more simply and constantly look to that new country and new city, to which our God and Saviour will remove us, when he has accomplished in us here all his designs by us? Do we find a growing preciousness in him who hath saved us and washed us from our sins in his blood?-do we long for the time when with all the redeemed, we shall pay to him our vows in heaven, and offer eternal sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving? Are we "giving diligence to

make our calling and election sure?"-are we trusting the Lord in the path of duty?—are we fearing no danger, and declining no difficulty in his service? Are we, in short, learning more truly to consider the time of our death as the period of our labours and conflicts, and of our entrance into rest, glory and happiness.

If, through grace, we are living in this holy obedience to God, and are growing in these affections of the believing and spiritual mind, we are called on for adoring praise and gratitude to the Lord, for having "so taught us to number our days that we apply our hearts unto wisdom;" but if, on the other hand, our conscience, (and till long and hardening sin has seared it, that is a faithful monitor,)-if our conscience tells us that we are numbering our days, if at all, with no view to their peaceful termination in the love of the Redeemer, and we are applying our hearts to any wisdom, but that of which he was

G

both the blessed author and example, then are we in a fearful, a most fearful state. Pestilence* is again at our very doors; and let us mark it, my fellow sinners, pestilence may let fall its poison-drop on some one or other of us ere another sabbath return, and may prevent us from again meeting in this world,-then the soul, oh! where will the soul be for ever and ever?

The cholera.

83

SERMON VI.

THE WORK OF RIGHTEOUSNESS.

ISAIAH Xxxii. 17, 18.

And the work of righteousness shall be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever; and my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.

THIS was one of the precious promises made, in seasons of trial and danger, to the then future gospel church. By the light of that Spirit, whose first office it was and is and will be to the consummation of all things to be a comforter in the hearts of God's people, the prophet foresaw and described the tranquil happiness which the Messiah was to introduce at his advent upon earth.

That happiness was to be brought in, as at once the badge of his love to his spouse the

church, and the result of his sacrifice for it. Peace was not to be her lot or inheritance from any previous desert or fitness on her part, beyond that which he both required and looked for, of waiting for her Lord, and of joyfully welcoming his approach.

Altogether free and gratuitous was his blessing, and as a love without parallel bought it, a love without parallel secured and prolonged its enjoyment. Its immediate operation upon the state of the sinner was to bring in to him a better righteousness than any he had before possessed; and its immediate operation upon the prospects of the sinner was to afford him a better hope than would ever have been possible to him without that righteousness. Had the sinner had a perfect righteousness innate in himself, a perfect hope would have been its attendant, and a perfect peace its result; but neither that hope nor that peace was found in his bosom, because he was by nature an alien from that righteous

ness.

There was then, in the very pressure of the case, a direct necessity for some channel not in man, nor of man, by which it could be required and perpetuated for man, and (glory to the free and precious mercy of our covenanted God !) at the appointed time that channel was opened, the desire of all nations came, and the gloom of all nations was removed: a thick darkness was dispersed

from the mountains, Jesus arose, "the bright and morning star," and ushered in, at his clear shining above the horizon, the day, the eternal day, of pardoning love, of solid and enduring peace.

For then his people, who had been long on their towers, along the stations of which in eager and anxious expectation, the word had often passed from soul to soul," Watchman, what of the night?" and who had, at last, in the longedfor dawn of day, the joy of cheering each other with the glad tidings, "Behold he cometh!" then was brought in that righteousness, of the work of which the scripture speaks thus conclusively : "He was made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in him ;" and of the effect of which it declares thus plainly, "It pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell, and, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things to himself."

With the permission of God we may, not without profit, employ the moments of our present meeting, on the eve as we are of celebrating the nativity of our adored Lord, if we inquire a little into the nature of that peace, which he bought for captive sinners, at no less a ransom price than that of his own blood.

1. And first we may remark, as to the peace we obtain through Jesus Christ, that the infallible word has declared it to be a perfect peace,