ness, under which so
many countries of the world now lie, as it were, weltering in the mire.
Alas! say rather weltering in their own life-blood--and all because they
have forgotten the living God?

Oh, my dear friends, take these words solemnly to heart--for yourselves,
and for your children after you. If you wish to prosper on the earth,
let God be in all your thoughts. Remember that the Lord is on your right
hand; and then, and then alone, will you not be moved, either to terror
or to sin, by any of the chances and changes of this mortal life. "Fret
not thyself," says the Psalmist, "else shalt thou be moved to do evil."
And the only way not to fret yourselves is to remember that God is your
refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. "He that
believeth," saith the Prophet, "shall not make haste"--not hurry himself
into folly and disappointment and shame. Why should you hurry, if you
remember that you are in the kingdom of Christ and of God? You cannot
hurry God's Providence, if you would; you ought not, if you could. God
MUST know best; God's Laws MUST work at the right pace, and fulfil His
Will in the right way and at the right time. As for what that Will is,
we can know from the angels' song on Christmas Eve, which told us how
God's Will was a good will towards men.

For who is our Lord? Who is our King? Who is our Governor? Who is our
Lawgiver? Who is our Guide? Christ, who died for us on Calvary; who
rose again for us; who ascended into heaven for us; who sits at God's
right hand for us; who sent down His Holy Spirit at the first
Whitsuntide; and sends Him down for ever to us; that by His gracious
inspiration we may both perceive and know what we ought to do, and also
may have grace and power faithfully to fulfil the same. With such a King
over us, how can the world but go right? With such a King over us, what
refuge or strength or help in trouble do we need but Him Himself?--His
Providence, which is Love, and His Laws, which are Life.

SERMON XXIII. PRIDE AND HUMILITY

Eversley, 1869. Chester Cathedral, 1870.

1st. Peter v. 5. "God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the
humble."

Let me, this evening, say a few words to you on theology, that is, on the
being and character of God. You need not be afraid that I shall use long
or difficult words. Sound theology is simple enough, and I hope that my
words about it will be simple enough f