must be exercised now. The veriest sceptic and atheist will believe in all the verities of our religion-all the saving truths of the gospel as soon as they pass into eternity; but their faith, then, will only make them "tremble."

Fourthly That spiritual happiness here, is the great evidence of personal Christianity. "Believing ye rejoice." Let no man-gloomy, sombre, unhappy-however great his professions of religion, tell us he really believes. A man who really believes is happy.

Fifthly: That heaven and hell are mental realities. They come not from external influences, nor from illusory fancies, and poetic dreams, but from belief:-from the mind being in felt contact with eternal truths. In heaven the great Sun of Truth shines without intervening clouds on the soul. Hell, too, is faith. It is not material flame; it is not imaginary anguish; it is not temporary excitement ;-it is believing. "The devils believe and tremble." There is no infidelity in hell.

SUBJECT: The Meaning of Hope as an Instinct of the Soul.

"Thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts.” -Psalm xxii. 9.

Analysis of Homily the Hundred and Seventy-third.

THE text is a strong figure intended to express the idea that hope is an inbred sentiment of the soul-a power, original and not derived; as truly a part of the complete soul as the eye, or any other member, is a part of the complete body. The body, it is true, may exist without the eye, but in a very incomplete state; and the soul may exist without hope, but in a very incomplete state. There are emaciated souls -souls with deadened senses and broken faculties, as well as emaciated bodies. Notwithstanding this, hope is an instinct an instinct which keeps the face of the soul ever

towards the future; nay, which bears it ever into the future, and gives it there a happy and beatified life.

It

I want to enquire into the meaning of this instinct. suggests much important truth-truth about God and Christianity, our duty and our destiny-truth, which deserves and demands our devotional attention.

First: It is one of the most powerful

I. THIS INSTINCT IMPLIES THE DISTINGUISHING GOODNESS OF GOD IN THE CONSTITUTION OF OUR NATURE. The principle of hope is one of the chief blessings of humanity. We do not say that the action of hope is always conducive to our wellbeing. The fact is, this power of the soul, like every other of our depraved nature, is frequently abused. Men long after things which are beneath their nature, and thus degrade their souls; and hope for things which they have no good reason to expect, and thus subject themselves to all the inconveniences and anguish of disappointment. A large amount of the world's misery arises from a wrong direction of the instinct of hope, ending in vexation and disappointment. But the principle itself is, nevertheless, an incalculable boon. impulses to action. Man advances in dignity and blessedness as he grows in intellectual and moral strength ;—and he thus grows, only as the faculties and powers of his soul are kept in healthful exercise. Hope is one of its chief incentives. Like the tide in the ocean, it throbs through every part and keeps the whole in motion. Nearly all the

labor of the world consists in preparation for the future. Destroy hope, and every wheel in the agricultural, maritime, manufacturing, commercial, literary, and religious, world would become still, and the whole would sink into quiescence. Secondly: Hope is one of the chief elements of support under the trials of life. Hope buoys us up beneath the load; gives us a steady anchorage under the fiercest surge and gales. Hope sees some light fringing the darkest cloud, hears some sweet promises articulating amidst the din of distress. Thirdly: Hope is a source of joy. Joys of memory and

the pleasures of the passing hour are not to be compared with the joys that men derive from anticipation and hope.

"Man never is, but always to be blessed."

By this instinct he has always a beautiful and blessed realm, into which he enters. There, in seas of imaginary delight, he bathes his weary soul.

Now, have you not a proof of God's distinguishing kindness to you in giving you such an instinct as this? He might have given you a nature that would unfit you for taking any interest in the future, and left you with an instinct that would chain you to painful memories of the dreary past. Or He might have given you, instead of this, some power that would compel you to make the future a terrible thing-a thing, every idea of which would strike daggers into your soul. What reason, therefore, have we, when we contemplate our nature, to adopt the language of the psalmist, and say, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name."

