the appearance of one ill at ease in regard of his spiritual interests. And without denying that there may be thorough safety where there is all this much observed as it ought to be, that conversion does not profess to alter the nervous system, and that this system will produce symptoms which are often anxiously submitted to the spiritual ad-seeming insecurity, we are bound to deviser, when they really come more pro- clare, that, so far as others are concernperly within the province of the medical. ed, the Christian, who thus "seems to But when every just allowance has come short," is the cause of great injury. been made for constitution and circum- He presents religion under a false asstances, it may safely be affirmed that pect: like one of the spies of old, he the general deportment of the believer brings the promised land into disrepute, should be that of serenity and hopeful- and discourages those whose business it ness, the deportment of one who has is to go up and possess it. The world already entered into rest, though not is disposed enough to give a morose and that perfect rest which yet "remaineth gloomy character to godliness, representfor the people of God." The reli- ing it as the opponent of all cheerful. gion of the Bible is a cheerful, happy-ness, and as requiring that we surrender making religion : the very word whatsoever can minister to happiness. "Gospel" signifies "glad tidings;" and We tell the world, in reply, that it does he who has received good news into his thus but libel our faith; that there is heart, may justly be expected to exhibit nothing deserving the name of happiin his demeanor, if not much of the rap-ness, save with those who have devoted ture of joy, yet something of the quiet-themselves to the service of Christ; and ness of peace. But it is in this that we challenge its attractions and enticerighteous persons are often grievously ments to put themselves, if they can, deficient; nay, they perhaps even think even into a present competition with that it becomes them to go always that “ peace of God which passeth all mourning, and that, sinful as they are, understanding." it were worse than presumption in them ever to be cheerful. Hence, in place of struggling with doubts, and endeavoring to extinguish or eject them, they may be said actually to encourage them, as if they befitted their state, and either betokened, or cherished, humility. A great mistake this. There is commonly more of pride than of humility in doubts; he who is always doubting is generally searching in himself for some ground or reason of assurance; whereas, true, genuine humility, looks wholly out of self, not as forgetting the corruption which is there, but as fastening on the sufficiency which is in Christ. But what are we to say to the world, when its appeal lies from assertions to facts? when it can point out religious persons as always melancholy and desponding? Why quote to us, the world will urge, the exquisitely beautiful words, "Come unto me, ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest," when so many, who are looking only to Jesus for rest, must, at least, be admitted to "seem to come short of it?" What indeed is to be said to the world? God forbid that we should bear hardly on those who have already much to bear, in the burden of their own doubts, misgivings, and fears. But I question But, without dissecting more narrow- whether Christians sufficiently consider ly the character of the always doubting the injury which they may do to the Christian, we cannot hesitate to say of cause of the Savior, by not striving to him, that he is one of those who "seem "rejoice in the Lord," and to display in to come short." If a present, as well as their deportment the happy-making a future rest, be promised to the righ-power of vital religion. I question teous-and what else can be denoted by such words as these, "Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee?"-certainly he, at least, "seems to come short" of that rest, who is continually the prey of fear and disquietude, who has never any thing to express but apprehensions as to his deceiving himself, or who wears always whether they sufficiently feel the duty of wrestling with those doubts which give them all the air of dispirited and disconsolate men-the duty, not merely, and not even chiefly, because doubts rob them of comforts which God graciously intended to be theirs; but because doubts, by thus throwing over them an aspect of sadness and gloom, misrepresent piety, either causing or ness of life, as we all confess, is prepastrengthening the impression that God ration for death. And a Christian's is a hard task-master, and that, in keep-hope, a Christian's desire, should be that ing of his commandments, there is little or nothing of present reward. he may be enabled to meet death triumphantly, putting his foot on the neck of the last enemy, and proving that Christ hath despoiled him of his sting. It should not content him that he may pass in safety through the dark valley, though with little of that firm sense of victory which discovers itself in the exulting tone, or the burning vision. This indeed is much-oh! that we might believe that none, now present, would have less than this. But, in having only this, a Christian may seem to come short." And there is often a mighty 66 the righteous, when, as the darkness thickens, and the strength declines, there is apparently but little consolation from the prospect of eternity. Even as, on the other hand, when a righteous man is enabled to meet death exultingly, as though he had but to step into the car of fire, and be wafted almost visibly to the heavenly city, there is diffused over a neighborhood a sort of animating influence; the tidings of the 'victory spread rapidly from house to house: the boldness of infidelity quails before them; meek piety takes new courage, and attempts new toils. It could hardly fail to be a new and strong motive with religious persons to the cultivating cheerfulness of deportment, and therefore to the withstanding those disheartening fears, which they perhaps think even wholesome, as keeping them humble-just as though a firm confidence of acceptance through the cross of the Redeemer were not itself the great foe of pride-if they carefully remembered that others will judge religion by its apparent effects, and that, if they see