of his providence makes good the declaration. Thousands have experienced that if they have left houses, or land, or brethren or sisters, or any other earthly object for Christ's sake and the Gospel's, they have received an hundred fold in this time, if not in outward comfort, at least in inward peace and joy. It has often been observed, that Providence has doubled even in temporal good what has thus been parted with for Christ's sake. It is in this way that the seemingly paradoxical words of Scripture are more than verified. "There is that scattereth and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty." God assures us in his word that the surest method of ultimately securing the favourable judgments and regards of our fellow-creatures is, by directing our ways so as to please the Lord; and the order of providence speaks in similar language. Thus it was with the three who, rather than relinquish their fidelity to God, allowed themselves to be cast into the fiery furnace; and thus it proved with him who, rather than commit an idolatrous act, preferred being put into the lions' den; and thus it always is with those who make it their chief duty to honour and obey the God in whose hand their breath is. Finally, God tells you in his word that the only way of enjoying settled peace and tranquillity of mind under the cares and afflictions of life, is to commit ourselves, and all that is ours, into the hands of the Lord. Delight thyself in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and

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thy judgment as the noon day. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him." And does not your experience, as well as your observation of the order of providence, perfectly accord with this statement? In the midst of difficulties, and disappointments, and afflictions, have you not noticed how abundantly in this way the people of God enjoy peace and comfort? When we thus find throughout, that the operations and order of God's providence so entirely agree with the statements of his word, and that in every particular the harmony is complete, we have the strongest grounds for confidently relying on his veracity and faithfulness.

But in the fourth place, the truth of God is farther shewn from his works, by his rendering them, in the different departments of his government, subservient to the advancement of that great object, which in Scripture he has avowed as the ultimate design of all things. This is, the glory of Christ in the salvation of his people. We are told that all things were created, not only by him, but for him. We learn that all events are to make way for his dominion,that mountains are to be made low, and valleys exalted, that his glory may appear, and that all may see it together. The Scriptures abound with intimations as to its being the purpose of God to make every dispensation illustrative of his glory, and all events subservient to the progress and the ultimate triumph of his kingdom. "I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him: but my faithfulness and my mercy shall be with him; and in my name shall his horn be exalted. I will set his

hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation. Also I will make him my first-born, higher than the kings of the earth. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him." Has God manifested his truth and his faithfulness by fulfilling this engagement to his Son? The design of God, as expressed in his word, is to honour Christ by widely extending his kingdom, and by conveying through him spiritual blessings to every people: and looking to the conduct of providence in the history of the world, have we ground for saying that this design is fulfilling? Even on a slight survey of the procedure of God in the government of mankind, we cannot but answer this question in the affirmative. Extending our view to the earliest ages, and investigating downwards the page of history, with the endeavour to ascertain how far the primary and avowed design of revelation has been attended to and promoted by providence, we observe, that with the gradual developement of the one there has been a gradual preparation made for the other; we see that kingdoms have been called into being, or swept away in subserviency to it; that mercies and judgments, that bad men as well good men, that divisions and persecutions have been overruled for its furtherance; that, for the purpose of adding to its final triumphs, the people of Israel, while scattered among all nations, have, during eighteen centuries, been kept in a state of entire separation from them; and that the Gospel, whenever it is preached, is adding to the Saviour's glory by in

creasing the number of his subjects. We see not yet all things put under him, and there is therefore room for the exercise of our faith and patience; but if we have reason from the past to believe that the design of Providence regarding the Saviour's glory is the same as the avowed design of revelation, ought we not to rest assured that in the progress of ages this purpose shall receive its fullest completion? And surely the rendering of the events of the natural and moral world—the most trivial, as well as the most unlikely, subserve the advancement of one great end;-when we see God in his works carry on the same design which forms the theme of his word, we have evidence, the highest and the most unquestionable, of the perfect truth and faithfulness of God. Thus, nature and grace, providence and revelation, harmonize in bearing testimony to the unity of God's purposes, and to the implicit confidence which is due to his veracity and sincerity in every declaration which he makes concerning them.

I. We learn from this subject a reason for the stress which is laid on faith as essential to acceptable worship. Without faith it is impossible to please God; for he that cometh unto God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. He that believes not God, and who believes not the testimony which he has given in the Gospel of his Son, is said to make God a liar. In discrediting the truth of his word, he offers an affront to every attribute of the Divinity, and is guilty of conduct towards the God who cannot deceive, that would be held most insulting by a fellow-creature, Hence the condemna

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tion to which unbelief exposes, a condemnation far more fearful than if a Saviour had never been given, nor a salvation provided. "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. He that believeth on him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil."

II. The perfect truth of God furnishes matter for serious alarm to every deceitful and ungodly man. It announces to the hypocrite that his hope, being founded on falsehood, shall perish. It tells the votary of a religion that is not derived from the truth of God's word, that his sincerity in its profession, and his laborious efforts to perform its ceremonies, will profit him nothing. It forms a pledge that the judgments of God, however slow, will surely be accomplished on every impenitent and ungodly person. It is an ample assurance for the fulfilment of the threatening as well as of the promise, and that all his sayings shall be verified, who has told us that "the wicked shall be driven away in their wickedness-that they shall go away into everlasting punishment from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power."

III. The truth of God is a continual source of encouragement, and hope, and joy to his people. This assures you that the promises of his word, which respect either your temporal or your spiritual state, shall be accomplished. It is a pledge to It is a pledge to you that he