murmur at your removal, "I go to my Father's house, and to my Saviour's joy." What you were, conscience will often remind you; what you now are, it is the work of gratitude to tell; but what you shall be, faith can only anticipate in part. This is the sum of your happiness, but who can tell all that it contains? "So shall we be for ever with the Lord." This is the hope that enraptures your heart, "As for me I will behold thy face in righteousness, and when I awake I shall be satisfied with thy likeness." Perhaps some of you are ready to say, "O Lord, let me behold thy face in mercy, but to see thee in righteousness can be no joyous hope to me;" but you shall see his justice cordially assenting to your happiness, and prepared to allot and to maintain your inheritance in glory. In the grave corruption shall disfigure you; no trace of what you now are shall be left in the consuming flesh, and in the crumbling bones; but Christ shall fashion your vile bodies like to his own glorious body, and you shall reign with him in life for ever.

Amen.

ADDRESS XXXV.

1 PETER I. 8.

"Whom having not seen, ye love."

WE are so much accustomed to the influence of sensible objects, that some rashly conclude that it is impossible to love one whom we have never seen, and are disposed to class affection to an invisible Saviour among the reveries of enthusiasm. But there are other modes

of exhibiting the worth of an object as striking as its actual presence. It is not so much the external form of an object which excites regard, as the amiable qualities which it indicates. It is the benignity which softens the features, the sympathy which moistens the eye, and the wisdom which flows from the lips, by which our hearts are touched, and a most vivid impression of those qualities may be produced on those who have never seen their possessors, by the statements of those who have been associated with them.

When we go into the house of affliction, and are told of one whose liberality has supplied their wants, and whose skilful exertions have redeemed their lives from destruction, we do not remain cold and indifferent at the recital, because we have not seen the generous visitant. Our hearts swell at once with admiration of his goodness, and join in the blessings which are invoked on him by those who were ready to perish. When we survey the pillars which have been reared to commemorate the brave who have won the liberty, or the memorials of the genius which has adorned the literature of our country, we feel a degree of attachment to such characters as strong as ever was felt by any among whom they lived. The prejudices of party, and the surmises of envy, which so often darken the lustre of living merit, seldom spread a shade over the illustrious dead. And shall it be deemed impossible for us to love the Lord Jesus Christ, of the excellencies of whose character we have such an affecting record in the sacred history, written by men who saw his glory? They thus describe the object which they had in view in these details, "These things which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us," that your hearts may glow with feelings akin to ours.

I may add, that there are testimonies of regard to our interests, which may excite strong affection, though we have never seen the benefactor from whom they proceed. It is not even necessary that he live in the same country, or the same age with us. It is enough that we behold in his bounty, a picture of his heart. We feel it as a circumstance which strengthens our attachment to a distant benefactor, that, surrounded by objects calling for his kindness, he honoured us with the pledges of his regard.

The father who dies while his child is too young to recognize him, and who, before he departs, leaves his counsels for his direction, makes every provision in his power for his comfort, and orders a valuable pledge of his regard, to be given to him when he arrives at maturity, is thought of by that son with affectionate veneration. These counsels strike him as if he heard them from a father's lips, and that pledge affects him as if he received it from a father's hand. And are not we surrounded with the tokens of our Saviour's regard to our interests? The ordinances of religion are stored with his blessings, and the earth is full of his mercy.

I trust I can appeal to you, Christians, and say, "Him having not seen, ye love." His excellence is such as to claim your best affection. History exhibits many estimable characters, fancy hath drawn many striking pictures of eminent worth, and heaven con◄ tains many bright angels and saints, made perfect; but in all things Christ hath the pre-eminence. As a divine Being he possesses all the brightness of the Father's glory, all the wisdom of an infinite under standing, all the might of omnipotence, all the beauty of underived excellence, and all the benignity of everlasting love. As man, how amiable is he in the

beneficence of his life, the humility of his spirit, and the gentleness of his manners; in the condescension which counted no abasement too low, and in the patience which deemed no suffering too severe for the happiness of the wretched! And as Mediator, he possesses every excellence to merit the Father's confidence, to consummate the plans of mercy, and to claim the sinner's trust.

In eminent characters among men, there is generally one excellence for which they are distinguished; and when you examine their other qualities you find them by no means superior to those of others; but the various excellencies of Jesus shine with the fullest glory.

In men, we do not expect to find a combination of opposite excellencies. The hardiness of the bold and the determined, is seldom associated with the gentleness and softness of the mild and the tender hearted; but in Jesus the beauty of holiness is mingled with candour and pity, the brightest ma jesty with the softest meekness, and the strictest justice with the richest grace. In the brightest hu man characters there is some defect; but in the Sun of Righteousness there is no spot, in the pearl of great price there is no flaw, and in the rose of Sharon there is no thorn.

Many characters strike only at first. The gloss of novelty gives a power of attraction to many things which have no solid worth, and the language of dis appointment and disgust soon succeeds that of wonder and ecstacy; but the more Jesus is known the more he is loved. In the praise of other characters we suppose that flattery is often mingled; but, amidst all that is said of Jesus, the heart is still conscious of the

inadequacy of the description, and that the theme surpasses the power of language.

Now, Christians, what think ye of the Saviour? An unsanctified mind cannot conceive his glory, and it cannot be the delight of a carnal heart. Once you saw no form nor comeliness in him, but your eyes were opened, and your hearts were purified by his Spirit; and since that happy change, you have been convinced that his excellence is supreme and matchless, and you feel that in studying, admiring, and imitating it, you could find your eternal felicity.

But in what Christ hath done for you, he also claims your love; and it is the consideration of what he hath done for us, which encourages us to cling to him as our friend. And let it not be said that this is a selfish principle; for it is the benefactor's heart which love regards; and it is the kindness of the Saviour, apparent in what he did, and in what he gives, which engages our affection. Meditate on the glory and felicity from which he descended, on the humiliation to which he stooped, and the anguish to which he submitted for you. Meditate on the melting sympathy of his heart, and the unwearied earnestness of his prayers; on redemption by his blood, sanctification and comfort by his Spirit, victory by his grace, and eternal life by his righteousness, and you will feel how much you owe him. And when you consider this kind

ness as manifested to creatures who deserved nought but abhorrence and indignation, it will heighten your grateful wonder. I trust your hearts are now magnifying him as the best of beings, and as the only Saviour. Memory, O blessed Jesus, will select thy goodness for its tenderest recollection, and gratitude, thy favours for its sweetest theme. The most valued