more and more the doctrine of God his Saviour. He lives amidst the trials and temptations of the world, yet he does not forget God, nor deal falsely in his covenant: he uses the world without abusing it; he is a burning and a shining light, shining brighter and brighter until the perfect day. He feels within himself a sure hope of heaven, for he has within, the earnest of the Spirit, and as he dies, sees heaven opened and Jesus sitting at the righthand of God, while he offers his last prayer, "Lord Jesus receive my spirit."

Blessed lot! to be born amidst the bright light of Christianity. As the eye opens upon surrounding objects, to see it shining in the example of our parents and friends-to have the grace of Jesus sung to us upon the lap of infancy-to hear it mingling from a father's or a mother's, from a brother's or a sister's voice, with our childish plays-to have our sinful tempers checked-our ignorance instructed and our waywardness directed by the kindness of Christian parents-and as we feel the movements of sin within us, to be met by the law and the Gospel of our God; and at our first step into the troubles of a sinful world

to hear the sound of grace and salvation, when we are sitting in the house, and when we are walking by the way, when we are lying down, and when we are rising up: above all, to feel the Holy Spirit working in us, to will and to do the good pleasure of God-revealing to our childhood, to our manhood, and to our old age, in our living and in our dying, the things which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, and which the heart of man hath not conceived, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him-to die in peace, and through death to enter into rest and glory! "Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift!"

SERMON X.

TO UNCHRISTIAN CHILDREN IN A CHRISTIAN

LAND.

2 CORINTHIANS ix. 15.

"Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." You may well say, that this blessedness which we have now been describing, comes not upon all children who are born in a Christian land. True, it does not. But we have been endeavouring to show their birthright privilege. This privilege God offers them, and it only requires a faithful giving on the part of their parents, and a faithful taking on their part, and then would there be enjoyed all that we have described, and more, a great deal, than we can describe, or any tongue can tell, or than can be told in the language of

men, but which will be enjoyed, more and more, through the endless ages of eternity. I pity, much, the children who, born amidst the bright light of Christianity, love darkness rather than the light-unchristian children in a Christian land. Dear children, this tenth Sermon is for you.

I do not see, even that all the children of pious parents live as Christian children. Doubtless, your parents, in their imperfection, do not teach you so kindly and faithfully as they ought; and they often ask God to forgive them, and still to bless you. Yet they teach you much, and from your earliest childhood, have you heard their teaching, without profit; and by your own carelessness and evil feelings, and evil thoughts, have you vexed and grieved away the Holy Spirit. O tremble, lest having slighted your high privilege, you should be utterly cast off-lest you should be a proof of that which is written; "behold there are first that shall be last ;" while some of the children now nurtured by heathen parents may yet receive the Gospel which is sent to their land, and may themselves show how "there are last which shall be first."

But I must speak also to those children who do not receive a Christian education, though they live in a Christian land.

I am sorry to say it, but it is true, that the Heathen take more pains to teach their children the lessons of idolatry, than many parents in a Christian land do to teach their children the lessons of Christianity. It is very common for children in a heathen country, and very uncommon for children in a Christian country, to be brought up as we described in the last discourse. I am afraid, that those who have not been very carefully taught, will not be disposed to blame themselves so much as they ought, for not being pious Christians, or perhaps will excuse themselves altogether.

Consider, dear children, how much better your lot is than that of the poor, ignorant heathen. Your parents, I will suppose, have taught you to read the Bible, and led you to the house of God, and have sometimes explained to you the duties and the blessings of the Gospel. They may not be diligent, and faithful, and prayerful; but still what glorious blessings have they set before you. They have shown you a feast where all is rich and