justified by faith has peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ; and the peace of God that passes understanding keeps his heart and mind through Christ Jesus. This peace is the bequest of Christ to him, and he calls it his peace. Have you any such peace, a peace, which the tribulations of this world cannot disturb, for Christ says, "These things have I said to you that in me ye might have peace, in the world ye shall have tribulations, but be of good cheer." Do you know any thing of such tranquility? Is not this far before the philosophic calm ? Candid hearer, do you think that the real Christian has as many fears, anxieties and disquietudes as you have? that his bosom is as easily rufled and liable to such violent agitations as yours? do the circumstances of danger, does worldly disappointment, does the prospect of death trouble him as it does you? If something should whisper in your ear, "This night thy soul is required of thee," do you think you could hear it with as much composure, as he whose mind is staid on God? How is it that in seasons of danger, in the hour of apprehended shipwreck, in the sudden invasion of sickness, or in the time of impending pestilence, men fall upon their knees, betake themselves to the Bible and ask an interest in the prayers of Christians? Do they not thereby testify that the rock of their reliance is not as our rock?

3. In point of consolation in affliction, and support under the trials of life, has not the Christian an acknowledged advantage over every other? Underneath him are the everlasting arms. What equal support have you? God is his very present help in

trouble. Who is yours? Your relative? your minister? He is a poor prop; a broken reed is every man. Have you any, any refuge to run into for shelter when the storms of sorrow beat furiously upon you? Any voice like that of the Son of man, to say to you in your desponding moments, "be of good cheer;" any hand, like God, to pass over your streaming eyes, and wipe all tears from them? When all earthly expectations are disappointed, as easily and at once they may be, what hopes have you, that survive this wreck? The Christian has one left, worth all the rest, a hope full of immortality, an anchor to his soul, and one that will never make him ashamed; when human friends die or desert you, what friend have you, more constant than a brother; and what portion left, when this world's fails you? And now we come to the supposition of death, soon to be to each of us more than mere supposition. Do you think that you are as well prepared to die, as he who has committed his soul to the care and keeping of Christ? Do you think that he is as likely to be troubled with dying regrets as you? Do you think that he will lament in that hour, the seasons spent in prayer and devotion, his days of humiliation and nights spent in sorrow for sin, his strivings, vigils, self-denials and sacrifices for Christ, and the efforts by which he aimed at spirituality of mind? Do you not rather think that you will lament that you did not resemble him in these respects? If your last sickness were upon you, would you not wish to be in the place of the Christian? Balaam, one of your men of the world, expressed his preference in these memorable

words, "Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his." Did you never conceive a similar wish? And what does this prove, but your judgment that your rock is not as his rock? You dare not trust it in a trying moment. You are suspicious that it will not sustain you. it is but sand. But do you think the same of the Christian's rock, Christ Jesus? Do you suspect the stability of that foundation? Did any one ever

You fear that

grieve that a friend or relative of his died in the faith of Jesus Christ? Is there a parent, so unbelieving and irreligious himself, that, if now he had a child dying, he would not be comforted to hear from him. the expression of repentance for sin and reliance on Christ and devotedness to him, though under other circumstances a similar declaration from his child would grieve and even exasperate him? The thing has often been put to the test. An infidel of some distinction in a northern state, whose wife was a woman of piety, was called in to see a favorite daughter expire. He had instructed her in one way, the mother in another. And now she asked him in the belief of whose sentiments, his, or her mother's, he would prefer to have her die. He immediately replied, "Your mother's." Here was the judgment of an enemy that Christianity is more safe and suitable for a dying hour, than infidelity.

Shall we go on one step farther? That brings us to the bar of God. In what character, think you it will be most desirable for you to appear there? Do you think that your prospects for the judgment are

as good as the Christian's? Do you really think you will be able to plead your cause there as successfully as Christ can? Will his advocacy be a thing to be despised then? A day is coming, for which all other days were made, the last and greatest of days, the day of God, in which the heavens being on fire shall melt. Wherefore seeing that ye look for such things what manner of persons ought ye to be? is made to you, and your opinion manner of persons ought ye to be? are; or such as real Christians are?

is

Here the appeal asked. What Such as you

But enough. You admit that the condition of the Christian is superior to yours; that he is safer, more peaceful, more comforted, happier. You say, no life is so happy as his, no death so desirable, no one's prospect for eternity so bright as his; and the course you pursue you admit is vain and unprofitable, and yet you will go on in it. Will you? If it were the course of duty; you should be reconciled to it. But it is a course equally at war with your duty, as with your interest. And will you persevere in it? Yes, you will; but oh! God, shall they? Shall they? Let them not.

Shall I tell you who the Christian's rock is? It is Christ. "Other foundation can no man lay." It is spacious, it is solid, it is now accessible. Every other rock is sand.

Suppose then you come over to our rock? We cannot leave our rock and go But am I on it? Let me try.

to you.

Let me compare my

character with that required in the Bible. Come over

to it now; venture on it, venture wholly, let no other trust intrude. Then praise the rock, being fixed upon it, rock of God's unchanging love.

Oh! that ye would. Oh! that you cared for yourselves as you ought.

you, as they should.

Oh! that Christians cared for

They did a little while ago, seem to care for you, and God spoke peace to them. But some have turned again to folly; so soon; and some perhaps have gone off into a new folly.