He trod this earth, Luke vii. 13. It is the same now that He is in glory, Acts ix. 4.

In Jesus thus revealing Himself as the Head, we are sure of the safe keeping of the Body. "He that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep," 1 Pet. iv. 19; see John x. 28, 29. And as nothing can separate the members of His Body, Rom. viii. 35-39 (for as with His natural, so with His spiritual Body, John xix. 36; see Ps. cxxxix. 16), we can rest assured that all is well for the keeping of that Body in time and in eternity, Eph. v. 23.

Twenty-Third Sunday after Trinity.

"THE CHIEF CORNER-STONE."

Learn, 1 Pet. ii. 6-8. Passages to be referred to,— Isa. xxviii. 14-22; Ps. xlviii.; Zech.iv.; Matt. vii. 24-29; 1 Pet. ii. 1-10.

"THE Chief Corner-Stone" (which we propose to take as the Lord's title for to-day's study) is the crowning stone of a building, as well as the foundation; and in this sense we shall use the term. It may have risen very high, but the edifice can never be complete till it has received the corner-stone, Zech. iv. 7-9.

To understand this name, then, we must think about building. It is under this figure that the formation of the Church of Christ is described in Scripture, Eph. ii. 19-22; Jude 20.

The Foundation has been laid strong and deep, 1 Cor. iii. 11; see Isa. xxviii. 16, in the eternal counsels of God, 1 Pet. i. 20. The "Rock of Ages" forms the groundwork, Isa. xxvi. 1-4 (see margin).

The Materials which form this edifice are stones of a piece with the foundation-stone, Isa. li. 1; they are only chosen in Christ Jesus, Eph. i. 4;

they have been gathered out by the Spirit, and brought together by Him, 1 Pet. i. 2; Eph. ii. 22; having been broken by the Word, Jer. xxiii. 29.

The Style in which the building rises is of a piece also with the foundation. It is after the image of Christ, Col. iii. 10. When God builds He brings the pattern from heaven, Heb. viii. 5 ; 1 Chron. xxviii. 11, 12. He sent His Son to be the pattern of His spiritual temple, the Church, Rom. viii. 29; Heb. i. 3. Thus the building advances, though in a measure hidden by the scaffolding and rubbish that are about it now, Rom. viii. 18-23; it advances to completion, Eph. iv. 11-13. And what shall make it complete ? We wait for the corner-stone to crown the edifice, Gal. v. 5; 1 Thess. i. 10; see Zech. iv. 7. Christ last as well as first. Christ all in all, 1 Cor. xv. 23, 24.

He

But this is equally true of each individual soul. We are all of us building for eternity. Each one's religion is the house that he is rearing in time to stand for eternity, Matt. vii. 24-29. But what a difference? Look at the believer. starts from a good foundation-faith in the finished work of Christ Jesus, Jude 20. The materials are Christian graces. He adds to his faith virtue, &c., 2 Pet. i. 5. The style in which he builds is in keeping with the rest of the great fabric. He is made like unto Christ, Rom. viii. 29; but here on earth the building is not com

plete-it waits for the corner-stone, Phil. iii. 20, 21; then all shall be accomplished, the believer shall be like Christ, 1 John iii. 2.

Do you understand then, from all this, how Christ is "the Chief Corner-Stone ?" He is what the Church needs; He is what we each need to complete the work in building for eternity, Heb. x. 13; Rom. viii. 23. How you and I should be working and waiting for Jesus! 1 Cor. i. 7; Heb. ix. 28. His coming shall decide everything; the building complete, 2 Pet. iii. 14, or the ruin complete, 2 Thess. i. 8.

Twenty-Fourth Sunday after Trinity.

"THE DELIVERER."

Learn, Rom. xi. 25-27. to-Ps. xl.; Dan. iii.;

ance.

Passages to be referred Luke i. 68-79; Gal. i.

OUR prayer to-day is the soul's cry for deliver"Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered?" We know how the Lord answered that question of old, Isa. xlix. 25, 26. We know the purpose for which He sent Jesus, Luke iv. 18. Though primarily the promise was to the Jew, Rom. xi. 26, xv. 8, and shall one day have a glorious fulfilment, Zech. xiv. yet, thank God, for us also it is gloriously true. Jesus is "the Deliverer," Ps. xci.

14-16.

You know there are three great deliverances that we need (see 2 Cor. i. 10), which have to do with the past, the present, and the future of the believer we shall find that all are accomplished by Jesus; that the title justly belongs to Him, which we have chosen for our lesson to-day.

I. He hath delivered. The guilt of sin stood in our way, separating between us and our God, Isa. lix. 2; Ps. cxxx. 3. To have peace we must