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"And the earth helped the woman."-Rev. xii. 16. By common consent "the Woman" here means redeemed humanity, or the children of God collectively; in other words, what is called, the Church. Without attempting any minute interpretation of this highly figurative chapter, one thing is clear, that this " man"-redeemed humanityis the great wonder of human history. (1) Her appearance and position are "wonderful." "Clothed with the sun, the moon under her feet, upon her head the twelve stars." (2) Her progeny is "wonderful." "And she brought forth a man-child who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron." Christ is at once, paradoxical as it may seem, the parent and the child of redeemed humanity, "he was born of the

seed of David," &c. (3) Her antagonist is "wonderful." "And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads, and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads." The devil is the great enemy of redeemed humanity, and the description here given of him indicates that he is a being of stupendous force and malice. (4) Her influence is "wonderful." Supernatural beings engage in fierce conflict on her account. There was war in heaven. "Michael and his angels fought against the dragon," &c.

But we must come to the text, the subject of which I shall take to be nature serving Christianity. "The earth"nature-"helped the woman"

embodied Christianity. Nature helps Christianity in various ways.

I. BY ITS GRAND REVELATIONS. Nature reveals all the grand subjects that constitute the very foundation of bible discoveries. First: There is God. All nature proclaims not only his existence, but his personality, unity, spirituality, wisdom, goodness, power. Secondly: There is law. Every part is under the rigorous reign of law. Any infraction of nature's laws carries penalties. Thirdly: There is mediation. The principle of mediation runs through all nature. element, one agent, one being everywhere serving another. Fourthly: There is responsibility. In the human world men are everywhere recognised as responsible; men everywhere feel their responsibility. Fifthly: There is mystery. There is a haze of mystery over all nature. Every part has arcanas, which no intellect can penetrate. The whole universe seems to the dark sea of

float on mystery.

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Now, all these subjects which we find in nature we find also in the Bible. Hence nature comes to illustrate the meaning of the Bible, and confirm its truth. It is a grand Parable. Hence the earth helps the woman.

Nature helps Christianity. II. BY ITS MORAL IMPRESSIONS. Nature is suited to

make impressions upon the heart corresponding exactly with those which Christianity essays to produce. First: Sense of dependence. How infinitely little man feels beside the great hills, confronting the ocean billow, and under the awful stars. Amidst the majesty of nature's appearances, he feels himself to be nothing, and less than nothing. He feels borne along as a straw upon the resistless flood of destiny. Secondly: Reverence. How great does God appear in nature, in the minute as well as the vast. An undevout astronomer is mad; there is a spirit in nature that seems to say to every thoughtful soul, "Take thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place on which thou standest is holy ground." Thirdly: Contrition. The streams of divine goodness seem to well up from every blade, flow down in every ray, beat in every wave of air, and are vocal with reproof to guilty man for his ingratitude and disobedience towards his Maker. Fourthly: Worship. In reason's ear a thousand voices speak to man: "Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, sing forth the honour of his name, make his praise glorious."

Now these are just the impressions that the Gospel aims to produce. And thus

nature serves Christianity by endeavouring to produce the same spiritual results; and in this way again the earth helps the woman. Nature serves Christianity.

III. BY ITS MULTIPLIED INVENTIONS. Men, by studying nature, and employing its laws, elements, and forces, for their intellectual and temporal uses, have attained those arts which are highly conducive to the advancement of Christianity.

First There is merchandise. Trade brings the remotest nations together in a common interest. The means for exporting commodities are available for exporting the Word of God.

Secondly: There is the press. The press is an invention of nature; and an invention which is admirably suited to advance Christianity. It has already borne the Gospel to the most distant parts of the earth.

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Thirdly There is painting. The art by which man transfers the forms of nature, and embodies his own conceptions of beauty on the canvas. By this noble art the scenes and characters of the Bible, and even our blessed Lord himself, are brought with a vivid reality under the notice of men.

Fourthly There is music. The magic art which catches

the floating sounds of nature, and weaves them into strains of melody that stir the deepest feelings of the soul. Never does truth come with such strange majesty to the heart as when it comes floating on the wave of melody.

Fifthly: There is government. Government is of the earth, earthly, but it helps. Christianity. The Roman Government in the first ages did it good service, and all civil governments that keep to their true province, serve it

now.

THE HOPE OF THE GOOD IN
SORROW.

'My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say more than they that watch for the morning." -Рsa. cxxx. 6.

THE writer of this Psalm was in some great sorrow. "Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord." Thus he begins: "Deep waters are symbols of great sorrows. Save me, O God, for the waters have come in unto my soul." Again, "All thy waves and thy billows have gone over me." Figurative language this, powerfully expressing the condition of a soul overwhelmed in sorrow. Though we know not either the precise nature or cause of his great sorrow, it is interesting

to know that amidst the rushing and the roaring of the billows his anchor of hope held on "My soul waiteth for the Lord."

I. THE OBJECT OF HIS HOPE IN HIS SORROW-"I wait for the Lord." This implies two things-First: A belief that the Lord would appear for him. He had no doubt of his Lord manifesting Himself in time. He seemed as if He was hidden from him now. The clouds of his sorrow concealed him, as the mists of the earth conceal the sun, but he knew that He would come, and he waited. It impliedSecondly: A belief that at his appearance he should have relief. He would not wait if he felt there would come no deliverance, still less if he felt that his sorrows would be aggravated by the event. God will come to deliver his people out of their sorrows. Job said, in the midst of his anguish, "I know that my Redeemer liveth," &c.

II. THE GROUND OF HIS HOPE IN HIS SORROW. On what was his hope grounded? In his word. "In his word do I hope." First: His word promises deliverance to the good in sorrow. "For a small moment have I forsaken thee. In a little

wrath hid I my face from thee for a moment, but with everlasting kindness will I

have mercy upon thee. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." Secondly: His word is infallibly true, What He has promised must be fulfilled. The strength of Israel will not lie nor repent, for He is not a man that He should repent. "Heaven and earth shall pass away," &c.

III. THE EARNESTNESS OF HIS HOPE IN HIS SORROW. His hope is an earnest thing. "My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning. I say more than they that watch for the morning."

This earnestness implies

First: The intensity of his distress. His soul is in the midnight of sadness, and he looks with stronger solicitude for relief than they that watch for the morning. Some understand the reference here to mean the watchman of the temple, who waited for the first break of day that the morning sacrifice might be offered. Others understand the reference to mean the watchman of the city, whose term of trying labour expired when the morning broke. Both are but conjectures, for in a suffering world there are thousands every night who watch earnestly for the morning. The man tossed on the bed of agony watches for