grace will yet abound over our exceeding sinfulness, and that after God has punished us for our sins, he may finally use for his glory those means which he has given us of blessing our fellow-men in all nations.

What a motive and hope does this furnish! that by our present efforts we are promoting not merely the spiritual good and salvation of the ignorant myriads in our own land, but that those myriads may rise up to be a blessing to the whole earth! that every sailor who approaches or leaves our shores, may arrive or leave with a blessing! that every merchant, agent, or traveller, who comes amongst us, may witness that the Lord is our God, and all that leave us may bear this testimony to other nations, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people; for what nation is there so great that hath God so nigh unto them? (Deut. iv. 6, 7); that every Foreign Ambassador to the British Court, and every British Ambassador to Foreign Courts, may spread the tidings that we are not ashamed of Christ; that we confess him; that we are a people fearing God and working righteousness; that the palaces of our nobility, our bankers, our merchants, and our manufacturers, may be fountain-heads of blessings to the earth; and that righteousness may exalt our nation far higher than all the victories of our navy or our army, and all the skill and industry of our traffic, or all the attainments of our science and civilization! O that it might please God so to prosper the efforts of

his servants, and so to pour of his Spirit upon us all, that on our commerce and wealth, on our ships and colonies, on our citizens and our nobles, on our seats of justice, our universities, our varied institutions, civil and religious, on our bishops, priests, deacons, and true ministers of Christ of every name, on our Houses of Parliament, and our beloved Queen, there may be engraven "Holiness to the Lord," as distinct and clear as that inscription on the crown of pure gold, on the forefront of the mitre which the High Priest of Israel wore, when he went into the holiest of all.

What a consummation of love has our blessed Lord set before us when he bid us to pray, Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. May we have a large heart, to enter into all the plans, the really good plans of our Government, our bishops, our Societies, whether old or new, Christians holding the Head, of every name! Very cordially let us rejoice in enlarged measures, for multiplying places of worship. To God be glory for what has thus been done, though it be so vastly short of the spiritual necessity, and of the vast capability of our country, that we cannot but sigh that these efforts have been so inadequately supported.

Could we but anticipate the time, now near at hand, when our Lord shall return in his glory to judge the earth, and establish his kingdom upon it (2 Tim. iv. 1.) ; could we but by faith now behold all that the Scriptures reveal of that unutterably awful and glorious

day;-could we but now stand on the mount of God's faithfulness in his word, and hear the last trumpet sounding, and see the lightning flash in the skies, the white cloud appearing in the heavens, and the Son of Man coming with all his holy angels,-how would it affect us! Yes, while we gaze with intense interest, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the saints rise from their graves, in all the glories of the resurrection, shining as did the countenance of our transfigured Lord on Mount Tabor; and while with rapture and admiration we are viewing their glory, we ourselves also partake of it, we are changed, and caught up together with them to meet the Lord in the air, leaving this scene of wickedness all below, to enter into his joy and glory! how will the glowing feelings of full joy then first enter and for ever possess every raptured bosom. Carry yet your thoughts one step farther, follow this glorious company coming before our precious Redeemer in his glory; listen to his words recounting their works of love for his name's sake see his giving to each their crown of life and glory; and witness, in this day of Christ, how each convert from wickedness adds fresh joy and a fresh crown for those who laboured in his conversion :-know that all this shall assuredly and quickly take place, and that it infinitely concerns each of us individually! Oh did we feel and truly believe these realities, we should be ready, if called to it, to struggle

R

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with the martyr for his stake, as for a prize of everlasting glory; we should rejoice in all sacrifices made in the service of Christ; we should labour day and night that we might be accounted worthy to be among the wise that shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and among those that turn many to righteousness, that shall abide in glory everlasting as the stars for ever and ever!

PART III.

THE SPECIAL DUTIES OF MINISTERS IN THESE

DAYS.

CHAP. I.

THE GRAND REQUISITES OF CHRISTIAN MINISTERS IN

THESE DAYS.

THE Second Epistle to Timothy is peculiarly adapted to these times. This epistle is the last which St. Paul wrote. It is his parting instruction to the ministers of Christ. There is a special regard in it to the last days, and the perils of the Church in those days, and a guide is thus afforded to us, teaching ministers how to fulfil their ministry in such times to the glory of God and the salvation of his people. Hence it is important to mark its general tone, that we may gather from it, what the course of instruction should be, in the perilous times of those last days through which we are passing.