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father's tents, he carried with him the birthright and the blessing which placed him in that position; and his separate life commenced as a separate link in the great chain of the history of his race. Its first day was marked by his first communication from God; and we should expect to find that the message of personal comfort was invested also with the character of type and prophecy. In fact, in this dream the whole future lies before us, not only in the verbal promise, which pledged to Jacob all that had been pledged to Abraham, but in the scenery of the vision itself. The patriarch and his seed are one; and it is the collective Jacob, the national Israel, which here lies at the foot of a ladder set up on the earth and reaching to the opened heaven, with the glory of God shining and the voice of God speaking above it, and the angels of God ascending and descending on it.

What picture could more exactly shew the destiny of the chosen race? Beside that race, and in that land, was placed the communication between earth and heaven. Over it the heavens were

opened, and in ministry for it the angels of God went to and fro. To them, indeed, was in some special way committed the guidance of that whole dispensation. The Law, we are told on the highest authority, was "received by the disposition of angels," and was "ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator."

These words of Stephen and St. Paul evidently imply more than the mere fact that angels were incidentally employed in the history of the old covenant. They recognise them as in some peculiar way entrusted with the work of "ordaining” and “disposing" it; and viewed in itself as an earthly covenant and dispensation of outward things, it falls strictly within the province of their ministry. This view appears more distinctly in the opening of the epistle to the Hebrews, where the adjustment of the relations between the old and new covenant is begun by the comparison of Christ, first to the ordaining angels and then to the mediator Moses-and the old covenant is described as "the word spoken by angels," and the new as "the word spoken by the Lord;" and it is announced that "to the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come whereof we speak." This last expression, taken in connection with all else that is said on the question, implies that, of the two worlds spoken of, He hath put the one in subjection to the angels, but not the other. The present world, as a system of nature and natural society, is placed in some sense under their guidance; as is evident from a multitude of Scriptures. But "the coming world" is not. In it " In it "man" is supreme; with "all things in subjection under his feet," as the inspired writer proceeds to shew by a reference to the eighth psalm, pointing to the interpretation of its words in the man Christ Jesus, "the Son of man" through whom, as Captain of their salvation, the "many sons" are brought to their destined glory. Now, as the passing world is contemplated as subjected

to the angels, so is the earthly covenant and temporary economy which were part of it, and which yet formed the first stage of revelation and of the connection of man with heaven. And as the coming world is subjected to the Son of man, so is the dispensation which introduces it, and the church which is its present

commencement.

This reference to a portion of Scripture, which defines the position of Israel and the characteristics of its dispensation, is sufficient to remind us how accurately these are represented in the vision of Jacob. We see in it that great system of communication from God and with God which He established in Jacob his people and Israel his inheritance, and we also see the nature of that spiritual ministry which law, prophets, and history prove to have been employed in conducting it.

3. A greater subject yet remains. The words of the Son of God have connected the visionary scene with higher thoughts and more complete revelations. At His first appearance there is brought to Him an Israelite indeed, who, at a single word, recog nises in Him "the Son of God and the King of Israel."

"And Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the-fig tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things than these. And he said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of man.'

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In these words of the King of Israel to the Israelite indeed, none can fail to see the reference to the vision of Israel himself. One can scarcely help believing that that vision had some close connection with the thoughts of Nathanael under the fig-tree, which had evidently been to him a scene of religious retirement, "a house of God and a gate of heaven." Such tacit reference to men's thoughts is a frequent characteristic of our Lord's converse. However that may be, it is plain that the words of Jesus give the assurance to Israelites indeed, that in Him they should see the fulfilment of all that had been shadowed in the ancestral type. It was no casual prediction of angelic appearances or external wonders. For the first time is heard the solemn form ("Verily, verily, I say unto you,") which afterwards so often marks the greatest and most pregnant announcements. "Thou shalt see" is exchanged for "Ye shall see;" and the language of conversation with Nathanael passes into an address to the little assembly which stood there as a nucleus of the church. The promised vision is not for any particular occasion or distant time; it is not "hereafter" in the sense in which that word is commonly taken, but àñáρтɩ "henceforth," from the day of your first faith in me. The vision is even now opening, and you shall watch its continuous evolution and behold its permanent glory.

One cannot but look with wonder on the shallowness of

thought and want of sympathy with the genius of scripture language, which have been shown by some commentators, who have seen nothing here but a promise of evidential signs, and have sought to justify the saying by reckoning up the appearances of angels, which the apostles might have seen while Jesus was with them. Is this the account which St. John would have given of that first promise which he heard and reported from his Master's lips? What is that whole gospel of his which follows these words, but a nobler interpretation of their meaning? There we feel ourselves indeed beneath the open heaven. There we have ever before us that union of the human and divine in the Son of man who is also Son of God, that descending and ascending, that being on earth and being in heaven, which are summed up in the words to Nicodemus, "No man hath ascended up to heaven but He that came down from heaven, even the Son of man, who is in heaven."

Here is the true ladder of communication set up on the earth, and the top of it reaching to heaven, connecting man who lies beneath it in his need, with God who shines above it in His glory. The system of continuous mediation thus established, is found at our side wherever we lie down, and constitutes every place a house of God and a gate of heaven.

