knowing what it would be, he loved it by anticipation, recognizing in it the beet, and so the dearest to him, of all his works. Such was his love for his Church in its origin. w·e have now to consider it- II. JN ITS ACTION. As a means of obtaining that Church triumphant in heaven which he desired, God saw good to create a Church militant on earth, which should bo it.s shadow and representative, and to make that Church the peculiar object of his care. For this Church he showed his love by unwearied, ceaseless watchfulness, by super- natw:al interpos_it.ions from time to time, by patient endurance of provocations, by occas1ona\ cha;,t1sements, by warnings, by providential guidance, by direct teaching frc>m Sinai, by indirect instruction through a long series of inspired prophets and seers. Never forgetting, never forsaking Israel, he delivered them out of Egypt, led them through the wilderness, gave them Canaan, subdued the nations before them, Faved them from the power of Assyria, brought them forth out of Babylon, sustained and supported them, until, in the fulne.•s of time, he gave the strongest possible evidence of his love by sending forth his Son to die for his Church, and by hfa death to infuse into it fresh life, ancl transform it from a national into a world-wide society, from the Church of the Jews into the" holy Catholic Church "-the Church of all nations. And this Church he has built upon a rock; he has promised to be with it always; he has declared that the gates of hell shall not prevail agaillst it. This Church he "nourisheth and cherishetb" (Epb. v. 29), guiding it with his Spirit, sanctifying and cleansing it (Eph. v. 26), protecting it from its secret foes, delivering it from its avow€d enemies. The Church of Christ for nearly nineteen hundred years has triumphed over all attempts to crush it and d€stroy it, not by its own strength, but through the love and care of the Almighty. The action of God's love for his Church is thus, in the first place, to keep it in being ; in the second, to purify and perfect it. It only remains to consider this precious love-- IIL bi ITS RESULTS. The present results are: 1. That there is a witness for God in almost every land-a witoess which testifies unceasingly to the existence, power, and goodness of the Almighty; to the free offer of redemption through his Son, and to the free gift of sanctification through his Spirit. 2. '!'here is a body which preaches holi- ness of life, even if it very imperfectly practises it. 3. There is a community which witnesses to the spirituality of man, to free-will, moral responsibility, the absolute and eternal difference of right from wrong, a future life, and judgmcnt to come. 4. There is a body which hands on religion from age to age as a real living thing; a power seen in its fruits ; a transforming, energizing power; not a philosophy, but a lifo. In the future the great result will be--that which the Revelation of St. John indicates-the eternal existence in heaven of a Church triumphant; "a multitude which no man can number," consisting" of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues," who will "stand before the throne of God, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands," praising him and ready to do his pleasure for ever (Rev. vii. 9, 10).
HOMILIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-13.-Jehovah and his Servant. The Servant of Jehovah is wearied with the obstinacy of the Israelites, and turns to the lands afar ~ff, that he may unfold to them his high mission and its purport. The offer of salvation 18 to be extended to the heathen world. I. HIS CALL. From his very birth he has been destined as a misRionary to the heathen world (cf. Jer. i. 5; Gal. i. 15; Luke i. 31). The emphasis is o• the fact. He was not self-callecl, a1,d there was no presurnplion on his 1iart. There is all the difference in the world between calling one's self missionary, or apostle, or minister, and feeling that "God bas made mention of one's name." IL HIS ENDOWM£NT. His mouth has been made a sharp sword; a vehicle for that Word which is elsewhere compared to a sharp and two-edged sword, to pierce the con- science, to overcome the proud and the stubborn ( cf. eh. xi. 4 ; li. 16; Heb. iv, 1~.; Eph. vi. 17 ; Rev. i. 16; xix. 15. See also, for the pungency of eloquence, Eccles. xn. 11). It is a lesson: pointleas apeech is no speech for the minister of God. We do not ou. XLIX, 1-26.J THE BOOK OF THE PROPHET ISAIAH. 237