in the hand of Him who is the Church's Bridegroom and King), is a true immortelle an amaranthine wreath left by angels on His tomb, but which He carried with Him, on the day of His accession to His throne, to hold in pledge until the bridal hour, when the Queenthe Church triumphant and glorified-will stand at His right hand "in gold of Ophir" (Ps. xlv. 9). Or, adhering more faithfully to the idea conveyed in the words, that royal Garland is now being weaved. It is not His crown of deity— the eternal crown He wore from everlasting ages, as God over all." That cannot be added to. It is complete in itself: no gem in it is wanting: it is a crown of pure gold, the same to-day as it was before the trance of eternity was broken by any manifestation of His power. But this regal diadem, consisting of the immortal souls He has redeemed, has ever fresh gems to increase its lustre. This regal garland, plucked from His garden on earth, is every day, every year, including fresh flowers,-some in bud, some in

blossom. He is holding it now, so to speak, in His hand, while it needs protection; but the day is coming, when no breath can soil its precious stones, and no blight injure its floral beauty; that day which will usher in the coronation of the Church triumphant-the "great day" of His espousals, "the day of the gladness of His heart."

May God hasten it! All prophecy and inspired teaching tell us, it will be at earth's deepest midnight that the cry will be heard, "Behold the Bridegroom cometh!" It is when the world and the Church are alike slumbering and sleeping, and the shadows of evil are falling all around, that "the righteousness thereof shall go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof" (recalling the virgins bearing their lamps in the wedding procession)—“ the salvation thereof" as these "blazing torches." Oh! when the wailing suppliant cry of a captive world, ever and anon, seems to be heard, "Go through, go through the gates!" may it be ours to do what we can for the clearing away of all

stones-all moral obstructions, and thus be prepared to listen to that joyous shout here spoken of, echoing from hill to hill, and from shore to shore, "Daughter of Zion! behold thy Saviour cometh!" Not in unwatchfulness or unreadiness, may she be able to respond (may our voices mingle in the jubilant welcome), " Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord!"

"A little while' for patient vigil keeping,

To face the storm, to wrestle with the strong;
'A little while' to sow the seed with weeping,
Then bind the sheaves and sing the harvest-song.

'A little while' 'mid shadow and illusion,

To strive by faith Love's mysteries to spell,

Then read each dark enigma's clear solution,

And hail Light's verdict,' He doth all things well.'

'A little while' the earthen pitcher taking

To wayside brooks from far-off fountains fed,
Then the parched lip its thirst for ever slaking
Beside the fulness of the Fountain-Head.

'A little while' to keep the oil from failing,
'A little while' Faith's flickering lamp to trim;
And then the Bridegroom's coming footstep hailing,
To haste to meet Him with the bridal hymn !"

IN THE MULTITUDE OF MY THOUGHTS WITHIN ME

THY COMFORTS DELIGHT MY SOUL."

"The mercies of JEHOVAH I will record; the praises of JEHOVAH, According to all that JEHOVAH hath done to us,

And the greatness of His goodness to the house of Israel (Lowth), Which He hath shown them according to His pity and the riches of His mercies (Delitzsch),

[prove false. For He said, Truly they are my people, children that will not

Verily Thou art our Father, though Abraham be ignorant of us, And Israel will not recognise us (Alexander):

Thou, Jehovah, art our Father,

O deliver us, for the sake of Thy name (Lowth).

Thus saith JEHOVAH,

As when (a good grape that will produce) new wine is found in a cluster (Barnes),

And they say, Do not destroy it; for a blessing is in it :

Thus will I do for the sake of my servants, not to destroy the whole.

And the plain of Sharon shall become a meadow for flocks,
And the valley of Achor a resting-place for oxen (Delitzsch),
For my people who have sought me.

And I will bring forth a seed out of Jacob,

And an heir of my mountains out of Judah (b.)

And my chosen ones shall inherit the land,

And my servants shåll dwell there.

But ye shall rejoice and exult in the age to come which I create (Lowth):

For, lo! I turn Jerusalem into exulting, and her people into joy. And I shall exult over Jerusalem, and be joyous over my people; And the voice of weeping and screaming will be heard in her no more (Delitzsch).

And I will impart to them a sign,

And of those that escape will I send to the Gentiles (Barnes),
To Tarshish, Pul, and Lud-stretchers of the bow,

To Tubal and Javan, to the distant isles,
Which have not heard my fame, nor seen my glory;
And they shall proclaim my glory among the Gentiles."

—ISAIAH lxiii. 7-lxvi. 19.

XXX.

"Comfort pe, comfort ye my people,

saith your God."

"But be ye glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create: for, behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people; and the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying."

Israel
Restored.

-ISAIAH lxv. 18, 19.

THE true and ultimate interpretation of these words, is unquestionably that which has been reiterated in the preceding pages, where the literal Jerusalem and her Temple are spiritualised and transfigured,— taken as types of 'the Holy Church throughout all the world,' purchased and consecrated by nobler and costlier than human sacrifices. Prophet looks far beyond the restoration from

The

captivity of his own kinsmen according to the