world, hinder you from securing to yourselves that life which is hid with Christ in God. Be as strangers and pilgrims on the earth, seeking for your home in a happier land. And if you will but seek in earnest, you are in no danger of disappointment. God is waiting to bless us. Heaven and its everlasting joys are ready. The way is open. The voice of mercy calls. Prophets, apostles, martyrs, beckon us forward. Angels and archangels are waiting to rejoice in our happiness. We may be with Christ for ever.

And all depends upon this: whether we seek for our good from the world, or seek it from God: whether we live holy lives, or live in carelessness: whether we set our affection on things above, or on things on the earth.

It is but a little while, and every thing that is bright in this world will have faded away. It is but a little while, and the trials of life will also be past. Soon will our race be run, and our condition in eternity decided. What that condition is to be, whether dark and wretched, or bright and glorious, depends upon our present choice, our present conduct. If we make this world our place of rest, we shall perish in its ruins ; if we waste this life in sin, we must spend the next in sorrow. But if we lay up for ourselves treasures in heaven, and spend our time on earth in the

service of God, then, when Christ, who is our life, shall appear, we shall appear with Him in glory; when every thing else shall come to an end, save the sure word of God, it will be seen, that the half was not told us of the joy of His people, for that He will indeed do "exceeding abundantly for them, above all that they ask or think."

SERMON V.

THE FAITHFUL AMONG THE FAITHLESS.

MALACHI iii. 17.

"And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels: and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him."

THERE have ever been found some misguided men, who either by word or deed have endeavoured to draw away the souls of the faithful from their trust in God. Sometimes persecution has been the instrument employed to overpower their fidelity; at others, subtle reasonings or confident assurances have been made use of to effect the same end. Independently, however, of the mischief which the faith of some has sustained from the violence of the persecutor and the cavils of the unbeliever, the very neglect of religion, evident in the conduct of so many, has been a sore let and hinderance in the way of the feeble Christian.

The feeling, which naturally arises the moment credit is given to the truth of Christianity, is that all who know anything of its solemn realities,

will be engaged in undissembled earnestness in striving to secure its promised blessings. But the truth of things is very different from this. The state of things, as actually existing, is that vast numbers everywhere throughout Christendom bear the Name of Christ, while few only, in comparison, are in heart and life walking worthy of their heavenly calling. No doubt there is outwardly a kind of homage shown to the truth of religion. For instance, any one unacquainted with the inconsistencies of men, and not able to read the secrets of their hearts, might imagine, from what the Sunday presents of religious appearances, that Christians were universally, or nearly so, a wise and understanding people. On the Sunday religion lifts up its head and makes its voice to be heard, and men seem disposed to recognize and confess its claims. The labour of the week is suspended. A day of rest ensues. There is a calmness-a kind of religious stillness-felt in the absence of the hurry of worldly business. On the Sunday it is as if the prospect of heaven were opened, after having been closed or obscured during the week by the dust and turmoil of life's busy occupations. There is an air of cheerfulness and something that seems to speak of innocence in this holy day. The curse which dooms man to labour

appears to be taken off. Religion occupies its proper place, and seems regarded as the one great business of life. The house of God is open for the poor and rich to meet together. The sound of the Church bell, a sound of an almost sacred character, floats in the air and is heard from one end of the parish to the other. And from every quarter, drawn by its summons, are seen families proceeding along the accustomed ways, which terminate, as in their centre, at the house of God. Some indeed, their own enemies, and enemies to their families and their neighbours, profane this holy day, and instead of remembering God and worshipping Him, waste its hours in idleness, sauntering about doing nothing, taking pleasure, it may be, in God's gracious appointment of this interval of rest for careworn man, and yet utterly indifferent to the honour of Him who has thus provided the sabbath for the poor. But the greater part of the people act in a different way. They prepare themselves to appear in Church on this blessed day. They are glad when it is said to them, "We will go into the house of the Lord." And they come and occupy in this House of Prayer their well-known place. In the solemn stillness which here prevails, while the voice. of confession and supplication and praise is heard, and while the great realities of heaven and hell