ward, and say with Jeremiah, in the midst of his afflictions, "The Lord is my portion, saith my soul, therefore my hope is in him.”

Thus it is that, as Solomon says, "The good man is satisfied from himself,” i, e. He possesses an unfailing source of satisfaction in his own bosom, to which the men of this world are strangers. And herein are verified the words of David, "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High, shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge, and my fortress, and my deliverer, my God, in Him will I trust. Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with His feathers, and under His wings shalt thou trust. His truth shall be thy shield and buckler. And, again," Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him. I will set him on high, because he hath known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; yea, I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him My salvation.”

And this leads us, my Brethren, in the last place, to consider that the Lord is the eternal portion of His faithful people. This is the widest and most important distinction of all, between true believers and the men of this world. For their portion is not only unsatisfactory and uncertain while it lasts,

but it is also necessarily of short duration. The only thing certain beneath the sun, is Death; and "when a man dies, he can carry nothing away with him." Naked came he into the world, and naked must he leave it. Therefore, even admitting that while men were alive, they possessed every thing that heart could wish, and that, like Dives "they were clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day;" still what does all this profit them when they come to their death-bed; where all those things which constituted their happiness in this world, must for ever be given up! When they must bid an eternal adieu to their money, their pleasures, their friends, their dignities; and exchange them all, for what? Oh! This is a fearful question to those who "have their portion only in this world." This is an awful consideration for those who have only been careful to "lay up treasure on earth, without being rich toward God." Even on the infidel's principles of annihilation, or non-existence after death, the dreary blackness of the tomb presents a frightful prospect when contrasted with those enjoyments which they must for ever renounce. But when we call to mind the awful® truth, that "It is appointed unto all men once to die, and after that the judgment"-When we reflect upon our Lord's twice-repeated declaration, that "Verily, verily, except a man be born again

he cannot enter into the kingdom of God"-We see the condition of worldly and unregenerate men exhibited in still more alarming colours, and cannot avoid calling to remembrance the account which our Lord gives of the rich man in the parable, who when he lifted up his eyes in torment, and begged a moment's alleviation of his misery, received for answer, "Son, remember that thou in thy life time received thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things, but now he is comforted and thou art tormented."

Now this enables us to understand more clearly the blessedness of those who have the Lord for their portion. Their's is a portion that lasts for ever. In choosing his redeeming love and favour, as the one thing needful to their souls, they have, like Mary, "chosen that good part which shall never be taken from them." This is a portion, my Christian brethren, of which even death itself has no power to deprive us; for He in whom we trust is Himself "the Resurrection and the Life. He that believeth in Me (he says) though he were dead yet shall he live, and whosoever liveth and believeth in Me shall never die!" Glorious words! Containing in them a fund of consolation to the believer's soul, in comparison with which the most excellent things that this world can bestow appear unspeakably worthless and contemptible. Thus we learn that the true Christian is not only rich in this life, but

also in that which is to come. His possessions and prospects are not circumscribed by the narrow limits of human existence. The tenure by which he holds his happiness is not liable to be broken by the stroke that separates soul from body. In calling God his own, he can call eternity his own also. He can stand upon the ruins of the creation, and say, "I have lost nothing." The instant that he quits this transitory scene he enters upon possession of a Heavenly inheritance Of treasures incorruptible—Of a crown of glory that never fadeth Of pure celestial joys, that never satiate

And the society and friendship of congenial spirits, from whom he shall never be separated. Thus, even in the agonies of death, the man who has the Lord for his portion may adopt the triumphant language of the Psalmist, (Psalm lxxiii.) and say to his Heavenly Friend, "I am continually with thee, and thou hast holden me by my right hand; Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and after that receive me into glory; Whom have I in heaven, O Lord, but Thee, and there is none upon earth that I desire in comparison of Thee. My flesh and my heart faileth, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion for ever.”

May the consideration of these things, my Beloved Brethren, stir us up to serious self-examination and diligent enquiry whether the Lord be our portion or not! For of this we may be sure,

that if He is not our portion in this world, He certainly will not be so in the world to come. And if God be not our portion in the next world, what have we to expect throughout eternity? What are our prospects when we leave this world, (which we cannot tell how soon we may be called to do,) if we have taken no pains to secure the love and favour of Almighty God, or to lay up for our souls a heavenly inheritance? Are we rich? Is our lot cast amongst the great ones and the prosperous ones of this earth? Let us beware lest this be our only portion. It will signify little to us on the great day of retribution, how much of this world's goods we possessed, if we are for ever excluded from the presence of our God, and have our eternal portion allotted to us with the devil and his angels, in that place of outer darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth! Are we poor? To the poor especially the gospel is preached if we have but a small share of the good things of this world, we should be the more anxious to secure for ourselves an eternal inheritance in the world to come.

Finally. Let us all apply the Psalmist's words to ourselves, and compare his language with the feelings of our own hearts. "Thou art my portion, O Lord. I have said that I would keep thy word." This is also the sincere determination of all amongst us whose portion the Lord is. "Where the trea