interesting to see, and a touching proof of the grace of God, that the afflictions of the apostle, and the work of grace in Mark, combine to set before us, as faithful and useful to Paul, the one who once had failed, and with whom the apostle would then have nothing to do. We also see the affections and confidence displayed in the smallest details of life. Full of power by the Spirit of God, the apostle is gentle, intimate, and confiding, with those who are upright and devoted. We see, too, that at the close of his life, devoted as he was, the occasion had presented itself for study (in connection assuredly with his work), and for writing that which he wished carefully to preserve - possibly his epistles.

This has an important place in Scriptural instruction, with regard to the life of the apostle. Paul is lost, so to speak, for the greater part, in the power of the Spirit; but alone and with sober mind, he occupies himself intelligently and carefully about the things of God.

He warns Timothy with regard to a man who had shown his enmity, and puts him on his guard against him. We see that here also the epistle bears the character of righteousness; grace having had its course. "The Lord," he says, "reward him according to his deed." As for those who had not courage to stand by him, when he had to answer, as a prisoner, he only prays for them. He had not been discouraged. His heart, broken by the unfaithfulness of the Church, was strong in confessing the Lord before the world, and he can testify that, if forsaken by men, the Lord Himself stood with him and strengthened him. That he had to answer before the authorities, was but an occasion to proclaim again in public, that for which he was made a prisoner. Glorious power of the gospel where faith is in exercise! All that the enemy can do, becomes a testimony, in order that the great, kings, those who were otherwise inaccessible, should hear the word of truth, the testimony of Jesus Christ.

The faithful witness was also delivered out of the lion's mouth. His strong and simple confidence counted on the Lord to the end. He would preserve him from every evil work unto His heavenly kingdom.

If the time of his departure was at hand, if he had to fall asleep instead of being changed, he had not ceased to be among those who looked for the Lord's appearing. Meanwhile he was going to be with Him, to have a place in the heavenly kingdom.

He salutes the brethren with whom Timothy was connected, and begs him to come before the winter. We also learn here, that the miraculous power granted to the apostles was exercised in the Lord's service, and not for their private interests, nor as their personal affection might suggest; for Paul had left Trophimus sick at Miletus.

It is evident that this epistle was written when the apostle thought his departure near at hand, and when the faith of Christians had grievously declined, which was proved by their having forsaken the apostle. His faith was sustained by grace. He did not hide from himself that all was going wrong, his heart felt it, was broken by it; he saw that it would grow worse and worse. But his own testimony stood firm; he was strong for the Lord through grace. The strength of the Lord was with him to confess Christ, and to exhort Timothy to so much the more diligent and devoted an exercise of his ministry, because the days were evil.

This is very important. If we love the Lord, if we feel what He is to the Church, we feel that in the latter all is in ruins. Personal courage is not weakened, for the Lord remains ever the same, faithful and using His power for us: if not in the Church, which rejects it, it is in those who stand fast that He will exercise His power, according to the individual need created by this state of things.

May we remember this. Insensibility to the state of the Church is not a proof that we are near the Lord, or that we have confidence in Him. But in the consciousness of this ruin faith, the sense of what Christ is, will give confidence in Him amidst the ruin which we mourn. Nevertheless, it will be observed, that the apostle speaks here of the individual, of righteousness, of judgment, and not of the Church. If the latter is

spoken of outwardly, as the great house, it contains vessels to dishonour, from which we are to purge ourselves. Yet the apostle foresaw a still worse state of things which has now set in. But the Lord can never fail in His faithfulness.

I BOW me to Thy will, O God!
And all Thy ways adore,
And every day I live, I'd seek

To please Thee more and more.

Thy will the end, the blessèd rule
Of Jesu's toil and tears;
Thy will the passion of His heart,
Those three and thirty years.

And He hath breathed into my soul,
A special love to Thee,

A love

- to lose my will in Thine,

And by that loss be free.

I love to see Thee bring to nought
The plans of wily men ;

When simple hearts outwit the wise,
O Thou art loveliest then!

The headstrong world, it presses hard
Upon the Church full oft;
But then how easily Thou turnst
The hard ways into soft.

I love to kiss each print where Christ
Did set His pilgrim feet;
Nor can I fear that blessèd path,
Whose traces are so sweet.

When obstacles, and trials seem
Like prison walls to be,

I do the little I can do,

And leave the rest to Thee.

I know not what it is to doubt;
My heart is ever gay;

I run no risk, for, come what will,
Thou always hast Thy way.

(Continued, page 185.)

No XI.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE COMING [apovoia] OF CHRIST TO RECEIVE HIS SAINTS, AND HIS APPEARING [eπipaveia] IN GLORY WITH THEM.

IT has been supposed that the word of God affords very little, if any direct, proof in support of the idea of any real difference, and that all that can be offered in its favour is in the way of inference of a rather loose and uncertain character.

The aim of this paper will be to shew, that we have as full and as complete evidence in its behalf as can be produced for almost any Scriptural truth.

This evidence is of three kinds:-
:-

1st. That of direct statement.

2ndly. That of fair and legitimate inference.

3rdly. That of the general consent and harmony of Scripture with it; whilst such systems of interpretation as do not admit of it, are utterly irreconcileable with many of its well-known principles, and involve a violation of the divine order which pervades it.

This being done it will appear that the supposition alluded to above, arises either from this evidence not having been brought into sufficient prominence and stated with sufficient clearness; or its not having received from Christians generally the attention and consideration it deserves, whether from inadvertence, or perhaps, in some cases, from want of proper appreciation of the truth.

This evidence will be adduced, not necessarily in the order above given, but as it presents itself naturally in

the Scriptures treated of; and the reader will judge for himself to which head each argument properly belongs.

The enquiry itself is evidently of the utmost importance to the Church of God; as, upon the reply which the Word of God gives to it, depend both the position and duty of the Church whilst here on earth. If her absent Lord may return at any hour or moment, and this is really felt by the soul, fidelity of heart to Him, and, if that is wanting, the fear of being found unprepared will dispose to watchfulness until He comes. Whereas, if a variety of events are revealed as intervening previously, the ful filment of which renders it impossible the Lord should come for a considerable period of time, He will not be waited for in the same way; His coming will be viewed as at some distance, and the practical effect of that uncertainty upon the mind, which the Lord Himself so often insists upon, will be very much weakened, if not destroyed. No one, if told that seven years or more must elapse before the Lord's return, would feel it to be the same thing, or as necessary to be prepared, as if warned that He might return before the dawn of another day. Hence the power of this expectation to separate from the world, to fix the heart on heavenly things, or to comfort it in sorrow, is certainly greatly enfeebled.

If this consideration is carefully weighed, it will go a long way towards making those who regard with rever ence the expressed directions and commands of the Saviour, mistrustful of any system of interpretation which of necessity puts his coming at a distance. Nothing can be clearer than His exhortations to His disciples to watch and to be always on the look-out for His return, at whatever time of the night, i.e., of this present period, it might occur. Again and again, He presses on them that they should be "like unto men that wait for their

a Some of the statements will, perhaps, at first sight appear to assume what has yet to be established. This arises from its being almost impossible, when treating of subjects which form parts a whole, to handle them so as to avoid involving other parts which have not previously been considered. In this case, the evidence for what is apparently taken for granted, will be found at some subsequent page.