SERMON.

MATTHEW xxviii. 20.

AND, LO, I AM WITH YOU ALWAY, EVEN UNTO THE END OF THE WORLD. AMEN.

Of all the passages, which are scattered over the sacred volume with lavish prodigality, to purify our faith, and confirm our obedience, none are more excellent in principle, none more simple and efficacious in operation, than the promises of God,-of that God, who is a reconciled Father in Christ Jesus. Now in order to bring home to our hearts and understandings the full value of such passages, to comprehend their scope and feel their application, it is desirable to notice the peculiar circumstances, locality, and time, connected with their first delivery. Yet in analysing the large and expansive character of our text, my reverend brethren, the most consolatory, the most encouraging, perhaps, of all the declarations which He, who spake as never man spake, has recorded for the due discharge of our ministerial office, I have not the presumption to believe, that I can arrest your attention, or command your patience, by the

attractive charms of novelty, or skill. The duties of the priesthood have, on many occasions, been moulded into form, and wrought out in detail, by abler hands than mine and the general statistics of our venerable establishment, presenting a valuable body of information, and therefore not ungenial to the discussion of an Annual Visitation, have already been traced' with an accuracy and fidelity, which cannot fail to satisfy the demands of critical enquiry, and baffle the attempts of rival competition. I feel the less inclined to enter upon the open field of debate, with respect to such topics, from a conviction, that, in an assembly, like the present, it is more reasonable that I should appear as the suitor, than the obtruder, of instruction; that I should appeal for spiritual advice to the judgement and experience of many around me, rather than press upon their consideration the crude, perhaps speculative, lucubrations of an advocate, so humble and unworthy as myself. Actuated by these sentiments, impressed with these views, and not unmindful of the dark and tempestuous storm which seems gathering over our best, our noblest, our dearest institutions, I have selected for the basis of to-day's reasonings and meditations a text, which, in language too plain to be mistaken, too cheering to be devoid of interest, speaks to us, my reverend brethren, of the Author and

1 By the Bishops of Winchester, Peterborough, Gloucester, and other eminent Dignitaries of the Church.

Finisher of our ministry, as well as of our faith and constitutes no doubtful, no unprofitable sequel to the charter and commission, with which we were invested at the solemn period of our ordination ;—a charter, which, unfortified by some such promise, would be but a dead letter, the commission, but an inoperative act.

The PLACE, where this memorable declaration was made to the apostles, was endeared to them by a thousand thrilling recollections of the past. It was a mountain in Galilee, whither they were commanded to repair in humble dependence upon the powers, and implicit acquiescence in the wishes, of their returning Lord. It was, probably,3 on the same mountain, that they had been taught, in common with assembled multitudes, those practical lessons of preceptive wisdom, which renewed, strengthened, and called powerfully into action the moral requisitions of the Mosaic law, by a spirituality not their own. It was, probably, on the same mountain that Peter, and James, and John had beheld with wondering amazement the mystical Transfiguration of their divine Master;-that scene of grandeur and of glory, which, embodying the subjection of the law, and adaptation of prophecy, in the persons of Moses and Elias, to

2 Matt. xxvi. 32.

3 This is by far the most natural hypothesis, and is supported by the opinion of Archbishop Secker, Grotius, and others.

the holier service of the New Covenant, displayed a visible representation of His future exaltation, and their own immortality.

The TIME was one of intense interest, unparallelled concern. Eight days, at least, had elapsed since the Saviour had grappled with the last enemy, and triumphed gloriously. The agony, in the garden of Gethsemane, had passed away-the destitution of a Father's love, and a Father's grace had ceased—the cup of bitterness was exhausted to its very dregs-the anguish of the Cross was over-the sepulchre had yielded back the Holy One without seeing corruption-and Jesus, arisen "for our justification" from the unknown, unseen, untold sanctity of the tomb, testified to his chosen disciples, "by many infallible proofs," the complete identity of his person; the exact fulfilment of every thing which "Moses in the law and the prophets did write ;"9 together with the immediate assumption of a "kingdom not of this world," by receiving from the Father" all power in heaven and in earth." Not long before the rapid succession of these wondrous events, their hearts had failed them even at the prospect of His going up to Jerusalem, there to be mocked by the scribes and elders, and delivered into the

6 This inference is deduced from the fact, that Jesus appeared to the apostles at Jerusalem eight days after the resurrection. John xx. 19. 7 Rom. iv. 25. 8 Acts i. 3. 9 John i. 45. 1 John xviii. 36.

2 Matt. xxviii. 18.