thee to a permanent form? Are they in this book? Yes. All this is acknowledged. See your duty. If religion be untrue, reject it: if it be of God, love it; submit to it; seek to experience its power; seek to evidence its inward work; keep your eye on the plan for directions, and on God for strength. Like Noah, you shall by and by rejoice with exceeding great joy in the wonderful deliverance which God will effect for you.

THE RIGHT WAY.

"And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left."-ISAIAH Xxx. 20, 21.

THE words may be considered as a prophetic promise to the church. As such, they were remarkably fulfilled when the Christian dispensation was opened. Among the gifts of the glorified Saviour, that of the Christian ministry, in its continued and efficient exercise, is one of the most important.

And in all periods, where the fulfilment has been duly sought, it has been vouchsafed. Labourers have been sent into the vineyard; and the direction has been extensively, as well as plainly heard, "This is the way, walk ye in it."

And the voice thus addressed to the church, is echoed from it to the world at large. They who seek the salvation of their own souls, cannot be unmindful of that of others. They who are themselves converted, will seek, by prudent but zealous exhortations, to convert sinners from the error of their ways. Nay; by their own obedience, the ignorant are directed. Their example practically illustrates the directions they have received: the light shining directly on the church, is reflected on the world.

In the description of the promised blessing, there is a form

of expression employed which deserves our serious notice: "Though he give you the bread of adversity, yet thine eyes shall see thy teachers;" as though the former distress were, in comparison of the other, very trivial. How different are God's thoughts from our thoughts! We, perhaps, would say, Let the voice be silent, so we have the bread of prosperity. God says, Though I withhold the less, the greater shall be given. The means of spiritual improvement are, in fact, of the greatest importance. The salvation of the soul is God's principal object. Temporal concerns are subordinated to this; not this to them.

I shall at present confine myself to the principal subject in the text: to that direction which is promised. This contains A STATEMENT, and AN EXHORTATION.

I. The statement: "This is the way." There is, in fact, a way in which we ought to go.

1. This may be described from the fact, that it is discovered to us by God himself. It is the way which he has constructed and consecrated; which his word fully and clearly describes; to which the faithful ministry of the word always points; and into which the Holy Spirit guides all who submit to its leadings. It is God's highway; and is marked by the good works which he hath before-ordained that we should walk in them. Not in any way which we ourselves might invent or choose, but in that which God prescribes, are we to go;-thus running the race set before us.

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2. It may be described by its several characters. street may be named differently in different parts. So we may say, it is the way of true repentance; of lively, justifying faith; of holiness; of self-denial and cross-bearing; of spiritual improvement. It is the narrow way, as opposed to the broad way, in which so many are found journeying. 3. It may be described by its oneness. "This is the way,"as opposed to right, or left. All who walk in the safe path, have one object: they set the Lord alway before them; they seek to promote his honour and glory. Then, they have one rule, his own holy word. In that they find the will of Him, to whose supreme authority their soul willingly and entirely submits. And in all that is vital, and essential to Christian

character, notwithstanding their unhappy dissensions, there will be found a remarkable agreement among Christians. And especially, in proportion as they obtain more and more of the Christian simplicity and purity, by which they lose sight of themselves, and have their own wishes and will lost in the appointments and will of God; as they give themselves up to the service of God; they will be found to resemble each other, and thus to be substantially walking in the same way.

II. In noticing the EXHORTATION, we see its exclusiveness, and great earnestness:-" This is the way; walk ye in it."

Whatever general topics can be referred to as proving we ought to walk in any way, may be applied to show that we ought to walk in this.

1. It is the way of truth. Sinful ways are full of error. Sin itself is mistake. Truth in words, is the conformity of words to things. Truth in actions, is their comformity to actual circumstances. Now the whole life of the sinner contradicts his real condition. He lives as if he were independent; he is the creature of God. He lives as if there were no heaven to be desired; no hell to be dreaded: as though the world were his chief good, and this present time the whole measure of his being. If the Bible be true, the whole life of a sinner is a practical falsehood: the way of holiness alone, as being the practical agreement of conduct with the real condition, is the way of truth.

