kingdom and glory.• This kingdom 11 that which is established in the mediation of Christ, into whioh we enter by t.he gate of regeneration, and which reaches itH full and final development in the second coming of Chiist. The glory is that which he impresses upon his people here, and which receives its full manifestation hereafter.-T. C. Ver. 13.-Tlie TMssa/on,ian receptwn of tiui troth. The apostle had spoken of his own part in the work of grace; be now speaks of the manner in whioh his converts accepted the truth. "Ye are my witnesses; now I am yours." His immediate 0<1round of thankfulness was that they had received, not man's word, but God's, and tb at the Word wRS so thoroughly efficacious. "For this cause abo thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us, ye received not the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God." I. THEY APPRECIATED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE WOllD OF MEN AND THE WORD OF Goo. 1. They first heard it 110 doubt with interest a11d docility of spirit. " Faith cometh by hearinp;, and hearing by the Word of God," The Word was not read but heard in the preaching of the apostles; it was no discovery of their own mind. 2. ~ received it as an e:r,f-ernal fact made known to them by man. 3. They welcomed -' wiPi theinneracceptance offaith. It was "mixed with faith in them that heard it" :Heh. iv. 2). It was" the joy and the rejoicing of their heart" (Jer. :xv.16). 4. Their ?/,ad acceptance of it toa.B conditioned upon its Divine origin. It was not man's word, representing a new speculation in philosophy or ethics; it was" the Word of God" (Rom. L 14). It was therefore (1) an infallible Word; (2) bearing the impress of Divine authority; (3) and therefore to be received with reverence and love. II. THEY ILANIFESTED THE POWEB OF THE TRUTH IN THEIR LIVES. "Which effectu- ally worketb also in you that believe." 1- This efftctual operation is c,,nditioned upon thei-rfGitA. "The Word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in Ll,em that heard it" (Heh. iv. 2). The gospel is only to the believer" the power of God 10 salvation., (Rom. L 16). 2. Its 7,ower was manifest in qui,ckening, enlightening, -anaifging, Mid comforting under all afflictions aud persecutions.-T. C.
VmL 14--16.-Tl,eevidenre,f the effectual working ojtM Divine Word. They were able to imitate the patience aud constancy of the J udrean Churches under great persecu- tion&. These Churches were referred to probably because they were the oldest Churches, and the most severely persecuted. l. lT IS A HIGH HONOUR AS WELL AS PRIVILEGE FOB CHURCHES TO BE SELECTED AB PATTERNS OF PATIENCE TO OTHER ClnracREe. "Fur ye, brethren, became followers of the Churches of God which in Judie& are in Christ Jesus." We are first to be imitators A Christ, then of all who follow in his sleps, who keep on" looking to Jesus" (Heh. :xii. 2). There were many Churches in Judrea, for Christianity was founded by Jews; its first converts were Jews; its first mar1yrs were Jews; and the Churches among them rejoiced in the fellowship of Christ, as the Source of their life anrl comfort. lL 'l'HE P.~TB OF THE THESBALONIANB WAS ONE OF SEVERE 'l'BIAL AND CONTINUOUS PEIIBECUTION. "For ye also have suffered like thin'.!B from your own countrymen, even a~ rhev from thfl Jews." 1. T!,ey had rer.-eived the Wortl "in mv.ch ajfiictior,." (Oh. i. 6.) l'he first outbreak of violence again1,1t them occurred after their con version (Acts xvi i. 5). They belonged to one of those Churches of Macedonia. of which the apostle long after- wards wrote to the Corintl..iians aB "enduring a great trial of a!Hiction." It came from tl,eir heathen countrymen. 2. Their trials attested tM genuineness of their con-version. The heathen would have bad no quarrel with a dead fai~h. 'l'he Thessalonians did not ",;;Jeep as did others." They dbco"ered by sharp experience that "all that will live '!odly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (:t Tim. iii. 12). 3. Their trials involver[ 1,/,e pNCWll,II e:r,peri.enc,t; of a "felww6hip in Chri6t's suffe;·ings." (Phil. iii. 10.) 4. Their t,-,al,a mauifestcd at once tl,e strength of their faith and their Christian constancy. llf. lT WAS SOHE COMFORT TO THE 'fHESSALONIAKS TO KNOW THAT THEY WEilF: :,.'.OT THE ONLY SUFFERERS FROM THE FURY OF PERSECUTOl!.6. " Even as they have ,,f the Jews: who boLb killed the Lord Jesus, and their own 1,rophets, and drave us out." This terrible invective &.'.!&inst the Jews illusLrates the saying that the apostle often" g~ off at a word." It recalls the language of Stephen before his murdererH (Aota vi.L 52). The malignity of the Jews H!!ainst their believing countrymen was oH. n.1-20.) THE FIRS'l' EPISTLE TO THE TBESSALONIANS. 16