for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him: and with His stripes we are healed." Whether the mourners whom we visit are patient and quiet under their sufferings, or restless and noisy and murmuring, still their behaviour may serve to put us in mind of Him, who was oppressed and was afflicted yet He opened not His mouth. He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so He opened not His mouth." We may think of Him who being in an agony prayed the more earnestly, and His sweat was as it were drops of blood falling down upon the ground." The House of Mourning causes those who visit it to remember the words of the Gospel of CHRIST, which are written for our learning and which the house of Feasting, and Mirth, and Laughter, serve to drive out of our thoughts. The House of Mourning calls back to our minds precious

texts, which speak profitably to our own consciences, and say to us, “Ye have forgotten the exhortation, which speaketh unto you as unto children, My Son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of Him: for whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth. If ye endure chastening, GOD dealeth with you as with Sons, for what Son is he whom the father chasteneth not? But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons." Again: the word of God says, "The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of GOD: and if children, then heirs, heirs of GOD, and joint heirs with CHRIST if so be that we suffer with Him that we may be glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be re

vealed in us." "Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory." "Blessed are they that mourn for they shall be comforted." These, and many others, are the good lessons which they may learn who go to the House of Mourning, and there sit under CHRIST to learn of Him. There we also feel ourselves wisely and kindly rebuked by the spirit of CHRIST for our own forgetfulness of His daily mercies and continual blessings towards us rebuked for our own murmurings and discontent under our light trials and trifling disappointments: rebuked for our carelessness in not preparing ourselves for the

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time of our tribulation," for "the hour of death," for "the day of judgment." And is not CHRIST'S Word, which we learn in the House of Mourning, and which "is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,"-is it not better

than the song of fools, and the idle words and profane jesting, which are too often heard in the House of Feasting? One is like a great bright glowing fire, which is good and lasting, and burns up our lusts while it warms our heart: the other is like a vanishing flash, like the crackling of thorns under a pot.It is a mere "vanity!"

SERMON IV.

THE SINNER'S FRIEND.

ROMANS V. 7, 8.

Scarcely for a Righteous Man will one die yet peradventure for a Good Man some would even dare to die. But GOD commendeth His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

1. WE seem naturally inclined to help a good Man sooner than a bad one. If we hear of some righteous Man in great distress, we are apt to say within ourselves, "I should like to help him out of his trouble, for he is a good Man." Now let us suppose such a Man to be caught by an Enemy in the day of battle: and sentence of Death passed upon him. We should pity him and say, "Would that I could do something to get him away from the enemy! Would