in harmony with the course and plan of nature, that the eternal Son of the Father mourns over it. So little did it enter into the original plan of the Creator of the universe, that that very Creator, when incarnate, is weeping over it! The vain reasoning of a proud philosophy, wishing to avoid the shame and humiliation which attend the consideration of death, regarded as the fruit and punishment of sin, and anxious to quiet conscience when she whispers of retribution, seeks to regard it simply as an immutable law of nature. But though Scripture should not have pronounced with a tone of divine authority, "the wages of sin is death," Jesus before the tomb of Lazarus would have contradicted such a view.

False philosophy says that it is a natural phenomenon, a law of nature, part of the work of God: but the tears of Jesus say, that it is a disorder in creation, the execution of a terrible sentence, pronounced in the be ginning, by the Divine Legislator, against sin: that it is a desolation, a destruction, introduced into the work of God. Look at the Saviour's emotion, and see in it the Creator himself, grieving over the depth of his creature's fall, where can now no longer be recognized the divine features which he bore, when created in the image of his God! See him viewing in that mass of moldering dust, an image yet more hideous than that of a corpse, namely, that of sin! See him looking beyond the putrifying body which has met the sentence of eternal justice, to the second death, the undying worm, "the weeping, and wailing, and gnash ing of teeth," which will become the lot of all those who do not embrace the gospel!

Such of you, my dear hearers, as have not yet obtained peace of conscience, through faith in Christ, who are yet unregenerate, see him weeping here over your present sin and your future portion, and O! let the sight move you, tear you from your fatal security, and lead you to seek, without longer delay, safety in him who was crucified to atone for your sins; who descended into the grave to tear from death his sting; and who ascended into heaven to prepare a place for those who love him, and who hope in him!

Here I pause, my brethren. In considering the words which have been brought before us, I have endeavored rather to point out, and open to your view subjects for deep and fruitful meditation, than to follow them out, or exhaust them. I commend them to your private consideration, and pray God to bless them to all our souls. We shall not have spent an hour in vain, if Christians depart comforted in heart, or strengthened in faith and if unconverted souls shall have learned to tremble before the law which hangs in terror over them; to be subdued before a conscience which condemns them; to turn toward God who invites them; and to believe in Jesus who stands ready to save them :—which may God grant! Amen.

13

DISCOURSE XV.

ATHANASE COQUEREL.

ATHANASE COQUEREL was born at Paris, in 1795; studied theology at Montauban, and, in 1818, became pastor of the French church in Amsterdam, where he remained twelve years. In 1830 he was induced by Cuvier to come to Paris. In 1848 he was elected delegate to the Constituent Assembly from the Department of the Seine, and was subsequently a member of the Legislative Assembly, in neither of which, however, did he take any prominent part.

He has been known for many years as one of the most eloquent preachers in Paris, and belongs to the body of pastors of the Reformed Church; although his views are not accepted as wholly evangelical. Owing to this last fact, he has often found himself engaged in controversies with different theologians and laymen in France, which has led to his publication of many pamphlets, some of which are written with great force. Besides, he has written much in the departments of religious history and literature. Among his works are, "Biographie Sacrée" (second edition, 1837), "Esquisses Poétiques de l'Ancien Testament" (1829 and 1831), 66 Cours de la Religion Chrétienne" (1833 and 1839), “Histoire Sainte et Analyse de la Bible" (1839, third edition, 1850), "Response au Livre du Doctor Strauss, 'La Vie de Jésus'" (1841), which has been translated into German and English.

Of his sermons several collections have been made, the earliest in 1819, of which a third edition appeared in 1842; a second collection in 1828, reprinted in 1843; a third in 1838, and a fourth in 1842. They are not often controversial in their tone and bearing, and everywhere exhibit the strongly rhetorical aspect, so characteristic of the French school of eloquence. Along with his graces of language and style, there is also depth and strength of thought, and an evident aim to awaken a genial and active Christian life. His later sermons are less ornate, and bear the marks of more maturity than the earliest issues.

Some of Mr. Coquerel's finest qualities as a preacher are brought out in the following discourse. This is particularly true of his elaborate accuracy of painting, or description, by which he revivifies, almost with a poet's power, the incidents and narrations recorded in the Scriptures; and, withal, his nicety in the practical applcation of their lessons to daily life.

THE UNBELIEF OF THOMAS.

"But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days, again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them; then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side, and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God! Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed."-JOHN, ΣΧ. 24-29.

MY BRETHREN-The extreme rapidity with which man passes from one sentiment to another, is, without contradiction, one of the most remarkable traits of his nature. He can, in an instant, change in conduct and opinion as in destiny, and one is still astonished to discover in him the same man.

The most opposite movements succeed each other instantaneously in his heart, and the vicissitudes of his life pass not so quickly as his emotions and thoughts. Consider Abraham and Jacob, at the moment when the one spares Isaac, and the other recovers Joseph; it is the same sentiment, it is paternal love, which fills the heart, but what a sudden rev. olution is operated in their feelings! Behold David condemning with justice the despoiler of the poor man's sheep, and hearing the terrible words, Thou art the man! Behold Saul advancing with a firm step toward the persecutions which he promises to himself, and beaten down under the weight of this overwhelming question: Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? It is always David, it is always Saul, and nevertheless how is the heart changed! Their life is renewed, their soul subdued, by a power that they knew not the instant before, and a destiny entirely new is opened up before them. I could easily multiply these examples; everywhere you would see that in a day, in a moment, man may become in some sort different from himself; and to come without delay to the subject which is to occupy us, what a difference in the disciple of Christ, saying, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe; and the same disciple exclaiming before Jesus, My Lord and my God!

