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he knows not how soon) the message which | most in our minds, according to the precepts was brought to king Hezekiah-"Set thine delivered in the Scriptures, and the examhouse in order, for thou must die!" This ples afforded us by the prophets and apostles was the case with the Israelites, no less "Set your affections on things above, not after their settlement in the land of Canaan on things on the earth." "Seek those things than before it. Notwithstanding, therefore, which are above, where Christ sitteth on the the rest which God had there given them, right hand of God." My soul hath a deyou find David, in the ninety-fifth Psalm, sire and longing to enter into the courts of speaking of another future and distant rest, the Lord; "" when shall I come, and appear still remaining for the people of God, in a bet- before God! "I desire to depart, and to ter country, that is, an heavenly. And, accor- be with Christ." "Let us go forth bearing dingly, though settled in the promised land, our reproach; for here we have no continuyou hear him still crying out, in the words of ing city, but we seek one to come." These he text "I am a stranger in the earth." are the wishes and the expressions ef men like ourselves, encompassed with infirmities. Why, then, are they not ours! Plainly, because we mistake or forget our true condition in this present world. We imagine ourselves to be at home, when we are really abroad and upon a journey.

And what shall we say with regard to the Son of God himself, when for us and for our salvation, in the form of man, he honored this world with his presence? Did he not pass through it as a foreigner returning to the celestial mansions from whence he descended? Did not he live and act as But although the traveller's first and chief such, and was he not treated as such by delight is the recollection of his home, which those to whom he came? Yes, verily, he lies as a cordial at his heart, and refreshes was a stranger and a sojourner here below, him every where and at all seasons, this does as all his fathers according to the flesh were by no means prevent him from taking that before him, and as all his children accord-pleasure in the several objects presenting ing to the spirit have been, and must be, themselves on the road, which they are caafter him upon the earth. The rule is a pable of affording, and were indeed intended general one, and admits of no exception. to afford. He surveys, in passing, the works A consideration thus striking and affect- and beauties of nature and art, meadows coing, cannot be without its use in the regu-vered with flocks, valleys waving with corn, lation of our manners: and I have somewhere read of a pious old man, who, being desired by a young pupil and disciple to give him some one short precept which might contain all religion in a little compass, and serve, at all times and in all places, for the direction of his conduct through lifee-replied "Only remember that you are a stranger in the earth."

Let us, therefore, take this for our ground, that life is a journey, and man a traveller; and let us inquire, what manner of persons, upon this principle, we ought to be.

verdant woods, blooming gardens, and stately buildings. He surveys and enjoys them, perhaps much more than their owners do, but leaves them without a sigh, reflecting on the far greater and sincerer joys that are waiting for him at home. Such exactly is the temper and disposition with which the Christian traveller should pass through the world. His religion does not require him to be gloomy and sullen, to shut his eyes, or to stop his ears; it debars him of no pleasure, of which a thinking and reasonable man would wish to partake. It directs him not to shut himself up in a cloister, alone, there to mope and moan away his life; but to walk abroad, to behold the things which are in heaven and earth, and to give glory to him who made them; reflecting, at the same time, that if, in this fallen world, which is soon to be consumed by fire, there are so many objects to entertain and delight him, what must be the pleasures of that world, which is to endure for ever, and to be his eternal home! Flocks feeding in green meadows, by rivers of water, remind him of the future happy condition of the righteons, when "they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more, for the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto The end of our journey will ever be upper-living fountains of water."

And here it will immediately occur to us, in the first place, that wherever, in the course of his journey, a traveller may be, his heart is still at home. Nothing can detain his thoughts, for any long time together, from his country, his house, and his family, to which he is returning. The spirit of man is not a native of this lower world. It came originally from above; and upon the dissolution of the body, will return to God who gave it, to its own proper country, to the house and family of its heavenly Father. These, then, are the objects, which, if once we are accustomed to regard ourselves as strangers and sojourners upon earth, will continually employ our thoughts.

From fading

plantations he carries his thoughts to the paradise of God, where, in immortal youth and beauty, grows the tree of life, whose leaf never withers, and which bears its fruit through the unnumbered ages of eternity, Earthly cities and palaces cause him to remember thee, O thou holy city, heavenly Jerusalem, whose walls are salvation, and thy gates praise, and the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple in the midst of thee! -He who sees the world in this light, will draw its sting, and disarm it of its power to hurt; he will so use it as not to abuse it, because the fashion of it passes away; he will so enjoy it, as to be always ready to leave it for a better; he will not think of settling at his inn*, because it is pleasantly situated. Hǝ remembers that he is a traveller; he forgets not that he is a stranger in the earth.