it produce only sadness, they discouragement from the death-beds of will be likely to shun it as opposed to all joy. A gloomy Christian may not be always always able to help his gloom; but he should lament it, and strive with it for what will a generous leader say of a soldier, who commissioned to enlist others under the same banner with himself, makes his appearance in the world as a terrified and half-famished prisoner? Oh no! it is not enough that ye do not come short. It is not enough that, through darkness and doubt, ye struggle at last into the kingdom of heaven. Ye should aim at something higher than this. Ye should aim at adorning the doctrine of the Savior, setting it off to the best advantage, recommending it to a world which is eager in the pursuit after happiness, as that which makes good the saying, "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace." And, therefore, in place of always harboring and indulging other fears, fears which, as originating in a sense of unworthiness, should be met with the truth that it was for the unworthy Jesus died, let the fear expressed in our text be henceforwards constant in operation, even the fear " lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it." 66 And it ought not, therefore, to satisfy us that we may so die as not to come short of heaven: we ought to labor that we may so die as not even to seem to come short of it." It is doubly dying, if, in dying, we work an injury to our brethren; it is scarcely dying, if we strengthen them for their departure out of life. This is, in its measure, the doing what was done by the Redeemer Himself, who, "through death, destroyed him that had the power of death:" the believer, as he enters the grave. deals a blow at the tyrant, which renders him less terrible to those who have yet to meet him in the final encounter. And by continued preparation for death, by accustoming ourselves to the anticipation of death, by the striving always so to live that death may not take us by surprise, but that, having the loins girt, the lamps trimmed, and the lights burning, we may be as men expecting the bridegroom, we may indeed hope to be so ready, through God's help, for the act of departure, that our passage through the valley shall be rather with the tread | little of hopefulness in his look, and as of the conqueror, than with the painful little in his language. “O my friends" step of the timid pilgrim. -these are his struggling utterances- It is true that we have not power over the circumstances of our death; that we cannot insure ourselves a triumphant death; and that God, for wise ends, may often be pleased, in removing his people from earth, to withhold from them those glimpses of things within the vail, which, whenever vouchsafed, seem to light up a sick room, as though angels, with their bright wings, were visibly present. But perhaps it may be generally true, that they who have made it their aim that they might not "seem to come short" during life, are not permitted to 66 seem to come short" in But I see another Christian meeting death. He who lives most consistently death. His look is that of one who alis perhaps commonly enabled to die ready has his hand on an incorruptible most triumphantly. He who is most crown. His voice, weakened indeed by earnest in scattering those doubts which approaching dissolution, gives forth the are dishonoring to the Savior, harassing tones of confidence and exultation. to himself, and injurious to the Church," Sorrow not for me, my beloved ones. will find the termination of his earthly With Stephen, I see Jesus at the right path haunted with fewest of those dark and spectral things, which agitate a believer, even though he feel that his Redeemer is near. See, then, a new motive to the striving so to live that you may not "seem to come short," whether of the practice or the privilege of true followers of Christ. It is thus that you may have reason to hope that you shall not "seem to come short" when you die. And again we say, think not little of this. I have before me two pictures; come and gaze, and then think it little if you can. I see a Christian stretched on his deathbed, patient indeed, and hearkening eagerly to the words of those who stand round, and who are speaking to him of that "Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world." But there is hand of God. With Job, 'I know that my Redeemeth liveth.' I am safe in the good Shepherd's keeping: yet another struggle, and I am with Him for ever in the rich pastures above." Ah! how do these words encourage survivors. They go forth like men armed anew for duty and trial. They tell the scene to others. The whole Church rallies round the grave, and takes fresh courage. The dead man, who thus visibly conquered, is like Elisha in the sepulchre-to touch his bones is to gain new life. Ah! look upon this; and will you not henceforwards live as those who fear, "lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you," at the last, "should seem to come short of it?" SERMON XI. SIMON THE CYRENIAN. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross." MATTHEW xxvii. 32. parts. Combining the accounts of the several historians, we now know that when our Lord was given up by Pilate to the will of his enemies, the soldiers, as was the ordinary practice in regard of those sentenced to crucifixion, laid upon Him the cross whereon He was to die. After He had carried it a certain distance, the soldiers, for one reason or another, took it from Him, and placed it on a Cyrenian whom they happened to meet; and this Simon bore it to Calvary. We have no certain information as to who Simon was, whether or not a disciple of Christ. He is mentioned by St. Mark as "the father of Alexander and Rufus :" but though this would seem to indicate that he and his family were well known at the time, it does not help us to determine particulars. The probability would seem to be, that he was at least disposed to favor Christ, and that this his disposition was matter of notoriety— nothing is more likely than that it was on account of his attachment to Jesus, and for the sake therefore of exposing him to public ridicule, that the soldiers compelled him to carry the cross. This fact is also recorded, and almost | plete a narrative, or unite its scattered in the same terms, by St. Mark and St. Luke; and we may think that