Redeemer only to supply the deficiencies of your own, and instead of gratefully accepting eternal life as the free gift of a Saviour's love, the unpurchaseable purchase of a Saviour's blood, proudly expect heaven's blessedness as the reward of your sincere obedience, or at least the joint-purchase of the Redeemer's righteousness and your own; presumptuously imagining, that the Almighty expiator of sin, will enter into partnership, and share with you, a sinful worm of the dust, in the glory of that work, to accomplish which, He lived a life of humiliation and sorrow, and died a death of agony and shame: if such be the spirit of your character, and such the foundation of your hopes; however attractive may be your amiability, or honourable your principles, according to the standard of this world's morality, while you continue thus a stranger to the divine purpose and power, to the humbling, and yet elevating principles, you must continue equally a stranger to the precious promises, and inestimable blessings of that not lower its demands, or accommodate its spirit, to the pride, or the pollution of our fallen nature, but remains in all its high and holy requirements, and character, uninfluenced by change of clime, or lapse of ages;

Gospel, which will

like its blessed Author-the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever.

Such reflections may have little weight and little attraction, while the glow of health sparkles on your cheek, and the buoyancy of your spirit is yet unbroken; while the world, that clouded scene of sin and sorrow, appears to your imagination all bright and blissful, and its grandeur dazzles, or its pursuits engross, or its pleasures fascinate your soul; but there is an hour coming to us all, which no forgetfulness, however profound—no pursuits, however engrossing-no pleasures, however fascinating, can retard; which with sure, though silent steps, is hastening to each of us, and even while I speak, is drawing nearer; and in that awful hour, when stretched upon that bed, from which you are no more to rise, when this world is loosening from your dying grasp, and fading from your closing eyes, like a vision of the night, and the veil that hides from us the world of spirits is withdrawn, and eternity, eternity, bursts on your startled view; when the soul, shuddering on the brink of that unknown, unfathomable abyss, shrinks back in horror at the thought, that in a few moments it must stand before the living God, and its eternal destiny be irrevocably sealed

Second Series.

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Oh! believe me, amidst the convulsive struggles of the dissolving frame, and the more fearful struggles of the departing spirit, amidst the dark retrospect of the past, and the dismal forebodings of the future, you would give the whole world—aye, or ten thousand worlds, if at your command, for one smile from the Redeemer's countenance, to break through and brighten the gloom that gathers round the bed of death; one whisper of comfort from the Redeemer's voice, to say to the tempestuous tossings of your distracted soul, "Peace, be still!" And oh! how unutterable · would be your joy, if through the love and power of Him, who by death conquered death, and by the cross disarmed the tyrant of his sting, smiling at the approach of the king of terrors, you could, like St. Paul, looking back with humble gratitude on a life of faith, spent in His service, and forward with exulting hope to a life of glory, to be spent in His presence, whom no one ever yet lamented on a dying bed, that he had loved too deeply, or served too devotedly, you could, with the triumphant Apostle, when he was ready to be offered, and his departure was at hand, exclaim, "I have fought the good fight; I have finished my course-I have kept the faith-henceforth

there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge shall give me at that day—and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing !"