SERMON XXII.

ECCLESIASTES, vii. 3.—“

By the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better."

"He hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted" was the prophecy that was delivered concerning the Messiah long before he was manifested in the flesh. And to bind up the broken-hearted was the grand and ultimate object of all his labours during his sojourn among the children of misfortune and distress. To every denomination of the sorrowful he showed the melting of compassion, and put forth his power to heal. The doctrines he delivered were beautifully adapted to support and sooth the children of distress, and in his own conduct he afforded an instructive example of the manner in which suffering is to be met and endured. He showed that the trials of time were connected with the destinies of eternity, and that the temporary sorrows of his people would issue in their ultimate and unalterable felicity. The same views of the design and tendency of affliction were delivered by his servants the apostles, to comfort and sustain their brethren under the pressure of affliction; and by pointing out the tendency of affliction and sorrow to improve the character of the faithful, and to render them

meet for a better inheritance, did they encourage and uphold many a fainting traveller in the vale of tears. Like their Master, they went about doing good; and of their labours of love, to teach the human family the various uses of adversity was not one of the least conspicuous. Under their teaching we are led to take other and loftier views of the sorrows of humanity than can be entertained by those who are contented to remain strangers to the grace of life. In the darkest hour of human suf fering we are comforted by the thought that, how grievous soever our sorrows may seem, they shall yet be followed by the peaceable fruits of righteous ness, that our Heavenly Father permits and send the afflictions of his people that he may relieve tha with a greater joy,-that the sorrows with whe he exercises them are the ministers of his meny -and that through much tribulation he conducts them to his kingdom.

And, my brethren, while it is thus that the sorrows which the faithful share in common wit all the heirs of mortality are rendered the mea of their improvement and happiness, the same nevolent design may be traced in those distresse which are peculiar to them as the disciples of Jes and candidates for the inheritance of glory. T same mercy that sanctifies the common distresses humanity, leads us to derive instruction and E provement from those trials that are peculiar to th life of faith. We saw, last Sabbath, what the trials are, and endeavoured to trace the operati and the causes of that "bitterness” which “t

heart" of the believer "knoweth." While he has seasons of sacred comfort, when he is permitted, in some measure, to anticipate the joy of his Father's house, there are moments when his hopes are less bright and joyous, and when doubt and disquiet take possession of his soul. To whatever causes these fears concerning our ultimate salvation may be traced,-whether they originate in the secret consciousness of error and shortcoming, or be the natural result of some mental infirmity and depression, or the dictate of that increased spirituality of mind which marks the progress of the faithful in well-doing, they have entered into the experience of all who have ever been in earnest in working out their salvation. How foreign soever such" fear and trembling" may be to the feelings of many of the children of men, and with whatever measure of unrighteous and unholy scorn the dissipated and profane may affect to make light of this bitterness, it is one of the heaviest sorrows that the human heart can feel, and has formed a part of the history and experience of thousands" of whom the world was not worthy." But distressful as this state of mind may be, it is frequently accompanied by great moral benefit to the sufferer. This species of sorrow will be found to be one of the instruments with which the Spirit of all Grace fences and protects the virtue of the righteous, and prepares them for a nobler and purer scene of activity and enjoyment. Sweet are found to be the uses of this adversity. By this peculiar sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. To trace and illus

meet for a better inheritance, did they encourage and uphold many a fainting traveller in the vale of tears. Like their Master, they went about doing good; and of their labours of love, to teach the human family the various uses of adversity was not one of the least conspicuous. Under their teaching we are led to take other and loftier views of the sorrows of humanity than can be entertained those who are contented to remain strangers to the grace of life. In the darkest hour of human suf 1 fering we are comforted by the thought that, he grievous soever our sorrows may seem, they sha yet be followed by the peaceable fruits of righteous ness, that our Heavenly Father permits and send the afflictions of his people that he may relieve the with a greater joy,-that the sorrows with whi he exercises them are the ministers of his meny -and that through much tribulation he conduct them to his kingdom.

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And, my brethren, while it is thus that thes sorrows which the faithful share in common all the heirs of mortality are rendered the me of their improvement and happiness, the same nevolent design may be traced in those distresse which are peculiar to them as the disciples of Jes and candidates for the inheritance of glory. T same mercy that sanctifies the common distresses humanity, leads us to derive instruction and provement from those trials that are peculiar to the life of faith. We saw, last Sabbath, what thes trials are, and endeavoured to trace the operati and the causes of that "bitterness" which th

heart" of the believer "knoweth." While he has seasons of sacred comfort, when he is permitted, in some measure, to anticipate the joy of his Father's house, there are moments when his hopes are less bright and joyous, and when doubt and disquiet take possession of his soul. To whatever causes these fears concerning our ultimate salvation may be traced,-whether they originate in the secret consciousness of error and shortcoming, or be the natural result of some mental infirmity and depression, or the dictate of that increased spirituality of mind which marks the progress of the faithful in well-doing,-they have entered into the experience of all who have ever been in earnest in working out their salvation. How foreign soever such" fear and trembling" may be to the feelings of many of the children of men, and with whatever measure of unrighteous and unholy scorn the dissipated and profane may affect to make light of this bitterness, it is one of the heaviest sorrows that the human heart can feel, and has formed a part of the history and experience of thousands " of whom the world was not worthy." But distressful as this state of mind may be, it is frequently accompanied by great moral benefit to the sufferer. This species of sorrow will be found to be one of the instruments with which the Spirit of all Grace fences and protects the virtue of the righteous, and prepares them for a nobler and purer scene of activity and enjoyment. Sweet are found to be the uses of this adversity. By this peculiar sadness of the countenance the heart is made better. To trace and illus