ye

1

shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." Thus they also become "breasted" and "pourers forth." In them is fulfilled the promise to Jerusalem, that "those who love her may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations; that they may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory."2 Out of their belly flow rivers of living water.3 By faith they minister the Spirit and work miracles.4

If all this is seen we may better understand why the Church makes such use of this name, " Almighty," and begins so many of her prayers with the words, "Almighty and most merciful Father," or " Almighty God."5 For by this name she claims His Spirit, confessing that He gives all, while by the same name she reminds her children, how, in His very gifts, those who eat and drink unworthily may eat and drink their own judgment. As we call upon this name let us remember all its rich and solemn import, and by grace be made, not only, like old Adam, "living souls," but, like Christ our Lord, "quickening spirits " also to all around us.6

Shall we not bless God for this name revealed to men of faith? Shall we not "abide under the shadow of the Almighty"?

1 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18; the only place in the New Testament where the name "Almighty" occurs, except in the Apocalypse. 2 Isa. lxvi. 10, 11. 3 St. John vii. 38.

4 Gal. iii. 5.

5 See the Prayer Book generally, and specially the Communion Service. 6 1 Cor. xv. 45.

MOST HIGH GOD, OR EL ELYON.

WE have seen how the view of God, revealed to Abram under the name " El Shaddai," or " Almighty,' reconciles, so far as the elect are concerned, the apparent contradiction suggested by the first two names of God, and by the varying aspects of His nature which are brought before us in them. The name, "Most High," which we are now to consider, throws yet further light on the same point, revealing God in relation to those who are not Abram's seed, who nevertheless possess a priesthood of an order which is earlier and greater than that of the elect, and yet not in opposition to it. This name, "Most High God," is revealed in connexion with Melchisedek, the King of Salem, in the days of Abram. Melchisedek, we are told, was "priest of the Most High God;" and it was through him that Abram also received the knowledge of this name; for it was only after Abram's meeting with Melchisedek that he says, "I have lifted up my hand unto the LORD, the Most High God, possessor of heaven and earth." The elect's knowledge of this name therefore is somehow connected with his knowledge of Melchisedek, and of

1 Gen. xiv. 22.

the special nature of his priesthood, as " priest of the Most High."

1

Now that there is something very deep and special in the knowledge of this name, and of this priesthood, is obvious from the way in which the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews introduces what he has to say respecting it. The passage is in the fifth, sixth, and seventh, chapters of that Epistle. There we see that the writer, having in the earlier portion of his Epistle spoken, first, of "God," who "has built all things," and who "made them by His Son," whose "word is quick and powerful," for He is "appointed Heir of all things; "2 and then, secondly, of the "LORD," who "remains the same, and whose years shall not fail," 3 who " is and shall be what He is," to whose words therefore "we ought to give the more earnest heed, lest at any time we let them slip; "4 and then, thirdly, of One who gives His Spirit to men, so that the elect are partakers of His life, as he says, "He that sanctifieth, and they which are sanctified are all of one," "5 which is the truth taught under the title, "The Almighty," who in the power of His outbreathing makes His elect partakers of His nature;-the writer, having thus referred to the three names of God which we have already considered, namely, "God," "LORD," and "Almighty," says that he wishes, "if God permit," to go on to speak of One, who, being a "Priest after the order

1 Heb. i. 2; and iii. 4. 3 Heb. i. 12.

2 Heb. iv. 12.

4 Heb, ii, 1.

5 Heb. ii. 11.

of Melchisedek," is "Priest of the Most High God; "of whom," he adds, "we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing that ye are dull of hearing; for when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God;. and are become such as have need of milk, and not

of strong meat." But at this point the writer suddenly breaks off, and makes a long digression, which occupies the latter part of the fifth, and the whole of the sixth, chapter of his Epistle.

What he says in this digression is in substance this:-"You ought, considering the time you have been believers, to be able to go on from the first principles of the doctrine of Christ, which are as milk for babes, to the deeper truths of revelation, which are the meat for men of full age." The "first principles" consist of three things: first, "repentance from dead works;" secondly, "faith towards God;" and thirdly, a certain "doctrine" or teaching, as to "baptisms, and the laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.' Of these the first, touching "repentance," is connected with "Jehovah," the just and holy LORD: the second, namely "faith towards God," takes us back to "Elohim's" changeless love in virtue of relationship: while the third, containing a fourfold doctrine, -as to "baptisms," which are purifications; as to "laying on of hands,” which are gifts bestowed; and 1 Heb. v. 6, 10; and vii. 1.

as to "resurrection" and "eternal judgment," which are the varying results of the working of God's Spirit on the creature, whether obedient or disobedient,-is all directly connected with the knowledge of "El Shaddai," the "Pourer-forth" of His own life, to make His creatures fruitful. These truths, which comprise all that the majority of Christians now consider essential, are by the Apostle here all spoken of as simply "first principles." "Leaving these," he says, "let us go on unto perfection." "And this," he adds, "we will do, if God permit." But God may not permit. For there is a peculiar peril in the carnal reception of the higher truth, which is contained in the name "Most High," and in the doctrine of the "priesthood of Melchisedek," which is connected with this revelation. "For," as the Apostle goes on to say, "it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and been made partakers of the Holy Ghost, and have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, if they shall fall away, to renew them again to repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put Him to an open shame;" for this knowledge may be like the rain, which not only makes the ground bring forth herbs meet for them by whom it is dressed, but may also stimulate it to produce an increased growth of thorns and briars; so that by this higher knowledge a man may be even worse than he was before, “nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned." There is