of eternal reunion with those who, on earth, enhanced each joy and lightened every sorrow? Even as a personal aim, is not the Inheritance sought because it fadeth not away? and is not the peace desired of a heart stayed upon JEHOVAH in order to receive relief from trial and to obtain sought-for good?

These are all true and assured results from Faith, but would be an unworthy limitation. The faithful must first believe that GOD is, must recognize in His Divine Attributes the ground for confiding every minutia of life, as touching earth and as regards eternity, to Him who careth for the sheep of His hand. The Christian must,-absorbing thought of self in the paramount desire to be "unto the praise of His glory,"-learn that truly to know Almighty GoD is everlasting life. And thus holding Faith, the word "Heaven" will be fraught to the believer's mind with the meaning attached thereunto in the New Testament Scriptures, viz. the place of GOD's habitation ", signifying likewise God Himself®.

"All would come right if I could believe," is

4 Collect for St. Philip and St. James's Day (see John xvii. 3).

5 As in Matt. xii. 50.

6 As in John iii. 27.

an assertion often made, yet one embodying an erroneous tenet. Deprecated "evil" is not averted, neither is desired "good" obtained by Faith. Belief intervenes not between our GOD and the petitioned blessing. But Faith's office is to recognize and trust in the Perfection and the Immutability of God's Will.

Again, why speak we of Death in hushed tones, mourning that the resting "lived not to see" rays of earthly gladness which flicker past their graves? Is not the regret even murmuringly expressed, "cut off in his prime," untimely severed from "all that life holds dear ?" But, in unmeasured sorrow three elements of error must co-exist in the inconsolable bereaved: the earthly tenure of immortal affection; the selfishness of human desolation; and the undervaluing, or oblivion, of their sacred joy who sleep in JESUS.

"The living know that they shall die';' why should our hearts grow dim in awe of the unrevealed eternal future, unless remembrance of the things of earth outweighs the thought of GOD? I refer not now to the burden of iniquity, to the condition of unrepenting sinners.

7 Eccles. ix. 5.

I speak of that dread of death which trembles to leave the cherished (although assured that GOD is their shield); which grieves to pass from hopes and aims of mortality (though those very hopes and aims be consecrated to GOD's service). I speak of the tone of mind which induces men to say of Death, "he is the King of Terrors," and to beseech GOD to make them "resigned to die," while heartily believing JESUS CHRIST to be "the very Paschal Lamb, which was offered for us, and hath taken away the sin of the world; who by His death hath destroyed death, and by His rising to life again hath restored to us everlasting life"

Perhaps one cause of what may be termed an untrusting fear of "the time to die," is to be found in the selection, during life, of certain attributes of JEHOVAH, whereon to build those hopes which are in death recognized to be unable so to stand, seeing that "other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is JESUS CHRIST"." I refer here to Faith exercised because God is "the GOD of Love and Peace;"

9 Phil. i. 20.

8 Jer. xlix. 11. 1 Proper Preface for Easter Day (Communion Service). 2 1 Cor. iii. 11.

because He is "the GOD of all comfort;" because He is "the LORD GOD, merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth 3." These glorious and consolatory attributes are true; we do right wholly to rest in them, but we must do so as redeemed thus to trust by "the precious blood of Christ."

We know that on the actual coming of the last hour, if,-yet how fearful is the doubt!—if time and consciousness be granted, our every thought and word and deed will be seen by ourselves as now they are seen by GOD. We know that they will be found unable to "put away our sins and endure the severity of God's judgment." Is it sufficient to pray that (with that juster view), by the gift of God, we may our closing moments receive that "armour of light" which alone can gild the entrance to the tomb? the true knowledge which renders Death but the ending of "the way that leadeth to eternal life ?"

in

Surely (surrounded as we are by "all the changes and chances of this mortal life") we

3 Exod. xxxiv. 6.

4 Article XII.

5 Eph. ii. 8.

shrink from the delays and risks of "a deathbed repentance." And whose heart joins not in thrilling fervour at the "solemn litany "

"From lightning and tempest; from plague, pestilence, and famine; from battle and murder, and from sudden death,

Good LORD, deliver us?"

The present volume has been undertaken in the prayerful hope that it may assist those who are conscious of not deriving from the Articles of the Christian Faith the fulness of consolation and fixity of control they are calculated to impart. I seek to portray, in accordance with the teaching of the Holy Scriptures, the great and important distinction between an earthly and a heavenly focus in the direction of Faith; and to point out suggestive thoughts relative to the bearing of Faith on the life of a Christian.

May the blessing of the HOLY SPIRIT rest on the words of the author and on the attention of the reader!

I have in these pages set forth no human standard; no reference is made to individual pathways. The views here advanced are not based on "excellency of speech or of wisdom;"