in person; and then no doubt many of them, having seen Him who was to be the end of their law for righteousness unto them, wished to see nothing more in the world. Would it not be an unspeakable gratification, my bre idols of the heathen be cast to the moles and to the bats? Shall not the rebellious become the followers of the cross? Shall not those places over which the ebon sceptre of Satan has too long been swayed, be brought to acknowledge the authority of Imma-thren, for those who had like Simeon " nuel, and become a part of the kingdom of God? Shall not the Gentile as well as the Jew be brought in? The visions of the future are flitting before me, and I see the Redeemer's universal reign, as Simeon did when he cast his eyes to the future scenes of time, and proclaimed the Infant Messiah, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." The nations shall cast away their idols, consigning them to the moles and to the bats; the Son of the Most High will go forward, and taking to himself his mighty power, will gird his sword upon his thigh, and will overturn, overturn, overturn, until He shall come whose right it is to reign. You see here is reference to the time, when the sounding of the angel's trumpet shall be heard, declaring, "Alleluia, Alleluia, for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth." It is thus the Messiah will become, not only salvation, but also "a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." We pass on from the character of Simeon, and his proclamation, to consider, Thirdly, HIS DESIRE." And he came by the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law, then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation; which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel." Here, you see on Simeon's part, an expression of his willingness and desire, in the full and cor.fident assurance, that when he did die he should depart in peace. I shall not enlarge upon this part of my subject, but request your attention to two things. First, He had no other object left to wish to live for on earth. It must have been an interesting sight, for those who were living under the Jewish economy, to see the Messiah anxiously waited the coming of the consolation of Israel, to live in that time, and to see Jesus, to behold the Son of God's right hand, to see him for whom all things were created, and by whom all things were to be accomplished? In our intercourse with men, we find, that they imagine when certain things have been done and certain purposes accomplished, they have nothing to live for in the world be side, and that when the time arrives they shall die in peace. Hear the tradesman, when he has made a provision for his family, has set them forward comfortably in life, and has gained all the advantages he could desire from commerce, then, he thinks he can die in peace. Hear the philosopher, when he has made grand discoveries in philosophy, and has succeeded in tracing the dependence and fixing the boundaries of what was considered incomprehensible affinities—when he can define unknown properties, and has fully developed the relations of cause and effect, he thinks he has nothing more on earth to accomplish, and he can die in peace. Hear the statesman, when he has brought certain principles of government to work harmoniously together-when by his eloquence and energies he has placed his favourite political tenets in a commanding situation, and has effected his long wished for purposes, he thinks he has nothing more to do on earth, he now can depart in peace. Hear the warrior, if he can gain the victory over the enemy-if he can entwine around his martial brow the wreath of undying laurel-if he can emblazon his name on the records of fame, and achieve for himself a corruscation of splendour and military renown that will light up his monument in future ages, he thinks he can die in peace. So you may well imagine that Simeon, who had been waiting anxiously for the appearance of the Messiah, whose mind had been goaded, as it were, with many an anxious desire for his manifestation, when he now beheld Him who was the joy and consolation of Israel, should have nothing more to live for below, but should wish to depart in peace. Having seen the end of one dispensation and the beginning of another-having seen the Lord Jesus Christ veiled in humanity, and knowing that he was to die upon the cross for sin, and to make atonement for the sons of men, he ejaculates with piety and true devotional feeling, "Lord now lettest thou thy servant 'depart in peace according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." Secondly-It will be seen that now there was the dismissal of all his doubts and fears, and the completion of all his kopes for eternity. There was in Simeon great faith; but now faith was consummated in the possession of the thing hoped for. Jesus Christ had made his appearance, and now Simeon saw the Lord who came to work out and accomplish the salvation and happiness of myriads of immortals, yet unborn. He now beheld a clearing away of all the mists and shadows which before overhung