God in your day and generation. Remember that you must be found welk doing. Not well doing after man's estimation; not serving the flesh; not pharisaically or hypocritically keeping to your own plans, and neglecting to seek that "wisdom from above which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy." "Be not weary in well doing," after the example of Christ, your great pattern, and after the example of Paul his servant: being thus not weary in well doing, you may draw comfort from these words.

And what shall I say to you who are members of the congregation, in urging you to give your assistance to these schools; to give your increased support, and your prayers with your support? You are not to look for the fruit of your labour now; you are not to look for all things according to your own mind and will. You remember, there was one, who, "though he was rich, yet for our sakes became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich :" and yet, though this one was God's co-equal and co-eternal Son, we have scarcely any record, or the record, if we possess it at all, is but, at the best, very scanty, as to the fruits of his personal ministrations: while we read of three thousand in one day coming into the pale of the visible Church, through the ministrations of the Apostles; those who were the weak, the poor, the foolish, the unwise fishermen of Galilee. While we read such things as this of the Apostles, do we read the like as having been the fruits of the preaching of Jesus of Nazareth? No. And is not this a lesson for us? If the great Author and Finisher of our faith was content to do his Father's will, irrespective of the fruits, irrespective of what he could then see-if God's own dear Son was content in humility, quietly to work in the night of weariness, as well as in the sunshine of noontide, shall not we be content to do the like? Where is our faith, where is our patience, where our long-suffering? If we will only work up to the point at which we can see the fruit of our working, our work is nothing worth; our work shall be cast out as something vile, in that day when Jesus shall appear, and give to every man according to his works. We must work from love; from a desire to do good; and we must say, "Ours is the duty; the event is God's." It is ours to use every means; it is ours to cast up the way, and then, it is God's to use what instruments he pleases for gathering in his people. He is to take the stones out of the quarry by what machinery he best may choose. And thus the spiritual edifice shall be completed; thus the whole work of grace shall be completed, and a habitation prepared for God by his Spirit.

But while I would say these things, (and I feel that we need continually to be reminded what is the true method of all working; what is the true method of all godly labour;) there are instances which come to our knowledge, of the way in which God is pleased, from time to time, to shew us, that he is at work; that he, by his Spirit subdues, while we by his Spirit do preach; that the arrow of conviction is lodged by his own hand in the heart, while we are drawing the bow, as it were, at a venture. I mentioned one instance this morning, in conLexion with these very schools, in which God was pleased to shew, that out of he mouths of babes and sucklings, he was able to perfect praise. I will now read to you a short extract from the history of one, whom I knew in body, who has passed to her rest, before she had attained to the age of that child to whom I was referring this morning. It is an instance which shews that even now we

may at times reap; we may at times see the corn ripen so fast, that when we are talking of the blade just springing up, the Lord is working with such mighty power, with such wondrous efficacy, the power of righteousness does so cause the increase to come forth, that before we can scarcely pronounce the word, the blade of corn is ripened and cut down by the sickle of God, to be gathered into the garner of God.

The instance to which I refer, occurred in a poor but godly family, where the desire the parents had most at heart, was to train up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord. This child, about this time two years, took the illness which was, commonly speaking, the cause of her death. She fell asleep in Jesus about the December of that year: This child had had from the commencement of her illness a great fear and dread of death, so much so, that on one occasion, when she found her strength just failing, her flesh so struggled and gained the mastery, that she cried out, "I cannot, I must not, I will not die." Her words, though meant carnally, were by the Spirit afterwar verified spiritually; for she could not, she must not, she was not to die that death, which is the separation, not merely of the body, but of the soul also, from the enjoyment of Him with whom all our blessedness and all our joy is eternally connected. But afterwards it pleased God to take away her hearing, and she became deaf; this was in order to shew how God can work irrespective of human means. It is true that the child had been taught, as far as human teaching could convey the knowledge of divine things, the truth as it is in Jesus: but now that the work of conversion was fully and finally to be accomplished, the Lord would shew us, that after all means are used, it is himself that must crown the work; it is he who must give the blessing; for without that blessing nothing can be done. During this season, she found a Psalter, which had been given to her by a member of her family, a precious treasure to her in the night; as she was lying racked with pain of body, her mind could rejoice in such declarations as those wherewith the Psalmist expressed his faith when he said, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his own name's sake." She expressed most beautifully her notion of prayer: she declared that it was great comfort to her, when she could get at it: “Oh, what a kind Father, my heavenly Father is." And again she said, "I do not know how to leave off prayer when once I get at prayer; but I cannot always get at it." "Was not this," observes the writer, "was not this the Spirit teaching her the difference between her prayers and his? She could pray, but she could not always pray; she had to get at prayer." Towards the time of her death her joy became complete, and even the last words she was heard to utter, were, "Jesus," and "Pray for me." Her parents, and those members of her family that survived, and there were only two of them, could not find the chamber the chamber of mourning, but it was the chamber of joy where this infant died, for she was not much more than nine years of age. When the body of this infant was committed to the grave, they felt convinced they committed that body, "in sure, and certain hope of the resurrection, unto eternal life, through the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be like unto his glorious body, according to the mighty working whereby he is able to subdue all things to himself"

