"The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into SERMON I. Advent Sunday. ST. LUKE Xviii. 8. "When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?" IN respect of the goods of this world, men may be divided into three classes :—such as are possessed of property; such as are seeking possessions; and such as are labouring for the necessaries of life. Acting upon motives and principles that belong to the corrupt nature, all these agree in not allowing religion, that is, the faith and fear of God, to trouble them more than they can help in their pursuits. Those whom we call gentlemen for the most part seem to go upon the principle that a man may do what he will with his own, and that there is none to call him to account but the laws of the land; hence they are apt to spend their means upon their own ease and pleasure, or in such a way as they think becomes their rank and station in the world. The second class employs itself in getting, nor is it nice about the way, so that business is profitable; it uses the labour of the poorer sort for its own purposes, because it cannot do without them, and pays them B as little as it can help while these last are not apt to be far behind others in the ungodly race, devoting themselves to labour, not that they may provide so much for salvation in that which is to come, as for the necessities of their present state, -for the meat that perishes, not for that which nourishes unto eternal life. We cannot shut our eyes to the existence and prevalence of this spirit, but while charity forbids us to think evil of others, sure I am that it behoves us to consider well the motives and principles of our own conduct, and humble ourselves, and endeavour to correct in our hearts all that an honest judgment tells us is amiss; and pray God to enlighten the eyes of our minds, that is, to stir up and enliven our consciences, to see how far we ourselves have erred, and may be still erring. But while we see the effects of an evil spirit, and of the disregard of God's Word in the world around us, we ought to be the more surely fixed in our faith as Christians, and prepared for that which is to come. It is not to people, of whatever class, who are thus engaged, and who, so long as they refuse to hear, are by judgment blind in their understandings, that the lessons of the present season address a warning voice, but rather to them, (that is, as we trust, to ourselves, brethren,) who still believe that our Lord will come again to judgment, and who desire and pray that they may be found watching and prepared, and not blind to the signs of His coming. "For," the Word of Truth saith, "the time is at hand: he that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he |