There is a light inaccessible and full of glory, which no mortal can approach; but there is a reflection of that light and glory in the face of Jesus Christ-our kinsman-redeemer-by beholding which, as in a mirror, we shall be changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Second, It was in sight like unto an emerald in point of beauty and lustre. The emerald has always been considered as one of the most beautiful of gems, and was one of those which composed the pectoral, or breast-plate of the Jewish high-priest. A natural historian of antiquity says of it, "The sight of no colour is more pleasant than green, for we love to view green fields and green leaves, and are still more fond of looking at the emerald, because all other greens are dull in comparison with this. Besides," he adds, "those stones seem larger at a distance by tinging with their colours the circumambient air. Their lustre is not destroyed by the sun, by the shade, nor by the light of lamps, but it always preserves a sensible, moderate brilliancy." And doth not the covenant of grace shed a brightness over the darkest dispensation of God's providence, and turn even the shadow of death into the morning?

Thirdly, The rainbow was like an emerald in point of durability. This is perhaps the principal idea intended to be conveyed. The hues of the rainbow, however brilliant and gorgeous, are fleeting and evanescent, but not so the colours of a solid, hard and durable stone like the emerald. But it is the peculiarity of this rainbow, that while it has the transparency, it has the light and solidity also of the gem which no force can penetrate. In this respect, too, it becomes a fit emblem of that covenant which is said to be

settled in heaven, and to endure throughout all generations. Yea, when emeralds and diamonds, and the most costly gems, shall have perished with the things of the earth, this shall still be an everlasting covenant. It was entered into just that it might never be dissolved, and it will survive the wreck of ages and the crash of worlds. It endures as long as its author. His throne is for ever and ever; and so long as that throne remains, there will be a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. We have thus contemplated, First, what the prophet saw a rainbow,―emblematical, 1st, Of the guilt of man and the grace of God meeting together in the gospel. 2d, Of the fact of all new covenant blessings proceeding from Jesus Christ, the sun of righteousness. 3d, Of the variety, and beauty, and harmony of the benefits of redemption. Second, where he saw this rainbow-it was round about the throne. 1st, As the seat of divinity. 2d, As the seat of royalty and of judgment. 3d, To intimate that it is always within the sight of God, and that he looketh upon it with complacency and delight. We considered, Third, the appearance it presented, in sight like unto an emerald, —1st, in regard to colour; 2d, lustre; 3d, durability. In endeavouring to improve the subject, we observe, First, what a glorious and happy place heaven must be! There are exhibited there the signs and tokens of a found salvation; the tree of life, the fountain of the water of life; the lamb slain in the midst of the throne; the rainbow round about the throne; all to show that the bliss of the inhabitants will not be subject to interruption or decay. Here, even in our best estate, when the condition is the most prosperous,

and the heart overflowing with joy, there will steal in, in spite of us, the certain anticipation that this will not last always, that the serenest sky will ere long be rent with storms. But in heaven this will constitute the perfection of their felicity - to know that nothing can possibly happen to disturb it from within or from without. The sight of the peaceful emblem round about the throne is an ample security that from the dread of destruction, either by fire or flood, that happy land is completely and for ever exempt. Here the Christian often sank in the deep waters,-torrents threatened to overwhelm his soul,-deluges of woe and seas of tribulation were ready to swallow him up. But in heaven there is no more sea, no floods of great waters to come nigh him; the bright rainbow will ever proclaim to him that the work of covenant-righteousness is peace, and the effect of covenant-righteousness is quietness and assurance for ever. And oh with

what delight will they survey its beauteous and significant emblem? With what rapture will they dwell on the thought that the wild storms of life are over— that the dark flood of death has been passed, and their undisturbed and undisturbable felicity rests upon the sure foundation—the immutability, the very existence of an almighty and unchanging, a self-existing, a covenant-making, and a covenant-keeping God! Second, let me speak a word to those who are strangers to this covenant of peace. Perhaps you have never adverted to the circumstance that you have always enjoyed the benefits of the covenant made with Noah. But have you not been freely invited to embrace that covenant, of which it was but a figure-the covenant of God's peace? We again exhibit it to you in the

preached gospel. We again point you to that emblem, the rainbow of promise. We ask you, shall it always display to you its attractive colours in vain? Is it so that you shall never behold its glories in the celestial world? Oh, think how many of your fellow-creatures, and some of them perhaps lately alive and in health like you, are now shut up in the outer darkness! What would not they give for one word of gospel mercy, for one whisper of gospel hope, for one glimpse of the bow of gospel peace?

Third, to believers we say, "Seeing God has been so mindful of his covenant, see that ye remember it too with gratitude and joy." Has God ever once forgotten his covenant, or altered the thing that has gone out of his mouth? Never once. Then beware lest ye be unsteadfast or perfidious in his covenant. Oh! thou afflicted, tossed with tempest and not comforted, behold, saith God, "I will lay thy stones with fair colours and thy foundations with sapphires, and I will make thy windows of agates and thy gates of carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleasant stones." Look upwards to the emerald rainbow, and remember that it as much secures rest to God's people in heaven, as it prevents the recurrence of the flood and famine upon earth. And in reply to all the forebodings of guilt and fear say, "yet hath he made with me an everlasting covenant. Let that covenant employ the last accents of your expiring breath, and it will attune the first notes of your celestial melody. "Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto him who sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."-Amen.

SERMON VII.

"And sitting down they watched him there," &c. - MATTHEW, Chapter xxvii. from the 35th to 44th verse.

THE circumstance here narrated occurs in the detail of the indignities that were heaped upon the suffering and expiring Saviour. It seems chiefly to refer to the Roman soldiers, who were the more immediate instruments of inflicting on him the last punishment— yet, it may likewise be intended to include all others who had taken an active part in his death. They have gained their object by lifting up the Son of Man, and now, wearied and worn out with the work of blood, they sit down beside his cross.

Gazing on him with the stare of cold curiosity or the scowl of malignant cruelty, they unconsciously fulfil the prediction which had represented him as saying, "Many bulls of Bashan have compassed me, strong bulls of Bashan have beset me round—they gaped upon me with their mouths.”

There they watched him, lest by any means he might escape the allotted measure of torture, or be taken down by his disciples alive. You may see how, in thus acting, they became the unwilling, and, therefore, the more convincing witnesses of the reality of his death. But, ah, how little they knew the strength of his own determined and persevering love to man!