amuse the fancy, that the Prophet presents these splendid pictures. Far different his object, far higher his aim, even to awaken the slumbering faith of his countrymen, to rouse the voice of conscience, and to lead them to repentance. He calls upon them to incline their ear and come unto him, for that he can offer to their acceptance a fountain of living waters, a fountain where he that thirsteth can buy wine and milk without money and without price, where his soul may delight itself in fatThe Prophet then proceeds to point out to the believer in these promises, that his must not be a dead faith; that it must bring forth fruit, the fruit of repentance and amendThe wicked must forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts-Seek ye the Lord while he may be found. Call ye upon him while he is near.

ness.

ment.

Since this admonition was addressed to the people of God, thousands of years have elapsed, the visions of the Prophet have been realized; the prospects which were seen but imperfectly through the gloom of distance, have burst in full glory upon our senses-and yet the minister of God, the ambassador of Christ feels the exhortation as necessary now to his listless languid flockyes, my brethren, to his listless languid flock

for listless indifference and languid apathy are the characteristic marks of our congregations at the present day. Does the minister of God address the voice of exhortation? Does he insist upon the necessity of repentance and amendment? These are considered as the mere periodic effusions of professional duty, as the thread-bare cant of priestcraft. Does he unfold the word of God; does he from its sacred volume select the admonitions, the warnings, the threatenings of vengeance which it contains? These are considered but as the metaphorical language of Eastern poetry, as incapable of being understood literally, as calculated for the dull and carnally-minded people of Israel. To consider the Jewish people as dull, carnally-minded, obstinate, perverse, wilfully blind, has been the hereditary tenet of professing Christians; we read the promises of spiritual blessings, of spiritual redemption contained in the Prophets, with but one feeling of astonishment at the errors of the people, who did not understand them, or did not accept them. We read the denunciations of divine vengeance for their disobedience, with an unmixed sentiment of applause for the justice which threatened it; and we follow the devastating sword of the Assyrian without one pang of regret for the vanquished,

without one thought that their crimes are not unparalleled. Never by the sacred page, is the voice of conscience roused to address us in the awful words, Thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest those which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

To the Jew the blessings of the Gospel were only depicted in the visions of futurity; to the Jew the spiritual service of the Messiah's kingdom was only the substance of things hoped for; to us all the treasures of divine wisdom and goodness are displayed; to us all the promises of God's word are daily exhibited; to us is it given to dwell in the days of the Son of man. The Son of God has taken our nature upon him, has made the atoning offering for our transgressions, has burst the bonds of death, and opened unto us the gates of everlasting life. With such advantages, what do we more than they? Oh! my brethren, but impartially weigh the subject, and you

will perceive how much less you do, and how much fewer excuses can be alleged to palliate an omission of your bounden duty and service. He that despised the law of Moses died without mercy, of how much sorer punishment think ye shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, hath counted the

blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of Grace.

When the Almighty calls upon you, you do not indeed answer with the

Jews of old, that you prefer the gods of the Heathen, you do not say we have loved strangers, and after them will we go-but you do say to the Almighty, you do say to the blessed Son of God himself, who calls you to him, that you might have life, we will not come, we have loved the world, and after it we will go. You do not like the Jews revel in the execrable impurities and barbarous cruelties of idolatrous worship, but you do offer up yourselves, your souls and bodies at the shrine of the prince of this world.

From such delusions it is now high time to awaken-it is now time to attend to the solemn call of our Creator and our Judge; to-day if ye will hear his voice harden not your hearts. There was a time when this day would have impressed such truths upon your mindsYes, my brethren, there was a time when this solemn season was observed with due respect; this season which for ages, has been set apart by the wisdom of our Church, as a yearly call to seriousness and reflection, but which now only serves to shew in more glaring colours

our utter disregard for all the ordinances of our religion, our contempt for every thing which reminds us of our duty. Far be from me the attempt to introduce pharisaical observances for true religion; far be from me, the wish to substitute the externals of devotion for its spirit; but while our soul is chained to this earth, while the corruption of our nature possesses an influence over our spiritual part, some external aids are necessary to enliven our faith, and awaken our devotion. For this purpose, stated times of withdrawing from the world, its pleasures and its cares, are admirably adapted-and have accordingly been appointed by our Church, "wisely foreseeing that should the sinner be permitted to reserve to himself the choice of a convenient season, wherein to turn from sin to righteousness, that convenient season would never come; and the specious plea of keeping every day holy alike would often be found to cover a design of keeping none holy at all."* To further this design the services of our liturgy are well calculated, they lead us irresistibly to examine our conduct, to look well if there be any way of wickedness in us, to implore the pardon of our Almighty Father, and to seek the assistance

*Bishop Horne.