you see all personal considerations swallowed up in the immensity of parental feeling. Peace and serenity spread over the face of wue. Even death itself losing its sting, at the prospect of life and hap piness being ensured to these objects which nature has endeared to us above our own existence. Do you think you could resist the luxury which such a moment held out to you? Oh, how truly has it been said, that far better is it for man to go into the house of mourning than into the house of joy. Think not that the earnestness with which I address you is mere trick and artifice. No, no! no such thing. No, believe me, were I imploring your charity for the mother that bore me, my heart and soul could not be more in that cause than it is in this. Suspect me not then of using any efforts, but such as are, unhappily, suggested and called for by the real complexion of the case. But suppose I did, would it not be allowable? Is there any fear that charity may rise above the level of necessity? Did it ever approach it, even in times of comparative blessedness to the present? Was there ever a day in the memory of any man who hears me when there was not room for more mercy? What greater result can my most sanguine expectations present at the conclusion of this hour, than your adoption of ten or twenty additional orphans at most out of a swarm? And give me leave to ask, whom should the ministry press at this awful day, and in this cause, if not you? Where should their most zealous and strenuous efforts be used to obviate the uncommon overflow of wretched children if not among the rich? Were I addressing an assembly of inferior circumstances and condition, it would be absurd as well as fruitless to talk on this subject., I might indeed stir up their feeling and draw the tear from their eye-but tears are not charity: misery requires relief as well as pity. The natural protectors of many other institutions are not equal to the support of the few children they contain; but you, my friends, do possess the means of great and majestic efforts towards the decrease of a public calamity, and with these means the most impressible hearts. You are therefore the fairest objects to assail, as you also are the most likely to be subdued. Can I forget that during the rigour of last winter, a collection for the relief of your poor made from door to door, where it was easy, you know, to avoid the question, even without the necessity of a personal appearance, produced, in the short space of three days, the sum of seven hundred pounds; an uncommon exertion of charity, I will say, considering that it took place immediately after the contribution made for the support of these infants. Not a single refusal, I understand, did the gentlemen who collected receive in the whole course of their circuit. On the contrary, every where abundance, and in many instances profusion. No pressing intreaty was used with you; no obstinate or (as I fear you now find it) presuming length of solicitation. The claims of your petitioners were written on the face of nature, on the hoary mantle of the earth, and conveyed in the bitterness of the breeze. In looking through your casements you naturally reflected on the special comforts and blessings you enjoyed, and raised your eyes to Heaven in fervent thanksgiving, while your imaginations tenderly depicted the horrible reverse of cold, nakedness, and famine. The case was clear, and you were men. The delegates of misery had but to come, and see, and conquer. You gave, and gave cheerfully, and gave greatly. And is it from such hearts I can dread a repulse on this occasion? Is it only in the temple of the eternal God, where he himself conjures you through the lips of his minister, that I can suppose you to exist with impoverished feelings and inferior souls? Here, when the question is not to bestow a transitory relief, but to perform an act of permanent and inconceivable mercy. In that word, perhaps, lies the difficulty-permanent mercy! You look to future years. You dread, perhaps, a permanent incumbrance. Your institution once increased can never be diminished! Your hearts are with me, I know, as is your most intimate conviction that the measure is loudly called for: but the wretched prudence of the world whispers you to beware of entailing on yourselves an additional and immutable burthen! Spurn the inglorious thoughtLet glorious Humanity triumph over the world in your hearts. Familiarity will render light an additional burden which you know and feel to be necessary. SERMON II. [For the Meath Hospital.] ST. LUKE, C. xvi. v. 25. "Son, remember that thou in thy life time receivedst "thy good things, likewise Lazarus evil things; "but now he is comforted, and thou art tormen❝ted." THESE words, my brethren, form part of the well known parable, of the rich man and Lazarus ; which appears to me, when considered in its main object, to be one of the most awful lessons of instruction, contained in the gospel of Christ, and perhaps the most necessary at this day to press on the serious reflection of Christians. For this reason, that the dreadful epitaph which an immortal hand has traced on the tomb of that unfortunate victim, goes unequivocally to denounce a complexion of life and manners almost generally found compatible with perfect tranquillity of conscience. It is not the rich alone that are concerned in this case, but all those who fall into the desperate error of imagining that the way of |