that he has only a slippery footing, and that the yawning ocean is beneath him. Oh, let us realize that we are in the sight of God, and we shall have larger sympathies for man. We shall have more of the spirit of him who "went about doing good," and who was "the friend of publicans and sinners." There will be no fierce rebukes, no proud exclusivism, no pharisaical arrogance then. The sleeper will not be harshly chided; the remonstrance of affection will yearn over him, and the tear will gather in his eye as the invitation is given, or the regret is breathed—“ Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life." "Come, all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest." "In the sight of God!" That will help us to persevere. We shall be constant, as well as brave and tender, if we realize continually that we are in the sight of God. Though difficulties multiply, this will prevent us from becoming weary and faint in our minds. We shall remember him who endured the contradiction of sinners against himself; and through perverseness and obduracy, whether men will hear, or whether men will forbear—we shall labour on for the cause of Christ, and for the good of souls. We shall not be satisfied with good report, with extensive popularity, with decorous congregations, with attention, -settled and serious-upon every countenance. We shall want souls. We shall press right away through to the great end of restoring the supremacy of conscience, and bringing a disordered world back again to its allegiance to God. This is our life-work, and we are doing it day by day-unfaithfully, imperfectly; but That is we are doing it. Moral truth upon the mind of man is something like a flat stone in a churchyard through which there is a thoroughfare. Hundreds of pattering feet go over it day by day; familiarity with it has weakened the impression, and time has effaced the letter. The foot of each passer-by adds something to the work of decay; but God has sent us with a friendly chisel to bring it out again into sharp, clearest, distinctest outline before the spirits of men. our life-work; and we are labouring on amid the driving sleet and pelting rain-jostled now and then by the rude and heedless passenger, fitfully looked at by busy men who flit away to the farm and the merchandise; regarded with a sort of contemptuous admiration by those who admire our industry, while they pity our enthusiasm. Patient, earnest workers, we must labour on-and we intend to do so. God helping us, the ministry of reconciliation is to be proclaimed here, Sabbath after Sabbath, universally, unto those who will come, without money, and without price; and, verily, we shall have our reward. I cannot labour in vain. What, think you, would sustain me under the pressure of multiplied excitement, and multiplied sorrow, and multiplied labour, but the thought that I cannot labour in vain ? The words I have spoken to-night are flung forward, and they have lodged in the conscience, and I cannot recall them; simple, wellknown Bible truths, they have gone into your consciences, and I cannot recall them. But they shall come up some day. You and I may never meet again, until we stand at the judgment-seat of God; then they shall come up; then, and verily I shall have my reward. I shall have it, when some fair-haired child stops to spell out the syllables upon that flat stone, and goes away with a new purpose in his heart-I shall have it, when some weather-beaten man, bronzed with the hues of climates, and the shades of years, takes the solemn warning, numbers his days, and applies his heart unto wisdom-I shall have it, in the welcome given to my ascending spirit by some whom I first taught, it may be unworthily, to swell the hosanna of praise, or to wrestle in all the litanies of prayer-I shall have it, in that smile that wraps up all heaven in itself, and in those tones of kindness which flood the soul with ineffable and everlasting music: "Well done, good and faithful servant; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." I leave with you and with the Spirit the Word of His grace, praying that He who alone can accomplish it, may give it life and power. XLIV. CELESTIAL STRIFE. 'And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him and he went forth conquering, and to conquer."-REV. vi. 2. How How OW animating is the sound of war! renewed and unsanctified heart of man! There is no renown and It is the profession in which he can gain more applause, than in the profession of arms. birthplace of what men call glory. Custom has baptized it honourable; it carries with it a pomp and a circumstance, of which other professions are destitute; it has nerved the arm of the patriot, it has fired the genius of the painter, it has strung and swept the poet's lyre; nations have bowed before its shrine, and even religion has prostituted herself to bless and consecrate its banners. Yet it must not be forgotten that, for the most part, human conquerors are just murderers upon a grand scale-mighty butchers of humankind. Their victories are won amid extermination and havoc ; their track is traced in ruin; there is human life upon their laurels; and if they wish to acquire a name, they have got one—let them glory as they can in its possession -the voice of blood proclaims it from the ground; and it is vaunted from earth to heaven by the wailings of orphaned hearts, and by the deep execrations of despair. The sacred writings, however, tell us of one Conqueror whose victories were peacefully achieved, whose battles were bloodlessly won; or, if his onward march was discoloured by blood, it was his own. It is the Lord Jesus Christ who is thus evidently set forth before us; he who "died the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God." In the fulfilment of the various duties connected with the mediatorial office which he had undertaken, he is frequently represented as going to battle against his adversaries, as routing them by the word of his mouth, and returning in exultation and triumph. Instances of this you will easily and at once remember. Thus in the forty-fifth Psalm, which we read in your hearing to-night: “Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most Mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness and righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things." Again, in the eleventh chapter of Luke: "When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: but when a stronger than he shall come upon him, and overcome him, he taketh from him all his armour wherein he trusted, and divideth his spoils." And yet again, according to the mysterious apocalypses of the book of Revelation: "These shall make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb shall overcome them." It matters not how numerous or how powerful his enemies may be; alike over the powers of darkness with their legioned hosts |