One to whom you are beholden for every thing, One of whom I am only the unworthy minister; and He it is who now says to you, by me," With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you." Fulfil ye his joy. Glory in each occasion of fulfilling it. Study to win as many of your relations, friends, and neighbours, as you can, to fulfil it likewise.

A word of warning and I have done. I would not detain from Christ's table his welcome guests, longer than is needful for a seasonable check, to such as are apt to come without the wedding garment. Observe then; amongst the twelve with whom our Lord sat down, one was Judas. And whilst they were yet seated at that heavenly feast, at that holy communion, He who bade them eat of it thought it needful to declare, Behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table." (Ver. 21.) Is there any wouldbe traitor here? Is there any guest about to eat of this supper, to join himself in communion with the disciples of Christ, who is all the while in secret league with

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the world, the flesh, and the devil; and who is purposing at the first convenient opportunity to be guilty of treason to his Saviour? Ibid such an one beware. I warn such an one, that there is woe unto that man by whom Christ is betrayed. (See ver. 22.). I tell such an one, that we do indeed desire for him also that he may eat this Passover with us; but we desire that first he renounce his treason, that first he renew his allegiance to his Lord. We are confident that there is no one lost eternally, except by his own fault. We are sure that all who turn heartily to Christ, however far they may have been alienated by wicked works, are welcome at his table, there to receive of the abundance of his grace. And to such as come to it in sincerity of heart, repenting and believing, loving and glorifying Christ, we are authorized to declare, that there is no ground for them to harbour a distrustful fear, lest for any cause, short of their own. wilful disobedience, they should ever after fall back unto perdition.

No, they shall go from strength to

strength. They shall be supported, comforted, perfected. They shall be happy in themselves, helpful to others, and honoured as being instruments of honour unto God. They shall be enabled to watch and pray, to overcome temptation, to have victory over Satan, sin, and death. Nourished with food from heaven, they shall grow in every good word and work. Walking in love with all men, they shall enjoy perpetual peace. The pleasure which they take, in doing God's will here, shall prepare them for the unspeakable joys of eternity. And when they shall have eaten their last passover below, they shall be taken, as they have long desired with desire, to stand before the throne that is above; there to join with all the host of heaven in declaring, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing." (Rev. 5. 12.)

SERMON II.

HAPPY DYING.

ISAIAH 38. 17, 18, 19.

Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love for my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption; for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back. For the grave cannot praise thee, death cannot celebrate thee: they that go down into the pit cannot hope for thy truth. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day.

THIS text is part of "the writing of Hezekiah, king of Judah, when he had been sick, and was recovered of his sickness." (Ver. 9.) And the passage seems well suited to engage our attention, at a time when both the preacher, and many of his hearers, have been lately brought nigh unto death, by the sickness generally pre

valent. God has spared us, and restored us to health; and yet it seems to be his will that we should be separated from each other; by removal, though not by death. Shall not this our expected separation serve for another warning, both to you and me, that here we have no continuing city, that time is short, and life and all its various events uncertain, only sure soon to end?

“Behold for peace I had great bitterness.” This is the first thing here set down. This is the first thing naturally suggested by the thought of dying, in proportion as the mind is ignorant of that Gospel, whereby life and immortality are brought to light. (See 2 Tim. 1.10.) It was so of old, before the Gospel had been fully revealed; it is so still among ourselves, wheresoever the Gospel has been preached in vain. If If any of you be an open offender, or a secret sinner, a careless liver, or a formal worshipper, in any case, if you have not lived as they that have been reconciled unto God through Christ, the feelings which await you, when death is nigh at hand, are set forth beforehand in