We are not, however, to expect, that we shall meet with nothing but pleasure and entertainment on the road of life. The traveller knows he is to look for difficulties and dangers upon a journey, especially if it be a long one, and through an enemy's country. The ways may be rough or deep, the weather stormy and tempestuous, robbers and murderers may attack him in the road, or wild beasts spring upon him from the forest and the accommodations and provisions from which he is to seek refreshment after his fatigue, may prove very ill qualified to afford it. Against all these incidents, possible and probable, the wise traveller is forearmed with courage and patience, two qualities without which his expedition is likely to be very uncomfortable. And here he finds his chief support from the consideration, that all these inconveniences, will have an end; that he is abroad upon a journey, and that all he can suffer will be amply recompensed by the comforts and heart-felt joys he is to experience at home.

Let the same mind be also in the Christian traveller, who is accomplishing his journey through this world to another.

Let him not think to find the path always smooth, or to tread continually upon roses. In a world like ours, there are more thorns than flowers. Often, in the concerns of life, will he find himself perplexed with doubts, and entangled in difficulties, through which he must make his way with toil, and not without pain. His passage will be obstructed by rocks of offence, at which, unless he tread with skill and caution, he will stumble and fall. Frequently, therefore, will he have occasion to cry out, "Hold thou up my go

ings in thy paths, O Lord, that my footsteps slip not!" "Give thine angels charge over me, to keep in all my ways!"

As the road will not always be safe beneath, so neither will the sun always shine upon him from above. Life is a day, and in a day there are many changes of weather. Youth is the morning, when the sky, perhaps, is clear and serene; every thing smiles upon our traveller, and invites him to proceed. But anon all is overcast, and the heaven grows black with clouds and wind. The hour of prosperity is past, and the storms of adversity and affliction gather round his head. The rain descends, the lightnings flash, the thunder roars, and the Almighty seems to set his face against him "Fearfulness and trembling come upon him, horror overwhelms him, and he says, O that I had wings like a dove! for then would I fly away, and be at rest. Lo, then would I wander afar off, and remain in the wilderness. I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest."

Nor is this the whole of his danger. There are those who lie in wait, at such dark seasons, to despoil him of all that is truly dear and valuable. Evil men and evil spirits endeavor to deprive him of his honor, his virtue, his integrity his religion, his life-his eternal life. The troubles of the world, consuming cares, and envenomed passions are in motion, like the wild beasts of the forest, howling and hissing at him from all quarters. Now he has need of all his courage and steadfastness, and it behoves him to march on resolutely, holding fast, in one hand, the shield of faith, in the other, the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; strengthening and comforting himself with those divine words of the Psalmist, in the ninety-first Psalm—

Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder, the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him ; I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him, and show him my salvation."

Such are the dangers and hardships to be encountered by the Christian traveller, who, considering himself as such, and knowing he can no otherwise attain to the end of his journey, encounters them accordingly, and at length overcomes them all, upon the principle thus laid down by St. Paul" Our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal See a beautiful passage, applicable in the Cris-weight of glory; while we look not at the tian sense, Epict. B. II. chap. xxiii. 212. CARTER. things which are seen, but at the things which

a sacred song "Awake up, my glory; awake, lute and harp I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people, I will sing unto thee among the nations. For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live, I will praise my God while I have my

my joy shall be in the Lord." This is the language of the very same person who says, in the text, "I am a stranger in the earth." Thus it was, that he consoled himself under the fatigues of his journey, and rejoiced even in tribulation, because every step he set, however painful, brought him nearer to his eternal home. Consider the case of those two travellers, Paul and Silas, in the dungeon of a

feet fast in the stocks. And in this situation how did they employ themselves? In groaning and lamenting? No; they "prayed and sang praises unto God." Let us hear no more of murmuring and complaining. In all things let us give thanks, and be able to say, with David, "Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.”

