notes a something to catch hold of; a memorandum left, which was in the end to appear in all its truth. Into all this Moses deeply entered: it caught hold of his soul. In the future tense, "I shall be (Ehjeh) he saw a glorious appearance which was to take place at a distant period; and when he, some ages after, appeared on the mount of transfiguration, it was to converse about the manner of accomplishing that very promise formerly made in the bush," the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Savious Jesus Christ."

This reproach will be taken away when" the covering that is cast over all people is swallowed up;" when that veil is raised that now conceals invisible things from mortal view. In that day, what constituted the reproach of the people of God, shall meet the view of all generations, as the things which remain, while the things of earth, to which the world had given a decided preference, disappear, like a vapour, before the rays of the sun. The invisible reward which had, while time was, been the scoff of men, shall now be made visible to all: and the very reprobate shall be forced to praise the wisdom of the righteous, for having had the energy of mind to despise the shadows of time, in order to obtain the realities of a blessed eternity.

CHAPTER

CHAPTER X.

The Future Age subject to Messiah.

For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. Heb. ii. 5.

THE future age,

with its blessings, was a

theme perpetually in the mouth of the Jews of antient times. "All the prophets," says Maimonides, "have prophecied universally, and only of the days of Messiah, but with respect to the future age, eye hath not seen, O God, except thee." In several passages of Scripture, the Jews discerned the future age, although not formally set forth by the name. Such as in this "I will put my laws into their heart, and I will take away the stony heart out of their flesh, &c. with many other similar passages, to the same purpose," says the above mentioned Rabbi, " in which way the future age is fully understood; this is that ultimate end toward which we ought to direct every exertion."*

* Cum multis ejusmodi scripturæ locis eodem spectantibus ; quibus rationibus, firmiter appprehenditur sæculum futurum. Quod autem ad finem ultimum, est ille sæculum futurum quo enitendum. Porta Mosis.

In order to determine whether by the world to come, in this place, is to be understood the present state of the church on earth, the state of souls in Paradise, or the state of glory after the resurrection, there are certain marks to which we are to attend. These are three. The first the words of the passage; "He subjected not to angels the world to come." The second the apostle's expression; "whereof we speak." The third that "order or rank," which Christ himself assigns to the future age, as taking place after death, and before the resurrection.

1st. The words "he hath not subjected to angels the world to come," imply that their ministry will not be wanted, as in the present state. Here they are subordinate agents, acting by commission from him in whom the divine Name is, and who, by the antient Jews, was termed the Mimra or Word.

It appears that through all ages there is a work carrying on, respecting the children of men, termed by the antient Jewish church (Hassereth) the service, at the head of which is Messiah, and in which work angels have their part assigned them, This came afterwards to be known in the Greek church, by the term diaconia; and in the Latin, by that of ministerium. Angels, from being employed in this work, were denominated by the Hebrews, Malache-Hassereth, of

which ministering angels is a literal version. This is one proof among many that might be brought, that certain phrases, expressive of the belief of the Jewish church, passed without any variation into the Christian; and that such Jews as had embraced the religion of Jesus, looked for the ministry of angels to be continued under the new dispensation, as it had been under the old. Their services, indeed, may differ somewhat from what they were of old, in conformity to the spirit of the dispensation under which they were now to act. "Are they not all," says St. Paul, "ministering spirits, sent forth to minister to them who shall be the heirs of salvation ?"

Commentators appear to be somewhat at a loss here. Taking the world to come to mean no more than the gospel dispensation upon earth, they cannot to any degree of satisfaction shew what material difference there is between the station which angels held under the old dispensation, and that in which they are under the new. I say, material, because it is admitted that their ministrations may vary somewhat; but still, in general, with respect to the church, they are what they ever were, namely, ministering angels. Such was their antient, and such is their present character they are still the internuncii between heaven and earth. Their services may take their complexion from the particular dispensation under

which they act. Under the Mosaic, which was a dispensation of severity, they appear at times, as the ministers of vengeance, to wield the thunder and the lightening, and to shake over cities the devouring pestilence. Under the New Tetament dispensation, in which mildness, forbearance, and love, are the bright characteristics, they appear actuated by the same amiable qualities. They are sent to announce glad tidings, to open the door of the prison, to give comfort while sailing on the dark and stormy deep.

In present days, when visible interpositions have entirely ceased, angels, in like manner, no more subject themselves to be seen by the children of men. We are not, however, from this to conclude, that their ministrations have entirely ceased, any more than we would, that the Deity himself hath ceased to act, because he does not, as in the days of old, hold visible intercourse with his creature man.

If angels then, even in present days, are ministering spirits, encamping around them who fear Jehovah, and in an unknown variety of ways, ministering to their interests, the world to come cannot mean the dispensation of the gospel upon earth, because this, too, is subjected to angels, viewed in the light of ministering spirits, as well as the dispensation that preceded. Neither can it apply to the state after the resurrection, for then