But this is merely the first step in the great salvation. The living believer, though saved, is in the midst of his warfare. He may be confident of victory, but he dare not lay aside his armour. We must look forward therefore to the time when his struggle will be over, and his victory perfected in Christ; when his ransomed spirit shall take its place in the great multitude, who stand in the presence, and behold the glory of the Lord. How many are there that have stood beside the open grave, grieving, and bitterly grieving, for the loss of those over whose remains it was about to close! But how would that grief be soothed, could we only see beyond the veil, and there witness the joy of the new born spirit, no longer struggling against sin, nor bowed down by its heavy burden; no more contending against its subtlety, nor compelled to confess its power; but welcomed there to uninterrupted blessedness, a spotless spirit in the joy and presence of the Lord. But even this is not all. It is enough to fill our hearts with gladness to know that the departed spirit rests in perfect peace before the throne of God; but there are blessings richer still in store for all the saints of God. There is a time coming when there shall be no division in the family, nor any great gulf between the brethren assembled before the throne, and the brethren still struggling upon earth; but when the whole of God’s elect shall be gathered; when the Jew, the European, the African, and the New Zealander, will all be assembled into one company, to bow before one throne, to speak one language, and to join in one universal hymn of praise to the one Author of their eternal life. Then again each individual will be perfected. There will not then be merely the spirit in separation from the flesh, but it will be reunited to the risen body, as pure, as spotless, as incorruptible as itself. And who can realize the joy of that wonderful day, when all shall be gathered, so that no single individual of the whole family shall be absent, and all shall be perfected, so that throughout the whole multitude there shall not be found a single spot or stain of sin—when the whole corruption of our nature shall be gone, the whole effect of that corruption gone likewise, and the whole church of God created anew in the perfect likeness and image of the Lord? Such is the great, the complete salvation. And the present means for compassing this mighty end is the simple preaching of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus. Men go forth with stammering lips, and multiplied deficiencies; but God is blessing their message for the ingathering of His own elect, and the final completion of His own glory. So that notwithstanding all defects, we may look onwards to the great result, and say with St. Paul—“I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation.” * * * * *