brethren, elders, and apostle, all are present to him, and form, as regards himself, that portion of the Church to which God's providence has attached him.

And what we particularly see in the Revelation is, that when the Holy Spirit hath an instruction from the Lord to send to him; it is through the agency of that human pastor that his Saviour speaks. His privilege as a Christian is to have the ministry and fellowship of these persons.

Alongside of this privilege we find a corresponding temptation. The perverse men prophesied of by St. Paul have really arisen; they have drawn away disciples after them. There are those from whom he must turn away, as well as those whom he must cleave to. Christ saith in His message to that chief pastor, that He has tried them and found them to have assumed an office not entrusted to them. And this was the duty of a chief pastor to do, as St. Paul's letter to Timothy abundantly shows; therefore our Lord commends him for it, and approves his judgment. (Rev. ii. 2.)

Now, when these things are put together as the picture of a primitive Church, I think it appears that an Ephesian disciple, even within fifty years of the Apostles, might plead almost as many difficulties as we are exposed to, if he were

bent on doing so: a true Church and a false one side by side; only a partial consent about the authority of the chief minister, his holding apostolic power already resting on the tradition of the several congregations; and the submission which Christ required to be shown towards sinful and imperfect men, liable to occasional

errors,

Finally, there might come the question, whether that chief authority might be sometimes wrong; and what would then be the Ephesian's duty? For that first minister had no human superior. Christ said to the Apostles, 'Call no man father upon earth; all ye are brethren.'

Now, we know that the Apostles did so far own to human infirmity (though they had the Holy Spirit) as to take counsel of one another, and of the Church; and that even St. Peter and St. John did accept to be sent and directed by the united voice of the other Apostles. And in this we may reasonably conclude that the angel of the Church at Ephesus would follow their steps.

But whether he did or not, the Ephesian, being a faithful man, would consider that his earthly parents were liable to error and sin; yet did God's wisdom ordain the fifth Commandment, and bade him honour them. It was but the same discipline extended to his spiritual life, when Christ ordained that men, with the same

infirmity, should, notwithstanding, be appointed to rule in the kingdom of grace.

It rests with our conscience when there is an appeal to God.

On another occasion, I hope to compare this picture with our existing state in this genera

tion.

Meanwhile, my brethren, let us discern about this matter the importance of committing ourselves unfeignedly to the wisdom of God.

We believe that He is training us for a state of unspeakable dignity and joy in another world; and it is a social state, a state of mutual happiness, but also a state of differences and of order.

One star (in that realm, as well as in the realm of nature) differeth from another star in glory.

If, to prepare us for that heavenly union amongst spirits made perfect, God thinks it advisable to try us by subordination here, if He says plainly to us, 'Submit yourselves,' and the like, let us make sure that our highest blessing is to be found in conforming to His will. We may, perchance, not see how, our social happiness in another world, our love of other spirits, our glory in their order and harmony, and united action through the universe, is to be promoted by our fidelity to the Church on earth.

But the little glimmerings of reason and experience are all on our side. It is the dutiful soldier and the dutiful subject, above other men, whose spirit is gladdened by the love of his corps or his country.

And even if we had not this encouragement, we might, nevertheless, hold fast to the unanswerable conviction,-that what God has enjoined, it will certainly be our happiness to do.

432

XXXII.

SERMON TO THE CHILDREN.

'When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime. Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying, making supplication before his God.'-Dan. vi. 10, 11.

MY

have

young friends and fellow-Christians (as I hope that all, or most of you are) you heard this morning the history of Daniel in the lions' den; and, whatever I may think about your attention at other times, or to other parts of the Bible, I feel sure about all, but the very worst, that you attended to this.

For God has made you of a nature which feels strongly about right and wrong, until our self-will and practice of evil destroys those feelings; and, therefore, I cannot doubt that you were interested about Daniel's behaviour, even if you did not quite understand it. Somehow, you were persuaded that he did what was