who receive Christ as their Saviour, and those who do not I say, these saddening thoughts, which nothing but absolute stupidity can banish from the mind, will often intrude themselves, and spoil, as with the touch of death, the dearest delights of the man of this world. His enjoyments, too, even when he can lull all forebodings about the future, are not of the most noble kind They relate to the gratifications of sense, to the acquisition of wealth, to the possession of glory, to the pursuits of literature, to the pleasures of taste; and sometimes, for I would not disguise the truth, to the alleviation of wretchedness, and the diffusion of knowledge and comfort among his fellow-men. But observe, my brethren, all these objects, in themselves considered, relate only to this life: they extend not beyond the grave. And is the immaterial, the immortal spirit, which animates these frail bodies of ours— which is continually dissatisfied with the present, and always engaged about the future-which is ever following the beck of Hope toward some distant good ;-is it to find its most exalted happiness in any thing beneath the sun? Is it to take a part in the fleeting concerns of this life, except as a mere pilgrim who is on his march to a better country? Is it not to have its views enlarged, and its plans ennobled, and its affections elevated, and its hopes brightened, by connecting all that is here below with all that is beyond the skies? Ought it not to be thus mindful of its eternal destiny, and to walk the rounds of life, as some heaven-descended mes

senger, for the sake of distributing the mercies of God to the bodies of men, and his grace to their souls; but having its eye always fixed on its celestial home, remembering that there alone it can find pure and perpetual bliss? This kind of happiness, so divine in its source and so ennobling in its effects, is a stranger to the breast of the mere man of this world; for without revelation, and the aid of that grace which it reveals, he cannot shape his conduct aright with regard to the future world. I speak with boldness-of futurity, the philosopher and the unbeliever know nothing definite: they can' only guess at what it may be.

Who is that infinite and incomprehensible Spirit, that occupies all space-that exists through all eternity-that wields the sceptre of universal empire-that is too omniscient ever to be eluded, too pure ever to be reconciled to sin, and too powerful ever to be mocked with impunity? How shall we, who are sinners, (our own consciences bear testimony against us-it is in vain to resist the accusation); how shall we propitiate the favour of this holy Intelligence? Shall we hope in his unbounded goodness? Is his mercy unlimited? Will he never inflict pain upon the souls he has created ? He is almighty; and will he communicate all the happiness in his power; and will it be safe, then, to trust to this his unmixed benevolence? Ah! it may be unsafe to do this. It may be necessary, for the wise and holy purposes of the government of God, to make distinctions between the creatures he has

formed, to separate between the righteous and the wicked, and to inflict pain upon those who depart from the strictest requisitions of his laws. Perhaps this may be so. Perhaps that Being, who sees it necessary to impose suffering upon his creatures in this life, may also afflict them in the next. How is it compatible with the notions we long to entertain of that unbounded and unmixed goodness of his, on which we hope to rely for our eternal safety, that He, whose word could make it otherwise, permits the babe to languish, to suffer the most excruciating torture, to die in its mother's arms ? Why do we all endure so much pain and anxiety of body and mind? And why must we all pass' through the terrific agonies of the hour of dissolution? God might have prevented all these evils: He has seen fit not to do it. It has been necessary, for the purposes of his government, to suffer pain to exist in the world. The fact is every day before our eyes. We may, therefore, be wretched in the future world; for it may be necessary, for the purposes of his government, that pain should exist there also.

On these momentous points, so interesting to every man who aspires to immortality, who learns by a little experience the vanity of the world, and who pants for some unknown good to satisfy the desires of his soul; on these points, the unbeliever must be content to remain in entire ignorance. He may doubt, if he pleases, the truth of those doctrines which afford to the Christian so much confi

dence and hope; but this does not help his own case. Though surrounded with all worldly delights, he must continue to want that exalted kind of happiness which consists in acting like an heir of immortality and in making this life subservient to a future state of being. In that state the Christian believes all will be adapted to fill the capacities of his spirit, freed from the shackles of the body and the dominion of sin, delivered from the ever-changing scenes of a short and uneasy life, and assimilated to the very character of that Eternal Spirit, whose essence is holiness and happiness. Let the yoke of Christ, then, be ever so heavy, it is light when compared with that of the world for amid all his troubles and disappointments, the Christian has within his breast a principle of hope, with regard to his future destiny, which, if he suffer it not to be weakened by the temptations that surround him, or by the remaining corruption of his own heart, bears him up triumphantly through all the trials he has to encounter, and animates him continually with the prospect of that crown of glory which he is soon to obtain.

From all that has been said in this and the former discourse, I cannot but think it has been made evident, that the words of our Saviour, contained in the text, when properly understood and applied, are worthy of our entire belief and acceptance ; and that it is not only our bounden duty, but our highest privilege, to resort unto him, and find rest unto our souls. He promises us the most unspeak

able advantages, if we will truly repent of all our offences against God, and rely, with an unshaken faith, on his merits alone, for pardon and peace. He offers to us the absolute remission of all our sins; the influences of the Holy Spirit of truth and grace to enlighten our minds and purify our hearts; a deliverance from their remaining corrupt propensities; a protection against the temptations of the world; a security from the seduction of its smiles; a victory over its frowns; a support under its trials; a serenity amidst its injuries; a cheerfulness during its disappointments; and a temperate use of all its innocent enjoyments. He offers us the calm of a quiet conscience, and a peace of mind that passeth understanding; nay, in his gift is the most sublime delight to which a created intelligence can dare to aspire-communion with God himself: for, much as the sceptic may doubt it, there is sometimes shed over the soul of the true disciple of Jesus Christ such a lively conception of the presence and love of God, such an admiration of his excellence, such a resignation to his will, such a gratitude for his goodness, and such an anticipation of being soon admitted to the ineffable display of his glory, that the soul almost forgets that it is inhabiting its tabernacle of clay, and seems already to have taken its flight to paradise. My brethren, I speak not the language of a wild enthusiasm, but that of sober Christian philosophy. I state a fact, which, like all other facts, is liable to have the force of its evidence weakened by the intemperate