seeks to flee from Him whose observing, judging presence he knew to be everywhere. It is astonishing how often this is overlooked. Sin leads to a reprobate mind. We may not say, "We will renounce our mental purity, and yet retain our usual clearness and vigour of understanding." Rebellion against God unsettles the whole constitution. We are capable of errors, of grossnesses, of which, before, we should never have dreamed. Learn from all this the absolute necessity of keeping the heart right with God. The moment we indulge self-will, we begin to lose even the light we before possessed. All goes wrong with us.

Jonah does this in the face of the solemn declaration which constituted a part of the message with which he was charged: "Their wickedness is come up before me.' Did he suppose that the all-seeing God would overlook him? that his wickedness would not come up before God? We see that sin not only leads to very foolish actions, but so blunts the feelings, so hardens the heart, that all is done quietly. Conscience may be thrown into a state analogous to slumber. Conscience may dream. Conscience may be insensible. The plainest declarations may produce no impression. The most awful denunciation may awaken no sense of danger, no alarm. One single object shall alone be seen; one class of emotions and passions alone be felt. Jonah fixed his entire attention on what he believed to be the difficulty of his position, and the way of escape. This, for the time, became the object to which all was referred. This supplied the rule by comparison with which other things appeared wise or unwise, right or wrong, to be desired and sought, or to be feared and avoided.

Learn the grand lesson here taught you. Guard against sin. You cannot tell what effect sin will have on you; into what folly it will plunge you; what dreadful obduracy it will produce. Set God always before you. Only seek to do his will; to promote his glory; to advance his own purposes of mercy to others. So shall you be preserved in wisdom, safety, and peace.

JONAH.

SERMON III

"But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken. Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them."-JONAH i. 4, and part of 5.

WE have already considered Jonah's duty, and seen Jonah's sin. We have now to remark what ensued thereupon. To a certain point, Jonah's plan seemed to be successful. He went on board the vessel. "The word of the Lord" came not to him to expostulate with him on his folly and guilt. His conscience seemed to be at rest. It was, for the time, mastered; and, his vanity and fearfulness had obtained the victory. The vessel had put out to sea; and for a while there was a prospect of a favourable voyage. But soon appearances begin to alter. A violent storm of wind arises. This produces the usual effects. Waves become raised as to mountains; and as the wind continues to act upon them, their magnitude and power increase, till the vessel exposed to their fury exhibits a perfect picture of helplessness. From subsequent verses we find that "the sea wrought and was very tempestuous." And in the comparative infancy of navigation, and when ship-building, as well as ship-conducting, was as yet but very imperfectly understood, we must at once see both the danger in which the mariners of this vessel would be placed by the storm, and the mental confusion into which its continuance and rage would cast them. The surface of the water would be covered with foam. The waves tossing and boiling, would every now and then break upon the seemingly doomed vessel. The vessel herself would be strained, as though her timbers were about to separate; and thus was "the ship like to be broken."

Thus would things appear to the mariners themselves. But let us see the whole truth, as but very partially seen by them. "The Lord sent out a great wind into the sea." And in these

few words we see asserted, what the fact indeed proved,— the power of God over the elements of nature. He made all things, and he rules all that he has made. He does this by fixed laws; understanding by the expression, not that he does not rule them at all, but that in ruling them his operations are according to what, humanly speaking, is a fixed method and plan. There is an unhappy tendency to Epicureanism in the minds of men. By "fixed laws" is too often meant a something by which God himself may be withdrawn from the creature; as though these "fixed laws" possessed a living energy and power. The doctrine of Scripture is, that while God governs nature by fixed laws, it is He who governs, and not the laws. When these laws are for the time controlled and superseded, there is what is termed a miracle,—as when Christ walked on the water. But to direct the various elements according to the laws which he has established, is not miracle, but ordinary providence. Unless this be admitted, there is no real government at all. Practically, the doctrine of Epicurus will be the true one. But the Scripture explicitly declares the actual, omnipotent, universal, rule of God. God "sent" the great wind: but that wind acted upon the ocean according to the usual laws of wind and water. A special direction was given to the ordinary laws; and thus, in Scripture, is God represented as ruling all things: He who rules them being at the same time the moral Governor of mankind. and his natural government being everywhere and always carried on in reference to his own purposes and will, as the moral Governor of intelligent and moral beings.

