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The gracious designs of divine providence in its favour, will be traced amid the scenes of former existence, chequered often with the pains and trials, which are now found to have worked together for good. Every spot will recall some cause of humble and pious thankfulness to a heavenly Father, whose grace prevented prosperity from being a snare, and caused the blackest adversity to help the pilgrim onward to life everlasting. How happy will be the meeting in peace. in blessednesss, on the very borders of triumph and glory, of those connexions and dear friends, whose earthly separation was amid clouds and darkness, gloom and despondency! No more care, no more sorrow, all tears, all suffering are terminated, the joys of heaven seem already begun. Yet, they are only on the threshold of immortality. The resurrection morning is the cheering dawn of a bright and cloudless day, to be spent in the heavenly presence. They are about to receive the gracious sentence of "Come,

ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." (Matt. xxv. 34.) And when the scene of judgment is over, they shall be permitted to approach the tree of life, and to enter in through the gates of the city, of which "the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple.” The city, which has "no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof, and the nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it:" the city, into "which there shall, in no wise, enter anything that defileth, but they that are written in the Lamb's book of life." (Rev. xxi.) Amen.

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SERMON VII.

THE RETURN OF CHRIST.

ST. LUKE iv. 21.

"And he began to say unto them; This day, is this scripture fulfilled in your

ears."

"THUS it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness," were the memorable words of our Saviour, when He received the rite of baptism, previous to his solemn ordination by the Holy Ghost, for his public ministry.

This maxim formed the great rule of his life, and it is one of the most valuable of the precepts which, illustrated by his unvarying example, He has left to his

disciples. Though, uniting in his own person, the nature of the Godhead, with that of innocent and perfect humanity, He did not, on that acconut, omit the use of every means of grace, by which the divine blessing descends on man; and He paid the most scrupulous attention to every institution of that Church, which, while He sojourned upon earth, was the accredited channel of intercourse between the Almighty and his creatures. This example might serve to correct mistakes, which occasionally obscure the piety of the devout, and deprive their worship of its catholic character. Enjoying, as they conceive, the full sweetness of spiritual communion, they sometimes esteem too lightly, the benefit of outward ordinances. Criticizing, as too minute, the attention to ceremonies which others display, and attaching the reproach of superstition, to a rigid adherance to external forms; they profess to worship God as effectually, with the inward reverence of the heart, and in the retirement of the chamber,

as with the visible signs of lowly adoration, and in the public assembly. But this, which, except in cases of necessity, is a fatal mistake, which will destroy the growth, and endanger the very existence of real religion, would be avoided, were the example of our Saviour to be imitated; who, although he enjoyed the illumination of the Godhead, which dwelt in his human nature, and required not the means of grace, which are so greatly needed by his creatures, was yet constant in every public office of devotion. For, while we know that He often visited the lonely recesses of the mountains, for the purpose of private prayer, we also know that He omitted not to worship God publicly in the temple, and to observe the rites enjoined by Moses.

And here, again, our Saviour's example may serve to correct certain gross mistakes, with regard to acts of worship. He not only used the means of grace, He also reverenced the ministers of religion, in their official character. The general

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