famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" No: "I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature," shall ever prevail so far over me. "I know in whom I have believed;" I am not ignorant whose precious blood hath been shed for me; I have a shepherd full of kindness, full of care, and full of power: unto Him I commit myself; his own finger hath engraven this sentence on the tables of my heart: "Satan hath desired to have thee, that he may sift thee as wheat, but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not:" Therefore the assurance of my hope I will labour to keep, as a jewel, unto the end; and by labour, through the gracious mediation of his prayer, I shall keep it.'

Thus wrote, and thus preached the 'judicious' Hooker in the time of his health; and, when death came, his last words were, God hath heard my daily petitions, for I am at peace with all men, and He is at peace with me: and from that blessed assurance I feel that inward joy which this world can neither give nor take from me.'

Have not they "a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before them ?"

Be this then, dearly beloved brethren, our one

great care, to take the course thus pointed out to us. Oh! you have all of you need to do it. You are all sinners against God: and sin draws after it "the wrath of God:" and in the wrath of God, infinite and everlasting evils are involved : but the means of escaping them-of having them exchanged for infinite and everlasting blessings is now open before you. The time, however, is short: your opportunities are fast elapsing soon they will be past a thousand things solicit your care-but oh! which of them is worthy a thought compared with everlasting death or everlasting life? Oh, be not "careful and troubled," anxious and eager "about many things," to the neglect of the "one thing needful: " while you may, "flee for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before you." This is necessary to all-immediately necessary.

We are backward to it: we are disinclined. But oh, consider the consequences of neglecting it. True, the feeling of danger, the feeling of alarm, and the sense of guilt as causing that feeling of danger and alarm: these are uneasy feelings: but shall we for fear of the momentary pain, forego the lasting safety, and incur the lasting, the everlasting ruin? The first steps in religion, the first

fleeing for refuge" may indeed be anxious and disquieting but to find ourselves in the refugeto have "laid hold on the hope" which shall

never disappoint us-shall not that be blessedness? Yes, it shall be "quietness and assurance for ever." Oh how differently may he feel the troubles of life-how differently look forward to deathwith what different feelings send forth his thoughts into eternity, who is in "the refuge," who has "laid hold on the hope,"-from what any other man can do! He may say, "O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."

But remember, brethren, our religion must have this beginning, or it is not genuine, and will not be availing. There must be "the fleeing for refuge," the anxious and earnest "laying hold on the hope set before us in Christ." All security, all quietness, all peace, without this, is but a delusion. We must feel our sin: we must feel our danger: we must see Christ to be our only refuge: our faith in him must be lively, and an earnest and continued exercise of the mind. Let us not deceive ourselves with the name and profession of Christianity, without its power.

And now let all who possess this hope in any degree, cherish it, that it may grow stronger and stronger in them. Let them guard against every thing that would damp it. Let them purify

themselves from sin. Let them keep themselves at this time especially, unspotted from the world. "Let your moderation," brethren, in all the affairs of this life," be known unto all men: the Lord is at hand." Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation." "Blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame." While you aim to do your duties in the world, become not "men of the world," or like men of the world, who have "their portion in this life."

SERMON XIII.

EPHESIANS . 14-19.

FOR THIS CAUSE I BOW MY KNEES UNTO THE FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, OF WHOM THE WHOLE FAMILY IN HEAVEN AND EARTH IS NAMED, THAT HE WOULD GRANT YOU, ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GLORY, TO BE STRENGTHENED WITH MIGHT, BY HIS SPIRIT IN THE INNER MAN; THAT CHRIST MAY DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS BY FAITH; THAT YE, BEING ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE, MAY BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND WITH ALL SAINTS, WHAT IS THE BREADTH, AND LENGTH, AND DEPTH, AND HEIGHT; AND ΤΟ KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST, WHICH PASSETH KNOWLEDGE, THAT YE MIGHT BE FILLED WITH ALL THE FULNESS OF GOD.

IT has been justly observed that the Apostles' prayers for their Christian converts, deserve our special attention. They not only shew the piety and the benevolent affection of those who offered them, but they teach us what objects we should peculiarly desire and seek after, for ourselves and for our fellow Christians. The Apostles on these occasions prayed, as well as wrote, under the