cles; and when Christianity was firmly established, this extraordinary power ceased, and the ordinary means were vouchsafed to men, to enable them to "work out their own salvation with fear and trembling."

Thus in a little while was the great work of redemption performed; the three great events were effected in a little whilecreation, redemption, and the immission of the Holy Spirit. God said, "Let there be light; and there was light." He spake the word, and it was; at his command, the works of nature uprose; uniformity burst forth out of the chaos, and order and regularity followed the words of the mighty God. Redemption also was wrought out in a little while. "In a little while, ye shall not see me; and again a little while, and ye shall see me;" the prophetic style of which words, combined with their closely accurate accomplishment, must, when the resurrection had actually occurred, have constituted in the minds of the disciples one of the most impregnable evidences of Christianity. Again, the Holy Spirit was vouchsafed in a little while; for

we read, that “when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues, like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them, and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance."

But we merely introduce these circumstances to your notice, my brethren, to show you, how soon any great event may be accomplished, when the Almighty has the direction of it. We know not what may happen or befall us in a little while; we may be removed from the passing events of this world to the glories, or to the miseries of the other. A little while, and prosperity and the richest happiness may attend us, bringing with them those blessings, which support us through the varied trials of life, and constituting, comparatively speaking, a joyful existence. A little while, adversity may frown upon us; misfortunes

one after another may beat us down even with the dust. One after another of those endearing comforts may fall from us, until we be left in a state of abject misery. One of these cases may happen to us in a little while. How necessary then is it for us to be prepared! It should be our object to spiritualize the mind: to make ourselves, through God's help, verily and indeed Christians. And there is scarcely any better test than the state of the mind when misfortune cometh upon it, to know whether we be Christians. Not that we affirm, that the mind is to assume a hardiness which bespeaks any thing but Christianity; we would see it bend, but not be broken; we would see it yield to the affliction, which God sends for some good purpose, but not utterly dejected; we would see it receive the visitation, as a means which God takes to call his people to holiness, or to try them in their faith. And, be assured, that he is the best Christian, who can endure the trial with the greatest patience, and submit to the chastening hand of the Almighty with the greatest serenity. We

have only to look at the patience of the Son of God, when upon the cross-he, who might have had around him, by a single word, ten thousand ministering angels, passed through the greatest torments, and submitted to the lowest punishment for a disobedient world: we bid you look at him in the midst of all his affliction, observe his patience, see his obedience, look upon him ascending the mount with the weight of the cross upon his shoulders-see him in the garden of Gethsemane. Oh no, look further! behold him upon the cross between two thieves, insulted, murdered; yet he was led like a sheep to the slaughter, without a murmur, without a cry; though his flesh, his feelings, his senses were as ours, with respect to his humanity; though he could feel, when the nails were driven through his hands and feet; though he could feel, when the cruel mob was around him, pouring out their revilings and blasphemies; yet he endured all these things. So should we, my brethren, endure tribulation and trial in the same

spirit, in the same firmness, and in the same charity!

But there is another consideration, which our text naturally suggests; "What is this that he saith, A little while ?” "A little while, and ye shall not see me; and again a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father." In the preceding verses, Jesus told his disciples, that it was expedient for him to go away; and he immediately gives them the reason, "If I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you." Our Saviour was desirous to press upon the minds of his followers the necessity of his departing; for, unless he had suffered, the world would not have been redeemed, and unless he had ascended, the Comforter would not have been sent. And therefore it was not only expedient for us, that Christ should suffer, but it was infinitely to our advantage, that the Comforters hould be sent. The sufferings of the Son of God were our gain, and the object of the Holy Spirit being sent