utterance, at least, of the words of the text? turning away from the miserable comforters of earth, and time, and sense, and looking upward towards God, didst thou not say—" "Thou wilt light my candle?"

Aye, and outside the pale of precious promises, even in the outer world of human nature, hope does a mighty work. When sickness assails the mortal frame; when pain and disease, harbingers of death, lay their axe to the root of the human tree, threatening to cut it down, how busy does hope make a man! This one must be sent for; this remedy must be tried, and that. Life and hope are partners ever. What is all this but groping in the dark to find a strength to meet this turn of human ailments, and the stammering out of words, like the words of the Psalmist, having reference to a higher matter, "Thou wilt light my candle."

The foundation of God standeth sure. The rock of ages cannot be moved; therefore a man may trust with the full assurance of faith all the promises of the Almighty, given with reference to the soul's salvation; but when you get on the shelving sands of human accident, there is no knowing what the tide will do; for in spite of all our efforts it is appointed unto men once to die, and hope retires from partnership when the cold hand of death drags the soul out of its tenement of clay.

With poverty too, and the straits of mortal circumstances, how does hope encourage a man to give battle-“Oh! a change will come soon; better days

will dawn; I shall have a fortune left me; or chance will serve my turn;" almost anything will do, you see; and even the wavering soul will whisper-" Thou wilt light my candle." And all the time, poverty, stern and cruel, like a rigid tyrant, or a hard taskmaster, rules over, and keeps to servile work, by far the great majority of the sons of men. Alas! it is even so. The candle of merely human hope gives but a dim flickering light.

But we will come to a more proper exposition of the meaning of the text, as applied to the spiritual difficulties which the Christian has to encounter, and to overcome. We are saved by hope. Setting out with this assurance, that the Lord is our salvation; and this-that all things work together for good to them that love Him, we can well brave the assaults of our enemies.

The affliction of bereavement may assail us; we may lose from our side one as dear to us as our own soul; and the vile fiend that rejoices at our sorrow may chafe and chide our spirit; but we turn to Him who is the Resurrection and the Life, and who has ll the saints, departed as well as present, in safe keepng, and with deepest feeling of tender regards we exlaim, half confession, half supplication-" Thou wilt ight my candle." And there springs up at once a esponse and a joy-" Yes! the trumpet shall sound, nd the dead shall be raised, and all who sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him." What is bereavement of

this sort then, but a merciful schooling of Providence, to teach us to set our affections on things above, not on things on the earth?

The affliction of sudden temptations may come upon us. We may find ourselves, all at once, compassed by foes, and traitors within the citadel of our nature entertaining spies from without. We are almost tempted to despair. The language of Israel in the olden time, in a like case of difficulty, we almost adopt "Who can stand against the children of Anak?” The enemy comes in like a flood, and makes his dreadful assault is all over? Oh, no! The Spirit of the Lord lifts up a standard against him; the faithful soul looks up, and says-" Thou wilt light my candle l' and with the sword of the Spirit bathed in heaven's light, he turns him on the foe, and exclaims-" Rejoice not over me, O mine enemy; though I fall I shall arise again." Blessed is the man that endureth temptation, for when he is tried he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.

The presence of sin, the plague of our own heart, the wear and tear of our every-day experience, these sappers and miners of the Evil One, threaten us continually with perils and death. It is no use to say, We heed them not. To affect indifference, or to be indifferent, makes the case more wretched. All mankind is on the move towards the grave; vast masses of human beings are on the move towards hell; few strive for heaven; and those few who do so strive are

the special objects of attack by the Wicked One, and is host. Are you among the number? Then my words will be acknowledged true. Sin is very hateul to us; ever present. We must succumb, and pass under the yoke of death. Sin hath reigned unto death. It is appointed unto all men once to die." It is no se to talk-we must submit. Oh! sad hap of human ind! And must I bow to thee, thou king of terrors? Just I bend the knee of my being in the grave, thy old and dark court? It is Thy will, O God; Thy ill be done! but-" Thou wilt light my candle." My ns are forgiven. I have washed in that Fountain pened for sin and uncleanness. I have the clue to

ght and life. When I arrive at the dark palace of he grave, I will look for my Saviour's footsteps, and ass on; there will be no detaining me; my faith all be the warrant; and I shall soon find myself that blessed place, where " they need no candle, either light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth em light; and they shall reign for ever and ever." Suppose not, for a moment, my brethren, that this boastful language; much less that it is my boastI language. The Christian has a good hope. The mble and penitent believer in Christ should never afraid to die. "For me to live is Christ," he says,

nd to die is gain."

Our body is as a candlestick; our spirit is as the me; God who commanded the light to shine out of rkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light

of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Speedily we shall be removed, and in the future shall help to light up the temple of salvation, and glorify our Father which is in heaven.

But in this little assembly here before me, how different may be our characters; how varied our condition! Whether then thou art blind through wilful sin; or in darkness through the power of sorrow and affliction; or gloomed by distrust; or surrounded by the clouds of uncertainty and doubt; may the good Lord be pleased to light thy candle!