loved us, and hath washed us from our sins in his own blood." When a person is brought, like the apostle Paul, to glory in nothing but in the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ, the world is thereby crucified unto him, and he is crucified unto the world. I will tell you a story on this subject. Mr. Marshall, author of the "Gospel Mystery of Sanctification," having been for several years under distress of mind, consulted Dr. Goodwin, an eminent divine, giving him an account of the state of his soul, and particularizing his sins which lay heavy on his conscience. In reply he told him he had forgot to mention the greatest sin of all-the sin of unbelief, not believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, for the remission of his sins, and for sanctifying his nature. On this he set himself to the studying and preaching Christ, and attained to eminent holiness, great peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

3. The only other blessing which I shall now mention, that you shall get by seeking Christ, is eternal life in heaven.

It is said, in one of the psalms, "The Lord is a sun and shield; he will give grace and glory." He gives grace here, in forgiving the sins of those who seek him, and, by the power of his grace, he subdues sin in the soul; and he will give glory hereafter, in bringing every one of those whom he pardons and purifies to heaven, to be ever in the presence and enjoying the favour of God. He is saying to you now, "Come out from among them, and be ye separate, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will be a father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and my daughters, saith the Lord Almighty."

You know that Moses, though adopted into the family of Pharaoh's daughter, and exalted to the honours of Pharaoh's kingdom, preferred If you, little children, wish to be made joining himself to the Lord's people, and holy, as God is holy, that God may have to suffer affliction with them, than to enpleasure in seeing you, as olive plants joy all the treasures of Egypt, and all trained up beside the water-courses, you the pleasures of sin for a season, that he must seek Christ, and wait on him for might have the dignity of being numhis Spirit to sprinkle you with his peace-bered among the children of God; and speaking and purifying blood. You have we read that he did so because "he had great need of being made holy, and it is respect to the recompense of reward." a difficult thing to make you holy. You You know, little children, that there know it is a difficult thing to break the are only two places beyond the grave, to hard flinty rock. Now, your hearts are one or other of which we must all go. compared in Scripture to the adamant When Christ was on the cross there were and to the nether millstone; and the more two thieves crucified, one on either side holy you become, the more you will feel of him; one of them repented of his sins, your want of holiness. I will tell you and applied for help to Christ, saying, what Mr. Newton, an excellent minister," Lord, remember me when thou comest once said when reading the text: "By to thy kingdom," and the Lord answered the grace of God I am what I am." He him graciously: "This night shalt thou said, I am not what I ought to be. Ah! how imperfect and deficient! I am not what I wish to be; but I abhor what is evil, and would cleave to that which is good. I am not what I hope to be; soon, soon I shall put off mortality, and with it all sin and imperfection. Yet, though I am not what I ought to be, nor what I wish to be, nor what I hope to be, I can truly say I am not what I once was—a slave to sin and Satan; and I can heartily join with the apostle, and acknow.

be with me in Paradise." Had not he felt his sin, and applied to Christ and obtained mercy, what would have become of him? He would have shared the fate of the impenitent thief, in being abandoned to destruction; as soon as death arrived, he, like the rich man of whom we read, would "lift up his eyes in hell, being in torment," instead of being, like Lazarus, carried to Abraham's bosom by the angels of God.

Little children, it is a fearful thing to

fall into the hands of the living God. | sions. I imprinted on my daughter the God is a consuming fire to all who do not idea of faith at a very early age. She seek him in Christ Jesus. The wrath of was playing one day with a few beads, God abideth on each of us, unless freed which seemed wonderfully to delight her. from it by Christ. You can know some- Her whole soul was absorbed in her what of the dreadful effects of God's beads. I said, 'My dear, you have some curse. You remember that once Christ, pretty beads there.' 'Yes, papa.' 'And when hungry, passed by a fig tree, upon you seem vastly pleased with them. which there was no fruit, and Christ Well, now, throw them behind the fire.' cursed the tree, and it withered away. The tears started into her eyes; she How terrible if the wrath of Christ should looked earnestly at me, as if she ought fall on us! You have heard that the to have a reason for so cruel a sacrifice. devils in hell were once angels in hea- Well, my dear, do as you please: but ven; but, as soon as they sinned against you know I never told you to do any God, his wrath was poured upon them. thing which I did not think would be for And, oh! what a change took place on your good;' she looked at me a few mothem! They were cast into that lake of ments longer, and then, summoning up fire and brimstone which was then pre-all her fortitude, her breast heaving with pared for the devil and his angels, and the wicked people who will not seek Christ to "deliver them from the wrath to come." "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus." A little boy, on his death-bed, was asked where he was going? He answered, to heaven. Being farther asked why he wished to go there? he answered, because Christ is there. And being again asked what he would do if Christ should leave heaven? he replied, I will go with him whithersoever he goeth.

