and cause for sorrow. First, I shall illustrate this in connection with the grand fact which is immediately before us in relation to the Jews. And Secondly, I shall elucidate it in connection with a variety of facts which exist among ourselves.

FIRST, IN REFERENCE TO THE FACT WHICH IS HERE STATED CONCERNING THE JEWS.

We are told that the younger persons shouted for joy when the foundations of the house of God were laid, and the elder among them wept for sorrow. Jeremiah predicted that this would be actually the case in the thirty-third chapter of his prophecies, and at the tenth and eleventh verses, "Thus saith the Lord, again there shall be heard in this place (which ye say shall be desolate without man and without beast, even in the cities of Judah, and in the Streets of Jerusalem, that are desolate without man, and without inhabitant, and without beast) the voice of joy, and the voice of gladness; the voice of the bridegroom, and the voice of the bride; the voice of them that shall say, praise the Lord of hosts: for the Lord is good; for his mercy endureth for ever and of them that shall bring the sacrifice of praise into the house of the Lord. For I will cause to return the captivity of the land, as at the first, saith the Lord." Compare this statement with what is here mentioned in the language of my text and that which precedes it, and you will be struck with the perfect accuracy of the prophetic representation of Jeremiah, and the subsequent fulfilment of the actual prediction which he uttered.

Do you ask me, however, what there was in this event which was calculated first of all to inspire joy? I answer four things.. First of all, the rise of this temple was a proof in itself that the fierceness of God's anger had been turned away, and that he was now about to show mercy on his people.

For a long time they had been deprived of their temple, of their altar, and of the institutions of the most high GOD. They languished beneath his frown; but now it was evident that his countenance was about to beam on them with a smile, that there he might live with them and furnish them with new evidence that although he had severely punished them for their backslidings and crimes, he had not utterly cast away the people whom he foreknew.

In the second place, now they had a prospect of enjoying an opportunity of attending on the public ordinances of God's house. For a long time they had been scattered; the truly penitent and pious among them had their private devotions by the banks of Kebar, and by the Euphrates they had wept when they remembered Zion; but they had no opportunity calmly and quietly to convene themselves together to celebrate the ordinances to which they had been previously accustomed. Now, however, they could adopt the language of the man after God's own heart, "We were glad when they said unto us, let us go up to the house of the Lord; and now our feet stand within the gates of Jerusalem.”

There was a third reason too, my friends, and that respected the display of the power and of the truth of GOD. Here was a display of his truth in the actual fulfilment of the prediction of his word, and here was likewise an exhibition of his almighty power which had surmounted a variety of obstacles to the accomplishment of the important work; nay, in the present instance too, the obstacles and impediments had been remarkable. Soon after the work was commenced we find that the orders that were given by Cyrus and by Cambyses were by certain intriguing enemies of the Jews set aside. When Darius, however, ascended the throne, and assumed the imperial government,

then this order was revoked and the people rejoiced that the work of the Lord continued to prosper in the hands of his servants.

In fine, not to detain you much longer here, joy was natural on the present occasion, because of the happy influence which this event would have on the interests of religion at large. My dear hearers, what evidence was here given of the accomplishment of the promise of GOD illustrating his veracity and other of his perfections ! What new facilities were now opened for the instruction of the ignorant, for the conversion of the souls of sinners to God! What a favourable impression was likely to be produced upon the minds of the heathen themselves when they saw the wonders which God had wrought for his chosen people! This was also actually predicted by the same prophet Jeremiah in the thirty-third chapter and the ninth verse, "And it shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and an honour before all the nations of the earth, which shall hear all the good that I do unto them and they shall fear and tremble for all the goodness, and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it." Nor can it surely fail to have escaped your observation that this very idea is pre-eminently brought forward in that very typical chapter of Ezekiel, the thirty-seventh, in which describing the return of the Jews from their captivity in the vision of the dry bones and their resurrection, and the union of the two tribes in the vision of the two sticks in his hand, he thus closes that inimitable and beautiful prophecy; "Moreover, I will make a covenant of peace with them, it shall be an everlasting covenant with them, and I will place them and multiply them, I will set my sanctuary in the midst of them. My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, and I will be their GOD, and they shall be my people. And the heathen shall know that I the Lord do sanctify Israel,

:

when my sanctuary shall be in the midst of them for evermore."

Now, on the contrary, do you ask what there was in association with this procedure which was likely to awaken regret and sorrow. There was much which justified the feelings of those excellent men who wept so that the noise of the weeping was heard afar off. For they could not but remember that it was in consequence of their back-sliding and their departures from God, that they had been so long suffering under religious deprivations; and there is something, my dear hearers, in the reminiscences of sin which will always produce in a great or less degree some bitterness of feeling. Moreover they recollected the splendour and magnificence of the former Temple, and though it is true that this building was not finished, and they could not exactly tell what it might prove, yet from its contracted foundations, and platform, and plan, compared with the other, they could not but mourn when they contrasted the two structures. Venerable men, there was much worthy of their tears! Here was no ark with its precious relics, the tables of the law and Aaron's rod that budded, and the pot of consecrated manna, here was no Sheckinah, the glory of the Lord which illumined the former Temple; here was no Urim and Thummim, the infallible interpreter of God to those who consulted him on extraordinary occasions, the true oracle which existed among the Jews; here was none of that costly garniture and grandeur of furniture which adorned the former splendid erection; and it was perfectly natural for them to weep, because, in a limited sense, they saw written on the rising walls, "Ichabod the glory is departed."

