hands full of the fruits of that offering,
"seated" for us "on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the
heavens."

Here is a message for our times, in a sense which seems to me special,
pressing, and deeply beneficent. For the terms of that new covenant are
nothing less than the glorious essence, the Divine peculiarity, of the
Gospel of the grace of God. This forgiveness, this most sincere and
entirely unearned amnesty, this oblivion of the sins of the people of
God--do we hear very much about it now, even where by tradition it might
be most expected? But do we not need it now? Was there ever a time when
human hearts would be more settled and more energized than now, amidst
their moral restlessness, by a wise, thoughtful, but perfectly
unmistakable reaffirmation of the sublime fulness of Divine forgiveness
in Christ? Men may think that they can do without that message. They may
bid us throw the whole weight of preaching upon self-sacrifice, upon
social service, upon conduct at large. But the fully wakeful soul knows
that it is only then capacitated for self-sacrifice in the Lord's
footsteps when it has received the warrant of forgiveness, written large
in His sacred blood, finding pardon and peace at the foot of His
sacrificial Cross. Then turn to the second limb of the covenant, a limb
greater even than the first, inasmuch as for it the first is provided
and guaranteed. Do we hear too much about this covenant blessing now? Do
our pulpits too frequently and too fully give out the affirmation that
God in Christ stands pledged and covenanted to work the moral
transfiguration of His believing Israel, to act so on "the first springs
of thought and will" that our being shall freely respond to His free
action upon it, and will His will, and live His law? But was there ever
greater need for such an affirmation than in our time, so restless, so
unsatisfied, and, deep below all its superficial arrogance, so
disappointed, so discouraged?

Let us return upon the rich treasures of this great Compact of God in
Christ. The Covenant is ever new, for it is eternal. And it lies safe in
the ministering hands of Him who died to inaugurate it and make it good,
and who lives to shower its blessings down. He is on the right hand of
the throne of the majesty in the heavens. And "_we have_" Him.

CHAPTER VI

SANCTUARY AND SACRIFICE

HEB. ix.

The Epistle has exhibited to us the glory of the eternal Priest and the
weal