give thee a dry-shod passage over, into the land flowing with milk and honey. He who has been with thee in life, will be still more with thee in death. And therefore you may boldly say, with one before you, "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."

From this hour, let me never forget this blessed promise-"My presence shall go with thee, and I will give thee rest." Let me believe it with a faith unfeigned. Let me ascertain my title to it. Let me plead it before the Throne of Grace. Let me apply it in my perplexities, and apprehensions, and anxieties, and sorrows. Let me bind it about my neck, and write it upon the table of my heart-that when I go, it may lead me; when I sleep, it shall keep me; and when I awake, it may talk with me. Amen.

SEPT. 22.-" Thy Maker is thine husband."

Isaiah liv. 5.

THE relation in which God stands to us must be all-important. If we are his people, he is related to us, not only as the God of nature and providence, but as the God of grace. This spiritual connexion is held forth under various forms-none of which is more common, simple, or well-known, than the marriage union.

The marriage union is honourable in all. It is exemplified in the larger part of the human race. It was established in Paradise, where it was not good for man to be alone: and in commendation of it, our Saviour wrought his first miracle. But, applied to

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God and us, it is a metaphor; and therefore to be soberly explained. For while we are not to overlook the wisdom and kindness of the Holy Ghost in meeting our weakness of apprehension, we are not to press every circumstance of the comparison into an article of allusion. The relation into which God enters with his people, is analagous to that which subsists between the husband and the wife. This could be easily explained and understood.

But let us take the reality of the connexion itself to shew us three things. First. The condescension and goodness of God. Nothing will bear a comparison with it. Consider what He is; his independence, his greatness, and his glory. And view them. in their unworthiness, lowness, vileness. How wonderful that He should thus magnify them-and set his heart upon them! They had neither birth, nor relations, nor wealth, nor wisdom, to recommend them. It cannot, indeed, be denied that they are distinguished by all these attributes now: but this is the consequence of the relation, and not the cause of it" Since thou hast been precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee.'

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Secondly. The privilege of believers. Blessed are the people who are in such a case; yea, happy is the people whose God is the Lord. They have one, in the nearest of all relations to them, who is love itself; and will bear with their infirmities, and in all their afflictions be afflicted-who is infinitely wise, and knows their frame, and will never mistake their welfare-who is almighty, and able to defend them from every danger, and to make all things work together for their good-who is faithfulness and truth, and will never leave them nor forsake them-who lives for ever, and renders the union eternal and indissolvable.

Thirdly. Their duty. They must mind their husband's concerns. They must regard properly his

relations. They must obey him-the wife promises this in marriage; and the Apostle enjoins it: Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands. He extends it to every thing; but this must be qualified with one condition-every thing reasonable and righteous. Vashti refused Ahasuerus, when he sent for her to come and exhibit herself before a company of intoxicated lords and officers, in violation of all decency, and the laws of veiled concealment in which women then lived: and we justify her disobedience. But, with regard to us, the will of God is absolute, not only because he has a propriety in us which one creature can never have in another, but because all his commandments are right.-The wife is required to reverence her husband. This must be a hard saying in some cases, seeing there are sometimes so very few materials to excite veneration in the head of the wife-But this should have been thought of before: and persons should not voluntarily contract relations, the duties of which they cannot perform, and dare not neglect. But God's excellencies arc infinite. It is delightful to give him the glory that is due to his holy Name.-The wife, also, must be faithful to her husband: "she is for him, and not for another." And we are only the Lord's. There is such a thing as spiritual adultery; to avoid which we are to keep ourselves from idols. Milton's wife returned home again; but she came back and humbled herself, and was re-admitted to favour. Here is the duty of the Church-" Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him."

SEPT. 23.-" I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord.

And I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the Gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life. Rejoice in the Lord alway; and again I say, Rejoice." Phil. iv. 2-4.

THE Apostle much valued and commended the Philippian converts. He here calls them-his " brethren;" his "dearly beloved;" "and longed for;" his " "joy and crown." Many people distress and disgrace their ministers; but these yielded Paul both comfort and honour. He does not, however, deem them above the need of exhortation. Yet, though he might have been bold to enjoin what was convenient, for love's sake he beseeches and entreats. The subject is threefold.

First. Unanimity and concord. This regards a particular instance of disagreement in the Church. "I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord." Here were two women, obviously of some note, who were at variance. We are not informed whether the ground of difference was civil, or religious. Perhaps it was owing to a talebearer; for a talebearer separateth true friends. Perhaps it was a mere trifle in the outset. In our mistakes, prejudices, passions, and infirmities, the enemy of souls always finds materials for exciting dislike and contention. Perhaps they were both to blame-this is commonly the case; and therefore the Scripture says, forgiving one another. The feelings of females are quick; and their imaginations too often give importance to a real or supposed offence. And two such individuals at variance, may draw in others, form parties, and embroil a whole Church. When this is the case, their own edification is at an end; and from others is driven that union of soul, which is necessary to give efficacy to social prayer, when we meet together in one place, with one accord, waiting for the promise of the

Father. The Apostle, therefore, would not that Euodias and Syntyche should oppose, or keep shy of, each other; but composing their difference, keep the peace, and live in love. The Saviour is the Lamb of God; and if we have the mind that was in him, we shall display "the meekness and gentleness of Jesus Christ." The Holy Ghost descended upon the Head, and enters his followers, as a dove: and

"The Spirit, like a peaceful dove,

"Flies from the realms of noise and strife:
"Why should we vex and grieve his love,
"Who seals our souls to heav'nly life?"

We read in ecclesiastical history of two Christians who had quarrelled in the morning; but in the evening one of them sent a note to the other"Brother, the sun is going down"-referring to the Apostle's words, "Let not the sun go down upon your wrath"-and the hint produced reconciliation. When President Edwards had preached one of his first sermons after the remarkable outpouring of the Spirit upon his labours, he observed two families, when the congregation had withdrawn, remaining, as if by joint consent. Upon approaching them, he found they had, to that day, been in a state of variance; but owing to the influence they were now under, they could not depart from the House of God till they were reconciled.

Secondly. Mutual assistance. "I entreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the Gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow-labourers, whose names are in the book of life." Some have imagined that those women here alluded to were Euodias and Syntyche. If it were so, we should learn that persons who have been betrayed into improper temper and conduct, in a partial instance, may yet have been worthy and useful characters; and they are