tion: "though he slay me, yet will I trust in him," Job xiii. 15. "yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staff they comfort me," Psal. xxiii. 4. Witness that faith which pierces through the clouds, which the devil, and hell, and the world spread around his bed of languishing: "Iknow whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day," 2 Tim. i. 12. "I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another," Job xix. 25, 26, 27. Witness that holy impatience with which he looks forward to the moment of his dismission: "I have waited for thy salvation, O God," Gen. xlix. 18. "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly," Rev. xxii. 20. Witness those songs of triumph, amidst the very sharpest of the conflict: "Thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ," 2 Cor. ii. 14. "Blessed be the Lord, my strength, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight," Ps. cxliv. 1.

Witness, once more, those tender, those instructive, those edifying conversations which take place between the dying Christian and his pastor. The pastor addresses to the dying person these words on the part of God: "Seek my face;" and the dying believer replies, "Thy face, Lord, will I seek," Ps. xxvii. 8. The pastor says, " Behold, what manner of love

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the Father hath bestowed upon thee," 1 John iii. 1. and the dying person replies; "the love of God is shed abroad in my heart, by the Holy Ghost which is given unto me," Rom. v. 5. The pastor says, "Seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God:" the dying person replies, "I have a desire to depart and to be with Christ," Phil. i. 23. "My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God?" Ps. xlii. 2. The pastor says, "Run with patience the race that is set before thee, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of thy faith," Heb. xii. 1,2. The dying believer replies, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness," 2 Tim. iv. 7, 8. Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God," Acts vii. 56.

Such are the wonders which the grace of God displays, in favour of those who are in earnest to obtain it, and give themselves up to its direction. And such are the treasures, unhappy worldlings, which you are sacrificing to a transient world, and its lying vanities. Such is the felicity which you experience, which you have already experienced in part, happy, happy Christians, whose condition is so far preferable to that of all the rest of mankind.

What now remains for me to do, after having employed my feeble efforts to draw you to God, by attractions so powerful: what remains, but to address my most fervent prayers to him, and to entreat that he would be pleased to make known those pure

and exalted delights, to those who are, as yet, utter strangers to them; and that he may powerfully confirm, even unto the end, those to whom he has already graciously communicated them. With this we shall conclude the solemn business of a day of sacred rest. We are going, once more, to lift up to heaven, in your behalf, hands purified in the blood of the Redeemer of mankind. Come, my beloved brethren, support these hands, should they wax heavy perform for us the service which Aaron and Hur rendered to Moses, as we are attempting to render the service of a Moses unto you. Assist us in moving the bowels of the God of mercy. And graciously vouchsafe, blessed Jesus, who, on the memorable day, of which we are now celebrating the anniversary, wert made higher than the heavens: set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heaand who presentest unto God, in a golden censer, the prayers of all saints: Vouchsafe, blessed Jesus, to give energy to those which we are about to put up, and to support them by thy all-powerful intercession. Amen.

vens;

N. B. The reader may here peruse the next sermon in the series, that on THE EFFUSION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, which is the ninth of Vol. II. of Mr. ROBINSON'S selection.

SERMON VII.

For a Communion Sabbath.

MALACHI i. 6, 7.

A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the Lord of Hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name : And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar: and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the Lord is contemptible.

THOUGH the spectacle, which the solemnity of this day calls to our recollection, did not directly interest ourselves, it would, nevertheless, be altogether worthy, separately considered, of detaining our eyes, and of fixing our attention. Men have sometimes appeared, who, finding their last moments approaching, collected their family, summoned up their remaining strength, expressed a wish, in a repast of love and benevolence, to take a last, a long farewell of the persons who were most dear to them, and to break asunder, by that concluding act of social attachment, all the remains of that human affection which tied them down to the world.