awful significance. Every human life may become sublime by conformity to the plan and obedience to the call of God: may also become a thing most degraded and loathsome by disobeying the call and disregarding the plan of God.

The importance of knowing our definite place and work must be obvious to all. If we know not our place, to fill it will be impossible; if we know not our work we cannot do it, but shall "labour in vain and spend our strength for nought." Our mission in life is ascertainable. The idea of a Divine plan for us to work out involves the idea that that plan may be known to us. The idea of a Divine call is absurd unless it be possible for us to hear that call. We may ascertain our definite work in life by discovering that for which we are most fitted, by observing the claims arising from our position and circumstances, and by listening to the voice of God. If it be objected that men have entered upon enterprises for which they were unfitted, assigning as a reason that they were called by God to do so, we reply that the fault was not in the Divine speaker, but in the human listener. "The meek will he guide in judgment," &c. "If any lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that," &c. No duty can be binding unless it is known, but men are blamed by God for not living in harmony with his counsel; we infer, therefore, that his counsel may and ought to be known by all. Our mission in life is accomplishable. God never calls men to perform impossibilities. Knowing perfectly the power of every man, He never calls any man to a task beyond his power. He who calls us to truth, holiness, love, Christian heroism, communicates the strength needful to enable us to obey the call. We may turn a deaf ear to the call of God, endeavour to work out our own selfish and sinful plans, and become "wandering stars to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever." We may both know and do that to which God calls us, work out his plan concerning us, fulfil our life-purpose, and move onward in the divine path of being, ever growing, ever brightening. The text teaches that thus to fulfil the purpose of our being is intensely joyous

the fulfilment of our joy. We shall endeavour to establish and illustrate this position. By fulfilling the purpose of our being we shall realize

I. THE JOY OF HAVING DONE SOME TRUE THING. There is a positive gladness in doing, and in having done, anything that is good and worthy. Our sleep is more restful when we have earned its repose by a day of worthy toil. The man who is working apart from the divine plan does nothing true, nothing lasting. He may toil incessantly, but his efforts are fruitless as regards real good; they all end in vanity. His work is false, his life is false, the result of both is a lie, and a lie must, sooner or later, perish. The good alone is permanent; the evil must come to nought. But the man who listens to the divine call realizes joy in his work. His "work is worship"; he is blessed in it. The result of his labour will be joyous. It remains, and will remain evermore. A gcod deed is immortal. Our Master, noblest of workers, found work most joyous. "My meat and drink," said He, "is to do the will," &c.

II. THE JOY OF HAVING DONE OUR OWN WORK. It is strengthening to know that we are filling the place and doing the work appointed us by God. There can be no joy in doing the work of another. He who has ascertained his mission and is fulfilling it, however menial his work may be, knows that it is his own-the work for which he is fitted. By doing it he is rising in dignity of character and in blessedness. By faithfully performing his lowly duties the Great Master is moulding him into beauty, and fitting him for a higher province. And when the end cometh, he will not mourn that his sphere was not greater and more prominent, but will rejoice that he has been enabled to fulfil his destiny. He has done "his own work, and shall have rejoicing in himself and not in another."

III. THE JOY OF ANTICIPATING OUR REWARD. The truehearted labourer, like the Baptist, reaps much reward in this

world. To a great extent his reward is already within him, and his joy already fulfilled. But, having assiduously cultivated the talent which God gave him in the place and manner which He appointed, he will be rewarded by Him by a further recognition of his work and by introduction to more exalted posts of service. His own "joy is fulfilled," but he will shortly be welcomed "into the joy of his Lord." He who has finished the work which God gave him to do, looks onward in the calm eventide of life to the "Well done" of the Master, and is thrilled with joyous anticipation. The "fullness of joy" is "reserved in heaven" for all who are faithful on earth.

