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Redeemer," in whose name we may come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help us in time of need." (Heb. iv. 16.) In His prevailing name let us put up our humble and earnest prayers and supplications, that we may each of us learn to know Him better, love Him more devoutly, believe Him more sincerely, and serve Him more faithfully and devotedly. Let us pray that the spirit of Christ may more and more rule in our hearts, and labour earnestly that the fruits of the Spirit may more and more abound in our lives. Thus, while we are labouring with the sure promise of a blessing in furthering our eternal salvation, we shall be best qualified to fulfil the duty, to which this day more particularly calls us of interceding in behalf of our country, that it may please God to grant us such a measure of temporal blessing as He knows to be best for us. God," we know, "heareth not sinners,” (John ix. 3.) and "the sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination unto Him." (Prov. xv. .8.) But "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man," we are assured, "availeth much." (Jam. v. 16.) Many instances to this effect are recorded in Scripture for our encouragement, and the threatened judgment on Nineveh was suspended on the repentance of the King and people; for "God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil that He had said He would do unto them, and He did it not." (Jonah iii. 10.) Whether, in the counsels of His infinite wisdom, He will remove from us our present affliction, or whether He will send down upon us a fuller measure of chastisement, is known to him alone. "He worketh all things after the counsels of His own will;" and that will, we may be assured, is right. We must leave the issue in His hands. But whether it may please Him to hear the prayers which are offered Him by this nation to-day, or whether further sufferings are reserved for us, of this we may feel confident that humiliation and prayer are the best preparation for enduring suffering and trials; the only means by which we can obtain support and comfort under them; and the certain way to have them blessed and sanctified to our everlasting welfare. While we pray earnestly that it may please God to remove the evil from us, let us pray still more that He would be pleased to make it the instrument of sincere repentance, and of bringing us nearer to Him, that it be not said of us, as of impenitent Israel, "Thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved. Thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction. They have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return." (Jer. v. 3.) This were, indeed.

a righteous condemnation. that it never may be ours! But may we all so devoutly and penitently confess our sins, and implore His mercies, from the sovereign in her palace, to the peasant in his cottage, may we so fast and humble ourselves," in spirit and in truth," that the "solemn assembly," and all the services of this day, may be an acceptable sacrifice to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. May they obtain for us the pardon of our sins, a more abundant outpouring of God's Holy Spirit, and such an increased love to Him, and zeal in His service, as may shew itself in an abundant growth of all those blessed fruits of holiness, and godliness, and mercy, and brotherly kindness, and purity, by which we may become an approved people in His sight, to the honour and praise of His Name, through the merits and mediation of our only Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ; to whom with Thee, the Father, and the Holy Ghost, be all honour and glory, world without end. Amen.

May God, in His mercy, grant

A SERMON,

PREACHED BY

THE REV. WILLIAM JOWETT, M.A.,

LECTURER OF CLAPHAM.

MARCH 24, 1847.

"Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.”—Malachi iii., latter part of verse 10.

THE prophecy of Malachi was written nearly 400 years before Christ, and was addressed to the Jewish Church in dark times. For more than 100 years preceding Malachi, the prophetic voice had been silent: so far at least as the canon of Scripture informs us. The two prophets, Haggai and Zechariah, closed their labours about 520 B. C. Malachi succeeded them about 120 years later. During this interval of a century (as generally happens when the word of the Lord has not free course) great corruptions entered the professing Church. These are solemnly reproved by Malachi, speaking in the name of the Lord. Many of his most alarming addresses are suitable to us in the present day: perhaps no one of them more so, than the chapter from which the text is taken.

I dare not say

Let us attentively weigh the whole context. that it is literally applicable to my native land: nor would I trust myself so far as to deal out general censures on the mass of

my fellow-countrymen. But I would ask of each one of you, according to his own opportunities, to judge whether, in his own experience, there is not much that is defective, much that is sinful, much highly displeasing to Almighty God. Let us then, as in the sight of our forbearing Lord and Master, humble ourselves betimes. Observe how he speaks: "I am the Lord, I change not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed. Even from the days of your fathers, ye are gone away from mine ordinances, and have not kept them. Return unto me, and I will return unto you, saith the Lord of Will a man hosts. But ye said, Wherein shall we return?

rob God? Yet ye have robbed me. But ye say, wherein have we robbed thee? In tithes and offerings. Ye are cursed with a curse; for ye have robbed me, even this whole nation. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meat in mine house; and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes; and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the field, saith the Lord of hosts. And all nations shall call you blessed; for ye shall be a delightsome land, saith the Lord of hosts."

It is apparent, from language like this, that there is great difficulty in convincing nations, or any large body of men, of their sins. Against individuals a charge may be made specifically; the evidence may be so clear as to need only a word to point it; and "Thou art the man," is felt instantaneously. But large bodies repel the accusation. They say, like the Jews in Malachi's days, "Wherein have we wearied the Lord? Wherein shall we return? Wherein have we robbed Thee ?" Now, however, that the chastening hand of God is upon us, may we not hope that multitudes will be touched with godly sorrow? And so much the more, because the Lord yet invites us to return, and shews upon what terms we may expect him to be gracious. "Prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it."

Let us earnestly beseech God to assist us by his Holy Spirit, in practically applying these words, so far as they meet our own characters and circumstances; and may we thus continue in the true spirit of humiliation before the Lord, waiting until He have mercy upon us.

Taking into our view this whole appeal of the Lord, we may observe in it

I. A solemn Rebuke; this refers to the past.

II. A Challenge to immediate exertion.

III. An encouraging Motive drawn from our future hopes. I. A solemn Rebuke.

"Ye have robbed me," saith God. And you will ask, "Wherein ?"

1. First, observe the amount of Time given to God and his ordinances have we not in this respect robbed God and our

own souls? He requires the seventh part of our week, His own blessed day, for the instruction, edification, and repose of our weary spirits and besides this, He may justly look to families to devote a suitable portion of each day to His worship, and also to individuals to give some private season to devotion. The effects that would necessarily flow, first from secret piety, then from family worship, and then from the universal sanctification of the Sabbath, would soon show that God is not a hard master. But instead of this wise apportionment of our time, does not He discern much of this precious talent wasted in sloth, or spent on intense worldliness, or squandered in pleasure and dissipation?

2. Again, consider the small amount of Money given to the cause of God. Have we not in this respect robbed Him? Under the Levitical law, the amount of property claimed by the Lord for His service, was the tenth part: and to this the Prophet refers, "Ye have robbed me in tithes and offerings." We are free from that exact requirement; and it is left to our own discretion what we will give: can we then, with a true heart, say that we have been ready to give, and glad to distribute? Have our charities been cheerful, bountiful, and without grudging? Has christian education flourished; have churches been built; have ministers and teachers been supplied; have Missions been widely extended through our means? These are questions which may assist us in considering whether or no we have robbed God.

Have I upheld

3. Take a third point, Public feeling and opinion. In a free country like ours it would be unjust to charge our government, and our government alone, with one and another fault; we must consider how far the fault lies with ourselves; for public measures are dependent, in the present day, far more than ever, on public feeling and opinion: and that which each individual has to answer for, is his own proportion contributed by himself to the general opinion. Let each then inquire, "Have I robbed God, by abating in my zeal for God's word? the inalienable right of every human being to read the Bible in his own tongue, wherein he was born, or have I been negligent in this? Have I upheld the principle that Christianity is part and parcel of the law of the land; or am I yielding to that latitudinarian system, which represents a government as having nothing to do with religion? Have I carefully distinguished between what is the genuine Gospel of the New Testament, and that other Gospel invented by Popery-which is not another,