the types and ceremonies of the Mosaic dispensation: he saw the blackness of Sinai, dispelled by the shining beams of the Sun of Righteousness; and having seen this, he believed he should depart in peace. Imagine for a moment the scene as actually before us. There is the aged Christian at the threshold of the temple, standing as it were on the very brink of the grave. There see the infant Redeemer in his arms. How interesting the scene! He gazes with rapture upon the incarnate God, and his contemplations are of the most exalted character. His feelings are very different from those of others, who are standing carelessly by. They are unbelieving and uninterested spectators. He would look behind the veil of futurity-he would behold the agonies of Messiah in the garden of Gethsemane, and would hear the hell shout of the infuriate Jews, "Crucify him, crucify him." He would follow him down to the sepulchre, and there at the appointed day, behold him burst asunder the bands of the grave, and see him rise again, overcoming death and delivering his people. He would see him ascending again to heaven, leading captivity captive, and sitting at the right hand of his Father's throne, interceding to save all that come unto God by him. His own interest would be identified with the appearance of the Messiah: in him he would behold one destined to become his surety; he would contemplate the happiness of the spirits in paradise, and foresee the glories of the resurrection morning. He would behold the reanimation of his poor frail body which was to be sown in weakness, but raised in power; sown a natural body, but raised a spiritual body; he would feel the inspiration of the heavenly song, "Salvation to our God who sitteth upon the throne, and to the Lamb for ever." You can well imagine the feeling of Simeon, when bearing the precious burthen that was to deliver mankind, he said, "Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace according to thy word, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation." My brethren, remember, in taking a more general view of this part of our subject, especially the aged Christians in this congregation-you who feel the sentence of death within yourselves, and are assured that you will shortly descend to the grave-you who believe in the dear Redeemer, and rest all your confidence in his atonement and finished work-that you will when the summons shall come, depart like Simeon in peace, being enabled to say through grace divine, "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 be to God who giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." You can say with the Apostle, "For we know that when our earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved, we have a building of God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan being burthened, not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. We walk by faith not by sight: we are confident I say and willing rather to be absent from the body and present with the Lord." Aged Christian, place before you the scene in which you are shortly to become alike the actor and the victim. Think of your dying. hour! think of the day of judgment! what a scene is it! It must be ex perienced by all-it must be gone through by all-it must be witnessed by all-and it belongs to you. Then, "mark, oh mark, the perfect man and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace." This peace is imparted unto us by the death of Christ; it is the bright radiance of Calvary; it | is the beaming effulgence of glory there. No evil spirit dares come near the scene where the believer dies; a greater than he tells him to retire, and commands him to be gone. No darkness is there, but there comes a glorious illumination over the dying Christian, lighting up his departing soul as with a sunbeam of immortality. And when the aged believer, when the child of God is gathered unto his fathers, when mortality sleeps for a season in the tomb, his spirit being freed from the bondage of mortality, is borne on ethereal wing to his Saviour in heaven, which is far better; his spirit is with his Redeemer before the throne; and by and by the body shall be raised from the tomb incorruptible and purified; and joined again to its kindred spirit, shall rise all triumphant into glory, and so shall be for ever with the Lord. They depart in peace indeed who believe in Jesus. I have now presented to you in these observations, the desire of Simeon as recorded in the gospel. You have heard reference made to his practice, his faith and his gifts. You have attended to his proclamation, setting forth the nature of the work the Messiah was ordained to, and the extent to which it was to be carried. In the last place, you have heard his desire to depart in peace, because all his hopes were confirmed, all his desires were fulfilled: and the consolation arising from the subject you have seen to be the same as will be experienced by all true believers. Now my hearers, what more can I say? We are all standing on the brink of the grave. It is an awful thing to look around on this great