smile from some poor fellow-creature, to whom our trifling services have given no trifling pleasure, are a source of much more real satisfaction than any selfindulgence can ever procure. Nor is this all, "He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again?"

We are told that our blessed Saviour, "for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God 10" As He entered upon His career of woe, He saw before Him, as the result of it-the hungry fed, the ignorant instructed, the prisoner loosed, the mourner comforted, the sinner pardoned, the lost saved. He saw coming with Him

"Peace on earth and mercy mild,

God and sinners reconciled."

He saw all the joy, which from generation to generation His true people have ever had in Him, and ali the works of benevolence, which, urged by His example, they have carried on, in a thousand ways, from the hour of His Ascension to this day. He saw His second Coming in one view with His first, and that vast multitude of every kingdom, and people, and nation, and tongue, who, washed in His blood, and having come out of great tribulation, are from that day to be with Him for ever. He saw the joy, which His suffering would bring to pass, and He entered upon that suffering with gladness.

Some of you, brethren, know by most happy experience the blessedness of following such an example.

9 Prov. xix. 17.

10 Heb. xii. 2.

Self is indeed a poor centre of one's actions. Days of self-enjoyment are followed by weeks of self-accusation. Money spent on self gives little pleasure. Time devoted to mere self-advancement is most truly lost. And therefore you may be well assured, that, if with a heart full of love for your Saviour you begin this day more closely to follow in that Saviour's steps-to spend more on others, and to do more for their present comfort and their eternal happiness-you are keeping Christmas day in the happiest and best of ways, and you are moving onwards in that course, which, through the infinite merits of the Saviour, will lead you soon to pass from memorials of Him in His absence, to the enjoy ment of Himself in His presence and on His throne for ever.

SOCIETY FOR PROMOTING CHRISTIAN KNOWLEDGE, LONDON.

THE TRIALS OF THE GODLY

ACTS vii. 59, 60.

"And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep."

(From the Epistle for St. Stephen's day.)

2 TIMOTHY iii. 12.

"All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." Ir is not without a meaning that our Christmas Festival is immediately followed by the day, on which we commemorate the first Christian martyr. No sooner has the angelic strain, "Peace on earth, and good will towards men," passed away from our ears, than we are reminded of the words spoken by our Lord Himself, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword1."

It was by no false promises of security that our Lord attracted His followers. They were called upon to forsake all which they held most dear, and what did He offer in return? Rewards great and eternal in the heavens; but on earth shame, reproach, persecution, and death. This was their commission, "Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: . . . beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in

[No. 6.]

1 Matt. x. 34.

69

2

their synagogues; and ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles "." When, therefore, the first preachers were seized, imprisoned, accused, and threatened, they understood at once that this was the fit beginning of the life they were henceforth to lead. They lifted up their voice to God, praying "that with all boldness they might speak the word," and rejoiced "that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ."

Early, indeed, was the Lord pleased to impress upon His disciples the nature of their calling. There was an outpouring of the Spirit, and miraculous aid. Courage of heart and power of speech were bestowed upon them from on high, and the sweetness of internal concord was enjoyed more perfectly, than ever before or since, in the pure communion of the infant Church. "The multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul:" and they did “eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart, praising God, and having favour with all the people '.' Well might the disciples recognize the fulfilment of the promise of "Peace on earth, and good will towards men." But they were soon reminded of a sterner necessity. The hand was uplifted to strike, though for a time held back by the prudence of Gamaliel, or by the fear of the multitude. The sword was suspended over their heads, and would descend, for it was God's decree-"the sword which could slay the body, but could not destroy the soul.” First in the noble army of Christian martyrs

* Matt. x. 16-18.

4 Acts iv. 32.

3 Acts iv. v.

5 Acts ii. 46, 47.

stands Stephen, and from his example we may learn (1) what a Christian must expect to suffer, (2) how he ought to suffer, (3) whence he will derive support, and (4) what will be the close of his sufferings.

I. Our Lord predicted special sufferings to His immediate followers. But He also taught plainly that the rule was not particular, but universal. "Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the Gospel's, the same shall save it." And this rule is constantly set before us. We are admitted at Baptism into Christ's Church as His soldiers and servants, and as such we are bound to fight manfully, and must, to adopt the language of St. Paul, "endure hardness"." Our Prayer Book calls upon us to pray for the whole "Church militant"-i. e. warring, striving, struggling "here in earth;" and puts into our mouths continually such petitions as persons in tribulation should present. Nor are these ideas, and phrases simply borrowed from earlier times, when the struggle with the principalities and powers of the world was more fierce, the danger more imminent. True it was then, and true it is now, that "all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution."

Observe that the Apostle speaks not of trials, as we commonly call those sufferings, which God sends in the natural order of His providence, but of persecutions-sufferings which God sends indeed, but through the instrumentality of ungodly men, for the ungodly are "a sword of thine". 6 Mark viii. 34, 35.

7 2 Tim. ii. 3.

8 Rs. xvii. 13.