touched, if ever good thoughts arise in you, and you would fain come to God, that God will most certainly receive you, that He who gave up His own Son that you should not perish, will most certainly forgive you and accept you." This Christ would say, for He has said it in the Scriptures; and is there one amongst you so young that he cannot understand this language, and feel in it at once warning, and softening, and encouragement?

Again, Christ tells you that He is risen. I allow the difficulty of a young boy fully embracing this, although it may seem the easiest part of the Gospel. Not yet entered on the life that now is, the life that is to come will seem to be very far distant. Nor will instances of early death amongst other young persons bring the impression quite home to you; you know that such instances are an exception to a general rule, and you do not permanently regard them. This will be so commonly; still there will be moments when it will be otherwise, when you will feel, even while very young, that it is a comfort that Christ is risen. I do not allude now to the deaths or sufferings of your friends, but to troubles of your own. I do not say what the troubles may be, they are very various; but still we all have troubles; and even if they may seem light to others, they are not light to us who bear them. There will be moments in the lives of the happiest of us, when, if we were accustomed to

apply to it, we should find intense comfort in Christ's assurance, that He is risen, for us also to rise to life eternal.

I say, if we are accustomed to apply to it; that is, if we bear in mind that Christ has died for us: otherwise I do not think that we can well comfort ourselves in any light, or in any serious trouble, with the prospect of eternal life; for that prospect then seems either too uncertain in itself, or too high for us to aspire to; other hopes and comforts are applied to, and they, as best they can, relieve our pain. It is very important to remember this, that we shall never in any trouble go naturally to Christ risen, unless in our common life, in that quiet time, free alike from great joys or great troubles, we do continually remember that Christ has died for us.

But suppose, now, that the Gospel which we have now heard should also dwell with us, as it did with the first Christians; that we keep in memory the things which we have heard, and so do not believe in vain. Would it do nothing for us? or should we not indeed be so built up,should we not so grow in grace and in goodness,— that the effect would commend itself, in a manner not to be mistaken, both to our eyes and those of others? Is it not certain, for instance, that it would instruct us in many points of conduct, and influence us in many points of feeling, which can

not be reached by direct rules or advice from another person? How impossible would it be for any one, even supposing that you were willing to comply with his directions,-how impossible would it be to tell you how you should spend your money; at what point you were beginning to be guilty of extravagance or blameable self-indulgence? Or, again, supposing that, in the matter of spending your time, you were willing to take exactly another person's directions,—yet who could direct you?— who could draw the line between Christian watchfulness and excessive severity? between the refreshment proper and most useful for all of us, and a sinful idleness? It could not be done by others either by word or by writing; books will not give it you, nor human teaching, but only the teaching of Christ's Spirit, through the love of Christ, who died for you. I mean, that if you think that Christ has died for you, and feel the thoughtfulness and the love which that faith inspires, you would have an instinct to guide you surer than any rule; you would feel what Christ would wish, and would be glad to do it; and you would feel no less surely what Christ would give you without upbraiding, and would accept it fearlessly and thankfully.

But this would not be with all in equal measure, for riper years and a more thoughtful disposition would undoubtedly bring forth in some more fruit than in others. Only there would be

fruit in all; and this is what our Lord requires of us. Some might be more improved than others, but all would be improved. And then Christ's blessing would be upon us, on the youngest no less than on the oldest. Then having been built up on our most holy faith, and praying in the Holy Spirit,

for who does not pray when he feels at peace with God, forgiven and beloved?—we should keep ourselves in the love of God, and look for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, whose mercy to the youngest of us will make the path through this life safe and free from misery, and keep the prospect of eternal life ever before us, brightening as earth and earthly things grow darker.

RUGBY CHAPEL,

August 30th, 1835.

SERMON XXXVI.

ST. PAUL.

ACTs, xxii. 21.

Depart; for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles.

THESE words, taken from the second lesson which you have just heard read in the service of the day, describe shortly the business for which St. Paul was set apart by God; for which he lived and for which he died. He was the Apostle of the Gentiles; and through him and his preaching we, and all Christians now living, for where are we to find the remains of the churches of Judæa ?-have received the knowledge of Christ's Gospel. His name is familiar to every ear, and so, no doubt, are the principal circumstances of his life. Nevertheless, as through the division of the Bible into chapters we are apt to read his history as it were piece by piece, and as we do not always connect

C C