much more advantageous. How much wider is his field, how much larger his congregation; how his words can enter houses where his person would be rejected, and be read by foe as well as received by friend. The influence which the thoughts and opinions of others exercise over us often escapes our own notice. The power is so subtle, the effect often so gradual, and in its operation so blended with the workings of our own mind, that we can hardly distinguish between the influence and its effects, between what is another's and what is our own. And if this hold good in ordinary matters, how much more so in the kingdom of grace. Truth, we mean thereby divine truth, has a wonderful power and influence over the mind, wherever the eyes, ears, and heart have been opened to see, hear, and believe it. It carries with it its own evidence, and shines in the light of its own testimony. To know the truth and experience its liberating, sanctifying power; (John viii. 32; xvii. 17;) to receive the love of it; (2 Thess. ii. 10;) to be taught it by an unction from the Holy One; (1 John ii. 20, 27;) to be of it, and to know that we are of it; (1 John iii. 19;) for it to dwell in us, and for us to walk in it: (2 John 2, 4:) these are some of the peculiar marks of the living family of God; and if so, without them no minister, no book will be received by, or be acceptable to them. But where they find this truth, and it is commended to their consciences, there they will find an influence and a power, and that acting for their spiritual good.

But two things are specially needful for this active influence,―elements we may call them of spiritual weight and power.

1. The first element of this influence must be confidence. If we cannot trust a man either in private or public life, of what use or value can he be? From the errand boy to the bank director, from the little maid who runs with a letter to the post-office to the prime minister who holds the reins of government, confidence is the foundation of all the daily transactions of life. If without a large measure of mutual confidence between man and man, society itself could scarcely hang together, how much more is mutual confidence needed between men in those matters which relate to our soul's welfare and peace? But confidence, as Lord Chatham once said in his place in Parliament, is a plant of slow growth. And as it grows slowly, so it may slowly decline or suddenly fall. To a man in business credit is everything. What exertions will he make to obtain it; what sacrifices will he endure to maintain it! But shall the children of this world esteem loss of credit almost worse than loss of life? and shall the children of light be careless and indifferent to the loss of their Christian reputation? How careful, then, should be every minister, and every editor who professes the doctrines of our most holy faith, neither by word nor work to impair the confidence reposed in him. He should be as tremblingly alive to avoid everything to shake that confidence as a banker to prevent a run upon his bank. Nay, much more so; for the one may merely cause a temporary pecuniary loss, but the other permanent injury to the cause of truth and to his own happiness and usefulness. No

man is more despised, no man more justly despicable, than a timeserving minister. A shifting, time-serving editor is, in our judgment, scarcely less despicable. As there always have been and always will be religious parties, every party naturally, almost necessarily, if of any extent, seeks some recognized organ of opinion by which it may act and speak. Our desire and aim are, and always have been, to represent no party—or at least that party only which possesses and professes sound experimental truth, and sterling vital godliness. If we have any weight or influence, this is the secret of it, that we express what our spiritual readers believe and feel. We do not lead them, nor do they lead us. We are friends and brethren, not master and servants, nor servant and masters. It is the truth in the love and power of it which unites us-that secret, mysterious, invisible, and yet powerful bond which knits together as with ties of adamant all who see eye to eye, and feel heart to heart in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ. But as contending for the faith once. delivered to the saints, we may be considered to speak for many who have not the opportunity, or perhaps the ability, to speak for themselves. Because we do this, freely and simply putting forth from time to time what God, we hope, has taught us, and because what we thus write or insert expresses the views and feelings of many private Christians and of many ministers, we may be considered rightly or wrongly the organ of a religious body. "The Standard men has become almost a word of reproach. Be it so. But let.

all know that as we allow no man to have dominion over our faith, so we exercise dominion over the faith of none. But even were it so that we do virtually represent a large body of Christian men and ministers, to be the free, unfettered, independent organ of a party is one thing, to be the tool of a party is another. A man, be he minister or editor, who will suffer himself to be the tool of a party, merits the end of all tools-to be thrown aside as useless and worthless when worn out, or the job is done. Dear readers, if we have not your confidence, we are no fit editor for you. If you read what we write or what we insert with any suspicion either of the genuineness of the article itself, or of our motives in bringing it. before you, throw the book aside; you will get no profit from it; the secret suspicion that is working in your mind will poison the whole to you. But if you feel so far a confidence in us as an editor both as to what we write and what we insert, that we would not willingly deceive you or ourselves, for due allowance must be made for human weakness and infirmity, it imposes on us the greater obligation not justly to forfeit it, but rather seek to maintain and increase it to the utmost of our power.

