And if your comfort in tribulation be thus connected with the peace of Christ, so be assured is your progress in holiness. Can there be any motive to obedience like the intense desire to maintain this peace of Christ in the soul? This peace cannot live in the atmosphere of strife, and worldliness, and pride, and sensuality. It is the result of faith, and confidence, and love, and gentle and holy affections. The least wilful sin will interrupt the even flow of this intercourse. The Spirit will "be grieved," if sin be wilfully indulged. There is no barrier against sin so strong, as the thought, that thereby fellowship with Christ will be broken and injured! He who knows what that fellowship imports; he who can glory in the cross, and turn from the vexations of men to lodge his anxieties in the bosom of Christ, he will know that the withdrawing of the consolations of the Spirit is dearly purchased by any pleasure of sin which is but for a season, and which degrades him whom it gratifies! How well did the Psalmist exclaim, in reference to this subject, "I will run the way of thy commandments when thou hast set my heart at liberty." "With my whole heart have I sought thee, oh let me not wander from thy commandments." Thy testimonies have I taken as my heritage for ever-for why? they are the very joy of my heart." Believers in

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Christ! approach then the mercy seat of God with peace and gladness of heart. Contemplate more precisely the varied memorials of his compassion and goodness. Let your imaginations soar beyond the barriers of this poor world to the mansions prepared for you above. Seek often in hallowed faith, the interior of his banquetting house, and expect his "banner over you to be love." There "will he manifest himself to you, as he doth not to the world ;” and" in the multitude of your thoughts within you, his comforts shall refresh your souls."

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SERMON XVI.

REPENTANCE AND CONVERSION.

ACTS iii. 19-21.

"REPENT YE THEREFORE, AND BE CONVERTED, THAT YOUR SINS MAY BE BLOTTED OUT WHEN THE TIMES OF REFRESHING SHALL COME FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD. AND HE SHALL SEND JESUS CHRIST WHICH BEFORE WAS PREACHED INTO YOU, WHOM THE HEAVEN MUST RECEIVE UNTIL THE TIMES OF RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS WHICH GOD HATH SPOKEN BY THE MOUTH OF ALL HIS HOLY PROPHETS SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN."

A REMARKABLE event had recently occurred near the temple at Jerusalem. An unfortunate cripple had been long the recipient of alms at the temple gate, called "Beautiful." He had arrested at length the notice of the apostles Peter and John. Looking earnestly upon him, Peter said unto him, "Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have give I unto thee, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk." The man believed the authority of the command, and he rose up and walked, and with a new and singular gratitude, he followed

nected with the fuller manifestations of his ineffable glory.

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I would earnestly entreat those who are in any measure spiritually minded, and to whom the grace of the gospel is precious; I would entreat such to inquire whether they have fully entered into this design of Christ, to give them peace in himself, and whether they are aware of that specious appearance of humility which is, in fact, but the remnant of self-righteousness; a humility which fears to take the full and direct consolation which Christ addresses to the soul. The peace of Christ is a determinate blessing, which he desires you to possess. The results of his mediation and friendship are splendid and decisive: his salvation is " a passing from death to life;" from "fear which hath torment," to faith and love, which heal and purify the heart; from condemnation to fellowship; from the curse of the law to the soft invitations of the gospel; from the slavery of sin to the pursuit of liberty and holiness, from the miseries of exile to the welcome of a Father's house. These are blessings which are substantial, distinct, absolute and accessible. Do you enjoy them as such? Do you believe your Father's love to be such as he has represented it to be? Have you peace in Christ? Do you regard him as your all, the giver of every blessing which you can want or desire?

Is there no difficulty in your way, as to the reception of his promises in all their measure and extent? He calls you to peace--" These things I have spoken, that in me ye might have peace." And the apostle John enters into the full import of the design, when he says"These things write I unto you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ;" and these things" write we unto you, that your joy may be full."

II. But the nature and the value of this design of mercy in our favour, we shall more clearly ascertain by considering, in the second place, THE DIRECT INFLUENCE OF OUR CON

VICTION OF ITS TRUTH, UPON THE SORROWS

AND TRIALS OF LIFE. "In the world ye shall have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."

Exemption from external evil is not promised to the Christian. This world is not his rest. He is a pilgrim and a stranger here; and if his outward circumstances were often compared with those of the man of the world, he would appear to partake of the harder lot. Many an Egyptian was at ease when Caleb and Joshua were in want in the wilderness. In the world ye shall have tribulation." The outward circumstances of life change not when the heart is brought into reconciliation with God. The

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