is complete. His "blood cleanseth from all sin ;" and nothing is left for us, but, with penitent and grateful hearts, to accept this salvation so full, so free, so adapted to all the emergencies of our desperate condition.

The last reflection-which like the Athenian's "Action," ought to be the first, and second, and last,—is the love of Christ. My brethren, was he alone in his mediatorial work? then let him be alone in our hearts. In view of a devotion like his, what shall we say? We have been contemplating his sufferings; all these he welcomed for man; "while we were yet enemies, Christ died for us." He longed for his baptism in overwhelming wretchedness, that he might rescue us. And on the cross, it was not the nails which bound him—these by a word he could have shivered-it was his love which stretched and fastened him there. Such generous immolation of himself for us, what emotions ought it to awaken in our bosoms ?

Some of you, I fear, care nothing for this adorable Redeemer. As far as your sympathy and friendship are concerned, you would have him still continue alone. And, this afternoon, when his church assemble to commemorate his wonderful love, you will treat him with cold, insulting indifference. To you he will look and say, "Is it nothing to you, all ye that pass by? behold and see if there be any sorrow like unto my sorrow.” As well, however, might he appeal to the rocks. How strange and unnatural is your conduct; and how certainly and justly will you perish, if such a benefactor can find only ingratitude and enmity in your hearts.

But you, my beloved brethren, I charge you, I conjure you, let the love of Christ constrain you-dwelling in your hearts and controlling all your lives. It was Mary of England who said, "When I die, Calais will be found written on my heart." Christian, what is written on your heart now? It is "Jesus." What will be found written on your heart when you die? "Jesus." What will remain indelibly written on your heart through all eternity? "Jesus." Yes, oh, yes, let all other names be erased, and his be engraved on our hearts in characters of imperishable love and loyalty. Alone was this adorable Redeemer in all the arduous work of our salvation. Alone let him, therefore, for ever reign in our souls-alone, with no rival near the throne-the undisputed sovereign of all our allegiance, the sole, supreme, peerless monarch of every passion and affection.

Now, "unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, and hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

SERMON II.

THE INCREDULITY OF THOMAS.

"And after eight days, again the 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."— JOHN, XX. 26, 27, 28.

THERE is scarcely any state of feeling so painful as that in which the mind oscillates between reasons for faith and for doubt; especially where some long cherished precious belief is assailed, and seems to be overborne, by facts which can not be disputed. This suspense, this distressing conflict between hope and fear, we have all experienced, but it is impossible for us to conceive the perplexity, the cruel anguish, of the disciples, during the three days which intervened between the crucifixion and the resurrection of their Lord.

Can they, after such displays of his power and glory, surrender their confidence in him as the promised Messiah? But, such impotence to save himself, such contempt, death-and such a death-how can they reconcile all this with the magnificence of that august

Deliverer, whose predicted triumphs flooded the souls of patriarch and prophet with unutterable joy?

God, however, does not suffer this gloomy equipoise. between light and darkness to continue long. "The Sabbath drew on," just as a Sabbath of rest and peace will dawn upon every soul which patiently waits and hopes for salvation. And on that glorious day, all doubts vanish, as night is dispersed before the rising sun. While the Apostles are assembled, Jesus himself stands in the midst and says, "Peace be unto you." At this first interview Thomas was not present.

Our text refers to a second appearance of the Saviour, a week afterwards. It is remarkable, that each of these manifestations was on the Christian Sabbath, the first day of the week, which is thus signally blessed and hallowed. "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."

It is to this passage that our meditations are directed to-day. And, entering into the matter, let us do two things; let us, first, consider the unbelief of Thomas, and then the Saviour's conduct towards this skeptical Apostle.

I. When De Tocqueville was in this country, he desired to see a Sabbath School, and expressed his great

pleasure at beholding a Bible in the hands of every child. He might well be filled with delight; for a child reading a Bible, a revelation of God, is a phenomenon more wonderful than all the starry pomp and splendor of night, or the noontide glory of the orb of day. Nor is the Bible only a revelation of God to man, it is a revelation of man to himself; and the more you examine its pages, the more will you discover delineations of character which fiction never could have invented, the more will you admire a simplicity and sincerity which belong only to truth.

This remark is suggested by the case before us. For who would have supposed that Thomas could be guilty of this unbelief? Our first glimpse into his character fills us with admiration for his brave, enthusiastic, martyr faith in the Saviour. When Jesus expressed his intention to visit the afflicted family at Bethany, thus exposing himself to the vengeance of his enemies"Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow. disciples, Let us also go that we may die with him;" a noble exclamation, which furnishes the theme of that grand German hymn, Let us go, that we may suffer with Christ, that we may die with Christ, that we may reign with Christ.

But this almost incredible inconsistency is perfectly true to life. My friends, you can not be too often reminded, that feelings however beautiful-are no more piety, than the ornaments of a column are the column itself. Peter leaps into the sea to embrace his Lord; Peter no sooner sees Jesus arrested, than he smites one