The most it recommends is, a perfect insensibility to life and death. Pride advises to assume a manly fortitude. Infidelity soothes with the syren song, that "death is an eternal sleep." Under the influence of such counsellors, all we can attain to is, "like brutes to live, like brutes to, die." How comfortless and unavailing, are the efforts and suggestions of men, on this subject! How far short do their discoveries fall, of teaching us to die well. But here Christianity steps in, and brings Immortality to light. This instructs us how to live and how to die. Indeed it has made a discovery of infinite importance to our dying race. It has taught us how to convert death into gain. By the votaries of the world, the sentiment, that "to die is gain," is accounted a paradox. For with them, to live is gain to acquire fame is gain-to increase in wealth is gain-to revel in pleasure is gain; while to die is loss. But to the real Christian, the friend of God, and follower of the Lamb, the sentiment appears consistent with itself, worthy of the Gospel, and of practical impor

tance.

St. Paul uttered it while under the immediate inspiration of the Holy Ghost, and at a time when he was suffering bonds and imprisonment for the sake of the Gospel. Though he endured much for Christ, and though it was his work, his interest, his glory, to spread the Gospel, so that for him to live was Christ, yet to die was his greatest gain. This idea

gave unbounded consolation to this chief Apostle, during his multiplied sufferings. It constrained him to desire to depart and be with Christ. For it would be gain to him, to be freed from sorrow, affliction and sin, and to dwell where he should know, love, serve and enjoy his Redeemer better. Every believer who confides in the Son of God, as his hope, may derive support under the heaviest troubles from the same reflection, and adopt the language of Paul, and say, "For me to live is Christ, but to die is gain."

In our meditations upon this text, on this funeral occasion, we shall attend to the two propositions it contains.

I. That to live is Christ.

II. That to die is gain, to the Believer.

And may God give us wisdom to understand the Scriptures; faith to embrace the Saviour; a heart to glory in the Cross; and grace so to live, as that it shall be Christ to us. to live, and to die our everlasting gain.

We are FIRST to open the proposition, that for a believer to live is Christ. This proposition is equivalent to another of the Apostle's expressions; "I am crucified to the world; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liv. eth in me." Conscious of his guilt, of having forfeited the favour of God, and of having incurred the just displeasure of the Almighty, by his past disobedience, and present imperfections in duty; he declared that his hopes of

eternal life were built on Christ alone. So that, in view of his sinfulness, he was dead as to all expectation of future felicity as to himself; and he lived solely by a reliance on the Son of God, for the blessings of salvation. Thus Christ lived in him, and for him to live was Christ.

This implies that Christ is the fountain or source of spiritual life, in the hearts of his people. Naturally we are all spiritually dead. In a moral view, we resemble the dry bones which in vision, Ezekiel saw. We exhibit no symptoms of life. We have no spiritual breath, to breathe forth the feelings of devotion and praise-We have no spiritual flame to enkindle holy desires-no spiritual activity to engage us in the service of our Redeemer. This is the wretched condition of every child of Adam. This was once the case with the Apostle, which he confesses in language not to be misapprehended. "I was alive without the law once; but when the commandment came, sin revived, and I died." And in our unconverted state, it may be said of us all, "Ye have no life in you." We may be alive in the service of the world; we may be alive to sin, but we are dead to holiness. It cannot be affirmed of us, therefore, that we live, until we are renewed; until the Spirit comes and breathes upon us, and thus quickens us to life. But of this spiritual life, Christ is the source. He provided for its existence in the soul. sends the Spirit to communicate it. By the

He

agonies of the Cross, he obtained this Spirit. By his grace he commissions this Spirit to call forth the sinner from his death in sin. And through his mercy this life is imparted. Thus Christ is the author of eternal life to them that believe. Thus is it Christ for every believer to live. Hence the child of God, who once lay dead in sin, but now is raised to newness of life, by the Spirit, can say, "For me to live is Christ." For me, once a lost, depraved sinner; guilty before God, and deserving his righteous indignation-for me, who naturally drank in iniquity like water, who delighted in transgression, and even despised the name and blood of a Saviour-for me, who ought to perish, and to have no hope of life, no offer of mercy-for me to live is Christ.

Again, this declaration implies a depe ndence on Christ for the continuance of that life. The Lord Jesus is both the Author and Finisher of the Christian's faith. Through him spiritual life is first wrought in the soul, and by him that life is preserved. It is as necessary that it should be supported, as it is that it should be imparted. And the same power is requisite in the one case as in the other. For of himself, the believer is insufficient to think a good thought, or to perform a holy act. He cannot exercise the Christian graces, or maintain the Christian character. Left of God, he would instantly relapse into unbelief, and sin. He would desert from the standard of the Cross, and walk no more with Christ.

Of this the believer is conscious. He feels his weakness, his dependence, his constant liability to go astray, without his Saviour. strengthens, supports and keeps him, For he is taught by his own experience, that he can feel no contrition for sin, no delight in duty, no regard for God's glory, no pleasing anticipations of joys to come, without the aid of Him who is the believer's life. On his righteousness and atonement, his blessing and grace,: therefore, he continually relies. He depends on his Spirit which first communicated life, to perpetuate it. To the same Spirit he looks for assistance to animate his affections, to enkindle holy desires, to inspire with devotion, inflame his zeal, illuminate his mind, prompt him to spiritual activity, and to work in him whatever else is necessary to complete the Christian character, and to make him, as a man of God, perfect. Thus, for the believer to live is Christ, as it is Christ who continues and supports the life of faith in his soul.

This declaration implies also, a full surren dering of ourselves to Christ, to suffer his frowns for our sins, or tribulation for his sake; to obey his Gospel, and to promote his cause. In both of these respects, to live is Christ. It was on this account Paul made the assertion. He endured much for the sake of Christ, and he laboured much to advance his cause and interest. He suffered bonds, imprisonment, stripes, and the loss of all things, in the service of his Lord. The followers of the Lamb,