pain, desire and delight, is limited to a single and almost indiscernible point. At home, it is true, we are intimately known to our near connexions and friends, who love our persons and respect our attainments. Through the little surrounding neighbourhood also where we dwell, perhaps something may occasionally be heard of our name and general character. But, if we pass these narrow limits, we speedily find ourselves in a crowd of strangers, among whom our appearance excites not the smallest interest; who know nothing of our persons or our kindred, the stations we occupy, or the peculiarities which distinguish us from the rest of mankind. Many and great exertions are made by the ambitious and the high-minded to raise themselves out of this degrading obscurity, and to procure a name in the earth: but, after all that can be done, whether these haughty worms ever existed or not, must remain utterly and for ever unknown to an immense majority even of their own species. So insignificant a creature is man, and so very diminutive is the circle in which he moves!

Fourthly-He liveth eternally. The great and glorious God hath neither beginning nor end. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever the earth or the world was made, He is God from everlasting and world without end. He inhabiteth eternity, filling every part of it at the same instant: so that, with Him, past and future are terms without any signification. He is the Father of lights, with whom there is no variableness nor shadow of turning: and hence that sublime ascription, which we find an apostle transcribing from the mouth of an ancient saint -Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of thine hands. They shall perish, but Thou shalt endure; and they all shall wax old as doth a garment, and as a vesture shalt thou fold them up, and they shall be changed: but Thou art the same, and thy years shall not fail. So infinite and unchangeable is the selfexistent Jehovah. But we are the children of yesterday, and know nothing. We started up into life we know not how : and here we are to remain as pilgrims and strangers, for a short uncertain season, at the will of Him who brought us hither. The present life

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atly be compared to a narrow neck of land, running out into a vast unfathomable sea of darkness, beyond which lies the main land of eternity. Blessed is he who can raise himself to such a point of elevation, as to look beyond the surrounding darkness, and take a view of that land of light, which stretcheth away on its further shore! What should trouble such a man, while he rests this slender twig of life, on which he sits like a bird just alighted from some far distant region, and preparing again to take its immediate flight? Surely such a man may look upon all the frailty and feebleness of human nature with the most perfect indifference, from a sweet and cheering conviction, that, when he hath done with the earthly house of this tabernacle, he hath a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens. Instead of being deluded with dreams of human greatness, such a man hath learned to look upon himself, and would have all other men to consider him, as a creature lighter than vanity, and less than nothing, compared with the infinitely great and unsearchable Creator, from whom he proceeded; and of whom it is predicted,

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my text, that He will swallow up death in ctory.

This glorious consummation so devoutly › be wished, is waited for by creatures of very description, the whole creation groanng and travailing in pain together for its speedy approach. From all, however, that we have seen and known and heard in the world, we should be ready to pronounce such a victory altogether impossible. But when we reflect upon the faithfulness and truth of our covenant-keeping God, together with the power of his arm to execute the counsels of his will; we can no longer doubt that a day will come, in which this song shall be sung--Death is swallowed up in victory: O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? Thanks be to God, who giveth us the victory, through our

Lord Jesus Christ.

Wherever else we look, we discover nothing but appearances of mortality. Let us wander where we will, we are still enangled and shut in by the valley of the shadow of death. So long as we sit under the covert and influence of any created excellence, as Jonah once sat beneath the

may fitly be compared to a narrow neck of land, running out into a vast unfathomable sea of darkness, beyond which lies the main land of eternity. Blessed is he who can raise himself to such a point of elevation, as to look beyond the surrounding darkness, and take a view of that land of light, which stretcheth away on its further shore! What should trouble such a man, while he rests on this slender twig of life, on which he sits like a bird just alighted from some far distant region, and preparing again to take its immediate flight? Surely such a man

may look upon all the frailty and feebleness of human nature with the most perfect indifference, from a sweet and cheering conviction, that, when he hath done with the earthly house of this tabernacle, he hath a house not made with hands eternal in the heavens. Instead of being deluded with dreams of human greatness, such a man hath learned to look upon himself, and would have all other men to consider him, as a creature lighter than vanity, and less than nothing, compared with the infinitely great and unsearchable Creator, from whom he proceeded; and of whom it is predicted,