she wish it longer, since her arrival at her home would prove but the messenger of death.

Brethren, let us beware lest such uncertainty of choice be ours in matters far more momentous. To desire the end of our mortal journey because of the evils that thicken round us by the way, and yet to dread to cross the threshold that divides this world from another, because of the realities that will there meet us face to face ;-this is distress that harrows up the soul,—a darkness that may be felt.

3. Her entrance into the city but fulfils her worst fears; Jeroboam and his wife have that conviction forced upon their minds that an evil and a bitter thing it is to depart from God; their child is taken away indeed from the wrath to come, but that which is to him in mercy is to them in judgment. They "see not the bright light that is in the clouds," Job xxxvii. 21, they mourn for-they bury their dead. Earth, what are thy attractions to them now?

Say you, these are solemn things? brethren, they are true things; they were written for our admonition. Truth cannot feign itself to be another, it is the unchanging attribute of the unchanging God and the record it here bears, is, "the way of transgressors is hard." "The curse of the Lord

is in the house of the wicked."

"Be

sure your sin shall find you out." One Prophet's voice may be disregarded and another speak in vain,* but woe to him that "striveth with his Maker." His voice must be heard, in mercy or in wrath.... But the truth of God has its promises as well as threatenings, and they speak peace to the contrite soul. The blood of the everlasting covenant avails to the chief of sinners; a Manasseh is not cast out, though a Jeroboam refuses to return.

Brethren! there is but a step betwixt us and death; before that threshold be crossed where every disguise must be put away; flee for refuge to the hope set before you, to Him Who shall say, "Take away the filthy garments and clothe him with change of raiment"-Who shall speak pardon to thy sins, for his name is Jesus,-ease to thy conscience, for He is the Prince of Peace, God Himself looking on the face of His anointed shall proclaim thee "fair-no spot in thee,”—And when the sound of thy feet is heard as thou enterest in by the gates into the city, how full the welcome thou shalt then receive in common with the whole family of God, "Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world," Matt. xxv.

* Amos vii. 11.

IX.

"TOILING IN ROWING."

ST. MARK vi., part of 48th verse.

"And He saw them toiling in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them."

CHRIST, as our example, opens to us in one of the verses preceding the text the true secret of strength. In the miracle of the loaves He had just been exercising his power and his grace; He sends away the people, and (we read in the 46th verse), when He had sent them away, He departed into a mountain to pray. It must be so with the minister of God if he would prosper in his work; it must be so with the hearers of the word if they would grow in grace and hear with profit to their souls. Converse with Christian friends is edifying, the services of the sanctuary are not to be neglected, but without retirement for prayer you die; yes, you first droop, then wither, then die.

Well may these observations introduce to us our subject; they tell us how alone we can

hope to draw improvement from it, by giving heed thereto in the spirit of prayer. "Lord, teach us to pray," that with uplifted hearts we may look to Thee for the outpouring of Thy grace, saying, "Speak, Lord, for thy servants hear!"

The circumstances connected with the text may serve to remind us of

I. The Trials of the Christian in the Voyage of Life. Our blessed Lord had "constrained his disciples to get into the ship, and to go to the other side before, unto Bethsaida, while He sent away the people." "And when even was come, the ship was in the midst of the sea, and He alone on the land. And He saw them toiling in rowing, for the wind was contrary unto them." Observe, brethren, they launched at the command of their Lord, it was His word that bade them depart to the other side; they were doubtless loath to leave Him, but He constrained them to take ship, and in obedience to Him, they set forth. Well might the remembrance of this be their unspeakable comfort in all their after difficulties. "It was Thy voice bade us go forth, the wind is contrary, our rowing is to no purpose, but what brought us hither? Thy command." Blessed ground of encouragement to their

souls. Christian thou too hast heard the voice of thy Lord, saying, "Follow me:" thou hast taken up thy cross and followed Him. With much of weakness, but with holy resolve and fixed heart, thou art going forth bearing His reproach; let this thought cheer thee, it was at His bidding thou didst launch, in obedience to His word thou art pressing forward. We read of the saints of God (Psa. xxxiv. 5) "They looked unto Him and were lightened, and their faces were not ashamed:" so shall it be with thee. "When thou passest through the waters I will be with thee, and through the rivers they shall not overflow thee," is the promise of thy God, and it is sufficient for all thy need.

But we remark further, that Smooth as was the lake at their setting forth, before long the storm arose. "The sea arose by reason of a great wind that blew," John vi. 18. And thus will it be in the voyage of life: there will be— there must be-trials in the course of the true disciple of a crucified Lord; the world in which you are is at enmity with God, and will be at enmity with those who bear His image. "We must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God." With some all indeed is prosperous, but they are not sailing at the