greatness; or for our success in the things of this life; but that whilst abiding in the world, we may be kept from the evil of it, and may glorify the Father in bearing much fruit.

We behold Him also in another scene, walking in the midst of the golden candlesticks, as the high priest of old might have walked in the midst of Israel's camps. And in this vision of the Revelation, the Son of Man is clothed with this priestly robe of blue. For, in the Greek of the Revelation, it is called podeerees-a garment down to the foot-which is the name given to the robe of the ephod in the Septuagint, Exod. xxviii. 27. Here the ephod, with its shoulder-pieces and breastplate, was laid aside; for the Son of man was not occupying His priestly office Godward on behalf of His people. But He is described as coming forth from God, and walking in the midst of the churches to scrutinize their ways, and to give rebukes, warnings, and promises.

He is, as it were, come out of the holiest, and still sends forth the holy golden sound, while investigating the ways of His saints. And though He has to reprove, still the blue robe of heavenly grace and peace, is bound around Him with the girdle of gold, to fasten it securely; so that no failures which He might witness in His saints, should have power to unloose His love towards them; but His heart of constant unwavering affection, beats towards them beneath the breasts of consolations; and His divine love for them strengthens Him, as it were, for this trying scrutinizing service.

Is there not a remarkable suitability in the Lord Jesus being thus represented as attired in the blue robe of the Prince of peace, while He walks in the midst of the golden candlesticks, and looks with eyes of searching holiness into their ways, saying: "I know thy works?"

THE MITRE.

"And thou shalt make the "And a mitre of fine linen."mitre of fine linen."-Exod. Exod. xxxix. 28.

xxviii. 39.

THE Hebrew word Mitznepheth, here translated Mitre, is used exclusively for the head-dress of the high priest, except in one passage, Ezek. xxi. 26. It is derived from a verb signifying "to roll, or wind round;" possibly intimating that the high priest's mitre was wound round his head, like a tiara.

There is another word kindred to this, Tzaneeph, translated Diadem. Job. xxix. 14.; Isa. lxii. 3.-Hoods, Isa. iii. 23.-and Mitre, Zech, iii. 5. But this word. probably means a band or fillet; which was an emblem of royalty in the East; and in Zech. iii. 5. there may be an intimation of the change of the priestly order from that of Aaron to that of Melchizedek. Joshua, the high priest, is first represented standing in priestly garments, which are filthy. These garments are removed from him; his iniquity passes away; he is clothed with other garments; and a fair diadem is placed on his head. A kingly as well as priestly dignity is conferred on him.

The different purposes mentioned in scripture, for which the head was covered, appear at first sight somewhat contradictory: but these may be reconciled, if we take into account the various ways in which this was done. For instance, 2nd Sam. xv. 30., "David went up by the ascent of mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered; and he went barefoot; and all the people that was with him covered every man his head; and they went up, weeping as they went up.' -Esther vi. 12., " Haman hasted to his house, mourning, and having his head covered."-Jer. xiv. iii., "They were ashamed and confounded, and covered their heads.' In these cases, probably a mantle or sackcloth was thrown over the head, covering the usual head-dress,

and to some extent enveloping the person. This was done as a token of self-humiliation, grief, and shame. In modern days, the hood, worn as an outward sign of mourning, may have been borrowed from this ancient custom. On the other hand, to have the head uncovered, that is deprived of its ordinary dress, was also an expression of shame and dishonour. The leper was commanded to have his head bare. Lev. xiii. 45. And in Ezek. xxiv. 17, the prophet is ordered to bind the tire of his head upon him, and not to shew any signs of mourning. Also, upon the death of Nadab and Abihu, (Lev. x. 6) Aaron, Eleazer, and Ithamar are forbidden to uncover their heads; and (Lev. xxi. 10) the high priest is not allowed to uncover his head, although shame and dishonour fall upon him through the sin of his daughter. The beautiful captive (Deut. xxi. 12) was to shave her head, and bewail her father and mother. Baldness was a sign of dishonour; Jer. xlvii. 5, and xlviii. 37; Ezek. vii. 18.

