66 friends. Yet among the cruel group were three faithful hearts watching the vile proceedings-one of which was his mother: Woman," said Jesus when he was about to expire, "behold thy son'!" That moving epithet ought to have been sufficient to have caused them to desist; but, no! it only added ardour to the work they hardened their hearts; they crucified the Son of God. Brethren, what say you to such an interference in your behalf? How can your hearts be hardened, when you hear the redemption, which this Divine Personage brought into the world? "Today if ye will hear his voice, harden not your heart." This day that voice has fallen upon your ears: the whole service of our Church, indeed, is well adapted to move the heart; every thing that is touching and soul-stirring is contained in our prayers; and then the sermons, which you This passage has been generally misinterpreted. We are told, that from that hour St. John took the Virgin Mary to his own house,-certainly in obedience to these words; therefore, Christ must have here alluded to John, who was to act to his mother as a son. should hear every Sunday, are expositions of the voice of God. But the voice of God may be heard every day by opening your Bibles, and collecting around you the family group. Remember that "where two or three are gathered together," whether it be in the Church or at your homes, "there will God be in the midst of you." But the divine providences and the daily occurrences of life are also indicative of the voice of God: his name is heard in the thunders as well as in the still small voice, which whispers within you. The prosperity which you enjoy, the adversity which at times cruelly frowns upon you, the happiness of which you largely partake, the cup of misery of which you are compelled to sip, the companionship of your fellows, the endearments of home, your possessions, your relatives, your enemies, your life and death, and all the dreary appendages of the grave,—all are to you, as the voice of God. You yourselves best know, whether you listen to that voice, or whether you harden your hearts and forbid the influence of his holy Spirit taking deep root in your souls. The conduct of the rebellious Israelites should be a sufficient warning to the Christians: they abused every opportunity, which, for forty years, God vouchsafed unto them, till at last he withdrew his blessings from them, and refused to them the land, which he had promised to their obedience, Doubtless, he will act in the same manner toward us, if we harden our hearts and refuse to listen to his voice; if we turn from the opportunities, which he places continually before us; and if we slight the means, which he has granted to us, through the merits of his Son, and set up our own standard, instead of embracing the holy standard of Jesus Christ. Oh! brethren, how can we, Sabbath after Sabbath, day after day, refuse to listen to the voice of God! Every thing around us speaks of Divinity; every thing demands our love to the Creator, and our obedience to his laws. The GOSPEL-what is it? Is it a hollow and dull sound, meaning nothing but idle tales? Oh! no; its announcement has gone forth to the utter most parts of the earth; it has brought peace to the disconsolate, when before there was no peace; it has shed abroad those heavenly rays, which have warmed the hearts upon which they fell; it has chased away the darkness in which the world was involved after the fall of the forefather; it has redeemed man from bondage, and presented to his fallen eye the glorious liberty of the sons of God; it has visited the heart, when that heart has been oppressed with the cares and troubles of the world; it has raised the soul, when it has been buried in the deep concerns of passing woe; yea, the Gospel has brought that change upon earth, which has lit up the dayspring on high, causing it to shine forth with that heavenly lustre which darkness could never dim, which sin could never eclipse, which Satan could never extinguish. To-day, ye have heard its voice, "harden not your hearts," resist not its influence, pray that it may be fully preached, that not a particle may be kept back, and that God may crown with suc Y |