which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith." He who orders and provides for the lilies, which are less, shall He not much more so take care of man, who is greater? The birds of the air, and the lilies of the field, are examples (saith S. Austin) to prove God's care of the greater from His care of the less. For consider the lilies, how they grow. See what an unshapely root you bury in the ground, and observe how thence spring stalks and leaves, and then flowers. And contemplate each flower, so beautiful in its whiteness, "endowed with so sweet an odour," so perfect in the skill wherewith it is made. And this is the same with all. One flower is not excellent, and the rest of ill-formation, but all are alike complete and glorious. Does not this teach us, how even the lilies of the field are no product of chance, but may be known, each one, to he under the ordering of God's Providence. And yet after awhile, these beauteous flowers die, and, when withered away, are used as fuel and burnt in the oven: and yet God

1 Cat. Aur.

W

takes all this care of them. Does not the question come upon us irresistibly, are we not better than they? are we not under His care therefore as much as they? have we not marks by which we may know that He careth for us? Shall we not live for ever, and shall He not much rather exercise His Providence over us, than over them? How unreasonable then, not to say how wrong, are our doubting, murmuring, complaining habits, as though there were no God in heaven,-as though all things went by chance, as though all things, whether life or death, riches or poverty, health or sickness, were not in His hands, so that whatever be our lot, we may know certainly that it is God's visitation.

Indeed, apart from what we know of God as Christians, looking but around us at the works of nature, we might well learn a lesson of God's love and care for us; for God has not left Himself without witness even to the heathen, in that He has done good, and given rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling men's hearts with food and gladness. So that were we ignorant of God in all but what His creation taught us,-had we no Church,

no Bible, had we never heard of God's sending His Son, yet looking around us, some thankful hearts might say, "Praise the Lord, O my soul.... who deckest Thyself with light as with a garment, and spreadest out the heavens like a curtain; who layeth the beams of His chambers in the waters, and maketh the clouds His chariots, and walketh upon the wings of the wind.... He sendeth the springs into the rivers, which run among the hills. All beasts of the field drink thereof, and the wild asses quench their thirst. Beside them shall the fowls of the air have their habitation, and sing among the branches.... He bringeth forth grass for the cattle, and green herb for the service of men; that He may bring food out of the earth, and wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make him a cheerful countenance, and bread to strengthen man's heart. The trees of the Lord are also full of sap, even the cedars of Libanus which He hath planted.... The high hills are a refuge for the wild goats, and so are the stony rocks for the conies.... The lions roaring after their prey, do seek their meat from God.... Man goeth forth to his

work and to his labour until the evening. O Lord, how manifold are Thy works! in wisdom hast Thou made them all, the earth is full of Thy riches."

But, if even apart from the Gospel, we might learn from God's care for the birds of the air, and the perishing grass, that much more would He care for man, and so take no anxious thought for the morrow, but leave all things in his hands, in simple faith that He careth for us, how much more shall we be assured of this-we, upon whom has been named the Name of Christ? Has not that saying, "how much more you," far greater force since Christ has come? Consider what has been done for man. God's own eternal Son, one with Himself, whom we are bid to honour even as we honour the Father, has left His glory, and enobled our nature by taking it upon Himself. The Word has been made flesh, and dwelt among us. Christ has died for us; Christ has ascended with our glorified nature into heaven, and there pleads for us. How much more, then, shall God care for

1 Psa'm civ.

us? He that hath given us His Son, shall He not also give us all things?

And further, let each one of you consider your own self. You have been brought according to the ordinance of God's own appointment to the laver of Baptism, and received that thing which, by nature, you cannot have. You have had the voice of God speaking to you in the Prophets, in the Gospels, in the letters of the Apostles, in the teaching of God's Church. You have had heaven and hell set before you, and every help given you to obtain the one, every warning to avoid the other. And, in particular cases, who has not had special calls and interpositions of God,-special instances in which more plainly even than usual, he might recognise the Voice of the great Unseen? perhaps sickness, perhaps some death, perhaps some sermon, perhaps some peculiarly strong impression or conviction, perhaps restoration to health, perhaps some remarkable protection, some remarkable preservation from evil,-in a thousand ways may each of you, brethren, say, God has already shown that He has a care over you, and is watching