II. IT IS A STATE WHICH ALWAYS OUGHT TO BE. It ought to be-First, as a matter of right. The good alone are the truly dig. nified, the truly royal. Their lineage, their inheritance, their characters, their friendships, their engagements are all regal. They are kings and priests unto God. There is more royalty in the hut of a godly pauper, than in all the palaces of unregenerate monarchs. Secondly: As a matter of expedience. Indeed, what is right is always expedient. The wicked could not even live on the earth without the good. Unmixed wickedness would soon reduce the earth to a Sodom and Gomorrah. The good are the salt of the earth. Governments cannot stand long that are not fashioned by the principles of the good. Evil, therefore, ought to bow before the good.

III. IT 18 A STATE WHICH INEVITABLY MUST BE. First: Conscience necessitates it. Even the worst men now and here are compelled by the laws of their moral nature to render homage to the good. Chastity, truth, honesty, disinterestedness, moral heroism, where is there a conscience that bows not to these? Secondly: Retribution necessitates it. When trials, and sufferings and dangers overtake the wicked, do they not always go for refuge to the good. They will cringe at their " gate," they will fawn at their feet. "Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out." How did the 260 souls bow before Paul, the prisoner, amidst the dangers of the storm on the Adriatic Sea. He became the moral commander as the perils thickened.

(No. CXXIII.)

bour sinneth: but he that hath merey on the poor, happy is he. Do they not err that devise evil? but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good."-Prov. xiv. 20-22.

THESE Verses indicate certain principles which seem everywhere at work in the social system of our world. Here is

I. INHUMANITY. The poor is here spoken of as "hated," despised, and injured by those that "devise evil." There have always been men in society, and still are, who hate and oppress the poor. There are many who have professed great friendship to those in wealth whom they have despised in poverty. These are what an old expositor calls, "Swallow friends, that leave in winter." Why are the poor thus despised? First, because of selfishness. There is nothing to be got from the poor -no money, no patronage, no fame. Their good word goes not for much in the world. Their opinions are neither quoted nor respected. Secondly: Because of pride. Pride is a form of selfishness. It is not thought respectable to notice the poor. A poor relation must be ignored. All this is inhuman, and, therefore, sinful. "He that despiseth his neighbour, sinneth." In such conduct there is sin—(1) sin against the best feelings of our nature (2) sin against the arrangements of God's providence -(3) sin against Heaven's method for developing benevolence amongst men. Here is

II. SERVILITY. "The rich hath many friends." There is a keen satire in these words. There are base-natured people in all society, and their name is "legion," who court the rich. Even in the religious world there are those who will fawn on the man of purse, and flatter him with adulations. Men, though swindlers in heart, are made chairmen of their public

religious societies. It is humilia ting to see men calling themselves the ministers of Christ, cringing before the chair of the wealthy, and cheering every utterance. The sect churches teem with parasites. A more miserable spirit than this know I not; unchristian, unmanly, most pernicious. Never will Christianity be truly represented, until its disciples shall practically regard intellectual and moral worth united, as the only title to honour and position. The rich hath many friends." Professed friends, for if a man has not the morally excellent and lovable in him, whatever may be the amount of his wealth, the friends he gets will only be the false and the fawning.

III. GENEROSITY. "He that hath mercy upon the poor, happy is he." There is mercy for the poor in society. It is seen in the numerous and varied benevolent institutions that crowd Christendom. Those who have this mercy are happy. First: In the approbation of their own consciences. Mercy is an element of happiness.

"It is twice blessed," &c. They are happy. Secondly: In the commendation of their God. "Blessed is he that considereth the poor; the Lord will deliver him in time of trouble." (Psa. xli. 1.) "He hath dispersed, he hath given to the poor, his righteousness endureth for ever; his horn shall be exalted with honour." (Psa. exii. 9.)

IV. RETRIBUTION. "Do they not err that devise evil, but mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good." Yes, those that have devised evil against the poor will find, sooner or later, that they have greatly erred. They will find that the measure that they meted unt others is meted back to them. On the contrary, "mercy and truth shall be to them that devise good." The liberal deviseth liberal things, and by liberai things shall he stand. Read the fifteenth chapter of the Gospel of St. Matthew in order to see the retribution that the unmerciful and the merciful will meet with at last. "When the Son of man shall come in his glory," &c.

PROVIDENCE-ITS MYSTERIES..

THE events of Providence appear to us very much like the letters thrown into a post-bag, and this parcel then sent forth on its destination. The person who carries it

"Messenger of joy, Perhaps to thousands, and of grief to some;

To him indifferent whether grief or joy."

Onward he moves, quite unconcerned as to the nature of the

communication he bears, or the effects produced by them. And when we look into that repository, it may seem as if its contents were in inextricable confusion, and we wonder how the letters, parcels, money, periodicals, should ever reach their individual destinations. But then every letter has its special address inscribed upon it, it has the name and residence of the party, and so it shall ia due time fall into his hands,

and bring its proper intelligence. And what different purposes do these letters fulfil-what varied emotions do they excite! This declares that friends are in health and prospering; this other is the bearer of news of wealth, or of the wealth itself; this third tells of some crushing disappointments, and quenches long cherished hopes by the tidings of the utter failure of deep-planned schemes; while this fourth, with sable symbols, announces to the wife that she is a widow, or to the parent that he is childless, or to the child, fondly cherished by the mother, that he is an orphan.

It is a kind of picture of the movements of Providence.

What a crowd of events huddled together, and apparently confused, does it carry along with it! Very diverse are the objects bound up in that bundle, very varied are the emotions which they are to excite when opened up; yet how coolly and systematically does the vehicle proceed on its way! Neither the joy nor the sorrow which it produces causes it to linger an instant in its course. But, meanwhile, every occurrence, or bundle of occurrences, is let out at its proper place. Each has a name inscribed upon it. Each has a place to which it is addressed. Each, too, has a message to carry, and a purpose to fulfil. Some inspire hope or joy, others raise only fear and sorrow. The events which are unfolded by the same

course of things, and which fall out the same day, bring gladness to one, and land another in deepest distress. On the occurrence of the same event, you perceive one weeping and another rejoicing. Some of the dispensations are observed to propagate prosperity through a whole community. And these others, 80 black and dismal, and of which so many arrive at the same time, carry, as they are scattered, gloom into the abodes of thousands.

But amid all this seeming confusion, every separate event has its separate destination. If pestilence has only some one person devoted to it in a city or community, that person it will assuredly find out, and execute the judgment of heaven upon him. If there be a thousand persons allotted to it in a district, it will not allow one of the thousand to escape. If, among the numbers who are dying, there be one regarding whom it has no commission to seize upon him, that individual must remain untouched. "A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand, but it shall not come nigh thee." It has a commission, and will execute it; but then it cannot go beyond its commission. And in regard to every person to whom the event comes, it has a special end to accomplish, and it bears a special message, if he will but read it and attend to it.

McCosн.

HOWARD.