figuration, so shall he be in the day of the restitution of all things?

Once more. The re-appearance of two persons in this our terrestrial abode, so long after they had passed into the invisible world, was a sensible proof and clear example of the immortality of the soul, a doctrine particularly necessary to be inculcated in those times, when the infidelity of the Sadducees was so extensively prevalent. In those times, did I say-alas, is it not equally necessary in our own? for what multitudes act and live from day to day as if they thought with the Sadducees, that there was no resurrection, neither angel nor spirit, though their conduct but too plainly demonstrates the existence of one spirit at least, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. May their timely repentance and conversion prevent them from experiencing that their own spirit likewise, if it does not at death return unto God who gave it, must be driven to the society of kindred spirits, the partners of its guilt, and the future associates of its punishment, there to be reserved in chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.

That judgment is the last article of faith which I shall notice as being established and illustrated by the transfiguration of Christ, who, as he had told His disciples that He would hereafter come, in

power and great glory to render to every man according to his deeds, condescended moreover to convince them of the truth of His predictions, by the power He exercised and the glory He assumed, during His interview with Moses and Elias. St. Peter, one of the spectators on this occasion, cites this very transaction in evidence of a future judgment; "we have not," says that apostle, "followed cunningly-devised fables when we made known unto you the coming and power of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honour and glory when there came such a voice to Him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. And this voice, which came from heaven, we heard when we were with Him in the holy mount." And that voice shall we hear when we awake from the sleep of death, and lift up our eyes, like the apostles on the mount, to behold a sight of splendour and magnificence, unspeakable and inconceivable, for then will the Judge of all descend from above with ten thousand of His saints, and, if we have prepared ourselves to receive them, will add us to the bright assemblage, and so shall we ever be with the Lord. And when we tread the courts of the skies, and survey and admire their glorified and blissful inhabitants-the spirits of just men

made perfect, with the angels, and archangels, and all the company of heaven, with what gratitude and ecstasy shall we feel and acknowledge, "It is good for us to be here."

SERMON XIX.

CONTEMPT OF DIVINE INSTITUTIONS.

2 KINGS v. 11, 12.

But Naaman was wrath, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, he will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper. Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? so he turned and went away in a rage.

AFFLICTION generally produces humility, but it failed of this effect in the case of Naaman the Syrian. He laboured under a disease of the most distressing nature, which rendered the unhappy subjects of it a burden to themselves, and precluded them, in ordinary cases, from all association with others. He had heard, however, that there was a prophet in Israel, who, he had every reason to believe, could accomplish

his cure; and he therefore took a journey from his own country in quest of this inspired messenger of the Lord. He came, with his horses and with his chariots, and with all the pomp and state belonging to a captain of the host of the king of Syria, (and with more perhaps than was necessary to be assumed, considering the errand upon which he came,) and stood at the door of the house of Elisha, imagining, in all probability, that his appearance and retinue would secure him a very honourable and obsequious reception from a person so much inferior to him in rank In this respect he was disappointed; the prophet knew his duty to God too well to compromise his dignity, by any act which could give counte-nance to the opinion, that wealth and splendour can purchase the favour of heaven; and, in order to mortify the vanity of the haughty Syrian, he declined a personal interview with him, but sent a messenger to him saying, "Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean." This was an answer not at all uncourteous, and indeed as favourable as could be desired, promising, as it did, all that had been asked. But how was it received? Not with gratitude, but with indignation-for Naaman was wrath, and went away, and said, "Behold, I thought, he will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord