demonstrates how incessantly He is employed in watching over, in caring for, and guiding His Church on earth; blessing it with His continual presence, and daily fulfilling His most gracious promise, "Lo! I am with you always, even unto the end of the world."

While the Church is symbolized not by candles, but by "candlesticks," showing that although eminently serviceable in dispensing the light, it has no light of itself, but that it stands as a mere depositary of the light of God's word, and of God's grace, in every age, among the benighted people people of the world; holding forth to them that radiance which is shed from the fountain of light, upon its ministers and people. The candlesticks were "golden," to mark the matchless value of a Christian church, and a Christian ministration. Yet, brethren, as the eye of the apostle fell upon those golden branches, be sure it dwelt not for a moment upon their

So

inimitable beauty, but saw, and saw only, Him who stood among them. let it be with you; learn to look beyond the most valuable of duties, the most golden of ordinances, to the Saviour, from whom alone they derive their beauty, their excellence, and their power. Value your Church, and next to the Saviour, you cannot value her too dearly; but remember, that she herself desires to be accounted, but as the humble handmaid of her Lord. In all her prayers she teaches you to look to Christ; in all her praises, to dwell on Christ; in all her offices, to draw near to Christ; as every ray of light which beams from the golden candlesticks, and brings knowledge, or grace, or love into your souls, is from Him "who dwelleth in the light which no man can approach unto," and is indeed the great source of light itself; so does your apostolical Church desire that every ray should be reflected back again to its

Divine source, conveying glory, and thanksgiving, and honour, and praise, unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever.

We proceed with the detail which the apostle gives of the appearance of the Saviour. "He was clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire; and His feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters."f The long "garment down to the foot, was expressly appointed by God to be worn by the High Priest. By our Lord therefore appearing in this sacerdotal garment, He revealed to St. John, that although in heaven, He still retains the office of the Priesthood, conferred upon Him as Mediator,

f Revelation i. 13, 14, 15.

by the Almighty, when, as it is written, "The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizidec." It was as a Priest, that the apostle says, Christ

entered into heaven with His own blood," and after He had offered one sacrifice for sins, "a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice," for ever sat down at the right hand of God, "for by one offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." It is as a Priest, that the Lord Jesus Christ stands at this moment before the throne of God, presenting His merits in behalf of His people, and offering there, their petitions and their praises.

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But He was also "girt about the paps with a golden girdle." Among eastern nations the girdle was a most essential portion of the attire, when prepared for any active employment; it

g Psalm cx. 4.

was not worn in the house, but put on preparatory to engaging in exercise; and to this, frequent allusion is made in the gospels, "the loins girded" being a proverbial expression for readiness for action. Our Lord therefore manifesting Himself as girded, demonstrated that He was actively employed; that although glorified, although returned to the everlasting joys of His kingdom, He was still the wakeful, watchful, indefatigable guardian of His Church. That He who had once girded Himself with a towel, and washed His disciple's feet, had now put on His golden girdle of kingly dignity, for higher and more noble services; that He was gone, as He had predicted, to prepare thrones for His apostles, upon which they should sit with Him, judging the twelve tribes of Israel; and that not they alone, but that all who, by His strength, should be enabled to overcome, should sit down with Him upon His throne, even as