and sending forth the Apostles into the world, I

need not say.

"Thou, O God, sentest a gracious

rain upon thine inheritance, and refreshest it when it was weary." "The Lord gave the word, and

great was the company of them that published it," and glorious their success. And in subsequent ages of the Christian church God has never left himself without effectual witnesses against prevailing corruptions. Cyprian, and Athanasius, and Ambrose, and Augustine, and Chrysostom, were in their several ages God's standard-bearers by whom he "lifted up a banner for the truth,” and effectually opposed the enemy, when "he came in like a flood." At length he raised Wycliffe, and Huss, and Martin Luther, and Melancthon, and Zuingle, and Cranmer, and all the glorious host of the heroes of the reformation, and wrought a blessed deliverance in the earth. And God has still continued in the same manner to protect and revive his church, and nowhere more than in our own favoured country.

When, therefore, we are disposed to take a desponding view of things, let us remember the language of the prophet: "why sayest thou, O Jacob, and speakest, O Israel, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgment is passed over from my God? Hast thou not known, hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the

Creator of the ends of the earth, fainteth not, neither is weary? there is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint." Brethren, this is precisely the duty which our text and our subject inculcatethat we should wait upon the Lord with good courage, assured that of him cometh our salvation.

Let me then conclude with enforcing this duty. Indeed, we may perhaps be allowed to divide it into the two duties of waiting earnestly upon God, and waiting patiently for his time of interposing for us. You will find both implied in the first verse of the fortieth Psalm; and the happy result of them in the following part of that Psalm. waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry."

SERMON XII.

THAT

...

HEBREWS vi. 18.

WE MIGHT HAVE A STRONG CONSOLATION, WHO HAVE FLED FOR REFUGE TO LAY HOLD UPON THE HOPE SET BEFORE US.

RELIGION is a subject of deep and everlasting interest to every human mind. If it is not felt to be so, there is a fatal error at the root of any respect with which it is regarded. It may be well, in a secondary point of view, to look to it as a means of preserving good order in society: it may be well to uphold it as occupying an important place among the institutions of our country: but if we regard it only or even mainly in such lights as these, we have no religion in our own hearts, whatever we may wish others to have. On the contrary, we are looking only to this world, and not to the world to come: we are looking to man, and not to God; and to man considered merely as a member of earthly society, and not to man as the heir of immortality. We are "in darkness

even until now." The question, "What must I do to be saved?" is the anxious inquiry with which every one must approach the subject of religion, who would desire to understand its nature, and to enjoy its benefits.

"

The chapter before us in every part suggests this reflection on the personal nature of religion. It speaks of some who had gone far in religion, both in the understanding of it, and in feeling certain of its powers," but who had since drawn back in such a manner, that it was become, (humanly speaking, at least,)"impossible to renew them to repentance." It expresses a confidence of "better things" being found in others, even things that accompanied salvation : " nevertheless, upon them it urges "giving the same diligence unto the full assurance of hope unto the end:" and it speaks, as you have heard in my text, of the

strong consolation" provided for those who sought it in the right way: " that by two immutable things"-the immutable counsel or promise, and the immutable oath of God, by which he had been pleased to confirm his covenant" that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, they might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to the hope set before them."

Let us consider these two particulars, the "flee

ing for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us," and the "strong consolation" which it is the will of God they should have who do so.

I. Here is "strong consolation," it appears, provided, but it is only for CERTAIN CHARACTERS, for them who "have fled for refuge to the hope set before them." Fleeing for refuge" implies a sense of danger, or even alarm. No man takes refuge, still less does any man 'flee for refuge," who feels not himself exposed to danger.

Now this very first step towards safety consolation," and good hope, is wanting in most men. Examine yourselves, brethren. What does your experience, and the history of your lives present like fleeing for refuge?" or like that sense of danger which would urge to such a course. Many, I am too well persuaded, have felt nothing of the kind. Perhaps the effect and the very design of such religion as they possess, is to ward off convictions, and to render them insensible of danger and of the consequent necessity of "fleeing for refuge." Sin, they acknowledge, exposes us to danger but Christ has died for our sins: they are Christians, they have been baptised, and they never made void their baptism by any flagrant sins : therefore they are safe: there is no need, they hope, for them to flee any whither for refuge. What