bear. I regard the text as the expression of a truth which is applicable to all the disciples of Christ at all times. Thus regarding it suggests two leading ideas.

I. THE LIMITATION OF MAN AS A LEARNER.

There is a limit to our power of reception, and a limit to our power of enduring what we receive.

First: There is intellectual limitation. Our power of application is limited. We cannot prosecute any prolonged investigation without interruption from weariness. There is also much weakness in our mental exercises. In our studies we soon meet with problems which we cannot solve, and mysteries which we cannot fathom. This is true of our investigations of nature and life; true also of our investigations of Revelation. We are moreover surrounded by a great spiritual universe, and form a part of it; and yet we know very little concerning it. Our perceptions of the spiritual are very dim. "We see" only "through a glass darkly." Second: There is moral and spiritual limitation. Not only are we unable to receive much that Christ has to impart, but much that we may be able to receive we could not endure. To hear much and understand little is oppressive. There are truths which require a quick apprehension to grasp them, and which demand a pure and brave heart to bear the knowledge of them. Our perceptions are dull; our souls are feeble; we are poor, limited learners.

What an argument is this for humility! We should be modest in the maintenance of our opinion while we are so ignorant. We should be humble in the presence of mystery.

II. THE PRE-EMINENCE OF CHRIST AS A TEACHER.

This is seen

The treasures of

First: In the vastness of his resources. his mind are infinite. To the highest created intelligence he will ever be able to apply the words of the text. "In him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." His knowledge embraces the whole realm of being, from the

most insignificant ephemera to the highest archangel before his throue. His knowledge covers the whole realm of matter, from the sand-grain upon the beach, to the worlds and systems that throng the immensities. His knowledge includes all the minutiae of every object which it comprehends; and it comprehends everything that exists. All actualities, all possibilities, all things, past, present, and future, are fully known to Him. There is no teacher whose resources will compare with those of the "Carpenter's Son." How strengthening this is to those who confide in Him. "If God be with us, who can be against us."

How terrible is this knowledge to those who are opposed to Him! He knows the plans of the wicked in all their details, and He will thwart them. He knows their sins, and will punish them.

Second: In the communication of those resources to man. (1) He communicates. How much had He communicated to his disciples before He said, "Ye can bear no more now"? He has communicated much to us. Many things in nature which were once secret He has revealed. Many things in mind, many pertaining to his moral government, many which are yet future to us, He has revealed. Wonderful are the communications which Christ makes to us! (2) He communicates according to our mental and spiritual capacity. The statement of the text does not imply that anything which the Master had previously said to his disciples was untrue, or that He had led them into any misconceptions. It simply means that hitherto He had communicated to them only a portion of the truth; that He had given to them the elementary knowledge of his religion, and not the more sublime and thorough knowledge; and the reason of this reserve was a tender regard for them. The teacher knew the capacity of his pupils, and regulated his communications accordingly.

This will apply to the great mysteries of the plan of redemption. Our Lord had just spoken of "sin, righteousness, and judgment," before He uttered the words of the text. There are mysteries connected with these three words

which we cannot understand. The mystery of sin, atonement, salvation, and retribution is very great. May it not be that the reason of this mystery is that we could not bear the knowledge?

This will apply to the mysteries of unfulfilled prophecy. The Master evidently had this in view when He uttered the text, for in the next verse He promised the disciples that the Spirit of truth should show them "things to come." If we could bear the knowledge of those things which are dimly foreshadowed in the Apocalypse, Christ would reveal it to us by his Spirit.

This will apply to the mysteries of God's providence. We cannot reconcile the seeming anomalies of God's government. The knowledge to enable us to do this we could not bear

now.

