will, and God's Word, can form no preparation for that kingdom, upon the very brink of which, your foot is at this moment standing; and if your next step were to be within the veil, if the next moment were to find you in eternity, I do not scruple to say that any, and that all these virtues and endowments, would be utterly unavailing, to secure you one hour's participation in the joys of that glorious inheritance.

Be warned, then, brethren, if this be the path which you are treading, it cannot lead you to our Father's kingdom. It may lead to honour, and respectability, and wealth; you may be loved, and applauded, and admired, but then, as our Lord himself said, "Ye have received your consolation ;" you must not, you cannot complain, that while you have guided your conduct by the opinions and manners of one kingdom, you have missed, how widely and irrevocably

1 St. Luke vi. 24.

missed, the other. The only way to the kingdom of which I speak, lies through the close, and intimate, and personal union with that blessed Redeemer who hath declared, " "No man cometh unto the Father but by me." The only preparation for that kingdom, must commence in that change of heart, that renewal of heart, that preparation of heart, which the Word of God assures us is "from the

Lord." The only acquirements which can fit you for a participation in that kingdom, is the acquirement of those feelings of a sincere and fervent love to God, in Christ Jesus our Lord, which regulates the conduct, influences the affections, conforms the whole mind, and temper, and disposition, and man, to the mind which was in Christ Jesus, and to the image of our God. The only habits which, even while on earth, can promote the same blessed end, are the habits of a holy obedience to the will of our God, of frequent and intimate communion with

Him, and of the delightful exercise of praising His glorious name. Duties and occupations which, by anticipating, even while on earth, in some measure, the duties, and occupations, and pursuits of heaven, will indeed qualify you for its eternal and infinitely blessed abodes. Those abodes which the most perfect performance of duties could never merit, but which the Lord Jesus Christ has purchased for his believing and obeying followers, and in which he is even now awaiting the hour, when the " everlasting doors" shall be lifted up, and his redeemed people shall enter in.

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SERMON XI.

AIDS TO SELF-KNOWLEDGE.

2 KINGS VIII. 13.

"AND HAZAEL SAID, BUT WHAT! IS THY SERVANT A DOG, THAT HE SHOULD DO THIS GREAT THING?”

Of all knowledge, that which we learn with the greatest difficulty, and dwell upon the most reluctantly, and forget the most readily, is the knowledge of our own hearts. The man of the world never, in the Christian's meaning of the phrase, knows himself; he has no line to fathom, no guage to measure, no eye to see, no heart to conceive, the undiscovered depths of iniquity which lie within. Even the child of God is ofttimes igno

rant of this important knowledge, or learns it not, except by "line upon line, precept upon precept," failure upon failure, sin upon sin, it is taught him by the unerring Spirit of wisdom and truth.

The striking incident from which the text is taken, will well illustrate the truth of these remarks, and at the same time, by God's grace, afford us an opportunity of offering a few practical lessons for the attainment of one of the most desirable objects which can interest the true Christian-the knowledge of himself.

We read at the seventh verse of the chapter before us, that Benhadad, the king of Syria, was sick, and it was told him that Elisha, the prophet, was come down to Damascus. Benhadad, although an idolater, had probably often heard Naaman, his captain of the host, whose leprosy had been miraculously cured by Elisha, speak of the wonder-working powers of this man of God; he had himself suffered by the supernatural know