Scarcely one month has elapsed since it was my privilege, in that house, to enter into what the world calls the chamber of mourning. The only surviving sister of this child lies now fast hastening to the tomb. But when I entered her chamber, her eyes beamed forth with that joy which is full of immortality; and when I spoke to her of the death of her sister, the tears streamed down her cheeks; but they were not tears which indicated any fears of death; the fear of

death had passed away. The brightness which illumined her countenance, when I spoke to her of the glories of the celestial inheritance, I shall never forget. The flesh was at work, it is true; but there was that rich and abiding consolation which the Lord had been pleased to give amidst it all. Oh, children, children, what a scene is this; suppose you were thus placed: but if the Lord was pleased to make the faith of any one of you such as that which I have described of this child, oh you would wonder you had so long neglected the things which belong to your everlasting peace; you would say, "How could I be so foolish as to seek that which could not profit, to seek that bread which perisheth, instead of that which endureth?" You would see, that the only thing worth living for is, the knowledge and enjoyment of your God.

Now let me say one word to the parents who may be present this evening; the parents of the children whose cause is now advocated. Ob, how can I speak with sufficient energy to you? Thousands of parents, in this day of trouble and rebuke, and blasphemy, are doing all that in them lies to make their children the fit and most ready instruments of the devil's work, that afterwards they may be vessels most fit and most complete for the endurance of that wrath that can never terminate. Yes, there are parents, who by their lying, their stealing, their lusts, open and abounding in the sight of men; there are parents, who by their unguarded, unbridled, licentious blasphemies, do give such an example to their children, as that they cast off all fear of God, and run in the way of wickedness, and though young in years become old in crime. Is there any such parent in this congregation this evening? Are there any parents of children who are blasphemers; who tread the Lord's name under foot, and the Lord's ordinances; despising his sanctuary, setting at nought the messages of his grace, casting away all the blessings that are given to them, to impart to them consolation and joy, and ultimately their salvation, if they receive them in faith: are there any such here, I say? Consider what you are doing: you are sowing; but what a harvest will you reap, when the Lord of the Harvest shall come to gather together the whole world; when all the children of the wicked shall be gathered together, a mighty concourse, and there shall be weeping, and wailing, and gnashing of teeth? Are you content to sow to the flesh? To the flesh, then, you shall reap corruption: you shall find that worm which dieth not; and that fire which is not quenched shall become your everlasting portion. One great source of your misery, and a source which shall never fail, will be the consideration of the many means of salvation which you have neglected; of the many opportunities which have been offered to you, but have only been despised. You shall say, "How foolish was I that when I heard reproof 1 heeded it not; for now the Lord mocketh at me, and the Holy One of Israel, whose bowels of compassion were so marvellous, and so great, laugheth when I call upon him." Oh, think of that day, when many voices shall be heard to cry out and it shall be the greatest discord which creation ever heard from

