I. CHRIST IS THE STAR OF PROMISE. Like the appearance of a transit, a conjunction, or a comet, so the appearance of the Lord Jesus in the fulness of time verified the sure word of prophecy.

II. CHRIST IS THE STAR IN THE NIGHT. As on some dark, wild, wintry night, the clouds break and the radiance of a glorious star cheers and guides the mariner when disheartened and alarmed amid the dangers of the deep; so the Lord Jesus came at a crisis when darkness covered the earth and gross darkness the people.

III. CHRIST IS THE BRIGHT, ENLIGHTENING STAR. As He Himself declares, "I am the bright and morning star," "I am the light of the world." Transcending all others in lustre, He is

"Fair as a star, when only one
Is shining in the sky."

IV. CHRIST IS THE BEAUTIFUL, GLADDENING STAR. The child takes pleasure in the soft lustre of the evening planet, in the twinkling of the many-coloured Sirius. The man of science delights in exploring the illimitable fields of space, and plucking, as it were, the brilliant flowers of the midnight sky. The devout observer of the starry heavens exclaims, "When I behold the heavens," &c. Even so the Christian finds a peculiar joy in contemplating and adoring Jesus.

V. CHRIST IS THE FIXED AND STEADY STAR. Like the polestar, that changes not its place, so is Jesus in His glory, "the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever."

VI. CHRIST IS THE STAR OF GUIDANCE. The belated traveller upon the moors, the mariner upon the trackless ocean, receive with gratitude the friendly guidance of the firmament. The soul that fixes its gaze upon that star that came out of Jacob shall never want the direction that shall guide the course aright. Thus shall it surely win the haven and the home. In the hour of perplexity and distress the soul looks up, and— "Then suddenly a star appears:

It is the star of Bethlehem."

CHILDREN'S SERMON.

"I THOUGHT TO PROMOTE THEE UNTO GREAT HONOUR ; BUT, LO, THE LORD HATH KEPT THEE BACK FROM HONOUR"

(Num. xxiv. 11).

BALAK says this to Balaam after he had refused to curse the Israelites.

I. GOD'S CHILDREN ARE SOMETIMES TEMPTED TO SEEK UNLAWFUL HONOUR.

1. Honour in wrong fields. Utterly bad and thoughtless people often covet the honour of outstripping each other in sin, such as who can drink most, swear the most fearful oaths, steal most cleverly, &c. But many who are not bad or thoughtless to that extent yet covet honours which are no true honours at all, such as who can dress finest, can say the most unkind and cutting things to people, can exact the surest revenge for every wrong real or fancied, &c.

2. Honour on wrong terms. By false pretences, at the expense of others, &c.

You remember that Jesus

3. Honour from wrong sources. was tempted to take honours from Satan. compliments from the bad and frivolous. that school are real disgraces.

Refuse honours and
The "honours" of

II. How GOD KEEPS HIS CHILDREN BACK FROM THIS HONOUR. 1. Against their will. As when their little plots are discovered or fail, and their ambition is thwarted. Sometimes the fly of worldly honour will not come to their web, however skilfully they weave it. For example, you are not voted into the place you would like; you are not admired and honoured as you would like.

2. With the consent of their will. (1.) Proper self-respect keeps them back. They will not dig in an ashpit, even although there might be a half-crown in the heart of it. You have no idea of the real indignities some people suffer, to get "honour." Now self-respect is implanted by God, and when it keeps us back, God does. (2.) A sense of right. That honour is not mine; it belongs to that other boy or girl. The palm to him who has deserved it. (3.) God's Word; which forbids injustice and deceit, and enjoins us to seek the honour which comes from above; which tells us to esteem others better than ourselves.

III. How GOD MAKES UP FOR THE LOSS OF THIS HONOUR.

1. He gives us the assurance of His own approval. That is more than worth the honour of the whole world. If you were drawing a picture or doing a difficult exercise, you would value the approval of one who was a master in these branches more than the ignorant praise of a hundred people who knew nothing about them. God knows and approves. And how sweet to

have the approval of God! When a young sailor or soldier or scholar comes back after great successes, and misses one voice in the chorus of praise-for it is silent in death-that of his mother, whom he wished to make glad and proud by his fame, the huzzahs of the world make him feel sad and lonely. Our

Saviour never dies, and to have His "Well done!" what can equal that?

