able folly to reject God's overtures of mercy When Death silently steals into your chamber, and throws away the veil from his ghastly visage, whither shall you fly? God, as a reconciled God in Christ, you have rejected; the influences of his Holy Spirit you have despised. Satan, the prince whom you have served, derides in mockery at your sufferings; and as there is no hope in the grave, whither every moment you hasten, you soon enter your lamentable doom, unrepentant and unforgiven. O, be persuaded of the riches of God's love in Jesus! Come unto him, without money and without price. Earnestly pray that you may be purified and sanctified, in the precious blood of your once crucified and now highly exalted Redeemer. They alone are safe, who repose on the merits of the Son of God. Happy they who thus repose! When death approaches, they fall asleep in Jesus, to awake in paradise, and there to be for ever with their Lord. Amen.

The peace of God, which passeth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge and love of God, and of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord; and the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, be amongst you, and remain with you always. Amen.

19

THIRD SUNDAY IN ADVENT.

Let us pray.

O LORD JESUS CHRIST, who at thy first coming didst send thy messenger to prepare thy way before thee; grant that the ministers and stewards of thy mysteries may likewise so prepare and make ready thy way, by turning the hearts of the disobedient unto the wisdom of the just, that at thy second coming to judge the world we may be found an acceptable people in thy sight, who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen.

Praise waiteth for thee, O Lord, in Zion; unto thee shall the vow be performed. O thou that hearest prayer, to thee shall all flesh come. We praise thee, O God. We acknowledge thee to be the Lord. All the earth doth worship thee, the Father everlasting. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth, heaven and earth are full of the majesty of thy glory. Condescend, we entreat thee, eternal Father, to hear us when we call upon thee. The

praises of the saints, continually ascending to thee in heaven, prevent not thy acceptance of our petitions from this earth, for we approach a throne of Grace, only through the merits of thy well beloved Son, our mediator: and we bless thee, and we bless him who came in thy name, to save us. See, O God, our shield; look upon us in the face of thine anointed, and for Jesus' sake, we beseech thee not only be pleased through his atonement and mediation, to grant us pardon of past transgressions, but so clothe us in the righteousness of Christ, and so purify and sanctify us by the Spirit of all grace, that we may evermore love and serve thee, with a willing and ready obedience. Let the Gospel message come to our hearts in spirit and in power. May it, through thy Divine influence, enlighten our souls and reform our lives. Pardon our former iniquities, O Lord! Grant unto us genuine repentance, and lift upon us the light of thy reconciled countenance, for the sake of our only mediator and advocate, Jesus Christ our Lord, who, while on earth, taught us thus to pray:

Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom come; thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven: give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: for thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen.

THE SCRIPTURE.

The portion of Scripture is in the Epistle to the Romans, the 10th chapter, from the 1st to the 17th verse.

"Brethren, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they, being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, that the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is to bring Christ down from above ;) Or, who shall descend into the deep? (that is to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart; that is, the word of faith which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek; for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? and how shall they believe

in him of whom they have not heard? and how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach except they be sent? As it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the Gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things! But they have not all obeyed the Gospel: For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our report? So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

SERMON III.

THE BLESSEDNESS OF THE GOSPEL OF PEACE.

In the Prophecies of Isaiah, the 52nd chapter, and 7th verse, it is thus written:

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peace."

It hath pleased God to send holy messengers at different times to his church, that they might warn, instruct, and exhort mankind. As one of this sacred company, Isaiah was peculiarly distinguished. His lips were touched with hallowed fire from the altar of God, and whether we meditate on the eloquence of his exalted language, or consider the clear anticipations of Messiah which it contains, its Divine inspiration is equally apparent. "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings," is an expression which conveys an agreeable idea to every heart, but