dent in one case as in another, it will impress him infinitely more.

From these impressions he feels that inward joy, which makes him consider the difficulties he meets with on his journey as trifling. It was this inward joy that made those worthies, of whom St. Paul speaks, take joyfully the spoiling of their goods, knowing that in heaven they had a greater and more enduring substance. It was this inward joy that inspired the heart of Stephen under the pains of martyrdom, when he looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw in ecstatic vision the glory of God, and Jesus sitting at the right hand of God.

Bur, now, my brethren, though it is evident, from these instances, that the christian religion is able to throw this sweet composure on the mind in all circumstances of life; yet experience shews us that it is a height of religion which few only can attain. Some may have closer ties to the world than others, in beloved relations, whom they may fear to leave unprovided; or children, whom they may leave uneducated. These things will naturally occupy the breasts of the best christians. Others may be constitutionally more dull-hearted, and cannot raise their thoughts in so elevated a degree;

degree; and yet may still be pious christians. While again there may be weaknesses and fears in the constitution of the best christians, which may in some measure abate happiness, though not interfere with hope.

Let us not, however, be discouraged. Let us endeavour to make ourselves as good christians as we can; and we shall surely feel in proportion the blessed effects of religion on our minds. The more religious we are, the nearer we shall approach that happy state, which is capable of making us rejoice evermore. The scripture is full of holy examples and holy precepts to incite us. To these let us have constant resource: above all, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

SERMON

SERMON XXIV.

LUKE, Xvi. 19.

THERE WAS A CERTAIN RICH MAN, WHO WAS CLOTHED IN PURPLE AND FINE LINEN, AND FARED SUMPTUOUSLY EVERY DAY; AND THERE WAS A CERTAIN BEGGAR, NAMED LAZARUS, LAID AT HIS GATE, FULL OF

SORES.

IT happened, as our blessed Saviour was discoursing to the people on the use of riches, and the dangerous effects of covetousness, that some of the Pharisees were his hearers. These blind guides, attending merely to the temporal promises of their law; and neither observing, nor wishing to observe, any relation it had to spiritual matters, maintained as one of their opinions -that

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--that riches were a sign of God's favour; and poverty of his displeasure. Hearing the blessed Jesus, therefore, talk of wealth, as of no value in itself, but taking all its value from the use it was put to, they were offended, interrupting his discourse, and treating it with ridicule.

Jesus knowing their wicked hearts, rebuked them as they deserved; and returning to his former argument on the right use of riches; added a parable, which, though of general instruction, had a particular tendency to the case of his malicious hearers.'

This was the parable of the rich man and Lazarus; in which our blessed Saviour gives us a short history of the life and death of two persons in very different situations. One was furnished with all the good things, which riches could bestow. He was clothed in purple and fine linen, and fared sumptuously every day. But, alas! his death was very different from his life. His riches could then do nothing for him. They procured him indeed a splendid funeral-that they could do for him-but while his body was conveying to the grave in all its funeral pomp; his soul, we read, was thrust into a place of torment.

Very different was the case of the other person, represented in the parable. He had as little of

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the good things of this world, as any human being could have. But though his life was wretched, his death was happy. His funeral, indeed, was no man's care: but his soul was conveyed by angels into Abraham's bosom.-Such were the circumstances of the parable of the rich man and Lazarus. The observations, which arise from it, shall be the subject of the following dis

course.

THE observation, which first strikes us, is that our Saviour considers riches and poverty, merely as they respect the next world. He generally treats the good things of this world, as below our notice. In conformity therefore to his usual practice, he here considers riches and poverty in a religious light; and shews us that the good or evil arising from these two circumstances of life, depends entirely on our own behaviour. For riches and poverty have each their respective temptations. And if we happily oppose these temptations, and live up to our duty; either one, or the other, may, through the blessing of God, be the instrument of our future happiness.

The rich man is apt to be proud, and confident, and self-conceited, and insolent, and overbearing, and dissolute. All this, without his own best endea

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