be adequate to describe what the presence of Christ inspires, and what the spiritually-minded feel.

Your joy is glorious in its nature. I will not compare it with the joy of the wicked man in sin, which is vile and detestable; nor with that of the worldling in his indulgencies, which is mean and grovelling. But compare it with the joy which is felt in the acquisition of knowledge, or the endearments of friendship, and behold its superiority. It does not arise from the mere workings of natural feeling in the heart, but is the fruit of the Divine Spirit,-it is akin to the delight in God which is felt by angels and archangels.

How glorious is the influence of this joy! Carnal joy often discovers itself in excesses of folly, it so softens the heart as to unfit it for any effort of self-denial, or any exertion that is laborious and troublesome, and renders it peculiarly susceptible of the influence of temptations to pride and sensuality. But this joy makes the heart contemn every carnal allurement, and gives it such vigour and such courage, that it will welcome the most difficult duty, and sustain the severest trial.

It detracts much from the value of any object when it is transient in its nature; and such is the character of all carnal joy. "The triumphing of the wicked is short, and the joy of the hypocrite is but for a mo ment." It does not even last till death, for the most frivolous incident will mar it, and continued indulgence produces disgust. But though the joy of the saint may not possess at all times the same degree of vigour, he is at no time left comfortless. Wonderful is the power of that joy, which the winter of adversity cannot wi ther, nor the evil days of age destroy. And your joy shall be eternal as its object. It is the beginning of

the felicity which will be felt when the glory of Immanuel shall be seen by you unveiled, when in the city of the living God, you shall bear a part in the song of the Lamb, when your love shall be purified from every fear, and your bliss be placed beyond the reach of change or termination.

Beware of every thing which may tend to mar your joy. Guard against unbelief, for this will impede your joy, by questioning the excellence of its object, or your interest in it; and against a worldly spirit, for this will make you disrelish things spiritual and heavenly. Neglect no duty, for every such omission will give rise to many painful reflections; and never yield to temptation to sin, for this will fill you with remorse and fear. Shew to all around that religion is not as the wicked assert, a series of gloom and sadness, of outward austerities, and inward struggles, mingled only with a few bursts of enthusiastic ecstacy, but that it makes you happy in all circumstances. Invite them to taste and see that God is good, and while in trying whether the wicked are happy they incur mach guilt, and may receive much injury, in going with you they will enter into rest.

Arise from this ordinance, and go on your way rejoicing, as the Ethiopian convert did, when "baptized into Christ;" and labour to comfort others with these consolations with which you are comforted of God. "Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions to them for whom nothing is prepared, for this day is holy unto our Lord; neither be ye sorry, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. Rejoice evermore,"

1

ADDRESS XXXVII.

LUKE XXIII. 46.

"And when he had cried again with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit, and having said thus he gave up the ghost."

SUCH were the last words which our Lord uttered, and such was the last act which he performed on the cross. You now behold a life marked by all that is excellent and useful, closed in a manner worthy of such a course. The sun setting in a sky adorned with clouds beautiful in form and colour, is an object which it is pleasing to contemplate; the warrior expiring in the field of blood, deeply interests the ardent mind of the brave; and the saints rejoicing in hope in their last hour, are beheld with wonder and love by the pious. But here we behold the Sun of Righteousness setting, whose glory covers the heavens, the Conqueror of the powers of darkness sinking into rest in the arms of victory, and the King of Saints, shewing by his example, how good men should die.

Our Lord commended his spirit into his Father's hand, and gave up the ghost to complete the sacrifice which he was offering for sin. Death was the penalty threatened in the law, and which the Surety of man must endure. Jesus knew that his last moment was now come, and as he had offered to his Father all the previous parts of his sufferings, he now presented to him their solemn close. On the altar of God the sa

crifice had bled, and there it dies. Were a respite from death offered to the most part of men after they have endured severe agony for hours, it would be gladly ac cepted. The last shock is more frightful to nature than all the previous gloom, pain, and anxiety of a sickbed; but that generous love which brought Christ to this hour sustained him to its close, and no consideration could induce him to come down from the cross, and leave his work unfinished.

Christ commended his spirit into his Father's hands, that he might make it happy with himself during its separation from the body, and re-unite both parts of his nature in the resurrection. The idea of the separation of soul and body is painful to nature, and the struggles arising from their appetites and corrupt tendencies, which weaken the attachment of the spirits of good men to their bodies, could not operate on the soul of our Lord. But this was his hope, "Thou wilt not leave my soul in a state of separation from the body, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou wilt shew me the path of life. In thy presence there is fulness of joy, and at thy right hand there are pleasures evermore." He believed that his spirit would rest in the bosom of that Father, the power of whose anger he had now felt, and that his descent into Joseph's sepulchre would be the conquest of the grave. He trusted that his spirit would return to a body powerful, incorruptible, and immortal. His soul and body had hitherto been companions in pain and toil, but hereafter they would be associated in rest and joy. All the perfections of God warranted this hope. His justice was to receive an answer to its last demand in the separation of soul and body, and it would require their re-union, which the power of Jehovah could easily effect. And to a Son so dear, and so worthy, what could

the Father of mercies refuse! He had assured him of this in a variety of promises; and Jesus knew that none of his words could pass away.

But

But our Lord commended his spirit into his Father's hands, as an example to his people. The soul is the chief care of the good in dying. They can leave the body to friends and neighbours to give it a decent burial; their worldly possessions they resign to those who shall succeed them; and with regard to relatives, however helpless, they hope that the kindness of the humane, and the care of Providence will plead for the fatherless, but they feel many anxieties about the immortal spirit. They see guilt on it more than sufficient to crush it into the lowest hell; evil spirits they know are meeting and plotting to drag it down to destruction; and though good angels care for their souls, yet heaven is not theirs, and they can procure admission to none. rejoice that Christ hath secured your reception to glory, and there is nought that is stern, or repulsive, in the voice or countenance of the Lord of that place; he will receive the spirit to the highest blessings of his love, and to employment which, of itself would constitute a heaven. Your Lord hath authorised you to expect this welcome, and to express your hope of it in his own language. Many good men have used these words when they were dying, and are now blessing him in heaven for that everlasting consolation, and that good hope with which they inspired them in their last hour. And to thy honour, O blessed Jesus, we will now say, that all that is pleasing in life thou affordest and heightenest, and that in thee, we will trust for comfort and safety, and victory in death.

Is Jesus precious to you, Christians, in these views of his death? If we love the man whose influence secures us a safe passage through difficulties and dangers, we