of the prophet, Jonah, humbled themfelves before God, and fought his pardon by fasting and prayer. Such conduct is the most likely means of averting, or fhortening, a national calamity. Let us not, however, imagine from thence, that we are ever afterwards to be exempt from the various troubles of this life: St. Peter informs us, in his first Epistle, (chap. iv. ver. 17. 18.) "Judgment muft begin at "the houfe of God: and if it first begin what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be faved, where shall "the ungodly and the finner appear?"

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If the apostles and many of their fucceffors were to meet with the feverest fufferings which could be inflicted on them by a wicked and ungrateful world, what nuft the wicked themselves expect? fince fufferings (permitted only to befal the righteous) are the natural confequence and infeparable attendants on vice, and are much more fevere from the reflection that we have brought them upon our

felves. But when we look ftill further, and reflect that the greatest fufferings of this world fall infinitely short of those referved for the obdurate finner in the next, what madness and folly is it in any one to continue in fo deplorable a condition, when our kind and merciful Saviour has, in the parable of the prodigal son, offered a welcome reception to the very worst of finners, if they will return from their evil courfes and fue for grace and pardon? But fome people, from indolence, or the fear of fufferings which they have never yet experienced, are prevented from making the attempt. Far be it from me to flatter fuch with the hope of recovering God's pardon or favor, without fincere repentance and a thorough change of heart and life; and this cannot be brought about, unless the mind of the finner is brought to feel the deepest forrow and regret for his past wickedness. But will a perfeverance in evil enable him to escape the ftings of conscience, "the worm that never dieth, and whose fire is not quench

ed ?"

ed?" Moft affuredly not. How much better is it, then, for those who have brought themselves into fuch a fituation that, in either cafe, great fufferings must be their lot, to choose the leffer evil, and by a noble exertion endeavor to conquer their fins, and by fincere repentance and amendment of life to become new creatures; in which they may be affured of God's effectual affiftance, if they humbly and fervently apply for it. Even their fufferings in this life would, in fuch case, be greatly diminished; for whereas the obdurate finner, who could not hide from himself that he was heaping up wrath against the day of wrath, would be daily adding to his own sufferings, those of the penitent would hourly decrease, till in time he would recover his peace of mind and be filled with gratitude and thankf giving to his merciful Saviour, who had not only enabled him to escape eternal punishment, but, by his interceffion with the Father, had procured him the means of eternal blifs. Since we all know that

one or other of these fituations will be our lot in the next world, can we hesitate one moment in the choice we fhall make?

The consciousness that we enjoy the favor and approbation of God, will make the defert fmile; nor is it in the power of any reverse of fortune to make those miserable who have such a support. Thomson, in his hymn, beautifully describes the fituation of a person who places his entire dependance upon God:

"Should fate command me to the fartheft verge
"Of the green earth, to distant barb'rous climes,
* Rivers unknown to fong; where first the fun
"Gilds Indian mountains, or his setting beam
"Flames on th' Atlantic ifles; 'tis nought to me
"Since God is ever present, ever felt,
"In the void waste as in the city full :

"And where He vital spreads there must be joy.
"When e'en at last the folemn hour shall come,
"And wing my myftic flight to future worlds,
"I chearful will obey; there, with new pow'rs,
"Will rifing wonders fing: I cannot go
"Where Univerfal Love not smiles around,
"Suftaining all yon orbs and all their fons;
"From feeming Evil ftill educing Good,
"And Better thence again, and Better still,
"In infinite progreffion. But I lofe
"Myfelf in Him, in Light ineffable!

"Come then, expreffive filence, mufe his praife."

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5. But

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5. But now I go my way to him that "fent me, and none of you afketh me, "Whither goest thou?

"6. But, because I have faid these

things unto you, forrow hath filled your ❝ heart.

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7. Nevertheless I tell you the truth; "It is expedient for you that I go away: " for if I go not away, the Comforter will "not come unto you; but if I depart, I "will fend him unto you.

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"8. And when he is come, he will rethe world of fin, and of righteouf"nefs, and of judgement:

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prove

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9. Of fin, because they believe not

on me;

" 10. Of righteousness, because I go to fee me no more; "my Father, and ye "11. Of judgement, because the prince "of this world is judged."

Our Lord having again exprefsly declared to his difciples that he was about to leave the world and return to his Father, gently reproaches them for a degree

of