sire which he felt to accomplish them, was only a just desire; and as his view of those great results was still unchangeable, the desire which he felt to accomplish them must be unchangeable too, because his nature was immutably holy. So that hope founded on faith and love could never change, and had the power to animate him, often in the midst of every obstacle, to pursue that which was to issue in our eternal happiness.

And on what did that hope depend? | great results of redemption, and the deIt was, unquestionably, on a perfect faith, and on a perfect love. He had a perfect knowledge of the great results to which redemption would lead; | and he had a mind perfectly adapted to comprehend the greatness and importance of these results, because he beheld fully the holiness of GOD, and the need there was that that holiness should be magnified in the world. And knowing the real enormity of sin, he was prepared to estimate aright the nature of that punishment which sin necessarily entailed. He knew the misery to which the lost would infallibly be exposed; and he could, therefore, feel the greatness of that rescue which he was preparing to make. He had a heart to appreciate the importance of that salvation, because he loved GOD, and because he loved his people; and, therefore, he could feel to his inmost soul what it was to diffuse happiness throughout the myriads of the redeemed; and he could feel still more deeply, it may be, the glory he would render to One who was inexpressibly dear to him. Thus sustained by faith and by love, his hope had a power which nothing could subdue. In him nothing was mutable. His opinions could not change, because those opinions were the knowledge of certain and demonstrated truth. His affections could not change, because those

VOL. V.

But, my brethren, if our Lord Jesus Christ with this admirable constancy pursued our salvation, ought not we to pursue it too? If he could thus constantly labour for the welfare of others, have we no heart to labour for our own? Are we his disciples in this respect? Have we in this matter been conformed to the example of Jesus Christ? Or if we have obtained the conviction that we have not, or if we have been in so slight a way that it is scarcely deserving a name, let me ask you seriously, to answer to your own minds, whether you have an intention this time of being conformed to him? Do you mean, my brethren, to imitate, in what remains of your pilgrimage through time, the constancy of our blessed Lood in seeking after this salvation? At first sight it should appear, that salvation is so incomparably precious, involving as it does

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least longed for, how can it animate any one to constancy of purpose in pursuing it? He may see its necessity, he may have some languishing wishes after it, because he knows it necessary; but languishing desires, and strong irresolution likewise, must fail to bring us to that constancy of purpose. Nor can any one rest on the force of circumstances safely; for in this shifting world, circumstances soon change and loose their force. Nor can any one depend on the desire of constancy; for we see continually, that desire is naturally overborne by temptation.

eternal interests, that no one could | little apprehended, and not in the hesitate as to what is most ardently to be desired and most sedulously pursued; but a little more reflection will serve to show that it is no easy matter to pursue salvation with any measure of the constancy which our blessed Lord manifested. If our hearts were, indeed, prepared as his heart was, if we had the same enlightened judgment which he had, then, no doubt, it would be impossible to manifest any other than his constancy; but let it be remembered that to a worldly heart, and to a blinded judgment, salvation has no attraction whatever. We can desire to escape eternal suffering, we, it is true, wish to have, what I may term, the external glory of heaven; but even this hope is so vague, so contrasted with the warm and stirring interests of time that it will never operate much on the mind; and if it did it is not salvation. Salvation, itself, to a worldly mind is an object of absolute dislike. Salvation, which is the renewal of the heart by the power of the Holy Ghost, so that it loves God and pays to him an affectionate obedience, and so obeying, enjoys his presence and his blessing for ever-salvation, which being of this character, implies the loss of all criminal enjoyments, instead of being the object of desire to a worldly and ill-governed mind, is the object of its loathing. And if I address a worldly person this night, (as it is too pro-parably more attractive than any bably I do,) I ask him, if he will be true to himself, whether such a salvation is not at this moment the object of his loathing, his heart being set on criminal gratification, and this salvation being wholly inconsistent with it, and opposed to it. He prefers that which he knows to be contrary to the will of GOD, he has no heart for that which is consis tent with it; and so, salvation thus

