May 17

Hebrews vii.—17. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

18. For there is verily a disannuiling of the commandment going before, for the weakness and unprontableness thereof. 19. For the law made nothing perfect; but the bringing-in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. 20. And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest; 21. (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath, by him that said unto him, The Lord swore, and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek:) 22. By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. 23. And they truly were many priests, because

As Abraham was returning from the rescue of Lot, a venerable man, who was at once the king of Salem and the priest of the most high God, met him, and blessed him in the name of the Lord. Touched with the dignity of his character and office, Abraham bowed before him, and paid him tithes of all the spoils of victory. Thus, for one instant of that far off history, Melchizedek fits before us, and disappears. But that momentary vision was a prophecy of the priesthood of Christ in its royal pre-eminence and its unchanging virtue. No record is left of the family of Melchizedek, his birth, his kindred, his death, he stands before us in the grandeur of his character and office, and in his immediate relations with the Most High, —king of righteousness, king of peace, without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life, but made like unto the Son of God. After

they were not suffered to continue by reason of death;

24. But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. 25. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. 26. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27. Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's; for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated forevermore.

almost two thousand years, this typical character re-appears in perfection in the person of Christ, made a priest, not according to a changeable human law, but by the power of an endless life, consecrated by the word of Jehovah forevermore.

All the meaning of the sacrifices was summed up in his death: no more offering for sin is needed; no other could be made. The perfection of his own nature attaches also to his work of redemption. But, though the atonement was finished upon the cross, the other function of the priesthood, that of intercession, is in constant exercise by Jesus, seeing he ever liveth. What encouragement to prayer, what assurance of sympathy and help, what confidence of salvation, are given in the fact, that He who so loved us that he came to die for us, lives, with all his human tenderness unchanged, to intercede for us, to succor and to save us!

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 28, 86, 179.

Merciful Father, we draw nigh to thy throne of grace through Jesus, our great High Priest. For his sake may we obtain mercy, and find grace to help according to our need!

O Thou who art the Way! we beseech thee to lead us; O Thou who art the Truth! we beseech thee to teach us; O Thou who art the Life! we beseech thee to preserve us unto the life everlasting. We thank thee, O God! that in Christ we may know thee as our Father, reconciling us unto thyself.

Transform us from day to day, and from week to week, more into the image of thy Son, that we may at last be presented faultless before the presence of thy glory with exceeding joy.

We praise thee for this sabbath and all its blessings, at home and in thy house. We pray for all who have worshipped with us this day. May grace, mercy, and peace be upon them, and upon the whole Israel of God! Extend thy cause and kingdom everywhere. May the glorious gospel of the grace of God speedily triumph over all the pride and wisdom and will-worship and delusion of man! Arise, O God! and plead thine own cause.

Bless this family. O Thou who didst bring from the dead the Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant! do thou make us all perfect to do thy will, working in us that which is well-pleasing in thy sight.

May our friends who are at a distance from us be protected and guarded by thy gracious providence! The Lord watch between them and us when we are absent one from another! May their names also be written in the Lamb's book of life! Teach us how to walk as pilgrims and strangers on the earth, —sojourners, as all our fathers were, —looking for that blessed hope, even the glorious appearing of the great God our Saviour. Oh! bring us at last to our Father's house in everlasting peace.

As the curtains of the night are now drawing around us, be pleased to grant us thy guardian care. Lying down in thy fear, may we awake in thy favor, fitted for all the calls and duties of a new day! And all this we ask for the sake of Jesus Christ, our only Saviour. Amen.