These, my young friends, are gifts worth the seeking, and I hope some of you have been excited to inquire,

the effort, she dashed them into the fire.

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Well,' said I, 'there let them lie; you shall hear more about them another time; but I say no more of them now.' Some days after I bought her a boxful of larger beads, and toys of the same kind. When I returned home I opened the treasure, and set it before her; she burst into tears with excessive joy. These, my child,' said I, are yours, because you believed me when I told you to throw those paltry beads behind the fire; your obedience has brought you this treasure. But now, my dear, remember as long as you live what faith is. I did all this to teach you the meaning of faith. You threw your beads away when I bade you, because

II. How you are to seek Christ, so as you had faith in me that I never advised to find him.

you but for your good. Put the same trust in God; believe every thing that he says in his word. Whether you understand it, or not, have faith in him that he means your good."

Now, little children, remember what faith is, and put it in practice, for without faith you cannot be interested in Christ, or have any of the blessings which are treasured up in him.

1. You must believe in Christ: "Without faith it is impossible to please God." Some of you know the questions of the Shorter Catechism. "What is faith in Jesus Christ? Faith in Jesus Christ is a saving grace whereby we receive and rest upon him alone for salvation, as he is offered to us in the gospel." You must believe all that is said in the Scriptures about Christ, who is "able to save them to the uttermost who come unto God by him." You must feel your need Although God knows what we require, of Christ, and believe in him to the sav-yet that does not supersede the necessity ing of your souls. I will tell you a very of our imploring the blessing needed by pretty story, from which you may learn us. God knew what Solomon needed; the nature of faith. "Children," says but he said to him, "Ask what I shall Cecil," are capable of very early impres-give thee." When the blind beggar,

2. In seeking Christ, you must pray to him.

Bartimeus, heard Christ passing by, and he cried, saying, "Thou Son of David, have mercy on me," Christ knew well what he needed, and what he wished; yet he put to him the question "What wilt thou that I should do unto thee." Again, when the children of Israel were in the land of their captivity, God determined that at the end of seventy years they should be restored to their own country; but he said, "yet for all these things I will be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it unto them."

was on earth, and its top in heaven, upon which the angels of God ascended and descended. By prayer Daniel shut the lions' mouths, so that they could not hurt him when he was cast into their den. By prayer Samson shook the Philistines' temple, and destroyed the idolaters it contained. By prayer Peter was delivered from prison, for the church interceded with God for him, and the angel of the Lord was sent to rescue him from his perilous situation. "Pray, therefore, without ceasing."

3. You must seek Christ by studying the Bible, and by hearing the gospel preached.

Probably some of you, little children, and some persons who are grown up, may be saying that they cannot pray. This will be no excuse, for God has pro- The Bible is God's book. It tells us mised to instruct those who wish to be of God and of Christ, and of every thing taught to pray, just as Christ taught his which we have to do. You know that disciples to pray in those interesting the apostle Paul commended Timothy in words which I hope you all know, and that, "from a child he knew the Scripwhich have been appropriately called the tures, which are able to make wise unto Lord's prayer. "Our Father which art salvation, through faith that is in Christ in heaven," &c., as you will find them Jesus." I will tell you a story about an recorded in the sixth chapter of Matthew, Irish boy who loved the Scriptures. He at the ninth verse. You can easily re- was one day going to one of the Bible member such a prayer as that offered up schools, that is, a school where they are by the thief on the cross: "Lord, remem- taught to read and to understand the Biber me when thou comest to thy king- ble, for in many schools in Ireland they dom;" or that of Bartimeus: "Jesus, are not taught to read the Bible; and in thou Son of David, have mercy on me;" many schools in this country they are not or the prayer of the publican, when he taught to understand it, although they may went up with the Pharisee to the temple be able to read it. On his way to school he to pray: "God be merciful to me a sin- was met by a popish priest, who was not ner." I remember a story about a Hot- so averse to the Scriptures as most of his tentot who was under deep convictions brethren are. The priest asked the boy of sin, and who did not know how to what book it was which he carried under pray, being present at family worship at his arm? "It is a will, sir," said the his master's house, was taught how to boy. "What will?" rejoined the priest. pray by hearing the parable of the Phari-"The last will and testament that Jesus see and the publican read. While the Christ left to me, and to all who desire prayer of the Pharisee was read, the poor to claim a title to the property therein Hottentot thought within himself, "This bequeathed," replied the boy. "What is a good man; here is nothing for me;" did Christ leave you in that will?" "A but when the master came to the prayer kingdom, sir." "Where does that kingof the publican-"God be merciful to dom lie?" "It is the kingdom of heame a sinner"—" This suits me,” he cried; | ven, sir.” “And do you expect to reign "now I know how to pray;" and he as a king there?" "Yes, sir, as jointcontinued to put up that prayer until he heir with Christ." "And will not every found mercy. Prayer is the key to hea-person get there as well as you?" "No, ven. By it Elijah shut up the skies; so sir: none can get there but those that that there was neither dew nor rain on claim their title to that kingdom on the the land for a long space of time. By ground of this will." The priest asked prayer Jacob placed a ladder, whose foot several other questions, to which the boy

