LECTURE VII.

THE PERPETUAL ABODE OF THE CHURCH
WITH CHRIST.

BY THE REV. W. G. BARKER, A. M.,

INCUMBENT OF TRINITY CHURCH, MATLOCK BATH, DERBYSHIRE.

1 THESS. V., part of 17th verse.

"And so shall we ever be with the Lord."

"WHEREFORE," adds the Apostle, "comfort one another with these words." And have we not in the compass of these few words the quintessence of all heavenly joy?

Sublime in its very simplicity, here lie concentrated the hopes of all the universal Church; to this as their bright centre, converge all the rays of glory that ever dazzled the eye of Christian faith; hither, as into an ocean of love, flow all the streams of the Divine promises, amply, abundantly fulfilled, yea, lost in the immeasurableness

of their own completion! Oh! dear brethren, standing on the margin of an eternity so glorious, -hoping, ere we turn to this world again, to measure somewhat of its length and breadth, and depth and height,—to grasp some feeble idea of its greatness and excellence,-shall we not lift up our hearts, with our eyes, to that Lamb of God, whose presence in the midst shall be the fountain of light and joy to the heavenly city?

May He endue us with spiritual sight! otherwise shall we turn from our precious subject as from the sun in the heavens, blinded by its glory -unprofited by its blessed truths; whereas, if Jesus is with us indeed, teaching the hearts of his faithful people, by sending to them the light of His Holy Spirit, then shall we have a right understanding in all things, and evermore rejoice in His holy comfort; and we shall return to our circle in the world, as Moses to his people, our faces shining with the splendour of that glory on which we have been permitted awhile to gaze.

It is a common idea, but false as common, that the study of subjects such as these begets an enthusiasm which unfits its votary for the discharge of social duties, and makes his religion rather visionary and speculative than wholesome and practical. Whatever of error man's infirmity

I 3

may graft upon it, St. Paul knew of no such tendency peculiar to the subject; for the remarkable of the text follows immediately upon passage the sober exhortation of the eleventh verse," that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; that ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing." If, therefore, any Christian in waiting for his Lord, and looking for his return, ceases to regard his practical duties as diligently as ever, the inconsistency is entirely HIS OWN.

It is our lot, as sojourners in a strange land, to tread the path of sorrow which Jesus, our great Forerunner, has trodden before us. The Man of Sorrows is the Captain of our salvation. We cannot be followers of Him without being also sharers in His tribulation; and He, knowing our frame, and remembering that we are but dust, has provided for us, all our journey through, this blessed foretaste of our heavenly reward. He has put into our hands the cup of joy, full to the brim with these exceeding precious promises; He blesses it, and bids us, "Drink ye all of this;" nay more, he tells us to be fellow-helpers of each other's joy—" to comfort one another with these words." And Now, dear brethren in Christ, at this hour, we are assembled in His name to fulfil

this command; and may He be truly in the midst of us, to bless us!

The subject of this evening is, THE PERPETUAL ABODE OF THE CHURCH WITH CHRIST.

It is asserted in the words of the text, corroborated, as I trust to show, by many another passage of the Divine Word, and forms the ultimate hope of every member of the mystical body of Christ.

Our inquiries will naturally be directed,

I. TO THE FACT ITSELF, WHICH BEING REVEALED,

BEARS THE CHARACTER OF A PROMISE.

II. TO THE BEARING OF THIS PROMISE UPON

OUR FAITH AND PATIENCE NOW.

A glance at the context will show that these words were spoken for the comfort of Christians under the trial of bereavement. To them the servant of God has this message concerning their beloved ones, who were dead in Christ:

"Sorrow not for their loss, even as they sorrow who have no hope in eternity; weep not over these, as you would weep over the dead in soul; for these are not dead, they sleep in Jesus; and the hour of their triumph is nigh, inasmuch as the Lord is at hand; and when He cometh, then shall He bring with him all that sleep in Jesus. Nay, so secure are they of their full inheritance of the

promise, that we may boldly say, that even should we be alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord, we shall have no advantage over them that are asleep; we shall not prevent (go before) them. The same moment at which we see the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven, shall they have risen from their graves, and shall see him likewise. The same shout that breaks upon our ears, shall wake their slumbers; and all, both quick and dead, ready alike, shall be caught up together to meet the Lord in the air, and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

The immediate purport of the words of the text is, to show the parity of privilege of the living in Christ, and the dead in Christ. The truth selected hence for our contemplation now, is incidental in its original position; yet even there it forms the climax of the Christian hope.

"So shall we EVER be with the Lord." It must be remarked, that the word "ever," a word of varied and extensive use in our language, should here be understood as signifying rather continually than eternally; for this is the strict signification of the original Greek (πáντOтe); and it implies, that once united, there can be no separation; nevertheless, many other passages of Scripture so plainly assert that the union of Christ with his Church