the very time when all things went to rack and ruin at the first Adam's falloh, I say, think of that day when there shall be such sounds falling upon the ear of miserable man as they never heard before, sounds that are given to us in the word of God as the terrors of the Lord, by which his servants would persuade men, if haply they might move them to turn to the Lord, and seek him, though he be not far from them. And what sounds are these? "Rocks fall on us; mountains cover us; for the great day of the wrath of the Lamb is come, and who shall be able to stand?" Oh, what a reaping will there be then! Some who have sown the wind shall reap the whirlwind; some who have been blowing bubbles for their own wretched gratification, shall then find the tornado of God's wrath hurling them hither and thither, monuments of his justice, and of his eternal vengeance. Those who have esteemed themselves happy shall find themselves miserable; those who esteemed themselves rich shall find themselves. for ever poor. Then they who have blasphemed the name of Christ shall find that name to be only a source of terror and agony, because it was not, while it might have been, made to them the source of joy and of unfeigned pleasure.

Oh, what shall we say of these things? Will you not be warned? I have spoken now the words which are the words of God. I have not uttered one argument but what is fully and completely borne out, yea, more than borne out, by the whole tenor of that Word which is my life, my joy, my all. Oh, see that you despise not this testimony; for if they escape not who neglected the words spoken by the mouth of Moses, the giver of the Law, how shall they escape who neglect so great a salvation? How shall they be able to escape who refuse him that speaketh from heaven, who by the mouth of his messenger now says, "Turn ye, turn ye, for why will ye die. Come unto me all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in heart, your souls."

Take my yoke upon you, and ye shall find rest unto.

May the Lord bless his own word; may he bless it to the congregation at large; may he bless it to those individuals who labour as teachers for these schools; may he bless it to the children of these schools, who though young in. years are not too young to know much of sin, and not too young to know much of Christ. May he bless it to the parents, who if they have no other warning: than this, shall find this warning to be their condemnation in that day when the secrets of all hearts shall be made known, and all shall be judged according to that doctrine which it is my privilege to preach.

236

THE FALL OF SOLOMON.

For many years Solomon reigned over Israel.

The morning of his life was indeed a morning without clouds: the brightness of his course was indeed splendid and brilliant, exceeding all that had preceded him in the equity of his administration, and the excellency and consistency of his personal conduct. The meridian of his reign was no less memorable, for all that tended to promote admiration of the monarch, and to secure happiness among the people. But how dangerous is even prosperity of the most exalted kind, when men are left to themselves. How few indeed can be trusted. Who ought not to say, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me?" Towards the close of the life of Solomon, when there ought to have been the full maturity of an honourable old age consecrated to God, we find his heart was lifted up; and through the fascinating influence of sensuality and idolatry, he brought dishonour on his name, and distress on his country; and the thing which he did displeased the Lord. The mournful record is faithfully given to us in 1 Kings, xi. We are told of his licentious connexion with the women of the Moabites, the Ammonites, the Edomites, the Zidonians, and the Hittites; who tempted him to rival, in the establishment of his court, the luxury and splendour of Asiatic magnificence. By these evil associations idolatry was established. "It came to pass when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods: and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father." Many, and painful indeed, were the circumstances in this case which gave it peculiar aggravation. He had been in early life dedicated to God. He had had signal proofs of the divine favour. He had been singularly prospered in his reign. He had been the means of extending national happiness on a wide scale. How, then, can we account for an apostacy like this? Our knowledge of the sad principles of human nature, and of the power of human depravity, can alone account for it. He could not stand the trial of the admiration of the singular degree of glory and honour with which he was surrounded. We find, therefore, that riches and influence and the high admiration he possessed, brought him into the most dangerous circumstances, exposed him to evil communications these corrupted good manners: and when a man is left to himself -when a man is forgetful of his dependance, it matters not what may be his talents, or what may be his character. No standing in the Church, no usefulness in the world, no honour resulting from past achievements, can in itself furnish a single moment's security to any man from the power and assaults and fatal influence of temptation. Temptation presented to the young and inexperienced, we know is too often fatal, too often successful; but temptations to those who have been long established in the profession of religion, and surrounded by all that is calculated to preserve them, have often proved successful; to teach the established, as well as the commencing believer—the mature, as well as the infant, in the family-to teach all, the necessity of constant, habitual watchfulness, and humble dependance on the preserving grace of God.

REV. J. FLETcher, D.D