and drink the blood of the Son of Man,"-except meditate daily on his incarnation and sacrifice, "ye can have no life in you."

ye

The preceding remarks will enable us to explain certain very interesting facts or phenomena of a religious nature, and which, at first view, seem somewhat inexplicable. In the first place, it often happens that christians of slender abilities, and limited knowledge, make far greater progress in holiness, and enjoy far more spiritual comfort than many who surpass them almost immeasurably in intellectual talents and attainments. The beautiful declaration of the Psalmist is thus verified, "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast thou ordained strength, or perfected praise." And thus, too, is verified the declaration of the apostle, "The weak things of the world are chosen to confound the mighty." Now, how is this to be accounted for? The explanation seems evidently to be, that the formerthose christians namely whose abilities are slender, and whose knowledge is limited, occupy themselves almost wholly with the vital and essential doctrines of the christian system-doctrines which, by the teaching of the Spirit, even they can clearly apprehend; while the latter undervalue these doctrines as stamped with a character of common place, and speculate or dispute on topics far inferior in grandeur and value.

Another remarkable fact which has often been noticed is the tendency of a deathbed to narrow the christian's creed, as it has been expressed, that is, to recal his thoughts from all extraneous topics, from all topics of little importance and of doubtful disputation, and to fix them on those central truths, which may be regarded as the marrow or the core of the gospel. It has been observed, also, with respect to those christian ministers and preachers who have been most distinguished for

intellectual gifts and attainments, that when they come to conflict with the king of terrors, they generally abandon their speculations on these other topics, and cling, with convulsive grasp, to the same central truths, -those which relate to the mercy of God, and the atonement of Christ. The reason is manifest. These are the only truths which can impart hope to man as a guilty creature; and their supporting influence is needed alike by the philosopher and the peasant, the man of gigantic genius, and the child in understanding.

3d, I remark, thirdly, that some may be destitute of assurance, because they make it the object of direct and primary pursuit.

At first view this assertion may seem to present a startling and questionable aspect. Are not hope, it may be said, and the full assurance of hope, spiritual blessings; and can it be possible to seek spiritual blessings too earnestly? In one view it may not be possible, and in another view it may. If we seek them from right motives, and in the right way, we cannot seek them with undue earnestness; but if we seek even spiritual blessings without respect to their relative value, or if we seek them from a regard to our own happiness, not to the divine honour, we are not seeking them from right motives, and in the right way, and shall infallibly be disappointed. Now, valuable and desirable as are the blessings of hope, and the full assurance of hope, they are not so valuable as our personal sanctification or holiness; they are not so closely connected with the divine honour, which ought to constitute our chief end and aim; and, therefore, they ought not to be the object of our direct and primary pursuit. If sought, indeed, as our supreme end, they will elude our grasp. Let us illustrate this assertion by an anecdote. A certain nobleman, when requested by his sovereign to go as an

ambassador to a foreign country, demurred, alleging that it would be injurious to his private affairs. Go, said his prince, attend you to my interests, and I will attend to yours. Such virtually is the injunction which God addresses to his servants. Attend, he says, to my honour; make it your supreme end to do my will, and to advance my glory; and I will take care of your comfort and your welfare. "Trust in the Lord and do good so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord, and he shall give thee the desire of thine heart." "Which of you, having a servant plowing or feeding cattle, will say unto him by and by, when he is come from the field, Go and sit down to meat? And will not rather say unto him, Make ready wherewith I may sup, and gird thyself and serve me, till I have eaten and drunken; and afterward thou shalt eat and drink?"

Such is the divinely appointed avenue to spiritual hope and spiritual joy. You perceive, therefore, that it is possible for a believer to seek after assurance, and yet not obtain it. He fails to obtain it, because instead of seeking it in subordination to the higher ends of the divine honour, and his own holiness, he makes it the object of his direct and primary pursuit.

It may serve to throw additional light on this topic to remark, that in reference to the point more immediately under consideration, there is an instructive analogy between the laws of our animal and those of our mental and spiritual economy. Who is the man most likely to possess health and vigour of body? Is it he who makes his health the chief or exclusive object of his regard, who is continually harassed by nervous apprehensions and fears, and who has daily recourse to cordials and stimulants, and other medicines? No, surely. Of such a man it may be said, that in "seeking

his life he loses it." The person who is most likely to be healthy and robust, is he who thinks comparatively little of such matters; who is regular, and temperate, and active in his habits; contenting himself with a moderate portion of plain and nourishing food; neither loitering in idleness on the one hand, nor overworking himself on the other, but exerting his strength daily and with alacrity in the prosecution of some useful employment. To such a man, health and contentment, and many other blessings, will come as of their own accord. Thus, too, is it in matters of religion. Be you diligent, my friends, in the cultivation of personal piety; aim incessantly at the advancement of the divine glory; be faithful in the discharge of the duties allotted you; make these your grand objects; and spiritual hope, and peace, and joy, will flow in upon you as it were spontaneously and unsought.

Thus, then, I have said that some are deprived of spiritual hope and joy from confused and defective views of the vital truths of the gospel; others from making it their direct or primary pursuit. Had the preacher experienced more of that christian hope, he would have been better able to illustrate the causes of its weakness. Reflect, however, on what has been said. How momentous and how seasonable the inquiry,-Are we partakers of that peace and hope? There are probably individuals here who enjoy a species of tranquillity; but it is a tranquillity the very reverse of that which I have just endeavoured to delineate a tranquillity resembling the stillness of the desert, or the silence of the grave. Their tranquillity is the consequence of profound ignorance, or obstinate inconsideration—a tranquillity resulting from an infatuated refusal to reflect on their danger, or to anticipate the day when they must meet with their Maker

and their Judge; a tranquillity, then, ruinous to them as immortal, and disgraceful to them as rational beings.

Others, perhaps, there are here, the conscious victims of covetous desires and corroding cares, or of malignant passions and ❝ vile affections." The condition of both these classes is truly pitiable; but peace and hope are not unattainable blessings. Why content yourselves with a tranquillity irrational, delusive, and momentary? or why allow your souls to be pulled in pieces by fierce and conflicting passions, when invited to partake of a serenity, pure, and rational, and enduring? "Acquaint yourselves, then, with him, and be at peace, and thereby good shall come unto you." Learn of him who is meek and lowly; and then the darkness of ignorance, and the tempests of sinful passions, will be succeeded by what deserves the name of peace.

"What nothing earthly gives, or can destroy,

The soul's calm sunshine, and the heartfelt joy."

4th, Secularity or worldliness is another cause which operates as a fearful hindrance to the full assurance of hope. Under these expressions, I refer not only to conformity to the sinful maxims and practices of the world, but to an immoderate attachment to its objects and possessions, and to the undue attention to its lawful pursuits. "No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other; or else he will hold to the one and despise the other: ye cannot serve both God and mammon." It is essential, then, to the character of the saint that he choose God for the portion which he is to enjoy as his chief good, and for his Master, whom he is to obey as his supreme lord. But while this is essential to the character of the saint, it is possible that he may be immoderately attached to the objects, and unduly occupied with the