nacle of his destroyed by the loathsome and hideous small-pox, as well as the most common and ordinary of his fellow-men. And yet we read, and still it is true, "Precious, in the sight of the Lord, is the death of his saints." God did not cast off these servants of his; and the outward circumstances of their death were really not worth regarding, by them nor by Him, compared with the far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory which awaited them. We are taught by this that, to him who is a true friend of Christ, death is easy with the head on a block, or the body wrapped in flames, or covered with honey to attract the bees and wasps, or smothered in a bag with snakes, or sawn asunder with a saw of wood; while, to one who has no Saviour whom he has befriended, it is hard to die on the softest and richest bed of down, unless this greatest curse be added to that dying bed of the sinner, that "there are no bands in his death," but with peace and with apparent resignation, like that smooth brim. of the cataract just where it bends over to the abyss, he falls asleep, and wakes in hell.

3. The prominent doctrines and exhortations of such a man as we have seen John to be, deserve our most serious consideration.

We have already considered the testimony which he gave to the preexistence of Christ, and to the

great object of his coming, namely, to make atonement for sin. We may also notice his designation of Christ as a purifier of his church.

He represents him as having a husbandman's fan, with which he would thoroughly purge his threshing floor, gather the wheat into his garner, and burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Now, Christ is the same yesterday, to-day, and forever. He has not come to save men in their sins, but from their sins. We may not plead that we have pious parents, or pious relatives in our ancestral line; for God can of the stones raise up heirs of grace. Nor can we plead, I am a member of the church; for now, also, the axe is laid at the root of the tree; every tree, therefore, which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire.'

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We are also instructed by this great and faithful servant of Christ, and by what Christ says of our privileges, making us greater, in some respects, than John, if we improve them, that it is a solemn thing to live under such privileges as we enjoy in these days. What accumulated testimony, from heathen lands, to the truth and power of the gospel; what instructions are we furnished with by the religious press; what calls, in revivals of religion the Spirit and the bride saying, Come. John closes up his testimony, with regard to Christ, with these words: "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given

all things into his hands. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abideth on him." Do I believe, or does the wrath of God abide upon me?

Would we testify our love for this friend of Christ, we can do nothing more appropriate than to obey him, as, by his words left on record, he seeks to lead us to Christ. Let us say, as his hearers did, " And what shall we do?" How faithfully he would speak, and tell us to bring forth works meet for repentance; to break off sin by righteousness, and iniquity by turning unto God. How he would terrify sinners, by exposing their secret wickedness, and ringing the alarms of death and hell in their ears. How he would urge the awakened to go, without delay, to Christ, the Lamb of God. And how he would weep over some who have long refused Christ, saying of him, " And no man receiveth his testimony."

Herod, hearing of Christ, said, "John have I beheaded, but who is this of whom I hear such things? And he desired to see him." You shall see him, Herod, when he comes in the clouds, and brings with him those that sleep in Jesus.

You shall see,

risen from the

also, the man whom you beheaded, dead,' as your guilty conscience once made you fear was the case before. And there, at that dread tribunal, where John and Herod are to meet once more,

each of us must appear, and each of us be assigned to the company of Herod, or of John, for eternity; to which of them, will be decided by the question, Am I a friend of Christ? How this question would be answered, if we were pressed to a decision now, may be seen by this consideration: If called suddenly to a dying man who should ask, "What must I do to be saved?" could I, from my own experience, say, Behold the Lamb of God? If not, the forerunner has spoken to us, the Lamb of God has been offered for us, thus far, in vain. If we cannot point a dying sinner to Christ, what shall we do when we are dying? How can we hope to cast our anchor then within the veil, WHITHER THE’GREAT ‘FORERUNNER HATH FOR US ENTERED ?

و

SERMON IV.

THE BRIDEGROOM AND BRIDE AT CANA.

JOHN II. 1, 2.

AND THE THIRD DAY THERE WAS A MARRIAGE IN CANA OF GALILEE ; AND THE

MOTHER OF JESUS WAS THERE.

DISCIPLES, TO THE MARRIAGE.

AND BOTH JESUS WAS CALLED, AND HIS

In a humble town of Palestine, more than eighteen hundred years ago, a marriage took place which has been more widely known, and more permanently remembered, than the nuptials of any other human pair. More eyes have read the account of it, more ears have listened to the story of its interesting incidents, than all the royal weddings of the world can boast; and hearts which were never filled with emotion by hearing of oriental nuptials, have been interested by the account of this wedding. It will continue to be read and pondered when the impressions of every brilliant, imposing pageantry have passed away; nor will any future marriage occupy such a place in history.

The cause of the celebrity given to this wedding