they may be raised from the "death of sin to the life of righteousness."* This is the holy work which all the chances and changes of this mortal life should be made to forward; urging us not to "set our affections" too earnestly "on things on the earth," but on "the salvation which shall be for ever," and on the "righteousness which shall not be abolished;" teaching us who survive amid the daily spectacles of mortality to see how frail and uncertain our own condition is, and so to number our days that we may "seriously apply our hearts to that holy and heavenly wisdom, whilst we live here, which may in the end bring us to life everlasting."+

May God, by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit, grant to us this heavenly wisdom, for Jesus Christ's sake, our Lord.

*Burial Service † Col. iii. 2. Service for Visitation of the Sick.

SERMON II.

HEBREWS xii. 1-2.

"WHEREFORE, SEEING WE ALSO ARE COMPASSED ABOUT WITH SO

GREAT A CLOUD OF WITNESSES, LET US LAY ASIDE EVERY WEIGHT, AND THE SIN WHICH DOTH SO EASILY BESET US, AND LET US RUN WITH PATIENCE THE RACE THAT IS SET BEFORE US, LOOKING UNTO JESUS."

THE opening expression of the text directs us to something which the Apostle had before stated, and on which he grounds his subsequent exhortation. Having a cloud of

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witnesses" to attest the value of a certain principle on which they had themselves acted, he challenges those whom he addresses to regulate their conduct by the same principle, that so they might look forward to the same result.

The principle alluded to is faith—the result, a "patient continuance in well doing."

This you will find strikingly set forth in the chapter preceding the text, wherein the Apostle dwells at length on the conduct of those worthies of old times, who "through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, quenched the violence of fire, out of weakness were made strong, who were tortured, not accepting deliverance," rather than dishonour their profession, and so "obtained a good report. To these the Apostle refers the Hebrew converts; and, bringing them by a bold figure of speech, into the very presence as it were of that noble company-illustrious examples of faith and virtue, he speaks to them as if surrounded by those witnesses of the truth, now passed from their labours, yet looking still with an eye of interest on their followers in the faith, appointed, in their turn, to run their allotted course: and

* Hebrews xi. 33-39.

the language of the Apostle is a stirring appeal to their Christian courage. Wherefore, he says, seeing that you enter on the struggle in the presence of such a company; having such noble witnesses of the efforts you are making so to run "that ye may obtain ;" surrounded by such distinguished conquerors in the race that leadeth unto life; see that, stimulated by such encouragement, you "quit yourselves like men," and do not discredit your profession in the presence of those who are so well qualified to appreciate your efforts. The labours whereunto you are appointed, though great, yet are not greater than those which they triumphantly overcame "through faith:" do you in like manner consider in whom you trust, and faint not in your tribulation: yea, rather, since the race appointed you calls for strenuous efforts and unabated zeal, cast aside at once every let and hindrance, and patiently, as they, press onward "looking unto Jesus."

Such may be described, at greater length, to be the meaning of the Apostle; and the least acquaintance with the trials to which the early followers of our Lord were subjected, will abundantly testify to the wisdom and fitness of the Apostolic injunction, under the then existing circumstances of the world. Doubtless, at a period when the confession of faith in a crucified Redeemer was oftimes the introduction to earthly tribulation and anguish, it became the Apostle who watched as one who "should give an account," to be instant in every fitting season, to turn the eyes of the disciples from their present trials, to the example of greater trials patiently endured, and in the end, gloriously recompensed; and therefore, to sum up all, when he had traced out the illustrious series of those who had "obtained a good report through faith," he bids them look "unto Jesus, who, for the joy set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame;" and to the glorious consequence,