drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till He come." Distinct, then, from its sacramental influence as a means of grace, is that sacrificial efficacy, whereby the Holy Eucharist is our mean for maintaining the privilege of worship. It rests upon that great truth of our ascended Lord's perpetual Intercession, which is the grand charter of His Church. "We have access with confidence through the faith of Him." Now, that which He does above in the one heavenly temple gives efficacy to the services, whereby through the ministry of His earthly priests He is exhibited to God. What they offer is no fresh Christ, no new victim, no additional sacrifice; "by one sacrifice He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." It is only through that "one sacrifice of Himself, once offered," that their service is effectual. And since when He had offered one perpetual sacrifice for sins, He sat down at the right hand of God, therefore that which passes in the heavenly temple, gives efficacy to the service of our earthly altars. This it must be which our Church intends, when she censures those sacrifices of masses, in which she understands that some new victim was thought to be created. Whereas it is Christ alone the one perfect Head of Adam's raceChrist who has ascended into Heaven-who is even at the right hand of God-whose slain humanity is the thing of value in the Christian sacrifice. He is not presented, therefore, below

as a fresh victim, but by His own effectual Priesthood in the heaven of heavens.

Though the earthly ministration be a real sacrifice, yet it is not calculated to add anything to the value of His offering; it is only the means whereby the work is participated. Ever since it was transferred from these lower courts to the heavenly temple, it has been the one sole sacrifice of value, which man's race could present to God; He who presents it is the true High Priest of collective humanity, the real heir of man's race, who effects that end for which Adam was created, and truly intercedes on behalf of the universe of God. Those who minister in His earthly courts cannot add, therefore, to the value of what He has effected: when they offer the Christian sacrifice, the sole reason why that which they do is important, is because by their act men participate in that work of intercession, which the Great High Priest is discharging for the whole Church of the Elect; so that things done on earth are one with those which are done in heaven.

And this may lead us, in conclusion, to estimate the real evil of undervaluing the Church's collective sacrifice; and especially its crowning act, that holy Eucharist, whereby "we show forth the Lord's death till He come." The main error of all such neglect is, that it throws us back from the law of grace to the law of nature. And therefore it robs us of that true mode of access, which the Priesthood of Christ alone secures. For in

Him alone has man become again the high priest of creation. And how, then, can we reclaim our forfeited inheritance, save by maintaining our oneness with that Head, through whom only we receive it? That Christians may pray always, and everywhere, is the very gift which has been bestowed upon them as members of Christ. But this right of access has been restored only in Him, in whose public acts, therefore, it is essential that they should participate. "Having an High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith; not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together."

For man's lost inheritance has not simply been given back; it has been exchanged in truth for a higher honour. If the Gospel had but restored man's birthright, then might men draw near to God when they would and how, and one mode of worship were as available as another. And that such is the case, is an opinion which not unreasonably commends itself to the natural mind, seeing that this was indeed by nature man's access to God. We walk forth, men say, under the vault of heaven, and how can we pay a better service to Him, to whom at such moments we seem nearest in thought? Those who trust, therefore, to natural reason, suppose, not strangely, that thus may the Creator be best approached. But in Christ Our Lord has there been a path laid open, which is not only beside, but above nature. He

has Himself taken our being, that in Him might be a better and fuller approach to God. This is that "new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh." It was a painful path, marked with the blood of Him who first trod it; its first steps led up the hill of Calvary, though its last scaled the sky. But now is it a path of peace, and joy, and holy hope, to all who in true faith follow the steps of their ascended Lord. For they plead His perpetual sacrifice, they neither need nor find other victim; "by one sacrifice He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified."

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SERMON XXII.

THE MEDIATION OF CHRIST.

I. TIMOTHY, ii. 5.

"There is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus."

THE doctrine of a Mediator holds a leading place in the re-creation of mankind. "For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace, and of the gift of righteousness, shall reign in life by one Jesus Christ." The meaning plainly of this doctrine is, that under the Gospel covenant, the God-man, Jesus Christ Our Lord, is the sole channel through which God and man are brought into connexion. Whatever God bestows upon man, whatever man offers to God, passes through this medium.

Such a system was not unknown under the Jewish covenant. The law was "ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator." The people said