by the ever-watchful intelligence and allpervading knowledge of the Supreme is the sin and the condemnation to be rightly affixed on the head of the guilty ones? "Though they dig into hell," said the Lord by his prophet, "thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down; and though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them, out thence." 6 It is towards the omniscient and righteous Judge of all the world that the eye of slandered innocence must look for comfort, and support, and recompense in the sad hour of unjust accusation, when the evil report is favourably heard, and prejudice will not be open to conviction. To the heart bowed down in trouble and anguish, and left alone in its own bitterness, consolation will come in the conviction that its secret sufferings, its deep repentance, its fervent aspirations, are manifest unto, and will be truly judged 6 Amos ix. 2, 3.

by Him, who "seeth not as man seeth."7 Amidst the storms and vicissitudes of a giddy and noisy world, amidst the world's unjust frowns and the world's proud contumely, great shall be the hope of the believing heart, and timely courage shall be imparted by the assurance that honesty and simplicity, christian self-denial, and a patient continuance in well-doing, are virtues not overlooked, nor held of little account by him, "the High and Lofty One, who regardeth not the rich more. than the poor; for they are all the work of his hands." O, how glorious, how animating to the troubled and harassed spirit is the assurance that above there is a Judge, excellent in counsel, whom no perjury can deceive, no sophistry blind, no violence terrify, or turn from pronouncing a righteous judgment! "Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord searcheth the heart." Man's judgment may be, and often is, perverted by passion

8

7 1 Sam. xvi. 7.

8 Job xxiv. 16.

and self-interest, or it may be drowned in clamour, and hindered through violence. Prejudice may give a strong and pernicious bias, and ignorance of facts may cause much misapprehension and error in judgment. But neither can passion, nor clamour, nor prejudice, nor lack of knowledge, impede, or cloud the judgment of the great and Almighty Eternal, "with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."9 To him ascendeth the sorrowful sighing of the contrite; and the prayer uttered in secret entereth into his ears. The aspiration of the meanest supplicant is known unto him, and however humility of deportment and meekness of carriage may be scorned and despised by a proud and thoughtless generation, yet are they, "in the sight of God, of great price."

Go on, then, ye

poor in spirit," and who desire and strive to walk before God with a pure heart and with clean

ye

9 James i. 17.

C

hands, be not ye utterly cast down, nor "troubled above measure," though the world may be frowning upon you, though present neglect may be your portion, or the world's dread laugh may be directed against your humble endeavour to "walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord." "Hold thee still in the Lord, and abide patiently upon him, and grieve not thyself, although they who do after evil counsels"1 may be rioting, and apparently secure, in much worldly prosperity. No! "Be not thou afraid, though one be made rich, or if the glory of his house be increased." No! Be not thou vexed in thy soul: but "keep innocency, and take heed unto the thing that is right, for that shall bring a man peace at the last." 3 "In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ," according to his glorious Gospel, in that day there shall be no place of refuge,

1 Psalm xxxvii. 7. 2 Psalm xlix. 16.

3 Psalm xxxvii. 38.

"where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves." "Hell is naked before him, and destruction hath no covering."5 Think then upon this, and tremble, ye that are now going on in a perverse way, and are sinning with an high hand, and account that all is safe and well with you, so long as the world turneth not its back against you, and ye carry along with you a fair appearance, and the eye of man penetrates not into the hidden motives and principles of your conduct. Tremble thou worm, thou that exaltest thyself against the power of thy Maker, and forgettest the omnipotence of thy Judge."Know thou, that for all these things God shall bring thee into judgment."" A register is before the All-seeing One, and therein is noted down the "idle word," and the deceitful speech, the deed of darkness, and every forbidden act. O! how hollow will then become the once successful disguise of the hypocrite; and

5

4 Job. xxxiv. 22. Job xxvi. 6. 6 Eccles. xi. 9.