mercy to apportion the gracious reward he confers upon his instruments, according to the souls gathered for glory through their instrumentality. (1 Cor. ix. 16, 17. Matt. xxv. 22, 23. Dan. xii. 3.) Hence the apostle was able to say that he had a personal hope connected with the christian standing of his converts, and an individual joy in the assured establishment of their faith; looking forward to the time when being able to present these converts "perfect in Christ Jesus" (Col. i. 22, 28) at his glorious appearing, they should be to him "a crown of rejoicing.' This was his personal share of interest in their salvation, which for their own sakes also he so ardently desired to confirm and secure. How tender is the mercy of God in thus combining the most powerful motives, so as to supply a constant impulse to active affection; permitting so much of personal interest to be sanctified by the eternal and heavenly nature of its enjoyment, as may help to excite to self-denying exertions in seeking the salvation of the souls of others. (ii. 19, 20; iii. 13.)

14. The agency of the great spiritual enemy is spoken of in this portion in a very instructive manner. The apostle, who was not ignorant of Satan's devices (1 Cor. ii. 11), was alarmed lest the power of the great tempter should have so prevailed with the inexperienced christians at Thessalonica, that it should turn out that he had laboured amongst them in vain. It was under this alarm that he was so anxious to be with them, in order to guard them by confirming their faith. But he tells the Thessalonians that the external circumstances which had fallen out so as to prevent him from visiting them, had been the work of the same evil enemy. And thus it is that the faith of the people of God is permitted to be tried, and that the visible church is thereby sifted. Satan is ever on the watch, by all the means within his power to throw obstacles in the way of ministerial help being afforded to those, who, at the same time, he is striving to ensnare into the denial of the faith of Christ. It is however the comfort of the true christian to know, that none "is able to pluck him out of God's hand," and that greater is his defence than the power of the evil enemy. While God

permits the devices of Satan to seem to have success, by hindering one desired minister from being in a position to impart important counsel, He makes that very success the occasion of supplying the needful means of grace by some other instrument, divinely chosen however less desired; and at the same time he supplies those who are tempted with his whole armour, that they may thereby withstand in the evil day, and quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one. (ii. 18; iii. 5.)

15. The main point which produced the apostle's anxiety upon the present occasion is one of very needful application in every generation of the christian church. The Thessalonian converts had but recently received the knowledge of the truth. It had indeed come to them with power; but in proportion as they felt that power to work mightily in themselves, it would seem reasonable for them to expect that it would, in some degree at least, be effectual with others; and until they could obtain an experimental acquaintance with the working of christianity upon worldly hearts, it might be imagined that the violent opposition so generally produced by the preaching of the apostle would be calculated to shake their confidence. This would be the more likely, when they found that the preacher by whom they had been led to receive the gospel themselves had been forced to escape in a concealed manner from place to place. Though in the present day it rarely happens that this difficulty occurs so distinctly and prominently as in the case of the apostle in Thessalonica, Berea, and Athens, yet the ordinary results to those who lift up the standard of spiritual truth with faithfulness and zeal are such, as may be calculated to surprise and disappoint persons who have not yet acquired an experimental knowledge of that truth so powerfully stated by our Lord when he said, "I have given them thy word, and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world." (John xvii. 14.) Many are the hearers of the word who receive the seed as in stony places, with joy at first, but by and by, when tribulation or persecution ariseth, they are offended. (Matt. xiii. 20, 21.) The preachers of the gospel may well be anxious when

such a sifting of their flocks is in progress, as must therefore be produced by those painful occurrences that shew the hatred or contempt the worldly heart will always feel in some degree or other for the principles and the persons belonging to the gospel of Jesus Christ. St. Paul referred his converts to the forewarning instructions he had given them upon this very point; and every well informed christian ought to anticipate such a course of trial for himself and for others, however little experience he may have obtained respecting the perpetual application of the scriptural assurance that "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." (2 Tim. iii. 12.) As the danger to be watched is great, and of constant recurrence, so also is the joy great which is afforded when steadiness and stability of faith are manifested in the midst of trying opposition; and we find the distress brought on by the gospel profession become the means of assuring us more firmly of the spiritual safety of those whom we love; or when we are able to afford to others the same comfort by a similar manifestation of the soundness of our own faith. (iii. 2-9.)

QUESTIONS.

In what proportion am I careful for the spiritual benefit of those I love, in comparison with my cure for their present and temporal advantage and enjoyment? When I am in their company, what is the principal object of our intercourse?

In looking forward to the enjoyment of the eternal state, what hope have I in connection with the salvation of those whom I endeavour to bring to a saving knowledge of the gospel? How far does the thought of a crown of rejoicing help to characterize my intercourse, and support my affec

tionate interest in them?

What knowledge have I of Satan's devices? and what means do I take to prevent their success with those whom I love?

What expectations do 1 form of the results likely to follow amongst worldly persons from a decided profession of spiritual religion by any one from amongst them? Am I prepared to find painful opposition and unkindness? What effect has been produced by such results upon myself?

THE PRAYER.

O merciful God who permittest thy people to enjoy the mutual comfort of each others present society, in order that they may be helpers of each others faith in preparation for the future and eternal union in Christ, give me grace so to profit by such opportunities of christian intercourse as thy Providence may afford me, that I may both be the means of imparting some spiritual gift, and also be a partaker of the same benefit; that my future rejoicing in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ at his coming may be increased in glory, according to the gracious measure of thy mercy in assuring the crown of rejoicing to those whom thou condescendest to employ in this present state. Let not the evil enemy have power to hinder thy servants from fulfilling the work thou appointest for them; but by the ordering of thy providence, provide thine own means of disappointing Satan's designs in tempting the weak and the inexperienced. I pray for this more especially on behalf of those whom I hold in my heart with more affectionate interest: grant that they may not be moved from the hope of the gospel by any tribulation that may result to thy faithful servants for the truth's sake; but give them grace rather to be stablished, strengthened, and settled thereby, to the joy of those who love them, and to the glory of the name of Jesus Christ our only Saviour. AMEN.

THIRD PORTION.

May God, for the sake of Jesus Christ, give me the Holy Spirit, that I may understand this portion of His Holy Word, and profit by it.

AMEN.

INDEX WORDS.

crease

THE SCRIPTURE.

1 THESSALONIANS IV. 1-12.

Exhortation to in- IV. FURTHERMORE then we beseech [or, request] you, brethren, and exhort [or, beseech] you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

FOR ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification,

THAT ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

THAT no man go beyond and defraud [or, oppress, or overreach] his brother in any matter [or, in the matter]: BECAUSE THAT the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we have forewarned you and testified.

FOR God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness. He THEREFORE that despiseth [or, rejecteth], despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his Holy Spirit.

BUT as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you:

FOR ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia :

BUT we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

AND THAT ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; that ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing [or, of no man].

EXPLANATION.

The prayer of the apostle in the last portion (iii. 12, 13), seems to have suggested at once to his mind, the necessity for urging the Thessalonian christians to