wil of mystery tv pre-.ent a little child from seel.ng the beauty within. The riches of Christ are unsearchable simply because they al'e so nbundnut and so various thnt no man c3Il e,er measure the extent, or count the number, or distinguish all the forms of them. For near upon nineteen centuries this great treasury hns been ransacked by friends and foes, by hungering inquirers and by keen-eyed critics, with the result that, like the infinite wealth of nature-which is felt to be more immeasurable in our own ,hy, after the fruitful labours of the most indefatigable natur-.ilists, than ever it was when not one-tenth of what we now know was discovered-these riches of Obrist amaze and fascinate and overwhelm us with an ever-growing sense of their magnificent unsearcba.bleness. • I. THE RICHES OF THB CHA'.ltACTER OF CHRIST ABE UNSEAR0HAllLE, 1. They have been searched into by uncompromi:sing foes, at first by bitter Pharisees _and so.offing Sadducees, later by clever philosophical opponents, such as Celsus and Porphyry,. down to the times of Voltaire's sparkling sarcasm and Strauss's dry criticism. And the. ,erdict of mankind is distinctly against the fault-finders, confessing with Pilate, "I find no fault in him." 2. These riches have also been searched into by adoring disciples, some mth the profundity of St. A~crustine, others with the simplicity of St. Frances; and all types of Christians in every succeeding age unhesitatingly declare that they ne.er weary of won:ihipping fresh wonders in that life of unearthly loveliness. .The n:c:e onr eyes are opened to discern spiritual worth, and the more the character of ('~...,,--t is studied., the more are we astonished and delighted by the vision of infinite 1--:::·-f.-:.ct:u:i.. . . II. 'l'm: RICJIE5 OF THE TRUTH OF CHRIST .ARE ID.'SEA.RCHAllLE. Christ is the Truth ::::c. the Ligbt of tlie world. The ideas of Plato may be measured-the truth of Christ ::c.er. Yet two classes of people deny the unsearchable nature of the riches of this r:dh. 1. Tlwse wl,o say the world has outgrown Christianity. Perhaps they mistake the dogmas of the creeds for the truth as it is in Jesus. The former are necessarily limited, and some of them may have to break up and give place to larger ideas. But the latter is living, infinite, and eternal. 2. Those who are satisfied that they lcnow everything. They are usually the people who know least. A smooth and rounded scheme of doctrine comprehends their universe. Because they have shaped it into logical consistency, they assume that no truth can lie outside it. They have yet to learn that the Word made flesh, like the Word in nature, is infinite. Ill. THE RICHES OF THE LOVE OF CHRIST ABE UNSEARCHABLE. Human love commonly diminishes in intensity in proportion to the extent of the area over which it is spread; family affection being warmer than our interest in the wider circle of friends, and this than general philanthropy, just as the river is deep where it is narrow, but becomes shallow as its banks open out in width. But the grace of Christ, in depth and breadth like the sea, has a l"ast comprehensiveness for all, together with a strong intensity for each. So that in the last great assembly, when some come from distant isles and some from hidden valleys, some from populous cities and some from lonesome deserts, to confess that the grace of Christ has reached them in the fulness of its power, none mll be found so remote as to have been beyond reach, so undeserving as to have been past mercy, or so needy as not to have been able to find the sup:ply of every real want in his great riches of love. IV. TRE RICHES OF THE BLESSINGS GIVEN BY OBRIST ABE UNSEARCHABLE. There is still an unhappy habit among some of listening only to the evil report of the spies who tell of the giants, and turning a deaf ear to the spies who bring the grapes and l ,omegranates. Ko wonder that this habit leads to the painting of the blessing1;1 of Christianity with very dull shades. Rightly understood, the gospel offers a pearl of great price, reveals hidden treasures, strips oil' the rags and brings forth the best 1·obo and the ring. From the first grace of forgiveness to the last grace of peace in death, Christ is breathinu benedictions on the Christian's life, so that when he reflects, he is astonished at what he has already received, and yet learns to accept all thM ail only the earnest of the blessings of light, and strength, and purity, and l)ea'ce, 'that are reserved for his future inheritance.-W. F. A.
Ver. 10.-" The mar: 1/dd wisdom (JI God." I. THE MANIFOJ,D WISDOM OF Gon IB PUT ,::TH nr THY- 1<1::DY-MT"l'If)N OF TITF. WORLD. God is the great 'l'hink<!r, All QUr OH, III, 1-21.] THE EPISTLE TO 'l'HE EPHESIANS. 113