Beloved brethren, let us not fear the face of man ; let us not regard a few scoffs or reproaches for the Lord's sake ; let us not be backward to endure hardness as good soldiers : but let us look unto the end of all things ; when the state of all shall be fixed in perfect correspondence with their present characters and conduct, and every individual in the universe receive a just " recompence of reward."]
2 Thess. i. 11, 12. We pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with poiver : that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glo- rified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
VARIOUS are the offices of Christian love ; but none more valuable than that of intercession. In all its personal efforts, it communicates only such bene- fits as a creature can bestow : but in its applications to God in the behalf of any one, it brings down all the blessings of grace and glory. We say not indeed that intercession must of necessity prevail to the full extent of the blessings asked, or for every individual in whose behalf they are solicited : but they do pre- vail to a far greater extent than we are apt to imagine : and we know of nothing wherein love can exercise itself so profitably, as in frequent and fer- vent supplications to God for the object beloved. St. Paul's love was of no common cast: in fact, it knew no bounds : the sacrifice of life itself was wel- comed by him, if it might but subserve the interests of immortal souls. In his prayers for them, there is a richness and fulness which marked at once the ardour of his mind, the depth of his knowledge, and the enlargement of his heart. No petition he could offer seemed sufficient to express the full extent of his desires. This appears in many of his prayers : and it is abundantly evident in that which we have selected for our consideration at this time.