wu poun!d into him. Thus the Deliverer is the ve:1tPst of all suffere!'L He Is one who hBB marks of m.1·sterious sorrow and ang11ish npon his nature. And that shows how far it i~ frnrn being accordim: t-0 the hcan of God to mAke men miserable, to send wrath upon them. He interposps beLween the sinner and the results of his sin in thia ~ t Deliverer ~ent forth from his own bosom. He says," Save from goin" down to the pit, for I have found a ransom." Rather does he inflict wrath upon his So~ than inflict it on us. So far M his doing is concerned. he lrns removed the wrath to come-he has made it non-existent.. Is that not proof, the most conclusive, that wrath is m.ist abhorrent. to him, that in his heart of hearts he wishes us to escape from wrath, wishes to make us al I happy ? ( 4) Our relation to the Delive,-er. It is saioi here, 11 whioh delivereth 11s from the wrath to come." And the context shows that the reference is to believers. All a.re welcome to come into a saving relation to Christ; but, as a matter of fact, all do not come. In Thessalonica there were many to whom the gospel of deliverance came, who, in their idolatrous life, thought it an idle tale. There were Mme who, tired of their idoh1trous life, welcomed the thought of deliverance, and i,1ve a ready ear to the apostle when he told them of Jesus II which delivereth from the wrath to come." And there are ruany still in our more enlightened timea 11"1,o treat wrath and deliverance from it as an intrusion. The great work which Jesus accomplished has no interest to them. They like to go on in their own self- pleasing way, heedl,·ss of the issues. There are others, and these are the believers, who a.re unsatisfied in a life merely in the present. They are anxious to know bow they are to meet the eternal issues. And feeling unable to do this themselves, as guilty before God, they shelter themselves in Jesus, "which delivereth from the wrath to come." Taking him as their Representative, entering into the full benefit of bis deliver- ar.ce, the future is relieved to them, and, for the first time, they breathe freely as in the atmosphere of heaven. Out of Christ the wrath to come is still a reality, and a reality which has been made more drc•adfol to those who refuse to escape from it. In Christ l1el us take the comfort of our position, let us dismiss our fear of future wrath ; . and let UE remember him to whom we owe our escape, and let us prove our gratitude by a life ,f loyaltJ to our Deliverer.-&. F
Ver. 8.- Works of !J'f'fMI& In writing to the Corinthians St. Paul sin~lea out three Cl:.ristian graces for supreme honour-faith, hope, and love. Here he selects the same three graces, but not simply to praise them for their own inherent merits. They are no\\ regarded i1.1 their energetic operation, as powers and influences; and the fruits of their activity are the subjects of the apostle's thankful recognition. He makes mention in prayer of the work of faith and labour of love and patienu of hope. L Cmlll!'l'lAN G&ACEIJ ARE ACTIVE POWERS. They are beautiful in tbemselvu, but they are not to exist solely for their own heauty. Flowers are lovely, but the object Jf th€ e~istence of flowers is not that they may dream through the summer hours in their loveliness, and then fade and wither and die. They serve an important end in the ecuuumy of plants by preparing fruit and seeds. 1. The active opera_tion of Cl,ristian "raee gwrifies God. While dwelling only in the depths of the soul, qmescent sud secret~ they do not ~how forth the glory of God. "Herein is my Father ~lorified, Lhat ye bear mnch fruit" (John xv. 8). 2. 'l'he active operation of the Christian c:races is a mearu; of benefiting our felluw--men. Faith, love, and hope are not given to us for our own enjoyment only. They are aids for our miRsion iu life-the mission of 11erving God by 11erving mankind. We muet let them have their perfect work, that this mission may be fulfilled. 3. The active operation of the Christian graces is a proof of their ,ntal, h«iltA. "Faith apart from works i~ b~rren" (Jaa. iL 20). By the fruits they bear we know how far we have the grace11 w1tbm Uff. II. CHlllHTIAN Gil.A.CEIi BA.VJ: TREIB 8EPABA1'Y. IH'IIY.111\R OF ENERGY. 1. Faitl,, },a, its work. Whe11 we both believe and actively truHL iu Luc helps of the Uuseen, we arc -,1Jcouraged to use them, and when we yield ourselvee in faith to the will and Jaw of the Un118eD, we learn to obey the authority above us. Hence the work of faith. 'l'bis iM cbaract.,rized by decillion-it i8 no wavering, hesitating, intermittent activity-by calmneu &Dd by energy. 2. /.,we ha, ita labour. Labour i8 harder than work. l t implies gnat effat, ioil, and trouble. Love goeM beyond faith and undertakes greater tasks. Bat witb love "all toil i8 sweet." An eo.tkiW1ia8m a.mountiiuE to i-,llioll oharacterizea oa. r. 1-10.] THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THE8SALONIAN8. 18
this activity and disting;nishi,s it from the eober work or faith. Love to God and love to man are necessary for the h,,rdest work. It Wa.R not mere faith, it we.e love, 1hat inspired the awful toils and sacrifices of Christ. 3. Hnpe hria it.~ pr,tierw,. Thi, is the, passive fruit of Uivine grace. It is not therefore the less imr"'rtant, nor <l"es it there- fore show the less energy. We need strength for enJurance as much as strength for action. Christian Lope manifests its energy by unflinching perseverance in spite of present crosses and distresses. lll. CHRISTIAN GRACES MUST CO-OPERATE FOR THE RIPENING OP THE PULL CHBT8TIAN LIFE. St. Paul rejoices that all tl,ree of the primary graces were in active operation in the Thessalonian Church. Characters are too often one-sirled. Faith is hard if love is wanting. Love is weak and wild if it is not supported f;nd guided by faith. Hope is an idle dream without these two graces, and they are sad and gloomy if they are not cheered by hope. As the cord is far stronger than the separate strands, faith, hope, and love united produce energies many times greater than the results of their individual efficacy. The perfect Christian character is the charact~r that ,s developed into rich fruitfulness on all sides. All the colours in the bow must blend to produce the pun white of saintliness.-\\'. F. A.