olence, by which liberty is gained for slaves, and restrictions on human rights are obliterated, and unjust laws are repealed, or just ones enacted, or religious information diffused over the face of a country; how often has it happened that public sympathy has been the occasion of private attachment, and friendships have sprung up, which have been a mutual and lasting blessing to the lives of both! When illness has caused a cessation from active pursuits, or when the heavy pressure of calamity has benumbed and crushed the mind, and recourse has been had to some new intellectual occupation, dallying with a history, a science, a language, a theory; merely, perhaps, for the purpose of disengaging the thoughts a brief while from depressing topics; how often has not only the first purpose been answered, but the individual been led on unawares, and found unexpected sources of activity, of enjoyment, of usefulness, blessings ten-fold to himself, and to others through his instrumentality! Partly, at least, we are indebted to the mental and bodily sufferings of Cowper for his poetry; and to the deafness of Dr Lardner for the Credibility of the Gospel History.' How often has the proper conduct of a child towards his parents, his filial respect and affection, his attention to their feelings, wants, wishes,and situation, his unwearied and lovely ministering to them in their infirmities, perhaps even their fretfulness, not only had its natural, and common, and sufficient recompense, but attracted notice in its unobtrusiveness, and, by the character it created in the minds of others, paved the way, even after the lapse of years, for his success in life, and raised him to a station which he

might never else have attained! Sometimes an individual, accustomed to be thought for and acted for, is suddenly thrown into a lonely and difficult situation, requiring clearness of mind, promptness of decision, energy of conduct; and all the needful attributes spring up, and the new duties are strenuously discharged; and not only is the actual object gained, but by the attention, the admiration, the interest excited, some of earth's best social blessings flow in, like an unlooked for spring-shower upon fields and gardens, making the heart's wilderness to blossom as the rose. O! there are stray gifts of God's goodness scattered over all earth's paths of duty; and what seem weeds give forth balm and fragrance to those who tread them with wounded feet and fainting senses. While immortal fruits grow on the tree of life, its shade is the sweetest shelter; birds of Paradise sing among the branches, and its leaves are for the healing of the nations.

But while we rejoice, when they do occur to ourselves or others, in these additional encouragements, these unlooked-for grants of goodness, these uncovenanted mercies,' these incidental and superabundant demonstrations of God's grace and love; let us remember that, without them, the obligations of good. ness are perfect, the rewards of goodness are most ample. Duty is to be done, whether they come or not; and oftentimes they do not come. There may

be even the apparent evil of additional and unexpected discouragements. Duty, whatever may be the present accompaniments or the immediate results, is the Christian principle. For the accessory delights, if we have them, let us thank our God, as Job did in

his redoubled prosperity; but in utter destitution of them, let us still have his righteous confidence' though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.' If good report proclaim our righteous efforts, let our ears drink in (though not too fondly) the pleasant music; but through evil report, with all its harshness, discordancy, and threats, let us hold on, unflinchingly. Though no angel ever came, the patriarchs yet beckoned in the fainting stranger, and welcomed him to their tent, and brought out the repast, and spread his couch. The duty had no contingency upon the miracle; nor has any duty upon coincidences, which may be beautiful and delightful, but which are not certain, are not promised. There is enough which is certain, and is promised. Heaven hereafter, and its hope here, can do their work upon the heart and life without auxiliaries. They can arm for trials; sustain under calamities; and if the world be never friendly, why they will overcome the world. This is the true Christian spirit. It will go towards the heavenly city of its final abode and destination, as, at their great and appointed festivals, the Jews of old went towards Jerurusalem. The command was to go-and they went. They went, whatever might be the length of the way or the state of the country. They rejoiced in going, if their procession moved on in peace, heaven above smiling on the loveliness of earth beneath, each village greeting them, and the husbandman leaving his plough and the artisan his work, to join their band, and the winds wafting along the burden of the psalms they chanted, and the hills prolonging it with their echoes, till before them rose the temple, circled by

Zion, the city of their God. But if storms howled above, and dreariness spread around, and terror had depopulated the villages, and hostile armies were in the way, and ever and anon the battle-cry was heard, and they moved with the bow strung and the sword unsheathed, still they went-went through tempest and conflict to Jerusalem. And thus goes on,in the path of duty, the real Christian. Or even worse than this; be he alone, like Paul, bound on that same journey; some entreated him with tears; some prophesied menacing evils; friends beseeched; foes threatened; bonds and afflictions awaited him; but he went; and for his firm and faithful discharge of duty through perils, imprisonments, endurances of every varying character of gloom, and ultimate martyrdom, resplendent is his crown of glory in Christ's heavenly kingdom. Earthly good should ever be regarded as comparatively accidental; fidelity to God and conscience is the great essential. Our great Master and Saviour bends from his throne above to behold its struggles; and we hear his word of promise, Be thou faithful unto death and I will give thee a crown of life.'

SERMON XII.

REJOICE EVERMORE.

1 THESSALONIANS V. 16.

Rejoice evermore.

A state of feeling cannot be produced or changed by mere volition. A man cannot rejoice or grieve by an act of the will, in obedience to a command. He can only do one of two things; adopt the outward expressions and manifestations, so far as they are capable of being voluntarily assumed; or employ such means as are subject to his control for the purpose of generating in his mind the state of feeling which is enjoined upon him. One of these courses must therefore be considered as enjoined by precepts like that just read. I should rather say the latter course must be intended; for so far as the first is not hypocrisy, (to which extent it could not be recommended by the apostle,) so far as it consists, for instance, of adopting when in sorrow, or having recourse to, those holy compositions expressive of the care, condescension, and love of our heavenly Father, which tend to bring the mind into a calmer state, it may be resolved into the last; and is the employment of one species of means for generating the de