ness.

First This freedom is a matter of personal consciousAll men feel that they are uncoerced and free. This is the invincible and ultimate argument in favour of the doctrine of human responsibility. Secondly: This freedom invests human existence with

transcendent importance. It links men to moral government, and renders them responsible for all their activities. It makes them members of the great moral empire of the universe.

Another thing in the perpetration of this evil that may fill the universe with amazement is

II. THE ENORMITY OF HUMAN WICKEDNESS. What an amount of the grossest iniquity is involved in these two evils.

First What ingratitude. Kindness, by the law of gratitude, should always bind man to the benefactor. What kindness God has always shown to man. What especial kindness to the Jews; but still more wonderful kindness to us. Secondly: What injustice. Every principle of justice requires them to keep themselves in close and loyal fellowship with Him. This is demanded on the ground of proprietorship and love. Thirdly What impiety. What a daring hardihood is involved in the effort to turn away from God. "Be asto

:

nished, O ye heavens, at this."

The last thing in the perpetration of these two that may well fill the universe with amazement is

III. THE EGREGIOUSNESS OF HUMAN FOLLY. See the folly. First In withdrawing from the satisfying, to toil for the unsatisfying. God is the "fountain of living waters." All the blessedness of the universe streams out from Him. He is a fountain inexhaustible; ever flowing, always free, the only fountain of happiness. Now, this fountain is left-what for? To toil for the unsatisfying drops of earthly pleasure. "They have hewed for themselves out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water." The reference is here to receptacles which were common in the East for holding rainwater. Springs and fountains were scarce there, but cisterus abounded. But the cisterns here are "broken cisterns." The drops that fell into them would run off, and these broken cisterns they had to hew for themselves. What worthless toil! Yet this is what sinners are doing in all their efforts for happiness apart from God. Secondly: In withdrawing from the abundant, to toil for the scanty. Leaving the "fountain" for the "cistern" the broken

cistern too, in which there is but little water, and that impure and fast running

out.

Well may the heavens be astonished and wonder at the freedom, iniquity, and folly which they witness every age and every day, developed in the history of our race.

THE WORLD OVERCOME. "And this is the victory that overcometh the world, eren our faith.-1 John v. 4.

THESE words contain three points of thought.

I. THE MIGHTY AGGREGATE OF HUMAN EVIL, "THE WORLD.' The world here does not mean the physical world, the scientific world, the commercial world, the artistic world, but the word is frequently employed in the New Testament for all that is morally bad on earth. It stands for the grand assemblage of all evils of all kinds - moral, social, political, religious, evils in thought, feeling, habit, in institutions and systems evil everywhere in all forms. This is the "world."

II. The mighty aggregate of human evil OVERCOME. A "victory" over it is attained. The whole world of evil is to be destroyed; its "heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and its elements melt

with fervent heat." The mighty Colossus shall be struck and shattered, and the winds of the divine Spirit shall bear away every vestige, so that there shall be found

no place for it." All the errors, selfishness, impieties, &c., of this earth will come to an end.

III. The mighty aggregate of human evil OVERCOME BY FAITH. Does "faith" here not mean subjective, but objective? In other words, does it mean personal belief in the Gospel, or the Gospel itself? This Gospel is, indeed, the weapon. It is the stone cut out of the mountain that is to shiver the Colossus-it is the executioner that is to crucify the world-nail it to the cross, &c.-the Gospel, not legislation, not philosophy, not natural religion, not priestly ritualisms. But it is the Gospel as believed by human souls. It is not the Gospel in print, not the Gospel in theologies, but the Gospel in living men the Gospel "made flesh," that it is to do the work.*

THE BARREL OF MEAL AND THE CRUSE OF OIL. "And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither did the cruse of oil fail, according to the word of the

*See HOMILIST, series 1, vol. i. : "Wants of the World and the Weakness of the Church."

Lord, which he spake by Elijah." -1 Kings xvii. 16.

THIS miracle illustrates

I. A PRINCIPLE IN CONNEC

TION WITH ECONOMY

For what can so well define economy as making much out of little? Where it exists there will seldom be absent "the barrel of meal and the cruse of oil." Destitution is sometimes an awful necessity; but for the most part it is selfincurred. The greatest generosity would often be to teach economy. See how Jesus teaches it to men, even in the presence of abounding plenty, and whilst giving proof that the resources of infinitude are behind him! And that gathering up the fragments that nothing be lost, is just what the great God is doing evermore. The economy of nature is as startling as uniform.

The gas flung off by the vegetable world-do you think it is wasted? It becomes a source of your health and life! And the gas that you exhale in breathing is not wasted; it becomes food for the trees, and that carbon. Whence is the rain that refreshes the face of the earth? It is the result of economy, of God's treasuring up the water, absorbed by the sun. Of all the refuse of this earth that the rivers bear into the ocean, there is no

thing wasted. Out of it God is making the bones of fishes, coral reefs, &c. And if the principle on which the Deity is managing the great palace of nature were taken into the homes of destitution that abound, there might be lessdrunkenness, &c., but there would oftener be "the barrel of meal and the cruse of oil."

II. A PRINCIPLE IN CONNECTION WITH PROVIDENCE.

As a rule, when, as I have hinted, economy may be vain, God's special care will insure for the good "the barrel of meal," &c. Sometimes, indeed, the noblest have to pass to where the Lamb, who is in the midst of them, shall feed them, from tables breadless, and garrets fireless, &c. But that is not the rule, for what means this "Thy bread shall be given," &c.? And this, "First seek ye the kingdom of God," &c? Expect opulence, and there may be disappointment; look for the divine care, and "the barrel of meal," &c.

III. A PRINCIPLE IN CONNECTION WITH PIETY. "Man liveth not by bread alone," &c. We never starve in spiritual life for lack of help. There is always bread enough in our Father's house, and to spare, if we will only take it. When we fail in duty, &c., it is because we ignore the bread

of life. But, although there is enough and to spare, just enough is given us. "As thy day thy strength shall be." Hence we often wonder how we shall pass through difficulties, trials, temptations that stare us in the face. But we do get through, and it is because "the barrel of meal," &c.

IV. A PRINCIPLE IN CONNECTION WITH GENEROSITY.

This woman gave and got. But let us remember that she gave unselfishly, and not in order to get. Moreover, she gave to her utmost. She gave to a prophet, in the name of a prophet, and she received a prophet's reward. The reward is not always a material one; it is sometimes sympathy, sometimes the benediction of poverty, and always the smile of the soul and God. Preston. H. J. MARTYN.

II. AN INTIMATE CONNECTION CLEARLY REVEALED: 1. Each divinely appointed. 2. Each met a terrible necessity. 3. Benefit in each case secured by faith.

III. A GREAT NECESSITY INSISTED UPON. "Even so must the Son of Man be lifted up."

This must refer to His death. "I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die." Christ frequently directed attention to the event. The types of old were significant of this. The prophecies included the same. The apostles preached the truth, and held it forth as the central fact of redemption.

Without His death we could have no life.

IV. A BLESSED PURPOSE CROWNING ALL. 1. A calamity from which we may be delivered. 2. A blessedness to which we may attain. 3. The means of deliverance. 4. The universality of the statement. 5. The only way of mercy and salvation. Bristol.

JOHN JAMES.

AN UNSUCCESSFUL MINISTRY. "For neither did his brethren believe in him."-John vii. 5. We have here two things.

I. THE UNSUCCESSFULNESS OF OUR SAVIOUR'S MINISTRY. We shall notice-