IV. THE JOY OF WITNESSING THE INFLUENCE OF OUR WORK. "To be quiet and do our own business," breathing forth an influence kindly and holy, is to live a noble life. To communicate an elevating, strengthening thought to the depressed and doubting; to wipe the tear from the check of the sorrowful; to impart hope and courage to the weary and heartless; to point sinful and suffering humanity to "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world"; these are engagements most divine and joy-giving. Now, there are few men who live a pure, brave life, and perform true and generous deeds for their fellow-men, but are permitted to some extent to see the result of their life and work before they leave this world. The sight is very joyous. I know of nothing more humbling and blessed than to know that we have been honoured as the channel through which the gifts of God have been conveyed to our brother men. Many a godly labourer has shed tears of grateful joy when he has realized the knowledge that he has been the means of blessing men. This joy is the heritage of all who faithfully obey the call and work. out the plan of God.

V. THE JOY OF HAVING DONE SOMETHING IN WORKING OUT THE PLAN OF GOD. How the heart grows and expands with the benevolence and grandeur of the purpose of God towards our race! He designs to raise sinful and ruined humanity

to holiness and honour by his own love, &c. Such a plan seems far too magnificent for us to take any part in its development. Yet to this God calls us. This are we doing

if we are complying with his will. We are promoting the enthronement of righteousness, the universal triumph of truth and love. What a joy will it be in the end to know that we have been co-workers with God in the grand redemptive labour! that we have done some little in furthering the realization of his sublime purposes! It will be a "joy unspeakable, and full of glory"; and will be realized by all who fulfil the design of their being.

Strive, my brother, earnestly and devoutly to ascertain the Divine purpose concerning thee, and, in the strength of grace, to fulfil it. Listen calmly and meekly for the Divine voice, and assiduously seek to obey it. Know thy work and do it; and so thy joy shall be fulfilled. The end of our work-day approaches fast. Irresistibly, constantly, rapidly time rushes on; and ere long all its opportunities of culture, service, and blessing will have departed from us for ever. What will thy condition be? What will thy review of thy life then be? Will it be, "My days are past, my purposes are broken off?" or, "This my joy, therefore, is fulfilled!" Which? WILLIAM JONES.

Portsmouth.

SUBJECT: Commanding Gifts.

"Covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way."-1 Cor. xii. 31.

TH

Analysis of Homily the Seven Hundred and Seventy-Second.

HE English reader may tax the apostle with inconsistency. He may ask, how can any way be more excellent than that which is marked out by the possession and cultivation of the best gifts? The Greek student will observe that the word translated "best" is a comparative adjective, and may

be rendered "the greater gifts," "the superior gifts," and those which in popular estimation seem to be more striking and more attractive, those which command attention, and promise the possessor a large measure of usefulness and

success.

The Corinthian Church was richly endowed with these superior gifts. They could speak with tongues, they could heal diseases, they could work miracles; in these remarkable endowments they considered that they were far beyond their spiritual father who had begotten them in the Gospel. (1 Cor. iv. 8-15.) But the view which the apostle formed of their condition is very painful and humiliating. (2 Cor. xii. 21, 22.) "I fear lest when I come I shall not find you such as I would," &c., "Lest my God will humble me among you."

These commanding gifts the apostle exhorts them to covet earnestly; to be zealous respecting their possession and use (as the word is rendered 1 Cor. xiv. 12). This fervent desire was to be entertained in strict subordination to the edifying of the Church, "yet show I unto you a more excellent way," a way which rises far above them all, viz., the law of love as he proceeds to explain in the following chapter.

The commanding gifts which were so highly valued by the Corinthians are now no longer found in the Church of Christ, but there are other endowments, rare and peculiar gifts, which may lawfully awaken our zeal and enkindle our desire, though we remember that the rule of charity mounts immeasurably above them all in value and perpetuity. In the present day, there are commanding gifts possessed by a few in the Church, to which all may lawfully aspire, so long as these gifts are never considered to be substitutes for the more excellent way.

These gifts may be summed up under three heads. (1) The power of popular address. (2) The talent of literary success. (3) The influence of a winsome manner.

I. THE POWER OF POPULAR ADDRESS FROM PULPIT OR PLAT