The first of these texts, "God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ," is a most cheering view of the character and gracious disposition of the divine Being, with which we may comfort one another. Many minds have been weighed down into a morbid melancholy by an apprehension that God by an absolute decree of predestination has appointed some to wrath, in which fatal appointment they, for aught they know, may be comprehended. It is not so according to this passage; but the very reverse. He hath appointed that we should obtain salvation by Christ, and nothing but our unbelief and negligence can prevent it. The current of scripture runs with the spirit of this text. God desires not, and therefore he decrees not, the death of the sinner; but he desires his repentance, that he may live. There is no bar on God's part, it is all on our's. Here then is matter for comfort and mutual gratulation. And how should we delight to converse on the grace of God, the original of gospel salvation; and warm our hearts and the hearts of others into humble and joyful confidence in his mercy to the penitent. It is reproachful to such goodness to indulge gloomy doubts of his sincerity; or for a moment to suspect that there is a secret decree, controlling his revealed promises; or that his provision of salvation is limited, when he says— "Whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.

But as the guilty are apt to be distrustful, he has given a strong and affecting token to inspire their confidence. "He hath not spared his own son, but freely

given him up for us all." The apostle naturally asks in the view of this astonishing fact-" how shall he not with him also freely give us all things."

This leads us to the second argument, by which the apostle would have Christians comfort one another -"Christ hath died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him." There is something striking, astonishing in the plan of salvation. The son of God is sent to be the minister of his mercy. He makes his miraculous entrance into the world-Angels proclaim and celebrate it--miracles attend continually on his steps-the divine excellency of his doctrine, and the divine purity of his life with those miracles, evince his character as the son of God-and yet this exalted being terminates his ministry of mercy by the death of the cross-not by surprise, but according to his own prediction of his Father's appointment, and the foretelling of the prophets from the beginning of the world. What event can be imagined, that could give so strong an assurance that God is in earnest to show mercy to his guilty and wretched children, if penitent? Let us, then, comfort one another by a frequent reference in our conversation to this event, at which heaven and earth were in amazement, as the immoveable ground of hope to man. It must never be forgotten, while we live. We must celebrate it in our morning and evening songs, and bless God for it in our daily prayers. These sacred walls must continually resound with the doctrine of Christ and him crucified. In our monthly memorial at the holy table, we must with hearts melted into penitence, love, and gratitude

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bless the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, for the plan of mercy, begun in the counsels of eternity, advancing under different dispensations, and at length consummated on the cross.

There is one method and argument farther, with which the apostle would have us comfort ourselves together, if we be Christians indeed. It is by looking forward to the glorious scenes in eternity-according to the third text referred to-" For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first-and so shall we ever be with the Lord." If the minds of Christians were daily familiarized to the glorious scenes here predicted; did they meditate upon them with the interest they should excite in the sincere and practical believer; did they converse with one another upon them, as things most certain, and in which they have an unspeakable personal concern, what a different thing would be the life they lead! with what ardour would they press on in their heavenly journey! with what zeal would they run their christian race! with what increasing indifference would they regard earthly things, while their minds were habitually engaged with the strong anticipation of the awful glories of the judgment morning, and the thrilling hope of meeting their judge in peace, and of being confessed as his disciples before his Father and the holy angels, and of rising with him, at the close of the tremendous scene, into his eternal glory, to be forever with the Lord. Christians, then, should bear these future certainties very much in mind. We cannot be much in

terested by things of which we seldom think. Neg. lecting to think of them, a sort of unbelief is genera→ ted; and we may gradually come to live as though they were little more than serious fictions; which God forbid. From the top of Pisgah, how did the swimming eyes of Moses gaze on the paradise that spread itself out before him, on the other side of Jordan-the fair cities, the green hills, the fruitful vallies, the clear fountains, and the glittering streams, of which, alas, he was never to take possession. And will not Christians look with a deeper interest, beyond the cold flood of death, on the heavenly Canaan, to them a promised land, and soon to be entered, and never to be wrested from them? Will they not animate their zeal, to brighten their title to mansions in the heavenly Canaan, by often thinking and speaking of the spiritual glories of that brighter world; labouring to learn the language and employments, and to cultivate the affections and dispositions, which are necessary to the enjoyment of its bliss and glory? Let us comfort one another with these things. And remember who hath said, "In my Father's house, are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. I will come again and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. God grant this promise may be ours. Amen.

SERMON VIII.

THE DUTY OF CHRISTIANS TO COMFORT AND EDIFY ONE ANOTHER.

PART II.

I. THESSALONIANS V. 11.

Wherefore comfort yourselves together; and edify one another, even as also ye do.

In the preceding discourse, we considered the doctrine of this passage to be-"That it is the duty of Christians to comfort and edify one another in view of the grace of God, and the death of Christ to promote their salvation, and of his coming at the last day to raise his sincere disciples from the dead, and to receive them to dwell with him in immortal glory." In considering the duty of comforting one another as incumbent on Christians, we mentioned that it was an office to be performed with discretion and caution-that the consolations of the gospel belong not to all who assume the christian name, but only to those who give credible