tify-may they approach, day by day, nearer and nearer to the goal of life; and when the victory over the grave is won, and all have passed the fearful barriers which separate them from the untrodden world, may they find him they have served on earth, a compassionate and forgiving "Master in heaven."

Now to God, &c.

SERMON VI.

FEAST OF PENTECOST.

Acts ii. 1.

And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

THE thousand rumours that ever attend events uncommon or striking, had long died away and been forgotten: the scribe returned to his deserted school; the Pharisee resumed his ostentatious life; the disciple of Sadoc sought his accustomed pleasures; again did the temple of God become "a house of merchandize;" the money-changer replaced his table; and he that sold doves re-erected his seat; all things wore their usual and apparently unvarying aspect;

nought but the solitary cross on Calvary told that a prophet had appeared in Israel, and had received a prophet's doom. It was said, indeed, it was murmured, a low and cautious whisper went round the city, that the tomb of the malefactor Jesus had been found empty, but the watch might have been ill kept; his disciples interested in the completion of the impostor's vaunt, might have stolen away the body; the real Messiah was a widely different person from him who had so rashly, and for himself so unhappily, usurped the office:' thus reasoned the wise man, and argued the ancient.

Where were the crowds which followed the benevolent Jesus? Where the sick whom he had restored to health? Where the blind whose darkness he had made light? Where the lame who had received strength? Where the poor

whose labours he had cheered, and

whom in his spirit he had blessed? Were none found to give glory to God? none in whose hearts recent sufferings and ignominy had failed to obliterate former acts of kindness and of love? There did some few such remain; let us go and observe them :-what! surely! can this little company, scarce a hundred and twenty persons, be the sole relics of that host of worshippers? Alas! for the deceitfulness of the human heart, that can so fairly colour desertion and ingratitude! these, indeed were all; desperate in fortune, more desperate in hope, they clung, with what an indifferent observer would have called, a wild and insane devotion, to the memory of him whom all had forsaken and fled; but they had reasons for what they did more than the world knew of. He who was reputed dead; he whose last breath had, to all human conception, been breathed out, amidst the insults and

" he*

reproaches of his persecutors; shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs," being seen of the apostles and others " forty days." Think! through the whole space of forty days, not once appearing, and then in the instant disappearing, but present continually with them through this great length of time, "and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, and being assembled together with them, he commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father; which, saith he, ye have heard of me." The world might ridicule them for their credulity---the world I dare say did ridicule them, but they had something within to support them, stronger than the world's ridicule; they had beheld and companied with their Lord; they

* Acts i.