population, swelling the prodigious multitudes who have sprung up far away from the homes of their fathers, and who are in danger of becoming as far removed from their faith. I plead for the new world which is rising in Australia, where, but a few years back, there were scarcely the beginnings of civilization; but where now are teeming crowds of the industrious and prosperous, the parents and foundations of an empire, of which it is impossible to prophesy the might, but which, though it began with the felon and the slave, may give laws to half the globe, and number kings as its subjects.

It is indeed an amazing phenomenon, that of an empire such as ours, on whose territories the sun never sets, and which seems appointed, in a certain sense, to reproduce itself, till its polity and language shall be those of the great bulk of humankind. But we cannot doubt that vast moral ends have been proposed in the thus making England a sort of nursery for new and mighty kingdoms. Our Colo

nies have not been given us merely as splendid appendages, which might make these inconsiderable islands, mere specks as they are upon the waters, the centre of an ampler dominion than that over which the Roman eagle spread his wing, in the day of his power and pride. They have been given us as outposts of Christianity, which might themselves become centres whence the pure light of truth might pour itself over districts as yet in moral darkness.

But we are far from having done our duty to

our Colonies. I select an instance. Look at the Canadas. In Upper Canada, there are now at least one hundred thousand, with British blood in their veins, emigrants, many of whom government itself has helped to ship off, and thus to separate from the Church of their fathers, who are utterly destitute of all means of Christian instruction. They have no Churches, no Clergymen, no Schoolmasters: they have cried for help; they have sent over supplicants to plead on their behalf—O shame upon England that they cry in vain: we leave them to become Heathen, and by-and-by we shall resent their not being loyal.

Tell us not that the Colonies ought to provide for themselves. If this be true of the older and more flourishing, how can it be true of those which are annually receiving thousands of emigrants? Why, the population of the two Canadas is swelled every year by at least thirty thousand emigrants: how are these settlers, in the infancy of their settlement, to obtain for themselves the ministrations of religion? Numbers of them were accustomed here to the services of the village church: they embarked under the sanction of the government which provided them with ministers at home, naturally expecting something of the like care abroad: but there they find themselves utterly abandoned-no Sabbath-bell, no kind pastor, no instructor for their children. O men of Nineveh, what a witness against us have ye already delivered!

But let us do what we can: we may still be warned by the ruin of Jerusalem, and still encouraged by the deliverance of Nineveh. There is a voice from the prostrate Jerusalem, telling us that to oppose or desert the cause of Christ, is to write our own sentence, a sentence of utter destruction. But there is a voice also from Nineveh, spared when there was but a span between ruin and herself, and this bids us repent, and do works "meet for repentance." We may yet turn our privileges to noble

account.

66

The greater than Jonas is here:" let us obey his command of preaching the Gospel to every creature; and myriads, now perishing for lack of knowledge, may rise up at the Judgment to call us blessed.

''

SERMON VI.'

THE CHRISTIAN'S PLEASURE AT BEING INVITED TO GOD'S HOUSE.

PSALM CXxii. 1.

"I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord."

It seems probable that the Psalm, of which these words are the commencement, was composed for the use of the Israelites, when journeying up to worship at Jerusalem on the great annual solemnities. Many of them had to travel at least a hundred miles in order to obey the commandment given through Moses. And undoubtedly it must have often been a great trial of obedience and faith, to forsake their homes, leave their lands open to the incursions of an enemy, and undertake a long journey to do homage

'Preached at St. Michael's Church, on behalf of the Incorporated Society for Promoting the enlargement, building, and repairing of Churches and Chapels.

to a God who was every where present. They would need encouragement to the performance of so burdensome a duty; and David may have been directed to compose a sacred song, which, being chaunted by the travellers, might help to animate their spirits amid the toils of the way.

It gives great beauty to the Psalm, to regard it as intended and employed for this end. We transport ourselves in thought to Judea. We stand in one of the valleys of the Promised Land, whilst it yet flowed with milk and honey, and the children of Abraham had not been exiled for their sins. We see a company approaching: they are a band of one of the distant tribes, and they are hastening to be at Jerusalem on one of the grand anniversaries. As they advance, we catch the sound of their voices: they are beguiling with psalmody the tedious pilgrimage. We listen attentively, and at length we can distinguish the words, "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the Lord. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem." Louder and louder grows the melody: the thought of the glories of the city in which Jehovah specially dwelt cheers the weary travellers; and the surrounding mountains echo the beautiful invocation, "Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces."

But whatever may have been the original design and use of the Psalm, we may be sure that, in common