only and of them wholly-which the Lord Jesus taught his disciples. Annexed to this we have the promise of his abiding presence with those who so teach; and the assurance that it shall continue "even unto the end of the world" establishes beyond a question the blessed truth, that as long as the world endures there shall be such teachers and such learners. Now go on.'

• 'I have got something, Mamma,' said Thomas, 'that looks like a history of the church. Our Lord's parable of the wheat and tares, with the explanation that he gave of it, seem to describe it from first to last. Here it is,Matt. xiii., 24. «The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy has done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest; and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the

tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them; but gather the wheat into my barn."'

• Here we have indeed a history of the church,' said Mrs. Willis; and a very instructive guide for us in matters often perplexing to the humble believer. So long as there is a handful of scattered wheat bringing forth fruit, this parable is fulfilled, though an acre of tares should flourish among and around it. Not the quantity but the quality of the plants must decide which is the wheat, and which be the tares.'

That is just the question between Robert and me, Mamma,' said Frank; and I have been looking out several passages that seem to show how much the tares shall outnumber the ears of corn.'

The heathen have always outnumbered the church,' remarked Robert.

The heathen,' said his mother, are not here referred to. "The world" in which both the good seed and the bad are represented as being sown, is not the solid earth, but even that same ungodly "world" continually spoken of as distinguished from the church; and the tares are false pretenders to the characters and privileges of the wheat.'

I admit it, Mamma; I spoke unthinkingly. Proceed, Frank.'

There is a saying of our Lord to his disciples that makes me doubt whether it was his purpose that the church should ever become the great, world

ly, powerful thing which Robert's book describes it to be. In John xv., 19, 20, it is written," If ye were of the world, the world would love his own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying they will keep yours also." And again, at the end of the next chapter these remarkable words occur, which I cannot help thinking have been found by most true Christians to belong to them: “ These things I have spoken unto you that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world."'

Indeed, my children, it is even so,' said Mrs. Willis. Tribulation and persecution have, in all ages, been the lot of the Lord's true followers. Kings have destroyed their subjects, people have cruelly injured their neighbors, parents have persecuted their children, and husbands their wives, for the gospel's sake. If all were known, you would find, within the narrow circle of our own acquaintance, instances of the tribulation to which a faithful profession of the doctrines of free grace expose the members of families where serious piety is discountenanced. But let us hear more from God's word.'

When the Apostle Paul was taking leave of the Ephesians, he spoke with sorrow of some dangers, and prophesied about them. It is in Acts xx., 29, "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also, of your ownselves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them.""

• Thomas observed, I have found something, while I was looking for a text, that seems like what Mamma was saying. Here it is, Luke xviii., 7, 8, "And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them? I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of man cometh shall he find faith on the earth."

I admit the force of that passage,' said Robert: it shows a suffering church; and also that godliness shall be at a low ebb in the last days.'

'But Popery is not ebbing,' observed Frank.

Ah, there is your old prejudice at work; but what you call Popery, and which I am ready to own is a very unscriptural thing, did not exist in its worst shape during the early ages of the church.'

Indeed it did, Robert,' said his mother; and if it had not existed, several prophecies would have remained unfulfilled. You have shown the character of the church very fairly among you; and a part

of its history, as set forth in the holy Scriptures; but we must remember that a full description is likewise given of the enemy who was to vex that church, and to oppose and slay God's people; and we have not only to compare the oppressed little flock with what has been quoted as belonging to the true church, but also to compare with the governing ecclesiastical power, the marks of the great apostasy foretold in so many instances.'

Are we coming to the stories soon, Mamma?” asked Fanny.

Presently, my love. I will now refer you to some remarkable descriptions which it is necessary to bear in mind while we study the history of the two classes, in order to find out the church with which our Lord is to be present, even unto the end of the world. Turn to the second Epistle to the Thessalonians, second chapter, and third verse. The apostle was admonishing that church not to expect that the great day of the Lord's second coming was close at hand, and he says, "Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”

Here little Fanny remarked, Judas Iscariot was "the son of perdition.”›