that could thus bedew his eyes with tears? The same that fetched them from the Saviour, more than once the same that fetched them from the holy Psalmist; from the Prophet Elisha; in a word, from all eyes, that ever pretended a love of holiness, grief for sin, or compassion for sinners. How well did it become him, who could be content that he were accursed from Christ for his brethren of the circumcision, to melt into tears at their spiritual uncircumcision Let no man say, that tears argue weakness. He, that shrunk not from the lion or the bear, from Saul or from Goliath, nay not from ten thousand of the people that beset him round about, can yet say, Rivers of waters run down mine eyes, because they keep not thy law. But, why speak I of these, when the omnipotent Son of God himself weeps over Jerusalem, and makes his tears the preface of his blood? To weep for fear, is weakness; to weep for mere grief, is human : whilst to weep for sin is Christian; but to weep from true zeal and compassion, is saint-like and divine. Weep but THUS awhile, and ye shall laugh for ever. Sow thus in tears, and ye shall not fail to reap in joy.

But, what shall we say to those, who seek for mirth in nothing so much as sin? Great God! that we should laugh at that, for which our Saviour wept and bled! that we should smile at that on earth, at which God frowns in heaven! and make

that our delight, by which even the Holy Spirit of God is grieved! Woe be to them that thus laugh; for they shall weep and wail to all eternity!_

St. Augustin, speaking of his Discourses, informs us, that when the delight that was depicted. in the countenances of the congregation, seemed to give applause to him, he was dissatisfied with his efforts: but when he saw them burst into tears, he rejoiced; as thinking that his labours had produced their due effect.

There are some, who even in their sermons, have aimed at wit and pleasantry, and think themselves unfortunate if they have not excited a smile. But it will be long, my brethren, ere teachers of this description, become your guides to heaven. True repentance, which is our only way thither, is a matter of a sad and serious nature. It is through the valley of Baca, that we must pass to the mount of God.

The man clothed with linen, with a writer's inkhorn by his side, as seen in the vision by the Prophet Ezekiel, marks none in the forehead for preservation but those that sigh and cry for the abominations of Jerusalem. Oh! then, ye that love the peace of it; and would be loth to see its desolation, weep with them that weep; yea, weep as does the Apostle in the text.

And if the good bestow their tears upon the wicked, how much more should the wicked shed them for themselves! Could their eyes be but

opened, that they might see their own condition, they could not love themselves so ill, as not to bewail it. Could they see the frowns of an angry God bent upon them-could they see the flames of hell ready to receive them-they could not but dissolve into tears of blood. Oh! pity your own souls; be feelingly apprehensive of your fearful danger— the danger of eternal damnation. Weep, day and night, before that God, whom ye have provoked; and wash away your sins with the streams of penitence. Blessed are ye that weep Now: for ye shall laugh.

With respect to the tears of the Apostle-See, I beseech you, who were the objects of his sorrow— the false teachers of the Philippians; the rivals and adversaries of the Apostle's ministry: whether they were disciples of Simon Magus, or Judaizing Christians; men, that were not more for Christ, than for Moses; men, not more false in opinion, than foul in conversation; enemies to himself, as well as to the Gospel. Yet even these are the men, whom St. Paul bedews with many tears. And thus are we taught, that, so far from desiring or rejoicing in the destruction of those, who profess hostility to the Gospel, we should make it a matter of sorrow and of mourning. St. Paul had a deeper insight into the condition of these Philippians, than we can ever have of those who come within our notice or our enmity; for he saw them, as it were, in hell already. He looked on them as vessels of the wrath of the

Almighty; for he adds-whose end is destruction. And yet he thinks not on their wickedness, but with tears. Every one can mourn for the danger, the loss, or the fall of a good man, or of a friend: but, to be thus deeply affected with either the sins or the judgments of the wicked, is incident to nonę but a tender and charitable heart. The children of God are like their heavenly Father, who will have ALL men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should DIE, saith the Lord God; and not that he should return from his ways and LIVE? He even binds it with an oath: As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the DEATH of the wicked, but that 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?

SERMON XII.

FROM HALL.

PART II.

PHILIPPIANS iii. 18, 19.

(For many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ :

Whose end is destruction. )

HAVING Commented, in a former discourse, on the faithfulness of St. Paul in warning even with tears the false teachers of the Philippians; I shall now direct your attention to the wickedness of the latter: who are described in the text as enemies of the cross of Christ.

The admonition of the Apostle, in the words immediately preceding the text is, that the Philippians should mark those who walked holily; as they had the Apostles for examples. From the text itself, however, we may infer, that but too