positions, which now exist in the divine mind towards you, you are losing an invaluable opportunity it will soon escape out of your hands, and never recur again. The greater part of your life perhaps is already gone, and nothing is yet recorded in your favour. "How long ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity, and fools delight in folly ?" How long shall trifles beguile you of that precious time, on which you will hereafter acknowledge that you could not have set too high a value! How long will you tempt the patience of God, who, though he waiteth long that he may show mercy, can yet be wearied by the obstinacy of sinners, and if they continue to provoke him, will at length make a way for his indignation, and spare not their souls from death? Oh, consider how short your time is upon earth, -how long the eternity which will succeed! Consider what a work is to be done before you leave the world! what an eventful decision to be made! How can you suffer the brief delusions of this idle world to rob you of the everlasting happiness which you may yet secure to yourselves in heaven? May the grace of God this day open your eyes to perceive your truest interests. May it convince you that you have but one great object for which to labour, in this little life which is fleeting away so fast. May it pre

vail on you to prepare for the great day of judgment, by taking to you the breastplate of faith, and by acquiring, through grace, that spirit of holiness, which the gospel requires; so that you may you may live in hope, and die in peace; and when you shall at last appear before the throne of God, you may hear these joyful words addressed to you,-"Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; " and then entering into the joy of your Lord, you will dwell for ever in his presence, who alone can satisfy you with the fulness of joy; and who will be your exceeding great reward through the interminable ages of a happy eternity. And may God of his infinite mercy teach you that most useful and instructive of all lessons, "so to number your days, that you may apply your hearts unto wisdom," through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

SERMON XXIII.

THE LAST JUDGMENT.

MATTHEW xxv. 31-33.

When the Son of Man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory.

And before him shall be gathered all nations; and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats.

And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left

I HAVE been much afraid that my late discourses, on the controverted question of the millennial period, although from the novelty of the subject, they might have excited a momentary interest, must, to the majority of my hearers, have been very unedifying; for there must be a great many, who not having the ability to read, or the opportunity and leisure to read much, would have known nothing of the arguments used on

either side, but for the notice which I have taken of them in this place. I assure you most sincerely, it is my earnest wish, and constant endeavour, to avoid wasting, in any unprofitable discussions, those valuable seasons in which I ought to be labouring to promote among you the increase of faith, piety, and holiness; and many and many a time do I reproach myself for not having addressed you in a way better calculated to advance the great work, which "my conscience beareth witness" I have most deeply at heart, "even the salvation of your souls." But may God give success to his holy word, however feebly set forth! May he pour "the continual dew of his blessing" upon the seed sown, and cause it to yield a more abundant increase than I almost dare to expect! May he send down upon me, and all the "ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God," and "all upon congregations committed to our charge," and "especially upon this congregation here present," "the healthful spirit of his grace," so that we may open our mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, and therein may speak boldly, as we ought to speak, and that they may "hear his word, and receive it with pure affection, and bring forth the fruits of the spirit," through Jesus Christ our Lord!

The particular subject, to which I devoted my two preceding discourses, I selected, because it has excited so general an enquiry (perhaps I should rather say, curiosity) in the present day, and I thought it might be advisable, once for all, to put you in possession of your own minister's sentiments upon it; and because also there are so many extravagant notions afloat, with relation to it,-notions so likely to be detrimental to a sound faith and a sober piety,-I was desirous to check them if they should at all prevail among you, and to guard you against them, if they should not yet have found an entrance into your minds.

The chief use which I should recommend you to make of the doctrine of the Millennium is, to let it remind you of your duty to do all that you can, according to your several means, to promote the kingdom of Christ. Look for a moment at the contrast between the glorious vision which the doctrine puts before us, and the sad realities that at present exist. Observe how very far we are from any similarity to that which is expected to be the millennial state; how large a portion of mankind are yet "sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death," never having seen one beam of "that true light," the "Sun of Righteousness; " and what multitudes, inhabitants of the kingdoms which are nominally become "the