1. If Christ is worthy that you should seek him at all, the sooner you do so the better. And you are to seek him while he is to be found, and call on him while near. He is as deserving now as ever he was, or as he shall be at any future time. And "now is the accepted time." "Today," saith the Lord, "if ye will hear my voice, harden not your hearts." A time may come when he shall not be found, though sought. You have heard of the foolish virgins, that when the Bridegroom came they were not ready to go with him into heaven, though earnestly wishing to get admission there. And you remember what is told us of Esau, that in consequence of having sold his birthright, the blessing was also denied him, although he earnestly sought it with tears. Your hearts are more tender now than they will be after they are "hardened through the deceitfulness of sin." Delay is dangerous. Felix, when Paul reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, trembled, and answered, "Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season I will call for thee;" but this expected time never arrived. And you know the history of the young ruler who came to Christ, saying, "What shall I do to in

gave such satisfactory answers as quite astonished him. "Indeed," said he, "you are a good little boy: take care of the book wherein God gives you such precious promises; believe what he has said, and you will be happy here and hereafter." But when you read the word of God, little children, remember that you cannot understand the wondrous things of God's law until your eyes are opened by the Spirit of God. You must pray to God for his Spirit to enlighten you in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. You remember that, when Hagar and her son Ishmael were cast out from the house of Abraham, the child was ready to perish for thirst, and that, although there was a well of water near at hand, she knew not of it until the Lord sent his angel to point it out to her. Therefore you must wait upon God for his Spirit. And when attending the house of God, which you should always do with your parents and friends, you ought to listen to what is said, as if addressed alone to you; and you should be praying for an interest in what is declared by the minister from the Bible. The next story should instruct you how to act when listening to what is preached. A little girl once heard a minister preaching from the text, "He shall feed his flock like a shep-herit eternal life?" When he heard that herd; He shall gather the lambs with he must leave all, and follow Christ, "he his arms, and carry them in his bosom." went away sorrowful, for he was very Isaiah xl. 11. And when asked about rich"-thus proving that "the love of the sermon, she said that she was wish- money is the root of all evil;" and that ing, all the time the minister was preach-"it is easier for a camel to go through a ing, that she was one of Christ's lambs. Mr. Patison, the minister, said to her, "What a happy day would it be in Bristo street, had all my hearers been employed in a similar manner."

This is the way you are to seek Christ -by faith, by prayer, by reading and hearing God's blessed word. And, oh! little children, what a privilege have you in having such excellent teachers to inform you how you are to seek Christ! But, probably, some of you little children are thinking that you are too young to seek Christ, and that it will be time enough to seek him when you get older. And this leads me to consider briefly, III. The advantage of seeking Him early. VOL. I.-49

needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God;" and that we should seek Christ before the mind is fully occupied with other things, which will not easily be dislodged. Therefore you must seek him early. But,

2. Another reason for seeking him early is, that you may die very soon, and if you have found Christ, your friends will be comforted.

Do you know, little children, that about one-third of all the children born die in infancy? Now, if you do not seek Christ, and find him before you die, you cannot go to heaven. I remember reading a story about a little girl at Portsea, who died at nine years of age; and one

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