the very deepest recesses, those secret chambers of the soul, where lurks the latent evil,-" bringing to light the hidden things of darkness, and making manifest the counsels of the hearts.' Thus brought to a humbling sense of your own undeservings, you will see the necessity of the corrections of Mercy, and say with the penitent David," Cleanse thou me, and I shall be cleansed; save me, and I shall be saved; for thou art my praise."-You will trace the certain witness, that, as eternal salvation though Christ should be the great object of our lives, and of our labours, so also it is the desire of our Father which is in heaven; and therefore, whatever means be appointed for its accomplishment, should be welcomed with christian resignation. With this consolatory truth shining ever on our paths, and influencing our practice, we shall be provided with a sovereign balm, which will rob our every sorrow of its sting; and which, like the Saviour's words over the troubled waters of Gennesaret, shall lull the storm of agitated feelings into a deep and abiding calm. Or, should it please the all-wise Governor of the Universe, still to allow the trouble to press more heavily upon us, and the flood of sorrow to come in unto our souls, this persuasion will yet, by divine grace, be our support; and while each succeeding trial will only the more forcibly remind us, that this world is not our home,-that our

appointed rest is in that land beyond, where sorrow and sighing shall flee far away; we shall be taught, that we are but following the steps of Him, who for our sakes, bore the cross, with all its agonies, and that like Him, it behoveth us to suffer, before we enter into glory.

SERMON XXI.

FOR PASSION WEEK.

MATTHEW XXVI. 40.-" What! could ye not watch with me one hour?"

THE application of the words of the text to ourselves, as disciples of a suffering Redeemer, is too plain to be mistaken: and this season of preparation for hallowing the hour of Christ's precious death is too closely connected with the scene in which they were uttered, not to force an observance of them on our hearts.

Our blessed Saviour was now about to close that life on earth, which he had spent in poverty and sorrow for us miserable sinners; and, as the last act of preparation for quitting this world, and going again unto the Father, he had retired in the silent hour of night, to the garden of Gethsemane for prayer. Deeply interesting as is

every part of the Redeemer's spotless life, all seems absorbed in the solemnity of this mournful crisis: nor can an object of contemplation be conceived more deeply affecting, than the Son of the Highest, in this hour of agony and darkness, bending before his righteous Father, under the weight of a world's accumulated sins ; and (while affliction's bitter waters, as an overwhelming torrent came in unto his soul,) breathing out his anguish in the pathetic prayer, "if it be possible, let this cup pass from me;" yet qualifying that petition with the resigned exclamation, "not my will but thine be done."

Our Lord had chosen three of his disciples to attend him to this scene of trial; and after a plain but positive injunction,-"Tarry ye here and watch with me," he departed a little from them, to pour out his afflicted soul to God. The "Man of Sorrows" had often been deserted by the careless and unbelieving; but he was now to see himself forgotten even by those whom he called especially "his own." Though his "soul was exceeding sorrowful, even unto death,” yet his own "familiar friends," his disciples, whom he had chosen, he "findeth sleeping." A heart so compassionate for the woes of others, could not but be touched by such appearance of indifference: yet, that charity, of which his whole life was one bright, pre-eminent example, that "charity" which "hopeth all things,"

which "suffereth long and is kind," prompted only this mild rebuke; "What! could ye not

watch with me one hour?"

There had been something so unusually affecting in all that had immediately preceded this awful scene, that it might have seemed scarcely needful for any such admonition to have been urged on these favoured disciples. Jesus had but just concluded with them his last and sacred supper. He had told them that his "time was at hand." He had even warned them, that "one of them should betray him." He had declared that the Son of Man was now going as it was written of him, and had denounced woe to him by whom he should be betrayed. He had "taken bread, and blessed, and broken, and given to them :" he had "taken the cup, and given thanks," and bidden them "all to drink of it." He had told them, that the one was his "body which was given for them;" the other, his "blood of the New Testament, which was shed for the remission of sins." They had partaken of these holy symbols of their Redeemer's approaching sufferings. They had joined with him in a hymn to their Heavenly Father; they had heard Jesus declare, that all of them should be offended because of him that night; they had avowed a just abhorrence of the treachery which he had predicted, and with peculiar vehemence had affirmed, that though they should