There are times, as most Christians can testify, when this privilege is peculiarly valued, seasons of anxiety about the bodily health, or, it may be the spiritual welfare of some one, who is the object of affection. Such anxiety can be of little avail unless it is made the subject of Christian prayer. The answer may seldom be so immediate as that which was returned to the united prayers of the Church in Jerusalem in behalf of St. Peter. It may not be even according to our desires. But it should be enough to believe that it is in accordance with the will and the wisdom of Him, in whom we can so surely trust as our Advocate and Mediator. We are also enabled, for His sake and through faith in Him, to look forward to the time, when all the prayers and intercessions of the Church militant shall be succeeded by the praises and thanksgivings of the Church triumphant, as they unite in the new song compared by St. John while he lingered in spirit at the gate of the heavenly city, to

the sound of many waters and of mighty thunderings: Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. Blessing and honour, and glory and power, unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever.'

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IX.

THE PROMISED REST.

'There remaineth, therefore, a rest to the people of God.'-HEB. iv. 9.

THE inspired reasoning of St. Paul in the previous verses is closely connected with two words, which are quoted by him from the 95th Psalm, 'My rest.' The nature of this divine rest, and the only way in which it can be shared by the people or Church of God, are explained by the Apostle in this chapter. He refers first to that rest of God, which is mentioned in the 2d chapter of Genesis, where it is said, 'He rested upon the seventh day from all his works, which he created and made.' This rest was at the time, and has ever since been, associated

with the special consecration of a seventh part of our time to God, the day of sacred rest then appointed for man. That first Sabbath, and possibly others also, were shared by the Creator with His creatures while they were still unfallen, and therefore capable of enjoying it fully and perfectly in the first Paradise of God.

Centuries passed away. The outward state of mankind had greatly changed, when another rest of God, which is also referred to in this chapter, was again shared by Him with His people. This divine rest, as truly as before-after the work of creation— followed the manifestation of His almighty power, when, every enemy having been subdued, and every hindrance done away, the people of Israel were led by Joshua into the land of Canaan. It was with a special reference to this rest that the prayer was offered up by the Jewish Church, 'Arise, O Lord, into Thy resting place, Thou and the ark of Thy strength.' The answer was

returned by the God of Israel,' This will be my rest for ever. Here will I dwell, for I have a delight therein.'

But this divine rest in the Temple upon Mount Zion, of which the Shekinah, or mysterious light shining within the most holy place, was the outward sign, was in its typical sense only temporary. It derived its chief meaning and permanent importance from its prophetic reference to that other rest, of which the Apostle speaks in the Ioth verse, ( He that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own work, as God did from his.' Those words can only be explained by applying them to our Lord Jesus Christ after He had entered into the glory of His present life, when it could be truly said of Him, that He then rested from that great work which he had finished fully and for ever. But, as upon the other occasions mentioned in this chapter, this rest was not intended for Himself alone. It was as our Representative and