Vere. 16, 11,_:.Prayer afkr exhortation. The comprehensive prayer for blessing with which he concludes is strictly after the apostle's manner. I. TBE AUTIIOBS OF THE BLESSINGS PRAYED FOR. "Now our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God, even our Father." The order of mention i8 unusual, though the name of Jesus occurs first in the apostolic benediction (2 Cor. xiii. 14). 1. God the Father iB the ultimate Source of blessin.rJ, as it is through Jesus Christ the blessing comes to us. 2. 'J'here is an entire equality between them, seeing the blessing: is attributed to both. 8. There i, oneness of essence, as is indicated by the singular verb used in the passage. II. THE GROUND OF EXPECTATION THAT THE BLESSINGS ASKED WILL BB GIVEN. "Who loved us, and gave us everlasting consolation and good hope through grace." l. The Divine love is the true ground of all our hopes of blessing, for it is everlasting, unchangeable, practical in its ends. 2. The two elements in the Divine gift. (1) "Ever- lasting consolation." (a) A source of unfailing comfort in the midst of the trials of life, springing out of everlasting sources and sufficing to all eternity; for God is a "God of all comfort," and " if there be any consolation," it is in Christ. (b) This comfort is a gift-a mark of Divine favour, not of human merit. (2) "A good hope through grace." (a) This is "the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised before the world began" (Titus i. 2). (b) It is a good hope (11) because of its Author; (13) because of its foundation, "through grace;" (-y) because of its purifying effects (l John iii. 4). Ill THE BLEssrnas PRAYED FOB. 1. Heart-comfort. "Comfort your hearts." They needed to be comforted on account of their troubles respecting the second advent. None but God can give true and lasting comfort. "Thou hast put gladness into my heart." 2. Establishment and pe1·severance. "And stablish you in every good word and work." (1) This blessing is to be sought especially in restless and unset tied times. (~) Stability is to be sought in" every good word," so that believers may not be carried away by "winds of doctrine;" and in "every good work," so that they may not be shaken by doubt and thus become restless and disorderly in conduct. Instability is weakness, as stability is strength.-T. C.
Ven. 1, 2.-The day of (!hriat not immediate. I. THE MISTAXE OF THE THESSALo- NIANS. 1. In itself. The day of the Lord is present; it is already dawning; it is close upon us. 'l'his thought had taken possession of their souls; it filled their hearts; it left no room for ordinary commonplace duties. They were neglecting these in their strong excitement, in their eager anticipation of the approach of the great day. What was the use of attention to business, of daily labour, of the quiet r,erfurmance of their accustomed tasks, when the Lord was to be expected at once, when they were to be caught up, away from earth and its employments, to meet the Lord in the air. "We which are alive and remain shall be caught up," St. Paul bad said in his First Epistle. They misunderstood his words; they supposed that it must be during their own life- time; that it might be, that it would be, immediate. 2. Its origin. Spirit, word, or letter. "Believe not every spirit" (St. John said); "try the spirits whether they are :f God." There were utterances which claimed to be inspired and were not so. The discerning of spirits was one of the manifold gifts of the Holy Ghost. It was their duty not to despise prophesying, but yet to prove all things. 'l'liere were also words quoted as if spoken by St. Paul ; letters, too, purporting to come from him. Men misrepresented him; they attributed the sayings of others, their own, perhaps, to the holy apostle; even letters, it seems, ware current, said to be th_e apostle's, but ~ot really his. People are perplexed often nowadays by the many differences of opinion which exist among Ohristians. The fact of this uiversity is to some an excuse for unbelief or for sloth in spiritual things; to others, a real temptation, a great trial of faith. But we see it has been so from the beginning. There were err.. rs of belief ~n this infant Church of 'l'hessalonioa while th@ apostle, who had founded lt, was still II, THEBSALONIANS. D 34 THE SECOND EPISTLE '1'0 THE THESSALONIANS. [oa, u. 1-11.