brethren. There are those who take up some special view of faith, of the Church, of the Sacraments, of the world, of the latter days, so that, to hear them speak, one would suppose that God's revelation was confined to a metaphysical quibble, to the mode of administering an ordinance, or to some of the machinery of the final judgment. In all these things they "do greatly err, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God."

(3) Take heed to the manner of the doctrine, that it be connected and ordered upon some plan, some prayerfully-considered purpose. Do not treat the Scriptures as a conjuring-book, nor open it at random, nor read it with carelessness; but endeavour to get at the meaning of a period, of a stage, of an epoch, of a division of God's revelations; or, if you will, pursue the scriptural teaching, on some great thrilling themes, from the beginning of the Bible to its close. Ask leading questions of Scripture, and it will answer you. "Take heed to the doctrine," do not expect the doctrine to take heed of you. "Meditate upon these things." Ponder them with a purpose, and it is amazing how light will burst forth from thick clouds, and help come in your extremity; how out of weakness you will be made strong; and how, becoming mighty in the Scriptures, you will silence and convince gainsayers.

(4) Take heed to your doctrine, that it is appropriate to the class of minds with which you have to deal. Paul spoke in Hebrew to the Jews, and

in Greek to the philosophers of Athens. He adopted one style when addressing the Orientalists of Ephesus, and another when reasoning with the prejudices of Roman Jews. The language of Jesus to His Apostles and to the multitude, to the solitary wanderer or nightly visitor, His mode of addressing the Sadducee and the lawyer, the Roman governor and the woman that was a sinner, all shew us His infinite power of adaptation, his multitudinousness, and that He is indeed the brother of all. And so the great Apostle was "all things to all men, that by all means he might save some." Do not expect to interest playful boys in philosophical problems, or hardworking girls with historical evidences. Remember that the Bible is "the boy's own book" as much as the man's guide to heaven. Oh, labour hard to find the way into the hearts of those who have already learned the art of resisting the claims of Jesus and defying the authority of God!

But I must not delay on this part of my subject, tempting as it is, because, my dear brethren, the doctrine, both in its matter and manner, may be unexceptionable, it may be scriptural and comprehensive, it may be well-ordered and appropriate; and yet, though you may have secured all this, you may have been neglecting one prime element in all success. You may have kept the vineyard of others, and your own vineyard you may have not kept. "Take heed," said the venerable Apostle to his son in the faith," take heed unto THYSELF."

We who are workers for God, students of truth, servants of the Church, teachers and pastors, watchers for souls, have a great work to do with ourselves: we have great temptations to resist, yet we are to be "patterns even to believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity." Our own "profiting is to appear unto all;" we are not only to profit, but our profiting is to appear, and is to be manifest to all. There is an inward and outer self that we have to consider most resolutely and perseveringly. We may be earnest in our manner, but it is still more important that we be sincere in our spirit; we had better say less and do more, than do less and say more. If a minister's or teacher's life does not correspond with what he professes to teach, or what he is supposed to profess to teach, or with what the observing child knows that he ought to be; the teaching, the tears, the talk, will all be like so much idle chaff, which the wind driveth away.

Take heed to thyself, O man of God! Thou mayest deal with heavenly realities and divine truths until they are mere chess-men that thou art shifting over the board and fighting imaginary battles with. Thou mayest substitute the intellectual appreciation of the truth which thou hast discovered, for the spiritual reception of it into thy own heart. Thou mayest fail to cultivate thine own inner life, and allow evil thoughts to run riot within thee, while thou art busy with the religion of others, and talking much of salvation. Oh, take heed to thyself, lest by

thy "words or conversation" thou shouldst degrade that Gospel which is at stake in thy person! The whole style of thy deportment should truly refract the light that is in thy heart. There should be no abrupt and wretched transition between thy solemn words in the class-room and all thine other words. "Thy charity and thy spirit," the whole of thy temper, and the entire government of thy passions, should reveal that service which is perfect freedom. Is it possible that there should be a professed teacher of Christ's morals whose hands are trembling and whose head is aching from grievous or wicked excess, or that there are lips that can frame to utter the words of Jesus which have been defiled with slander, or impurity, or profanity,-that out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing? Is it possible that there should be watchers for souls whose "faith" is worthless, whose honour no man trusts, or whose "purity" no man believes in? Watchers, indeed! They are watchers for the devil, doing his work, spreading nets about the feet of children, and shedding innocent blood. Suicides, and murderers of souls, such men will "not perish alone in their iniquity."

Take heed to thyself, O man of God! and be on thy watch against all these things. Thou art not only to be free from the blame of others, and from the accusation of thy own conscience, but to be a pattern of purity and honour, of spirit and love, of word and conversation. Thou art to be a specimen. of what a Christian ought to be, in the transactions

of daily life, at the innermost shrine of earthly affection, on the highways of the world, in the parlour and the committee-room, in journeys and at home, and with all classes with whom thou mayest come into contact. A pattern to BELIEVERS. Ordinary believers naturally look to those who teach for the deepest faith, and for the highest kind of life. "A city set on a hill cannot be hid. A lamp is not covered by a bushel, but is placed on a candlestick, and gives light to all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."

Take heed to thyself: for the sake of the children who watch thine every movement,-for the sake of the Church which has entrusted its honour to thy keeping, for the sake of the Christ whom thou professest to serve,-for the sake of that precious soul which may starve in the midst of plenty, and be lost. while it pours forth tidings of salvation.

The inducements by which the Apostle urges this stirring appeal are comprehensive and inspiring: "in so doing thou shalt both save thyself and those that hear thee." My fellow-workers, there is one salvation for our hearers and for ourselves. The most powerful preacher, the most devoted teacher, the most distinguished apostle, the holiest martyr, must be saved by the same means as the most ignorant and guilty sinner to whom he speaks. There are no special passports to heaven, no short cuts, no sideways, no reserved seats, no privileged admissions