thing, which he would find needful, if he understood its value-a saving acquaintance with God! Abraham felt his need of God, and therefore gave up even Isaac at his bidding. Let us learn to seek his favour, and to take his word as our best security.

2. Let us, if we would be wise as the Children of Providence, STUDY GOD'S METHOD WITH HIS

CHILDREN.

Lawyers look into Reports of Cases in order to become well acquainted with points on which they are consulted. In arts and sciences, cases and facts are studied. Wise men pay especial regard to facts. Let us, therefore, as Children of Providence, do the same. Thou meetest those, says the prophet, that remember thee in thy ways. You will then find that God, in educating his child, makes him feel his need -that he can do nothing of himself—that he cannot even think a good thought, without his own aid. He will teach his children their resources: he will make them witnesses to others: he will teach them to pray, "Give us this day our daily bread. Feed me with food convenient for me. Thou canst make the barrel of meal not to fail, and the cruise of oil still to supply my wants: therefore leave me not to carnal contrivances."

3. You, who are POOR in this world, learn, from this history, to obtain A MORE INTIMATE ACQUAINTANCE WITH ONE THAT WAS ONCE A VERY POOR MAN, AND HAD NOT WHERE TO LAY HIS HEAD.

He will teach you, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is perfected in your weakness. I can bring you into no situation, in which I cannot sustain you. This will sweeten your barrel of meal, and sanctify your cruise of oil. This will give you true content with your lot; and you shall be able to see, that, as was the case with this widow, God, who knows your wants, will supply them all out of his riches in glory.

4. As we WOULD WISH FOR GOD TO HONOUR FAITH, SO WE MUST HONOUR DIVINE DIREC

OUR

TION.

You must go to God's word, not walk by your own fancy, nor consult your own impressions. Too many religious persons forget this. They say, "I had an impression on my mind, that I ought to do such a thing; therefore I do it." But do they know whence these impressions come? They may spring from the vanity of their own hearts, or they may be temptations of Satan. Impressions are not our rule of action. Honour, therefore, your rule of direction, if you would wish God to honour your faith. "Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God."

And take the sense of Scripture, not merely the letter. Many grievously err herein. They take the letter, without regarding the sense of Scripture; and run thereby into the greatest absurdities. The widow of Zarephath had a clear and express assurance, that this was the word of the Lord: accordingly the word of the Lord was her rule: she rested on the promise. This was not the woman's impression : this was not her fancy: she was not giving credit to reports; but she knew Elijah to be the prophet of the Lord, and that he spake the word of the Lord to her.

But here, perhaps, you are ready to say, "This was a special case: she had sure ground. If I had such assurances, I could act upon it, and be satisfied. The woman could not doubt that the Lord had sent his prophet to her."

But no person on earth, in any former time, had the word of God sent to him for any purpose more important than that for which we have it put into our hands. For, "behold! a greater than Elijah is here! God, who, at sundry times and in divers manners, spake, in time past, unto the fathers by the prophets,

(

hath, in these last days, spoken unto us by his Son." And when his Son was upon earth, Elijah gave testimony to him: and delivered up to him, as it were, his commission. This is the Great Prophet! What, then, does HE say! What is the word of this Great Prophet to you and to me? "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all things else shall be added unto you :" they shall be thrown in, as it were; shall be added unto you. Thus, while this widow seemed to give up her all for a word spoken to her, while she gives up her meal and her oil for a bond, we may say, with Bishop Hall on the passage, "Never did corn or olive so increase in growing, as here in consuming." She gained the support of many days, by giving up the last meal when God called for it, and which perhaps would not have sustained her and her child for a single day.

You see, therefore, my dear hearers, hard as these times are, and much as I doubt not many must suffer in the present season, that you are yet called to honour God in the fire: and, depend upon it, he will honour you in return. Learn to say, with Habakkuk, Though the fig-tree shall not blossom, and though there be no fruit in the vine, nor cattle in the stall, yet will I joy in the Lord, and rejoice in the God of my salvation."

There is another consideration, which can be annexed to nothing but to the faith of the Christian. We are to be here but a few days; but the same Providence, that leads us through these few days in life, engages to lead us also even through death, that we may fear no evil. Therefore, says the Psalmist, "though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me!"

May God enable every one of us to depend on him, in the same exercise of faith and grace; and thus glorify our Father which is in heaven!

SERMON IV.

THE PENITENCE OF KING JOSIAH.

2 KINGS, XXII, 19.

Because thy heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardst what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should be-come a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes, and wept before me; I also have heard thee saith the Lord.

THE Bible is written with a very different design from other histories. Other histories may be written generally to instruct or to amuse: but the Bible is written that we may know the God who made us, and the God who will judge us; and that we may know his mind concerning us, before we stand in judgment at his bar.

We here find, therefore, a great number of Facts stated to us.-Historical Facts: and they are stated to us as Cases. They are Cases, in which God discovers his mind concerning this or that man, this or that thing.

One of these cases is before us: "Hilkiah the high priest, said unto Shaphan, the scribe, I have found the book of the law in the house of the Lord. And Shaphan the scribe showed the king, saying, Hilkiah the priest hath delivered me a book: and Shaphan read it before the king. And when the king had heard the words of the book of the law, he rent his clothes. And the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, and Ahikam the son of Shaphan, and Achbor the son of Michaiah, and Shaphan the scribe, and Asahiah a servant of the king's, saying, Go ye, inquire of the Lord for me, and for the people, and for all Judah, concerning

the words of this book that is found: for great is the wrath of the Lord that is kindled against us, because our fathers have not hearkened unto the words of this book, to do according unto all that which is written concerning us. They went therefore, unto Huldah, a prophetess, the wife of Shallum. And she said unto them: Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, Tell the man that sent you to me, Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring evil upon this place, and upon the inhabitants thereof, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah hath read. Because they have forsaken me, and have burnt incense unto other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands, therefore my wrath shall be kindled against this place, and shall not be quenched. But to the king of Judah, which sent you to inquire of the Lord, thus shall ye say to him, Thus saith the Lord God of Israel, as touching the words which thou hast heard: Because thy heart was tender, and thou hast humbled thyself before the Lord, when thou heardst what I spake against this place, and against the inhabitants thereof, that they should become a desolation and a curse, and hast rent thy clothes and wept before me: I also have heard thee, saith the Lord. Behold, therefore, I will gather thee unto thy fathers, and thou shalt be gathered unto thy grave in peace, and thine eyes shall not see all the evil which I will bring upon this place. And they brought the king word again."

From the words of the text, as they stand connected with this part of sacred history, I propose,

First, to notice, in King Josiah, THE EVIDENCES OF

A CONTRITE SPIRIT.

And, secondly, THE REGARD WHICH GOD IS PLEAS

ED TO SHOW TO SUCH A CONTRITE SPIRIT.

I. Let us notice the CONTRITE SPIRIT of King Josiah.

1. You will observe in the king a MOST AFFECTIONATE AND REVERENTIAL REGARD TO GOD'S WORD.