under the influence of such a faith, made thy application to the Son of God? Or dost thou rely on thy former good deeds or thine imperfect obedience to make thy peace with Heaven? despising this humiliating method of salvation, and those who are thus seeking mercy? Then, be it known unto thee, whatever be thy rank, or station, or accomplishments, thou art far from the kingdom of God. Nor canst thou expect pardon at the hands of thy Maker, till thou come and seek it in the spirit and temper of this poor penitent. Till then, thou mayest, with the Pharisee, call in question the power and grace of Jesus; but only make the application, and thou shalt find it to be, indeed, true that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins.

Let us now direct your attention to the most interesting character brought before us in this narrative. It is no less a personage than

III. THE SAVIOUR.

With what feelings may we suppose the Divine Redeemer to have contemplated

the passing scene. At his feet was a poor profligate woman, who had been convinced of her sin and led to mourn over it, not by the terrors of the Law, but by the preaching of the Gospel. No doubt, our Lord looked forward with delightful anticipation, to the time when that Gospel should be extensively proclaimed to a lost world. When sinners, of every class and of every nation, should return from beholding his Cross and hearing of his love, with a far greater abhorrence of themselves and their sins, than could possibly have been produced in them by any other means: and which should lead them to a far more holy and excellent life, than the highest wisdom of man could have taught, or the purest morality of the schools could have effectually secured.

I cannot, however, refrain from conceiving it highly probable, that our Saviour would also, at this time, be looking forward to the number of poor outcasts, who, like this woman, should be converted from the paths of wantonness and profligacy, and led to seek pardon and peace in Him. And,

Oh! who can tell the amount of such cases? Who shall attempt to calculate how many of these poor creatures have been converted to the faith of Christ, and to holiness of life, by the preaching of the Cross both in ancient and modern times, and who have died happy in the love of God and the hope of heaven. Yes! He who said, on this occasion, Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace, has repeated the same gracious declaration, times without number, to the penitent, believing daughters of misfortune. He has accepted the humble offering of gratitude that such characters have brought; and condescended to admit such pardoned Magdalens into his kingdom above; where they now sing, Worthy is the Lamb that was slain, and hath redeemed even us to God by his blood!

But, alas! my brethren, there is an awful counterpart to such statements as these. If some have been rescued from the practice of sin, and from the verge of perdition; say, oh say, How many have died as they lived, without God, without Christ, and without hope in the world! How many have descended into the regions of darkness and

of woe, concerning whom it is now for ever too late to think of conveying to them the glad sound of mercy! How many within the last year! How many within the last month! How many within the last week, or even within the last hour!

Turn not away from the painful subject. Refuse not to let me take you by the hand, and lead you to the garret or the cellar where some poor departing prostitute is breathing out her last groan, even at this very moment. See her poor frame, shattered by disease and crime, about soon to be a breathless corpse! Her soul is just going to stand before the judgment-seat of Christ. Oh, ye libertines of the day, what a sight is this for you! And is this the end of all her sinful mirth and carnal pleasure? Is this the allurer and seducer of men (herself, by man, first allured and seduced). Yes; this is she who remembered not her latter end: therefore, came she down suddenly.

But have I here before God a hardened heart who would say, "Let the poor wretch die in pain, and wake in endless woe. We wish not to have our minds dis

tressed by these recitals of sorrow and

misery?" Such indifference is not unfrequently shewn by those very men whose consciences tell them they have been accessary to the guilt and ruin of those poor creatures, for whose present and eternal welfare I stand before you as an advocate this day. But suffer me to address such men, whether young or old, in the language of Scripture; Know that for all these things God shall bring thee into judgment. The day is fast approaching which shall bring to the light, and publish to the world, all thy secret crimes. Ah! what discoveries will that day make of the sins which now are concealed, and, perhaps, forgotten; but which then, if unrepented of, and unpardoned, shall be remembered and punished. We pray you, therefore, be not deceived: God is not mocked: whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap; they that sow unto the flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption. Such is the declaration of Him who has said, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my word shall not pass away.

It shall now be my endeavour to bring before you some few official documents.