2. It is the way of honesty. Many, indeed, separate this from religion. If they are not so particular as others,-if they do what is wrong, religiously, yet they are perfectly honest. Yes, if the claims of God are nothing; if his gifts are nothing: if we are under no obligation to love infinite goodness; to fear infinite greatness and righteousness; to obey infinite authority; to imitate a perfect holiness and love: if the being and will of God are so insignificant that they may be left out, or taken in, in our moral calculations, and the results be unaffected; then may the man without religion be an honest man. But if the claims of God are real claims, and perfectly righteous; then he who disallows them is dishonest. That is, the way of religion is the way of honesty.

3. It is the way of safety. Bring this to the point. In all inquiries something must be assumed. I assume that the Bible is really, solemnly true; and that we are to reason about its assertions as if they were visible facts. Assuming this, on the sinner the terrible wrath of God abideth. Should he die thus, in hell he would lift up his eyes, being in torment. Whereas, he who has truly turned to God, and now humbly obeys him, possesses the divine favour. The eye of God is on him for good; the ear of the Lord is open to his prayers; the hand of God is stretched out to protect him. And if he die thus, absent from the body he is present with the Lord. Nothing is well with the sinner: all is well with him that serves God.

4. It is the way of pleasantness and peace. It is so called in direct terms. There is peace with God, joy in the Holy Ghost, true contentedness with the present, and a joyful hope of the future. They who walk in the light of the divine favour, and who experience that the Ruler of all is their friend, cannot be unhappy.

5. It is the way of true honour. All that is unsubstantially shadowed in the world, and rather promised and sought, than given and enjoyed, is here found in reality. They who have entered upon this way are the Lord's treasure; heirs of eternal life. Angels are ministering spirits unto them. As mirrors, they reflect the glory of God himself. They have his approbation. Already declared; it shall one day be published before angels and men. Honour is indissolubly connected with true religion; shame follows hard upon sin. Everlasting contempt is the portion of the sinner; the people of God shall be lifted up for ever.

6. In a word, it is the right way. It is the only one in which we fulfil the obligations we owe to God: in which the designs of his holy benevolence in our creation are accomplished. In this way alone, our very nature improves and advances. We enjoy in part, and shall soon enjoy fully and for ever, the felicity for which we were made. Creation, providence, redemption, all point to this way; and here alone their designs are fulfilled. Obligation, interest, hope, and fear call us to walk in it.

Contrast with this all other ways,-bear they to the right or left. They are ways of falsehood and dishonesty, danger and disgrace; real wretchedness, if sometimes apparent joy. Every other way is emphatically a wrong way; one in which you ought not to go. And this is shown by the dissatisfaction with every other way but the one to which God calls us, at the approach of death. We become fearful and alarmed. O how dreadful the day, of which these feelings are only the precursor! Let us reflect in the midst of life and action. From our present position to eternal life there is a way; for if we wrong, there is a path by which we may come to the right way. From hell, the termination of every wrong way, to heaven, there is no way. Between the two-the terrible, impassable chasm. To the way of mercy and peace we point you. Your ears hear the direction: "This is the way, walk ye in it." Be persuaded to look at it. See its brightness. Trace to the very gates of heaven; to the splendours of eternal day. O enter upon it. Strive to enter in at the strait gate. Remember, warnings despised lead to greater punishment. To him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

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Still hear the voice, if walking in the right path. There will be invitations to the right hand, to the left. Turn not. Faint not. "This is the way." It leads to heaven. To remember that you travelled through life by it, will make you thankful in eternity. This, "this is the way: walk ye in it."

NOAH AND THE FLOOD.

SERMON I.

"By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith."-HEBREWS xi. 7.

I SELECT these words as containing a condensed account of the history of Noah; as referring to the principles on