tion of their fellow-men. Amidst the thick darkness of the heathen world, their lives, like the silver trumpets of the law, uttered sounds of deep melody, and sent forth sweet echoes of love and mercy through the caverns of many a heart which sin had filled with misery and darkness. "For from you sounded forth the Word of the Lord, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your love to God is spread abroad." Their idols had been cast away at the foot of the cross, and every affection of their heart was now devoted to the service of the living God, who had manifested His own love to them by so great and wonderful a sacrifice, and provided so costly a ransom for their souls.

But the crown of these various and lovely graces of the Spirit was their hope in the returning Saviour. They were waiting for the Son of God from heaven. This glorious prospect was full in their view. The Spirit who dwelt within them wisely veiled from their view the long vista of conflict, apostasy, and idolatrous darkness; and fixed their eyes, with a stedfast and unwavering

faith, on that kingdom of peace and joy which was to dawn, with the Sun of Righteousness, on a lost and sinful world.

This hope of the Apostolic Church is thus held up to our view as the crown of every other grace in the heart of the Christian. Then the work of faith will be completed, and the labour of love will obtain a full and blessed reward. The secret election of God's sovereign grace will then have revealed itself in the full redemption of his people; and the voice of the Gospel, which has gone forth in sounds of mercy over a lost and fallen world, will return in anthems of praise from ransomed millions, who shall then meet in the presence of their Lord.

Grace, in the heart of the Christian, by its very nature, borrows from the Infinite. It cannot be content with what it finds in itself, or sees around it. Its first instinct is to remount to its source, and to lose itself in unsearchable perfection. And as the flowers which have been nurtured, and raised out of the dark soil into life and beauty by the air and rain of heaven, pour out their fragrance

upon the air that sustains them; so the people of Christ, who have been redeemed from the darkness of sin by His first coming, send forth the fragrance of their affections in desires for his return, when He shall stoop once more from the throne of his glory. And no surer mark can be given of the ripeness of Divine grace in their souls than when they have learned "to wait for the Son of God from heaven," and say, with the beloved Apostle, Amen, even so come, Lord

Jesus."

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But the Holy Spirit sets the same blessed hope before us in another light, as the pledge of eternal union between the ministers of Christ and his believing people. "For what is our hope, our joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his appearing? For ye are our glory and our joy."

It is a beautiful portrait which the Apostle has previously given of his affection towards his own converts. There was the wisdom of a father, and the tenderness of a nursing mother. There was the depth of affectionate desire, and the fidelity of

holy warnings. There was a full sympathy with them in their heavy trials, and a lively joy in their spiritual welfare. But all these various forms of love blended together in one thought which crowned and completed them, the prospect of full and eternal union in the presence of Christ. This gave its depth of interest to every hour of passing intercourse. It was only the earnest of a society that should never be broken. This clothed the message of grace with its deepest power. The fruits of it were to be manifested in glory when the Lord should appear.

And now, after eighteen centuries, if anything can have power to extinguish priestly pride, or to repress the risings of self-will; to clear away the leaven of self-righteousness, silence the clamours of strife and contention, and restore full, deep, and holy union between the ministers and the people of Christ, it must be the same blessed hope which is here revealed to us. Once let us realize the prospect of meeting in the presence of Him who died for us, and how miserable will it seem to be contending about trifles, disputing about forms,

and losing sight of our high and holy privilege, to be fellow-helpers on the road to heaven. How wise and blessed will those pastors then appear who shall have nourished their flock with the sincere milk of the Word, and with all meekness and gentleness trained their spirits in the great truths of the Gospel. How foolish will those appear who have distracted them with trifles, or goaded them into resistance and madness by arrogance and pride. How blessed, again, will be those who have waited on the teaching of God's Word in humility and faith, not to nourish dark suspicions, and seek out occasions for offence and pretexts for strife, but to receive life and healing from the message of salvation! How grievous will be their folly, who have turned the very food of their souls into wormwood and bitterness! The vision of that meeting which is at hand, should sink into utter silence and oblivion one half of the feuds which now distract the Church, and lead every pastor to cherish the flock of Christ committed to him, with a deep and overflowing tenderness; while the people, in their