for we inhabit tabernacles which are equally transparent, and our motives, our feelings, our whole mental and moral economy, are showing themselves externally by signs which have no ambiguity." A truthful character is ever producing its own proper impression, and so influences. others that no one ever does good or evil, without hearing of it again, without finding that there have been plentiful witnesses of it, however secret. God's eye is always on us; and the eye of man, much oftener than we imagine. This life-influence is secret and constant, like a flower exhaling its fragrance; "Wherever the Christian is, whatever he does, this influence never ceases. It underlies all his actions; it runs side by side with his words; it goes on when action ceases and words fail." When silent and inactive what he is is necessarily co-extensive with his being-we can always live for Jesus-“ Simply to be in this world is to exert an influence compared with which mere words and acts are feeble." For this life influence we are responsible and rewarded; because our characters thus influencing others are the results of our thoughts, feelings, words and actions. Our life is a structure built up of all that we have said and done and experienced. We are justly responsible for the formation of the character which silently yet sensibly influences those around us. It lies with every man to determine under God his own character. Our accountability to God rests upon our ability to build up a good character, and every man is to eat of the fruit of his own ways. "The ownership of sins is a very solemn question, which in this view of the matter comes home to every human being." No man liveth to himself and no man dieth to himself. At the very dawn of life, parents and friends exert unconsciously as well as consciously, influences for good or evil by virtue of the mimic powers so strong in children. Secretly and silently impressions are made which no after discipline can remove. Fathers and mothers by sheer neglect, by their ungodly lives, form in their children an irreligious tendency, careless habits which grow with growth. Afterwards wicked companions taint the mind and heart, and by the looseness of their lives, sensual habits, falsehood, dishonesty, degrade and seal the ruin of their offspring, so thickly interwoven is the web of human influence. And this partaking of other men's sins, not merely by what we do voluntarily for a purpose, but by the secret, unconscious influence of our character and actions, will render necessary Christ's clear, determinate judgment in the decisions of THAT DAY. Then, too, the very victims of our thoughtless indulgence will wield the scourges of our retribution. 66 Happy the man, who sees a God employed In all the good and ill that chequer life! Resolving all events, with their effects And arbitration wise of the Supreme." Secret, unconscious, constant growth a law and reward of the kingdom of God. XXI. The Mustard Seed. The Kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took and sowed in his field; which indeed is the least of all seeds, that be in the earth, but when it is sown, it groweth up and becometh greater than all herbs, and shooteth out great branches, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof, under the shade of it. Matt. xiii. 31-32. Mark iv. 30-32. Luke xiii. 18-19 EXPOSITION. Here we have the history of the Gospel from the time of the Son of Man sowing His seed in His field, the world, until its growth pervades all nations, and becomes a shelter and a boon to all. It is so in each believer's heart and life. Small beginnings and steadfast growth should not be despised: from the acorn grows the oak; from the babe, the man; from the Babe of Bethlehem, the King of nations, the Redeemer of Israel. A word of truth reaching the conscience, a ray of heavenly light falling into the dark heart, some trifling thing giving rise to infinite consequences in thoughts, inclinations, feelings, desires, faith, actions. Simple, unobtrusive occasions, like those connected with all Christ's miracles, afforded opportunity to manifest His glory. The Word of Life Himself like a grain of mustard seed. His written word also. No word is more despised than the Gospel, yet none more powerful; it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. "A little spring had lost its way, amid the grass and fern ; A passing stranger scooped a well, where weary men might turn; A nameless man, amid a crowd that thronged the daily mart, I raised a brother from the dust, it saved a soul from death. O germ! O fount! O word of love, O thought at random cast! Prosperity is a characteristic of the kingdom. XXII. Leaven in Flour. Like is the Kingdom of the heavens to leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of flour until the whole was leavened. Matt. xiii. 33. Luke xiii. 20-21. EXPOSITION. The efficiency of the Word begins as soon as it is received; and, although it may be for a time concealed, it is existent, and in due season will be apparent. It will work its way gradually through the entire heart and life; and, as long as it is in contact with the mass, will leaven it, assimilate it. Into all the peculiarities and temperaments of believers the all-renewing power of the truth will enter and affect it, bringing every thought into subjection to Christ. The internal divine nature and living power of the truth must affect the entire man, and renew him in the spirit of his mind. "The yeast plant so abounds in yeast that this substance may be said to be almost entirely made up of it. When a small quantity of yeast is placed under the microscope and is magnified 300 or 400 diameters, it is found to be full of globules, which are clearly cells; and these cells vegetate, when placed in fermentable fluid containing some form of albuminous matter in addition to sugar in the manner represented in the Fig. 153. Each cell puts forth one or two projections, which seem to be young cells developed as buds or offsets of their predecessors; these in the course of a short time, become complete cells, and again perform the same process; and in this manner the single cells of yeast develop themselves, in the course of a few hours, into rows of four, five, or six, which remain in continuity with each other whilst the plant is still growing, but which separate if the fermenting process be checked, and "return to the isolated condition of those which originally constituted. the yeast. Thus it is that the quantity of yeast first introduced into the fermentable fluid is multiplied six times or more during the changes in which it takes part. The full development of the plant, and the evolution of its apparatus of fructification, however, only occur when the fermenting process is allowed to go without check; and it seems capable of producing a considerable variety of forms, whose precise relationship to each other have not yet been made clear." - Dr. W. B. CARPENTER'S. "The Microscope and its Revelations," Third Edition, p. 267. Thus it will be seen that the operation of leaven upon meal presents an analogy to the kingdom of heaven, because it is a principle of life and growth, and imparts a new energy and assimilative quality to the matter with which it comes into contact; the inner man is renewed day by day." "From the first breath of life divine, Down to the last expiring hour, The all-renewing power of the word a law of the kingdom. XXIII. The Treasure. Like is the Kingdom of the heavens to a treasure which has been hid in a field, which a man finding hid; and by reason of his joy withdraws and sells all things as many as he has, and buys that field. Matt. xiii. 44. EXPOSITION. The treasure hid in the field shows that some find without seeking, then hide it in their hearts, and give up everything that interferes with the full possession and |