1 John 3: 2-" Beloved now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is."

THE apostle John, who penned the above sentiment, was well styled the beloved disciple of Christ, for, of all the apostles, he is the loveliest writer and the most famous for recording matters respecting the love of God and man. And, indeed, the manner in which he commences his addresses to the Church must lead even the worst foe to the Bible to admire his amiable spirit. He usually begins his epistles or remarks with, "My little children," "Beloved," or "Well-beloved"phrases which indicate the deep-toned piety of his heart, and his ardent affection for all who bear the image of Christ, whom he dearly loved and faithfully served, and whose true divinity and character he most clearly delineates, so that the weakest believer may perfectly understand him.

He also most beautifully illustrates the Christian's hope, so as almost to cause the earthly pilgrim to realize himself a possessor of his anticipated glory. The text furnishes a fair sample of his whole train of expressions, in unfolding to the Christian what he is, and what he may expect to be, when Christ shall appear in his glory to receive him.

In our treatment of the nature and substance of the Christian's hope, we deem it important to remind the reader that all hope is not Christian hope. It is true, hope, in its abstract sense, is a compound of desire and expectation. This may be enjoyed by the worldling, the licentious, the profligate, and the hypocrite, or deceived professor of religion, as well as by the true believer in Christ. But while the hope of the one originates in, and has respect to, the things of time and sense, and is cherished by the influence of the powers of darkness-the hope of the other-the Christian-is of a higher and more noble source, and is kept in lively exercise through the Divine power of the Eternal Spirit; and its possessor can adopt the language of the Psalmist, and say, "And now, Lord, what wait I for? my hope is in thee." And he feels to unite with the apostle Paul in the sentiment, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable."

The true Christian regards his hope founded on the sure unerring promises and mercy of God. He feels to enjoy the force of the inspired penman's declaration of the immutability of the promises respecting his hope, as recorded in Heb. 6: 17, 18. It reads thus: "Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability

of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that, by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.” The Christian is thus assured that, by the two immutable things of God-His word of promises and their confirmation by his oath—that his hope is securely established in God-in Christ. It is because of such exceedingly great and precious promises from God, that the believer in Christ can confidently hope for the present and the future—for time and for eternity. Such a hope is truly the work of the Holy Spirit. For He is the sanctifier of all the heirs of promise. And it is He who revives and invigorates this lively hope in the souls of his saints.

In the enjoyment of this hope all boasting is excluded, for it is through the abounding grace and mercy of God that we receive it. The means employed to communicate it to the Christian are all of God in Christ. Whatever of faith we exercise in cherishing it, is of the Holy Spirit by the Gospel of the Son of God.

Concerning the nature or properties of this hope, we would remark, that the several sacred writers of the New Testament variously describe it; but in no instance do they contradict each other's views of it. They all unite in presenting its true character. Paul, in writing to the Thessalonians, ch. 2: 16, calls it a "good hope;" as indeed it is, for several reasons ;— 1. Because it originates in a good source-in God; it is the gift of God. For the apostle assures us that, "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights." God

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is good, and whatever he communicates to his children is good. "For he careth for us, as a father careth for his own son that serveth him." It is a good hope. 2. Because it prompts all who possess it to good thoughts, words, and acts. The apostle John says:

Every one that hath this hope in him, purifies himself, even as Christ is pure," i. e., it leads the Christian to labor to become assimilated into the image of Christ, whose glorious person is to be the model of the spiritual bodies of all his glorified saints. It is a good hope also. 3. Because of its final object. The eternal glory of its possessor.

Peter, in his first epistle (1 : 3), assures us that "through the abundant mercy of God, we are begotten unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." It may truly be called a lively hope," for when we contemplate its life-giving power, we realize its tendency to revive and invigorate the drooping spirit of the sojourner, as he travels through this vale of tears, looking for another and a better country-a more glorious inheritance. Christ has made it lively, by his resurrection from the dead. Had he not risen, our hope would have been gloomy in the extreme. And what is more animating to the Christian than the thought of finally rising from the dark cavern of the earth to the glorious light of unclouded day, in the regions of perpetual bliss, to live forever with the Lord of glory, the Head of the Church? It not only promotes lively feelings in the soul, respecting its future realities: but it also incites to lively action, in doing good to others, and in advancing the kingdom of Christ in the earth. The true Christian is a working Christian. Indolence and

vital godliness have no alliance to each other. As the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are ever active in promoting good on the earth, so also are all those who are subject to their united government, and hope to enjoy the fruit of labor.

Solomon informs us, that "the hope of the righteous shall be gladness." And David says: "Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God." And Paul says: "We rejoice in hope of the glory of God." By all of which we are to understand, that the hope of the true believer causes the soul "to be glad in the Lord all his days." How can we be otherwise than happy in view of eternal glory? We are bound to rejoice in the Lord always, and in all situations. It is said that Abraham believed in hope against hope, see Rom. 4: 18-which the faint-hearted should frequently and prayerfully consider, for they often lose sight of their hope, and fail to rejoice in it. By Abraham's believing in hope against hope, is meant, that against all apparent want of ground of hope, he believed or trusted in the promises which God gave him to excite his hope; so should you, my brethren, though you may be the weakest Christians, rejoice in believing the promises of God, even if the ground of hope in you seem to be imperfect-almost lost. Remember that faith in Christ and his word, is the confidence of things hoped for. Have confidence in God, then, whatever lack you have in yourselves, so long as you have submitted your hearts to Christ to be saved.

The apostle Paul, in writing to Titus, chap. 2: 13, calls the hope of the Christian a blessed hope, viz, : Looking for that blessed hope and the glorious ap

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