Christ said and did. I told you how God shewed that he was with him, by giving him the power of doing many mighty works. I gave you an account of what Jesus Christ, our blessed Saviour, said,—of the good advice which he gave, and of the promise which he made, that all people, believing in him and doing as he directed them, should be happy for ever. I think that this is a good method of instructing you, and shall go on with it. And if any of you, my friends, can read, and have Bibles or Testaments with you, let me beg you to turn to the 18th chapter of the Gospel according to St. Matthew, for I intend to begin with that chapter, having lectured before to the end of the 17th chapter.

We read, that "the disciples came to Jesus, saying, who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven." The disciples were the twelve men, who were always with Jesus, his constant companions, who heard

his words, saw his works, and followed him, "forsaking all the little which they had." They saw enough to make them believe and be sure, that he was the Son of the living God. However, they had their mistaken notions of Jesus. They thought, that he would be a great king upon earth, and that they would share in his power. They were filled with very mistaken ideas about pomp and greatness and grandeur and ruling. They wanted to have authority, to have riches, to be people of consequence in the world. But our Saviour's kingdom was not to be of this world. His followers were to be made great, and truly great in another and better one. In this life they were to have That, however, they did not yet expect. In the next life, after they were dead, they were not only to live again, but to live in heaven and in happiness, to shine as the stars for ever and ever. The disciples, mistaken though well meaning men, thought not of this at first: they thought, as many

sorrow.

people now do, of this world only or chiefly -they had no idea of waiting for death to receive their reward. They thought, at the time we are now speaking of, who would be the greatest amongst them in the kingdom of heaven: and, I am sorry to add, contended about it too: and they therefore determined to beg Jesus to settle this point of dispute-to fix, at once, on the favoured person. They came and asked him thus: "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" As much as if they had said-You have spoken to us very often about the kingdom of heaven-we think it must mean something great and high which you have the disposal of-let us know, if you please, which of us will be the greatest in it? This was an improper question, and shewed that at present the world had too great possession of their hearts. But observe the manner, in which the blessed Jesus corrects this foolish notion, and shews them what is the necessary qualification for his pure and spiri

tual and heavenly kingdom. He calls a little child, a little, humble child, that had no thoughts of greatness, and sets him in the midst of them and says, " Verily, I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven." Remember, that the disciple, who tells us this story, was one who joined in asking the foolish question. You must be converted, or changed entirely in your way of thinking, says our blessed Master, if you expect to be true followers of me. Instead of being proud and high-minded, you must become humble and lowly, like this little child. This little child has no thought of being great ;-it sets no high value upon itself-it is humble, and modest, and thinks not at all of this world. Such, or nearly such, must be your temper of mind; such, or nearly such, is the temper taught by my religion. If you are not humble, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven: you will not be mem

bers of it. So far from being the greatest in it, you will not so much as belong to it. And then Jesus Christ, our Lord, goes on to say what is the true character of his disciples. "Whosoever shall humble himself, as this little child," now set before you," the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." The humblest among you is the truly great. God will dwell with him, who is of an humble and contrite spirit— angels will call him their friend-and a crown of glory will be put on his head in another and a better world. "And whoso shall receive one such little child," one such humble follower of me," in my name," because he is a Christian, "receiveth me: but whoso shall offend one of these humble ones, which believe in me," whoso shall tempt them, cause them to forsake me, and fall away from me, "it were better for him that a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." He will be punished hereafter for it in