These things, then, will not prevail to make one constant. It is absolutely necessary that salvation should produce a just impression on the heart. It is absolutely necessary, that in our vision we should see salvation as Christ saw it; that in our vision we should have an enlightened judgment and a prepared heart like his. It is absolutely necessary that salvation should appear to us in its unspeakable importance, if ever we would manifest, in our Christian course, the constancy that will make us so far resemble Jesus Christ. If we have an enlightened judgment and a prepared heart; if we have, in other words, a lively faith and a genuine love to God, then shall we manifest constancy in the pursuit after salvation; because it is true, that salvation is, indeed, incom

worldly objects whatsoever, when the heart is thus prepared to appreciate its value, and when the understanding can perceive its glory. Yes, if we have but faith and love in any measure like that which animated our blessed Saviour, then, indeed, to look to that great salvation which he has provided for us, must win us away from the trammels of time, and must prepare us to meet the trials which

the profession of religion may entail. Can we, then, realize the emancipation from perfect depravity, to which every unconverted man is hastening -can we think of being rescued from the dreadful companionship with the worst of beings whom sin has defiled -can we think of being free from anguish and despair, without feeling that these are blessings to be earnestly coveted or steadfastly pursued?

Or if we look at the positive blessings of salvation, and with a lively faith, and with a heart renewed estimate their importance, we shall see that they are worthy being steadfastly pursued. To be saved-to be admitted to those joys which even to our enlarged capacities would administer absolute contentment-to enjoy unassailable security, and that in the possession of all the blessings which a paternal GOD can heap on his perfected children-to have attained, at last, that moral perfection for which we have toiled and sighed on earth in vain-to have a blessed and elevated companionship with all the noblest and best of beings God has formed -to have exalted converse, unwearing activity in the highest employments, a heart filled with love which is no more alloyed by jealousy, nor affected by bereavements, nor spoiled by sympathy with suffering-to be there, above all, in the presence of Him whom we know to be the Author of all our blessings, and the perfect model of every human perfection-to see Him face to face who was our conductor to glory, as he gave us the first principles of spiritual love-to love our Saviour-to be conscious that He loves us to see the manifestation of that love perpetually-to know that we shall never depart out of his presence again—to feel that we are worthy of his love-yes, if there be lively faith, if there be genuine love, these are blessings which are

capable of making the most timid resolute, and the most changeable constant.

But it is absolutely necessary that salvation should be thus seen. Unless it is, we shall ever waver, because, brethren, we are ever necessarily governed by the objects of our affections; and if other things seem to us as amiable and important as salvation seems, then will they sway us as much; and if they are opposed to the pursuit of salvation they will divert us from our course; and instead of manifesting the constancy with which Jesus pursued our salvation, we shall show that lamentable changeableness which we see too frequently among the professors of the Gospel.

How, then, shall we kindle within us this lively hope which is built on faith and love? If you are bent, my brethren, on receiving this just impression from salvation, there are two things, which seem to me, absolutely essential to your success-there are two things, the failure in either of which will entail our certain disappointment; and these two are attention and prayer. Without we pray we cannot expect the grace and blessing of God; and every effort is presumptuous, and will assuredly fail. We cannot change our hearts if unrenewed; we cannot improve them if they are renewed. Left to ourselves we shall infallibly, and in every case, turn away even our attention from the things of God, and give an undue attention to the things of time; more and more, therefore, will these spiritual and eternal things fade from our attention, were we to imagine they are incapable of influencing us. Every Christian knows well the lamentable changes in the mind; and how those things, which, at one moment, appear able to occupy all the faculties and engage the best energies of mind and body, at another, seem to

fall on the listless ear, as if there were no importance or beauty in them. Now this will ever be, except where the Lord supplies us with his own grace; and that grace we may not hope for, except we are seeking it humbly at his hand. No attention, therefore, without prayer can bring the benefit we require.

ness demands, we cannot hope to have that faith and love in lively exercise, so as to make hope powerful and uniform in its influence on our minds.