are not seen for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens." On the same principle, the Christian traveller, like all others, takes up with the ac-being. And so shall my words please him; commodations he finds on the road, and learns to be "content with such things as he hath." No traveller was ever in greater straits than St. Paul. But hear what he says of himself "I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound; every where and in all things I am instructed, both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need." Were we set-prison, at the dead of midnight, with their tled upon earth for ever, there would be some excuse for our being solicitous where we lived, what we ate, what we drank, and wherewithal we were clothed. But when we consider in how very short a time it will be exactly the same thing, whether we dwelt in a palace, or a cottage; whether we sate down to two courses, or two dishes; whether our garments were made of silk, or It will greatly contribute towards relieving of wool; whether we were waited on by the sufferings and hardships of our journey, twenty servants, or by one; it is not worth if we can have the company of some of like while to break the peace of our minds about sentiments, tempers, and dispositions, who such unessential circumstances. If God vouch- are travelling the same way, with whom we safe us a share of the good things of the may converse about the country to which we world in our passage through it, let us enjoy are all going, consult upon the best means of them with thankfulness, and let us be chari-arriving safely at it, and mutually communitable and kind to our fellow-travellers who cate our observations upon the objects that are not so well provided for. If such good things are denied us, still let us be thankful for what we have. It is far better to want them than to be wedded to them. Let us not forget, that he who travels, as well as he who " contends for the mastery," must be "temperate in all things," if he would travel with ease and pleasure: and therefore, considering the difficulty of continuing so in the midst of plenty, it is happy for us, generally speaking, when temptations to be otherwise are not thrown in our way. "I beseech you," says St. Peter," as strangers and pilgrims," "abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul." We are strangers and pilgrims. We must up, and be moving on. The Lord of life, to show that on the earth he had no abiding city, was born at an inn; and there was no room for him but in the stable. Such were the accommodations with which he was content. What he once said to his disciples, he says to all-" Arise, let us go

hence."

But it is not enough, that the Christian traveller be content. Let him be cheerful, and beguile the tediousness of the way with

present themselves, and the incidents that happen upon the road. "They that fear thee," says the Psalmist, "will be glad when they see me, because I have hoped in thy word. I am a companion of all them that fear thee, and keep thy precepts. We took sweet counsel together, and walked in the house of God as friends." He who travels alone, will often find himself weary and melancholy he will often want help and assistance. As the wise man observes, "Two are better than one; for, if they fall" (and who can at any time be assured he shall not?) "the one will help up his fellow." Much does it concern us in making our connections and choosing our friends, to make and choose such as will forward us on our way, and continue with us unto the end; and it is happy for us when they who stand in the nearest relation to us, and with whom we must of necessity spend the greatest part of our time, are of this sort. Blessed are they who thus go through life together, in peace and love, comforting and encouraging one another, and talking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. To these heirs of salvation an

gels delight to minister; and that which happened to the two disciples upon the road to Emmaus, will happen to them: "Jesus him self," though they do not know it," will draw near, and go with them."

should live as they did, and die as they did. Nor should we grieve for the dead who have died in the Lord. They have only passed us upon the road, and are gone, as it were, to prepare for our reception. And surely, in the journey of life, as in other journeys, it is a pleasing reflection that, whatever usage we may meet with abroad (and strangers do not often meet with the best,) we have friends who are thinking of us at home, and will receive us with joy when our journey is at an end. And, lo, the heavens are opened, and the habitations of the blessed disclose themselves to view. The glorious company of the apostles, the goodly fellowship of the prophets, the noble army of martyrs, all that have departed hence, from the beginning of the world, in the faith and fear of God, a great multitude which no man can number, are seen standing in white robes, with palms in their hands. They beckon us away to those blissful regions from whence sin and sorrow are for ever excluded, and into which they who are admitted " go no more out." All, once, like us, trod, with many a toilsome step, this valley of weeping; all, once, were

With such companions, and such a guide, our journey will seem short, because it will become pleasant; and there will be nothing formidable even in the last and worst part of it, death itself. In the history which the Scriptures give us of good men in old time, it is worth observing, that their dying appears to have been a circumstance as easy and indifferent to them as to the historian who relates it. With Moses it is only, Go up to Mount Nebo, and die; with Aaron, Ascend to Mount Hor, and do the same. And, before them, we find the holy patriarchs, when the appointed hour came, calling their children about them, bequeathing to posterity the promised blessing of salvation by Messiah, gathering up their feet into the bed, and dying with the same satisfaction and complacency as they would have fallen asleep. And why but because, having been always accustomed to think of themselves as strangers in the earth, they constantly regarded death" strangers in the earth." Now, they rest from as a departure to that other and better country of which they lived in perpetual expectation, and could not therefore be surprised or alarmed at being called to take possession, as knowing they began their journey in order to finish it. Could we think as they did, we

their labors, and are entered into the joy of their Lord. They have accomplished happily their journey, and through faith and patience have inherited the promises. A seraph's voice, from the eternal throne, calls to every one of us—“ Go, and do thou likewise.”

