care for the very least of His creatures, was swallowed up in a joyous certainty. They saw it, and they believed it: believed, because they saw. But, for the last time,-they are pronounced 'blessed,' who, though they see nothing, yet can believe all things! It is a blessed thing to look to God day by day for one's supply of food, of clothing, in a childlike spirit, which knows that the Father of Mercies will not withhold any thing that is good from His children. It is a blessed thing, we mean, when wants arise and make themselves felt, to learn to say secretly,―This shall not distress me. I will mention it calmly in my prayers. The Enemy shall have no advantage of me in this matter: for, at the very worst, a few years will span my earthly needs; and I shall gather up all my wants into a marvellous small compass in the end; and the grief will have been long forgotten, when it shall be said over these lifeless limbs, 'Earth to earth, . ashes to ashes, dust to dust.' . . In the mean season, I will not distress myself, from a yet higher consideration,-namely, that it would argue a distrust of GOD's good Providence to do so. He fed five thousand on the mountain side with five barley loaves and two small fishes; and what were they among so many? He fed four thousand, very shortly after, out of an equally scanty store: and, after one of these bounteous miracles, seven baskets full of fragments were gathered up; after the other, twelve! ... And if He wrought so then, shall He not sometimes work so now? Nay, what saith He? 'Take no thought for your life,' (that is, no anxious, distressing thought,) what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly FATHER feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?' Presently, He adds,—' And why take ye thought for raiment ? Consider : the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if GoD so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall He not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? . . . . But seek ye first the Kingdom of GOD, and His Righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you". Here then is the b St. Matth. vi. 25-33. gracious promise! Here is the ground of our hope; yea, of our confidence! They of old time knew something of this matter; for, as says the Psalmist, I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging their bread".' But we know far more as it is written ;-Blessed be the GOD and FATHER of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, which according to His abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the Resurrection of JESUS CHRIST from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in Heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.... That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of JESUS CHRIST whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls.' : Ps. xxxvii, 25. d a 1 St. Peter i. 3-9. The First Sunday after Easter. THE VICTORY THAT OVERCOMETH THE WORLD. 1 ST. JOHN v. 4. This is the victory that overcometh the World, even our Faith. MANY are the hints given us in the Bible that the days of our life are days of warfare. We are spoken of as soldiers, repeatedly our spiritual armour is described again and again. In the text, we hear of an enemy to be resisted, and a victory to be won. True indeed it is that words of Peace were ever on the SAVIOUR'S lips; as on this day, for example, when He came to the forlorn band of Disciples at evening, and stood among them. True it also is that His peace, which passeth all understanding,'-is intended evermore to keep our hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of GOD. Yet is it certain that we have enemies who can disturb that peace; and would take it away from us altogether, if they might. Such an enemy is this present World, as most of us are aware already; and all will know it for themselves in time. The text conveys a precious word of promise, or rather, it reveals a blessed and most important secret; namely this, that our Faith as Christians overcometh the World.-Let us inquire briefly then into the nature of the Faith here spoken of, and of which such wonderful things are declared; and take notice of the method of operation whereby it can be said to overcome the World. First however we should perhaps state briefly what we understand by the World.' Now God did not make the World evil, but good; and even now, when Sin hath done its worst, the World we inhabit retains much of Goodness and of Beauty. If a ruin, it is, at least, a very beautiful ruin. beauty is a seduction and a And yet, And yet, this very snare for it makes us love unduly the pleasures which the World supplies; and covet unduly the honours which are the World's, not God's. It makes us also desire unduly possessions which are of the earth, earthy; and regret unduly every privation, every sorrow, which is sent to wean us from this present life, to weaken the hold which the World has upon us, and we upon the World. . . By 'the |