tender compassionate Father, who pitied us in our low estate, "because his mercy endureth for ever;" in whose glory our own welfare is wrapped up, and who has promised shortly to take us to himself to behold his glory. But how shall our conduct in the world have any tendency to promote this end?

First, As it constrains men to acknowledge the superiority of the principles, supports, and prospects which we derive from our Father which is in heaven. Christianity challenges every other system to produce like effects; heathen philosophy could form a cold speculative code of morals, but it could not animate to obedience; it could discover no atonement, no pardon for sin; it could open no passage to immortality. The daily effects produced by the religion of the Gospel; the consistency with which its genuine disciples live; the patience and cheerfulness with which they bear affliction; the calm, intrepid, manly Christian firmness with which they can face the king of terrors, force men to own its superiority and utter a wish, (perhaps halfstifled,)"Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his." Surely "their rock is not as our rock, our enemies themselves being judges."

Secondly, The purity, and consistency of our lives while it promotes the glory of God, has an evident tendency under the influences of the divine Spirit to engage others to follow our example. With hearts shut against instruction

and reproof, sinners will refuse to examine the Bible, or to attend the ordinances of God's house; but the effects of religion in the Christian character follow them into the world, and powerfully, though silently, preach to their hearts and consciences. Conviction arises in their breasts, 'How amiable is that character! how unlike my own!' This leads to examination of the cause that can produce such effects; and religion fairly examined will always triumph. They find it is not that gloomy terrifying spectre their distorted prejudiced fancy had formed, but an invigorating, consoling, animating principle, leading its possessors to joys and pleasures unknown before; they are led to implore the gift of the Spirit for themselves, and they themselves become by a gradual progress the characters they admired; and thus "God in all things is glorified through Christ Jesus our Lord." Jehovah will indeed be glorified when he shall have accomplished his mighty purpose, of "bringing many sons to glory;" and then how unutterable the joy of that person shall be, who is not only brought safely to heaven himself, but has been the means, by his pious instructions, fervent prayers, and exemplary life, of having converted a sinner from the error of his ways, and saved a soul from death. How transcendent the felicity of those, who having been "wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and having turned many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever."

From this subject we may learn,

First, If God commands his people to shine as lights in the world, he expects that all men should pay attention and observe the light they shed, and consider the source from whence it is derived, and glorify him the Father of lights; and if such holy examples be set before them in vain, God will one day call them to a just account for these, among many other slighted neglected calls to repentance and holiness.

Secondly, This subject speaks to those who are the disciples of Christ; and it should excite them to humility. How little have we reflected around us the light we have received! how little have our lives and tempers been calculated to strike conviction on the impenitent and unbelieving! Let this consideration urge us to press on to higher degrees of faith and holiness, that the short remnant of our lives may more abundantly "shew forth the praises of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light."

We should also learn that the proper end of Christian obedience is the glory of God. Men are to "see our good works;" but it is not that thay may extol our virtues and feed our vanity, but that they may "glorify our Father which is in heaven." And this is one grand excellence of religion, that it subdues and annihilates that selfish principle which reigns the idol of every wicked

man.

If we have been enabled by the grace of God

to promote his glory by thus letting our light shine before men, we should beware of pride. Let the question often recur to our minds, "Who made thee to differ from another; and what hast thou that thou didst not receive?" Let us lay all our attainments at the Redeemer's feet, saying, "Of thine own have we given thee... We are unprofitable servants... Through the grace of God we are what we are."

Finally, Let us press on, encouraged by the assurance, that though sins, temptations, and weaknesses may often cast a cloud on our light here below, yet it shall be " as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day." In heaven "there shall be no more night," but "the righteous shall for ever shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father."

SERMON XIV.

A REFUGE IN TROUBLE..

PART L

PSALM 1. 15.

And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.

THE great Lord of the universe, in whom we live, and move, and have our being, whose greatness is unsearchable, whose nature is incomprehensible, and whose ways are past finding out, has yet condescended so far in compassion to our wants, our miseries, and our weaknesses, as to reveal himself under the name whereby he will be known,—a God hearing and answering prayer; and as such he permits, he commands, he invites, he encourages all flesh to come unto him. But man is strangely averse to that duty which is his highest privilege, and should be his greatest delight. Hence the necessity of oft-repeated incitements to the exercise: our text is one; it is full of grace and kindness. May our meditations be made a means, under the divine blessing, of stirring up in us holy dispositions to comply with its invitation.