more intense and more perfect than this, the happiness of Heaven shall be: and the humblest and poorest Christian shall have more joy and comfort there, than this, the greatest joy, of which, in the present life, our human nature is capable. I have heard it made the subject of complaint by some, that we can have no idea of Heaven; and that the prospect of its enjoyment has the less hold on our minds, because we cannot picture to ourselves wherein that enjoyment consists. But to such as these it may be answered, that, though we cannot exactly say, wherein it consists; yet Christ Himself has taught us what it exceeds; and to a mother who has shed tears of love and happiness over her infant, it will be sufficient praise of Heaven, to know that its blessedness is far greater than the greatest which she has felt on such an occasion. Blessed, yea blessed is she, even in this world of sin and danger, who rejoiceth over the fruit which God has given her; blessed still more, above all the daughters of Eve, was Mary the mother of the Lord Jesus,-but blessed, beyond even the blessedness of Mary in this life, shall be those, whom, in the life to come, the Lord of Glory shall invite to enter into His joy!

Lastly, I cannot conclude my consideration of the present text, without calling your serious attention to the terms, on which this wonderful

promise is made by Christ; and to the description of persons who are interested in it. "Blessed,"

said our Lord," are they, who hear the word of God and keep it." "To hear the word of any one,"

," is an expression common in Scripture-for becoming his disciple or scholar; for learning and receiving, with a faithful and attentive mind, the doctrine which he teaches, and the commandments which he lays down. And to keep the word thus heard, and to receive it, means both to bear it in mind, during our after life, and to use it as a rule of behaviour; to remember and to obey it. It follows, therefore, that the persons, whose blessedness is thus magnified, must both have believed in the Lord, (since otherwise their hearing would be but vain,) and have obeyed His commandment; since to remember without obeying could only have increased their damnation. And here, as in every part of Scripture, the perfect union may be seen between faith and good works; inasmuch as without both of them, we can have no reason to look for the blessedness held out in the Gospel. The truth is, the one is a necessary reason and motive for the other; but it is for the sake of that other that so much stress is laid on it in the Scriptures. Faith is the foundation; good works, the building: the house cannot be laid without its foundation; but a foundation, with

out a house built on it, will be a miserable shelter indeed from the storm of God's wrath, and the thunders of the day of judgement.

We have learned, then, from the text, which I have laid before you, first, the due degree of honour, to which the Virgin Mary is entitled from Christians. Secondly, the obligation, which lies on parents, to bring up their children in the fear of the Lord; and on children, so to live as to be a comfort and honour to their parents. Thirdly, I have given you some light to judge of the blessedness of Heaven as prepared for the children of God. And fourthly, which is, of all others, the most important lesson, that it is by hearing and doing the will of Christ, by attendance on the preaching of His Gospel, by the study of His Scriptures, and by the diligent practice of all which we find written there, that, only we can hope to share in that general and most merciful pardon of sins, and admission into life eternal, which the blood of Christ has bought for us; and for which the sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost is busied in our hearts to prepare us. And what yet remains but an earnest desire after these glories held out to our view, a stedfast resolution to seek after them by the appointed paths of duty and service, and by daily and nightly prayer to God, so to guide our hearts and hands, as that we may not be found

among those who have heard His word in vain ; but of their number, who, having brought forth fruit with patience, He Himself, in the day of His power, will condescend to call Most Blessed!

SERMON XVIII.

FOURTH SUNDAY IN LENT.

ST. JOHN, vi. 12.

Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost.

THE miracle, which is recorded in the Gospel of to-day, in itself requires no explanation or commentary. It is evident to the common sense of you all, that no power, but the power of God, could have multiplied five loaves and two fishes into a sufficient meal for five thousand hungry people and it is equally plain, that no art, or juggling, of men, or of evil spirits, could have imposed on the eyes, and feelings, of so many witnesses. No enthusiasm, or power of fancy, could have made them believe that their hunger had been satisfied by a comfortable repast, when their wants and sufferings would cry out so loudly to the contrary and supposing that our Lord and His apostles had been prepared beforehand with a stock of provisions, a supposition which their well known poverty renders quite impossible, it would be still more absurd to ima