Labour not for the meat that perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life. Lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven." In addition to continued watchfulness over their own conduct, and remembrance of Himself, God demands of men a life of self-denial and of active benevolence: "Watch and pray lest ye enter into temptation. Lead us not into temptation. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh. Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near. .... Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils; freely ye have received, freely give. . Well done thou good and faithful servant, thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things." The picture ceases entirely to be that of a stern, vindictive Judge, and long and patient forbearance in the Father is held up as an example to be followed by men in their dealings with each other. Instead of taking vengeance upon offending towns, destroying men, women, children, and cattle, and even punishing those who fail to do His cruel will, as he is represented in the earlier period of the Jewish history, we now find God merciful to erring nations, and displeased with those who counsel severity. Human That ye resist not evil. Love your enemies, do good to them that hate you. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.” Quitting now the consideration of the nature and attributes of the Father in heaven and of his dealings with his children, we shall do well to inquire how his relations with them are represented to have been established and maintained; and just as we perceive Him to become a more spiritual God as we travel onwards in history, so, too, we find his association with men more metaphysical. And not only do these relations become less corporeal, but at the same time they grow gradually more and more psychically intimate and confidential, until the great Teacher proclaims (in that sentence which in these modern days has been variously construed by men holding different beliefs as to God's nature) that he and his "Father are one." But let us commence with the earlier sages and prophets, and we shall find that in almost every case they considered themselves merely the mouthpieces of the Almighty. To Moses He is represented as saying: "Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say." David said: "The spirit of the Lord spake by me, and his word was in my tongue." To Jeremiah He said: 66 Say not, I am a child,' and whatsoever I command thee thou shalt speak. Then the Lord put forth his hand and touched my mouth. To Isaiah: “And I have put my words in thy mouth.” Jesus said: "I do nothing of myself, but as my Father hath taught* me I speak these things." And to his disciples he said: "It shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak, for it is not ye that speak, but the spirit of your Father which speaketh in you." And at all periods, but more especially in that under our immediate consideration, a belief in the inspiration of wise men was accompanied by a distrust of pretenders: and the identity of tone and sentiment in which they are denounced by the later prophets and Jesus is very remarkable: “The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means. The prophets prophesy lies in my name. I sent them not, neither have I commanded them. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and then will I profess unto them, I never knew you, depart from me, ye that work iniquity. O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. *These words are italicised to show the distinction between the method of communication or inspiration by which Jesus says he received his instructions and his disciples would receive theirs, as compared with what is stated of or by the earlier prophets. Her priests have violated my law and profaned my holy things. Her princes in the midst thereof are like wolves ravening the prey to shed blood to destroy souls. Her judges are ravening wolves. Beware of false prophets which come to you in sheep's By sword and famine shall these prophets be consumed. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity." Coupled with an exalted conception of the spiritual God, and an improved moral and religious code, we find also a heaven, his abode, growing clearer and clearer as we proceed, and a rational view of the hereafter; far more rational indeed than the ideas on that subject which prevail amongst many modern Christians. The intimate association between morality and religion at this stage of the Church's history renders it very difficult for us to interpret such expressions as "the New Jerusalem" and the "Kingdom of Heaven." Sometimes they appear to refer to the reign of truth and goodness on earth, at others to the future state; if we compare such allegories as that of the Vineyard of the Lord (Isaiah v., v. 1) which, according to the best Rabbinical authorities means the relations between the God and the children of Israel on earth, with Isaiah lx., vv. 16 and 17; Daniel xii., v. 2, quoted below, and with similar allegories and parables of Christ, which obviously refer to the heaven hereafter, it seems clear that in those |