My brethren, when we consider thus all that God has done for us in this world, and promised to us in the next; when we think of His mercies and loving kindnesses to us, and of our sinful behaviour towards Him, we have all too much reason, on the one hand, to be filled with wonder and with praise; and, on the other, to be covered with humbleness and shame and many there are, God knows, who have so disgraced themselves with repeated wickednesses and the worst of crimes, that, were it not for the never-failing mercies of that God with whom we have to do, they must sink at the remembrance of their own evil deeds into despair and misery; whilst even the best men living may well pray, from the bottom of their hearts, God be merciful to me a sinner!

Since, then, this is the case with you and me; since we are all unworthy sinners, and have none of us made that return which we owe to Almighty God for His great love and goodness-what must we do? Why, what else remains for us to do, but to give ourselves up more and more,

the shorter our time gets on earth, to the service of our Maker and Redeemer? To offer ourselves, our souls and bodies, more entirely to that God who made us out of nothing, and promises us eternal life ; and to that Blessed Saviour who redeemed us, that is, bought us off from the eternal punishments which our sins deserved, by the shedding of His own precious blood? Why should we suffer all that God has done for our souls to come to nothing, and be of no use to us, through our unthankfulness, and disobedience, and neglect? Why should we make His mercies vain? Why should we despise His love? Why should we mock His pity and forbearance? O why should we provoke His anger? Must not we be the sufferers? Must not the bitter

consequences of such behaviour fall only upon ourselves? Is it not for our sake alone that God calls us to repentance? He cannot be hurt by our wickedness, any more than He can be benefited by our righteousness. These bodies must suffer for it in the torments of eternal fire, these souls must pay for it in the agonies of eternal misery!

Blessed be God, with us it is not yet too late. The offer of mercy is still made to us, the door of heaven is not yet shut against us. The choice is still given us, between happiness that shall never fade, and sorrow that shall never have an end.

May God give us grace to make a wise and happy choice, that we may endeavour in all things cheerfully to obey His will, and to obtain that holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: ever hungering and thirsting after righteousness, as the greatest treasure which we can have on earth, and seeking those heavenly treasures, those things that are above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God!

Born for that world of blessedness, and made that we might enter into that place of Glory, to join the holy and the happy company of angels and of saints already there, let us be ashamed to set our affections on the perishing things of this world, and our hearts on its unprofitable pleasures. Above all, let us tremble to offend the Holy God of heaven, by any act of wilful sin for sin He hateth, and will most surely punish. Let us remember that we are not

our own, but His. It is He that hath made us, and not we ourselves; it is He that preserves us, it is He that hath redeemed us, it is His Holy Spirit that watches near us. Therefore, let us keep our bodies in temperance, in soberness, in modesty and chasteness, and our souls in innocence, in pureness and in peace. In the outward conduct of our lives, and in the secret thoughts and counsels of our hearts, let us keep ourselves holy, that before men we may shine like lights in this world of wickedness and darkness, and before God may not appear as hypocrites and deceivers: for if there is a character above all others hateful to the Almighty, it is that man who puts on before his fellow creatures the look of holiness, and shews himself in secret before God the child and servant of the devil.

And that we may obtain that love of God in our hearts, without which we cannot do our duty towards Him, nor ever hope to please Him, let us think more and more of all that He has done for our souls: how He has loved us, when we have not deserved, and protected us when we had no right to expect it, and redeemed us by His Son

when we had no hope, and still promises to help, with His Holy Spirit, all those who devoutly pray for it.

The more we think of God's love to us, the more we shall learn to fix our hearts on Him. The more we think of His forbearance and goodness, the more we shall feel our own unworthiness and wickedness. The more we think of our Saviour's sufferings for us, the more we shall be ashamed to crucify Him afresh by our sins: and the more we think of those blessed promises which are made to us through Him, the more we shall desire to live in such a manner that they may be fulfilled in us.

Go then, my brethren, and not only now, but evermore bear these things in mind; and may it comfort you in the season of affliction, may it support you in the time of trial, may it strengthen you when in temptation, and encourage you when in sorrow and repentance; may it soothe you in the hour of sickness, and cheer you on the bed of death, to remember what God in His great mercy has done for the salvation of your souls.