ing value laid up for the saints.

Surely they have the same kind of interest in his cause that he has. His enemies are their enemies. And every degree of subjugation to him, is so much opposition neutralized, and strength secured on their part. A demolished idol, a dying faith in a false deity, is positive achievement which the christian may set down to his own account, as an heir of God. Every new song of the angels over repenting, returning prodigals, is celebrating on high the increasing value of the saints' possession. "The kingdom and dominion and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High." Says Paul to the christians at Corinth, all things are yours;-things present, and things to come. How can they avoid being deeply interested to improve and enhance the value of that portion of their possession, which now lies in this world?

Finally; union to Christ binds the

christian to the missionary cause.

And

he can no more annihilate the obligation, than he can shake off the duty of loving God with all his heart. He must blot out his name from the Lamb's book of life;-he must tear off the robe of Christ's righteousness, and get himself enrolled a son of perdition, an heir of hell, before he can loose the bonds which hold his interests as indentical with the interests of christian missions.

CHAPTER III.

THE LAST COMMAND;-ITS NATURE AND EXTENT.

WHEN Our Lord had risen from the dead, he appeared to his disciples. This was needful. It comforted their sorrowing hearts. It confirmed their wavering faith. Nor were all the more direct objects of his ministry yet fully accomplished. Had he taken his farewell of them in the garden, or even at the cross, instructions of prime importance had been left out of the Gospel. We cannot certainly tell why these should have been left, till after his resurrection. And yet, some reasons are seemingly apparent. His disciples received new accessions of knowledge, respecting his character, as taught by his death. His personal reappearance would enable them to un

derstand, more clearly, what he might say respecting himself, or his kingdom. Having substantiated some of his former teachings by his personal presence, they were prepared to take new, and still more intricate lessons, both as touching their faith, and practice. When he had upbraided them for their unbelief, at the same time demonstrating the folly and wickedness of their doubts, their chastened faith would afford a soil, more quickening for the good seed of his future words to fall upon. Added to this, the last words of any friend strike deepest in the soul. They are treasured up with the greatest care. Requests made, or commands given with parting breath, are, by a common law of human nature, the first to be executed. These often hold in the mind, a lively sense of obligation, when things committed at other times, though equally important, have failed in their impressions, and even escaped recollection. It seems as though the Savior, aware of these laws which

he had written on the mind, selected this parting occasion, as the fittest to avail himself of their freest aid. The time was at hand when he must go to his Father, and leave the visible portions of his work, on earth, to human instrumentality. And he must leave it in such a manner, that the agents, to whose care it should be intrusted, should have clear and distinct impressions of the nature of the work to be performed, and the manner of doing it.

He led them out to the place of his ascent; and, when every thing else had been said, his last words remain to be spoken. His disciples hang upon his lips for these; believing that, in them, would be spirit and life. Simple and plain, they convey what nothing short of the Gospel could impart. "Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature." He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; and he that believeth not shall be damned. Go-and lo I am with you always, even unto the