prayer of humble hope, that on us too may be poured out that Holy Spirit, Who proceeding from the Father and the Son, sanctifies the elect people of God, making to them clean hearts and renewing in them a right spirit, so that they who were once bond-slaves to Satan, carnal, sold under sin, are delivered into the glorious liberty of the children of God. "This same Jesus shall in like manner come again," but not alone, for "them also which sleep in Jesus shall God bring with Him. The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up, together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air; and so shall we ever be with the Lord."

Such was the hope which under all trials sustained the holy Apostles. Animated by this, St. Paul could calmly cast all his care upon God, and walk stedfastly in the path of duty, though upon the future was cast only so much of light as served to disclose its dangers: not knowing the things that should befall him, save that the Holy Ghost witnessed in every city that bonds and afflictions awaited him, he still reckoned

that the sufferings of the time then present, were not worthy to be compared with the glory that should be revealed.

But he that hath this hope purifieth himself: death and the resurrection are not gifted with power to change our hearts: then will the sentence be, "He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still." Life is given us to work in, grace to work with. Doubtless the highest degrees of holiness we can attain here, are as nothing compared with that perfect holiness which shall in heaven clothe those who have washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb, and are thenceforward clothed in clean linen fine and white, so as no fuller on earth can whiten it; still if the work is to be perfected there, it must be begun here: we cannot live here taken up with the things of this world, and hope to wake in eternity with the love of the next.

Ever remembering then, that though the Apostles of Christ alone were privileged to behold His ascension, yet when He shall in like manner come again, every eye shall see Him; that they shall behold Him with the eyes of

their body who have long beheld Him with the eyes of their faith; but that they too must look on Him who have pierced and crucified Him afresh by turning from His promises, disregarding His threatenings, or going dreamily through life as though after death there were no judgment to follow ;-ever remembering these things, be it our earnest endeavour to imitate the example of the Apostles at this season brought before us: cheerfully let us obey the Voice which summons us to the work of our calling, and so diligently pursue it while it is yet day, that when our Lord shall so come again we may be found in Him, not having our own righteousness but that which is of God by faith. Let our citizenship be in heaven, seeing that from thence we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.

JOHN HENRY PARKER, OXFORD AND LONDON.

Tracts for the Christian Seasons.

WHIT-SUNDAY.

The coming and comfort of the Holy Ghost.

It was good for us that Christ should come; very good for us that He should come down from heaven to save us from our sins. It was also good that after He had finished His work on earth He should return to His Father and to the right hand of the throne of God. He says Himself that it was not only good as regards Himself to ascend into heaven, but that it was for our good. "It is expedient for you that I go away," and He explains the point very clearly in the words that follow, "for," He adds, "if I go not away, the Comforter will not come : but if I depart, I will send Him unto you."

But had not Christ been a Comforter? Yes, truly, the best that had ever been, the greatest and the truest. Never had there been seen in the world such a Guide, such a Friend, such a Master, such a Giver of true consolation, such a

Comforter. The best of the sons of consolation were not worthy so much as to unloose the latchet of His shoes, Who spake as never man spake, and Who stood crying in the wilderness of this groaning and afflicted world, "Come unto Me all ye that labour, and are heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me, for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light."

So deeply had those who sought Him felt the power of His consolation, the greatness of the peace and love which issued from Him abundantly, that the mere mention of His departure filled them with sorrow. "Because I have said these things unto you," as He Himself bears witness, "sorrow hath filled your heart." They could scarce bear the thought that He was about to go; it was like losing the very Sun and Light of their souls. They had left all to follow Him; and when the tidings came from His own lips that He was about to leave them, their hearts sank within them, and their grief was great. The Church seemed to them without Him, as a bride forsaken by her husband, as a household without its master, as a besieged army without its captain, as a flock without its shepherd, as a