2. The second element of weight and influence is solid profit. You may trust us so far as not to doubt our sincerity of purpose, or even our ability of performance; and yet derive little profit from our labours. Should this be the case, where or with whom the fault may lie, it is not for us to inquire, much less decide; but if you do not profit by our pages, do not read them. "In all labour," says the "there is profit; but the talk of the lips tendeth only to

wise man,

penury." (Prov. xiv. 23.) Judge for yourselves whether what we bring before you be the fruit of labour or the talk of the lips. If the former, it will feed and profit; if the latter, it will starve and rob you. In earthly matters, in the daily transactions of life, profit is the spring of business, the reward of labour, the soul of industry, sustaining and cheering all who live by the sweat of the brow or the sweat of the brain. Profit, in a higher sense of the word, is the strongest spring, as it is the sweetest reward, of all preaching, of all hearing, of all writing, of all reading, of all labour in the service of God and his word and truth. But what is profit, that is, spiritual profit Let us seek to answer this question, and thus make

it the chief purport of our present Address.

By profit, in a spiritual sense, we understand everything which enriches the soul, that is, makes it "rich toward God;" (Luke xii. 21;) communicates to it durable riches and righteousness, causes those who love the Lord to inherit substance, and fills their treasures. (Prov. viii. 18-21.) This is profit. Of this profit, of these treasures, Wisdom, that is Jesus, as of God "made unto us wisdom," (1 Cor. i. 30,) holds the key. Wisdom, therefore, cries aloud, "Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. For the merchandiseof it is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies; and all the things thou caust desire are not to be compared unto her." (Prov. iii. 13-15.) And again: "Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it." (Prov. viii. 10, 11.) But as the fruit of this wisdom is to make us wise unto salvation, and as it is the free gift of God to those who feel their need of it, (James i. 5,) we have to cry and seek for it, but shall not cry and seek in vain. "Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding; if thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures; then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord giveth wisdom; out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding." (Prov. ii. 3-6.) Few, however, seem to know, few to prize this heavenly wisdom, this divineteaching, this unction or anointing from the Holy One which teacheth all things, and is truth and no lie. Forms and ceremo-nies content some, a name to live satisfies others; a sound creed, with a tolerably consistent life, is enough for this professor, the approbation"> of men, the flattery of his own heart, are sufficient for that. But Othe insufficiency, the emptiness, the deceptiveness of all these forms and shadows, when we are made to see and feel who and what we are; when our poverty comes upon us like an armed man; when our miserable destitution, nakedness, beggary, and thorough insolvency, with all their attendant wants and woes, stare us in the face; when we stand before the throne of the Most High without a rag to cover us, a refuge to hide us, or a plea to avail us. It is this view of ourselves within and without, this sinking down before God as the great Searcher of hearts, this deep and feeling sense of the pitiable state

into which sin, original and actual, has brought us, which, in the hands of the blessed Spirit, opens our eyes to see what alone can profit us. One beam of divine light shining into the soul is enough to show us not only what we are, but what alone can do us any good. One drop of the unction from the Holy One falling upon the lids is enough to open the eyes to see in whom all salvation is, from whom all salvation comes, and thus for ever to chase away those idle dreams, those vain delusions, those deceptive hopes in which thousands lie as in the midst of the sea, or upon the top of a mast. By hunger we learn what is true food; by thirst, what is pure water, wine, and milk; by want, what is kind charity; by cold and nakedness, what are warmth and clothing; by pitiless storms and beating rains, what are house and home, refuge and shelter. That, then, which feeds, warms, relieves, clothes, shelters, comforts, blesses, and saves the soul is that alone which profits it. Everything else, every other substitute, is but a stone for bread or a serpent for a fish; (Matt. vii. 9, 10;) the dream of a hungry man who eateth and awaketh, and his soul is empty; (Isa. xxix. 8;) ashes for food, and a lie in the right hand for substantial truth; (Isa. xliv. 20;) the vine of Sodom and the fields of Gomorrah for the best wine that goeth down sweetly, causing the lips of those that are asleep to speak. (Deut. xxxii. 32; Song vii. 9.)

