she shall live ;" and while he yet spake there came certain of his household which said, "thy daughter is dead, why troublest thou the Master further?" but when Jesus heard the word that was spoken, he saith to the father, "be not afraid, only believe." But ere they reached the dwelling, the wailing notes of the minstrels, and the voice of the mourners, and the dirge of the dead, sank in sadness on their hearts; and when they came into the crowd, and the tumult of them that wept and wailed greatly, Jesus saith unto them " why make ye this ado, and weep? the damsel is not dead, but sleepeth." "And they laughed him to scorn:" but "he taketh the father and the mother of the child, and the disciples that were with him, and entereth in where the damsel was lying; and he took her by the hand, and said unto her, damsel, I say unto thee, arise; and straightway she arose.' ." Such a scene called forth the compassion of Jesus. I know that when the cords of affection have been suddenly snapt asunder, and the ties broken that bind together the children of earth in the bonds of kindred or of liking, I know that they cannot at once be forgotten, and become as though they had never been. Even the voice of compassionate friendship will at first

fall dull upon the ear, and find no echo in the heart, and the dignity of sorrow, which is said to be its support, seeks for retirement, and cannot brook witness or intrusion; yet after awhile will the kind word, and the kind act, effect the good work, and win back the wounded spirit to tranquillity and content, and the labour of love will not be in vain. In the words of St. Paul, "I would not have you be ignorant, brethren, concerning those that are asleep, that ye sorrow not even as those that have no hope, for if we believe that Jesus died, and rose again, even to them also, which sleep in Him, shall God bring with him :" they cannot come to us, but we shall go to them, "wherefore comfort one another with these words;" for not of the damsel of Judea alone was the Redeemer's blessing spoken, and laugh me not to scorn, when I bid you deem of those no more—they are not dead but sleeping.

There are but three recorded instances of Christ raising the dead, during his ministry on earth, and the second is like unto the first, and the third like unto the second. I need not tell you of the widow's son of Nain; her only child gone, and she desolate and lone, "her quiver empty, her last arrow broken and spent ;" nor of the wretched sister's saying unto "that friend who

sticketh closer than a brother,

وو

66

Lord, if thou

hadst been here, my brother had not died." The same spirit of compassion prevails, the like sanction is given, the same feeling shed over the social affections, the same example of sympathy held forth by the Saviour in each of these miracles. The daughter of the ruler, the widow's son, and Lazarus coming forth from the grave; tell the same truth, and teach the same lesson.

The nature of our Redeemer's miracles eminently enforces the practice and upholds the benevolent energies of his religion-it is ever striving for human happiness-it summons every better feeling of man's nature to be up and be doing. While evil men and evil principles are in motion, and working the works of their father, the disciple of Jesus Christ may not lie lulled in lethargy, but say even as his Lord, "I must work the works of him that sent me.' It tells the fond seekers after human perfection, that here is the path, and the way, the only way, by which they can ever hope, not for its attainment, but its approach. Christianity is progressive; as in the heart, so in the world: its early spread betokens its future triumph. It breathes forth its prayer to the sick, its hope to

D

the dying, then is its power palpable, none who witness it ever forget it. It despises not the cradle, it deserts not the grave. It stands in the gap between the spirit and the flesh when the tempter sifteth; and often doth it stir in the souls of the sinful, and carnal remorse becomes Christian repentance. Each follower of Jesus Christ must know, that earnest humanity is alike a positive duty to his fellow-men, and the enjoined service of his Redeemer, who said for himself and for all who are his, "I must work the works of Him that sent me;" and who we read, ever "went about doing good," for "God was with him," and all that he said, and all that he did, was for man's happiness-for man's redemption.

SERMON III.

BAPTISMAL VOWS.

ACTS x. 47.

Can any man forbid water, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we.

I WOULD be far from denying, that freedom of thought is a very great blessing, or that there accrues to the human race therefrom a vast preponderance of good; still must we own, that it is not wholly without its evils. Here we can "only know in part, and see in part," and that too, "as in a glass darkly." Men do not differ more in the form and fashion of their bodies, than in the fabric and mould of their minds; and hence I suppose it is, that in all questions, whether as to the principles of the world, or the doctrines of religion, whenever the point is not necessarily of a fixed nature, from the very same premises, from the very same words, they arrive