congregation, now living and breathing in all the animation of life; and who in a very short time will have resigned their souls, and have sunk in the silence of the grave. Oh, had I this day a good assurance with regard to every mortal being in this place, that they were well grounded in the blessed hope of immortality, I would have this the place of my departure, and would cry with Simeon, "Lord now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace." My hearers, how is it with you for Eternity? I hold you fast in the spell of everlasting reality: and I would the grasp might not cease until you had been compelled to reply. What are your hopes in the prospect of death and eternity? Remember the Lord Jesus Christ has been placed before you. Remember that while your fathers are departing to the grave, it behoves you to come to the Lord, to live to Christ, that whether you live or die, you may be the Lord's. O come forward, come forward. Leave the world, come forward, and trust only in the atonement of Christ. Come to the Church; come and enlist yourselves in his service, and place yourselves beneath the banner of the Cross. Come and devote the energies of your being to Him, for whose truth many dear saints have bled and died. Let your motto be, For me to live is Christ-to die is gain." You are soon to die; but to die without Christ! what is it? To have no consolation for time or for eternity. To die without Christ! what is it? To have the sting of death infixed here, and eternal suffering hereafter. To die without Christ! what is it? To hear the voice of the great God saying, "Depart ye cursed into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels." To die without Christ! what is it? To sink deeper and deeper still, infuriate, miserable, despairing, to the abodes of infernal spirits; and there to enter the lake of fire, where Jesus Christ is not known, where hope shall never enter, where peace shall never be found; but where horror shall reign, despair shall exercise dominion, and seas of eternal misery shall never cease to roll their eternal billows. Sinners, you may do as you pleaseyou shall take your choice-in the name of the exalted Jesus I give it to you to day. Either take evil or good-either take blessing or cursing-either take life or death-either take salvation or eternal ruin-either take heaven or hell. Do as you please; stand forward this day and make your choice. "Choose you this day whom you will serve." For myself, I look back on the movements of my fathers; I think with rapture of the multitudes now assembled around the throne of heaven -you may follow if you will-and my "Let words for you and for me are, me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his." Lord Jesus into thy hands I commend my spirit." A Sermon DELIVERED BY THE REV. R. ROBINSON, B. A. AT ST. JOHN'S CHAPEL, WOLVERHAMPTON, december 5, 1830. Job, xxxv. 10.-" But none saith, Where is God my Maker, who giveth songs in the night?" VARIOUS are the offices and manifold, the duties, which, as strangers and sojourners here, we are obliged to perform to one another; and common policy wisely suggests that, on all occasions and at all opportunities, every kindness, every the greatest degree of affection and of love, from man to his fellow creature, should be strictly and accurately attended to. And if we are bound to one another in the bonds of friendship and of good will, how much rather are we, as frail and perishable creatures, bound to acknowledge and thankfully to remember the numerous and various benefits of Him, "in whom we live, and have our being," and on whom we depend for every thing which we enjoy? Yet how often do we neglect this sacred duty, and seldom or never think of the bounty of Providence, until he withdraw his loving kindness from us, and debar us of the enjoyment of his tender compassion? We look around us on the works of his hands, on the stupendous work of the creation, with apathy and indifference. The morning star may dispel the clouds of night, and the warm and invigorating beams of the sun cherish the withering plant. The trees of the desert may bud, and the luxuriant herb spread its foliage around. The whole face of nature may wear a cheerful and animating appearance. The bed of sickness, of anguish and of pain may be mercifully removed from us, and our bodies be renovated with health and vigour. The bitter cup of affliction may be dashed from our lips, and we may drink of the kindness and mercy of heaven; and, yet, for all these things, be unmindful of the goodness of God, and of his watchful and superintending providence. "Whilst we revel at the feast, we are apt to forget the author of it." Happy would it be for the world, for themselves, and for society, if men duly estimated the benefits they enjoy, and instead of repining at what they do not possess, acknowledge the kindness of God in all his dispensations. Happy would it be if the exercise of prayer and devotion-the very essence of godliness-was more practised, and the frivolous, fantastical pleasures of the world less attended-to. Fortunate too would it be for