ried persons so corresponded with Zacharias and Elisabeth! Then would the devout aspirations of our Church over her newly-married members receive their happy fulfilment,-then would "Almighty God pour upon them the riches of His grace, sanctify and bless them, that they would please Him both in body and soul, and live together in holy love to their lives' end."

9. It must be so. For when you see in each other the evident tokens of a living faith, when both hearts are melted in contrition for sin, both led by the Spirit to the cross of Christ, both accounted righteous before God through faith in the same Saviour, and seek to be conformed to the same image; when, moreover, you are both enriching your souls with the daily reading of the same Scripturesbreathing your wants as you kneel together side by side at the same throne of grace, and seek fresh nourishment, month by month, in sacramental fellowship at the same table-in all this, drawing nearer to God by the Spirit, your hearts are united more and more in permanent endearinent to each other. Each fulfils a ministration of comfort and blessing to the other. There is a constant giving and receiving. The longer you live, the more you love. Such hearts will never fail in love to each other, till life itself shall fail. And, when life's journey shall end at last, and death cuts every cord, you will find to your great joy, that a union has been cemented-not of "the earth, earthy," but a union of spirit with spirit-a union that grew stronger with advancing years, and fresher amid the inroads of progressive decay-a union that suffers no interruption in the silence of the grave, but is perpetuated among spirits made perfect, and attains its consummation and bliss when mortality shall be swallowed up of life.

10. I am only giving utterance to your most fervent and united desires, when I pray that the richest and most abundant blessings may be granted to the Royal pair, upon whose union the eyes of all Europe are turned, and for whose happiness the prayers of God's people are everywhere offered. What a contrast does this country present to others! Events are now transpiring, east and west, big with mighty issues for the future. Here, are oppressors forging chains to letter down the struggling efforts of freedom, and stifle its sighs; there, brothers in language, but aliens in heart, beat their ploughshares into swords, and make spears of pruning-hooks— sacrifice their manhood in holocausts, squander their wealth in unprofitable armaments, and bring the wheels of national life to a dead lock; while in this country, amid prosperity and peace-thanks to the favour with which God graciously beholds our island home-youthful princes are plighting their troth in bridal vows and holy love, surrounded by all the grandeur of a stately monarchy, and supported by all the prayers of a loyal, enthusiastic, and a loving people. "The Lord hath done great things for them, say they among the heathen. Yea, the Lord hath doth great things for us whereof we are glad."

11. We may well rejoice. There is not a cloud to dim the brightness of this bridal day. It is a marriage of free and voluntary choice, ripened into deep and mutual affection, not an arrangement coldly settled by diplomatic convention. It is solemnized in the

unsullied bloom of youthful ardour, not deferred till the heart is chilled by disappointments, hardened into selfishness, or corrupted and palled by vice. It receives on all sides the high sanction of parental approbation. It sheds a gleam of brightness over halls long consigned to silence and sorrow, and lights again with joy a mother's heart, whose "tears have been her meat day and night, and mingled her drink with weeping."

"I feel doubly happy in the thought," says the Prince himself, 66 that my approaching marriage is one that has the approval of the nation; and I only trust that I may not disappoint the expectations that have been formed of me." We trust there is no reason to fear this. He makes the best husband who best fulfilled his duties as Filial obedience and high moral excellence, it is said, have ever distinguished the character of the Prince; and there is every ground to believe that his future career will be worthy of his honoured father, in whose footsteps he now treads.

a son.

Of the royal bride, report-which proclaimed, but did not exaggerate her beauty-testifies the still higher graces of her mind. The blessings with which her native land bid her farewell, were as spontaneous and hearty as the welcome with which she was received yesterday in her future home. Assurances that she is worthy of her high position reach us, wafted across northern seas; and the English people received her with enthusiastic confidence that her future years will not disappoint their hopes.

Still, it is a grave event. Silent as it is, and passing away with no other notice than the exuberance of national rejoicing, yet must its influence vibrate to the ends of the earth, and reach the heart of generations yet to come. May the richest blessings-personal, domestic, political-descend from heaven upon the youthful prince and princess! May future writers, who shall record the festivities of these bridal days, have reason to describe them as the dawn of a long, bright period in our national history, when "peace and happiness, truth and justice, religion and piety," shall pre-eminently flourish and abound! 12. " Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty: for He is thy Lord; and worship thou Him." These words have a high and spiritual meaning. They speak to us about a relationship which will last when all human ties are broken. They bid us "hearken" to another voice,-"consider" other interests,-"incline our ears" to other counsels; they bid us to "forget" the troubles or the pleasures of this life-the links and relationships of our "father's house"-and to think of another King, who claims our service, and demands the heart.

The "King," for whom we are to win you into a spiritual alliance, is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ-higher than the kings of the earth. In many ways has He condescended to awaken your interest, and kindle desire. By the preaching of His Gospel, when His glories as God and man in one person are described, and His finished atonement and reconciliation for sinners set forth-by the "still small voice" of the Holy Spirit whispering to you about His love and grace-by the mercies and the trials of daily Providence,

sometimes making you glad, and then solemnizing you with griefs
and cares-by such means is the Holy Spirit ever making personal
appeals to your heart, to induce you to listen to the proposal of the
heavenly King, who is seeking to bring you into saving union with
Himself. "Hearken," consider,' incline your ear!" Other
invitations, with which the world seeks to deceive, are, alas! eagerly
listened to; but He who for so many years has accosted you has
received a negligent hearing. Again, to-day, He renews His gracious
entreaty: "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear
my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with
him, and he with me." Then, let it be, now! "Hearken," "consider,"
"incline your ear," now! Let not the baits of worldly pleasure, nor
the fear or shame from the frown or contempt of men, hinder you.
"Ashamed of Jesus! yes, I may,

When I've no sins to wash away,
No tears to wipe, no joys to crave,
And no immortal soul to save.
"Till then,-nor is the boasting vain,-
Till then I'll boast a Saviour slain ;
And, oh! may this my portion be,
That Saviour not ashamed of me!"

Then, "hearken," "consider," and "incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father's house; so shall the King greatly desire thy beauty: for He is thy Lord; and worship thou Him."

ADVICE TO THE UNMARRIED.

No doubt it is contrary to all ideas of prudence and humanity, for young people to enter into this relation, without any reasonable prospect of being able to provide for themselves and their families. A step of this sort has often been followed with very unhappy consequences. On the contrary, to forbear forming the marriage connexion simply because there is not such a fortune on either side as will enable a man to support a family independent of business, is a conduct nearly as censurable as the former. For surely it is the duty of every one who is rising into life, to labour for his own subsistence and that of his offspring, and not to depend on the industry and success of those who have preceded him. His own real interest, and that of society in general, requires it. And however an equality of circumstances may in many instances be properly regarded, there are cases wherein this rule may with good reason be dispensed with. Where there is wealth on one side, there may be considerations sufficient to balance that on the other. On the whole, there is a perfect harmony between the counsels of piety and prudence; that of the former is, "Be moderate in thy desires; seek not great things for thyself;" that of the latter, "Let not thy passions, through inconsideration, precipitate thee into all the anxieties of indigence and want." Above all, seek Divine guidance, and all will be well.DR. STENNETT.

THE PRINCE'S MARRIAGE.

The People Witnessing, and the People Blessing.

BY THE

REV. L. STANHAM, B.A.,

PREACHED AT ST. BARTHOLOMEW'S TEMPORARY CHURCH, HAYES PLACE, LOWER ROAD, ON SUNDAY, MARCH 8TH, 1863.

"And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem.”—Ruth iv. 11. THERE have been already three great events in the life of our beloved Sovereign, marked by public observance and interest: the first, her welcome accession to the throne; the second, her marriage with a much-loved prince; the third, our national mourning for that prince's loss-a loss not less the country's than the Queen's, for Albert was the nation's benefactor and the people's friend.

A new occasion is now presented for an expression of public loyalty and esteem. The eldest son of our widowed Queen is assuming his recognised position as an English citizen, and a member of our commonweal. In this-his alliance with the House of Denmark-all the hopes which can inspire a faithful people are clustering round the heir to England's throne. All the virtues which have hallowed and adorned the domestic character of his parent are fondly anticipated in the future of the son. And all the admiration and affection which those virtues continue to call forth from the highest to the lowest of her subjects, form a diadem of radiant glory, the like to which they desire to plant upon the Prince's brow. May the best blessings of Heaven descend upon our Prince of

SERMON XXIII.

Wales! May the hearts of England's sons exult in doing honour to his Royal name!

Yesterday witnessed a scene seldom, if ever, equalled in our national rejoicings. The bridegroom had gone forth to meet his bride. For days, and even weeks, preparations for the event had been made. The crowds, who yesterday thronged together, were of one heart and one mind. Their desire was to greet the lady who is to be sharer of the Prince's joys, and to shower their best wishes upon them both. The senators and elders of our land, the authorieties and dignitaries of our great metropolis, the regiments of our noble volunteers drawn, as they were, from all quarters of the land, and the close-wedged living masses who lined the houses and the streets, all assembled to pay a loyal tribute, all came to witness and to bless the bridal pair. Not a heart but must have caught the enthusiasm of the moment; not a voice, but could have spoke in welcome praise. The eye of Him "by whom kings reign, and princes minister justice," rested on the scene, And the heart of Him, who felt all joyous sympathy at Cana's marriage feast, was, doubtless, full of sympathy and blessing for this marriage too.

But the event is one, as important as it is interesting. By every marriage, not only is the future prosperity of the chief parties themselves affected, but their separate influences upon others also. Not only does the solemn compact, when entered into "in the Lord,” minister to each one's happiness; but that happiness is imparted and multiplied the more the circle of individual influence extends. How much, then, must a nation's welfare be bound up with the issues of this alliance. How momentous must be the result of that union which will eventually produce an effect upon all ranks of society, and extend to all quarters of the globe. When one member of England's body suffers, all the members suffer with it. When one rejoices, all rejoice with it. Lancashire and London, the cottage and the palace, the peasant and the prince, possess in our blessed land of freedom a mutual interest, and a mutual sympathy; and hence, we can hardly over-estimate the importance of this event. Whilst we are called

upon to regard it as a bright harbinger of promise, we may be permitted to address our Royal prince, and say, like the people and elders to Boaz, "We are witnesses"-thankful, joyful, hopeful witnesses- The Lord make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem."

The words of the text naturally divide themselves into two parts, and both in reference to the betrothal of Ruth to Boaz; and, in their application to the marriage of the Prince, they denote the fact of First. The people witnessing.

Second.-The people blessing

I. The people witnessing.

1. They are grateful witnesses of the choice which has been made.

It is one of the great privileges which England enjoys in the midst of the nations, that an alliance with the family of her sovereign must always be esteemed an honour and advantage. Almost all the