Allow me just to say, too, here, before retiring from this branch of my subject, there is a justifiable difference between the pleasurable joys of youth and age; in youth the passions are warm,

health is usually vigorous, life is clothed in all its scenes which are yet to open with the freshness and beauty of novelty. Inexperience, too, disqualifies for a due consideration of those abatements and alloys which are always the companions and consequences of terrestrial delights. On the contrary, the ancient man is sobered by time, his feelings are softened down and mellowed by experience and observation. He is aware of much that will infallibly arise in a world of infirmity and imperfection like this, to embitter the choicest pleasures that man can participate and enjoy, and consequently there is more of sober seriousness in the old man's joy, and less of rapture and extasy.

We, therefore, take upon ourselves to eulogize those old men for their sacred and religious tears which they shed on this occasion. They had no intention of damping the joys of those around them; they had no intention of diverting the ardent zeal of those who shouted for joy when the foundations of God's temple were laid, but they give us in this transaction of theirs, an opportunity of exemplifying the double sympathy recommended by the Apostle, to "rejoice with them that rejoice, and weep with them that weep." Thus much then for the illustration of the passage in connection with the fact here related in the Jewish history.

Now renew your attention, I pray you, while in coming to yourselves I illustrate the history, and the sentiment which I derive from it, in connection with A VARIETY OF FACTS WHICH WILL BE FOUND EXISTING IN OUR CHURCHES, IN OUR FAMILIES, IN OUR CIRCLES, AND LIKEWISE IN THE WORLD AT LARGE, POINTING OUR REMARKS CHIEFLY AT PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.

First of all we may apply the statement before us to the diffusion of the truths of revelation and of Christi. anity throughout the world in which

we live. Unquestionably, my dear hearers, we have cause for gratitude, when we reflect upon what has been accomplished by British Christians within the last thirty or forty years, and particularly in reference to the dissemination of the sacred Scriptures and of Christianity amongst the nations of the earth.

Not long ago we attended with pleasure our public anniversaries, with one or two exceptions at least, and we witnessed the numbers who were assembled together professing themselves to be on the Lord's side. We heard with gratitude the reports which were given us by the advocates, and friends, and supporters of those institutions-of the Bibles which had been circulated, amounting to seven millions -of the tracts which had been disseminated, amounting to one hundred and fifty four millions-of the number of missionaries who were employed in the great cause of GOD, amounting to five or six hundred; and of the vast efforts which were made to turn the rising generation, both at home and abroad, to the knowledge of the true GOD, and of Jesus Christ whom he hath sent. Far be it from us to dissipate the pleasures which are felt, when in contemplating achievements and exertions like these, we are disposed to cry out, "the Lord hath done great things for us whereof we are glad." We are building a temple which shall gradually rise to a holy building in the Lord, and the top of which, the pinnacle, shall pierce the very heavens. But, my dear hearers, allow me just to say, at present, that when we compare all these diversified exertions that have been made, and all the success with which these exertions have been followed, with the immense population of the world, and are compelled to state that there still remain, even at the lowest computation, between five and six hundred millions of our fellow

creatures, who are still destitute of the privileges of Christianity, and who are as yet falling down to stocks and stones and graven images, and worshipping the man of sin, and debased by strange delusions and erroneous superstitions, all that has transpired as yet may well, when we think of the contrast, abate our pleasures, for it is no more than the small drop of the bucket compared to the ocean-than a spark of fire or the kindling lamp to the sun which shines in the firmament on high.

Secondly, however, I observe that the principles we have drawn from this passage may be applied to the various exertions of zeal in the days in which we live. When, my dear hearers, we look at the efforts that mere made by the pious in the past century, I speak of efforts to convert sinners apart from their own immediate families, and their own direct circles, we cannot but mourn urn over the lamentable apathy, in reference to public religious interests, which a considerable number of our forefathers and of our ancestors displayed. But what a change has taken place, my dear hearers, in the midst of us, and in the days, the happy days, I may call them in this respect, in which we live! For one pound that was given to religious institutions then, a thousand are given now-for one book which was distributed then, five hundred are distributed now-for one advocate that stepped forward then, fifties present themselves now-for one missionary that was employed then, twenties present themselves now-for one institution that was established then, for the benefit of the various classes of mankind, there are actually hundreds existing in our land, together with foreign auxiliaries and distinct branches of them, at the present hour. Surely, then, it behoves us to exclaim, "come magnify the Lord, and let us exalt his name together."

But honesty and fidelity must compel us to say also, that there are abatements of our pleasures even in connexion with this interesting and delightful subject. For, I ask, my friends, whether we are not sometimes driving ourselves, in these days, into the opposite extreme, and whether we are not holding our meetings for public business, at hours sometimes in the morning, and sometimes in the evening, that draw us away from our closet religion and from our family altars, or at least subject us to so much hurry and confusion, that the oblations which we present, whether in solitude or at the family altar, are in fact an offence and an abomination in the sight of GOD? I ask, too, whether there are not some things in connexion with our religious procedures which should be carefully avoided-pomp, and vanity, and ostentation, and display? I ask--and mournful it is to addwhether there are not passing, even at the present hour, lamentable contentions and strifes, in connexion with some of our noblest Christian institutions, which making every allowance for human falibility and infirmity, too evidently spring from a bad spirit, from envy, from bigotry, from prejudice, or to say the least, from a want of information which it is in the power of the parties to obtain ?

My dear hearers, God forbid that your preacher, on this or any occasion, should imitate the example of some who break forth into a strange tone of vituperative abuse. I grieve at some declamations which I occasionally hear, and which I see getting forth into the public prints-declamations poured forth by wild and misinformed Episcopalians, and by coarse calumniating Antinomians.

But because of these, I do confess there are certain practices carrying on, in connexion with exertions or zeal in our own time, which should meet with temperate remon