DISCOURSE LVI.

THE FULNESS OF TIME.

GALATIANS, IV. 4, 5.

When the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.

THE words make part of the epistle for the cannot yet be weary of meditating upon it. day. And none could have been chosen To refresh, to quicken, to fix, the impressions with greater propriety: none can more fully that may have been made, is the intention of represent to us, in a short compass, the won- the following discourse, in which some rederful nature and blessed effects of the re-flections shall be offered, on the several pardemption, begun as at this season to be wrought ticulars of the text, exactly in the order in for us. Highly fit it is, that our thoughts which they lie; for a better cannot be deshould still continue to be employed upon it. vised.

The angels desire to look into it: we surely) I. "When the fulness of time was come."

which alone will carry you safe through all doubts and difficulties, all dangers and distresses. Only love God, and serve him; and then, "all things" cannot but "work together," under his direction, " for good" to you in the end.

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The same truth is here pointed out, which is taught us by the wise man in the book of Ecclesiastes: "To every thing, and to every purpose under heaven, there is a time and season." Events do not come to pass, one at this time, and another at that, by mere chance. He, who created the world, regulates and II. "When the fulness of time "—that disposes the things that are passing in it, ap- time judged to be, on all accounts, the fittestpointing to each its time. This time, all cir-" was come, God sent forth his Son." He cumstances considered, is always the very best and finest. It is impossible for us to consider all circumstances, or, perhaps, one thousandth part of them; and therefore, it is impossible for us to say which time is the best and fittest. The great God only can do this. To the eye of the divine mind (if we may so express it,) all events, with all their circumstances, from the beginning to the end of the world, present themselves at once, and stand arranged, by infinite wisdom, each in its due time and place. This all-seeing and all-directing Providence extends not only to the rise and fall of empires, or the births and deaths of great men, but to every the smallest concern. The hairs of our heads are numbered, and a sparrow falls not to the ground unnoticed. In the Scriptures, where the designs of God are opened, and we are admitted, as it were, behind the scenes, this is shown in many instances. In others, where his designs are kept secret from us, we must learn to trust, and not presumptuously determine that this or that event takes place at an unseasonable time, or fancy that we could have ordered things in a better

manner.

What has been said must apply in the strongest manner to the birth of Christ, which being the most important event that ever did happen, must needs have happened at that very time which of all others was proper, by the apostle in the text called "the fulness of time; when all the designs of God respecting it were ripe and ready for accomplishment. A thinking man, who sits down to consider the dispensations going before from the beginning, with the then state of the world, both Jew and Gentile, may discover many reasons why the time of Christ's appearance was the proper time. Some have asked why he did not come sooner? And if the world should last many ages longer, and his religion seem to be perishing, others may ask why he did not come later? All such questions have no foundation but in our own ignorance. Could we see as God sees, we should see that all is right: since we cannot see, we must believe; because all-wise and all-righteous is He who has ordained it so to be as it is. I would wish to impress this general consideration on your minds, as one

had a Son therefore to send forth; that Son of whom it is said, that he was in the bosom of the Father; that he had glory with the Father before the world was; that Son, by the beloved disciple, St. John, styled, THE WORD, who was in the beginning with God, and who was God; by whom all things were made, and without whom was not anything made that was made;" that Son, who came down from heaven; who "came from the Father, and returned to him ;" that Son, who says, "I and the Father are one; I am in the Father, and the Father in me; he that hath seen me hath seen the Father." These passages show you, as clearly as language can show, that the Saviour born, as at this season, though born as a man, was in reality more than man a divine person, who had being in heaven before the world began; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven; whose title is, the son or the WORD, of God. That these two titles belong to one and the same person, will be evident to you from a wonderful description in the nineteenth chapter of St. John's Revelation, which I cannot forbear reciting: "I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True; and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew but he himself; and he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood; and his name is called THE word of god. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS." The being here described is certainly a person; and that person can be no other than our ever-blessed Redeemer, going forth to judge and take vengeance on his enemies. He is styled the WORD OF GOD, and must be the same wORD mentioned in the beginning of St. John's Gospel, who "was in the beginning with God, and was God." These things none can, with any show of reason, gainsay. Proceed we, therefore,

III. To reflect upon the next particular, that this divine person became man-" God sent forth his Son, made of a woman." And if the Son, thus sent forth, were indeed no more than a mere man, why should it be said,