mena, such knowledge would prove most excellent, most useful to us-excellent and useful even in a religious point of view.

It is the foolish man who says in his heart there is no God-It is the ignorant man who figures to himself a false and degraded notion of God-giving to Him what he finds in himself, passions of anger, cruelty, and

revenge.

But let us learn of God out of the great book of His works-let us but read, mark, learn, and digest the evidence which there is for God-for His existence, for His goodness, in the heavens above, and in the earth beneath-and we shall be in no danger of either error. We shall be saved alike from the folly of denying God, and from the ignorance which pictures God in a way so all unworthy, as but little better than a mortal, a man of like passions with ourselves, only stronger, and more uncontrolled.

What has been said about noticing the heavens and all the host of them, applies equally to the works of God upon earth to the trees, to the grasses, to the corn, to the flowers; to animals of all kinds, beasts, birds, fishes, insects, from the tiniest atom that has motion, to the mightiest and most gifted of living things. For in all these there is something to admire and search out. They all, as well as the heavens, declare the glory of God, and exhibit His handy-work.

Yes-and we may go further. The surface of the earth, and its various strata, so far as it comes within our power, is to be observed. For here, again, we shall find fresh traces of God's power-proof that He is from

everlasting and from everlasting the same-the Author of order, and not of confusion-working works that tell of power, and goodness, and love.

To say of such studies that they have nothing to do with religion, is surely most untrue. David, we have seen, was greatly given to these studies-and with what result? Did they not lead him to such utterances as these O Lord, how marvellous are Thy works: in wisdom hast Thou made them all: the earth is full of Thy riches?

And, if I may quote from this place, lower examples, let me remind you of one who, in our own country, while his sight permitted it, was an ardent searcher of naturestudious of every work of God that came within his observation.

And how fared it with him? was thereby heightened to the

Why, that his piety highest pitch. From

meditating on the visible works of God's hands, he was borne up to sing of God Himself in the loftiest and noblest strains :

"These are Thy glorious Works, Parent of Good

Almighty Thine this universal frame,

:

Thus wondrous fair. Thyself how wondrous then!
Unspeakable! Who sitt'st above these heavens,

To us invisible, or dimly seen

In these Thy lower works. Yet these declare

Thy goodness beyond thought, and power Divine."

That was the effect of studying the works of God in

nature upon our own Milton. the nature of God Himself.

It gave him insight into He did not doubt it before

but he was made doubly sure, from what he had seen and noticed with his own eyes, that the Great Maker of all was a good God-good and great beyond thought. He rejoiced—and so will all true students of nature ever rejoice in giving praise for the operations of His hands!

But again. The language of my text leads us on to contemplate the dealings of God with man- When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars which Thou hast ordained; what is man that Thou art mindful of him, and the son of man, that Thou visitest him?

It seemed to David, with his mind full of the grandeur of God's works, that man was but an inconsiderable part of them, hardly worthy of the notice and favour of his Maker-What is man, that Thou visitest him? But it was only for a moment that he retained this thought. He goes on, in the very next verse of this eighth Psalm, to correct himself—rather, I should say, to give the true reason of man's eminence of his holding the chief place in God's regard-Thou madest him lower than the angels, to crown him with glory and worship. Thou makest him to have dominion of the works of Thy hands; and Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea, and whatsoever walketh through the paths of the same.

Now, compare this with what is recorded in the first lesson for this morning, the first chapter of Genesis, at verses 27 and 28-and you will see that two great facts are announced to us about man-he was made in his

Maker's image, and he had the command given him of all the rest of God's creatures. The latter of these, the command over the other creatures, man still retains; the former, the likeness of God, he has in a great measure lost.

But enough of it-enough of the God-like remains in man, aye, even in fallen man-to place him at a very high level above the beasts that perish.

To no other animal-as far as we can judge-has God given reason; and that by which reason works, the power of speech-in no other has He implanted conscience-the instinct by which man knows in a moment, by what he feels within him, the right and the wrong— in no other has He placed a longing for immortality; a longing, which, as some have argued, proves the capacity for it-in no other beside man do we perceive the idea of God and of worship. Man only of God's creatures prays. Man only walks with God and has fellowship with Him.

I repeat, brethren, that even in our lost, fallen state, we have ample witness that we were made in some other image than that of the beasts which perish.

And this conviction ought not to be without its lesson. We dwell-and it is right we should-on man's sinfulness, on his debasement, on his likeness in many things to the lower animals-for all this must tend to humble us, and to keep down pride. But surely it is good sometimes to hold up to view the other side of the picture, and to shew man what still remains to him of his better and higher origin.

This is what Scripture does in the first chapter of

Genesis. This is why we are so expressly told that when God saw everything that He had made, behold, it was very good.

Think of the matter by yourselves, brethren. Think what God's purpose towards us was at the beginning-He made man good, and He blessed him.

Whatever evil has happened since-however changed we are for the worse-God's first purpose will, we may believe, be carried out-man, though fallen, may look to be restored.

Nay, might I not better say, he is restored. For is it not said-As in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive?

He is that seed of the woman in Whom again God is well pleased. In Him God has shewn what would have been our portion had we never fallen. For death had no dominion over Jesus. Though He died unto sin once, yet, as God's True Son, He rose again, and lives for evermore. And so surely shall it be with all God's children—all who in Christ are incorporated into God's family-they too shall inherit the blessing-life, endless, everlasting life is their portion-the grave and gate of death shall not shut them out of their Father's home -they shall pass through it, as did their great Forerunner, unto a joyful resurrection!

This is the hope of God's redeemed people. Let all who call it their's hold it firm unto the end. And let them remember what the Apostle urges-Every man that hath this hope in him, purifieth himself, even as He is pure (1 St. John iii. 3).