on the bright Sun of revelation. And the effect of Divine grace on those who are led to the blessedness of intimately contemplating those great mysteries, which the Angels themselves desire to look into, may well be typified by the stream flowing toward the south. Even while among men on earth, they are in a manner shrouded from them; as spiritual, they are judged of no man, and their "life is hid with Christ in God." And thus, of Euphrates, no course is here described, no country is mentioned, through which it flows. It is simply said, "The fourth river is Euphrates:" as though the operation of Divine grace among the perfect might not be described to men in general: the fourth flood, of Divine grace, being merely mentioned by the name of a known river, flowing toward the south, the seat of the sun's meridian splendour, the region of the perfect day.

Blessed four-fold stream of Paradise, which thus springing from the hidden tree of life, is ever silently softening and fertilizing the parched sands of this arid world: giving moisture and life to each grain of good seed, which, as time goes on, is ripened for the great harvest of that day, when His word shall be fulfilled, Who hath said unto His Church, "I will bring thy seed from the east, and gather thee from the west; I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, Keep not back bring My sons from far, and My daughters from the ends of the earth even every one that is called by My Name; for I have created him for My glory"."

:

15. AND THE LORD GOD TOOK THE MAN, AND PUT HIM INTO THE GARDEN OF EDEN TO DRESS IT AND TO KEEP IT.

Type of the second, the first Adam was

u Isaiah xliii. 5-7.

thus introduced into his intended inheritance, to dress and to keep the garden of God.

16. AND THE LORD GOD COMMANDED THE MAN, SAYING, OF EVERY TREE OF THE GARDEN THOU MAYEST FREELY EAT:

17. BUT OF THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, THOU SHALT NOT EAT OF IT: FOR IN THE DAY THAT THOU EATEST THEREOF THOU SHALT SURELY DIE.

Under this original law, had it been observed, our race might have attained unto happiness, such as is attainable by being innocently ignorant of evil, and inexperienced in its malignity and power. And, when the sin of our first parent broke the ordinance, its violation was, by God's overflowing mercy, made the occasion of our being called, in the true Head of our race, our Lord Jesus Christ, to yet brighter and more exalted destinies. The blessedness which consists in an ignorance of evil, high as it is, is the blessedness of a finite, inferior and sub

ordinate creature. But the blessedness which combines an entire exemption from evil with a perfect knowledge of it, is, if we may reverently say so, the blessedness of God Himself. And this blessedness it was which the second Adam, the Lord from heaven, as man, achieved for man. He became exposed to the assaults of evil, being tempted in all points like as we are. And, as the fruits of His victory, He offers to His faithful ones, not only the happiness of a pure and sinless creature, but that incomprehensible bliss which is intended by the words "To him that overcometh, will I grant to sit with Me in My throne; even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne " "Let us therefore fear, lest a promise being left us of entering into His rest, any of you should seem to come short of it"."

Rev. iii. 21.

y Heb. iv. 1,

18. AND THE LORD GOD SAID, IT IS NOT GOOD THAT MAN SHOULD BE ALONE; I WILL MAKE HIM AN HELP MEET FOR HIM.

As Christ's holy incarnation and sacrifice were pre-ordained from the beginning, from the foundation of the world, so

-as we have seen, and as a part of the same marvellous economy of grace-was fore-appointed the creation of the Church, the mystical Bride of the Lamb, and the only "help meet for Him."

19. AND OUT OF THE GROUND THE LORD GOD FORMED EVERY BEAST OF THE FIELD, AND EVERY FOWL OF THE AIR; AND BROUGHT THEM TO ADAM TO SEE WHAT HE WOULD CALL THEM: AND WHATSOEVER ADAM CALLED EVERY LIVING CREATURE, THAT WAS THE NAME THEREOF.

20. AND ADAM GAVE NAMES TO ALL CATTLE, AND TO THE FOWL OF THE AIR, AND TO EVERY BEAST OF THE FIELD; BUT FOR ADAM THERE WAS NOT FOUND AN HELP MEET FOR HIM.

To Adam, seeking a help meet for him, were the inferior creatures in succession brought, that he might name