nay, our friends, -the best and dearest, nothing: :-" He that judgeth me is the Lord!"

Brethren, we owe more to God's Providence than even to God's Word; to his secret and incessant working, than to his manifest and occasional teaching. God's ways are deep and inscrutable, and what we do see is but the thousandth part of his mercy towards us-but the casual outbursting of the love within —but the putting forth of the hand from behind, which has been guiding us for years-but the occasional smile of complacency from one whose heart has ever yearned with kindness towards us. How much has been done for the infant before he has arrived at any consciousness of parental love; what incessant care, what tender assiduity, yet he knew it not! And how much is done for us by God, before our minds awake to recognize him; how much is daily working for our good when still our hearts are dull and unobservant, nay, perhaps murmuring and rebellious! Yet his plan goes on; his purposes fulfil themselves; his ways are dark and intricate, but all are working for our good!

But, in conclusion, let us not forget, that we cannot fully recognize God in his Providence, till we have become acquainted with Him in his

Grace. It is indeed, I believe, by his Providence that He prepares us for his Grace; but it is only so far as we know and feel this grace, that we can duly mark, and repose upon, his Providence. It is not as the God of Nature merely that we can look up to Him, trust Him, believe that He is working for our good, Rather, almost all things are against this feeling. There is too much apparent evil in the world to authorize our trust; and the distance between us and our Creator is too great to permit our hope. No! it is only in Christ Jesus that we feel him to be our Father. It is only as we have fled to the hope set before us in the Gospel that we can repose our souls upon his care. The assertion of our text is, "All things work together for good to them that love God." But who is there loves God truly, who has not believed the love of God to him? And who believes adequately the love of God to him, who has not contemplated that love as it is commended in Christ?

of Providence?

Talk you of Nature and

Who is there can

Who is there can delight in

Nature with a true religious delight, or repose on

Providence with a religious trust, but he who

With filial confidence inspired,

Can lift to Heaven an unpresumptuous eye,

And say, my Father made and

governs all."

Would you then realize the trust and hope of our text; and in every trial find a refuge and a solace? Would you interpret every frowning Providence, and recognize in all events the hand of mercy?-Seek to know more of God as the Saviour of the soul-as not only your Maker, and not only your Preserver, and not only the First Cause and only Ruler of all things, but as your Friend and your Redeemer!

Who proclaims forgiveness in Christ Jesus; who invites you to cast away your transgressions and turn to Him; who summons you to enrol yourself among the number of his called ones according to his purpose; who offers you a name and a place in his family, and an inheritance in his kingdom! Then, and then only, will you get courage to fly to him in every difficulty, and gain assurance from the past to trust him for the future. He that has done the greater, will he not do the less? He that has restored my soul, will he not train that soul for Heaven? He that has made me his child, will he not preserve me to his inheritance? He that spared not his own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall he not with Him also freely give us all things?

THE two elements of true religion are Faith and Practice; things to be known and believed, and things to be experienced and done. And though the one of these Elements (the doctrines of Religion) is the first in order of time, being by God's blessing the cause and promoter of the other (the practice of religion)-yet is it not therefore first in importance; nay, rather it is but the means towards the other, which is the end. The end of religion is morality, good works, virtue, whatsoever things are good, and just, and true, and lovely. The means to that end which God has provided, are the knowledge

and the faith of the Gospel. Without these means the end cannot be attained: but, on the other hand, without the attainment of the end, the means will only bring us into condemnation.

How frequently, therefore, and how seriously should we enquire, how far these means are working towards the end proposed; what advantage we are gaining from them; what is our advance in moral excellence; what our growth in its constituent parts-Christian principle, Christian feeling, and Christian character.

And First, in Christian principle. The distinguishing mark of all true religion is growth. And since all true religion has its root in the mind-the inward spirit of man, this growth will evidence itself first in the strengthening and the developement of our principles. And here let us be careful not to mistake with respect to the true character of a principle. A principle is a very different thing from a mere notion or opinion; it lies much deeper; it is far more influential. A notion or opinion is that which we take up from others by outward instruction; a principle is that which we make our own by inward meditation. The one may lie idle and barren in the head; or produce mere theory,