Father-the two natures and the two offices of the promised Saviour. The living creatures are moved by the Spirit of Him who reigns upon the sapphire throne above them, who was as the colour of amber, as the appearance of fire, from the appearance of His loins even upward and from the appearance of His loins even downward, as it were the appearance of fire, having brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.' It was a vision in mystery of the Lord of hosts, the Word, so that when they went the prophet heard the voice of their wings like the voice of great waters, like the voice of the Almighty, the voice of speech like the voice of a host' (Ezek. i. 24), and there was a voice from the firmament that was over their heads when they stood and had let down their wings' (Ezek. i. 24, 25). The voice which breathes through their wings in their motion is the voice of the Eternal of whom St. John speaks in a later age. The Word was made flesh, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the Only-begotten of the Father' (St. John i. 14).

When the cherubs are seen carved upon the walls of the tabernacle, only two faces are seen-the face of a man and the face of a lion: for the temple represents the Body of Christ, not His Godhead. It is therefore fitting that its symbols should pourtray the royal humanity. The Divine merit and glory of the priesthood which He would exercise in that temple was no fit subject for its symbolical ornamentation. The outward architecture might pourtray the dignity of the Body of Christ as towards man. The relation

of that Body to God was a hidden life, to be exercised behind the veil of flesh, and secret from the gaze

man.

of

The glory of the Lord of hosts which the prophet saw by the river Chebar, and afterwards knew to be identified with the cherubim in the vision of the polluted sanctuary, from which He withdrew (Ezek. x. 11), and to which when purged He would return' (Ezek. xliii. 1-6), must be recognised as the glory of Messiah. He is the hope of Israel, driven away from His ancient temple by the sin of those that had the care of it, and yet He is Himself the temple which that structure symbolised. At the first Passover of His ministry He had promised that He would raise the temple up in three days, but He spake of the temple of His Body John ii. 21). That Body when raised from the dead would be the fulfilment of what Ezekiel had foretold. Thus saith the Lord God, although I have cast them far off among the heathen, and although I have scattered them among the countries, yet will I be to them as a little sanctuary in the countries where they shall come' (Ezek. xi. 16).

So shall Messiah be known as being indeed the Lord of hosts, the mighty God, the Angel of the Divine Presence, executing judgment on them that provoke Him, but gathering unto Himself such as will receive Him with penitence, and He saith I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in My statutes and keep Mine ordinances

and do them, and they shall be my people and I will be their God' (Ezek. xi. 19, 20).

O Jesu, the mighty God, Thou hast not forfeited Thine eternal glory because Thou hast taken upon Thyself our weakness. Though man reject Thee so that Thou dost forsake the ancient home of Thy covenant, nevertheless Thy word remaineth sure for O be Thou my refuge, and grant that I may walk worthy of the sanctuary whereinto Thou hust called me.

ever.

My son, consider well how My prophet of old frembled at the consciousness of his own sin which the vision of My glory made him feel. How much more shouldst thou tremble, seeing thou art brought into a closer relation than was given to him. Thou dost not only behold My glory. Thou art called near to Me, that thou mayest live with My Life.

Yea, Lord, Thou hast been pleased to set upon me Thy mark that I perish not with the world of the ungodly, but Thou hast warned me that the slaughter of the rebellious is to begin at Thy sanctuary. O let Thy mark be ever manifest upon me, that my name may not be blotted out of Thy Book of Life.

My son, blessed are they that have their part in the Holy City. The name thereof shall be called, from Mine indwelling presence, The Lord is there; and if thou overcomest I will write upon thee the name of My God, and the name of the City of My God, which is New Jerusalem, and I will write upon thee My new

name. So shalt thou know Me as Emmanuel, the mighty God, the Lord of hosts, and I will claim thee as My dwelling place wherein I will abide for ever.

O Lord Jesu, Holy and Mighty, Holy and Immortal, the Angel announced Thine Incarnation to the Blessed Virgin, saying The Lord is with Thee, and Thou ownest Thy people who are called by Thy name, to be Thy dwelling place, by the title of Thy changeless love, The Lord is there. O let me live as befits Thy sacred presence. Whatever troubles may

come upon the world, Thou, O mighty God, art in the midst of Thy Church, therefore shall she not be moved; Thou shalt help her, and that right early.

MEDITATION XXVIII.

The Everlasting Father.

Beginning from Moses and from all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.-St. Luke xxiv. 27.

1. THE ETERNAL SON.

MESSIAH is the mighty God, the Son of God from everlasting. Unto the Son He saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of Thy kingdom' (Ps. xlv. 6, 7; Heb. i. 8). He who is the Father of Eternity must be Himself the Eternal. In the Trinity none is afore or after other.' The creature may be taken up into this Eternity to participate therein. The creature cannot communicate eternity so as to have an eternal offspring. No one can have offspring greater than himself. David has an eternal Son, but he is not the father of His Eternity. Priests in the Christian sacraments convey the gifts of eternal life, but they act not in their own persons in so doing. They act as the instruments and in the name of the eternal Head. He who gives eternal life from Himself must have it in Himself as His own true and proper possession. If the Son of God then is the Father of Eternity, it is because, as the Father hath life in Himself, so hath He given to the Son to have life in Himself' (S. John v. 26).

6