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demption, he is the Bridegroom, and the Church is the Bride: "I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine." Does the Apostle then enjoin upon those that have wives, and of course upon those that have husbands, to be as though they had none? Oh how inestimably valuable must be that religion, which in the contrast impoverishes these endearing relations, and throws them into the shade; which holds up to view a nobler prize, and unveils an infinitely richer source of happiness to mortal eyes and hearts. He does not mean, that the married are to renounce their mutual affection. He does not intend to contradict what he elsewhere inculcates, "Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord." "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the Church, and gave himself for it." But his object is fully explained in the succeeding verses. In his time, whatever may be the fact with us, there existed this remarkable distinction to the prejudice of marriage and in favour of celibacy; "He that is unmarried careth for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please the Lord: But he that is married careth for the things that are of the world, how he may please his wife." And to this he objects, this preference of the finite, to the Infinite. He had himself, "whether in the body," "or whether out of the body," he "could not tell; he had himself been "caught up into paradise," and having witnessed its unspeakable glories, he did not hesitate to regard their acquisition far beyond the highest of all earthly enjoyments. He rather "counted all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord." In comparison of this, even the nuptial tie lost its powerful charm; it ceased to deserve the first place in the human heart, and faded into relative insignificance.

Nor can we upon serious reflection for a moment refuse to agree with him. I will take the happiest pair surrounded by the happiest family on which the sun has ever shone; they shall reciprocate each other's love to a degree outvying the tenderness of the wedded dove; and still, What is their happiness, when contrasted with the happiness of heaven? To say nothing of the vast difference in point of intensity, it is sufficient to remark, that in the one case, it is begun, continued, and ended here; in the other, it is everlasting; it has a commencement, but it has no end; "Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures forevermore." How vain and fallacious then to

surrender the hope of their possession even at the fairest of all earthly shrines. Particularly when we consider the uncertainty attending every thing human. How often have the fondest ties been rudely snapt in twain! How early has the blooming bride been eonsigned to the mouldering tomb! How abruptly have parents been required to mourn the loss of their smiling babes! And deaf to these agonizing lessons of instruction, shall we continue to dote upon our fleeting idols, heedless of every thing else, reckless of the value, the welfare, and the happiness of the undying soul? No, no: We may love them, tenderly and affectionately love them. It is our duty, and praised be God, our duty is never at variance with the best feelings and inclinations of the heart. But still we must love them as though we had none; as though they were to be removed from our sight at a moment's warning; as though we were widowed and childless, without one link of a chain to fetter the soul, and prevent it from "seeking those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." In a word, we must love them in decided subserviency to the love of God; to the love of that gracious Being, who, with more affection than ever belonged to husband or wife, parent or child, came to redeem and save us; came, while we were yet sinners, to bleed and die, that we might be exalted to those pure regions, where "they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God."

It remaineth, in the second place, that "they that weep be as though they wept not." That there are numerous sources of affliction in the world is too evident to be denied. We have all felt them. In some shape or other, to some degree or other, distress and even anguish of mind have been the lot of every individual, who has arrived at the years of maturity. He is either poor, and forced to "eat the bitter bread of misery;" or sick and infirm, with sleepless nights to follow days of languishment and pain; or exempted from penury and disease, he has been bereft of what the heart held most dear; his home has been invaded by the tyrant death, and tears have been made to flow over ruined hopes, and worldly prospects forever blasted. Is it possible then to weep, as though he wept not; as though there were something in reserve, enough to still the voice of his complaint, and induce him to bear up manfully against the swelling surges of calamity? Yes, Brethren, to the praise and honqur of our most holy faith, be it spoken, there is in religion a speci

fick for every sorrow, a balm for every wound. It does not indeed insist, that we should never sigh, never drop the scalding tear; for Christ himself both sighed and wept. He sighed for the hardheartedness of the multitude, and weeping at the tomb of Lazarus, in this manner consecrated one of the most tender and natural impulses connected with our humanity.

And yet, to the piously afflicted of every class and station, there is a large share of comfort to be drawn from the consideration appealed to, by the Apostle; "The time is short." Are they poor and needy? The hour is at hand, when "they shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more;" when the cold winds of winter will no longer search their tattered garb; when the manifold ills of poverty will be joyfully exchanged for "treasures in heaven, where neither moth ncr rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal." Are they beset with pain? Are they weighed down with sickness? So was the holy Job, so the wretched Lazarus. But now they are comforted, and soon shall it be thus with them, "Sickness and death shall both agree

"To bring" them, "Lord, at last to thee."

