power and truth of God, as the revival of that which He shall exalt.

Judgment and mercy are a twin event. Egypt was judged when Israel was redeemed, and thus shall it be again." The day of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my Redeemed is come." The same fiery ordeal of principle, which purifies the children of the Kingdom “who keep the truth," consumes the transgressors, who are like the chaff, and shall not stand the judgment, neither the hypocrites in the congregation of the righteous.

Mary, in the spirit of prophecy, gave thanksgiving over the subversion of the fourth oppressive monarchy; in remembrance of the covenant with her fathers, she saw the lowly exalted, and the mighty thrown down from their seats. It was not a vindictive spirit, as some imagine, which led David to denounce the adverse kingdoms of this world, and such as should rise up against the sure decree. To the holy apostles and prophets the call is, " Rejoice over her, for God hath avenged you on her." If therefore we hear one with the same breath pray," Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly," and cry "Alas, alas !" because of the wreck and ruin of that which stands in the way of that coming and kingdom for which we pray, he is a doubleminded man, self-deceived by a spurious love which rejoiceth not in the truth, but takes pleasure in existing iniquity. He resembles Saul, who spared Amalek and the best of the flocks and herds in a foolish spirit of spurious compassion, to which the glory of God was sacrificed, and his command disobeyed.

We ought to pray and rejoice in the judgments which by burning up all that is dross within and around, shall make us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light. We ought to look for and hasten unto

that judgment whereby the existing elements shall melt, and be dissolved by the fire of His indignation. We ought to look beyond that for the new Heaven and Earth which is righteous, which cannot be shaken nor consumed. We ought not to sympathise with any thing in the world or in ourselves that cannot assimilate with the righteousness which devours only that which is worthless. We ought to desire that all the wood, hay, and stubble, may be consumed.

There is nothing arbitrary or vindictive in the sun of Righteousness. The same beneficent virtue begets fragrance from the garden of spices, which draws forth offensiveness from the thing which is corrupt. The same light which reveals what is good condemns what is evil. The same fire which purifies gold, silver, and gems, burns up that which cannot stand the fire.

To suppose that righteousness can act arbitrarily is an absurdity. To suppose that the sun of righteousness wills the enlightening of some, and the withholding of that light from others, is in a moral sense to hold the vulgar notion, that not the globe but the sun is speeding with light to one place, and darkness to another; or that, not the carriage in which we journey, but the hedges and trees are receding, These illusions we combat by reason, and our conviction of the constant and settled laws of nature. It is sad, that we banish reason instead of taking her as the handmaid of religion.

When God put enmity between the seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent, the same Light was vouchsafed to both, alike born of woman. The seed of the woman keep the commandments of God, they are in that light, and walk by it: while the seed of the serpent reject the counsel of that light, exalting either

their own reason or a spiritual inward light above it, as Eve was tempted to do. This is the enmity; it is one of free-will choice in either case. God saw the end when He

at the beginning, spake of the enmity between moral light and darkness. "Ye are of your father the devil," said Christ," and his deeds ye will do; he was a liar from the beginning, and abode not in the truth."

We frequently see, or have read in history, of kings who elected to special places of trust and honour certain characters. We naturally infer that, if the king has wisdom, this election is not capricious favouritism, inasmuch that, if these ❝ called ones" are not "chosen and faithful," we doubt the king's character, and say he is a weak man, and is seduced by flatterers. We judge by the character of her statesmen and generals, that Elizabeth was a wise queen. A good king exalts to honour such as honour and studiously obey him, and who, wherever their influence extends, maintain his laws, -such as have faithfully adhered to his interests and person in adversity as well as in prosperity, in absence as well as in presence and in acting thus a wise king resembles God: "Those who honour me I will honour." Again, in time of peace, the king chooses to have around his person, and sit at his table, the men who have jeoparded their lives in maintaining his throne and laws: even so our Lord shall elect his beloved ones who have left all to follow Him, resisting even to blood, striving against transgression. He said to His disciples, "Ye are they who have continued with me in my temptations, and I appoint unto you a kingdom, even as my Father appointed unto me a kingdom, that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on twelve thrones, administering equity to the twelve tribes of Israel." Still they did only their duty. Boasting is excluded: there is no merit in being

loyal subjects, and good citizens, zealous of the law of our king; we should be rebels and lawless if we were otherwise minded. We are attached to the King who shed His own blood to redeem us unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good works. We love his equitable and beneficent laws, which are a praise to such as do well. "They that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful." These soldiers voluntarily separate themselves from the cares and pursuits of this world, that they may please him who called them to enter His service, in contending for the faith once delivered to the saints, in the face of the world, the devil, and the flesh. They as candidates for the prize of His approving smile, strip themselves of each encumbering weight, of each perplexing cause of delay, in running the race which He sets before them."

These are the humble, they that now mourn; the meek, they that hunger and thirst after righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, the peace-makers, the persecuted for righteousnss sake.

In a vision of the future, John saw a Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with him an hundred and forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written on their foreheads. They are undefiled with the pollutions, spiritual and gross, of the reigning sorceress. They follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, to prison and to death, for righteousness sake: and in their mouth is no guile, because they speak the words of God and do his commandments. But although all are not elected to this highest rank of duty and suffering, there are degrees of blessedness. "A great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and languages, stood before the Throne, and before the Lamb,

clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands, and cried with a loud voice, Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the Throne, and unto the Lamb. These are they who came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb, therefore are they before the Throne of God, and serve him day and night, in His sanctuary: and He that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them; they shall hunger no more, neither shall they thirst any more, neither shall the sun smite them nor any heat, for the Lamb which is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of water, and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes."