Let us see, dear children, in the habits and instincts of these animals, what we can find emblematical of the character of a true child of God.

I.-Observe these insignificant creatures, four in number, have two qualities in common," weakness" and "wisdom :" they are "little," but "exceeding wise."

1. Now of all the qualities and gifts that distinguish the true from the false professor, and adorn the genuine christian, HUMILITY in comparing himself with others, and presenting himself before God, is the most conspicuous.

"Less than the least of all saints," Eph. iii. 8, "little in his own eyes, but making much of them that fear the Lord," Ps. xv. 4, he is especially at times, even painfully conscious of his own "poverty, blindness, and nakedness," Rev. iii. 17; he cannot therefore but distrust himself. Children are the weakest of the weak: they must, especially, then, distrust themselves, remembering how feeble are the ant, the locust, and the spider. But "the spirit of faith" does not stop here: woe to the heart that stops at such a point as this,-—for "weak as are these creatures of a day, they are

Heb. xi. 5. He wishes

2. "exceeding wise"-and the christian is "wise," wise unto salvation. 2 Tim. iii. 15. He knows how his soul must be saved. He knows how to please God, by the obedience of faith. to be good, and he trusts in God to make him so. and LOCUSTS, and SPIDERS, what he knows, he knows PRACTICALLY. Note here the difference between knowledge and wisdom. Wisdom

For like these ANTS

is practical knowledge, knowledge is theoretical wisdom.

Note also, that words of sense, as applied to our Father who is in Heaven, and to his children on earth, include the corresponding affections. For example " You only have I known, &c." Amos iii. 2. II. Take notice that these four little animals have habits peculiar to themselves.

The ANTS, the CONIES, the LOCUSTS, and the SPIDERS.

1. THE ANTS.

(a). Though they are "a people not strong," they make up for their weakness by their "wisdom." The long summer's day is before them, and they take advantage of its invaluable hours to provide for winter's want. By improving the opportunity intentionally given to them, their want of strength is compensated, and does not prove their destruction when winter cuts off all supplies. There is no opportunity for them to work in the winter; for there is nothing to gather.

And so the child of God. He knows the present day to be the day of Salvation. 2 Cor. vi. 2. He knows that God has reconciled himself to the world by Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. v. 19, and that now by keeping "the gift of God," that is to say "the Holy Ghost which is

given unto him" 2 Tim. i. 14, he may turn the short life of time into the long life of eternity-and he does so; his, like the ANTS, is prac tical knowledge, namely, "wisdom.”

He gets this Heavenly gift, by daily, faithful prayer: "for he that cometh unto God, must believe that He is, and that He is the rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." Heb. xi. 6.

(b). And this must be done by times, early, from infancy; for the young often die. "Winter" is approaching; the period between this life of Grace, and the life of Glory answers to winter. "Still it is winter in the tomb," as once sang Beattie. The attainment of faith, through repentance and humble prayer, must not be delayed then on any account; for, as says the old adage, "though God promises pardon to the penitent, he no-where promises five minutes to repent in." "Work then, while it is day, like the ANT; for the night "cometh when no man can work," John ix. 4.

And thus the ANT instructs the Christian.

2. THE CONIES.

Whatsoever may be the exact identity of these animals, they are "a feeble folk" and they inhabit "the rocks."

Here we note that as the ANTS save their lives by opposing the opportunity which is intentionally given to them, being weak, to the unproductiveness of winter, which without such wisdom, the strong only would survive, because they can migrate to some warmer clime, or exist by other means of which ANTS cannot avail themselves; so the CONIES Save theirs by creeping into the crevices of the rocks, when threatened by their peculiar dangers. Their wisdom works out their safety also. Though winter's snow covered the ground, that would not kill these rock-dwellers, they can still find sustenance, for their food is not the same as the food of the ANT. When the snow has lain long on the ground in this part of the Island, which is very seldom, it becomes quite honeycombed with the tracks of the field-mice abounding in our rocky sub-soil, which burrow beneath it, in search of their daily supply of grass and roots.

The CONIES then, save their lives from beasts of prey, and other dangers, by "making their houses in the rocks."

Now how does the Christian imitate this wisdom?

(a) Let us notice the dangers which threatens him.

"A guilty, weak, and helpless worm," he has provoked God's anger too often and too grievously, not to have treasured up to himself wrath. It is true his blessed Redeeemer has died, "not for the sins of the Jews only, but also for the sins of the whole world," and therefore for his, 1 John ii. 2; but this is not enough. It is true that

* There are some good thoughts on "Compensatory Providence" in Paley.

Jesus has propitiated the offended "Majesty," 1 John ii. 2., but this is not sufficient. It is certain that the Great High Priest has offered an atonement not only for original sin, but also for all the actual sins of men, however great, or however peculiar; but more is requisite. It is not sufficient that this ROCK has been provided, and riven too; he must also take refuge in it; and he does so. He has heard that command, "enter into the rock and hide thee in the dust, for fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his majesty, who will arise to shake terribly the earth," Is. ii. 10, 21, and he has obeyed it. In other words, he has known and believed the love that God hath for him, without which the atonement would have been invalid to his safety. Here is the "wisdom" of this "feeble one."

(b.) But he does more. Like the CONIES he has entered the rock in time of danger, from God's anger, or Satan's rage: and like the CONIES he dwells there. He "makes his house in the rock." There he abides, and so every day to him is a day of salvation! "and he holds his begun confidence steadfast unto the end," Heb. iii. 14; or if he is so unhappy as to lose it, he recovers it again. "Restore all them that are penitent, according to thy promises declared unto mankind, in Jesus Christ our Lord," (Liturgy). The Christian thus takes refuge in God.

3. THE LOCUSTS.

(a.) This beautiful insect, (to describe it from a locust now lying before me while I write), is a large sort of grass-hopper; its length is just two inches and a half, and it is as thick as a man's thumb. Its transparent long wings are folded up under two shell-like cases, the bases of which are covered with small prickles; and two prickles or spikes, much longer than the rest, project from that part which covers the right and left shoulder. There is a natural collar round its neck, ornamented with alternate spikes and nobs, placed each in the centre of a raised oval boss. Its head and horns remind me in their form of the head of a wasp, only very much larger; but it is quite defenceless, not having any sting. It requires a very great abundance of food to keep it from starving. Such is this locustand it is the food both of man, and beasts, and birds. St. John, in the wilderness, was sustained by them; John iii. 4. Wild dogs devour them greedily.

Gazing upon it, and admiring its wondrous form-remembering too, that it is my fellow-creature, that it belongs to God, and was made for Him, not for me, though it is "put into subjection to me," (Gen. i. 26,) and I may admire and use it-I find my heart saying, "Poor defenceless thing, how can'st thou escape destruction ?" To hide thee in the rock would avail thee little, who hast enemies in every crevice; to lay up food for the winter were in vain, for “every

green thing" is thy meat, and thine appetite will soon consume the herbage of yonder verdant track covered with thy myriads!

How are thy wants to be supplied? The families of mankind, when increased and multiplied, and the land will not sustain their multitude, migrate. Some KING, like the Norman conqueror, preeminent for enterprise and courage, leads forth his compacted hosts to other lands. Thou hast "no king," but thy "wisdom" is thy preservation; thou wilt be orderly and social without one.

Trusting to the instincts that will direct thy assembled masses, thou enjoyest the present hour and singest that touching melody of the old blind bard of paradise.

"To-morrow to new fields, and pastures new."

(b.) And thus it is with the Christian. He too feels the barrenness of this present world. He cannot store up here the provisions he requires, but wants a daily supply. He is looking towards a better country, where his eye shall behold his King.

(c.) But he has a wisdom given unto him, which cometh from above," (James iii. 17,) and which guides him to take advantage of the sympathies of brotherhood.

"Banded" with his fellows, which his lowly mind and humble heart makes practicable, wherever a child of light is found, all answering the same law of love-aiming at the same noble ends and objectsapproving themselves to the same absent Lord-and adopting the same holy resolutions of the earliest Church of the first born, "to believe, to suffer, and to love-he goes forth to the distant country, where grows that "tree of life;" where flows that living river. Thus again, like the LOCUST, these "weak ones are exceeding wise.

4. THE SPIDER.

It is the characteristics of THE SPIDER'S wisdom, that she "taketh hold with her hands ;" and its reward, that " she is in kings' palaces." (a.) Now, the mere moralist would tell my dear fellow-labourers here, that the spider excelled in industry. "She taketh hold with her hands," and industry very probably is the quality indicated; but then Christian industry must be the thing held up by us, when we would direct our children's attention to the emblem of the spider.

She weaves her web with care, and repairs it daily without fainting, and "the work of faith, the labour of love, and the patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ," is that corresponding industry found with the child of God. He "works out his salvation," being first placed in a right state, "and accepted in the beloved," "with fear and trembling." He, and he only, He, and he only, can be diligent; for he is supplied with daily strength from above, in answer to his dependent faith. "I

labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily." (Col. i. 29.)

He is diligent to improve his faith by exercising it towards God, for strength for every trial, for will and pleasure toward every duty, and for wisdom in every emergency.

He is diligent to improve his hope, by the clearest, truest, least fanciful, and most certain knowledge he can get of those "exceeding great and precious promises," which he knows will shortly be fulfilled. He is diligent to improve his love, by getting well acquainted with the true character of God as revealed by our Lord Jesus Christ.

He is diligent to improve his practice, by learning the best way to do good of all kinds; but especially good in relation to the souls of

men.

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(e). And so as the SPIDER, by her industry, contrives herself a dry and secure retreat amidst the golden ornaments of those lofty rooms, and the foliage of those sculptured columns which grace the marble palaces of kings; so the Christian's labours accumulate for him a treasure in heaven," and have "the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come;" 1 Tim. iv. 8. Here he follows the footsteps of his King; he shall hereafter possess a palace of his own in that "City of Palaces" which cometh down out of heaven from God; Rev. xxi. 2.

Dear Children, let not then your insignificance make you forget that there is a palace for you one day, if you try to get it as Christians try; for no one can be insignificant who is to live for ever, and weakness is no impediment to the Christian's success. The whole of this lesson is aptly summed up in the statement of Paul's personal experience, given 2 Cor. xii. 10-" Most gladly, therefore, will I glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me, for when I am weak, then am I strong."

CHARACTERISTICS OF THIS EMBLEM.

The ANT is provident.

The CONEY is politic.

The LOCUST is social.
The SPIDER is laborious.

RECAPITULATION.

1. What are the names of these four animals ?-2. What is asserted of them ?-3. What are the properties common to all ?-4. What are the habits peculiar to each ?-5. What do these habits result from ?-6. What do they respectively lead to ?-7. What do they teach ?-8. How is the Christian like them ?-9. How does he resemble the ANT ?-10. What Scriptures prove it? 11. How the CONEY ?-12. What Scriptures ?-13. How the Locust ?-14. What quotations from Scripture ?-15. How the SPIDER ?-16.-What Scriptures for it ?-17. In what originates the Christian's exceeding wisdom ?-18. In what text, particularly, is the gist of this lesson conveyed ?-19. What are the CHARACTERISTICS of the wisdom of these insects, regarded as emblems ?