this will not apply to membership. Instead of considering our union with the church as the goal of our religious career, where improvement may cease and progress be stopped, we should view it as but the very starting point, from whence we are to forget the things that are behind, and press towards the mark for the prize of our high calling. From that moment we are under more solemn obligations than ever to grow in grace, inasmuch as the means of growth are increased. Till then, we have been as trees growing in obscurity without the aid of human culture; but when we associate with a church, we are transplanted into a garden, and have the advantage of the gardener's care, and should therefore abound more than ever in all the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ unto the glory of God.

III. Consistency in their conduct, as professing Christians, is a most obvious and pressing obligation of church members.

If this page were written in tears, printed in blood, enclosed in black lines, and read with groanings that could not be uttered, even this would be too feeble an expression of the author's grief for that want of Christian consistency, which it has been his calamity to witness in what is called the religious world, and which renders it so necessary for him to insist on the importance of uniform piety. The want of this in the conduct of professing Christians, has done more harm to Christianity than all the ravings of infidelity from the time of Cain to the death of Paine. This sacred and deathless cause lifts her venerable form bearing the scars of many a wound, not inflicted by arrows

plumed with the pen of Voltaire or Hume; oh, no, such weapons, bounded from her bosom as from a shield of triple brass, and dropped at her feet to be deposited with the spoils of her victories; but the darts that lacerated her, and left the memorials of their mischief upon her form, were the vices and follies of her votaries. O Christians, will ye scourge and lacerate her, will ye array her in the costume of scorn, and leading her forth bleeding and dejected to meet her enemies in the gate, proclaim, "Behold, an impostor!" Will ye assist to raise the clamour which infidel philosophers endeavoured to excite, and stir up the multitude to exclaim, "Away with her, away with her! Crucify her, crucify her!" Tremble at the thought. If Christianity ever die, it will not be in the field of conflict by the power of her enemies, but like Cesar in the capitol, by the hand of her friends; and which of us would like to meet the look of her expiring eye, or the mild reproach of her faltering tongue,

What, thou my son!" But she cannot die; wounded she may be, and has been; but the memorials of her injury are the proofs of her immortality, and proclaim her to be of heavenly origin; like the fabled scars of the heathen gods of Greece and Rome, her wounds demonstrably show that a divinity sustained her.

Still however the inconsistences of professing Christians may limit her reign, although they cannot destroy her existence. By these things sinners are hardened in their courses, the access to life is rendered more difficult, while the avenues of eternal death are made more wide and easy. That man, whose conduct op

poses his profession, may be certainly arraigned for the crime of murder. Let him not go quietly to his pillow as if blood guiltiness were not upon his conscience, for it is there, and a voice is continually saying to him, "Thy brother's blood crieth to me from the ground." He has not slain the body of a fellow mortal, but has been accessory to the death of souls. Some that sought for an apology for their sins, an opiate for their consciences, found it in his misconduct.

I have no need to specify the duties included in the general idea of consistency; these are known well enough. The apostle's beautiful and comprehensive admonition is a sufficient directory. "Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things."

I particularly exhort church members to beware of what might be denominated the minor breaches of consistency. We are not to conclude that nothing breaks the uniformity of our character, but what subjects us to the discipline of the church. Overt acts of immorality are comparatively rare, while ten thousand instances of less delinquency, such as the church cannot take cognizance of, are continually occurring in the conduct of Christians, to the disgrace of religion and the injury of men's souls. Those things are seen in us, which would pass unnoticed in others who made no profession of religion; just as a spot which would be lost on canvass, is visible on cambric. A Christian's character is like polished steel, which may have

its lustre destroyed, not only by broad spots of rust, but by an assemblage of innumerable specks.

More scandals have occurred in the Christian church from dishonourable pecuniary transactions than from any other source. Instances of drunkenness, dishonesty, and imposition are seldom, compared with those of an artful, imposing, dishonest way of conducting business. The world is a dangerous and successful foe to grace; and although every church member professes himself to be through faith a conqueror, how many by their over-reaching, ungenerous conduct, prove that they are yet enslaved by this sordid enemy. Some there are who betray their Master for a less sum than that which Judas set upon his blood; and for a tithe of thirty pieces of silver, will be guilty of an action which they must know, at the time, will provoke the severest invective and bitterest sarcasm against all religion.

IV. Church members should excel in the manifestation of the Christian temper.

The mind which was in Christ Jesus should be in them. They should consider his character as the model of their own; and be conspicuous for their poverty of spirit, meekness, gentleness, and love. They should seek a large portion of the "wisdom which cometh from above; which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." It is matter of surprise and regret that many persons seem to think that religion has nothing to do with the temper; and that provided they are free from gross sins, and have lively feelings in devotional exercises, they

may be as petulant, irritable, and implacable as they please. This is a dreadful error, and has done great mischief to the cause of God. A sour, ill-natured Christian, if I may describe him by a resemblance as fabulous as the centaurs, is like a lamb with a dog's head, a dove with a vulture's beak, a rose with leaves of nettles. If there be any one word which above all others should describe a Christian's character, it is that which represents his divine Father; and as it is said, God is love, so should it be also affirmed, a Christian is love-love embodied, an incarnation of love. His words, conduct, nay, his very looks, should be so many expressions of love.

V. Church members should be very eminent for a right discharge of all their social duties.

The apostles have given this great importance, by the frequency with which they have introduced it.* Christianity, so far from loosening the bands of society, adds to them incredible strength and firmness, by motives drawn from the eternal world. One part of the design of revelation is to purify and strengthen the social principle, and carry it to its greatest elevation and perfection.

A good Christian, and yet a bad husband, father, brother, neighbour, or subject, is an anomaly which the world never yet beheld. Professing Christians should excel all others in the beauties of social virtue. Religion should give additional tenderness to the conjugal relationship: greater love to the parent, and obedience to

* Ephes. v. 22, vi. 1-9. Col. iii. 18. 1 Tim. vi. 1-4. 1 Pet. iii. 1, 2. 1 Pet. ii. 18.