established upon the foundation which is laid in Zion, through everlasting electing love, through pardoning mercy and justifying grace, they add to their faith virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge temperance, and to temperance patience, and to patience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness charity. Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, they think on these things. The grace of God, which bringeth salvation, hath appeared to them; teaching them, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, they should live soberly, and righteously, and godly in the world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for them, that He might redeem them from all iniquity, and purify them unto Himself, a pecu liar people, zealous of good works. Thus they are steadfast and unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as they know that their labour shall not be in vain in the Lord.

But this building is not only to be viewed in the whole, but in every individual stone, and every lofty pillar. To whomnamely, the Lord-to whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed, indeed, of man, but chosen of God, and precious; ye, also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Every believer is a stone, polished after the similitude of a palace. The king's daughter is all glorious within. They are all fair, there is no spot in them, Christ is the Flead of the Church, and He is the Saviour of the body. Christ loved the Church, and gave Himself for it, that He might present it to Himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. As in the terrestrial and material buildings there were all the orders of architecture in the utmost per fection, so far as they added to durability and beauty; so in the immaterial and spiritual building, there is everything that can strengthen and adorn. As one star differeth from another star in glory, so one Christain, according to grace given him, and the occupancy he makes of his talents, differeth from another, and shall shine with superior lustre for ever and for ever. This distinction is recognized in the Word,-Unto one the great Lord gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability.

And when James, Cephas, and John, says Paul, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship, that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision. This building is unique and perfect. There are no materials in it that the teeth of time will corrode or destroy. The materials, like those of the incomparable temple at Jerusalem, are all prepared here; and the building is perfected in heaven,-in that wonderful land where there is literally nothing to hurt or destroy.

Come, then, my fellow sinners, and take a view of this wonderful, astonishing, matchless building. Look at some of the materials of which it is composed. Look at Rahab, Gideon, Barak, Sampson. and Jephthah. Look at Manasseh, and Saul of Tarsus, and Mary Magdalene, and many more, who men, perhaps, would have thought, could not be put among the children. And such were some of you, says Paul; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified, in the name of the Lord Jesus. Survey it, and stand gazing upon it, till ye are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord. Then, though ye have lain among the pots, ye shall be as the wings of a dove covered with silver, and her feathers with yellow gold. Look at some of the precious stones of Zion,-not only those recorded in the sacred page; but those who have truly appeared more excellent than their neighbours. They may be hidden, in a great measure; but they shine forth in their humility, and heavenlymindedness, in their deadness to this world, and every other grace springing from faith in God, and in Jesus Christ, His Son, from genuine repentance, and true, fervent love to God and man. Hereby shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Rejoice that the building, my fellow-sinners, is not yet finished. It has been going on since the blood of righteous Abel was shed. It is going on still. Still there is roomstill there is forgiveness-still there is acceptance. The Saviour is still saying, Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of ine; for I am meek and lowly in heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come; and let him that heareth say, Come; and let him that is athirst come; and whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely. God is still saying, Say unto them, As I live, saith the Lord, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that

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the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn ye, turn ye, from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel. To you, therefore, is the word of this salvation sent. Kiss the Son, lest He be angry, and ye perish from the way. And how will you be everlastingly mortified, when ye shall not only see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, and apostles, and martyrs; but even those you thought beneath yourselves, in the kingdom of God; and yourselves, for want of the simplest application, thrust out. Now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation. It is, To-day, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts. I make a full and free offer of Christ to you, and all His salvation, from sin, death, and hell. Accept of Him as your Prophet, Priest, and King, and He shall be made of God unto you, wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption. Reject Him, and He shall weep over you, as He did over Jerusalem.

I beseech you, in Christ's stead, to be reconciled to God. Now to Him that is of power to stablish you according to my gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, (according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, and by the Scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith ;) to God only wise, be glory through Jesus Christ for ever. Amen.

Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto Him he glory in the Church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Now unto Him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen.

SERMON VII.

"Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of Him that was to come."-ROM. v. 14.

THESE words acquire some weight, merely from their being written by Saul of Tarsus. Independent of his being an Israelite, to whom pertained the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants. and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; whose are the fathers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen,-independent of his belonging to a sect that affected, at least, a singular probity and austerity of life, a strict regard to all ceremonial observances, and even to moral duties, and a belief of most, if not all, essential doctrines,-independent of after the most straitest sect of his religion, he lived a Pharisee; and profited in the Jews' religion above many his equals in his own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the tradition of his fathers,-independent of his being brought up at the feet of Gamaliel, and taught according to the perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and being zealous toward God,-independent of his being a freeborn citizen of the Roman Empire, in one of its remote provinces, by which he might be more or less acquainted with all that she had acquired and invented, into whose lap the knowledge and the wealth of the world was poured,-independent ́of his talents and opportunities, which were of the very first order, and most sedulously and constantly improved,―independent of all these, and superadded to them all, and inconceivably and inexpressibly excelling them every one, though they had been multiplied a thousand fold, he was most marvelously and miraculously turned from natural, moral, and spiritual darkness to light. He was, from being the most furious and blood-thirsty persecutor, turned, in the most singular, unprecedented, and unrepeated manner, to be the very first preacher of the faith he subverted, and of the practice he abhorred. He was, moreover, specially inspired by the Holy Ghost; so that he was not a whit behind the very chiefest apostles Had these words, then, not been a legitimate conclusion from indisputable premises, they would have claimed our fullest and warmest assent, as the true sayings of Godthe inspired dictates of the Holy Spirit. It will appear, from

invariable experience and uniform matter of fact, that they are certain as truth itself. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of Him that was to come. The language of our text forces upon our mind the notion of a king, who is called Death. It particularizes some of his subjects, even those who had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression. It condescends upon a certain portion of his government from Adam to Moses, though it does not say, nor even insinuate, that it comprehended the whole of his reign. It authorizes us to connect with these everything pertaining to the office of a king. We shall, therefore, by the help of God, attempt to throw our thoughts under the following heads:-First, We shall shew, that death is a king; Secondly, We shall point out the foundation of his kingdom; Thirdly, The extent of his dominion; Fourthly, The length of his reign; Fifthly, The number of his subjects, particularizing some of their names; Lastly, The way that those who are to be his subjects ought to conduct them. selves, so as to be most safe and happy under his administration.

I. We are to shew, that death was, and still is, a king.—It is the prerogative of kings to reign; and we would, therefore, infer, that he is a king, from his being said to have reigned. An elegant Latin historian has said, that the kingly form of government was the first upon the earth. We are not bound to inquire into the accuracy of the assertion, though we believe it is corroborated by the most authentic and genuine historian in the most ancient history that ever was penned-the history which records the creation of the heavens and the earth,that death was, and still is a king. We have the best possible proof; for an ancient and inspired writer calls him the king of terrors. Another writer of equal credibility, unintentionally and circumstantially corroborates his testimony, when he says, The terrors of death have fallen upon me. He who sits upon the pale horse, then, is a king;-he is a potent, absolute monarch. There is no possibility of resisting his will; for there is no discharge in that war; and wickedness shall not deliver those who are given unto it. All the mighty kings who have been upon the earth have bowed before him; and all those who shall be upon the earth, shall submit unto him. None have ever lived who have not feared him. There is no king more powerful or absolute, unless that unparalleled King who has the keys of hell and of death. No man will one day doubt, that death is a king; at least, there shall be none whom