this disease.

Not that so much as one in ten are usually ill, or so many as one in a hundred usually die. But notwithstanding, so universal is the fear of death, so well does every one know that for his sins he deserves these wages, that in a time, when death is known to be more than usually busy, every one apprehends some danger to himself. And to every one now alive to hear me, at this hour, I may repeat as most appropriate to himself, Behold the goodness of God towards thee! Oh that every one would bear in mind the condition so seasonably added, "if thou continue in that goodness." Oh that every one would consider the fearful alternative," otherwise thou also shalt be cut off."

I am spared! This must be now the feeling of each of us. This must be the feeling of every one, who, in a season of more than common mortality, has apprehended that he might very probably be cut off from the land of the living. I am spared for the present. But, Lord, how long? I am spared, by God's great good

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ness. But it is only if I continue in his goodness; it is only if I continue steadfast in faith, lively in hope, and fervent in charity. These things are "his goodness." They are the goodness He has revealed in his gospel. They are the goodness in which I must not only continue, but grow also and improve from day to day, going on from grace to grace, unto "the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ." (Eph. 4. 13.)

Examine yourselves then, my brethren, examine yourselves, at this season, first whether you be in the faith, secondly whether you advance in the practice of the gospel. In your faith have you admitted no doctrine injurious to the honour of God; do you hold no opinion that helps to allow you in sin? Do you, in short, hold the plummet of Scripture to every thought you conceive, either of God himself, or of his dealings with man his creature? In your practice do you apply constantly the same certain test; humouring no passion, indulging in no pleasant conformity to the world, yielding

knowingly to no influence of that evil spirit, who goeth about seeking whom he may devour? Examine yourselves; that you may know wherein you have done wrong; now that you are purposing most earnestly for the future to do right. Examine yourselves, that you may know of your sins, may confess them, may repent of them before God, as well as pray, and also labour to amend them. And for your help I will now set forth some few chief heads of doctrine and practice, in which I have reason to suppose you most lacking, and in which it is most important that you should advance, if you would continue in God's goodness, if you would not be by Him cut off for ever.

First then, lay the foundation of your hope in Jesus Christ, in the atonement of his blood, in the sacrifice He made for sin, in the covenant He sealed for your salvation. Give these things a place foremost in your faith; let them be what you first think of, when you purpose any good, when you look out for refuge from any evil. In this duty I suppose many

of you to fall short. I suppose, that many, when they fear to die, try to cheer themselves with thinking of their own good deeds. I suppose that many, when they endeavour to do right, think first of how much shame it will here cost them to do wrong; or go no further at the utmost, than to count how much suffering it must entail on them hereafter. But if you would continue in God's goodness, try rather, my brethren, to think with yourselves thus: I have been redeemed by the blood of Christ. I have been bought with a price. I have been born anew to a life of holiness. I have been sealed for a child of God; privileged to have grace divine, if only I ask for it with faith; and empowered, if only I have grace, empowered to do that which is pleasing unto God, through Jesus Christ. Oh, how great is this my Saviour's love! How shall I fail to love Him, who hath thus loved me! Him will I delight to serve. Him will I rejoice to obey. In my life I will make his word my rule; his

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conduct my example. And both in life and death, it is in his merits that I will trust, by his sure promise that I will abide.

The next point of doctrine, in which I think it probable that many who hear me may fall short, and in which I would now most earnestly exhort them to continue and improve, is the doctrine of grace, or divine assistance, imparted to our prayers through faith, and absolutely necessary to our obedience. We can no more do right, without the Holy Spirit helping us, than we can live without breathing, or without nourishment be strong. Without the Holy Spirit helping us, we can no more fail to sin, than without eyesight we could help to stumble, or without feet to fall. Do you, my brethren, sufficiently consider this, in what you try to do right, in what of wrong you endeavour to amend? Do you look to this help as absolutely necessary; so necessary, that it is of no use at all, it is worse than useless, to make any effort without it? Do you long for