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feel a composure and satisfaction. Knowing "that "the hairs of their head are numbered," that their afflictions, no less than their comforts, are tokens of his love, "that he will give them strength according to their day; that he will be their guide "and their guard even unto death," they are not greatly moved by any events, or disturbed by apprehensions, because their hearts are fixed, trusting in the Lord.* Farther, he teaches them (what can only be learnt of him) how to seek and maintain His love subdues the power peace among men. of self, and forms them to a spirit of philanthropy and benevolence, which has often such an effect, that they who dislike them for their attachment to him and to his precepts, and would willingly speak evil of them, are ashamed, and put to silence, by their perseverance in well-doing. Thus their peace increases as a river, which runs with a deeper and a broader stream as it approaches the ocean. For their peace is then strongest and most unshaken, when they draw near to death, and are upon the point of resigning their souls into his hands. This is the time, when, if not before, the false peace of the worldling will give way to terror and dismay. "But mark the perfect man, and behold the up"right, for the end of that man is peace." must be allowed, that many of his people, through the power of temptation and remaining unbelief, have, at some seasons, uncomfortable fears concerning a dying hour; but when the time of their dismission actually arrives, we seldom see them afraid of the summons. There is a strength necessary to support the soul at the approach of death, which is usually withheld till the time of need. But then it is vouchsafed. They who

* Psal, cxii. 7,

+ Psal. xxxvii, 37,

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have frequently access to the beds of dying believers, can bear testimony, as eye witnesses, to the faithfulness of their Lord. How often have we seen them triumphing in the prospect of immortality! as happy, in defiance of pain and sickness, as we can well conceive it possible to be while in the body, and as sure of heaven as if they were already before the throne.

Such is the character of MESSIAH! This is th God whom we adore; our almighty unchangeable Friend! His greatness and goodness, his glory and his grace, when once known, fix the heart, no more to rove, and fill it with admiration, gratitude, and desire. From hence spring a cheerful unreserved obedience to his commands, and a deliberate voluntary submission to his holy will. For his people do not serve him, or yield to him by constraint; at least, it is only the pleasing constraint of love, which makes their duty their delight; and their burden and grief is that they can serve him no better.

May we be all thus minded. I dare not hope it is so with us all at present. But this is the day of his grace. For this cause he came into the world, that he might draw many hearts to himself.* And for this purpose he favours us with his Gospel, by which he still says, "Look unto me, and "be ye saved;"+"Come unto me, and I will

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give you rest." To be found among his faithful followers, in the great day when he shall come to judge the world, is the one thing, which, above all others, deserves our solicitude.

Hear then his voice to-day. Perhaps you are apprised of the necessity of a change of heart and life, at some future period, in order to die safely. Such a

* John, xii. 32.

Isa. xlv. 22.

+ Matt. xi. 28.

change is equally necessary, if you wish to live comfortably. While you are unfit to die, you can have no true enjoyment of life. It were easy to prove at large, that procrastination is highly dangerous. Admitting, that, according to your present feelings, you really think yourself determined to seek the Lord at some future time, do you consider how many uncertainties you presume upon? Are you sure that you shall not be suddenly cut off, by an unexpected and unthought of stroke; or visited by a fever, which may quickly bring you into a state of delirium or stupefaction, and render your projected repentance impracticable? Yea, it will in any circumstances be impracticable, unless God is pleased to influence your mind by his good Spirit. If you grieve this Spirit now, by resisting his operations, what reason have you to expect that he will then return? Do we not see many instances of what the poet, with great propriety, calls, "A slow sudden "death?" How many people, while pining away under the power of incurable disease, amuse themselves with the hope of recovery to the last gasp; and though their acquaintance read death in their countenance for weeks or months, in defiance of such repeated and long-continued warnings, they die as suddenly, with respect to their own apprehensions, as if killed by lightning. Tremble lest such be your last end, if you trifle with God, who now calls you, by his Gospel, to seek him to-day," while it is called to-day."

But I would lead you to consider your delay, not only as dangerous, but as unreasonable. Why are you afraid of being happy too soon? What strange and hard thoughts have you of God, if you suppose you can find more pleasure in living according to your own wills, than in obedience to

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his commands? Can the world give you such peace and satisfaction as I have attempted to describe? Do you think a real persuasion that God is your friend, and that heaven will be your home, will spoil the relish of your earthly enjoyments, or make your lives uncomfortable? What hard thing does the Lord require of you, that you are so unwilling to comply? If we set aside, for a moment, the consideration of a future state and a final judgement, yet, even in a temporal view, you would be a great gainer, if your spirit and your conduct were regulated by the Gospel. What heart-breaking troubles, what losses, contests, pains of body, and remorse of conscience, would some of you have avoided, if you had believed and obeyed the word of God! What distresses may your headstrong passions soon plunge you into, if you presume to go on in your sins! For that the way of transgressors is hard, is not only declared in Scripture, but proved by the history and observation of every day. Forsake the foolish, therefore, and live. And, while the door of mercy is still open before you, pray to him who is able to bless you indeed, by delivering you from the guilt, and from the power of your iniquities; lest, if being" often reproved,"* and still "hardening your hearts, you should suddenly be destroyed, "and that without remedy."

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* Prov. xxix. 1.

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SERMON X.

THE ANGEL'S MESSAGE AND SONG.

LUKE, ii. 8-14.

There were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not; for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, on earth peace, good-will toward men.

THE gratification of the great, the wealthy, and the gay, was chiefly consulted in the late exhibitions in Westminster-Abbey. But, notwithstanding the expense of the preparations, and the splendid appearance of the auditory, I may take it for granted, that the shepherds who were honoured with the first information of the birth of MESSIAH, enjoyed, at free cost, a much more sublime and delightful entertainment. How poor and trivial is the most studied magnificence and brilliancy of an earthly court, compared with that effulgence of glory which surrounded the shepherds? The performers of this Oratorio, if I may be allowed the expression, were a multitude of the heavenly host. And though I do not suppose that the angel delivered his message in the

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