[48TH SUNDAY.

"And his servants shall serve Him."-REV. xxii. 3. IT is the fervent desire of the renewed heart to serve the Lord, to be employed in the Lord's vineyard, and to do some little work for Him. Often does the prayer ascend,-" O Lord, send me; O Lord, employ me; let me do something in thy cause, something for thy honour and glory." And the Lord hears and answers this prayer; making use of weak means to produce wonderful effects;—even making use of a word spoken in his name to the conversion of the heart of a sinner to Himself. And in proportion as that prayer ascends will the Lord answer it; and not until we arrive in heaven shall we know to what extent He has deigned to use our poor instrumentality to promote his glory. But, oh!

in that blest abode, we shall render perfect service. There his servants shall serve Him; there it will be our

joy and delight to do his will; partaking with the blessed angels in their holy pleasure in doing his commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word, we shall never cease from the blessed employment.

We know not in what manner we may be employed by God, but we know that it will be the delight of our perfected natures to serve Him. In some little measure we begin to partake of this happiness here; for what can exceed the pleasure which the smallest act done from love to God imparts? In keeping his commandments there is great reward even here on earth. What, then, will be the happiness resulting from the perfect obedience we shall render in heaven! O my God! accept now my poor, imperfect endeavours to serve Thee. Most gladly would I spend and be spent for Thee here; and, oh, bring me in thy good time to that place where I shall

serve

Thee without weariness and
Is this the

without imperfection!

prayer of your heart, O reader? Do you cheerfully accomplish the things which God would have done by you? Do you say, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? And is it your delight to serve God? These are blessed tokens for good that you will be among the number of those who shall be engaged in the happy and perfected service of God in heaven.

"The God of Abraham praise,
At whose supreme command
From earth I rise, and seek the joys

At his right hand.

I all on earth forsake,

Its wisdom, fame, and power,
And Him my only portion make,
My shield and tower.

"The God of Abraham praise,

Whose all-sufficient grace

Shall guide me, all my happy days,
In all his ways.

He calls a worm his friend!

He calls Himself my God!

And He shall save me to the end, Through Jesus' blood!

"The goodly land I see,

With peace and plenty bless'd;

A land of sacred liberty,

And endless rest.

There milk and honey flow,

And oil and wine abound;

And trees of life for ever grow,
With mercy crown'd."

[49TH SUNDAY.

"And they shall see his face."-REV. xxii. 4.

WHAT a promise is this! We shall see the face of God and the Lamb! We shall see the face of God in Christ! We shall see Jesus, whom having not seen we love!—all happiness, all satisfaction is comprehended in this. Long have we believed, though we have not seen; long have we desired the glorious vision of Him whom our souls love; then shall it be realised-we shall see his face. If it has been our great delight here below to hear of his loveliness and beauty, and to have a spiritual sense of his presence, what will it be to see the reality of our faith, the substance of our hope! Yet this happiness will most assuredly be ours -we shall see his face.

While we meditate on this hope, may it exercise its transforming power upon us, and conform us now to the image of