This will apply to the experiences of our own life. There is much darkness resting upon the past; much mystery in the present; of our future lot we know scarcely anything. Why is this? Because we could not bear to know the reason of the stroke which crushed us, or of the trials which now oppress us; nor could we bear the knowledge of the exact character of the future. We could not bear the removal of the mystery which strikes us dumb. Our Teacher knows exactly how much we can bear, and He will not impart a gleam of truth more than we can endure. Brethren, let us be thankful for mystery. Christ's method of communicating knowledge is a guarantee of our security from being overwhelmed with intolerable revelations. It is also a guarantee of our everlasting advancement in knowledge. Our Teacher unfolds his ideas gradually; and He, from his infinite mind, will continue the unfoldment for ever. What discipleship is ours? Everlasting discipleship? Throughout the endless ages of our being we shall be constantly making acquisitions in knowledge, and yet our Teacher will ever soar infinitely above our highest attainments. What communications our Teacher will make in the future? In the light that He will pour upon our life, how changed our impressions of it will be!

The poverty that crushed us will be a thing to bless God for; the hand that prostrated us by disappointment and suffering will be embalmed with the kisses of gratitude; the bereaved parents will look upon the grave of their child as a memorial of richest blessing; and the widow and orphans will praise the dispensation of providence that rendered them solitary: all will unite to magnify Him who doeth all things well! There is much mystery now-dark, impenetrable, almost crushing mystery-within us and around us. But God will make all things clear, and more than justify his ways to man. "What thou knowest not now, thou shalt know hereafter." Meanwhile, let us wait-calmly, trustfully let us wait—until we are able to bear the revelation.

Portsmouth.

WILLIAM JONES.

0

SUBJECT: Rich Poverty.

"As having nothing, and yet possessing all things."
Analysis of Homily the Seven Hundred and Fifty-Third.

BSERVE how necessary it is to hear the whole of a matter.

If we heard the first part of this statement only, we should say, "Here is indicated as sad and drear a lot as mortal ever inherited a state in which the man has lost all heart," &c. And if we did but hear the last part of the sentence, we should think, "Here is Fortune's favourite, intoxicated with his uncounted treasures," &c.

Neither part of the text must be explained away. The first cannot, the second must not be. From a worldly stand-point Paul was as poor as he could be-not enough of ground even to be for him a grave, where his wearied body could lie down to rest in the sleep of death, was he owner of. But we must also conclude that this apostle was a greater possessor than the richest Croesus, or the mightiest Cæsar of the world. For we must either believe so much, or believe that he was a mere juggler with words, or mad with enthusiasm, and rich only in

the untold possessions of a wild and frenzied imagination. We cannot believe the latter, and so must conclude that the houseless wanderer, which had not where to lay his head, was at the same time the inheritor of all things.

I. Let us look for a few minutes at the first clause-" AS HAVING NOTHING." And let us learn

First: That the truly great are not essentially the visibly rich. We live in an age so material that this needs to be proclaimed with trumpet blast. What is meant now by a man being well off, is his having several thousands of golden coins. Let him have them, and mansions open for him their doors, &c., whilst poverty, just because it is poverty, is shrunk from as though a leprosy. Nay, there are circles of society where. vice is winked at, but into the presence of which virtue without £10,000 would not be admitted for a moment. often the Church, in its estimate of men, imitates the world! No doubt if Paul sat amongst the peers, enough would be made of him; but if he lived again as he did when he wrote these words, who would have much to say for him or about him? Self-impoverishment crowns with greatness. Paul had nothing, not by an unalterable necessity, but for Jesus sake.

How

Secondly: That it becomes us to make greater self-denials. How seldom do our poverties arise from self-sacrifices! There is only virtue in them when they do. Sooner or later we have all to feel the crushing cross, but how rarely because we have taken it up!

Thirdly That God does not reward his servants with material pay. If any man had a claim for such reward, it was Paul. But why is this? (1.) God does not attach the false importance to material possessions that we do. (2.) He will let us do and dare for him without a bribe.

Fourthly That God's poor are the best off. For see the heritage to which they know that they are begotten! They verily have their reward. The Master promised that whoever for Him left houses and lands, &c., should have a thousandfold compensation, and Paul more than proves the promise