tiful, divine religion! that a poor soul, who cannot deal with God as a Judge at all, is called on to deal with him as a Father! "Enter not into judgment with thy servant, O Lord; for in thy sight shall no man living be justified." Thou art to believe him to be thy Father, through the grace of Jesus. Dost thou not receive him as such, though with fear and trembling, and the deepest sense of unworthiness? Yet thou art to trust in him, to hope all good from him, and to love him supremely; and for his sake to love his church and his creatures. What a provision for the happiness of wretched men! How suitable to the wants of the humble soul! What objection can any make to such a religion as this? It is thine, O thou who lovest the salvation of the Lord and may all that seek him be joyful and glad in him; may such as love his salvation say continually, The Lord be magnified. Though thou art poor and needy, yet the Lord careth for thee. He is thy help, and thy deliverer: rest in him, call on his name, and exercise the faith, hope, and charity thou hast, till he make them strong.

4. And, remember, this is to be thy work through life. Remember, these three “abide." No true religion without them. Thy soul will thrive, and thou wilt be fitted for all thou art called to in this stormy world, and no difficulty will overcome thee, if faith, hope, and charity stand their ground.

5. And here let us learn to know how it is that love is the greatest of the three. This must not be understood as if faith were to be thrown away as of little consequence. On the contrary, faith worketh by love: if faith be not exercised, love cannot exist. But the superior excellence of love lies in this, that whereas faith will by and by be swallowed up in sight, and hope in enjoyment, love will for eyer remain the same; it being the end, the aim, the happiness itself, to which faith and hope lead us, That which is the end itself, must be more valuable than the means leading to it. I cannot conceive how angels, who never fell, can have any nobler, happier, or higher employment than love, love of their God and of his creatures. This is bliss; the Scripture points out this to us as bliss; and the Divine description of charity in this chapter gives us no higher idea of happiness. Therefore it is that love is so much to be preferred to knowledge. Knowledge, in so ignorant a creature as man, hardly deserves the name. When the saint arrives at heaven he will put it off, as a grown-up man does childish things. But love, which is only to be learned by the faith and hope of the Gospel, will remain the same, only perfected, and that for ever. In the mean time, how comely and blessed a thing must the real Christian religion be, which, in the exercise of three such graces

as these, sweetens and enobles our nature, and provides cordials for the miseries of life! Are things seen very disagreeable? but faith presents us with things not seen, delightful and glorious. Are present things grievous? yet, by hope, in patience a Christian waits for that which he sees not. Is the world evil; and is the temper tried a thousand ways by the frowardness of men? oh what a Divine thing is true charity, which hopes, endures, and believes all things; not seeking her own, not puffed up, not suspicious of evil, not vaunting itself, not easily provoked, suffering long, and kind! Thus a real believer is supplied by grace with that which will enable him to go through the duties which, in a world like this, he must discharge with difficulty and selfdenial, till he be enabled, in the next life, to practise the same love, without difficulties, in perfect bliss for ever. In the mean time, love, which is stronger than death, is the element of the Christian. In spite of a thousand temptations to think hardly of God, he can in humble love trust the wisdom and care of his heavenly Father, and leave to him to clear up all.

Lastly. Christians, look to Jesus, and out of his fulness be supplied with strength to follow his example. He trusted in his Father when overwhelmed with agony: he endured the cross, despising the shame, for the hope of the

joy set before him: and his love who can describe it? It is thy salvation, Christian, that his love is unmeasurable. Imitate him in faith, hope, and charity; and when thou awakest up after his likeness thou shalt be satisfied.

SERMON XVII.

EXPOSITION OF PSALM CXXII.

PSALM CXxii.

I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together: whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the Lord, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the Lord. For there are set thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions' sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. Because of the house of the Lord our God I will seek thy good.

THIS is a Psalm equally remarkable for the piety and the charity which it breathes. To enter into the beauties of it, and to relish it aright, we ought to possess something of the frame and spirit of the holy writer. David, the undoubted penman of the Psalm, felt his own heart enlarged with the love of God and his church. There was a comeliness and a beauty, in his eyes, in spiritual objects, which lifted up his soul above self and the world;