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God, though they crouched before the commands of men. To employ the present hour, was their maxim and their motto, as it is yours. The same unthinking race of destruction which you are now pursuing, has been pursued before. Many a miserable victim has drunk the cup of pleasure to the dregs; has tasted all the joys and gratifications which this world can give; has shouted amidst his unhallowed revelries, "tush thou God carest not for it;" has derided his Saviour's name; has rejected his Saviour's mercies; and then has found at last, that when this short-lived delusion was over, when the sand of life was nearly out, and the charms which once allured him, had lost their power to please; that he had no tower of strength to flee to, no harbour of refuge in which his tossed and shattered bark might hope for a quiet anchorage.

You must all die. On this point there can be no infidelity. If then there be an hereafter, if the Christian's creed of a Saviour, and an atonement, be not altogether a fable, where will you turn for comfort on the bed of death? At that awful hour, when the soul trembles on the verge of eternity, when it has received the summons which it dreads to hear, though it dares not disobey, say, where will the infidel seek for consolation? Spread the board of luxury before him -place the wine cup in his trembling hand-bid

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him quaff the healths of his earlier years-call his companions to his bed-let the song, the laugh, and the jest go round-will such mirth and such associations soothe his departing hours? Try again-read from the pages of some light and jocund volume the tales which once amused and pleased him-see, they have lost their attraction now. Come then, a last resource remains. Tell him that he has nought to fear from eternity that he will sink into nothingness-that he is about to take a dark and finał plunge, and then be as though he had never been. Strange com fort this! and yet it is the best you have to offer. And now comes the gospel's triumph. Suffer me to transport you from this scene of agony and apprehension, to the chamber of the Christian's last earthly rest; aye, to the dying couch of him whom you have been accustomed to ridicule as a bigot and a dupe. See, he has friends around him too, the companions of his early days, the children of his fondest love, come, not to cheer him, but to be cheered; not to teach, but to learn to die. A book is opened here; but of a kind how different from that with which yonder miserable wretch was mocked in his remorse and despair; for it gives hope and strength to the dying penitent. Listen to the words of life which flow from its sacred pages, " For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on

immortality. Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. O death where is thy sting, O grave where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law, but thanks bet to God which giveth us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord." Do you deem this a vain and empty effusion? Think you that words, which have power to comfort now, and to shed a gleam of joy even upon the cheek of death, are but the offspring of human eloquence?

Search then the Scriptures, my brethren, candidly and attentively. Examine the evidence upon which our religion rests. If it possesses such influence over human happiness, if its doctrines can thus enable man to triumph over mortal sorrows, and to tread the dark and fearful paths of the grave without dismay, it cannot be, what you rashly term it, a system of cunning and falsehood. Do not mistake a few witty sarcasms, or metaphysical subtleties, or ignorant misrepresentations, or unwarrantable assertions, for unanswerable arguments against revelation.* Pray now to God, if you never prayed before, pray now I beseech you to him, that he will be pleased to enlighten your understandings, and direct and rule your hearts. And may he in his infinite and

* Bishop Watson's Apology for Christianity.

never-wearied mercy, so turn you from the error of your ways, so guide you from your gloomy and hopeless creed to his own bright and glorious truth, that ye may be saved among the remnant of the true Israelites, and be made one fold under one Shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord.

SERMON XVII.*

GENESIS XXVIII, 16, 17.

And Jacob awaked out of his sleep, and he said, Surely the Lord is in this place; and I knew it not. And he was afraid, and said, How dreadful is this place! this is none other but the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven.

THE Occasion, my brethren, which has this day called us together, is one of the most solemn and delightful which can ever engage the attention of man. We are met to open the portals of a new house of God; to implore his blessing upon our labours past, and his grace to direct and sanctify those which we have yet to perform. Sensible of the vast importance of this holy work, I feel deeply my own incapacity of setting forth in fitting language, the sacredness of those duties, which the present solemnity has made

* This Sermon was preached at the consecration of St. Peter's church, Great Yarmouth, August 16th, 1833.

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