are reserved "in chains of darkness" they are in everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels." Another thing which indicates something of the extent of their misery is-Secondly: The vastness of their capacity. The misery of a spiritual being greatly depends upon his capability of thought. Men, in similar conditions, do not suffer equally. He who

is able to take the widest view of the causes, relations, and bearings of his position, will feel the most. Angels have a capacity far greater than men to understand the origin, bearings, and issues of their crimes.

Another thing still, which indicates something of the extent of their misery is--Thirdly: The utter hopelessness of their state. There is hope for human sinners in this world; there is a Saviour provided for them; there is a heaven that is offered to them. There seems no hope for fallen angels. Christ took not on Him the nature of angels; He took on Him the seed of Abraham.

Such are some of the thoughts which the Bible suggests to us concerning angelic sinners. And are not such thoughts suited, as undoubtedly they are designed, to rouse us human sinners to

A FATHER'S THOUGHT OVER HIS CHILD'S GRAVE.

"I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me."-2 Sam. xii. 23.

THE Context shows David in two aspects. First: Suffering as a sinner. He had committed a great sin, and the loss of his child was a retribution. Secondly: Reasoning as a saint. "And he said, While the child was yet alive, I fasted and wept: for I said, Who can tell whether God will be gracious to me, that the child may live? But now he is dead, wherefore should I fast? can I bring him back again? I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me." The text implies David's belief in three things.

I.

THE

UNRETURNABLE

NESS OF THE DEAD. "He shall not return to me." He felt that all grief was useless, all prayer was unavailing. The dead return not again. "When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return." "I shall bebold man no more in the land of the living," said Hezekiah. First: There is no returning to discharge neglected duties. Duties which we have neglected in relation to our children, our servants,

ourneighbours, our country,we can never return after to discharge. They remain undone. "There is no work, knowledge, or device in the grave," &c. Secondly: There is no returning to recover lost opportunities. Lost Sabbaths, lost sermons, lost means of grace, no one comes back from the grave to redeem. If there is no return to the earth (1) How foolish it is to set our hearts upon it. (2) How important to finish its work as we go on. The text implies David's belief

II. IN THE CERTAINTY OF HIS OWN DISSOLUTION. "I shall go to him." He had no doubt on the subject, nor has anyone any reason to doubt. "It is appointed unto all men once to die." "One generation cometh, and another passeth away." We must all die, and be as water spilt upon the ground, which cannot be gathered up again." First: The certainty of death is universally admitted with the understanding.

66

There is no

room left for questioning it. Death reigned from Adam to Moses, from Moses to Christ, from Christ to this hour. Secondly: The certainty of death is universally denied by the life. All men live as if they were immortal. How morally infatuated is our race! The text

David's belief

implies

III.

IN THE RE-UNION AFTER DEATH. "I shall go to him." First: The re-union he believed in was spiritual. It evidently means more than going to his grave, and the ruingling of their dust together. There would be no consolation in this. Secondly: The re-union he believed in was conscious. They would feel themselves together, recognize each other as child and father. The doctrine of a recognition of spirits in a future world, may be argued by the laws of mental association, the benevolence of God, and the allusions of Scripture. Thirdly The re-union he believed in was happy. There would be no consolation in the idea of an unhappy union. (1) He believed that his child was happy. Infants go to heaven. "Of such." says Christ, "is the kingdom of heaven." The men who deny this, have dehumanized their nature by a barbarous theology. (2) He believed that he was safe. He felt that he should go to him, be with him in that happy world.

Let these thoughts of death aid us to fulfil the mission of

life.

the experience of the saints. Perhaps it was given the Psalmist in a flush of holy inspiration to see, as he swept the plains of coming generations, that his experience would not be lost upon those who in the strife were fighting for the right and the true. Is not this even expressed in verse 18, "Until I have shewed thy strength unto this generation, and thy power unto every one that is to come." David's name is great to-day! And in every well-worn Bible may be seen the signs of his sympathy and power. Thirdly: In the admiration of angels. What sympathizing, appreciating, ministering spectators are these! H. T. M. Liverpool.

JEHOVAH OUR HOME.

"Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place."-Ps. xc. 1.

THIS psalm sets forth the eternity of God and the frailty of man. Mourning the ills that contract and the evils that embitter this short span of existence, it turns man's thoughts to that power which can establish, and his hopes to that "mercy" which can "satisfy," and crown with fadeless "beauty," (see v. 17.) Observe the solemnity and force of the language of verses 1--3. "Lord, thou hast been our

VOL. XV.

dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God. Thou turnest man to destruction; and sayest, return, ye children of men. Inspiration stretches language into the misty eternity on either side, and reveals GOD existing ere ever a world was formed, and unchanged by circling years; when the "mountains" depart aud the hills remove. If the

mountains," the emblems of constancy, mock man's littleness as they stand, broadbased and solemn, from century to century; how painfully evident that littleness becomes when man has to do with HIM, in whose sight a "thousand years are as a yesterday ;" how dreamlike the brief, dwarfed being; how priceless a refuge from the "flood" that "carries them away;" how blest is he whose spirit leans on this truth :-"Lord, thou hast been our dwelling-place in all generations!" The words suggest :

I. MAN NEEDS A HOME.-A refuge beyond the reach of vicissitude. (1) We crave immortality, and our longings are never satisfied, our questions never answered, till our hopes

I 2

take hold of the Infinite. Like the climbing plant, without the strong stem to support it, the sensibilities of our frail but wonderful nature, trail in the dust. Without repose in God, there may be the butterfly's gaiety while summer sunbeams last, but the worm is shelterless when the blast of adversity beats. (2) Some are anxious to establish man's orphanage; the child of no promise; the homeless heir of nothing. The unblest joylessness of such spirits indicates the "divinity that stirs within us." (3) Many say, "our Father" with the lip, but know nothing of the " many mansions," the children's home; how can they know anything of home who believe in a heartless God?

for the spirit; perfect, where nature, worn and weary with the world's incessant friction can relax itself; where every want can be met with God's unfailing supply. Perfect, for under the grand sunlight of prosperity's sky, nature and grace congratulate us when we exult in God. Perfect, for the darkest midnight that trouble can frown is arched by some bow of promise.

"Sorrow touched by thee grows bright
With more than rapture's ray:
As darkness shows us worlds of light
We never saw by day."

The perfection of our home in God is seen in three particulars. First: Physical adaptation. This world is fitted up for man's accommodation; fitted to engage energy and repay toil. It is not for the idler's comfort: he is the

AS HUMANITY'S HOME.

"Our dwelling place." Though sin's leprous spot taints the wall of our most sacred chamber, yet it has not razed the foundations of home. We

know something of the joys of its kindly shelter, when

the ice blasts of a cold world

bear upon us. But we cannot build for ourselves a perfect home. In God this home is provided, elaborately finished for the tenant man: he is invited to occupy it in perpetuity-"all things are now ready." God is a perfect home

endeavors to kill time. "Dress it and keep it" are the terms of the original grant. So used, there is bread and work for all. Men talk of the "curse of labor; " we don't believe in it; labor is one of our blessings; designed to keep us warm

with healthful exercise under our chill moral skies. It is not the "thorns and briars," but,

"Man's inhumanity to man,

Makes countless thousands mourn."