Brethren, it is good that man can thus change. Human life is so short, the propitious occasions pass so quickly, and their return is so uncertain, the advantage of profiting by them without delay is so great, that it is good that men can thus change, can pass in an instant from Vengeance to pity, from iniquity to virtue, from incredulity to faith, and thus possess himself of the beginnings of his new life. I do not

mean to say that such prompt changes are without inconveniences; they have need of being confirmed by time; they fatigue, they exhaust sometimes; and when a wise and good resolution is taken, that is not all-it is to be fulfilled. Again, as these changes take place from evil to good, they may also occur from good to evil; a movement of pride, a transport of anger, an act of vengeance, are often only the fruits of a first movement of which one immediately repents. Nevertheless, taken all together, it is good that man can thus change; it is a means the more of converting him—it is an added hope that he will turn himself; it is a wide door opened to all those who are neither wicked nor faithful, who float uncertain between their passions and their duties, and wait only an occasion to decide; and to those who, without believing and without denying, yet doubt and hesitate in their uncertain opinions, and are ready at the first opportunity to become incredulous or believers. Furthermore, these sudden changes accord with the vicissitudes of our terrestrial pilgrimage; thus a Job passes in one day from the highest prosperity to the most deplorable misfortunes; a Saul passes in a day from the persecutions that he inflicts, to those that he suffers for the name of Jesus. You see, our life then is in accordance with our hearts; providence and grace often follow the same route, and without our being able to reckon whether there are more relapses or more amendments in this world, all this experience serves to confirm this grand precept, which is true for prosperity as well as for virtue:-"Let him who standeth take heed lest he fall!"

But whether one fall or raise himself, one of the most interesting studies that a Christian can make, is that of the interval which separates the two extremes; this interval, however short it may be, can always be measured. For a change so great there is required a great cause. Between David an adulterer and David repentant, there is the word of Nathan; between Peter who denies with execrations, and Peter who casts himself all in tears from the court of Caiaphas, there is the look of Christ; between Saul persecutor and Saul persecuted, there is the magnificent vision of the road to Damascus. Let us see then to-day what there is between Thomas incredulous and Thomas believing. Let us endeavor to represent to ourselves this memorable scene. Let us endeavor to be present at the imposing moment when Christ suddenly showed himself to his apostles, and renewed the heart of the disciple who still doubted. You love too well the open tomb of your divine Saviour, to complain at being brought back to it; and perhaps the words of our lips, and the meditations of our hearts, may be acceptable, if on this solemn day we can say to Jesus, with as much confidence and gratitude as Thomas: My Lord and my God!

I. It would be impossible to profit by the example that the account of the gospel offers us, and to judge well of the sentiments of Thomas, under such striking circumstances, unless we begin by knowing his

character well. Whatever may be the circumstances in which one finds himself, the impressions that he receives, and the duties that he fulfills, or even the sins that he commits, the character never loses all its traits, and he remains faithful to it without being aware of it. Thomas, probably the only survivor of two twin brothers, is a man of frankness and uprightness, full of zeal and ardor, who holds to his first ideas as he obeys his first emotions. He is a man who never hesitates, he gives himself to a thing in the same way that he doubts, in the same way that he believes, in an instant and at once. When Jesus, who had crossed to the eastward of the Jordan, announces the intention of returning into Judea, to Bethany, where the death of Lazarus called him, in spite of the dangers which awaited him in Jerusalem, Thomas, in a transport of love and admiration, exclaims, addressing himself to the disciples: Let us go there and die with him. And this same Thomas, who shows himself so ready to partake the danger of death with Christ, and to follow him into the midst of persecutions, nevertheless comprehended nothing of the mysteries of the cross or the oracles of the resurrection. When, in one of his last interviews, Jesus said to his disciples, Ye know whither I go and ye know the way, Thomas, as frank in his ignorance as we shall find him in his incredulity, interrupts Christ, and says to him: Lord, we know not whither thou goest, how can we know the way? You see Thomas is the same in his ignorance as in his devotedness; he speaks with the same promptitude, expresses himself with the same frankness; he is one of those men to whom one can trust, because their mouth speaks only from their heart, because they never say except what they think or what they feel, and because they say it at the instant. And notice that they act as they think, with ardor, with transport, as if carried away. Their precipitation, though noble and generous, is not without danger; for if they reach the goal when others seek it, they sometimes pass it when others have reached it.

But, you will say to me, "It is the character of St. Peter that I describe, and Christ had then two disciples who resembled each other." Brethren, they were men like these that were required to spread the gospel and found the church, and this character of Thomas is not, in truth, without some relation to that of the son of Jonas. But Thomas has much less confidence in himself, and their characters present the same difference as their devotedness. Peter swears that he will die with Christ, and, exalting himself above all others, he declares with pride, that even should all betray him, he would not do it. Thomas does not swear: he exclaims. With one it is a movement of pride; with the other, a transport of fidelity. Thus one denied and lied, and the other doubted. Without wishing to diminish the glory of the son of Jonas, the doubt was better than the denial. You will see, also, that the lesson given to Thomas, by Christ, is very different from that which Peter received. It was necessary to reinstate Peter in the office of apostle; it