Let me, therefore, exhort you, as I charge it on my own conscience, thus diligently to set your attention on these great truths, and thus earnestly to entreat the Lord that he may make these truths influential; that to that attention and to that prayer he will give his blessing. There is in the truth set before us, a power of influencing us beyond all the limitations that we can set to its influence. We have seen (in fact, we know it to exist in many cases) that the hope which salvation exercises is far greater than any that the world exercises. We have seen, through the goodness of GOD, instances of a rare constancy; but yet such constancy as every child of God is expected to at

self thus diligently to attain the blessing. Are you, my brethren, bent on attaining it? Do you see how needful it is to be constantly in the ways of GOD? Do the lamentable instances of inconstancy which occur, impress you with a sense of the danger you should feel in your best efforts? Are each of you aware, that it is ne

On the other hand, it is a presumptuous enthusiasm to expect, that the Lord will so influence our hearts, that we can see and feel the greatness of salvation, and be animated constantly to pursue it, unless we are employing the only mode, which the constitution of our nature shows to be requisite, in order to obtain just impressions from it. The idea of salvation is a complex one. There are many great truths included in that one idea, each one of which must be studied, with each one of which we must be familiar; and it is not a pass-tain unto, if only he will employ himing thought of them, nor an accurate idea of them, that will suffice. We are so formed, that truth must dwell in our minds, or else, without a miracle, it must fail to influence us. The great truths which are comprehended in that one word salvation, and all the blessings consequent on it, must pass before the mind; or, at least, those principal ideas compre-cessary to the lustre of your charachended in it must dwell in the mind. ter, and the maintenance of your reThe mind must rest with complacency ligious peace, that you should be on each of those great blessings, which constantly in the ways of God? Will are all purchased for us, and which you thus attend? Will you thus pray? are all comprehended in that one word Then may the blessing from on high salvation; and unless the mind does descend among us, fill this congrerest on them, GOD will not work that gation with light and joy, Christian miracle which our indolent minds activity and love-then, in a busy, a may be looking for, and cause the worldly, a money loving, a power prospect of salvation to produce that loving city and age, may you be sigimpression on the soul absolutely re-nalized by your constancy to GODquisite to form us to constancy in the ways of GOD. So, my brethren, unless we are combining these two, the attention which the subject requires, with the prayer which our own weak

then shall you pass through this turbulent world peaceful and serenethen, though surrounded by temptation, shall your course be steadfast in the midst of every thing that should

make you inconstant. And the old, | even here, there will be a sum of religious happiness enjoyed, by those who form the members of one Christian congregation, which it is difficult for language to express, or for the heart rightly to estimate. And this shall be but the prelude of those better joys when there shall be no temptation to inconstancy remaining, when we shall have on us the impress of the divine character, bear his name on our foreheads, and be partakers of his own unassailable security and bliss. Which may GoD of his infinite mercy grant for Christ's sakeAmen.

before they depart from this world, shall be able to witness a good confession to the young, how they in the Christian walk have served the Lord; and those who are young, who are sustained by an energy which is not their own, and depending on the grace which GOD can bestow to the feeblest and the strongest, shall be from their earliest youth to their latest age the same men still, only continually ripening in the graces of the Spirit, and continually advancing in likeness to the Lord Jesus. So GOD will be glorified, my brethren; and so,

A Sermon,

DELIVERED BY THE REV. JAMES PARSONS,

AT TOTTENHAM COURT ROAD CHAPEL, FEBRUARY 5, 1833.

John, xiv. 2.-" Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

PROBABLY, my brethren, no scene must be regarded as so interesting, as that which occurred when our Redeemer held his last interview with his disciples previous to his propitiatory agony and death. It is, no doubt, difficult to connect in our own minds, the circumstances which surrounded it with such a charm, and which stand in tenderness and sublimity so pre-eminent and noble in the annals of the world. It is perfectly impossible for us Christians to peruse the record in which it is narrated, without deep and profound emotion; nor can we look at the instructions which are there contained, without perceiving, that, if we follow them in spirit and in truth, we must forthwith become partakers of the influence of those blessings which are to secure our eternal well being, and

the immortal happiness of our souls. Probably there are none of the beautiful and interesting announcements, which at this period proceeded from the lips of our Redeemer, more adapted to possess so powerful a hold on the human heart as the verse which we have read, and on which it is now our intention to address you. It has not unfrequently been called, the legacy of our Redeemer to his people; and it is perfectly impossible for those persons who are impressed with right views of religion, ever to revert to it without feelings of the warmest gratitude and delight.

It is my desire, Christian brethren, that you who have already through grace believed, may be inspired by the contemplation of it; and it is also my desire, at the same time, that those who have no part or lot in the matter,