do, that we may be less and less given to look on God as clothed with the attributes of man, or on man as invested with the attributes of God. Nothing is good in man, which God does not put there in his merciful design of restoring to him the defaced image of his heavenly origin, and even that, however engaging and precious, is no proper object for our repose and trust. In the Giver of it alone is that perfection of wisdom, truth and love, in which he who trusteth shall be strengthened and comforted; all else, that is, all below him, being as the rotten reed of Egypt, by which, whosoever leaneth on it, shall certainly and ruinously be pierced. And if this is the case with our fellow sinners, in whom we fancy we discern some likeness to God, how much more is it the case with regard to ourselves, in whom it is both greater folly and greater sin to fancy we discern any! Impressed with this truth, how full are the saints of the Old and New Testaments of self-abasement and self-renunciation! What said David-" I am a worm, and no man ;" and Job-" I abhor myself in dust and ashes;" and Paul-" I who am less than the least of all saints, I who am the chief of sinners, I know that in me dwelleth no good thing, I will have no confidence in the flesh; Christ, Christ alone, is the beginning and the ending, the first and the last, the all and in all to my soul." But to those who trust in their own or in others' strength or

righteousness, no spiritual or saving work can be going on; in making "flesh their arm," they must be without Christ, and those who are without Christ cannot grow in any solid grace or comfort. Hence all is joyless within and fruitless without they dwell in a parched land of their own seeking, and sooner or later they see but too plainly they are cursed in their preference.

They may draw nigh unto God with their lips, but their heart is far from him ;" forgetting that dear or powerful friends are but instruments in the hands of his providence, they make them virtually their god, and "their sin is the sin of Judah written with a pen of iron, and with the point of a diamond." Having made an idol of their blessing, terrible is the malediction which God has poured upon them-" Ye have kindled a fire in mine anger, which shall burn for ever." Those on the other hand who have not only a name to live, but are indeed alive to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, and who have therefore made God their stay and confidence, those who live by faith in his providence and promises, those who always refer themselves to him and to his guidance, and in seasons especially of public or private disaster repose themselves in him and in his love, all those find a present, solid, abundant satisfaction. Of every such person the text speaks as making the Lord his hope as well as his trust; and a more blessed state of soul in this fast-fading scene can

not be conceived; for it implies that it is "filled with all joy and peace in believing," that it hath an inward spring of comfort from God, which more than compensates for the want or absence of every comfort from the creature; that it derives from him strength and grace for every duty, and that therefore it is fruitful in holiness and good works. Yes, God in Christ is "a fountain of living waters" to all his people, and from that fountain, well has it been observed, there is for them an overflowing and an ever-flowing fulness. The very best of them know, indeed, they have that within which might justly make God a terror to them, were they not suffered to approach Him by faith in a loving Saviour. Knowing their own sinfulness they would dread his wrath; but they also know, to their own peace, that he beholds them healed and restored in Christ, and hence they find a comfort in the very worst and gloomiest seasons, in making him their trust and hope; they enjoy a continual serenity and security of mind; they are planted by the waters, they are preserved and sustained, the withering and the blights of no heat can destroy them; while God causes them to flourish their leaf is green; the famine of souls cannot injure them, the year of drought may come to God's heritage, but it hurts them not, neither shall they cease from yielding fruit.

My brethren, to which class do we belong

the cursed or the blessed? This is a momentous question to every one of us, and may God give us grace to answer it in truth and faithfulness. Inquire we, then, a little into the nature of that confidence on the one hand, which issues in sorrow and dismay, and to that on the other, which is like the strong mountains, because built on the Rock of Ages. Of all our race he has declared that we are by nature children of wrath, and so deep is the iniquity which has overspread our faculties declared to be, that even in a state of grace "we have a law in our members warring against the law of our minds, and that we cannot do the things that we would." Now, what is the use we make of this foundation principle? I do not ask whether we so use it as to sink into slothful gloom or rush into daring defiance, for that only the open despiser of the word of his grace would do; but whether we forget a leading consequence of universal infirmity must be, that to put such confidence in the wisdom and power, the kindness and faithfulness of men, as can be safely placed in God alone, is to commit deliberate sin? But here, perhaps, it may be asked, is there nothing in the superior intellect and virtue with which God himself distinguishes some of his creatures, which will justify the confidence we repose in them? In replying to the question we are to remember the declared will of God. That will does not require us to withhold esteem

from our fellow men when remarkable for excellent qualities of head and heart, but on the contrary, it requires that as well to character as to station" honour be given to whom honour is due;" that will does not confuse the essential distinctions between what is wise and foolish, or what is good and evil, nay, that will has ever held out for imitation the holy conduct of the true servants of God-" follow them who through faith and patience have inherited the promises ;" but that will's most clear and oft-repeated injunction is, "Put not your trust in any child of man.' Most mistaken indeed should we be in concluding that an implicit obedience to this precept would impair the legitimate influence of various social relations, for it is more the spirit of the gospel than of any other code whatever, to love what is amiable, respect what is worthy, admire what is good, and aim at what is excellent. But a soul taught the things of God by the Spirit of God, will never be entrapped by any such showy or plausible reasoning as would impute to us a denial of what is worthy, because it sees in us a distrust of that which is infirm. A soul so taught has an eye to the standard of excellence as laid down by the Scriptures and not by fallible A soul so taught learns that there is a mildew, through innate, abounding sinfulness, fallen on the brightest saint's holiness while here on earth; a soul so taught is led to make Christ

men.