SERMON XII. FOR THIS CAUSE I BOW MY KNEES UNTO THE FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, OF WHOM THE WHOLE FAMILY IN HEAVEN AND EARTH IS NAMED, THAT HE WOULD GRANT YOU, ACCOR- DING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GLORY, TO BE STRENGTHENED WITH MIGHT BY HIS SPIRIT IN AND THEY SHALL TEACH NO MORE EVERY MAN HIS NEIGHBOUR, AND EVERY MAN HIS BROTHER, SAYING, KNOW THE LORD; FOR THEY SHALL ALL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST OF THEM UNTO THE GREATEST OF THEM, SAITH THE LORD; FOR BLESSEDNESS OF THOSE WHO DIE IN THE LORD. AND I HEARD A VOICE FROM HEAVEN, SAY- ING UNTO ME, WRITE, BLESSED ARE THE DEAD WHICH DIE IN THE LORD, FROM HENCEFORTH: YEA, SAITH THE SPIRIT, THAT THEY MAY REST 1 The Author's Last Sermon. SERMONS. SERMON I. PSALM CIV. 34. MY MEDITATION OF HIM SHALL BE SWEET. IT is the Apostle's injunction, "Rejoice in the Lord alway, and again I say, rejoice." In God the humble Christian has indeed an unchanging source of joy the most refined and exalted. All other things, besides that they are in their very nature insufficient for happiness, may change, or may be torn from us; or if they be not torn from us, we must unavoidably leave them ere long. But we never can go from God's presence: we never can be brought into scenes where his consolations may not follow us, and wherein they shall not be sufficient for us. The contemplation of God, if we have peace with him through our B Lord Jesus Christ, may at all times and in all circumstances, fill us with comfort that cannot be expressed. We may say with the Prophet Habakkuk, "Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; though the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; though the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will joy in the God of my salvation." : This joy in God seems to have been attained in a delightful degree by the Scriptural saints, even under the Old Testament: and none possessed it more abundantly than David, though no man had a greater share of persecutions and troubles, and though all his latter days were oppressed with the cares of royalty. He not only enjoyed it himself, but he has rendered an invaluable service to the church of God, by the provision he has made for guiding her sons, in all ages, to the attainment of the same privilege. The pious mind can hardly muse upon his writings without the same fire being kindled in itself. But it is not a mere speculative knowledge of God, nor even a bare persuasion that we are in the favour of God,-however well grounded such persuasion may be,-that can of itself give to the mind this joy in God. There are many times |