SERMON LVI.

CAUTION TO HEARERS OF THE WORD.

Luke, vii., 18.-Take heed how ye hear.

BUT how hear without a preacher? and how shall they preach except they be sent? Every preacher, then, is sent of God.

If the religion of man is to be reckoned by the hearers, &c.-but, alas! how necessary to urge the caution since so many hear in vain.

I. How we should hear.

II. Why?

I. How?

1. With preparation.-You expect the preacher to prepare. 2. Fixed attention.-Not like the fool's eye.

3. Candour.-Not a candour which compromises truth. 4. Faith.-Mix it up with faith as a medicine.

5. Practical application.

6. Prayer. On entering the house of God pray.-Despise the sneer of the infidel.-O how the preacher feels when he is among a praying people!

II. Why?

1. Dignity of the speaker.-The Lord from heaven. 2. Importance of the subject.

3. Its individual application to us, as well as general importance to all.

4. General inattention.-Three quarters of the seed to

waste.

5. Difficulty of keeping the mind from flying off. 6. Awful responsibility.-Judged by it.

Application.-1. Gratitude for the word of salvation.

2. Arouse yourselves-wakefulness.-Anecdote of the

Father and Son.-Does the Son begin to think then? End with a consideration of death-our hearing seasons soon over!

SERMON LVIII

THE BELOVED DISCIPLE.

John, xiii., 23.-Now there was leaning on Jesus' bosom one of his disciples whom Jesus loved.

I. JOHN's character.

1. Early piety.

2. The most remarkable trait, love, which was constantly evinced in his attendance on our Lord. He leaned on his Master's bosom in their hours of social enjoyment-" And in death they were not divided"-he remained with him till he saw him expire.

We must follow him to the cross.

II. How did he arrive at this?

He explains this, "We love him.-Yes; there he learned the lessons of love on Jesus' bosom.-1-1 Ep.

III. How did he exemplify after his Master's decease? Read his Epistles.-He led others to it (1 chap.). Zeal for God and love for man; a burning fervour for God's cause and man's happiness" What we have seen and heard we testify unto you.”—Love.

IV. The particular distinctions and favours conferred on him by Christ.-Leans on his breast.-Mount of Transfiguration-Garden-and he consigns his Holy Virgin Mother to his care-lived long-closed the canon of Scripture-was raised to glory!

SERMON LVII.

THE YOUNG THE HOPE OF THE CHURCH.

A SUNDAY-SCHOOL SERMON.

Matthew, xviii., 10.-Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven.

SYMBOLICAL actions are important. Instances abound in the Old Testament. They were general among the ancients Jeremiah in chains-Jer., xxvii.-another tears his garments to show the rend of the kingdom. Abijah to Jeroboam, 1 Kings, xi., 30—and another divides the hair, Ezek., v., 2.-Jesus adopted it also, but spake and acted as never man did-breathed on them the Holy Ghost, and washed the disciples' feet. To impress them with docility, &c., "He took a little child, and set him in the midst of them, and said, Verily I say unto you, except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven."-"Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven."

Seldom did Jesus appear to more aware of the value of children-was would have prevented them **

advantage; he was severe to those who * he has left us

an example. It is impossible to estimate fully the importance of youth. It is not beneath our dignity as ministersWesley kneeled in the street-it is not beneath yours either to notice them-Jesus loved them and noticed them.

The importance of youth-we expect little from the old -few conversions there!-iron hand of age!—the young are the hope of the Church-tender plants-trained up by the assistance of the Holy Ghost. Left to themselves, they will become hemlock and nightshade-the grapes of Sodom and clusters of Gomorrah.-But if taken up **** This anniversary calls upon you to remember your duty here.

I. The interesting light in which the young should be regarded.

II. The manner in which they should be treated.

I. The interesting light in which they should be regarded. 1. As the heirs of future felicity. "Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven." Some think that the " angels" are their spirits disimbodied :-they mingle with the crowd there. How great this consideration! (Jer., xxxi., 16.) How exalted, then, our view of them! Immortality stamps a value on them beyond words. (James.) Infidelity in vain attempts to shake our faith in this-yet we are alarmed for the rising generation.-Satan is trying to poison them. * * * A child is linked with eternity in the mighty chain; insignificant as he may seem, he will yet vie with angels; there is in him a spirit which will yet praise God forever; yes, their spirits shall behold the face of our Father. "An heir of glory" a frail child of dust. ****

2. View them as the charge of angelic care. This is the meaning of the verse. Their guardian angels-ministering spirits and because of the nearness of connexion between God and these angels, it attaches importance to these children.

We know little of angels; we do know they are ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation, though a veil hides them from us-let the light of revelation be cast on it, and the strengthened eye of faith, and I can see movements there.See the seraph at the throne. *** They once broke the veil at the incarnation, and think not they have now no concern with us—we have our attendant spirits!!

But how can we form an idea of their dignity! It consists in their beholding the face of our Father!-The love of God is the commanding principle of the angelic nature, and they walk in his light, and ascend and descend on men, performing the will of God.-O! the sweep of an angelic mind! -what is their benevolence! they love children, great as they are they think it no dishonour to wait on little children -children in the well-while children are associated, &c.

"Angels now are hovering round us"-the hum of a Sunday-school is music in an angel's ear-there they are in numbers. How much more honour angels' presence confers than all greatness! A pious child, then, is one of the most interesting objects.

3. The objects of redeeming love.-See the following verse: "For the Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost." They were lost! But what means this loss? (Value of the soul.) Temporal loss is great.See Joseph's bloody coat-agony of a mother's heart-to hear of her lost sailor boy; or a father's when his Absalom is gone!-But what is this to a moral, a religious loss? A parent feels this most.-Is Jacob or the father of the prodigal, most pitiable ?-daily looking out for him! For a pious father to know that his child is lost to the Church, and living to the devil! *** Instance of a father weeping at the grave. "I weep for one that lives"-breaking my heart** A LOST CHILD!!

But the Son of man came to save them! That is the Gospel for little children! for them he drank the cup! they are the purchase of the blood of Christ.-One little child reminds me of Gethsemane! for it the Son of God dies! Remember, also, he is come to seek that which is lost. He employs human means. How many have been found by Sunday-school teachers. What was the land fifty years ago?-Bad enough now, but what would it have been if these seven thousand children to-day were scattering firebrands? **** But many lambs have been gathered.Sunday-schools have brought many back. Thousands in heaven are now beholding the face of their Father, and God's house on earth has been filled with their praises. "This my son is found!"

4. The subjects of Divine compassion. Jesus connects them with all the sensibilities of heaven: "Even so it is not the will of your Father that one of these little ones should perish." Angels love them-Christ died for them-and their Father will have them saved.-How fine a representation of the Almighty-listens to a child's prayer-hush every harp surrounded by glory! &c.-he will look on a little child.