for yourselves, and that continually ;-yes: ye must persevere in this exercise till the contest is ended. Remember that king of Israel who visited the prophet Elisha when labouring of the sickness whereof he died. Being told to smite with his arrows on the ground, he smote thrice, and then stayed his hand; and the man of God was wroth with him, and said, "Thou shouldst have smitten five or six times, then hadst thou smitten Syria until thou hadst consumed it; whereas now thou shalt smite Syria but thrice." And it is recorded that he smote it thrice: but it is not recorded what anxieties and fears he suffered, lest when the number prophesied was accomplished, he might have to change places with his once-vanquished foe; and, oh! when his dying hour was near, and showed that his anxieties on this head were not destined to be realized, still what agony in the thought that his beloved Jerusalem would fall, and that he might have saved it had he but persevered in the course he commenced so well! And such may be your fate if your perseverance slackens; you may have, whilst in the enjoyment of health, a dread of the final triumph of your enemy, or, at any rate, on the bed of death, to mourn most bitterly at the idea that ye could have produced more fruit in the day of your probation.

The christian warrior has been presented to

your view as possessing all things requisite for the conflict in which he is to be engaged; but he has been presented seemingly as one who is to fight by himself alone. He is now, however, to be brought before your notice as a unit of a mighty host. That host is known in the courts of heaven by the name of the saints; they are preparing their foreheads to receive this impress. The redeemed are making ready their robes to be washed in the blood of the Lamb. As they march through this world they have nothing to recommend themselves to its devoted followers: it was prophesied of their Great Captain; he hath no form nor comeliness, and when we shall see him there is no beauty that we should desire him they know this-they recall to mind the treatment their Master experienced, and they feel they have no right to complain, since the servant is not greater than his Lord! Yet the discerning amongst mankind will see something in this host to admire; beneath the garment of serge the wise ambassador of old could perceive qualities that would raise a country recovered from the waves to the proud eminence she enjoyed; and whilst others smiled and mocked at the deputies of that land for the homeliness of their garb, he would rather tremble at the thought that these were the men who would shake his master's dominions to the centre, and

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establish an empire to rival that of his fatherland. And so with the saints of God. Man of the world, thou mayest despise the followers of the Redeemer, and yet I tell thee, their virtues will put thee to open shame. I challenge thee to compare thyself with them. Dost thou value perseverance? it is theirs. Dost thou set a price on patience of soul? it is theirs. Dost thou admire contempt of danger and of death? so do they this is theirs. What hast thou which they have not? What hast thou, except it be the vices which shall plunge thee into hell? Man of the world, behold! such are they whom thou contemnest, weighed in thine own balances. I will compel thee to a further comparison. Hast thou meekness? Hast thou faith? Hast thou gentleness? Hast thou joy? Hast thou peace? Hast thou long-suffering? Hast thou goodness? Hast thou temperance? I tell thee, nay; these qualities, on which all our happiness below depends, are not to be found in thy catalogue of virtues! Why then boasted thou thyself against the saints of God, who possess all these things? Man of the world! see thou to this. If reason be not totally obscured by sin--if revelation, supported as it is by arguments of the highest order, be not a lie -there are balances in which the saints and thou will be weighed together, and whilst there is a heaven prepared for them, there is a lake that

burneth with fire and brimstone prepared for thee-Man of the world! Patient enough and sagacious enough to secure thine earthly prosperity! see thou to this-with the company of saints endowed with the qualities described; the Christian warrior has an intimate relationship, like to that which the members of an army have one with the other, when marshalled on the battle-field. This relationship is of a double character, it consists in the receiving of aid in the time of need, and in the giving it, when his fellows require assistance at his hand. The soldier of an earthly monarch will step out of his way to relieve a comrade surrounded by a hostile band, and the soldier of Christ will act in a similar manner. The soldier of an earthly monarch will cry for help when pressed by overwhelming numbers, and the soldier of Christ will demand that his fellows the saints should participate in his conflicts, and be ready to assist him with their prayers at the throne of grace. Yes; there is an intimate relationship between the members of Christ's army; as well talk of the chances of victory to a disorganized host, where each man is to be found fighting by himself, independently of his fellows, as that the kingdom of Christ can cover the earth, if his followers stand not shoulder to shoulder together, ready to help each other, as God for Christ's sake has promised to help

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them. This is an all-important doctrine, but one which, alas! occupies about as little attention as may be in the minds of professing Christians.

My brethren, let us watch lest we be found. amongst the number who live not in christian unity with their brethren. There being a bond of unity between the followers of Christ, inquire we in what this bond consists. O at this moment, my brethren, throughout the breadth of the land, the congregations are assembled to hear the word of God! Their prayers are just ended, and are now being presented as a sweet smelling savour by the intercessor for man to the God to whom they were addressed. In their prayers they have been praying for you, for they have besought God to make his chosen people joyful. In their prayers they have been praying for me; for they have asked the Giver of all good things" to bless his inheritance." We have been remembered by them, and we have not been unmindful of them in return. The invisible bond of union is passing between us, the prayers they and we have uttered in obedience to the apostles' command, "Pray for all saints," are now uniting us together in the presence of Christ. And not only in its public, but also in its private exercise, prayer is a great bond of union between the saints of God. When the sun has declined in this hemisphere of ours, and we are lying buried in re