Recollect that, by an instance of a sudden and awful visitation,* during the late season of lent, we have been brought to acknowledge the awakening truth,—" in the midst of life we are in death!" God grant that we may all be wise in time and make due preparation for our latter end! * A member of the congregation received his final summons, in a manner awfully sudden. SERMON V. ON SPIRITUAL INFLUENCE. ST. JOHN'S GOSPEL, chap. xiv. 16th and part of the 17th verses. I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever,-even the Spirit of truth. THIS memorable promise was made by our blessed Lord to his disciples a short time previous to his departure from this world. It was admirably calculated to cheer their minds, and to strengthen resolution—soon alas! to be subjected to the severest trial by the insults of his persecutors, and by his agonizing sufferings on the cross. With joy and gratulation, we commemorate its most interesting completion, on this most solemn festival,* which corresponds with, and which * Whit-Sunday. celebrates the day of Pentecost. On that solemnity we read "the apostles were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them: and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost."* These consequences of this completion of this promise were instantaneously visible. The apostles were enabled to propagate christianity in various countries of the world by the gift of tongues-the power of rendering their meaning intelligible in different languages" for they began to speak in other tongues (or languages) as the Spirit gave them utterance.' Yet such were the difficulties, which impeded them—such the hostility of the priests, and the worshippers in all the heathen temples.-Such the cruelties experienced by the apostles from rulers and from emperors, that nothing but the enlivening consolations of the Holy Spirit Acts ii. 1, 2, 3, 4. 66 could have preserved them from despondency. They had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned-they were sawn asunder; were tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheep skins, and goat skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented. They, of whom the world was not worthy, wandered in deserts and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth."* Still, however, they rejoiced even in tribulation! They rose superior to every difficulty; they were more than conquerors through the Holy Spirit, which strengthened them! How animating is the example, which they thus exhibited to the children of sorrow of every succeeding age! And how cheering is it to reflect that the hallowed consolation, which they then enjoyed, may be expected by the faithful servants of Jesus Christ amidst every trial and temptation! The promise extends to each of them! "The Comforter will abide with them for ever!" * Heb. xi. 36, 37, 38. Placed as we all are in a world, where suffering is our birth-right; where our only sure inheritance is a tear; where we are as invariably "born to sorrow as the sparks fly upwards,"*can any intelligence be so interesting as that, which is announced to us in my text? Shall not the heart of him, who is most oppressed with grief, become serene and cheerful from the conviction that the Holy Ghost Himself will be the Comforter of him, and all, who obey God's will, and flee unto Him for succour? In such a man At his throne "and find grace to the spirit of God dwelleth! But here it will be natural for each of us to say, "how can such an unworthy being as myself become partaker of so great a privilege?"" for I know that in me dwelleth no good thing; for to will is present with me, but how to perform that, which is good, I find not. For the good, that I would, I do not; but the evil, which I would not, that |