olate; the things that were, become as if they had never been; Babylon is a ruin; her heroes are duft; not a trace remains of the glory that shone over the earth, and not a ftone to tell where the mafter of the world is laid. Such, in general, is the humiliating. afpect of the tomb; but let us take a nearer view of the house appointed for all living. Man fets out in the morning of his day, high in hope, and elated with joy. The most important objects to him are the companions of his journey. They fet out together in the career of life, and, after many mutual endearments, walk hand in hand through the paths of childhood and of youth. It is with a giddy recollection we look back on the paft, when we confider the number and the value of those, whom unforeseen disaster and the hand of destiny have fwept from our fide. Alas! When the awful mandate comes from on high concerning men, to change the countenance, and to fend them away, what fad fpectacles do they become! The friends whom we knew, and valued, and loved; our companions in the path of life; the partners of our tender hours, with whom we took fweet counsel, and walked in company to the house of God, have paffed to the land of forgetfulness, and have no more connection with the living world. Low lies the head that was once crowned with honor. Silent is the tongue to whofe accents we furrendered the foul, and to whofe language of friendship and affection we wished to liften for ever. Beamlefs is the eye, and closed in night, which looked ferenity and sweetness and love. The face that was to us as the face of an angel, is mangled and deformed; the heart that glowed with the pureft fire, and beat

with the best affections, is now become a clod of the valley.

But shall it always continue fo? If a man die, fhall he live again! There is hope of a tree if it be cut down; but man giveth up the ghoft, and where is he? Has the breath of the Almighty, which animated his frame, vanished into the air? Is he who triumphed in the hope of immortality, inferior to the worm, his companion in the tomb? Will light never rife on the long night of the grave? Does the mighty flood that has swept away the nations and the ages, ebb to flow no more? Have the wife and the worthy; the pious and the pure; the generous and the juft; the great and the good; the excellent ones of the earth, who, from age to age, have fhone brighter than all the stars of heaven, withdrawn into the fhade of annihilation, and set in darkness to rise no more? No. While" the duft returns to the earth as it was, the "spirit fhall return unto God who gave it." Life and immortality are brought to light by the Gofpel of Chrift. "We know, that if our earthly house "of this tabernacle were diffolved, we have a build. "ing of God, an house not made with hands, eter"nal in the heavens."

The periods of human life paffing away; the certainty of the diffolution which awaits us, and the frequent examples of mortality, which continually strike our view, lead us to reflect with seriousness upon the house appointed for all living. Death is the great teacher of mankind; the voice of wifdom comes from the tomb; reflections, which fhow us the vanity, will teach us the value of life. Such meditations are particularly fuited to beings like us, who are fubject

to infirmities and defects. For fuch is the weakness of human nature in this imperfect ftate; fuch is the ftrength of tempation in this evil world, that frail man is often led aftray before he is aware. The enemy of the foul attacks us in every quarter; approaches often under falfe colours, and tries every disguise, to deceive and to destroy. Vice often borders on virtue; the narrow path and the broad way lie fo near, that it is difficult to distinguish them, fo as to order our goings aright. Inadvertence may frequently betray; the impetuofity of paffion may precipitate, and the gentleness of our own nature mislead us into steps fatal to our peace. I fpeak not of wicked men, who acknowledge no guide but their paffions, and fubmit to no law but what one vice impofes upon another: I talk of the fincere and the good. The most watchful Chriftian has his unguarded moments; the most prudent man fpeaks unadvisedly with his lips, and the meekest lets the fun go down úpon his wrath. Alas! Man in his best estate is altogether vanity, and always ftands in need of the lef fon from the tomb.. "O that they were wife," said Mofes, "that they understood this, that they would "confider their latter end !”

death! Where is thy fting? O grave! Where is thy victory?-Thanks be to God who giveth us the victory, through our Lord Jefus Chrift.

THE Meffiah is foretold in ancient

prophecy, as a magnificent Conqueror. His victo ties were celebrated, and his triumphs were fung, long before the time of his appearance to Ifrael. "Who is this," faith the prophet Ifaiah, pointing him out to the Old Testament Church, "Who is "this that cometh from Edom; with dyed garments " from Bozrah? This that is glorious in his apparel, travelling in the greatnefs of his strength ?"—" I "have fet my King upon my holy hill of Zion.-I "fhall give him the heathen for his inheritance, and "the uttermoft parts of the earth for his poffeffion." As a Conqueror, he had to deftroy the works of the great enemy of mankind; and to overcome death, the king of terrors.

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The method of accomplishing this victory, was as furprising as the love which gave it birth. "Foraf"much as the children are partakers of flesh and "blood, he himself likewife took part of the fame, "that through his own death, he might destroy him "that had the power of death, that is the devil, "and deliver them, who, through fear of death, were "all their lifetime fubject to bondage." Accord

ingly, his paffion on the cross, which you have this day commemorated, was the very victory which he obtained. The hour in which he fuffered, was alfo the hour in which he overcame. Then he bruised the head of the old ferpent, who had seduced our first parents to rebel against their Maker; then he dif armed the king of terrors, who had ufurped dominion over the nations; then triumphing over the legions of hell, and the powers of darkness, he made a fhow of them openly. Not for himself, but for us did he conquer. The Captain of our falvation fought, that we might overcome. He obtained the victory, that we may join in the triumphal fong, as we now do, when we repeat these words of the Apoftle; "O death where is thy fting? O grave! "where is thy victory?"

It is the glory of the Christian religion, that it abounds with confolations under all the evils of life; nor is its benign influence confined to the course of life, but even extends to death itself. It delivers us from the agony of the last hour; fets us free from the fears which then perplex the timid; from the horrors which haunt the offender, though penitent, and from all the darkness which involves our mortal ftate. So complete is the victory we obtain, that Jefus Chrift is faid in Scripture to have abolished death.

The evils in death, from which Jesus Christ sets us free, are the following: in the first place, The doubts and fears that are apt to perplex the mind, from the uncertainty in which a future ftate is involved. Secondly, The apprehenfions of wrath and forebodings of punishments, proceeding from the consciousness of fin. Thirdly, The fears that arise in the