eyes to this exaltation to which God invites us? Now, whilst we have opportunity, we are each of us called to attend to the things that belong to our peace; to our peace in the last day, when the Judge shall be seen upon his throne, and the book of our conscience be opened.

But especially the young doth heavenly wisdom invite into the paths of peace. Now, before your sins have either hardened you in prosperity, or in disappointment, and tempted you to curse God, and exclaim against him, for suffering you to taste in this life the bitter fruits of sin, follow after that tranquil happiness which it is in your power, especially in this season of life, to ensure. For what delight. is as the security of innocence and of a conscience void of offence? Now, before your unbelief, or what is so frequent, unwillingness, to consider and regard what you believe, palsies the hand to works of righteousness, and stifles the aspirations

of pure desire, seek first the blessings of a peaceful spirit, the friendship of God, the love of Christ, and the assurance of the hope of immortality.

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SERMON VII.

WHIT SUNDAY.

ST. MATTHEW iii. 11.

He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire.

We are met this day to keep in memory, my brethren, the new creation of the world, when the Spirit came down to overcome the darkness and confusion of the kingdom of Satan, to brood over the gloomy and deadly waters, and to give life, and that more abundantly than at the first. On this day, the Almighty said, "Let there be light," and there was light on this day he divided the spoil,

and cast out our spiritual enemy from the wretched scene of his triumph; and led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men, that the Lord God might dwell amongst us; that we might see God as our father by his Spirit poured into our hearts; that our bodies and our souls might become the temples of the Holy Ghost; that we might be sealed, or marked, by the fruits of the Spirit to the day of redemption, that day of deliverance in which the old and the new law, the times of Moses and of Christ, shall be followed by the glory of God in the new heavens and the new earth, wherein shall dwell righteousness and happiness for ever. To those whom God hath brought out of the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of his dear Son, to those whom he hath clothed in his own nature of light and holiness, having purified them, by the mighty working of his power, from the corruption that is in the world, no language will express all the glory of this blessed day:

this day on which the Sun of righteousness arose more glorious than when he burst the darkness of the tomb.

He had risen from the dead and had become the first fruits of them that slept; for he arose, not like Lazarus or the widow's son, only to descend again into the stillness of the grave; not again to put on corruption, but incorruptible and immortal; never more to lay aside the crown of glory, and the sceptre of dominion, and the robe of majesty; he arose to reign till all enemies were put under his feet.

and the

Lift up your heads, O ye gates, and be. ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; King of glory shall come in.

Who is this King of glory? The Lord, strong and mighty, the Prince of Peace; He is the King of glory. Let all the angels of God worship him. He was despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. But his light hath broke forth as the morning. God is gone