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others are not so conspicuous in theirs; but since good principles are as necessary to the being of a Christian, as roots to the tree; so a good profession is as ornamental and necessary to the one, as leaves are to the other; though without the fruit of a holy practice, such leaves will serve no other end than those did, which adorned that fig-tree which our. Lord saw in the way, Matt. xxi. 19; and no doubt upon it were very plentiful, and attracted his notice, and made him to examine it the more narrowly for fruit, but finding none, he cursed it; an awful warning to all those who maintain a fair profession, but are destitute of the fruits of holiness! "Not

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every one that saith to me, Lord, Lord, "shall enter into the kingdom of heaven," saith our blessed Saviour; "but he that doth "the will of my Father which is in heaven." Matt. vii. 21.. ́

As the heart, rind, bark, and fibres, are all necessary to the growth and prosperity of a tree; so blood, bones, flesh, and skin, are all absolutely necessary to constitute the

human body.

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Thou hast clothed me with "skin and flesh," saith Job, "and fenced

me with bones and sinews." Job, x. 11. In like manner, faith, knowledge, sound principles, and holiness, as necessarily constitute the new creature; and as without the heart, rind, bark, and fibres, or any one of these, the tree could not grow and prosper; nor without blood, bones, flesh, sinews, and skin, nor any one of them, could the human frame subsist; so wholly destitute of all, or any one of those constituent parts of the new creature, no man need flatter himself he is created in Christ Jesus, Eph. ii. 10, or have on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness, Eph. iv. 24, or have any expectation of salvation so long as this is the case; "for without faith it is im

possible to please God." Heb. xi. 6. ❝ For "it is a people of no understanding,” saith the prophet," therefore he that made them will not have mercy on them, and he that formed them will show them no favour." Isa. xxvii. 11. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge, saith the Lord." Hos. iv. 6.

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"Ye have need that one teach you again "which be the first principles of the oracles "of God." Heb. v. 12. "He layeth

66 up sound wisdom for the righteous; a

Hold

66 sound heart is the life of the flesh. "fast the form of sound words. Rebuke "them sharply, that they may be sound in "the faith. Speak thou the things that become sound doctrine." Prov. 2 Tim. i. 13. Tit. i. 13. ii. 1.

ii. 7. xiv. 30.

"To the law "and to the testimony, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them." Isa. viii. 29. "The new

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man after God is created in righteousness "and true holiness." Eph. iv. 24. And without holiness no man shall see the Lord. Heb. xii. 14.

How careful then ought I and every one else to be, in examining whether we have saving faith, knowledge, sound principles, and holiness; and whichever of these we find ourselves most deficient in, that let us cultivate more and more.

This wood is a receptacle for both clean and unclean animals: some ferocious, and

others gentle, and the latter are often devoured by the former. Just so is this world, a habitation for both bad and good men: and as Pharaoh's lean and ill-favoured kine ate up the well-favoured and fat kine, Gen. xli. 3, 4, so those ill-favoured, and hellfavoured, eat up those who are the favourites of heaven. Psal. xiv. 4. And this is permitted by the wise Orderer of all things, for the best of reasons: but it shall not always be so; for the tables shall soon be changed; "Like sheep they are laid in the grave, death "shall feed on them, and the upright shall "have dominion over them in the morning." Psal. xlix. 14.

As beasts of the forest come forth in the night to hunt for their prey, but no sooner is the sun up, than they gather themselves together, and lay them down in their dens, then man goeth to his labour, Psal. civ. 20--23, and the traveller may proceed on in his journey with safety: So the wicked, who are compared to lions, Psalm lvii. 4, harass and devour the righteous in this short mortal life, which is but as a night, or a dream of the night, or rather nothing, in comparison of

that endless day which the righteous shall enjoy in a future state.

In that morning, big with the greatest of events, even that decisive morning of the resurrection, when the Sun of righteousness shall, to the unspeakable joy and comfort of his people, be seen coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory; then indeed shall the righteous have power over the wicked, and these lions shall be gathered together, and made to lie down in the infernal den of utter darkness, eternal misery and woe. Then will the righteous rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory; there being nothing to hurt or destroy in all God's holy mountain. Isa. xi. 9.

What pitiful shrieks are these which I hear! O, I perceive it is a hawk which has seized on a feeble wren, and is bearing it off in its claws, and the poor little creature can do nothing but cry.

Well done, lucky shot! A fowler just now passing through yonder glade has observed