becomes my sanctification; thy cross becomes my redemption. Now am I rich, Lord! I have acquired that title to glory which will admit to heaven, and will give me an eternal throne. "God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ!"

Ah! let that host of infidels who have in all ages made the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ the object of their blasphemy stand before us now! We fear them not; we will say to them: It is that crucified God whom we worship; it is in that cross of Jesus Christ that we glory. Fickle and vain-glorious world! We know that the contempt of the wisdom and greatness of this generation will fall on us at the foot of the cross of Jesus Christ; but, covered with that contempt, we will brave your boasts, we will laugh at your magnificence, and we will despise your greatness. We "esteem the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt. We glory in every scornful epithet; and, trampling upon every thing of which we might become proud, we again repeat with the apostle, "God forbid that we should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ!"

I will add but a word: Stand by that cross. You have answered my call, my beloved brethren; you have approached that cross of our Lord; thanks be to him who brought you there! But that is not enough; you must never leave it. Henceforth let nothing draw you away from it.

Stand by that cross. Weep over your days of ignorance there. Lament each moment that you lost when you knew not its power and its glory; and, since you have lived so many years a stranger to it, and without God in the world, adopt, while you acknowledge your present happiness, the words of one of its venerable servants : "" I have known thee too late! I have loved thee too late!"

Stand by that cross. Since you have found that it is the true source of greatness, sacrifice all false glory. Sacrifice joyfully that pride, produced, in one of you, by the superiority of mind or of knowledge for which you are eminent; in another, by your elevated place in society, or your extensive reputation; in a third, by the wealth which you possess, or by the mode of life for which you are distinguished; in a fourth, by the ad

miration of which you are the object, by the splendour which surrounds you, or by the flattery you receive. But how shall I enumerate all the sources of that puerile pride which you should sacrifice to the Cross!

Stand by that cross. Stand by it in your trials. Be comforted; the Cross has saved you; your redemption is accomplished; eternal life awaits you; not all the tempests of the world can disturb the peace acquired for you. Think but little of the burden you bear, in view of the punishment which the Holy One and the Just endured; and rejoice that you are led through the path of suffering by which Jesus went to glory.

Stand by that cross. And when sin is aroused in your members, when the world calls you, when the Evil One spreads his net, when your soul begins to stagger like a drunken man, then look to Jesus. Let the sight of what he suffered for sins fill your soul with a sacred horror, and revive in your heart the dying flame of love.

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Stand by that cross. And even if all things unite against it, if it be again surrounded by those who revile it and wag their heads, still let it be your glory to confess it boldly before all men; for "whosoever shall confess me before men," saith the Lord, "him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven; but whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven."

The day is drawing nigh when the vail which conceals that cross will be drawn back, and it will diffuse its light and glory on those who shall not have been ashamed of it. May God give you strength to be confessors of the cross of Christ during life. May God give you strength to be confessors of the cross of Christ in death. "I will not blot out his name out of the Book of Life," saith the Lord. Amen.

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DISCOURSE III.

THE PUBLICATION OF THE GOSPEL.

"The poor have the Gospel preached to them."-MATTHEW, xi, 1.

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Y brethren,-In the reign of the emperor Tiberius and his immediate successors a wonderful revolution took place in Asia Minor and Greece. The inhabitants of those countries were living in the midst of darkness, strangers to God and indifferent to the salvation of their souls. Some were meditating on absurd theories, shutting out the few beams of light which they had received from ancient philosophers; others were ruined by the indulgence of sensual appetites; many crossed the seas in eager pursuit of the objects of their speculations; and all, actuated by curiosity and by vague forebodings for which they could give no account, were anxiously listening to the tidings of events which rumour brought them. The apostolic historian particularly informs us, that all the Athenians and strangers which were there spent their time in nothing else but either to tell or to hear some new thing." but suddenly tidings of a most extraordinary nature spread throughout those regions. First, Asia Minor hears the story, and soon it is repeated in Greece; the ships which go from Troas carry it to Neapolis; from Neapolis it spreads to Philippi; from Philippi it reaches Thessalonica, Corinth, and Athens. The Gospel is preached. A star has arisen in the East, and spreads its light around. sage has been brought from the great God, who made the heavens and the earth. A Hebrew, named Paul, has appeared, and has spoken at Iconium, at Derbe, and at Lystra. He proclaims to men the counsel of God's mercy; he announces that a heavenly kingdom is founded on earth; he declares to all, in every place, that to become citizens of this kingdom, they must be converted and baptized in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Strange news! Must we believe it? Or must we reject it?