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Are they in the number of those, who mourn the departure of be loved friends and relatives? "I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren," says the Apostle, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope." A little while, and there will be no barrier to intervene between them and the lamented dead. A little while, and they will have the in expressible felicity of being reunited to their surviving spirits, to part no more. If such then are the consolations attending the hope of the gospel, see you not, that Christians have every reason to weep, as though they wept not; as though they were already invested with "beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." Surely it is in this aspect, that we must all concur in celebrating the divine goodness and compassion. No murmurings, no repinings should mingle with the sorrows of the righteous. The time is short, for weeping; but there is a long eternity, in which to rejoice and be glad; a long eternity, in which the spirits of those, that were endeared upon earth, will be happy in each other's society forever and ever.

It remaineth, in the third place, tha: "hey that rejoice be as though they rejoiced not." An inference including, as I apprehend, the

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case of all those, who are highly elated with the prosperity, which attends them, whether it be in relation to their health, their fortune, or their vices. Strange, when the world is perpetually turning its back upon its votaries, and dismissing them from the stage of action; strange, with so many examples before their eyes of a complete reverse of circumstances; strange, that they should still exult and revel, as if they were to exult and revel forever. It might be thought, that the many admonitions of the scriptures, united to personal observation, would long since have proved too hard for the transgressor, and have taught him to understand and consider his latter end. Take for example the severe irony of the royal preacher," Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes; but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment." But alas, it is not thus. There is no such redeeming spirit to repress the gay illusions of youth, of affluence, of pleasure. As the world was, so it continues to be. The time is short. We are ever treading upon the margin of the tomb. We are literally crowding each other into the land of silence; and still there are mirth, and revelry, and song; still the cry is, I am young, I am strong, "I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing." The good old fashioned scripture is derided, which saith, "It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting; for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to heart." Sooner or later, however, they will be afflicted, and mourn and weep: their laughter will be turned to mourning, and their joy to heaviness." "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life. everlasting."

It behooves us therefore, Brethren, to rejoice as though we rejoiced not. In other words, to be "transformed by the renewing of our minds;" sensible that, while we continue in a state of sin, we have no real cause for joy or self-gratulation; that we ought not to be dazzled by the glare of surrounding objects, nor suffer ourselves for one single moment to forget, that we are mortal and perishing, that we are moral and accountable beings. If there be a person on the face of the earth, whose whole, character requires to be changed

before his features can with propriety assume a joyous complexion, it is the gay and thoughtless, the licentious and voluptuous sinner. If there be one, whose countenance may always wear the smile of peace and happiness, it is the faithful, pious, and obedient Christian.

Similar remarks apply to the next inference drawn by the Apostle: It remaineth, that "they that buy be as though they possessed not." The desire of accumulating wealth is coeval with our history. "The love of money" is pronounced to be "the root of all evil.” And yet, there are few among us, who can lay their hands upon their hearts, and with a clear conscience exclaim, I have enough and to spare. We are rather all of us more or less inclined to increase our worldly substance. And certainly, when that inclination is controlled by fair views and proper motives, it is laudable, just, and right, beneficial to ourselves and families, to our country and the world. But what are those motives? We must not "trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God." We are not to "join house to house," and "lay field to field," as if life were bestowed with no higher object to engross our time and talents. We are not to be so careful and busy about the things that perish, as to neglect those that are imperishable and eternal. We are to bear in mind, that let our riches be ever so great, they will never supply the place of the "pearl of great price;" that God is not so poor, as to be susceptible of a bribe; that the crown of glory is not an article of merchandise set up at auction, and affording an opportunity to the highest bidder to purchase the salvation of his soul. But this blessed consummation, following in the train of a well-spent life, is to be gained by estimating our temporal concerns exceeding cheap in comparison of eternity. In this sense it is, that they who buy are to be as though they possessed not. They are to live under the solemn conviction, that they are about to die, that the time is short, in which the largest fortune can be called their own, and the period constantly approaching nearer and nearer, when they must bid a long farewell to their earthly possessions; when they will receive more real heartfelt satisfaction, in bearing away to another and a better world, the testimony of an approving conscience, than was ever enjoyed by the whole host of misers, in the midst of the greatest revenues gathered without right, and hoarded up without mercy of compassion, without ever abstracting a cent to relieve the sick, to feed the hungry, or clothe the naked.

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