three evangelists would scarcely have all inserted it in their narratives, had it not deserved more attention than it seems ordinarily to receive. The circumstance is not noticed by St. John, whose object was rather to supply deficiencies in former gospels, than to repeat their statements. But St. John enables us better to understand the laying the cross upon Simon: for we could not determine from the three first evangelists whether or not it had been first laid upon Christ. This is an important point, as you will afterwards see: we could gather little or nothing from the fact that Simon was made to carry the cross, if we were not sure that it was first carried by Christ. But this is not affirmed either by St. Matthew, St. Mark, or St. Luke. These evangelists merely mention that the solthey led away Jesus to crucify Him, met with Simon the Cyrenian, and compelled him to be the cross-bearer: but whatever we might have conjectured, or whatever we might have concluded from the usual practice of the Romans, we could not have been confident from this, that Christ had borne his cross till it was thus laid upon another. But St. John, omitting all notice of Simon, expressly says of our Lord, "He, bearing his cross, went forth into a place, called the place of a skull." This is a beautiful instance of the nicety with which the fourth evangelist may be said to have observed what was wanting in the other three: he fills up, so to speak, a crevice, or puts in a link, so as to com But allowing the probability that he was known to favor the cause of Christ, we have no means of ascertaining whether he were a Jew or a Gentile for ecclesiastical history furnishes nothing respecting him beyond what is furnished by the evangelists. In the book indeed of the Acts of the Apostles, where the prophets and teachers in the Church of Antioch are enumerated, we have mention of "Simeon that was called Niger;" and many have imagined that | One would have expected that, with this might be "Simon the Cyrenian "-prophecies in their hands which they the surname Niger, or black, being themselves applied to the Christ, they thought to accord with the birthplace; would have taken pains to prevent, so for Cyrene was a city and province of far as possible, their apparent fulfilment Libya in Africa. If this identity were in Jesus of Nazareth. And yet, as if determined, there would be no doubt as judicially blinded, they themselves to Simon's having been a Jew: but it brought about the fulfilment, and that, is merely the resemblance in name which too, in cases where prevention seemed has led to the supposition; and even quite in their power. Did they not this resemblance is insufficient to sup- know what Zechariah had predicted in port any theory; for the same Evange- reference to the price at which Christ list speaks of Simon the Cyrenian, and would be sold? and yet they sold Jesus of Simeon, called Niger. We must for the very sum; a thought only being therefore be content to remain ignorant wanting, and one piece of money might in regard of the individual who bore the have been added or taken off, and thus cross of Christ; and we may find that a noted prophecy have failed of accomthis ignorance will not interfere with the plishment in Him whom they crucified. lessons to be drawn from the occurrence. Thus again, how easy it would have The occurrence itself, as we have al- been-and for men who were seeking to ready intimated, is one which may be disprove the pretensions of Jesus, how easily overlooked, but which perhaps natural-to take care that vinegar and only requires to be carefully considered gall should not be given Him on the in order to the being found full of in- cross, and that the soldiers should not terest and instruction. Let us then join part his garments amongst them, not ourselves to the multitude who are cast lots upon his vesture. There would thronging round Jesus, as, with slow have been no difficulty, in these and and fainting steps, He toils towards other similar respects, in hindering the Calvary. There is a moment's pause: fulfilment of prophecy: and the wonder an individual is met, coming out of the is, that men, familiar with prophecy, accountry the attendant soldiers seize customed to apply it to the Messiah, and him, and compel him to bear the cross eager at the same time to prove that which the Redeemer had hitherto car- Jesus was not the Messiah, should have ried. This is the incident which we are either effected or permitted the fulfilto ponder: we will go no further with ment, thus completing the evidence, the infuriated crowd; but, sitting down, which they had full power, as it seemed. will examine what truths and lessons to weaken or mutilate. may be derived from what has just been observed, namely, that "as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name him they compelled to bear his cross." Now it is very interesting to remark how the accomplishment of ancient prophecy seems often to have hung upon a thread, so that the least thing, a thought or a word, might have sufficed to prevent its occurrence. There are many predictions in reference to Christ, which could only be fulfilled by his enemies, and of which we might have expected that these enemies, anxious to disprove his claims, would have been too shrewd to help the accomplishment. The marvel is, that these enemies were not more on the alert; that they should have done, or allowed things which, on a moment's consideration, they might have seen to be evidences that Jesus was Messiah. It is a striking proof of the thorough certainty with which God can reckon on every working of the human mind, that He should thus have put it into the power of the bitter enemies of Jesus to arrest the fulfilment of prophecies. He could so shape predictions that a single thought, and that the thought most likely to arise, would be enough to prevent their being accomplished in his Son; and yet be as sure that every tittle would come accurately to pass, as if He had ordered it by a decree as abiding as Himself. It is not that God interfered, by any direct influence, to make men act as He had foretold that they wouldfor this would be to suppose Him partaker in their wickedness, accomplishing as well as predicting. He left the ene mies of Christ to themselves, quite at liberty to take their own course but his prescience assured Him what that |