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They examine the matter; they listen to Paul himself. Many find that he speaks the truth; they feel that this message is addressed to them; they forsake their superstitions, their customs, and every thing that practice had endeared to them; they believe; they receive eternal life. They turn to God from idols," says the apostle, who was himself the instrument and the witness of this change, "to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come."

We would now ask you, my brethren, whether you ever heard these tidings which were so remarkably propagated in all the countries of the East? Have they reached you? Have you listened to them? The aspect of the world at present seems to resemble but too strikingly the scene which was witnessed in Asia and Greece before this proclamation. Men are busy with the absurd theories of human wisdom; they are seeking joys which often prove fatal; they are absorbed in material interests; they are occupied as the Athenians were, in telling and hearing some new thing. But have they heard the great news? I know not; but I fear that there are many who are not yet aware that the Gospel is preached, and that it is preached to the poor. The object of this meditation shall be the instruction of those who are ignorant of this. We will first endeavour to settle the fact of the publication of the Gospel; secondly, we will describe the state in which we can best be profited by its publication.

THE GOSPEL IS PREACHED- -IT IS PREACHED TO THE POOR.

These are the truths which we desire to develope. And do thou, O Lord! whose hand was with the apostles, when for the first time this news was published in the world, be with us now! May thy word be powerful, and subject many hearts unto thyself, bringing every thought into captivity and obedience unto thee! Amen.

THE GOSPEL IS PREACHED.

The Gospel is preached. What tidings does it bring? Oh, if men understood them, how soon should we see them arising out of their state of lukewarmness!-how soon would their

This news,

excitement cease, and they stop to listen to them! which they esteem so lightly, is the most surprising and delightful message that can be proclaimed here below. It brings tidings of pardon granted, of reconciliation effected. It brings tidings of peace. It certifies to us that God, who dwells in heaven, has graciously approached the guilty human race; that he remembers our iniquities no more, and makes an everlasting covenant with every one who accepts the pardon he proclaims. At the same time, marvellous facts, calculated to dispel all fear in our hearts, are announced to us. The Son of God, the promised Saviour, expected from the beginning of the world, foretold to Israel by so many types, the object of enquiry in so many absurd superstitions of the Gentiles, has appeared in the flesh. He has given his life for those who were to be saved. The blood which he has shed obliterates their sins. And now the heralds of that Gospel address all men in these admirable words: In time past ye were strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world; but now ye, who sometimes were far off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ. He came and preached peace to you which were far off, and to them that were nigh. He reconciled both unto God in one body by the cross. Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the household of faith.” There is no want on earth which this heavenly message will not satisfy. God has sent it to put an end to all our sufferings. Now the disease of man is healed. With the forgiveness of his sins God has given him all things. Does he feel that he is a stranger to God, and does he mourn over that estrangement? This message announces that he is adopted as a child through the beloved Son. Is he without hope and without any thing to console him in the midst of the misery of the present life? This message announces that he is made an heir of eternal life, heir of God, and joint-heir with Christ." Does he despair of subduing sin, which is powerful in his flesh? This message announces that "he can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth him." Does he dread the attacks and snares of the world, and of all the enemies of his salvation? This message announces that the Master whom he serves has received all power in

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