apostle says, (2 Tim. iv. 6-8), “I am ready to be offered, the time of my departure is at hand. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing." Do not let us pass this by unnoticed, it is to those who love His appearing, not to those who willingly say, "My Lord delayeth His coming;" not to the scoffers who say, Where is the promise of it? but to those who love it, who long for it, that He gives the crown of righteous ness. St. Paul was just about to depart, but he does not say that he was just about to receive his crown; on the contrary, he says it was laid up for him, to be given in that day, when not he only, but all who like him loved the appearing of their Lord, should receive each their crown. So also St. Peter says, (1 Peter v. 4), "When the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.'

The apostle says, (Heb. x. 36-37), “Ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and He that shall come will come, and will not tarry." And so also St. James: "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long

. patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." Have we need of patience, even as these early Christians had? If so, is it the hope of the Lord's coming that makes us patient? Or is it the want of that hope that makes us impatient? Perhaps we have not the same need of patience. Perhaps we are loving this present world, at home in it, instead of being strangers and pilgrims; prospering in it, contented to have it for our portion; then we will, indeed, not be longing for our Lord's coming as the one hope of the world. We will feel rather that He will come to sweep away that system in which we have taken up our rest. We will be tempted, with every evil and unfaithful servant, to say, "My Lord delayeth His coming;" let us have our own way a little longer; let us please ourselves still for a while; let us forget that we are servants of a heavenly Master-stewards that must give an account. Surely He will not come to call us to a reckoning just yet. Alas! how many such secret thoughts are in our hearts, while we daily venture with our lips to use that prayer in which we say, " Thy kingdom come."

But how many, on the other hand, are finding this world a place of sore trial; how many

* James v. 7-8.

are greatly needing patience, are greatly needing a hope, and a consolation. And what hope, what consolation, can be like this, that "the Lord cometh?" That He cometh to establish His righteous rule on the earth. Truly His coming shall be like rain upon the mown grass; and as streams that water the earth.* Why, then, if we find the present condition of all things around us so trying and sorrowful, why will we not look to that joyful day? Why will we not look up and lift up our heads because our redemption draweth nigh? Why will we not answer that announcement, with which the New Testament closes, "Surely I come quickly," as the apostle answers it, "Even so come, Lord Jesus?" Is there not a secret cause why even the most desperate sorrow will drive us to seek comfort in any thing but this the one true joy and hope? May not the cause be, that we are conscious that He who cometh is still a stranger to us, that our hearts are not acquainted with Him, that we have never believed in His love to us, nor known what it was to love Him ? We do not know where we shall stand in the day of His appearing, how then can we desire it? Well, if this be the state of our hearts, let us confess it, confess it to ourselves, and confess it to God. The evil that is confessed may be remedied, but not that which is cloaked over

and hidden. Let us confess our evil condition, but never for a moment think that it is a condition in which we may abide. People are apt to think when they have confessed their evil condition they have done enough. They go on, listlessly, from year to year, knowing they are wrong, wishing they were better, comfortless, self-condemning; but making no serious effort about the one great purpose of their existence. Shall we be truly and heartily in earnest about every earthly thing in which we engage, shall we set heart and hand to them, and shall we be sluggards only in the things of God? Shall we deal carelessly only with that, the gain or loss of which shall be for eternity? Do we remember that we are Christian men and women, under all the awful responsibilities, with all the high and blessed privileges of being Christians? Shall we lose, shall we throw away our place and birthright as children of God? and for what ?-for what? What are we gaining? Nothing, truly nothing. A heart gnawed with dissatisfaction and care, a mind never at peace; anxiety, fretfulness, weariness these are in the end our portion, while we shut our ears to that blessed message, "Be ye reconciled to God." Oh let us think, that during these long years of our carelessness, that has been His message to us still, "We pray stead, be ye reconciled to God." reconciled to God."

you in Christ's

He is declar

ing even now that He is in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing unto us our trespasses, not one of all our many trespasses; He is now saying once more, cc Be ye reconciled." Shall our hearts stand out still against His love? Will we constrain Him to use other language. Ah, remember what that language is: "Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded: but ye have set at naught all my counsel, and would none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your fear cometh." How unwilling is He that it should come to this! "I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God: wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye.”+ But let us remember, that as surely as we see that sun shining in the heavens, so surely shall the Son of man come in the clouds of heaven, and every eye shall see Him, and they also which pierced Him,‡ and they also which refused Him, and they also which neglected Him; they who would not have Him to reign over them, they who were too busy buying and selling, and planting and building, to listen to the invitations of His mercy,-all these shall see Him; and what shall be their thought in that day?

2 Cor. v. 19.

§ Luke xix. 14.

Ezek. xviii. 32.

+ Rev. i. 7

Luke xiv. 17-24.