With what tenderness

his departed Lord! would he nourish her! How many evenings would they pass together in discoursing of the Saviour, ascended to his father and their father, to his God and their God! How would they dwell upon his sermons, his miracles, his sufferings !-We meet once more with this distinguished woman in the sacred history. In the beginning of the acts of the apostles, we find the twelve returning from the place of his ascension, and in an upper room, and it is said, they continued with one accord, in prayer, and supplication with the woman, and Mary the mother of Jesus. After this she disappears, and we hear of her no more. But we shall by and by see her, and derive from her all the interesting particulars relative to the birth, the infancy, the youth of the child Jesus, over which for wise purposes a veil is now thrown.

Let me conclude by calling upon you to choose for yourselves the situation of these three women-they were standing by the cross of Jesus. There-by reading the scripture, by meditation, by the exercises of faith, by the memorials of his death, you may fix yourselves. O! it is a blessed station: Take it, and determine to know nothing, save Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Do you wish to contemplate whatever is grand and sublime? Take this station. Behold him on the cross-See the son of righteousness as he sets gilding the heavens with glory. See him as he dies, exercising every grace, displaying every perfection!

Does the world prevail over thee? Take this station. Exclaim with the apostle, God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world..

f

"His dying crimson like a robe,

Spreads o'er his body on the tree; "Then am I dead to all the globe,

"And all the globe is dead to me."

Do you feel trials and afflictions? Take this station. Behold a suffering Saviour. Consider him that endureth such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

"Thousands have found the bless'd effect,

"Nor longer mourn their lot; "While on his sorrows they reflect, "Their own are all forgot."

Are you oppressed with a sense of guilt? Take this štation. Bruised by sin, remember him who was bruised for it. Be of good cheer.

Surely he hath borne our grief and carried our sorrows, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed.

Do you wish for an example? Take this station. Behold here not only a sacrifice, but a pattern. While he atones, he instructs. He suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously-who, full of forgiveness, prayed for enemies, and said Father forgive them, for they know not what they do—who all affection and concern for his relations, said Woman, behold thy son; son, behold thy mother. Ye children, admire him. Admire him, ye friends. Admire him, ye disciples, who wear his honoured name-" nor stop at wonder, imi"tate and live." May we be planted together in the likeness of his death, that we may be also in the likeness of his resurrection.

DISCOURSE XIV.

THE THRONE OF GRACE.

Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.-Heb. iv. 16.

PRAYER is of so much importance; it is such an honour, such a privilege, such a means of sanctifying, relieving, enriching the soul-that he who teaches us to pray is our best friend; and there is nothing we should more highly prize than those instructions which are designed to regulate and encourage our addresses to God.

And such is the design of the apostle in the words which I have read. He tells us of a throne of grace, and informs us in what mannerand for what purpose we are to approach it. Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.