mercies of his earthly path: "The God which fed me all my life long until this day; the Angel which redeemed me from all evil, bless the lads." So holy a thing of earth, too, was the dying piety of that lovely and gifted saint,* who was wont to see his heavenly Father's smile in the flowers. It was cherished by the commonest blessings of earth, while his spirit was buoyant and longing for its flight to heaven. "I have,” said he, "every little comfort of life; food, clothing, everything." The last finish to his character, was a deeper sense of earthly blessings the last polish which it needed that it might shine in immortal glory. --- Such, then, is the earthly opportunity for faithto secure which, what pains have been taken by our all-wise Parent! He has arranged this school of discipline for the recovery of his erring children, — to force and win mankind to their only Helper. Hence, this world is constructed and arranged, not to prevent anxiety, but to awaken and deepen it: not to repress our joy amidst our blessings, but to excite and exalt it. For this the seasons are ordered, now cutting off the whole, now bringing in abundance. Even the season of increase is beset with constant hazards, as if purposely to make the mind unstable as water; tossing like the sea. Over the early promise of the spring, the frosts keep hovering, threatening again and again to blight the blossom and the blade; which yet are preserved and cherished by the vernal sun and rain. Then succeed droughts, curling the leaf, parching the soil, and withering even the hidden roots and fibres of the plant, bringing the expectation of the year to the utmost point of ruin; yet followed, for the most part, by rains so timely as to turn the whole earth into a scene of joyful hope. Then, when the harvests are waving in their glory, or the barns are filled with plenty; hail and lightning and tempest give their dreadful tokens in the sky; or, receiving their limited commission, spread devastation over the yellow fields; scatter the treasures of a year to the four winds, or lick them up in an instant with their blasting tongue: while yet, for the most part, the threatening passes by, leaving the earth covered with a more placid smile, and promising more abundant rewards. Manufactures and commerce - all plans and efforts meet their emergencies of difficulty, which put to nought the wisdom and power of man; and their turns of relief and blessing, which tempt our erring minds to a fool's exaltation. All the ways of men are beset with dangers, amidst prevailing blessings, as if purposely designed to awaken and deepen our anxiety, to excite and exalt our joy amidst earthly things. Earth is, was it not designed to be a scene for frequent fear, and for sudden turns of cheerful expectation; a tossing sea of opposite and contending passions; for what purpose but to give the opportunity of faith in God?-thus calling us amidst infirmities to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness? But the fitness of the earthly scene, for giving the substance of eternal blessings, will be unfolded in the next discourse. SERMON V. THE END OF OUR FAITH. MATTHEW 6: 19, 20. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth: - but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. 31-33. Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek ;) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and his right eousness. In view of the earthliness of our last discourse, it may be asked, if we have forgotten "the end of our faith, even the salvation of our souls:" if we have not so commended the warrant to our lower wants, as to hazard the welfare of the immortal spirit? By no means. On the other hand we would follow our Lord, in bringing in, upon the very juncture of our need and desire of food and raiment, the appeal: "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven.-Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." In these lessons of the season, in urging the warrant to faith, upon the common path of life, I have not a mere earthly object. Precious as is the privilege of coming boldly to the throne of grace for relief and blessing, amidst our present infirmities, that privilege were comparatively nought, if at the juncture of our earthly need, it did not meet the necessities of the immortal spirit. The flowers that blossom on your daily path, glow with the promise of eternal glory. The birds that sing among the branches, assure you for present and eternal songs: "I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live: I will sing praises unto my God while I have my being." Accept the warrant which meets you at the juncture of your earthly necessities, and you shall receive and enjoy fulness of blessings forever. When your earthly occasions shall be all passed, and you shall see and hear no more the summer's warrant to your faith, you shall have the fulfilment in glory everlasting. Earth is the way to heaven. The warrant to faith in regard to all the wants of our spiritual and immortal nature, meets its appropriate opportunity amidst our earthly infirmities. To provide this opportunity is the very design of our earthly condition;—our condition of infirmitiy. This design, it seems to me, the apostle unfolds in that much discussed passage, Rom. 8: 20. "The creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope." It is for a reason above earth, that we are subject to our earthly infirmities. We are under the bondage of corruption— of a frail and perishing nature, that we may set our hope in the eternal God. This bondage to corruption, this sensible necessity and dependence, this condition of infirmities, gives opportunity for the Spirit's intercession "with groanings, which cannot be uttered." And here it is, amidst "the sufferings of this present time," that we become prepared for "the glory which shall be revealed in us." Nor shall the low occasion make uncertain, or imperfect the blessing that we gain; the Spirit which helps us along our path of infirmity, "bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God;" "heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ:" from whom "nor death nor life," shall separate us forever. The opportunity for a purpose so high will be manifest in view of the nature and tendency of faith, springing up amidst the infirmities of earth; as in the examples of the last discourse. 1. Faith in regard to our earthly infirmities, establishes the soul on God, as the only Stay and Guide of our dependent nature; and thus gives the substance and the essence of eternal salvation. If in regard to any need, the warrant be accepted, then is that essential faith begun, which is "the substance of things hoped for." However small or brief the necessity, if it be but like the dropping of a hair, or the falling of a sparrow, it is the opportunity for the rise and growth of faith—of forming a substantial and enduring union with the eternal Helper of man. If God be trusted for the necessities of but a single hour or moment, for food to eat, and raiment to put on, as those necessities are renewed from month to month, and from day to day; if you but utter the simple prayer, "Give me this day my daily bread:" that child-like faith shall contain within itself the substance of all blesssings for |