ensures the undisturbed felicity of the immortal mind. "The world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doth the will of God abideth for ever*.

From the whole, learn,

1. The importance of a right spirit in religion. We insist on the importance of many things: we inculcate right words, and right actions; but remember the indispensable necessity of a right temper and spirit." The meek," these are the characters mentioned in the text; these are they whom our Lord and Saviour pronounces "blessed," and to whom are given" exceeding great and precious promises :" "The meek will he guide in judgment, and the meek will he teach his way." Are you unedified, or unsatisfied, in attending the means of grace, and the ordinances of the gospel? Inquire, whether the cause is not in yourselves, in the spirit and temper of your own minds. "The meek shall eat and be satisfied;" but, unless you are of this character, expect not the fulfilment of the promise; wonder not at your leanness, your prevailing unhappy languor!

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So far as we are conscious of pride or impenitence, of any unruly passion or unhallowed lust, let us lament it bitterly before the Lord. Let us not rest without the experience of his humbling healing grace. If we would attend the word and ordinances of God to spiritual advantage, we must possess a broken and a contrite heart, a meek and humble spirit.

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2. The necessity of perseverance in religious duty. If they that seek the Lord shall praise him, then "seek the Lord, and his strength; seek his face continually." If any thing deserves to be called well doing," it is this; and "be not weary, for in due time," and especially in eternity, you shall reap if you faint not.' Many things would hinder our seek

* 1 Peter iv. 7; Is. li. 6; 1 John ii. 17.

ing the Lord, and discourage our serving him, and nothing more than our natural sloth. Are we aware of this? Then let us guard against it, and diligently seek its cure. Next to sloth is unbelief. This, in many instances, is the sin which most easily besets us, impedes our progress, and injures our peace. If we would now praise the Lord, we must stir up our souls to seek him; and if we would come to Zion with singing, and with everlasting joy, we must persevere in prayer and holy effort, till the object of our desire is attained in his presence and glory.— Finally,

3. Happiness in religion bears proportion to its holy influence. Mark the sentiment-"your heart shall live for ever." It means, not only what has been already stated, but that the spirit is lively, the soul prospers and enjoys health, in such degree as the Lord is sought, and meekness is cherished; in such degree as genuine religion is possessed in its holy influence, and shines in its blessed effects. Be this, therefore, your care and mine! If we rest content with a low state of religion, we rob ourselves of its comfort, we destroy our happiness, we exceedingly dishonour our God. Let us aim not at life merely; a sickly child lives; but aspire after the revival of life, its vigorous, manly exercise.

You that slight these things, that are yet in a state of death, cold and careless, mark the words of the prophet: "Thus saith the Lord God, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry; behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty; behold, my servants shall rejoice, but ye shall be ashamed; behold my servants shall sing for joy of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and shall howl for vexation of spirit."

SERMON VIII.

CHRIST FEEDING THE MULTITUDE.

MATTHEW xiv. 15-21.

And when it was evening, his disciples came to him saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves victuals. But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart: give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, We have here but five loaves, and two fishes. He said, Bring them hither to me. And he commanded the multitude to sit down on the grass, and took the five loaves and the two fishes, and, looking up to heaven, he blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples to the multitude. And they did all cat, and were filled: and they took up of the fragments that remained, twelve baskets full. And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, besides women and children.

THE evidences of Christianity are of two kinds

external and internal. Of the former, the two principal are, prophecy and miracles: such circumstances attend both as sufficiently prove the mission of the Saviour to be divine, and the doctrines which he taught to be infallibly true.

The miracles of Jesus Christ were public:-they were "not done in a corner." There have been pretended miracles, designed to impose on the ignorant and the credulous, but darkness covered them; cells and convents concealed them; only a few selected and interested individuals witnessed them. Jesus could say, "In secret have I done nothing." His miracles challenged investigation: they were performed in the face of day, in the most public places, before crowds of spectators; and among these were not only his friends but his most virulent and captious enemies.

Beneficence also distinguished the miracles of Christ. They were not acts of unmeaning parade, not exertions of mere power; but they were works of kindness and compassion. What miracle did the Lord Jesus perform which did not express the pity of his heart ;-which did not demonstrate his affectionate readiness to relieve, to help, to benefit the sons of men? He had a design in all that he did, a purpose worthy of himself as the Son of God, the friend of man, the brother of the afflicted, and the Saviour of the lost.

Publicity and beneficence mark particularly the miracle recorded in these verses; for you observe, it was done in the presence of thousands, and thousands were actually benefited by it. May our present attention to this subject be productive of the best and most durable effects!

I. We offer some remarks on the NATURE AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE MIRACLE.

When was it wrought? In the "evening" the evening of a day that had been well spent. Going about doing good, the compassionate Saviour had taught the ignorant, had healed the diseased; and now he feeds the hungry. Thus he crowns the day with his goodness, and sets us an example of unwearied benevolence.

Where was it performed? In "a desert place." But this was preferred, not on account of privacy; for, as already suggested, thousands were convened together and witnessed what was done. This "desert place". was probably an unenclosed tract of ground, unproductive of provision, and remote from any visible means of supply. Nothing could have been more appropriate, both as to time and place, than this miracle of our Lord; and while it encourages our confidence in him in the most trying and destitute situations, it instructs us also to do good to others when and where our service is most needed.

What was the order of its performance? "When it was evening, the disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past ;" that is, the day is far spent; "send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages and buy themselves victuals." We are unwilling to consider this proposal as arising from any temper inferior to humanity and sympathy. The disciples knew that the people had long fasted, and were in want of food: it was natural, therefore, that they should propose their dismission before the darkness of the night increased the inconvenience. We commend this feeling of sympathetic tenderness! Some persons are exceedingly deficient in it they care for themselves, but have little con sideration for those about them: provided their own wants are supplied, the multitude may suffer the se, verest privations. This, however, is not the spirit which Christianity approves it is not the mind which was in Jesus Christ and in his disciples.

"But Jesus said unto them, They need not depart." These words are weighty: they are worthy of him who uttered them: at once they express the tender, ness of his concern for the people, and the all-suffi ciency which he felt in himself.

Observe his tenderness to the people. The propo sal was, that they should go into the adjacent villages