If we recollect how much depends on the atmosphere, and its condition, we shall see the vast importance of the subject now suggested. The seasons are involved in the question; and consequently, the regular supply of food. A slight variation in the proportion of the atmospheric gases in any place may make all the difference between health and sickness; between a salubrious air, and one which shall occasion disease and death.

And, as the actual ruler is God, and the great principles and objects of his government are moral, we see at once the importance of righteousness, and the value of prayer. Though

the divine government, in its revealed character, refers mainly to a coming judgment, and is as yet, therefore, unfinished, and thus far incomplete, still it is a government; a real government of nature in reference to moral purposes and objects. And this is especially the case as to nations, who, in their collective character, will not stand at the judgment-seat of God. Collected for social purposes, the government under which they are placed is to a very great extent a visible one. National righteousness is required; that is, the submissive acknowledgment of God by that governing body which represents the whole state.

The passage before us shows not merely the actual control of nature exercised by God, but the distinctly moral character of the government thus carried on. Here is an attempt to escape from duty; and here is the judgment of God following and detecting the offender. In the case of Job, we see that such traits as were described in his history may be permitted as tests of character: as detecting latent evil; as more plainly exhibiting good, and as confirming it. In Jonah's case we see that sin is sure to find the sinner out, sooner or later. All may seem quiet for a time, but God sleeps not. There is no regardlessness with him. At the proper period, the "great wind" will be sent. The general lesson, therefore, is FULL SUBMISSION TO GOD. Remember his omnipotence; his ceaseless, universal control. How fearful to have this living God for our foe! How delightful that he should be our friend!" His ears are open to the prayers of the righteous; his face is against the wicked."

Before leaving this part of the book, let us briefly notice the effect which the storm had upon the mariners. They saw their danger; their fears were all awakened. Before them they had the most sublime image of power that could be presented. What was their helpless bark to the mighty tossing of the ocean, lashed into tempest by the "great wind?"

The mind of man is framed for religion. Even where the object is mistaken, the original constitution may be seen. The mariners knew not the true God; but, in their extremity, they felt the need of more than human aid. They "cried every man unto his god." A season of severe calamity, of imminent

danger, a season awakening all the emotions of the mind, is always a season in which, whatever may be the errors of the judgment, the heart confesses the propriety of prayer, the necessity and excellence of religion. That which is proper in such seasons, is proper always. We have the knowledge of the true God; we see that his power over nature is constant; so are his claims upon man. To seek him then when we can do nothing else, has in it more of insult than of obedience. It is right to pray in seasons of calamity, but it is right to pray always. You will be more likely to be heard in the tempest, if you have been accustomed to pray when the weather has been fine, and the wind favourable. Above all, you will be more likely to be heard for deliverance in temporal danger, if you have been accustomed to pray for spiritual blessings, and have given yourselves up to the service of his will. Prayer, the best consolation of the soul in calamity and trouble, is its safeguard in seasons of prosperity. God is revealed to you on the throne of grace; ruling over nature; hearing prayer. To this God, by his Son Jesus Christ, yield up yourselves. The obedient subjects of God. are his chosen and favoured friends.

Observe the supreme regard these mariners had for their lives: " They cast their wares into the sea." These were likely to be very valuable. Commerce brought her stores from the east to the ports of the Mediterranean, to be thence transported to Africa and Europe: gold, silks, diamonds,-a wealthy supply for the western nations. Yet, to save his life, man will sacrifice his wealth. A most important principle is involved in this. Wealth is useless when life is gone. And there is a second death. The great doctrine of Scripture is, that if we die this death, whatever we may have gained by the labours of a whole life, all will be useless to us. "What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" See these mariners. Their life is in danger, "and they cast their wares into the sea. They sacrifice all, that they may themselves come safe to land. Wealth goes, that life may be preserved. We call you to apply the principle. There is endless life to be secured: there is the soul to be saved. Whatever would hinder this, your great interest