continual remembrance of His death to their great and endless comfort. "Precept upon precept, line upon line1," is graven upon their hearts. Each season of the passing year is marked by its association with the history of their Redeemer's love, and with the work of the Holy Spirit revealing that history to the salvation of their souls. The seedtime and the harvest, the winter and the summer, mark not more surely the progress of the natural year, than do the records of Christ's surpassing goodness distinguish each round of holy thought,' traversed by Christ's disciples. By these the daily duties of their lives are sanctified; by these their trials are converted into instruments and means of glorying. And the fruit of the Spirit which so convinceth them of the sin to which man's fallen nature is prone, of the righteousness by which man's fallen nature is restored, of the judgment which shall await the children of men hereafter, is "love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance"."

To some indeed this holy influence may seem an unreal thing: they may have heard of it by the hearing of the ear, but their eyes have not seen, their hearts have not felt, its transforming power in the renewing of their own minds. The belief in it may seem to them credulity; the trust in its support a delusive hope. But is it possible for such 1.Isaiah xxviii. 10. 2 Gal. v. 22.

men to acquiesce in the general acknowledgment of God and Christ, of death and judgment, of heaven and hell? Is it possible for them to feel that they are of the earth, earthy; and yet to be unmindful of that power which can alone cleanse them from its defilement, and release them from its burdens? Can they venture upon the troubled waters of life, and not know the haven which is to be their refuge, nor the course which is to guide them thither? Can they look upon the daily conflicts which await them, and dream that their own right hand hath strength to get for themselves the victory? Can they feel the oppression of rebellious appetites within, and the terror of adversaries around them, and plunge into the fearful strife, without the girdle of truth, or the breastplate of righteousness, or the sandals of peace, or the shield of faith, or the helmet of salvation, or the sword of the Spirit? Can any credulity be more extravagant, or any hope more delusive than this? And yet this is the miserable portion of men who lean only upon their own strength, and walk only in the light of their own wisdom. With the Laodiceans they deem that they are "rich, and increased in goods, and have need of nothing ;" and know not that they are

wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked'." No marvel that "the preaching of the cross" " of Christ seemeth "foolishness 2" unto such

Rev. iii. 17.

2

1 Cor. i. 18.

men. Paul seemed mad in the eyes of Festus, when he spake of the light which the risen Christ should "shew unto the people, and to the Gentiles;" yet was he not mad, but uttering only "the words of truth and soberness 1." So is it even now with every Christian combatant who is struggling through the warfare in which that Apostle was victorious. His hope may seem madness to the disciples of the world; his instruments and means of help so many vain delusions; yet are they his sure and strong defence. He knoweth them to be real and precious, by the real and precious fruits which they produce. These the evidences of present blessing, the pledges of future glory; the tokens whereby the Spirit, which "sealeth" him "unto the day of redemption 2," shows that Christ's promise is fulfilled; that the Comforter, which convinceth the world of sin, of righteousness, of judgment, is come; and that, through the operation of His manifold gifts of grace, that faithful prayer of the Church shall be accomplished, which beseeches the Almighty and everliving God daily to increase in His servants the Spirit of wisdom and understanding; the Spirit of counsel and ghostly strength; the Spirit of knowledge and true godliness; and to fill them with the Spirit of His holy fear, now and for ever! That prayer is now offered up for you, my brethren. 2 Ephes. iv. 30.

1 Acts xxvi. 24.

May your hearts feel the need of the petitions which it breathes! May you support them "with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watch thereunto with all perseverance" Thus may you be taught to feel that "greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world 2" and "with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ 3!"

SERMON XII.

THE TEN LEPERS.

LUKE Xvii. 17, 18.

And Jesus answering said, Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine? There are not found that returned to give glory to God, save this stranger.

THE incidents which attract our notice in the authentic histories of mankind, derive their chief interest and importance from the consideration, that we are beings endued with like passions with the men whose actions are narrated; and that their conduct is but a specimen of what our own often is, or might be, under similar circumstances. Hence it becomes not only an obvious but a needful employment to look upon those narratives as monitors and guides to ourselves.

For, if the proper study of mankind be man, it is proper only so far as it may conduce to our own