instruction, this excuse for sinful negligence, it is my earnest desire to remove as far as in me lies. On the ensuing Sabbath I propose beginning a course of afternoon lectures, to continue at least through the summer months, and I trust, not one of you will be backward in affording your countenance, your attendance, your support, and your influence, to forward this work, and so to strengthen my hands in God*.

Do you know the value of the Gospel yourselves? has it been the mighty means in the hand of God of" turning you from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that ye may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Jesus ?” Oh, let all your lives exemplify its glorious ef fects!" shew forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvellous light," and aim to reflect its benignant beams on all around.

Has the Gospel blessed you by turning you away from your iniquities? is it your guide and counsellor in life, and the ground of your hope and confidence in the view of death? endeavour to impart

* This discourse was preached in the spring of 1812. Through six summers, subsequent to that period, Mr. H. gratuitously delivered a lecture every Lord's day afternoon to a large and attentive audience, and there is reason to believe these exercises were attended with a blessing to many. Through the state of his health he was at length compelled to relinquish this pleasing service.

the heavenly treasure to your children, your ser vants, and your neighbours. Remember they have souls; they need to call on the Lord Jesus for salvation; "But how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? and and how shall they hear without a preacher ?" Spare us the pain we have often experienced, when called to visit the death beds of persons in the inferior ranks of life, who have attempted to excuse their utter ignorance of the Gospel, and its Author, by saying that their state of servitude confined them from the house of God in the morning of the Lord's day, and that the instructions of the pulpit were afforded on that part of the day only. Oh, ye heads of families! take heed unto yourselves and your Your servants household. have souls; and except they are saved by the Gospel they must perish everlastingly: the Gospel is freely offered to them; it is yours conscientiously to put them in the way of hearing the joyful sound, Jesus is able and willing to save all that come unto him. See that all dependant on you, and for whom you are responsible, have opportunities of being directed to him for salvation, lest you should meet them at the bar of God reproaching you for their ruin; and, having perished in their iniquity, their blood should be required at your hand. "I say not these things to shame you, but as my beloved sons I warn you;" hoping "better things of you," and yours," and things that accom

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pany salvation, though I thus speak;" and trusting that you will discover the utmost readiness to hear and "receive with meekness the engrafted word, which is able to save your souls."

May the great Head of the church, at whose command, "Go preach the Gospel to every creature," I enter upon the service proposed, desiring to promote his glory, and depending on his faithful promise," I am with you always even unto the end of the world," so bless the endeavour, that the seed sown may bring forth thirty, sixty, and an hundred-fold to his praise; or at least may he make his servant the honoured instrument of converting one sinner from the error of his ways, and thus of saving a soul from death, and hiding a multitude of sins. With him is the power to bless his own word. And "now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we can ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus, throughout all ages, world without end." Amen.

SERMON IV.

CHRIST THE OBJECT OF SUPREME REGARD.

HEB. xii. 2.

Looking unto Jesus.

WHAT object so interesting, so important, so delightful, could be presented to the view of ra tional, immortal, guilty creatures? Let every earthly care, every inferior object be banished from our minds, and shut out from our affections, while with holy reverence, and sacred elevated composure, we draw near and "look unto Jesus."

There are various significations of the phrase looking; it implies to behold or see; in order to behold an object, there must be a light revealing the object, a capacity of perception, and a medium of vision. We should in vain attempt to trace the beauties of the varied landscape, or the flowery mead, when overspread with midnight's thickest gloom; and equally impossible would it be for a blind man to behold the most conspicuous objects, even though the sun shone upon them in meridian brightness. Thus it is in spiritual things; destitute of a light from hea

ven, man would wander about in the darkest mazes of ignorance, uncertainty, sin, and error. "The world by wisdom knew not God." Reason can furnish no ray that would guide us to his throne. But God affords a light from heaven, the revelation of his holy word, which is a light unto our feet, and a lamp unto our paths; and by the light of this revelation alone, we behold Jesus, "the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of his person... For God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

But we are naturally blind to spiritual objects. "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned... For the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them." And a divine energy is as necessary to afford the power of vision, as to cause the sun to shine. Of our Lord Jesus Christ it was predicted not only that he should be a light to them that sit in darkness, but also that he should give sight to the blind, and enable them to enjoy the light he diffuses; and nothing but divine teaching and illumination can enlighten the eyes of our understanding. The preaching of the Gospel at