In the New Testament, the woman is directed to cover her head, Ist Cor. xi. 3-10, because "the head of the woman is the man ;" whereas the man is to be uncovered, because he is the image and glory of God. In the assemblies therefore of the people of God, the woman, standing as a representative of the Church in subjection to Christ, covers her head.; the man, being a type of Christ Himself as the Head of the Church, uncovers his head.

This seems to prove that the mitre, covering the head of the high priest, was a type of his being subject to God, and that he was always supposed to be standing in the presence of God. He was never to lose sight of this glorious calling; but his life was to be spent in the tabernacle of the Most High, ready to accomplish God's commands, and submissive to His will. The white fine linen of which it was made, is an emblem of that righteousness and purity, which must be manifested in

one who stands in the presence of God on behalf of others.

The Ancient of days (Dan. vii. 9) is represented in vision, as having a garment white as snow, and the hair of his head like the pure wool. Wisdom and righteousness are manifested by Him who sits on the throne of judgment. In Rev. i. 14, the Son of Man, in the midst of the golden candlesticks, scrutinizing their works in the exercise of His priestly office, is thus seen by John: "His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow." Here again, the snow-white head and hairs betoken purity, righteousness, and wisdom.

It is written also, "The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness." (Prov. xvi. 31) and "The beauty of old men is the grey (or hoary) head." Prov. xx. 29.

The Lord Jesus, the great High Priest, is the Everlasting Father; or, as it perhaps might be rendered, "the Father of eternity." He is the wisdom as well as the power of God. He is Wisdom, as described in Prov. viii. "Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength. Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting; from the beginning; or ever the earth was: when there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth." (Verse 14, and 22—25.) In Micah also, the ruler in Israel is one whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. (Mic. v. 2.)

Our High Priest, the Son of God, has the wisdom of eternity. He has manifested the wisdom of God in creation. He is the wisdom of God, and power of God, in redemption. And he exercises in perfect righteousness, and in entire subjection, all this wisdom and power on behalf of the saints of the Most High. May not this mitre of the high priest have some typical allusion to these glories of Christ?

It has been before observed, that the only other occurrence of this word Mitre, in the Bible, except in

connexion with Israel's high priest, is in Ezek. xxi. 25, 27. "And thou, profane wicked prince of Israel, whose day is come, when iniquity shall have an end, thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Remove the diadem, and take off the crown; this shall not be the same; exalt him that is low, and abase him that is high. I will overturn, overturn, overturn it; and it shall be no more, until he come, whose right it is; and I will give it him." The word here rendered diadem is really mitre. This remarkable prophecy seems to point onward to a "profane and wicked prince of Israel," who will arise, and who will wear not only the crown of royalty, but the mitre of priesthood; in fact, who will arrogantly and blasphemously assume both regal and priestly power, in Satanic mockery of the true priest and king, the Lord Jesus. The Antichrist, "whose coming is after the working of Satan, in all power and signs and wonders of falsehood, and in all deceit of unrighteousness for them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved." 2nd Thes. ii. 9, 10. Also Ist John ii. 18, 22-In his day, iniquity rises to its height; and therefore it will have an end: and He will come, whose right it is; or, as it might be translated, "to whom the judgment is committed," and God will give it Him. For, he that is low shall be exalted, and he that is high shall be abased. The King of righteousness, and King of peace, the Priest of the most high God, will come, and take to Himself His great power, and reign, and destroy this profane wicked prince. God will exalt thus openly Him who has been as low down even as to the death of the cross, and will abase down to hell the arrogant man of sin, and all his followers.

This prophecy clearly shews that the Antichrist will assume a headship in religion, as well as a throne of royal power over the nations of the Roman earth, and that he will be prince of Israel, professing to be even their god.

What a solemn thought it is, that this age closes with