God.

Consider how the Bible speaks of God's Spirit as the breath of God; for the very word spirit means, originally, breath, or air, or gas, or a breeze of wind, showing us that as without the airs of heaven the tree would become stunted and cankered, so our souls will without the fresh, purifying breath of God's Spirit. Again, God's Spirit is often spoken of in Scripture as dew and rain. His grace or favour, we read, is as dew on the grass; and again, that God shall come unto us as the rain, as the first and latter rain upon the earth; and again, speaking of the outpourings of God's Spirit on His Church, the Psalmist says that "IIe shall come down as the rain upon the mown grass, as showers that water the earth;" and to show us that as the tree puts forth buds, and leaves, and tender wood, when it drinks in the dew and rains, so our hearts will become tender, and bud out into good thoughts and wise resolves, when God's Spirit fills them with His grace.

But, again, the Scripture tells us again and again that our souls want light from above; and we all know by experience that the trees and plants which grow on earth want the light of the sun to make them grow. So, doubtless, here again the Scripture example of a tree will hold good. Now what does the sunlight do for the tree? It does every thing, for without light, the soil, and air, and rain, are all useless. It stirs up the sap, it hardens the wood,

it brings out the blossom, it colours the leaves and the flowers, it ripens the fruit. The light is the life of the tree; and is there not one, my friends, of whom these words are written-that He is the Life, and that He is the Light-that He is the Sun of Righteousness and the bright and morning Starthat He is the light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world-that in him was life, and the Life was the light of men? Do you not know of whom I speak? Even of Him that was born at Bethlehem and died on the cross, who now sits at God's right hand, praying for us, offering to us His body and His blood;-Jesus the Son of God, He is the Light and the Life. From Him alone our light must come; from Him alone our life must come, now and for ever. Oh, think seriously of this-and think, too, how a short time before He died on earth He spoke of Himself as the Bread of life-the living Bread which comes down from heaven; how He declared to men, that unless they eat His flesh and drink His blood, they have no life in them. And, lastly, consider this, how "the same night that He was betrayed, He took bread, and when he had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is my body, which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of me." And how, likewise, "He took the cup, and when he had blessed it, He gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of this; for this is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed

for you and for many, for the remission of sins: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me." Oh, consider these words, my friends-to you all and every one they were spoken. “Drink ye all of this," said the Blessed One; and will you refuse to drink it? He offers you the bread of life, the sign and the pledge of His body, which shall feed your souls with everlasting strength and life; and will you refuse what the Son of God offers you, what He bought for you with His death? God forbid, my friends! This is your blessed right and privilege— the right and the privilege of every one of you—to come freely and boldly to that holy table, and there to remember your Saviour. At that table to confess your Saviour before men-at that table to show that you really believe that Jesus Christ died for you at that table to claim your share in the strength of His body, in the pardon of His blood, which cleanses from all sin-and at that table to receive what you claim; to receive at that table the wine, as a sign from Christ Himself, that His blood has washed away your sins; and the bread, as a sign that His body and His Spirit are really feeding your spirits, that your souls are strengthened and refreshed by the body and blood of Christ, as your bodies are with the bread and wine. I have shown you that your souls must be fed from heaven,that the Lord's Supper is a sign to you that they are fed from heaven. You pray to God, I hope,

many of you, that He would give you His Holy Spirit, that He would change, and renew, and strengthen your souls-you pray God to do this, I hope? Well, then, there is the answer to your prayers. There your souls will be renewed and strengthened there, you will claim your share in Christ, who alone can renew and strengthen them. The bread which is there broken is the communion, the sharing of the body of Christ; the cup which is there blessed is the communion of the blood of Christ: to that heavenly treat, to that spiritual food of your souls, Jesus Himself invites you, He who is the life of men. Do not let it be said at the last day of any one of you, that when the Son of God Himself invites you, you would not come to Him that you might have life.

SERMON XIX.

MAN'S WORKING DAY.

"Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? Îf any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him."-John, xi. 9, 10.

THIS was our blessed Lord's answer to His disciples when they said to Him, "Master, the Jews of late tried to stone Thee, and goest Thou among them again?" And "Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world. But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him."

Now, at first sight, one does not see what this has to do with the disciples' question-it seems no answer at all to it. But we must remember who it was who gave that answer-the Son of God, from whom all words come, who came to do good, and only good, every minute of His life. And, therefore, we may be sure that He never threw away a single word. And we must remember, too, to whom He