ages past, shall vanish before the clear light of the revelation of the Father's name, and the Father's love.

Meanwhile, it becomes us to cherish, in our own hearts, a steadfast trust in God, and labor for the dissemination of higher hopes, and purer joys among our sorrowing fellow-men. Thus shall we secure to ourselves, the "soul's calm sunshine, and the heartfelt joy," and reap "good hope and everlasting consolation," in that hour, which shall call us hence, to be here no more!

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SERMON XI.

THE PATIENCE OF HOPE.

Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him that prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. PSALM 37: 7.

THERE is a God, who rules and reigns on earth, and controls the destinies of the children of men. His government is established in righteousness, truth, and justice, and is so ordered, that virtue is its own reward, and vice sure of a just and equitable punishment. These are great truths, which are very near the foundations of religion, and their vast importance cannot be over-estimated. Man knows, that his arm is weak, in many of the conflicts of life; and when difficulties surround him, and obstacles seem reared full and impassable before him,-when virtue is sorely tried, and vice holds out her tempting allurements, and repeats her specious promises of good, then is there need of a faith fast anchored in heaven

a faith, which can look away from the deceptions of outward appearances, and believe, that, sooner or later, truth and duty shall triumph, and calmly and patiently wait the issue.

In the chapter from which our text is selected, the Psalmist treats of one of the most difficult problems presented, in the government of God. I allude to that apparent prosperity, which often attends the wicked, and the success, which frequently seems to crown the evil machinations of vicious and unprincipled men. He does not deny the fact, but admits, that wicked devices are frequently brought to pass, and the wicked often prosper in their way, for a season; and then he cautions us, not to let this truth shake our confidence in the rectitude of the Divine government; for this prosperity and success are only momentary. There is, still, a God, who ruleth; and time, which tries all things, shall reveal the omnipotence of virtue, and establish the fact, that its victory is ultimately sure. Hear him. "Fret not thyself because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither

as the green herb. Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shall thou dwell in the land, and verily shalt thou be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart. Commit thy ways unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noon-day. Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him that prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass."

Such is the great lesson, which I would wish to illustrate, and impress upon your minds, in the present discourse. God reigns in eternal equity and justice, over all the inhabitants of the earth. Appearances may often give to vice an apparent prosperity, and indicate, that truth and duty are crushed, and trampled in the dust. Yet, it need not disturb us. God lives. We have but to wait in calm confidence and patient hope; for the veil will be uplifted, at last, and then, shall it appear, that virtue alone is permanent and safe, and all the triumphs of vice delusive and false.

Let us endeavor to obtain a clear view of the facts, and circumstances, to which the exhortation of the text should be applied.

Consider, for a moment, the prosperity of the wicked, as it is seen in outward appearances around you. I use the term prosperity here, of course, in the sense in which it is used by the world, to denote temporal thrift, success in gathering riches, and accumulating the good things of this life. It is doubtless true, that honesty and persevering industry, will, under ordinary circumstances, procure a man a competency of the goods of the world, and give a comfortable livelihood. But, I suppose it is equally apparent, that great wealth is not accumulated in this way. Labor is the only real producer of the wealth of the world; and, it is manifest, on a moment's reflection, that, no man can live long enough to procure by the sweat of his brow, anything like what the world calls a fortune.

Hence, when you find a man, with an estate of some hundreds of thousands, or, perhaps, millions, you know, well enough, that he did not get it by his own industry, and that, it is the product