the present age, if the complaint, which Elihu makes use of in my text, be not applicable to these times. By" enquiring after God our Maker" is not meant merely a bare mention or an accidental remembrance of himnot a mock confession or a casual approbation of his providence; but, impressed with the knowledge of his adorable and infinite perfections, thankfully to call to mind his loving kindness of old, and supplicate both in public and in private for the continuance of his protection. And when, let me ask, are we making this inquiry after God? It is when in the fervency of our soul, we feel grateful to him for our existence, preservation, and for all that we possess-when we repair to his house and bow with adoration before him-when we retire into our closet and make known to him our month, day after day pass on, and the wants and necessities-when no tem- same folly and infatuation, the same poral, no earthly care separate us from rounds of gaiety and of idleness, are an intercourse with Him by prayer eagerly and ardently pursued. The and devotion-when we "repent truly morning dawns upon them languid of our sins and are heartily sorry for and dejected both in mind and in body, our misdeeds"-when we have a lively and the evening leaves them in riot faith in the blood and atonement of and debauchery. They have no taste, Christ, and a grateful acknowledgment nor desire for any thing but amuseof the means of salvation-when we ment; no pleasure nor gratification bless him for his inestimable love in but in merriment and diversion. Their the redemption of the world by our time, their property, and their talents Lord Jesus Christ-when the love and are consumed, and the constitution of desire of another and a better world their bodies weakened and impaired occupy our attention-when as pil-in scenes like these. But what renders grims, we look forward anxiously to the end of our journey, to that delightful country where the presence of God dispels every gloom, and where neither sorrow, nor pain, nor affliction exists; where we shall see God face to face, and where the clouds of ignorance which separated man from his Maker shall be removed; "for we shall see him as he is." Let us now consider, Why this inquiry after God is so much neglected. The cares of the world and the pleasures of life engross the principal portion of our time. Mankind are ever liable to be led away by appearance. The visible things of the world strike the senses, and therefore engage our attention more than the things of a spiritual and invisible nature. Sometimes our thoughts may be occupied with religious concerns, and the bright prospects of futurity take possession of our hearts; reason may assume her prerogative over the mind, and prefer a temporal evil in the hopes of an eternity of happiness; but too often the pleasures and the temptations of the world, which meet us in every path of life, lead us from our duty; and we indulge in the things of sense, forgetful of those of eternity. The anxious thought which we take for trifles, vain and perishable as ourselves, too often chokes the seeds of piety, and makes us negligent of the "one thing needful." Some there are, who with an ardour and zeal almost incredible, spend by far the greatest portion of their time in vain and idle amusements. Those moments, which it is their interest to employ in the service of God, and the salvation of their souls, are consumed in revelry and dissipation. Year after year, month after their condition still worse is the awful manner in which they have neglected their God. They have made no inquiries-scarcely, perhaps, have ever had one single solitary thought about "God their Maker." Others there are who, with as great a degree of folly, place their whole pleasure here, and thereby risk their eternal happiness hereafter, on worldly goods, They are wishful to imagine that here is their abiding city; here is the place of enjoyment; and, therefore, all their desires, their wishes, and their hopes, are centered in this world alone.Such men never considered that 'whosoever will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." If riches increase they set their heart upon them. In their estimation, no man however upright in his conduct, circumspect in his actions, and of serious and religious habits is esteemed, unless he be endowed with a considerable portion of this world's goods. They spurn the garb of poverty as odious and loathsome. They strive by every means to amass wealth, and are obliged very often by unfair means to gratify their desires. With them the cries of the widow and the bitter lamentations of the orphan avail not. Arrogance and self-conceited pride reign predominant in their hearts. The way-worn indigent traveller in vain courts their favour and their smiles; and the pampered minion crouches at their feet. Yet, in all their ways, words, and thoughts, they remember not God, nor is there one among them to say, Where is God my Maker." Thousands pursue applause with unremitting diligence, and endeavour to obtain fame and popularity. These persons after they have succeeded in |