But where or whence shall we get this solid, substantial food, this wine that maketh glad the heart of man, this oil that maketh his face to shine, this bread which strengtheneth man's heart? (Ps. civ. 15.) Is it not all in Jesus?-the risen, the ascended, the glorified, and glorious Son of the Father in truth and love? He alone is the bread of life to feed us; (John vi. 48;) the water of life to give us drink; (John vii. 37;) his justifying righteousness is our only acceptable dress; (Rom. iii. 24; Eph. i. 6; Phil. iii. 9;) his atoning blood our only redemption and remission of sins; (Eph. i. 7;) his word and promise our only hope; (Rom. iv. 18-21; 2 Cor. i. 20; Heb. vi. 18-20;) his sympathy and compassion as our great High Priest on his throne our main support; (Heb.iv.15;) and his ability to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him our chief encouragement. But how are we to obtain this food, this shelter, this peace, this support, this strength and consolation? We see, clearly see, that it is not in us, and we see, clearly see, in whom it all centres. But to get at it, to draw it down into our own breast, to feed on the bread, to drink the milk and wine, to enjoy the peace, the rest, the quiet, the calm security, the deliverance from all foes and fears; to have the earnests and foretastes of eternal bliss, the sweet assurance of all sin pardoned, all backslidings healed, every crooked thing made straight and every rough place made plain; to have all bondage, distance, darkness, guilt, and apprehension fully removed, and to walk in the light of God's countenance as freely accepted in the Beloved-how shall these heavenly blessings be realised as our happy portion? Only as the blessed Spirit takes of the things of Christ, reveals them to us, gives us faith to believe in the Son of God, and by this precious faith to receive every mercy and blessing out of his fulness. We thus see

that before we can preach to profit, write to profit, and, we may well add, hear or read to profit, we must know and feel these three things: 1. A deep sense of our own emptiness, poverty, and destitution. 2. A view by faith of the Son of God as containing in himself all the treasures of grace and glory. 3. A communication by the blessed Spirit of some of these glorious riches feelingly and experimentally to our heart. In the transactions of business and daily life, profit is something real and tangible. It is not a set of account books or a balance sheet, a heap of bills or a row of figures, which at the end of the year shows the trader where he stands that he terms profit, but a real, solid, substantial addition to his income or his capital, to his necessaries or his comforts, to the support and education of his family, to his honourable standing in business, to the increase and enlargement of his connection. It is this solid, substantial character stamped upon profits which makes them so sought after and so valued. And similarly, it is the misery of losses, and carrying on a sinking, unprofitable business which furrows the brow with care, fills the mind with gloomy anxieties, and embitters to thousands every day of their lives. Now take this parallel into the things of God. The profit of the soul is, or should be, as solid, as real, tangible, and substantial as the profit of business. The soul trades as well as the body; there is a business, a daily business, carried on in the closet as well as in the counting-house, at the throne of grace as well as behind the counter. The soul has its gains and losses, its receipts and payments, its account books-its waste book, journal, and ledger, the first for wasted time and opportunities, the second for the sins of each day, the third for the transgressions set down in the long debt book of memory during many years. But when the books are opened, a glance at their contents, for we need not sum up the totals or make a balance sheet, shows us our entire insolvency and total bankruptcy. Where then the profit if the whole be loss? Here, as we close the books in despair, and look upward as if without help or hope, a Friend above meets the eye who has beforehand paid every debt, and bearing our sins in his own body on the tree, "blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross." (Col. ii. 14.) Is there no profit here? What! No profit in his precious blood which cleanseth from all sin; no profit in his righteousness which justifies from all things from which we could not be justified by the law of Moses? Why, it is all profit. This made David say: "Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile." (Ps. хххіі. 1-2.) It is this which makes Jesus so suitable, so precious to those who believe, that in him we are blessed, already blessed, "with all spiritual blessings;" that "in him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;" that "in him we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will." And why? "That we should be to the praise of