worldly property at such a time. Sick and dying men have far other and higher things to think of.

Free yourself therefore from all such business before sickness overtakes you; have all made straight as regards the settlement of your substance before you are taken ill; let not worldly affairs be pushing and pressing themselves into your thoughts when all your thoughts should be given up to God. Now, now, while your mind is clear and your body hale and well, consider how your substance should be left; lawyers are out of place by the side of a dying man; go to your lawyer now; have all made straight; clear your mind of all such business; and then when grievous sickness overtakes you, you will not be distracted by the burden of unsettled affairs; you will say to yourself, "all that is settled;" you will be able wholly to give yourself to holy and heavenly things; you will be able to spend that precious time in prayer, in acts of repentance and of faith, in hearing God's Holy Word, in receiving the godly counsel of the Ministers of Christ, in receiving the blessed Feast of the Lord's Supper, in preparing yourself solemnly for the awful and mysterious act of death.

CONSULT YOUR PASTOR.

WHEN you have a will to make, or a lease to draw out, or any rights to get, or any suit to settle, you go to your lawyer; you lay the whole case before him; you ask him his opinion; you answer his questions, and altogether confide in him as a safe guide in legal matters.

He is not infallible; he may err and make mistakes; but as he has studied the law you trust in him, you put confidence in him, you know none so little likely to err.

Again, when you are ill, you go to your doctor, or you send for him if you are too ill to go; you tell him what you feel, where your pain lies, how you have lived, what you have eaten; you hold nothing back; you tell him all you know of your complaint, and, if possible, of its cause; he asks you many questions, which you answer; he tells you what to do; you take his counsel; you do what he bids; you put yourself

into his hands; you trust your health, your life to him; he bids you eat such a thing, and you eat it; he bids you not to eat such a thing, and you do not eat it; whether he advises you to stay at home or to go out, to follow your business or to rest for a while, you take his counsel. He is not infallible; he may err and make mistakes; or he may misunderstand your case; but as he has studied medicine, as you believe him to be skilful in his calling, you put faith in him, and you feel that he is a safer guide in matters of health than other men.

Or, if I were to take your carpenter or your mason, I find that you do the same, that you trust them, take their counsel in carpenters' work or in masons' work, as it may be.

And yet, strange to say, when it comes to the affairs of the soul, how few take counsel of those who study the things of the soul, and who have been "sent" by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself to minister in holy things; few patients come to the spiritual physician for help and medicine. Men take their own souls in hand; they are their own doctors, their own lawyers here; they refuse help; they refuse guidance; they think it is bondage to take advice; though they commit their property to their lawyers, commit their

health, their life to their doctors, yet they are slow to consult their Pastor; they are slow to tell him what their spiritual diseases are, what their complaints are, what their sins, what their faults, or to ask for any hints, any counsel in such concerns. They are slow to confide in him, or to seek his aid; they keep themselves to themselves, and refuse to open out their griefs, to shew their wounds, to reveal their sores, or to ask the spiritual counsellor what had best be done for the health and safety of their souls.

And yet are they who especially study spiritual concerns ignorant in spiritual things? Are they whose whole life and heart, and time and care, are given up to the things of God, unequal or unable to advise you in the things of God? Are they who are "sent" by God, who are the Ministers of Christ, worthless counsellors? can they give you no help? is their guidance to be set at nought? It is true they are not infallible; it is true that in advising you they may err and make mistakes; they may deal too gently or too severely with you; but still have they not given their minds to these things? have they not been called to fulfil the holy office of spiritual guides, spiritual shepherds, spiritual overseers? If they are not to be trusted, who are to be

trusted? Are you yourself a fair, strict, safe judge in your own case? Will you be your own judge, your own counsellor, and lean wholly upon yourself?

It is said that doctors never doctor themselves; they are very wise in this; for they know how difficult it is to see the truth in their own case; they may take too hopeful or too hopeless a view; their feelings may carry them away; they are too much interested to come to a clear calm judgment. Should you not therefore distrust your own judgment of your spiritual state? Believe me, it would greatly help men on their road to heaven, greatly help them in the subjection of the evil will, by God's grace, greatly help them to a strict and holy walk with God, if the Pastors of Christ's flock were oftener consulted by their flock. Why should you not confide in your Pastor? why should you not make him your friend? Surely he might often advise you for your good; he might greatly aid you with ghostly counsels. In times of sickness, in times of repentance, in times of sorrow, in times of despondency, you might find comfort or instruction, or golden hints of deepest value. The soul often needs support, often needs to be consoled and cheered, often needs to be plainly