been made sensible of the goodness of God, in making known to us the truth, we shall avail ourselves of the truth. It is quite vain to praise God's testimonies as wonderful, unless they have touched our hearts. It is not the gratitude of the lips that will profit us with that Being who searcheth the hearts and trieth the reins of the children of men. He will acknowledge no gratitude that does not lead us to devote ourselves to his service. That is a barren admiration, indeed, that does but lead us to a mere acknowledgment of the Divine mercy. Oh, may the truth, my brethren, not tend to harden our hearts, but to convert our hearts! May we be on our guard against the devices of Satan! Let us not think that we are anything the better for simply admiring the truth, if the truth does not make us free. In vain shall we acknowledge that God's testimonies are wonderful, unless we love them, and study them, and make them the rule of our faith and practice. And oh, that God would pour out upon us a spirit of prayer! Would that our hearts might be

filled with a desire of Divine instruction! Would that we felt more of the vanity of this wretched world, more of our need of something better to satisfy us; and, then, when we came to the Scriptures, and found in them a Saviour, we should, in real gratitude, acknowledge that God's "testimonies are wonderful."

SERMON XXI.

THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD TRUE GLORY.

JEREMIAH ix. 23, 24.

"Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches But let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord."

THESE words are stated by the prophet to be a direct communication from God himself. They are marked off from other passages, which he was himself inspired to utter, by the sublime announcement, “Thus saith the Lord." May He who addressed them to his ancient people, and preserved

them for the benefit of the Church, grant that we may examine them with profit to our souls!

A review of the provocations of rebellious Judah, had been followed up by the Prophet, by an impressive prediction of impending judgments. "Shall I not visit them for these things? saith the Lord: shall not my soul be avenged on such a nation as this? . . . . I will make Jerusalem heaps, and a den of dragons; and I will make the cities of Judah desolate, without an inhabitant . . . . . I will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known: and I will send a sword after them, till I have consumed them." In an age of general corruption, the warning voice of an inspired messenger might have been expected to cause but little excitement, and to make but small impression. Satisfied of their country's prosperity when she was in her utmost need, when she had already been weakened by an invader, and was on the very eve of ruin, the degenerate Jews still fondly trusted that they possessed the

means of deliverance. Jehovah's prophets were neglected and persecuted, and when the threatened judgments were plainly at hand, yea, when they were already being inflicted, they still refused to hear a word of reproof or admonition, and clung with a senseless obstinacy to the hope of safety. They forgot that it was more than human strength that had hitherto defended them, that the God whom they neglected would aid those only who trust in him. Greatly, therefore, did they need to be reminded that nothing human is to be depended on for security, and that none have a right to cherish the hope of safety, who do not found that hope on the favour of God. "Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches: But let him that glorieth, glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth; for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.” I shall endeavour to illustrate from these

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