THE EXPOUNDER OF THE MYSTERY OF THE DIVINE GOVERNMENT, OCCUPIES A CENTRAL POSITION, AND ASSUMES THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY ASPECTS. First. Look at the position he occupies. He is in the "midst of the throne;" he is in the very centre of the intelligent creation. He attracts all—he enlightens all—he governs all—he blesses all with new life and beauty. Secondly. Look at the aspect he assumes. In his person are combined the marks of suffering humanity and the attributes of perfect Divinity. "Stood

*See Homilist for January, p. 39.

a Lamb as it had been slain"-the marks of Calvary on his person; "having seven horns"-perfect power; " and seven eyes"-perfect knowledge. Blessed thought! Our nature is associated with Divinity on the throne of the universe; its human scars preach, in mute, but thrilling force, love and justice in the ear of all spirits, and its Godhead glories command the reverence and praise of all.

II. THAT CHRIST, AS THE EXPOUNDER OF THE MYSTERY OF THE DIVINE GOVERNMENT, AWAKENS, IN ALL CLASSES OF HOLY MIND, INEFFABLE DELIGHT. "And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints." These numbers probably designate indefinite multitudes of representative classes. Their attributes and aspects are further developed in other places of this book. The language here employed may denote the characteristics of their delight. Here is humility: they "fell down before the Lamb." The profoundest reverence mingled with their joy. Here is harmony here are "harps"-emblems of music. I do not know that we are authorized to assume, from such symbolical language, that there is vocal or instrumental music in heaven. It is not the sound, but the spirit, of music that is there. Here is acceptableness: "golden vials full of odours." Its breathing ecstacies ascend as fragrant incense to God. is prayerfulness: "the prayers of saints." Death terminates the saint's need of prayer for certain objects, such as forgiveness, deliverance from error, and victory over foes, but not the spirit of prayer-the spirit of felt dependence upon God. This humble, harmonious, acceptable, and prayerful delight, Christ awakens in the universe as the Expounder of God's great plan.

Here

III. THAT CHRIST, AS THE EXPOUNDER OF THE MYSTERY OF THE DIVINE GOVERNMENT, IS DEEMED WORTHY OF THE OFFICE, BECAUSE OF HIS REDEMPTIVE Achievement. "Thou

art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof."

Why?"For thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God," &c. Observe, first, he has redeemed. The redemption of man consists in a deliverance from the power and penalty of sin. Theology has often confounded redemption with the atonement. (1) The atonement was universal, redemption is limited. Christ died for all, but, as a fact, only some are redeemed. (2) The atonement is the means, redemption is the end. Without the atonement there could have been no redemption, but without redemption there is still the atonement. (3) The atonement was the act of one Being, redemption involves the agencies of many. In offering the atonement, Christ trode the winepress alone; in effecting redemption, the subject works, teachers work, angels work, the SPIRIT works. (4) The atonement came without man's seeking; the world never asked for it; but redemption never comes without the earnest seeking of the individual. (5) The atonement was an event that took place "once for all," in one spot, at one period--on Calvary, eighteen hundred years ago; redemption is constantly occurring in all parts of the earth, and in all periods of time. Secondly. He has redeemed by sacrifice. What was the sacrifice? A few self-denying efforts?- -a world? No; his life. "By thy blood;" by the sacrifice of thy life thyself. Thirdly. He has redeemed, by sacrifice, all classes. "Out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation." The atonement is designed to redeem the world, and some of all its multitudinous sections have been thus redeemed, and millions more are to follow yet. Fourthly. He has redeemed all classes, by sacrifice, to the highest honours. "And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth." They are priests, in relation to their Maker, offering up the sacrifice of a devout and grateful soul; they are kings, in relation to their race, wielding a governing influence over their thoughts and hearts. A true Christian is a moral sovereign.

What a work is this redemptive work! Well may the universe deem Jesus worthy to open the book, because of what he has done to save the world.

P