rich in this world, "That they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold of that which is really life.' 2 Thess. 2. 16, 17.)

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(1 Tim. 6. 17-19. Comp. Gal. 6. 7, 8. To which we may add the testimony of John, who says: We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not [the brethren] abideth in death.' (1 John, 3. 14.) And hence also it is written that he that hateth his brother hath not seen the Christ, nor known him, for 'he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness' (1 John, 2. 11. Comp. 1 John, 3. 15); for the Christ does not abide in his heart by faith. 'Hereby we have known love,' saith John, in that he (the Christ) laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's goods and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? (1 John, 3. 15-17. Comp. Lev. 18. 19. Rom. 13. 8, 9.) How shall he look on his Saviour at the last day whom he has denied before men and angels? (1 Tim. 5. 21.) Has not the Lord said, When thou makest a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, and the blind, and thou shalt be blessed, in that they cannot recompense thee in the same manner; for the same shall be rendered to you at the resurrection of the just.' (Luke, 14. 13, 14.) For on that day we who are poor, and who have nothing to offer in return to him who has invited us to the feast, shall eat bread in the kingdom of heaven.

In the Assembly of the Christ the brethren are stimulated to perform good works by the love of God, and by

the fear of falling from his grace; and not by the hope of obtaining a higher standing in heaven. Our good works are done to glorify God, and not that we may be glorified by them; if not, they are works of the flesh, and sinful in his sight. We should abound in the work of the Lord, that we may be justified as his disciples, and lay hold of that which is really life, namely, to live in communication with him by means of his Spirit and his Word. This thought should reign supreme in the heart of the faithful, and stimulate them to obey the law of God. It is true that all who believe in the Anointed Man Jesus shall wear the crown of the just at the last day; but only those who are justified by their works will be found worthy to walk in white. In the dead assembly of Sardis, there were but few disciples who had not defiled their garments by sin, of whom the Lord said, 'They shall walk with me in white, for they are worthy.' For although all who are washed in his blood are clean every whit, and shall wear white robes on that day, it is certain that many will be found unworthy of their heavenly calling, in so far as regards their works of mercy. (Rev. 3. 4, 9.)

The believer in Jesus need not be troubled on his deathbed about his salvation, but he will feel remorse in case he has not worked while it was day, that he might be justified by his works, and be found worthy of the inheritance of the saints in light. The character of the assembly at Laodicea was displeasing to the Lord, who said, 'I know thy works that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would thou wert cold or hot.' Had they known that they were cold, they would have sought to do good works while it was day, but being lukewarm, they were selfrighteous, and thought they needed nothing. (Rev. 3. 14-18. 2 Cor. 5. 13.) The Lord Jesus did not love that assembly, for he only loves them who are his disciples in deed,

and not in name only. (John, 8. 31; 15. 8.) "Therefore, my beloved brethren,' says Paul, 'be ye stedfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.' (1 Cor. 15. 58.)

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CHAPTER XIII.

THE SECOND COMING OF THE CHRIST TO HIS KINGDOM.

I. THE signs which shall precede the Lord's coming in glory.

II. The Assembly must be prepared to receive the Lord Jesus when he shall come again in the glory of his Father.

I. The Lord Jesus came for the first time to his kingdom when he rose from the dead, and manifested himself to his disciples as the King and Saviour of his people; and he will appear again at the end of the age in the clouds of heaven to receive his brethren to himself in the city of God, as he hath promised, saying: 'In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you; and when I shall have gone and prepared a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.' (John, 14. 2, 3.) For the Son of man shall come in the with his angels; and then he shall according to his works.' (Matt. 16. 27. Comp. 25. 31-46. Acts, 1. 11. 1 Thess. 4. 16. 2 Thess. 1. 7. Heb. 9. 28. Rev. 1. 7.)

glory of his Father render to every man

Now, although we are ignorant of the times and the seasons of the Lord's coming in glory, we know the signs which shall precede it; for they are recorded for our edification in the book of the prophet Matthew, in which it is written, that Jesus went out, and departed from the sacred place and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the sacred place. And Jesus said

unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the age? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man

deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am the Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled : for all these things must come to pass but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you and ye shall be hated of all nations for the sake of my name. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love

of many shall grow cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. And this good news of the kingdom shall be preached in all the earth as a testimony unto all nations: and then shall the end come.' (Matt. 24. 1-14.)

One of the signs which shall immediately precede the second coming of the Christ will be the persecution of the saints by the nations at the end of the age, but he has promised that they who shall endure to the end shall be saved; that is to say, the saints who shall be on the earth at the second coming of our Saviour shall be delivered from the hands of their enemies. For 'He shall send his angels

with a great voice of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of

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