There is a God above, who seeth and knoweth all things, even the thoughts and intents of the heart, and He is "faithful." He will not pass you by, if you strive to serve Him to the best of your ability. On the contrary, He "giveth more grace." He “ is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have showed towards his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints and do minister 1."

And now, Christian brethren, having laid these instances before you,-having shewn you how you may practically and to your good always, " do what you can," without trenching on the peculiar profession of that faith in Christ by which the just shall live, I need not push the matter further, and apply it to other examples. Suffice it to say, that there is no passage in life, no endeavour, no labour of love, no work of faith, which will not be enhanced, if it can be said of you, "He hath done what he could." O! happy he, unto whom it shall be said, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy Lord "."

But that ye may, by God's mercy in Christ, and by the power of the Holy Ghost working in you mightily, arrive at this blessed estate, see cautiously to yourselves," examine yourselves, whether ye be

Heb. vi. 10.

5 Matt. xxv. 21.

In all your

in the faith; prove your ownselves "." works, begun, continued, and ended, put to yourselves the question, "Have I done what I could!" It is a searching question, believe me, and probably hitherto our consciences may whisper to us that we are "found wanting." Lack of service, and imperfection of all sorts, is what appertains to our weak and fallen nature. The good that we would we do not; but the evil which we would not, that we do. For this let us mourn heartily,-rending our hearts, and not our garments only, and let us pray the more earnestly, saying, "Lord, help us!" At the same time let us not make the weakness of our nature a mere stalking-horse and excuse for doing wrong, but knowing our often infirmities, let us strive the more to do our duty in that situation of life to which it has pleased God to call us. In a word, brethren beloved, "Be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord 8.

* 2 Cor. xiii. 5.

Rom. vii. 19.

1 Cor. xv. 58.

SERMON XXV.

THE WIDOW'S MITES.

VOL. I.

N'n

"Be charitable before wealth make thee covetous, and love not the glory of the mite."-Sir Thomas Browne's Christian Morals.

"God is pleased with no music from below so much as in the thanksgiving songs of relieved widows, of supported orphans, of rejoicing, and comforted, and thankful persons."-Jer. Taylor.

66 They that love to talk of the mercies of the Lord, and to recount his good things, cannot but have observed that God delights to be called by such appellatives which relate to miserable and afflicted persons; He is the "Father of the fatherless,' and the Avenger of the widow's cause; He standeth at the right hand of the poor, to save his soul from unrighteous judges' and 'He is with us in tribulation.""—Ibid.

"Every good sermon storms some or other strong-hold of Satan, and mortifies, at least aimeth at mortifying, some one or other lust, that is subservient unto his kingdom."-Bp. Reynolds.

Deus propitius esto mihi peccatori!

MARK Xii. 41-44.

"And Jesus sat over against the treasury, and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast more in than all they which have cast into the treasury. For all they did cast in of their abundance: but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."

NONE can diligently have read his Bible without observing the merciful kindness of the Almighty towards the widow. Though the merciful and gracious Lord God is abundant in overflowing kindness unto all, and rejoiceth to do us good, and looketh down with compassion from his throne in heaven upon the children of men here on earth, and in the person of his everlasting Son, in all our afflictions is Himself afflicted,-still there is, so to say, a reserve of compassionate regard for lonely widowhood.