shadow of mortality, so fearful to man's natural conscience, was to be turned into a door of hope, a welcome, from their reconciled Father, to a world of blessing.

Age after age, it had seemed the rebuke of the human race; but the innocent Lamb of God had met with it and changed its nature, and taught His people to say to one another, henceforth, 'So, He giveth His beloved sleep.'

I will not repeat the holy words of the text.

As soon as it is pointed out to us, our understandings bear witness, that death was the one great covering, which cast its gloom alike over all mankind, the one thing, which a Divine instinct within, proclaimed, that he never could be intended for; it lay impenetrable upon them, whilst nature secretly discoursed to them of fitness for a higher destiny; and the Prophet here calls it a vail, the face of a covering, to show what a momentary thing it would dwindle into, before the eyes of the faithful, when his Redeemer came.

Knowing, as we do now, what Christ has done, all other fulfilments of Isaiah's language which ever God's chosen people witnessed, become feeble and disappear, and, if there were men or women before He came, (yea, even heathens,) whose hearts and hope rose above earthly trouble, and looked peacefully at death, we are led by the Scriptures, to see in them a seal of the salvation

of Christ stamped upon souls which, on earth, were unconscious of their relation to Him.

It is about such Scriptures as this which we are considering to-day, that St. Peter writes to his disciples, and entreats them to seek courage and consolation. They were, at the time, exposed to a variety of distresses--'in heaviness through manifold temptations:' he specially counsels them to look hither for comfort, as well as to his own testimony of Christ; he even calls it 'the more sure word of prophecy,' which they will find it blessed to study until 'the day dawn,' and the day-star arise in their hearts.'

Let me try, brethren, to adapt to ourselves this exhortation of the Apostle, for it is needful and seasonable to us all.

We will not think of the darkness overhanging those who have forgotten God; but the darkness of persons who are striving to 'work out' their 'salvation with fear and trembling.' Their darkness is partly the penitential memory of former sins, from which, in the presence of a God of truth, they do not turn away,-partly the consciousness of sinfulness, which they daily strive with, but find still reviving and bringing sorrow to them; and partly, also, those outward afflictions to which, at God's appointed times, all His own children are made subject.

From these dark places, God's merciful Spirit

invites us to look for consolation in the books of prophecy, where His great treasures of pardon, compassion, cleansing, strength, and hope, are all revealed to us; not telling us that these things will at once wipe away our tears, and fill our heart, but, that by daily thought of them, all sorrows of this passing world, and scars of an afflicted conscience, will change their hue.

Through faith in the precious Sacrifice once made for sin, our hearts will be lightened; through the promises of God's help and Presence, we shall strive with sin; we shall be thankful for earthly mercies, and look past them, hopeful amidst earthly sorrows, and see a future blessing in them; and we shall learn to think of our Lord's appearing, as the day which we have waited and longed for,-a day, in the dawn of which, we are living already.

Oh, let us all strive to be such persons, that we may not think of death, but of Christ's glorious coming. Surely it is all one to the soul, whether we go to that abode which is rest with Him, or He arise again, upon this world, to the faithful who await Him here!

In the light of that hope, may the grace of our God enable us continually to live. Uncertain what a day may bring forth, let us do that of which (to human apprehension) the lady, whom we have lost from amongst us, was so holy and

engaging an example, take no thought for the morrow. Let us ever fix our hearts on doing, to-day, such things as the Lord Jesus Christ has taught us; ask our hearts how He would have us lead our life on earth; and look to His hourly help, that we may follow that thought.

God's holy promises assure us that this thought and aim will help us to look beyond both the joys and the sorrows of this mortal life; it will be to us, the very 'day-star' which the Apostle speaks of.

Our weak, sinful nature, too, probably shrinks from such a standard; but every effort, in faith of His help, is one step in the transformation of that nature, and brings us nearer to that blessed company who will sing Isaiah's hymn at HIS appearing.

Y

322

XXIV.

THE BRAZEN SERPENT.

As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.'-St. John, iii. 14, 15.

You will probably, brethren, at once re

member these words of Christ, (for the history of the Pharisee Nicodemus is to most of us familiar,) yet I will say a few words to remind you of it.

You know that he was brought up amongst the Pharisees, a proud, self-satisfied society, who could, most of them, very ill endure to have their lives called in question, or to be taught by others; but Nicodemus was of a different description,-more modest about himself, and more sincerely desirous to be pleasing God.

When Jesus began to preach, he was already grown up; he had come to be a ruler among the Jews, insomuch that our Saviour called him a 'master of Israel;' so we may conclude that he