influence of the Divine Spirit we may thus pass again, in thought, over the scenes of our life, and reap certain benefit now, even in those where we reaped none then. There is some consolation in this. "I had no good of them thenmercy brings it to me now." We may turn to inestimable account many things that to thoughtless spirits are insignificant and useless. And all the while we may be admonished that there is ONE who has a perfect memory of all that we may forget in our progress of time. May we be moved to an ardent zeal that, by the grace of God, what yet remains of life may, when it also shall be a subject of memory, yield more delightful recollections, when its memorials recall it.

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LECTURE LXXI.

THE DIVINE JEWELS.

MALACHI iii. 17.

They shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in the day when I make up my jewels."

It seems, then, the Lord of Hosts has something, even in this evil world, on which he sets a high and peculiar value; ---notwithstanding there is so much that he condemns,— sometimes as if all were evil. Indeed, it were very strange if he had not, when we consider what it is for Him to have formed, sustained, governed, a world. Think of this mighty globe of matter! Why, it requires an angel's faculty to conceive any adequate notion of its very magnitude. There never was a man on earth who had space enough for it in his mind, if we may express it so. And then think of all its elements ;-its marvellous order ;—the laws of Nature, invented, established, maintained in perpetual force;-its productions. And then, its relation to the heavens. Next, the mighty scheme of Providence. And, the whole system of spiritual government. Now, in so vast a system of existence, and so immense and various an economy of operation and regulation, there should be found something peculiarly precious, and of which he may say, by eminence-" It is mine."

"My jewels." It is a strong expression of value; is so among men. But, what can there be in this world that HE will set such eminent value upon? what, that can be "jewels" to Him? to Him, "in whose sight the heavens are

not pure, and who chargeth his angels with folly?" What account does He make of all that is the most splendid and costly among the material things of this world? What values He the unknown wealth, (unknown but to Him) of the mines of gold and silver, and all the other hidden wealth? What values He all the precious stones in the world-the riches of treasuries-the sumptuousness of palaces, crowns, and thrones? But, nevertheless, there is something here which he condescends to call his "jewels;" something which he distinguishes from all that shines and sparkles, and glitters, with material lustre-from the things. which the earthly and carnal inhabitants of the earth have the most coveted and idolized. What can it be here that he has had his gracious thoughts upon, even before the creation, and in the designs and decrees of eternity? What, that his glorious Son should come down to seek and save? and to die in order to save? What,-that he watches to guard and preserve against the grand thief, ever vigilant upon the very same objects, who would, with preeminent exultation, plunder the earth of its great Monarch's "jewels ;" and would not care for the whole globe in comparison? What,—that he will at length collect together into a bright assemblage? Ask the insatiable collectors of treasure, or of the rare productions of Nature or Art. Ask the ambitious potentates and conquerors; or even the proud philosophers. But we need ask no one. We can easily tell what, for God has told us. The souls that have a heavenly quality in them,-a spiritual relation and resemblance to Himself, (therefore incorruptible and imperishable), a quality which he has put in them,—and is supernatural. They had it not originally,-and could not have acquired it from any or all the elements, material or intellectual, of this world. It is expressly called, “a partaking of the Divine Nature." A mysterious thing! We

wonder at the properties which some things in material Nature are found to possess. Science is perfectly amazed at what is observed and discovered in them. But here, in souls divinely renewed, is something for still deeper wonder. Wonderful, how the soul receives this quality,-what is the precise nature of the operation which imparts it,-how a new relation to God is created? How far is this beyond all philosophy! Wonderful, how this quality is maintained, in defiance of an infinity of things opposed to it, in the soul, and without it. There adheres to the jewel itself something that is base and corrosive, tending to spoil it. But it is not wonderful that the spirits in which it dwells should be esteemed by the Lord of Hosts as his "jewels."

They are scattered here and there, among earthly things. They are not in a collected state, except in the view of God. By Him they are seen as one faithful body, one sacred company and fraternity; but the human observer has to look upon them as separated among multitudes of objects of an unlike character. And, indeed, he does not wish them assembled into one exclusive company. If they can be safe in this dispersed intermingled state, they will be useful in it. And their safety can be trusted to their great Proprietor; he will place an array of protection round them. They are of very unequal degrees of purity and lustre. And some by their situation are less visible, though of high excellence. But, less or more, they do shine out, distinguished from the mere earthly objects surrounding them. Yet, often they have been accounted the very dross and offscouring of things. But He, to whom they belong, sees with another kind of sight,—with the infinite perfection of that sight with which all will, in a measure, see at last. God will make all see them in his light. A beam, as it were, of his radiant sight, falls on each individual, wherever placed on earth.

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If there be a young person, even a child, that is beginning to think seriously of Him,-to desire his favour,-to fear to sin against Him,-to pray to Him,-to wish to serve Him, that is one of his "jewels." He has even a special and peculiar favour for what continues so short a time in its mere earthly and corrupt state, for what is acquiring so soon the quality of Heaven,-for what will have so much longer reflected his image here on earth, if continuing the full term of mortal life, -- for what so short a time belongs to any other lord than himself. The god of this world cannot say "These may at last have become the property of my great enemy; but I have a fair claim to them, for they were long mine.”

If there be a truly repenting sinner,-alarmed to escape from a condition which he has begun to deplore and abhor, and applying earnestly for mercy in the name of Jesus Christ, that is one of his "jewels." The divine transforming principle has entered into the dark degraded substance; the celestial fire has fallen and kindled upon it, and will burn till it become bright and pure, the dross destroyed; and on the process angels are declared to be looking down with delight.

If there be one that is faithfully and boldly declaring himself for God, among the enemies of " the Lord of Hosts," that is a "jewel." For, strange and awful as it is, there are here on earth enemies to God, so many and so decided, that it is much to be his friend,-to be so, zealously and decidedly, in some situations! And those who are so, in such resolute contrariety, and zealous opposition, have even a value additional to their intrinsic worth, and such as they could not have, in the millennium. And this counteraction is itself made a cause of their greater brightness.

Wherever there is one who is earnestly and watchfully maintaining "a conscience void of offence," amidst all the