heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren. But Jesus called them unto Him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among yɔu : but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant : even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many."

Here is the true law of Christ's Kingdom; and its contrast with earthly dominion, as commonly exercised. The natural man seeks high place for the dignity and advantage it affords the disciple of Christ values it only as a better opportunity for service. The Son of Man Himself came not to be ministered unto, but to minister ; and was among His disciples as one that served. If He, our Lord and Master, washed our feet, we also ought to wash one another's feet. The motto of His Kingdom is that which the ancient kings of Bohemia so worthily adopted, Ich dien, I serve. That Apostles are set first in the Church means not that all are to minister to them, but that they are to be servants of all; as indeed they were, and are. Jesus appoints to them a kingdom, as His Father hath appointed Him and their thrones, like His, are thrones of ministration and aid. "Not that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy" -"we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake" ; so they speak. And those whom they in their turn appoint to take the oversight of the flock of God they charge— "Be not lords over God's heritage, but examples to the flock." While of them they say " Obey them that

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have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account."

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It is this Ministry of the Church which is the very image of the rule of the kingdom of heaven. It is its beginning and preparation. It claims allegiance because of its witness to the Truth: it sets the example of the obedience it seeks and its insignia are not crown and sceptre, but the girdle and the napkin-the girdle for service and the napkin of ministration. Thus it follows in the footsteps of the King of saints, and even now images the manner of His Kingdom. The Church is the kingdom of heaven in a mystery: and as we enter into the mind and purpose of God therein we shall be prepared for our part in the manifestation, when the mystery of God shall be finished.

Yet not in the Church's places of authority only, but in all those of the domestic and social life-parents, masters, governors, teachers-we may cultivate the spirit of Christ's dominion; witnessing to the Truth, obeying the law we administer, manifesting that to reign is to serve and its blessedness that of giving rather than that of receiving. So to rule everywhere is even now to sway His sceptre ; and when He comes to reign He will gladly put it into such not unaccustomed hands. O the joy of being able to sit with Him in His throne, as His Bride and Queen, His partner in the blessing He has yet for the world! If we would attain to this our inheritance, as "the church of the first-born,"* let the Spirit of Him Who is the first-born among His many brethren † dwell richly in us now. So shall we be ready in that day of which the prophet sang :

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'Behold, a King shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall execute judgment:

"And a man shall be as an hiding-place from the wind, and a covert from the tempest ;

"As rivers of water in a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in a weary land.

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"Then judgment shall dwell in the wilderness, and righteousness remain in the faithful field.

"And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and endurance for ever."

COMMEMORATION OF ALL ANGELS.

Biholding the face of the Father.

Rev. xii. 7-II. Matt. xviii. I—10.

WE enter to-day the gates of praise to commemorate All Angels in the grateful sense of their guardianship we gather around the altar of God. And the Gospel we hear tells us with what sympathy from them we approach His altar and bring our praise.

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"Their angels" says our Lord of His little ones always behold the face of My Father which is in heaven.” "Always"--though watching over the heirs of salvation with whose care they are entrusted; "always"—though battling with the Devil and his angels on their behalf. "They do always behold the face of My Father which is in heaven." What does such beholding imply? It may import the special dignity of him who enjoys it: as when that messenger of Nazareth said, "I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God." Yet the dignity lies not in personal honour; but in closeness of communion and in readiness for service. To behold the face of God is to be ever loving Him, ever adoring Him; is to learn from His lips, and be brightened by the light of His countenance, till we grow more and more like unto that on which we gaze. As said the Queen of Sheba to King Solomon, "Happy are thy men, happy are these thy

servants, which stand continually before thee, and that hear thy wisdom :" as sang David to his God, “Blessed are they that dwell in Thy House: they shall be still praising Thee." And to behold the face of God is ever to be watching for His mind, that we may execute it to see His thoughts rise up in His eyes, and hasten to carry them into action: to be ready at a moment to go forth at His bidding.

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Such is that beholding in the case of the holy and elect angels. Whenever they are seen by man, it is either as worshipping God or as fulfilling some mission of His. Ye bless the Lord, ye His angels, that excel in strength; that do His commandments, hearkening unto the voice of His word. They have so drunk in the light of His glory on Whom they gaze, that wherever they come, as to Peter in his prison, they bring a brightness with them. Their very garments are ever shining,-not with the colourless white woven by earthly looms, but bright and glistering. And all their stately beauty, all their stainless splendour they owe to this one thing, that they ever behold the face of the Father. We also shall be like Him, when we see Him in His express Image as He is.

To share in our measure in this their beholding we assemble to-day and always. It is the House of God and the Gate of Heaven where two or three are gathered together in Christ's Name, and He is in the midst of them. The veil of flesh half blinds us now: but that which we "darkly" see through it is the very thing which we shall one day see as they do, "face to face."

We are what

As they do; aye, and better than they do. Michael and Gabriel, what the highest archangels of the heavenly throng are not, and cannot be: we are Christ's, bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh. Not only do

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