Most truly, also, are the angels of God ascending and descending on it. Though the dispensation is of another kind than that of the old covenant, and not, like it, "put in subjection to the angels;" yet the witness of their ministry pervades the New Testament records. They usher in the advent and announce the birth of Jesus, and are dimly seen to offer their ministrations in the wilderness of temptation and among the shadows of Gethsemane. They roll back the stone from the grave, and with countenance like lightning strike the keeper to the ground. They lay the cloths and fold the napkin, and wait as servants in the sleeping chamber which their Lord has left. They announce the resurrection, and cheer the hearts of the mourners. They are seen in bright clothing on the mount of Ascension, and give assurance that Jesus will return. They mingle their presence with succeeding events, bringing messages to apostles and evangelists, giving instructions to Cornelius, bringing Peter out of prison, smiting Herod in his pride, reassuring Paul in the shipwreck. And beyond these historical appearances they are further represented in doctrine, as ministering to the heirs of salvation, rejoicing in the conversion of sinners, uniting with the assemblies of the church, bearing departed souls to their abode, gathering the elect from the four winds, sounding the trumpet of doom, surrounding the person of the Judge, and accomplishing his final decrees.

Thus are they ascending and descending on the Son of man He himself "made a little lower than the angels, becomes for a time the subject of their attendance, and his mystical body

remains so still; while he is also, in his nature and mediation, the means of communication between earth and heaven, on which their ministrations are founded and directed. They do not make the path of communication, they only move to and fro upon it. Their work of service to God and succour to man is based upon a deeper work than theirs, to which they can contribute nothing, and which they only "desire to look into." But it has opened the way for their proper ministrations, and created a living communion between the church on earth and "the innumerable company of angels."

From the day that the disciples first came to Jesus, the realities of their position began gradually to break upon their minds, but were not distinctly seen till the great gift of the Spirit illuminated to their eyes the whole mediatorial work, like a flood of light upon the heavenly ladder. Thenceforth all was clear for them, and is clear for us. To the believer in Jesus, communion with God and association with heaven are no longer a vision or a hope. The Christian does not dream. He has "the sober certainty of waking bliss." He is conscious of one necessity-to keep close to the Son of man, in whom is the only way of fellowship with things above. Many minds there are which long for that fellowship, yet pass by the only ladder set up on the earth, the top of which reaches to heaven. The certainties of revelation have faded on their sight, and if their uncertain thoughts advance a few upward steps, it is not towards an open heaven. Their sad voices are in our ears:

"I falter where I firmly trod,

And fall with all my weight of cares

Upon the world's great altar stairs

Which slope through darkness up to God."*

Noble and touching words! and, oh, how true! Never was the religion of nature and of human thought more truly depicted. "The world's great altar stairs" afford no secure footing, and no line along which the eye can rise. They "slope through darkness up to God," and the darkness covers both them and Him.

Happy is the humblest and simplest traveller who has found in Jesus Christ the true way of reconciliation, access and fellowship. In the light of revelation he "sees the heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of man." He hears the voice of the Father, and apprehends the promises of grace, and is surrounded by a spiritual world. He lives in the house of God; he lies at the gate of heaven; and the discoveries which are now made to his faith he knows to be but the earnest of the fruition of the future.

T. D. B.

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DR. VAUGHAN ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans: with Notes by Charles John Vaughan, D.D., Head Master of Harrow School, and late Fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge. Macmillan and Co., Cambridge.

1859.

It has been our painful duty of late, on more than one occasion, to protest against fatal errors maintained by men of known ability, and occupying important positions in the church. That one of our public schools should be handed over to such teachers as the writers of Essays and Reviews-that Oxford should be exposed to similar influence-and English parishes have for their pastors men who can speak so lightly of God's word, is enough to stir the sorrow and to arouse the indignation of christian men.

It is no small satisfaction to us to turn, at this time, to the volume which we wish now to introduce to our readers. The name of the author is enough to gain for it a welcome reception; and on reading it we have rejoiced to find that the careful unbiassed study of the great apostle by a man occupying deservedly as high a reputation as any amongst us for sound judgment and accurate scholarship, has resulted in the enunciation of the grand old truths which the Fathers of our Protestant church long ago maintained, and which they have so well expressed in these articles from which false teachers always desire to get free. Whatever may be the present deplorable position of Rugby, we gather that Harrow was for fifteen years a centre of sound teaching.

The days are gone by when a boy would leave school with a far better acquaintance with Horace and Sophocles than with the simplest elements of Christianity. Careful scripture-teaching must, in the present day, have its due place in the education of the young. We have reason to know that in our best public schools no lesson is prepared with more accuracy, both by masters and pupils, than the lesson on Scripture; while the paper on Divinity forms an important element in every examination. Dr. Vaughan tells us that he has not been in the habit of confining himself to mere rudimentary instruction in this, the highest subject to which the mind of man can be applied :

"I desire to record my impression, derived from the experience of many years, that the epistles of the New Testament, no less than the gospels, are capable of furnishing useful and solid instruction to the highest classes of our public schools. If they are taught accurately, not controversially; positively, not negatively; authoritatively, yet not dogmatically; taught with close and constant reference to their literal meaning, to the connection of their parts, to the sequence of their argument, as well as to their moral and spiritual instruction; they will interest, they will inform, they will elevate; they will inspire a reverence

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