particular circumstances respecting man, and in things so very minute, that it is impossible, by any stretch of thought, to comprehend a thousand thousandth part of them: for, every smallest moment of man's life contains in it a series of consequences extending to eternity, inasmuch as each moment is a new beginning of subsequent ones." So strong and express "So is the language of the New Church Doctrine, in regard to the Divine providence; and here we see illustrated the meaning of the Lord's words, "The very hairs of your head are all numbered."

But while the Doctrine of the New Church affirms thus strongly the universal and perfect providence of the Lord, it denounces with equal force the false and dreadful dogma of predestination. It declares that there is no such thing as predestination; that it is a fabrication of man's dark and cruel imagination, supported only by narrow and short-sighted reasonings, or a misunderstanding and perversion of some few scattered passages of Scripture. It affirms that every man is born for heaven, and may go there if he will; that his fate is in his own hands; that he is free to choose his own course- -to become good or to become evil; and according to the choice he makes, will be his state in eternity. Man's freedom of choice-his power to choose good or evil-is inscribed on every page of the Holy Scriptures; it is taught in every commandment; it is held up in every appeal; it is implied in every promise and every threat uttered by the Divine Being, through * A. C., n. 3854.

His Word, to man.-"Choose ye, this day, whom ye will serve, ,"is the whole burden of Scripture. To hold, then, that man has no moral freedom-that he is predestined to the course he takes,-is to make the whole Word of God a nullity; and to say, that any man is born, predestined to hell and eternal wretchedness, amounts to blasphemy, because it does not merely asperse the Divine character, but implies a denial of that which is the very essence and substance of the Divine character,-mercy, goodness, love. The providence of the Lord is indeed most particular and most universal; it is ever careful, ever watchful: but yet it is exercised in such manner, as never to interfere in the smallest degree with the moral freedom of man.

Such, then, are the teachings of the Divine Word, and of the New Church Doctrine, in regard to that great and important subject-the Lord's providence over his creatures. And how, now, shall we put in practice this truth? how shall we attain that freedom from anxiety, that peaceful trust in Divine Providence, which is comparatively a state of heaven upon earth? It is to be attained in the same way as every other spiritual good, that is, by struggle and combat, by resisting in ourselves the opposite evil. When anxiety arises, and fear about the future, either in regard to domestic affairs, or worldly business, or anything else that interests us, then is the temptation: first we should call to mind some truth of the Divine Word, as this, "Even the very hairs of

* Joshua xxiv. 15.

at all times."

"Take no

your head are all numbered;" or this, thought for the morrow:" or "Trust in the Lord Armed with these Divine truths, we must resist the evil spirit of anxiety, and put it down, and keep it down; and by and by, a soft light from heaven will descend into the mind, showing us the Lord as our protector: and with that light, a gentle flame will kindle in the heart, of love towards him and trust in him. And with every such combat, that light will grow brighter, and that flame more ardent, till at length the shades of anxious fear will be all dispersed, and the soul will be filled with a happy and peaceful trust in the perfect providence of the Lord.

SERMON XXI.

ON ACCIDENTS.

"Be ye therefore ready also; for the Son of Man cometh at an hour when ye think not."-LUKE xii. 40.

THE late awful accident* that has occurred on our western waters, seems to present us with an occasion for serious reflection, and to be a theme from which may be drawn much spiritual instruction.

A steamer, filled with passengers, is gliding swiftly on its course, and is now within sight of its destined port. Another half-hour will bring them safe to their journey's end. Suddenly the boat strikes-there is a frightful crashing beneath-the water is rushing inthe boat is sinking. A frightful moment! With cries of terror and despair, all run hither and thither for deliverance-but in vain. Some, the rushing water surrounds before they can escape, and overwhelms them : others are suddenly thrown off from their place of

* The loss of a steamer, near St. Louis, on the river Mississippi, by which disaster upwards of forty persons perished: among these were some children, and also several negro slaves.

fancied security into the midst of the waves. Shrieks of horror and agony rise on every side, and are hushed only in death. Awful scene! Who, that has an imagination to conceive it, and a heart to feel for the sufferers in it, but is struck with horror! Forty persons, who, a little while ago, were living and breathing, and looking on the scenes around them with bright anticipations, are now unconscious and still, and their eyes closed in the sleep of death: they will no more live amongst the things of this world: they have passed "that bourn, whence no traveler returns."

Though painful, it may be good for us, at times, to stop and look upon such scenes as this. We are hurried so rapidly on by the torrent of life and busy action,—we are so intent on our own narrow path, so absorbed in our own individual pursuits, that we do not note the events that are passing around us, or, if we see them, do not allow ourselves time to stop and reflect upon them. And we need, sometimes, to be checked in our selfish course, to be startled by some frightful explosion just at our side, or touched by the cries and shrieks of our fellow-beings hurt and dying around us. Then we look up, and perceive that we are not alone in the world. And our attention, thus, being once aroused, we are induced to look further,— to take a wider observation of the scene around us, and discover where we are,—and to look on before, and inquire whither we are going; and also, perhaps, to raise our eyes to the bright skies over our heads, and thus perceive, almost for the first time, that there is something higher than earth. Let us, then, take