tant land above, from whom he has received line upon line, and precept upon precept, so that he loves him above any object upon earth. In the course of His communications He has assured him, "If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also." At death He will take you to Himself, press you to His heart, and give you a seat at His right hand.

2. He will appear to all collectively. This will be His appearance at the last day to judge the quick and the dead. We have often lately referred to the second advent of our Saviour, but the holy Scriptures repeat it time after time to press upon us its importance, as well as its eventful consequences. He will then appear as the Chief Shepherd to bring together the whole of His flock, and to seal up His fold for ever. A multitude more numerous than the grains of sand which spread along the sea-shore, or the collective stars which spangle the midnight sky, will then stand before Him. What a beautiful description is given of that multitude by St. John in the Apocalypse, chapter vii. 9, 13 -17. How imposing the sight, "when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe in that day." Not only will He appear to the souls of His saints, but also to their bodies. For then "the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible." Their bodies shall be awakened in His image, and brought into His presence spiritual bodies, fashioned like unto His glorious body. Yes, those vile bodies, however unlikely they are now to be formed for glory, shall be brought up in honour, and power, and glory, and shall be presented to the astonished circle of heaven the stupendous spectacles of redeeming grace, purified and freed from every stain and vestige of Adam's fall. Like that unsightly root which you may plant in your garden, vegetates, and sends forth splendid and fragrant flowers, so that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of those, shall that body which goes down in weakness, and corruption, and shame be raised in strength, and beauty, and glory.

III. We come to the reward promised in the text: "Ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away."

The strongest inducements are held forth in Scripture for the encouragement of God's people. Their privileges in this world are such as will secure the promotion of their strength, their comfort, and their safety; and in the world to come the prospect of all that can constitute complete happiness, enjoyment, and glory. The expression employed here to represent the future state of Christ's flock, signifies a position of the highest honour and felicity. They shall obtain a crown-shall be made "kings as well as priests unto God and his Father." The possession of a crown seems to be the height of human ambition. To be a king is regarded the most honourable position which this world can bestow. Men are willing to sacrifice ease, peace of mind, character, all, to wear a crown, and many, alas! will not scruple to commit deeds. of the blackest dye to obtain their object. Of what vile intrigues, and bloodshed, do we read in both sacred and profane history perpetrated by those who have aspired to the dignity of a crown! Millions of lives have been made stepping-stones to a throne. Kings and emperors have subverted justice and equity, have trampled upon all the rights of man, have waded through rivers of blood to satiate their thirst of ambition. We peruse the history, we shudder as we read, we turn away in disgust with human nature. It is not so with the crown mentioned in our text; it will be honourably obtained, given as a gift of grace by the King of kings to all His saints.

ness.

It will be a "crown of glory," studded with the diamonds of all the heavenly graces, which will dazzle with eternal Justre in the reflection of the rays of the Sun of RighteousThe greatness of that glory no tongue can express, no heart can conceive. It will be a glory that will dim every natural glory. The pageantry of the most imposing glory of royalty that the world has ever witnessed will be overshadowed by that exceeding glory. Nay, the glory of the

stars and planets, even of the sun himself, shall be obscured by this.

There may be gradations in the glory. I would not deny that "one star excelleth another star in glory." The patriarchs, the prophets, the apostles, the holy martyrs, yes, many others who have been an honour to the Church, and instruments of great usefulness in the cause of religion, will doubtless shine brighter in the realms of bliss than the poor insignificant members of the flock who merely come into the fold to secure their safety. Still, all shall possess a crown, and all will be perfectly happy.

We have also the durable nature of the crown "that fadeth not away." The expression might have been used in contradistinction from the crowns obtained by the victors at the Olympic games, which were composed merely of flowers or of leaves, and therefore decayed and withered away soon after having been placed on the brow of the wearer.

Or it may have a reference to the crowns worn by earthly monarchs, which, though composed of the most costly substances, shall one day be destroyed. At the utmost they can but endure till the time mentioned by St. Peter in the next epistle, when "the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burnt up."

In the crowns of the saints every flower and leaf shall retain its freshness. Every diamond and jewel of which it is composed shall be placed beyond the reach of destruction. Its glory is blended with that of the Eternal Himself; therefore, as long as He will endure, so long will the glory of His saints endure. The inheritance which they possess is "incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away."

44

The Fourth Sunday in Advent.

MORNING SERVICE.-Second Lesson: Acts xxiv.

Verse 25.-" And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season I will send for thee."

THE text contains the outlines of a sermon.

The preacher

was a prisoner. The hearer was his judge. The pulpit was the felon's dock. This prisoner was not arraigned for any crime, but for doing good, and for obeying the commands of his Supreme Judge.

The position in which he was placed rendered it extremely difficult to speak the truth openly and candidly, but such was the resolution and boldness of Paul, that he shrunk not from duty even under the most critical circumstances. He was "not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ," for he felt that it was the " 'power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth." Therefore he embraced every opportunity to preach it to both Jews and Gentiles. Felix was the Roman Procurator of Judea, having his chief court at Cæsarea. In this position he held the power of life and death over those who were accused at his bar. Paul was brought there by the Jews under the false charges of sedition and riot, created, according to their evidences, by his introducing amongst the people a new, and to them a false, religion. They hoped to have had hun condemned to death by Felix; but such was the force of his eloquence in pleading for his life and doctrine, that he totally frustrated the design of his enemies, and struck terror into the heart of the Governor. "And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled," &c.

We have here three things worthy of attention. First, The substance of Paul's sermon; Secondly, The effect of Paul's sermon; and Thirdly, The treatment of Paul's sermon by his hearer.

This is a most solemn subject. May God's Spirit direct us to speak, and to hear with a corresponding solemnity.

I. We observe the substance of Paul's sermon before Felix. He divides it into three heads: Righteousness, Temperance, and Judgment to Come.

1. Righteousness. This word frequently occurs in Scripture, but with different significations in its different connexions. We read of the Righteousness of God, of the Righteousness of Christ, and of the Righteousness of man. By the Righteousness of God we understand both the attributes of justice which exists supremely and perfectly in Him; and the justice of His conduct in His dealings with all His creatures. "Justice and judgment are the habitation of (his) throne." By the righteousness of Christ we understand, both the uprightness of His own personal character, and the satisfaction which He made by His sufferings and death for the righteousness or the justification of the sinner. By the righteousness of man we understand, both the justifying benefit which he receives through the Saviour, and his correct actions towards God and his fellow-creatures.

These are the great points which Paul wished to impress on the mind of Felix. There is first a righteous action towards God, which is to obey His word, to observe His ordinances, to reverence His Son, and to love Him with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the mind. If we thus act righteously towards God, we shall then be righteous towards our fellow-men. I need not tell you what is contained in this. It implies that we pay our debts to each other, that we owe no man anything but love, that we regard each other's feelings, each other's character, each other's property, each other's interests, each other's lives; in a word, that we do unto others as we would that others do