how full of loving-kindness is the Lord in renewing again the seal of all your blessings. It is your duty at such a period to take a review of your whole life and character, but especially you ought to turn your attention to what your conduct has been since the last time that you offered your vows unto the Lord. And you should be prepared to bring all the sins with which your consciences charge you, to the Cross of Christ, that, confessing them-they may be forgiven, and that henceforward you may be cleansed from such iniquities. You may, indeed, and you will, find it difficult to resolve upon relinquishing them. We are prone to put the hand to the plough-looking back. You may find a warfare carried on within you; and while your conscience tells you that every sin should be abandoned, you may find it a hard saying when you are required to cut off a right hand or to pluck out a right eye. But you have your choice to make; you cannot serve God and Mammon; "and whosoever breaketh one of these least commandments shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven." Whatever, then, be the sin that besets you-whether it be the pleasures, or the riches, or the honours, of the world that you love-it must be laid aside. But how is this to be accomplished? Not in your own strength. Confess your sin unto God-your proneness to yield to it, confess to God --and you will find him faithful, not only to forgive you your sin, but to deliver you from its power in the time to come.

One good practical rule in reference to this subject is, not to look at the temptation itself, but rather

look to him who may deliver you from evil. Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright." And so ought it to be with every species of temptation. Look unto Jesus. Consider that he hates sin. Consider what he suffered on account of your sin, and beseech him in his own way to deliver you from all that he disapproveth, especially to deliver you from your own evil self. And if you come unto the table of the Lord with these sentiments in lively exercise you will find, in your experience, "that God is faithful and just to forgive you your sins, and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness."

Perhaps there may be some among you to whom all these representations of the evil of sin, and of the struggles between principle and passion, may seem exaggerated and imaginary; and who have never yet had any feeling of the strictness and spirituality of the divine law. If this is the case, I can only refer you to the word of God. What are its plain declarations in regard to the lost condition of man? And does not the difference between your views of religion and those which are contained there-present some grounds for suspecting that you are living in a state of error in regard to a subject of all others the most important? The matter is surely worth a serious consideration. Let me exhort you to engage in it with all seriousness of mind, and may the Lord lead you unto the truth.

Let me beseech all of you to consider your condition in the sight of God. Time is uncertain, and you know not how soon you may be carried before

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the judgment seat. And what think you would the account be that you there would give? Consider this, as in the presence of God; and remember, that if you say you have no sin, you deceive yourselves, and the truth is not in you: while if you confess your sins, God is faithful and just to forgive you your sins, and to cleanse you from all unrighteousness." For, "Come now and let us reason together, saith the Lord Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as snow; though they be red like crimson, they will be as wool." "A new heart also will I give you, and a right spirit will I put within you: And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments and do them."

SERMON IV.

THE MASTER COMING AND CALLING.

"The Master is come, and calleth for thee."-JOHN xi. 28.

THE circumstances in which these words were spoken, must be familiar to you all, as they form a part of the account of one of the most affecting incidents of our Saviour's life. While our Lord was beyond Jordan, whither he had gone to avoid the hostile designs of the Jews, his friend Lazarus, who lived in Bethany, about two miles from Jerusalem, fell sick. Upon this, Martha and Mary, the sisters of Lazarus, "sent unto him, saying, Lord, behold he whom thou lovest is sick." Upon receiving this message, he did not yield at once to the impulse of his sympathy with this afflicted and amiable family, but continued two days in the place where he was, that there might be an opportunity of the Son of God being glorified by the mighty work that was to be performed. At the end of two days, Jesus again returned to Judea, but the distance being considerable, several days were employed in the journey, and when he came to Bethany, Lazarus was dead, and had been committed to the grave. Upon hearing of his approach, Martha im

mediately went and met him, and held with him that most interesting conversation which is recorded from the 21st till the 27th verse. In the meantime, Mary was sitting still in the house, giving way to the bitterness of her sorrow. While she was thus sitting in the midst of many of her Jewish neighbours, who had come with the friendly purpose of affording consolation-Martha returned, and taking her aside, spoke to her in the language of our text. The words of sorrow upon meeting with our Saviour, the effect they had upon his heart, and the great work of mercy by which gratitude and holy joy were diffused over this holy family, are recorded in the concluding part of the chapter. At present we must confine ourselves to the announcement made by Martha to Mary. And, first, Mary is told that "the Master is come." The arrival of our Saviour must have been a subject that much occupied the thoughts of this interesting sufferer. He had been her brother's friend-the whole family was distinguished by more than his common regard, he had been a guest in their house, and had gained all their affection, and if he had been present with them, both she and her sister were satisfied that the life of Lazarus would have been preserved. It must, therefore, have been calculated to excite no ordinary emotion in her mind to learn that the Master was come. The Master is come. She had already the consolation that religion presents to the afflicted, and, as well as Martha, she must have known that her brother would rise at the last day. She had the law and the testimonies; she had Moses and the Prophets; where she might read and receive this com