Imatges de pàgina
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with me for the good that I would, I do not; but the evil which I would not, that I do." Listen also to his testimony in I Cor. ix. fin., "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway." St. Paul knew the full value of Christ's redemption from sin; but he also knew the extent of human weakness in the presence of evil. And so he rejoiced to look forward to that place of rest where sin could not enter; and all we who know what it is to suffer from sin can so look forward to the day when we shall be "with Christ," where sin can never reach us, "which is far better."

Then it will also be "far better," because all the afflictions and distresses of earth will be for ever past. This, as we have seen, was the great consideration which made St. Paul long to be "with Christ;" and although our lives may not be as stormy as his was, or our sufferings as great as those to which he was subjected, yet the world must always be to the earnest Christian more or less a place of tribulation and trial, of discomfort and unrest—a rough and rugged road. "If in this life only," says the apostle, "we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable." This is the cry of a Christian, in the midst of a sea of troubles, contemplating the bare possibility of there being no recompence in another world for the trials endured in this. But, thank God, there is no such possibility in the matter at all. And not only is it natural, but it is the comfort and privilege of the true Christian, to be ever longing for that time when every man will get his due reward. It is one of the

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most comforting thoughts presented by our Burial Service to the minds of the living survivors, when it teaches us to address "Almighty God" as One "with whom the souls of the faithful, after they are delivered from the burden of the flesh, are in joy and felicity." And will it not be "far better" in every way, when the toils of earth give way to the rest of perfect peace; when disappointments and grievances and losses are all ended; when sorrow and sighing for ever flee away, and the tears are wiped from every cheek?

Once again, it will be far better, because we shall then see God as He is. Our views of God on earth are at the best but very dim and imperfect. Faith can only "see through a glass darkly;" but then we shall see "face to face." There are many things to come between and obscure our vision here, but nothing there. However close an acquaintance we may have with our Saviour on earth, however deep a knowledge we may have of His love and His favour and His excellence, it is all as nothing, compared with what it will be when we are "with Christ." Job looked forward to the day when he should "in his flesh see God;" David panted for the time when he too should "come and appear before God;" St. John, though He had seen God manifest in the flesh, and though he could rejoice in being one of the "sons of God now," was filled with a hope of something better even than this, when "we shall see Him as He is;" and St. Paul, with the memory still fresh in his mind of what he had seen and heard, when he was "caught up into the third heaven," was ever yearning to have

that beatific vision renewed, not in a trance as before, but in all its glorious reality. Faith and hope are good and blessed gifts, but to see and to realize are far, "far better."

"Jesu, the very thought of Thee

With sweetness fills the breast;
But sweeter far Thy face to see,
And in Thy presence rest.”

And now, is it wrong to have "a desire to depart”? Some would say at once that it is; that it unfits us for the duties of the present; that it is a morose, selfish, and unnatural feeling. But with this example of the apostle Paul before us, we can hardly be right in thus condemning it. We see that in his case it was part of his very being, and that, subject to one important condition, he gave full vent to it. But it must not interfere with his present duties. "Nevertheless, to abide in the flesh," he says, "is more needful for you; and having this confidence, I know that I shall abide." This was his perplexity-between what was "far better," and what was "more needful," -between his own happiness and theirs. And this must be our model: personally, it would be "far better" for the children of God to "depart and be with Christ;" but for the sake of others, and maybe very often for our own sakes-for who of us can say that we are fit for the change?-it may be "more needful" to abide. Let us therefore seek to combine a fervent "desire to depart" with a contented willingness to remain.

It was a remark of Henry Venn, "How few of us

ever get to that most blessed state-wishing to be gone!" and certainly it is a true sign of advanced spiritual life; but probably most Christians have known something of this feeling—a feeling of divine homesickness, as it were, which steals over us at certain times, perhaps on a calm summer evening, when all around is hushed and still, and the peace of earth seems to tell us of the peace of heaven; or perhaps in the presence of some unusually exquisite scenery, when nature itself seems to bid our spirits soar above; or it may be in moments of intense weariness or heavenly joy. Are there any of those who truly love the Saviour that have never known this feeling This is what St. Paul felt, and it is just what every true Christian should feel; yes, even in the midst of active duties, if they are rightly and diligently performed, we may still "have a desire to depart and to be with Christ, which is far better;" even amid earthly joys and associations and friendships, if they are hallowed and consecrated by the Holy Spirit, we may still have "a desire to be with Christ," because it is far, "far better;" and if there be any of us who cannot discover any signs of this desire within, we should do well to ask ourselves whether our love for Christ is very deep; for if we do not feel it good to be "with Christ" on earth, assuredly we shall never feel it "far better to be with Christ" in Paradise.

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"Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou Me."

JOHN xxi. 22.

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E have in this chapter a touching description of one of our Lord's last interviews with His chosen disciples before His ascension into heaven. After the tragic and astounding events that had taken

place at Jerusalem, they had, in accordance with our Lord's instructions to the women on the resurrection morn, returned to their native Galilee; and from the necessities of the case, as well as from an uncertainty how they were to act in the future, they had again betaken themselves to their old avocations; and it is while they are engaged in plying their craft that the Saviour appears to them on this occasion. We need not refer to what then took place. The stranger standing on the shore, the fishermen worn out with the bootless toil of the past

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