So is _H with nll. c?ming good. We ~now somothing of that to be expected from past ex per1onces of D1v1_ne_grnce; but the h_nlf, has not been told us." Th_e. future is irleal, nnd novor exactly 1m1tntos tho pnst; while 1t rests upon the past and ehc1ts its meanino-. Obey, trust, wait: this is o. grnnd lesson of the Christian life which comes back to ~s from this page.-J. Vere. 6-8.-Last wor~s . . I. \VI~T!ULN,EBS_ ABOUT TIIE FUTURE, A curiosity mino-led of fear nnd hope st1rs 10 the d1sc1ples mmds. The present oppresses• we seek. escape into dreams of o. happy past or future. '!'here is an element of truih and of illusion in these cravings. II. ILLUSORY THOUGl1TB OF THE FUTURE, The cherished dream of Israel for five centuries had been the restoration of the temporal power of David's throne. It was a fixed idea, and here reappears, So have we all our fixed ideas, and cannot conceive a. happy future out of their sphera. But God's unfolding realities prove better than our sensuous dreams. Ill. DIVINE EVABION OF HUMAN QUESTIONINGS ABOUT THE FUTURE. 1. No fixed knowledge of tlie future, its changes, and those epochs, can be oors. With all our science we cannot touch the beginnings, therefore not the issues, of things. History i$ a Divine poem, and God does not permit us to guess at the denouement or catastrophe of events. The unexpected happens, and Providence is full of surprises, Enouo-h for us to read the unrolling page from day to day, a.nd subdue our wishes to the ;ctual, rather than measure the actual by our wishes. 2. Strength for the future is enough and this may be ours. Power, inner power, spiritual power, in other words, a full and vio-orous life-consciousness, is what we need. This is promised. But not if we are se;king sensual and selfish ends. Power is imparted for God's ends. Only on condition that we are given up to God's will can we work for God's ends, or enjoy the power thereto. 'l'he laws of the kingdom are as strict as any we learn from nature. The narrowing of Divine thoughts to our own petty notions of advantage means desertion and weakness ; the inclusion of our purposes within the infinite purpose means strength. All true life-acting may be regarded as witness. Each man stands for some principle, expresses some leading thought in his action. What do we represent? What tale does our life tell from day to day? What negative or what positive is it that our individual life makes clear in the scheme of things? The pessimism of unbelief or the optimism of profound faith in the laws of God's world? 'l'o witness for the eternal Truth and Love gives joy and zest to existence; to have no report or message to bring to others of aught felt or tasted of the good of life is vacancy and sadness. The Christian witness is above all of the life of which mere words are a poor transcript. If in some way or other our life clearly affirms the goodness of God by reflecting him, this is witness for him. And the ways of witness are manifold as the glory of the stars, the colours and forms of the flowers. There are special testimonies to special facts or truths which have their place and season and no other; but in all places and times the whole liJe-witness silently tells. The •'living epistle" is intelligible in every tongue and to all orders of minds.-J.
Vers. 9-11.-The uplifting of Jesus. The evangelist employs two different words, both meaning "he was taken or lifted up" (vers. 2, 9). I. 'l'HE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE UPLIJ,'TING. '!'he human is raised into the Divine. The body of humiliation is translated into a form of glory. Exaltation crowns self- abasement. The self-emptied One for love's sake becomes the depository for all time of the Divine fulness. For our sake the descent from heaven, and the return thither still for our sake. Heaven woos earth in the Incarnation, and in the Ascension earth is wedded to heaven for ever. It is the pledge of permanent intercourse and sptcia! occasional visitations from God to man. " The Ascension-that pole-sta.r of our nif!ht I" (E. Irving). II. THE SIGNIFICANOE OF THE CLOUD. It was ever a symbol of God. It veils, yet reveals; hides, yet manifests him. 'l'he definite ever passes into the indefinite; the visible form into the fainter symbol. Men may ask," Where is he who came and lovea our clay?" The answer is in the cloud-symbol. As in its beauty we see it float ~.etween heave11 an~ eartb,_li.alf-4!lPS!l and half-transDa.rent with the solar glory, we havij THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. [OR, I, 1-28,