future occasion. Jesus Christ cannot endure eternal injustice. He is strong to execut.. as well as righteous to desire judgment. . III. THE PERBONB CONDEMNED. Two classes are named. 1. Too~ who are {gnOf'Mlt of God. The heathen world seems to be here referred to. Why should these benighted people be punished for their ignorance? Because they might have known God (Rom. i. •18~20). But they can only be punished in so far as their ignorance was wilful and came from moral causes, i.e. in so far as they "held down the truth in unrighteoua- 11ess." Doubtless there have been good heathen men who have not committed that offence. 2. Those who obey not the gospel. People of Christendom are now referTed to. It is of no use to live in a Christian nation, nor to belong to a Christian Church, nor to believe in the truths of the gospel, if we do not obey the gospel. Obedience is the one test. Heathen are only condemned for wilful neglect of God, Christian nations for disobedience to the Christian gospeL IV. TBB DOOM OF TBB Gun.TY. 1. They are to suffe,- ptmialiment. Their doom will not be purely privative, nor will merely natural consequences follow their evil conduct. Distinct penalties will be imposed. !. The punishment UJ7,1l chiefly c<msist in "eternal destruction." This dreadful phrase certainly cannot be taken as an equivalent for everlasting torment. Is not sin everywhere destructive? The wages of sin is not pain-though pain does follow it-but death. This destroying process, left to itself, will go on for ever. All hope of a far-off end to it must he in some interference with its action by the Divine mercy, which is also eternal. 3. The punish- ment will be increased by the measure of the glory that is missed. The eternal destruc- tion involves separation "from the face of the Lord." In bis presence there il! fulnes,; of joy. Spiritual destruction includes the killing out of the spiritual eye that beholds the beatific vision.-W. F. A. Ver. 11.- Worthy of the Christian calling. Here is a prayer with two aspects. It looks to heaven and to earth. It is concerned with God's estimate of bis people and with their own spiritual successes. I. THE HEAVENWARD ASPECT OF THE PRAYER. St. Paul has just been describing the great and terrible judgment-day in language of fire and thunder. Now he expresses his anxiety that all may be well with his readers on that dav, when they will be called to account to ascertain how far they have walked worthily in respect of their vocation, 1. 01,ristiam have a calling. We are called to be Christians, and bein~ Christians, to enter the pilgrimage of the heavenly !He. The object of this general calling is to follow Christ. But we are also each of us called to some specific indivi- dual vocation. 2. The Christian calling involves high obligations. It is no light matter to be found worthy of it. When a great trust is put upon a maa a heavy responsibility accompanies his discharge thereof. So is it with every Christian. 3. God watches us in the pursuit of our calling. \Ve are observed of God, neither escaping his eye in our most secret hours, nor dbregarded by him in our least important actions. 4. God will bring us to account for our fulfilment of our calling. It is most iwportant that he should reckon us to have worthily discharged our vocation because "his favour is life." But he who calls us to the Christian life can give UB grace to discharge its obligations. We can pray that we may be accounted worthy. II. THE EARTHWARD ASPECT OF THE PRAYER. 1. It seeks the fulfilment of every desire of goodness. These are the desires which spring out of the good disposition of a Chri8tian heart. (1) It is not every desire of a good man that is to be fulfilled. Good people may have foolish wishes. The desires to be prayed about are those which spring directly out of goodness. (2) Good <iesires may be unsatisfied. We may wish well aud not nave opportunity or power for executin~ our wishes. The spirit may be willing while the flesh is weak, or the spirit may be weak in energy while it is good in intention. 2. IL seeks the fulfilment of every work of fa,ith. St. Paul a~rees with St. James that fe.ith shows itself by works. But be sees deeper into the difficulties of weak human nature, '!'hough our trust and fidelity prompt us to obedient service, innumerable hindrances intervene and frustrate our energies. We need that God should establish the work of our hands. Even when we sow and water well he must give the increase. 3. The accomplishment of these ends depends on a gift of power. Goodness without strength is futile. Bu, the 1trong God infuaes strength (Ps. miii. 22 'l'HE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE 'l'HEBSALONIANS. [oB. 11. 1-17,
26). The Holy Spirit is a Spirit of power. The Church lhould pray more earneaU, for the grace of energy.-W. F. A.