2. He will give us all our true place of honour at last. Our true place; and we could never be at rest in a position that was not our own. God is building a large temple which will last to all eternity, and all His people will find their right place in it as polished stones. Can you not wait? If ignorant savages jeered at a Livingstone or a Stanley, would they be much cast down about it? Would they not say, "I can wait for the grateful plaudits of England and America?" "The world knoweth us not, even as it knew Him not." "Nevertheless, the foundation of the Lord standeth sure, having this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are His."

Fourth Sunday after Easter.

EPISTLE.

"EVERY GOOD GIFT AND EVERY PERFECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE, AND COMETH DOWN FROM THE FATHER OF LIGHTS, WITH WHOM IS NO VARIABLENESS, NEITHER SHADOW OF TURNING"

(James i. 17).

SHORTSIGHTED man, when trusting to his own wisdom, is wont to question to impugn the goodness of God. Some foolhardy speculators have put the alternative thus: God is limited either in power or benevolence, or the evil with which the world abounds would not exist. Against such misconstructions of Divine Providence the Word forewarns us; we are assured that temptation and sin are not from God, but that "every good gift," &c.

I. THE GIVER. We are to look up, to look heavenwards for the Giver of good.

1. He is termed the Father of Lights. He kindled the flaming sun and the sparkling stars. He is light, and He pours the glad beams of day upon our path. Is this like one who might be the author of evil to man? Nay, rather this is like one who should "shine into our hearts to give the light," &c.

2. He is described as unchanging. With Him is no "shadow that is cast by turning." The heavenly bodies revolve, accomplish their orbits or their course, suffer eclipse, cast shadows in their turning; but our God is "the Lord that changeth not." It is not in His nature to be gracious to-day and harsh tomorrow; one hour to give and another to withhold. He shines with eternal and unvarying lustre, lifting the light of His countenance upon His people for evermore.

II. THE GIFTS. Of these we are told

1. They are of celestial origin. A gift is twice precious when

it partakes of the giver's character. Indeed, the charm of a gift lies in its witness to the giver. "Rich gifts wax poor when givers prove unkind." The bounties of Providence, the riches of grace are from above, and retain the fragrance of the garden whence they have been plucked and sent down to man.

2. They are good. Even when they are not what was asked for, and scarcely welcome, they may be and are good to those who receive them in a right spirit; and of the gifts of Heaven in general nothing is more certain than this, that they are tokens of divine beneficence and ministrations of blessing to human hearts.

3. They are perfect, agreeing with the nature of Him who bestows, and proving themselves adapted to the circumstances of those who receive.

GOSPEL.

"IT IS EXPEDIENT FOR YOU THAT I GO AWAY"
(John xvi, 7).

THE benefits derived by His disciples from their Lord's presence on earth were many and obvious. How then could it be expedient that He should depart? Pensively and wonderingly the soul exclaims

"My Saviour, can it ever be

That I should gain by losing Thee?"

Yet reflection shows us how true was this word of Christ.

I. BY CHRIST'S DEPARTURE THE WAY WAS PREPARED FOR THE DISPENSATION OF THE SPIRIT. A general diffusion and an active operation of the Spirit were needed by mankind, and were promised from of old. It was only after the Lord's ascension, however, that, in the counsels of God, these blessings were bestowed. The reason of this we may to some extent apprehend. The bodily presence of Jesus was necessary for a season, but when His ministry and sacrifice were accomplished, His absence from men's sight became the condition of the exercise of His spiritual and ubiquitous power.

II. BY CHRIST'S DEPARTURE THE LIFE OF FAITH WAS MADE POSSIBLE FOR HIS DISCIPLES. During His presence with them they walked by sight; it could not be otherwise. His removal called