that the one way to the cherishing of Divine love is tho reception of the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who is the Manifest.'ltion of Divine love to human hearts, "Wo love him, because he first loved us;" "He that loveth God loveth his brother also." Vel:'11. 11-14.-.A sf4rlUng svmmons. The admonition of this passage is especi11lly sddresse<l to Christians; yet to Christians who stand peculiarly in need of e. rousing appeal and summons, to call them t-0 a more spiritual and a more watchful life. L THE CRISIS OF LIFE. 1. The ri.ight is well-ri.igh gone, Between our Lord's first and second comings stretches the dawn of the world. Behind his first coming lay the night of humanity. Beyond his second advent the daylight beams, with the brightness of knowledge, of holiness, of happiness, of glory. 2. Salootion is nearer than ever. In one sen~ indeed, salvation is a present blessing; for we are delivered from condemna- tion if we are in Christ Jesus. In another sense it is future; for we shall hereafter receive the end of our f&ith, e,en the salvation of our souls. It is something to be looked forward t.o with keenest joy of hope, something the prospect of which may well inspire us to endurance and to toil. IL THE lmJO[ONS OF Gon. 1. To spiritud energy. To such a period, drowsy, slumberoW! inactivity is utterly inappropriate. 2. 'l'o the renunciation of aU that interferes wi,th the fulfilment of our calling and the realization of our hope. 3. To a spiritual UIIDfare and ('D,mpaign. 4. To purity of body and of mind, as those who are in their whole nature redeemed. that in their whole nature they may be consecrated. Vers. 11-14.-Night and day. Christian motives are brought forward to incite to moral duti86. We are called upon to do right, not only by the voices of expediency and of authority, but by the voice of revelation. Christians are addressed as those who know the seasons, who discern the signs of the times, who regard the present as a period of probation, of discipline, of education, and whose gaze is ever forwards, whose hope is in their Lord's return to judge and to save. L Tm: RETBOSPECT OF THE PAST. "The night is far spent." 1. The spiritual night of the world is passing away. The true Light is shining, and .the radiance of his beams is illumining the darkest and most distant shores. 2. The night of time is departing, and eternity, resurrection, the new heavens and the now earth, are a.bout to dawn. 3. The night of life is nearly spent, and the day of immortality approaches. If this is the case with all, how manifestly is it so with the aged I IL 'IllE PBOSPECT OF THE FUTURE. L " The day is at hand." So far as the opportunity for labour is concerned. we may admit that "the night cometh, when no man can work." But, in another sense, it is a welcome truth that "the day dawns, and the shadows 11.ee away." Full light shall soon be shed upon our intellectual and spiritual darkness. The fears, the ignorance, the doubts of the present shall cease to be; we shall see Christ as he is, and we shall know even as we a.re known. 2. "Salvation is nearer to U8 than when we fir6t believed." A fortress is beleaguered by the forces of the foe. The garrison, long besieged, is feeble, weary, and all but exhausted, ill supplied with provi1oi.ons and ammunition, and in great straits. But relief is planned, and is approaching. At night the prospect seemed dark. But now, when the morning breaks, the besieged, looking from their walls, behold the banners of the deliverer drawing neac, and hear the welcome mUBic of hie march. Salvation is at hand I It is in this light that we are encoumged t.o look at life, at time. Now we are besieged by our spiritual foe, and our condition is often apparently desperate. But our ; edemption draweth nigh. and our salvation is nearer. 'l'he perfection of our salvation, the fulfilment of the promille of victory,-this is in the future. IIL 'l'HE DUTY oF THE PBDEJiT. This is not the time to indulge mere sentiment, whether of retr<MpOCt or of anticipation. The living present demands all our energy. 1. "It is time to awake out of sleep;" to arouse ourselves from indifference to concern, from half-belief to earnest faith, from inactivity to zeal. 2. To "cast off the works of darkness." By the clothing, the impediments thwi designated, we understand the ~ligence11, the sir.a, which are inconsistent with true 1pirituality. 3. To "put on the acmour c,f light." Holi.nelill and diligene1::, patience and davotedness,-these aro tl:it: Bpiritual exercises appropriate to those who have a hope so glori.o111 and r,romillOJI cm. xm. 1-14.] THE EPISTLE OF' PAUL TO THE ROMANS. 3fJ5
eo sure ae ours. Let the aoldior see to his weapons, the servant to his work, th,, steward to hie trust I A.PPL.IOATION,- Every crisis of human life, of Ch_urch history; every day which tells of the fhg~toft1mo; every inste.n?e ofh~man '!1~rta~1ty,-speake loudly to us, enmmoning us, e.e ch1\dron of the day, to live e.s 1n ant1c1pat1on of the Divine Deliverer's speP.dy and welcome opproe.ch,
Vere. 11-14.-.Awalce and arm/ It le strange that, at the very commencement of o new dispensation, the prospect of its close should be so often presented to the view, No sooner had Christ's first coming ended, than his people were taught to anticipate bis second coming. Thus the thoughts e.nd affections of C,'hristians are clustered around their Lord, e.nd the revelation of the pa.at suggests the approaching epiphany. The contra.ate of this passage are very striking. When carefully e.nalyzed, they appear- I. As applied to CONDITION, 1. The night of danger is nearly over. This applies to the individual, to any community, to the whore Church. 2. The morning of deliverance is dawning. An inspiration and comfort to the pilgrims, the soldiera, who a.re often oppressed by the gloom of the present perils. '.II. As applied to CHARACTER. 1. The works of night a.re to be abandoned. These belong to the era. which now lies in the remote distance, and from which Christ bas emancipated his people. 2. The life of the spiritual day is to be adopted. If the flesh and its lusts are to be crucified, what is to be crowned? The Lord Jes03 is to be " put on," the armour of light is to be taken and worn; and the Christian soldier is to go forth to meet the coming day, with his face towards the rising sun. with his heart bounding with delight at his great Captain's long-expected ap:i:,earance.