strengtheneth me." Is not Christ able and willing to do for us what He did for Paul? If we look up to heaven for divine strength, may not we also be enabled to do all things? Were we to interpret the Gospel in such a way as to encourage ourselves to sit still in our imperfections, we should make a sad mistake. Paul says in another place, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling: for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do of God works in us by His

His good pleasure."

Spirit if we ask Him. And for what end? Is it that we may sit still and do nothing? By It is that we, who are sinful and ready to perish, may thereby be enabled to work out our own salvation.

no means.

Without the help of God, freely given to us through Christ, it is impossible for us to attain to perfection in righteousness; but with that help it is possible. Press after it, therefore. Be perfect in the discharge of all your duties to God and to men. And that you may be so,

look constantly not

only to God's Word for

direction, but also to His throne for the help you need. You hope to reach at last the heavenly mansions, and to enter upon the enjoyment of the promised inheritance. You cannot

be allowed to carry your imperfections thither. These would form an insuperable objection to your being admitted to a place in the better land; for its people, we are assured, are all righteous.

One

Seek righteousness, therefore. Be animated by it be clothed with it; and your weight will be all on the side of your country's honour and prosperity. You will do your part to exalt it, and to transmit to the latest generations the inestimable advantages which we enjoy. No man stands alone, and no man falls alone. When he stands, he helps to raise others up; when he falls, he helps to bring others down. One wicked person may corrupt a multitude. righteous man may, by the light which he sheds around him, turn many to righteousness. "Let your light so shine before men," says our Saviour, "that others seeing your good works may glorify your Father which is in heaven." Thus, by your single influence, you may at the end of your journey through life leave your country stronger than when you entered it in that which constitutes its real strength.

In the second place, we may benefit the nation to which we belong by supporting and extending the means by which righteousness is

promoted. Righteousness does not grow spontaneously upon the earth. Not more reluctant is the soil to bring forth good fruit, than the soul of man is to bring forth the fruits of righteousness. Lay aside the implements of husbandry, bury your ploughs and your harrows, cease to till and to sow in spring and to tend in summer, call the labour foolish which causes men to go forth at early morn and which lays them down weary at night, sit at your ease and wait for the issue. What would that issue be? Would the face of the earth retain its beauty and yield abundance? Would harvest still cheer you with the sight of its golden treasures? Would your winter's table be spread with a sufficiency of that food on which your life depends? You know that were you to act thus your fields would soon become a wilderness, and you would be left to pine in want and wretchedness. The same diligence is needed in order that righteousness may prosper among us. Agencies fitted to promote it must be kept constantly at work. "That the soul be without knowledge, it is not good," says the Scripture. And is knowledge to be had without labour, especially that knowledge of God which is necessary to the practice of righteousness?

Our divine Teacher would not have us to think SO. His words to us are: "My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee, so that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding; yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God." When the Lord of all made known His will to His people of old, in order that they might walk in the ways of righteousness, how were they to deal, did He say, with the lessons which He was pleased to communicate? "These things, which I command thee this day, shall be in thine heart," He said: "and thou shalt teach them diligently to thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up." An uncultivated field is a sad sight to look upon; but a yet sadder sight is an uncultivated soul. When the King of heaven was upon the earth in human form, what was His constant employment ? It was teaching the people. When He left the earth, what was the commission which

He put into the hands of His followers to be carried out even till He come again? It was this: "Go ye into all the world and teach all nations."

We may therefore benefit the nation to which we belong in the best possible way by supporting and extending the divinely instituted agencies for the enlightenment and salvation of men. These could not be allowed to cease without allowing at the same time the land to fall into its former chaos of wickedness. They must be prosecuted with unremitting and increasing earnestness and vigour, if the wickedness which still abounds is to be brought to an end. There are no other means which will accomplish the great object in view than those which God has devised and set on foot. You may get a temporary refinement by other expedients, but you will not get righteousness. You may get an external polish which may dazzle for a time, but which has no power to preserve from final shame and ruin. The greatest of all works, therefore, is to teach the nations to know Christ, and to be followers of Him. "Other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ."

Let us count it our highest honour and duty