pray for mercy, before they die: surely, I say, the words of the text cannot in fairness, and without great danger be thus explained. They were meant to startle the sinner in his mad career. They were meant to impress upon all of us the unalterable, eternal truth, that God hates sin, and that according to His own word, and the character of His righteous government, the soul that sinneth shall not prosper. Let then the appearance of things in the world be what it may; let prosperity seem to overflow the cup of many who are living in sin; yet God has said, "There is no peace to the wicked," and is not His word the oracle of truth? What though you may be enjoying the pleasures of life, and feeling happy in the good things, with which you are surrounded; yet, if living without God in the world, the blessing of real peace can never be yours. And what though, after having lived in carelessness, some seem to die without fear, and not unfrequently even with confidence; yet this cannot alter the declaration of God's word, yea, rather, as I have shown you, this may be the very crown and consummation of Satan's evil designs. Oh! venture not then to fight against God. It is idle to quarrel with the strictness of His word. It is of no use to wish, that it were possible to live for the world, and at the same time to die in peace.

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It is an unalterable decree, not more inflexible than just and good, that there shall be no peace to the wicked. This truth we can neither set aside, enfeeble, nor evade. If we wish for peace, we must refrain from sin. we must live to God. obtaining these blessings. God tells us in mercy, that we cannot find happiness in the ways of sin. We may still perversely seek it there, but our search is certain to prove fruitless. We may hope to find it, but our hope will only end in disappointment. We may venture on a course of life at variance with His will, but we shall one day regret in bitterness of soul our sinful disbelief of His word. Peace is provided for man, but not in the ways of wickedness. This is the assurance given us from heaven, that God will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on Him;' and that the work of righteousness shall be peace, aud the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.2

If we wish for safety, There is no other way of

In conclusion, I would say, with all earnestness and affection, to those, who are young amongst you, Go not in the way of sin in search of pleasure. For be ye sure, that you only pave the way for sorrow, if you take any wicked thing in hand. If you wish to be happy, abide under the shadow

1 Isaiah xxvi. 3.

2 Isaiah xxxii. 17.

of the Almighty. If you wish to be miserable, choose the way of transgressors. You have been brought near to Christ. Through Him you have been received into the family of God. Through Him you have power to overcome the world, to conquer Satan, and to triumph over sin. Through Him, if faithful, you will be blessed for ever. And God will have pleasure in the prosperity of His servants. But, if you forsake Him, you throw away your hopes, you court destruction, you ruin your souls, for "there is no peace," saith my God, "to the wicked."

And to you, who are older, such of you, I mean, as have made the world their God, I would say, be ye at length convinced of the truth of the declaration in the text. There is no possible safety for you, if you continue in sin. There is no hope of peace for you, if you neglect God. Every thing you have will soon be taken from you, and if you have not God's favour, then it matters not what prayers you may offer, or what hopes your friends may indulge, you will have nothing in eternity but misery for your portion. For it is but a little while, and the end will come, and the truth of what God has spoken in the text will be manifest to all. When once the wicked are sentenced to depart from Christ; when their portion is appointed them with the hypocrites and unbe

lievers; when weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth shall be heard throughout the habitations of darkness, who then, though now ever so reckless and sceptical, will any longer doubt this true saying of God, "There is no peace to the wicked?"

SERMON II.

THE DOOR SHUT.

ST. MATTHEW Xxv. 11, 12.

"Afterwards came also the other Virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us: But He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not."

THE frequent exhortations to the duty of watchfulness, contained in Holy Scripture, remind us of one occasion of serious peril, by which our souls are beset. Surrounded, as we are, on every side, with the visible creation, demanding a considerable portion of our time and thought, and apt to engross it all; the danger is evidently great of our overlooking the true end of life, and neglecting the necessary preparation for eternity. The danger too is increased by the existence of such grievous carelessness in regard to religion, as is observable in the conduct of the generality of men. And yet the ultimate misery, that must result from neglecting the things that belong to our peace, is too obvious to be a subject of controversy. The certainty of it is undoubtedly but little felt,