warded by him with happiness that never ends.

Let us stop a moment, and consider what that kingdom is, which Christ makes here, and what that kingdom will be, which he will prepare and make ready for us hereafter. If you expect to enter into Christ's kingdom on earth, to be a member of it, and to share in its blessings, you must remember, in the first place, to examine yourselves and call to mind your past lives. How have you kept your duty towards God? Have you believed in him, feared him as a just God, who hates sin, loved him with all your heart, and soul, and mind, loved him above all things, sought his favour, endeavoured to obtain his loving-kindness. Have you worshipped him, prayed to him, both in public and in private, honoured his holy name, never swore by it, never taken it in vain? How have you kept your word towards your neighbour? Have you loved him as your

selves, and done to all men as you would wish them to do to you? Have you obeyed, honoured, and helped your fathers and mothers? Have you been faithful to your wives or husbands? Have you brought up your children in the right way? Have you obeyed your masters and served them, not with eye service as pleasers of men, but from your hearts as pleasing the Lord? Have you been contented with your sta tions, worked with diligence and care, not requiring correction to make you do your business? Have you never stolen, nor cheated, never lied nor deceived? How have you kept your duty towards yourselves? Have you never drunk strong liquor to excess, have you kept your bodies in chastity, every husband contented with one wife, every wife with one husband, and keeping to each other till death parts you? Have you never borne malice nor hatred in your hearts? Have you been willing to forgive? These questions I put to the conscience of each of you. If you have

been guilty of any of these sins, you must repent, and resolve never to do them again. Then your Saviour comes forward, and tells you through me, that if you repent, resolve to do no ill, and trust in him, he will plead with the Father, God Almighty, and God will, on his account, forgive you. Then he gives you, if you pray to him, his Holy Spirit to be with you, to sanctify you, and to help you to shake off all sin. Such of you as have not been baptized, he calls upon to be baptized. Such as have been baptized, he calls upon, to think of the promises they have already made, and to renew them again, with a hearty prayer to God, that he would pardon them, for having broken them. Then is the time to bring you to the Lord's Table, to the sacrament which he has appointed for shewing forth his death. And would to God, that you may all in time, be worthy of being admitted to that holy table. By these means you enter into the kingdom of God bere, his kingdom of grace, you

become members of Christ and children of God, and if you continue in your holy lives, you will be admitted into his kingdom hereafter, that kingdom, where all, both bond and free, will be happy for ever: where it will make no difference whether you have been slaves or not; you will be made equally happy with us in the city of your God and Saviour.

I shall finish this Lecture with reading to you a few passages out of the Bible, concerning this kingdom of Heaven. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive the things, which God hath prepared for them that love him. An inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, which fadeth not away. Blessed are the dead, which die in the Lord: even so, saith the spirit, for they rest from their labours. Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he

will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain.

Behold, I come quickly, says our blessed Lord, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. Surely I come, quickly. Even, so come, Lord Jesus.

And now to God, &c.