II. THIS INSTINCT OF HOPE SUGGESTS A FUTURE STATE OF EXISTENCE. Hope is an instinct that always refers to the future;—it is a prospective sentiment. The fact that there is such an instinct in our nature, and which continues to the last stage of our mortal life, does certainly suggest, if not prove, a future state. It is suggested, First: On the ground of analogy. In the constitution of the body, we find that for every sense and appetite there is external provision. There is light forthe eye, there is sound for the ear-sweet odours and fruits,-all suited to our senses and appetites.

In our social relations we find objects suited to our social instincts-objects to love, and to reciprocate our affection. As the eye implies light, and as the social instinct implies existencies kindred with our own, Is it not reasonable to suppose that there is provision for this instinct of hope? Has God provided for every other, and neglected this? Has He opened no fountain where the soul can slake its thirst

for future good? The supposition is scarcely admissible. It is suggested, Secondly: On the ground of the divine goodness. Is it consonant with the goodness of the Eternal to suppose, that He gave craving appetites to creatures for which He has made no provision? Has He made man to thirst for future good, and is there no future good? If in this life only we have hope, we are, of all creatures most miserable. This instinct prophecies of a future.

III. THIS INSTINCT MEANS, THAT PROGRESS IN BLESSEDNESS IS THE ORIGINAL LAW OF OUR BEING. Hope is not only a sentiment pointing to a future, but to good in the future. Were man so satisfied with present good as to have no instinct of longing for higher joys, we should have no evidence from his nature that he was intended for progress in blessedness. But finding that whatever he has, he seeks after more-that the getting of one truth increases his desire for another ;-that the possessing of one virtue impels him to aspire after another; the inference is, that progress in blessedness is the great original law of our being. Our nature shows that our Maker never designed for us a final resting place in our career;-never appointed for us an ultimate terminus where we should pause, and have no more interest, in the future. But on the contrary, that the point reached to day should be the starting place of to-morrow, Why, then, are men so often miserable? It is because they sin against this fundamental law of their natures. They are made for progression in happiness, but they have forsaken the fountain of living waters. Misery is the creation of the creature, not of the Creator. It springs from the breaking of laws, not the obeying of them. "He that sinneth against me, wrongeth his own soul.”

IV. THIS INSTINCT OF THE SOUL SHOWS THE FITNESS OF

CHRISTIANITY TO HUMAN NATURE. Christianity does two things. First: It reveals future scenes of unending progress in blessedness. It comes to this instinct of hope to give the most

glowing and glorious visions of the future. It presents to the mind, heaven in its most enchanting aspects, &c., &c. Secondly: Christianity not only reveals future scenes of unending progress in blessedness, but supplies man with the means by which it is to be obtained. Christianity may hold these beautiful things before you, and you may desire them, but you cannot hope for them unless you know they are obtainable. Hell may know of these scenes of blessedness, and may desire them, but there are no means for it to obtain them. Christianity, however, not only unfolds them to the human mind, but supplies the means. What are the means? First They are conscience-pacifying. There is such a sense of guilt resting on the human conscience-such an impression, that God is offended, that the instinct of hope is frequently overcome by the feelings of dread and alarm as to the future. Man will never have a firm hope of heaven till this consciousness of guilt be removed—until conscience get the assurance that past sins are forgiven, and that it is reconciled to God. Now, Christianity is meant for this. It points him to the propitiation of Christ, and it assures him that by faith in His sacrifice all past sins are forgiven. Secondly: It supplies him with soul-purifying The soul is corrupt, the affections are polluted, and there is required some power to rectify all the inner errors, -to correct all the wrong

means.

Christianity is the want of your nature. Light, and air, and water, are not more fitted to the constitution of your bodies, than Christianity is fitted to the instincts of your 'soul. Believe me there is nothing else can meet your nature, but this. Education, philosophy, science, none of these can do it. Christianity is the only suitable minister to this instinct of hope.

V. THIS INSTINCT OF HOPE INDICATES THE CONGRUITY OF THE RELIGIOUS LIFE WITH OUR NATURE. Religion is a progressive principle. It is a "following on to know the Lord;" a for