earth, according to the prayer, 'thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.' Heaven is full of the goodness and glory of the Lord, his will is done there perfectly, and hence perfect blessedness is there. The earth, on the other hand, is full of sin, and so full of misery ending in death. The aim of the gospel is not merely to translate us to heaven, and to leave a sinful world unchanged, but to set judgment in the earth; to bring down heaven, with all its light, holiness, love, peace, and glory, to our earth. Its issue is, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people. This blessed issue gives a fulness and reality to the promise, and brings it down within our reach. It plants, as it were, the ladder of blessing on earth, whose top reaches to the heaven. Observe the largeness of this sphere IN THE EARTH. Not in this or that family, or tribe, or nation, but in the earth, according to the promise made to the Redeemer, (Isa. liv. 5), the God of the whole earth shall he be called. This width and largeness of the purpose of God may be seen in the love of the Father, God so loved the world that he gave his only-begotten Son for it: it may be seen in the offering of the Son, a propitiation for the sins of the whole world; in his promise, I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me; in his invitation, Look unto me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth; in the commission he gives to his ministers, Go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature; in the office of the church, as the light of the world and the salt of the earth, and in the promised gift of the Holy Spirit to all flesh. Oh dear brethren, how clearly by missionary labours are we treading in the path marked by God's own hand of love, seeking to carry the glorious gospel into every corner where there is darkness to scatter or souls to save. Such is the sphere Christ aims to bless. 2. THE NATURE of his aim is that the earth may be filled with judgment. The term used seems to point out every thing disposed and regulated righteously, according to the will of God, the perfect judgment of the Supreme Judge everywhere established, and Satan and all his hosts overthrown. He shall send forth judgment unto truth or victory. Matt. xii. 20. So the Holy Spirit is promised to convince the world of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged. Its general meaning is universal righteousness and holiness in all its varied forms of goodness towards our fellow-men and obedience to God. In individual persons it is repentance and faith, hope and love; in families it is union and blessedness: I will bless thee and thou shalt be a blessing. In nations it is God universally acknowledged and righteousness universally prevailing. It is the angelic song realised over the earth, Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good will towards men. It is, whatsoever things are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report; whatsoever things make for peace and accompany salvation, everywhere abounding. It is the fulness of the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God. 3. ITS DURABLENESS. The effects are lasting-he is to set judgment, to fix it durably so that it cannot be shaken. All evil things are in their nature destructive and perishing, but good things are, in the gracious providence of God, lasting; the fruits of the gospel are permanent, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life. No labour in the Lord is in vain, the blessings are from generation to generation. But are we not sure that our Lord shall return in his glory, that the earth and the works thereof shall be burned up in the day of the Lord, and how near that day is no tongue can tell. Undoubtedly this is the case, and yet the works of the Christian built on the sure foundation, the gold, silver, and precious stones which he has placed there, shall abide that great fire, and he shall receive a full reward. And after the burning of our earth, we, according to his promise look for a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness, and nothing contrary to that righteousness. As the deluge did not annihilate, so the last fire will not annihilate. Of the increase of our Redeemer's government and peace there shall be no end: upon the throne of David, and his kingdom; to order it, and to establish it, with judgment, and with justice, from henceforth even for ever. There is then a perfect blessedness for our world to flourish after that fire, and this for ever. Oh how full is the encouragement which God gives to patient labours of love, and how lasting are their fruits! How should these promises animate us to meet and surmount dangers and difficulties. II. THE DISCOURAGEMENTS OF CHrist. The words imply that there are great seeming grounds of discouragement-they furnish us with a guide to correct our expectations. There are serious difficulties. In our own salvation, we are told to count the cost before we build the tower, and it is equally requisite to do this in all labours for the salvation of others. The causes of discouragement are various and great. Notice some of the chief of these causes. 1. THE EXTENT OF THE EVIL. If we survey that earth which is ultimately to be the scene of righteousness and blessedness, how awfully are the words of scripture verified, the whole world lieth in wickedness. The gospel went forth like Noah's dove, with no rest for the sole of her foot. It was rejected by the Jewish nation, and then it had to meet with the uncongenial regions of Roman idolatry and the savage manners of barbarous lands. And still it has to contend with a more awful evil, Christian idolatry and infidelity in professedly Christian lands; Mahomedan pride, and self-righteousness, and imposture; Hindoo deceit, cruelty, and licentiousness; and the general mass of heathen superstitions and ignorance, scattered over the world: the deep-rooted prejudices of Jews and gentiles all over the earth. In the midst of this world of departure from God, the church of Christ is a little flock still, and though it has prodigiously advanced in 1800 years, we have still, looking at the immense multitudes every where who reject Christ, to ask, who hath believed our report? 2. THE STUBBORNNESS OF SIN is another mighty discouragement. The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Surely if any thing was calculated to lead captive every mind and every heart, it was the mighty works, and the holy, tender, and gracious character of our blessed Redeemer; but men refuse to hear the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely. Though he did so many miracles they refused all his love, so that Jesus himself marvelled, because of their unbelief. When, by the mighty grace of God, the most furious of the persecutors, Saul, was converted, he hoped that the relation, at least of his own extraordinary change, might affect them; but he was told, Get thee quickly out of Jerusalem, for they will not receive thy testimony concerning me. What is the description given of sinners before their conversion; they are said to be hewn from the rock, dug from the pit, sold under sin, dead in sins, to be as dry bones, to be those that will not come to Christ that they may have life. Instead of hailing him, sinners beseech him to depart from their coasts. All experience manifests this exceeding stubbornness of sin. It is hard to gain even the r attention, it is harder to reach the understanding, it is harder still to touch the conscience, and it is hardest of all to win the heart to entire devotedness to God. Oh the marvellous contumacy of evil; nothing but the yet more marvellous grace of God can subdue it! THE DELAY OF TRIUMPH is a third discouragement. Ages have passed since the rise of the gospel. It has been sent through the world, God's strength on its side, and largely accompanying it, to win men to Christ, and with a designed issue of triumph in the result. Yet Christ came to his own, and his own received him not, and eighteen centuries have past, and darkness still covers the earth. There are vast regions that the gospel has hardly touched; there are other regions which once had it, and have lost it. Where it is still found, how grossly is it corrupted! Mahomedanism owns but supplants it, Popery under its profession is the mother of abomination, Infidelity and worldliness eat out all its life in protestant countries; Jewish unbelief still remains. It seems to sense as though the Lord were slack concerning his promise; had forsaken the earth and ceased to carry forward his gospel with his mighty power. indeed, it is that there is much cause for gratitude and hope, and many tokens of mercy; true it is that the delay was all foreseen, and men were forewarned of the apostacy; but still to the sanguine wishes of a heart full of pity and full of love, and not duly resting on the truth of God and the sureness of the promise, there is much, very much, to dishearten and discourage. True, The last discouragement that I would notice is, THE COLDNESS OF CHRISTIAN LOVE. Because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. O how painful a view are we compelled to take of the church, even as consisting of true Christians of various denominations. What jealousies and en |