fruth. Law nnd gospel. The Spirit of (Jh,rist. (1 Kings xix. 11, 12; John xvi. 8-13; Rev. i. 10-20.) III. 'l'JIE GLORIOUS THINGS REVEALED TO THE AWAKENED SOUL. The question. Mark : 1. The tim~. ~hen the so_ul_ was ~wakened; not before (Isa. I. 4 ; Luke ix. 32). 2. The purpose. 'lo stimulate act1v1ty. 'I have looked." Must use our own faculties. 3. The result. Manifold things revealed. As we are, so will our sight be. Press the question, "What seest thou 'I" In nature. "0 lady, we receive but what we give, And in our lives alone does nature live." (Coleridge.) Human life. Life all confused and dark, a maze without a plan, or the hand of God. Holy Scriptures. God. Truth. Immortality. Christ. " We see Jesus" (Heb. ii. 9).-F. Ver. 5.-The learner and the learned. I. THE SPIRIT OF THE LEARNER. Humi1ity. The first thing to know, as the ancient sage said, is that we know nothing. Love of truth. For its own sake. To be sought for as bidden treasure-with ardour and delight. Obedience. Not merely readiness to receive, but courage to act. Faithful carrying out of princi pies. Progress. Step by step, in the spirit of self-sacrifice. "When first thine eyes unveil, give thy soul leave to do the like" (Vaughan). "Study is like the heaven's glorious sun, That will not be deep-search'd with saucy looks; Small have continuous plodders ever won, Save base authority from others' books." (Shakespeare.) II. THE SPIRIT OF THE LEARNED. 1. Wisdom. Not mere knowledge, but insight into character, and capacity to turn knowledge to the best account. 2. Kindness. Hence patience with ignorance and prejudice. Loving endeavour to give to others what has been good and a joy to themselves. 3. Faithfulness. Not hiding what should be told; not making compromises of principle; not striving for the mastery, but for the victory of truth. 4. Humility is as much the character of the learned as of the learner (cf. Newton likening himself to a child gathering shells). '' Were man to live coeval with the sun, The patriarch,pupil would be learning still, And dying leave his lesson half unleunt." F. Ver. 6.-The secret of power. Power is indispensable. It is not in numbers, or orgauiztttion, or method. These. are good, but not enough. It is not of man, thoL1gh it is by man. Must look higher. It is of God. Life is from life. The highest life can only come from the highest life. "Not by might," etc. Apply to- I. TnE MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH. Talent, culture, wide sympathies, zeal and eloquence, not enough. Even truth not enough. Need more. "My Spirit." There must be a right relation to God. There must be the quickening of the soul with the life of God-the energizing and elevating of the natural powers to the highest capacity aud use. 'l'his influence is necessary both for preachers and bearers. II. 'l'HE WORSllIP OF 'l'HE CHURCH. In the Church God draws near to us allll we draw near to God. As a Father to his children he speaketh unto us; as children unto a Father we should speak unto him. 1. Praise. 2. Prayer. 3. Hearing of the Word. 4. Communion. 5. Times of refreshing. It is only o.s we are quickened from above that our worship is hearty and true (cf. John iv. 23), acceptable to God, and profitable to ourselves. III. 'l'HE WORK OF THE CnuRuu. Life must precede work. As individuals, in tLe society to which we belong, o.nd in our daily life, we nre called to serve God. Every one has his place and his work. It is as we carry out faithfully the duty committed 4-6 THE BOOK OF ZECHARIAH, [on, rv. 1-14.
to us the.t the ce.use of the Lord will prosper, a.ud " hie kingdom come" at home and ebroad.-F.