or if there be, it is not so great as the danger of neglecting it. The risk of being sick is not so fearful as the risk of having it said to you by Christ, “I was sick, and ye visited me not." Do herein as you would be done by. Should we wish our friends, if we were ill, to run for us any needless, useless risk? We should not. Therefore we need not hazard ourselves rashly, uselessly, for them. But could we bear them to turn us from their doors, to refuse us the necessary good offices, which those who cannot help themselves must receive from those who can? If not, let none refuse now to give all needful help. Let none refuse to give it cheerfully, affectionately. Let none doubt that to do so is the safest as well as the most Christian course to pursue. For they who are the best relations, and best friends to each other, they who out of love to Christ best exercise good will to man, these are the most fit, under God's providence, to live, and the least afraid, under the shelter of his love, to die.

Secondly, besides the duty which at this season relations should be prepared to render to each other, there are good offices of the same kind, due from neighbours to neighbours; and these should rest in like manner on Christian charity, and on Christian faith. Thankful I am to say, that there has been on this occasion, a zeal most highly to be praised, amongst those who are in a situation to give help. I know of no one member of this congregation, I know of no inhabitant of this parish, who has either taken flight from the scene of painful duty, or refused to take his share in discharging it. I know of many who have laboured, far beyond their usual habits, nay, I may say, beyond their strength, in attending on the cases of the diseased, and in securing as far as possible, the health of the community. Go on, I would now say to such, go on in your work of love. Go on after the example of Him, who "went about doing good." (Acts 10. 38.) Give your time and attention to the wants of the poor, to the sorrows of the

suffering.
image of your Saviour Christ.
Saviour Christ.

Learn to see in them the

Learn to

help them, because He has bidden you; because you believe in Him, and love Him, and delight in obeying Him. Then, whether it be now his will that you should yourselves also suffer, or whether He yet spare you for a while, the day be ye assured is not far off, when ye shall hear his voice in mercy say, "I was sick, and ye visited me."

Lastly, I would add one word as to the collection now to be made in behalf of those who suffer, or who without this help might be likely to suffer, by the disease. It is true we have exhorted elsewhere all those who are able to give, that they should help as far as they can, their own immediate neighbours. It is true that such help has been given, and is being given, both by those who are comparatively rich, and in many instances by the poor among themselves. Yet are there in this parish many neighbourhoods, wherein, amongst hundreds of poor families, there is scarce one that

can in any sense be called rich. Those of us therefore who are better off, must help those who fare worse. And it would ill become us to meet on such an occasion as this, in the house of God, without offering, as alms to Him, some portion of our substance for this purpose. You may have given already; but have you no more which you could spare? You may have given already, but have you no more which you would wish that you had given, if this night your soul should be required of you? You may have given already; but have you no more which you will feel a pleasure in bestowing, now that you are in God's house, have been hearing his word, praying for his help, and have been giving thanks, if you have been well, for health, and if you have been ill, for your recovery? God make you to show forth his praise, not only with your lips, but with the gift your hands; not only with your gifts, but ever after with your whole lives, more faithfully devoted to his service, through grace of Jesus Christ our Lord!

of

the

ADDRESS

PREFIXED TO SERMON II.

To the Parishioners of Sedgley.

DURING the prevalence of Cholera in this parish, I can testify with thankfulness and joy that there has been felt a very general and a very deep impression of divine things. Responsible as I am for your spiritual edification, I have been anxious to make the best of an opportunity, when you appear to be so powerfully awakened to the necessity of caring for the soul. And I have determined therefore on printing, and circulating among you, some of the sermons which you appear lately to have listened to with more than usual interest and attention. One I have already published on St. Matthew 25. 36. "I was sick, and ye visited me." The second you have now in your hands. A third will shortly follow on Revelation 14. 13. "I heard a voice from heaven, saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord,