busy multitude? No; this is not his place, for he walketh in a narrow way, which is frequented by the few. Then must we look for him amongst the poor? We shall, perhaps, find more good men in this class than in any other. Not that poverty will save a man, any more than riches will destroy him; but having fewer worldly attachments, and enticements to evil, the poor are commonly the most ready to receive the Truth in the love of it, and are often the richest in faith, the most ardent in love, and the most fervent in prayer. But the good man is not exclusively confined to this class, for amongst the poor there are many who are ungrateful and wicked.

3. None of these sections is the peculiar place of the good man; he may casually be found amongst the poor or rich, the learned or illiterate, but his favourite retreat is in the bosom of his friends ;-those in all ranks and conditions of life, who are the sincere, humble, faithful, persevering followers of Christ. Those who are born of the Spirit, justified by faith, renewed in the spirit of their minds, who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit, and who are imitating their heavenly Master, who went about doing good.

4. We have several examples of good men both in the Old and New Testaments. In Scripture they are called. just men, holy men, righteous men, &c., as well as good men; and when they are spoken of, there are generally some traits in their character mentioned as proofs or evidences of their excellency. It is said of Noah that he was a just man: it is also added, that he was perfect in his generation, and that he walked with God. Gen. vi, 9. The character given of Job is, that he was a perfect and an upright man, we are also told that there was none like him in the earth for piety and purity: he feared God, and eschewed evil. Job, i, 8. The venerable Simeon, who blessed the infant Saviour in the temple, is represented as being a just and devout man,-it is also said that he waited for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Ghost was upon him. Luke, ii, 25. Cornelius, the centurion of the Italian band, is called a devout man,-it is also said of him, that he feared God, with all his house, that he gave much alms to the poor, and that he prayed to God alway. Acts, x, ii. Thus we see that a good man is so called because his principles and actions are good.

II. The treasure of his heart.

1. We have before observed, that the heart of a good man is a renewed heart; if it were not so, it could not contain a good treasure. It is the heart of a good man, and nothing but conversion can make a good man. • Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Baptism, abstinence from flagitious sins, doing some kind actions, having many good properties, being connected with some christian church, feeling some good desires, feeling some Divine illuminations and drawings of the Spirit,— none of these, nor all of them, make a man's heart truly and really good. It must be changed. It must become an enlightened heart, then a penitent heart, then a believing heart, and then it will be a new heart and a good heart. Matt. xviii, 3; Gal. vi, 15.

2. Hence one jewel in this good treasure, is living faith. Not an idle, inactive, useless notion; but a grace which works by love, increasing from one degree to another, purifying the heart, and bringing into the soul an everlasting righteousness. John, iii, 36; Rom. x, 10; Heb. xi, 1, 6; James, ii, 17.

3. Another gem in this treasure, is love. That gracious principle, habit, or disposition, which is wrought in the heart by the Spirit of the Lord, and which inclines the believer to delight in God as his chief good, and to feel and manifest the greatest good-will to his fellow-creatures. Very excellent things are spoken of this charity or love. 1 Cor. xiii.

4. Another precious jewel, is joy, arising from an overwhelming sense of the presence of the Lord, and from a contemplation of future bliss. Rom. v, 2; 1 Peter, i, 8, and iv, 13.

5. Another rich jewel, is peace. Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Rom. v, 1; Eph. ii, 14. Peace with conscience and with the passions, a calm and constant peace of the heart, the bequest of Christ and the gift of God. John, xiv, 27; xvi, 33; Rom. xiv, 17; xv, 13. And peace with all mankind. Heb. xii, 14.

6. Humility is another inestimable gem in this good treasure. This grace is at once a garment, an ornament, and a treasure; the gift of God, and the harbinger of contentment and peace. 1 Pet. v, 5, and iii, 4; Prov. xxii, 4.

7. And another valuable jewel, is sympathy, or that disposition of the heart by which the good man feels and participates in the joys and sorrows of his fellow-creatures, and especially of his fellow-christians. Rom. xii, 15.

III. The good things which he bringeth forth.

1. Piety or holiness. From the manner in which he conducts himself, it is manifest that he has high and pure thoughts of God, and correct and solemn thoughts of himself, of mankind, of sin, of happiness, of death, of judgment, and eternity. He brings forth good words, the offspring of those thoughts, and which are ordered with discretion, and according to circumstances. If he be with saints, they are sweet and encouraging; if with sinners, grave and serious, expressive of pity and concern. He lets no corrupt communication proceed out of his mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And he brings forth good works. Acts of piety towards God, and good-will towards all mankind,

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2. Benevolence. This is sympathy called into action. Out of the good treasure of his heart arise resolutions to assist and relieve his suffering brethren according to his ability, and he puts those resolutions into action: hence he endeavours to do good unto all men, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

3. Zeal. This is the effect of Divine love. He loves God, and desires that he should be known and loved by all his creatures. He loves his fellow-man, and wishes him to be happy in the enjoyment of the favour and love of God: hence he is actively engaged in promoting the honour of God and the welfare and happiness of his species. He entreats, exhorts, admonishes, and persuades; praying with all prayer and supplication for all men, and giving his assistance to every institution that has for its object the glory of God and the salvation of mankind.

4. Patience, or that calm and serene temper with which he endures the evils of life and suffers the will of God. His heart is not the seat of fretful passions, but in it he lets patience have her perfect work. He is in possession of that meek, quiet, and happy spirit which converts all external events to its own profit, and deduces some good even from the most unpromising. It extracts comfort and satisfaction

even from the most trying and afflictive circumstance, and thus "sucks honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock."

5. And a good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth those good things in their season. He does not bring forth his patience when he is caressed and applauded, but when he is reviled and provoked. He does not bring forth his contentment in prosperity, but in adversity; his benevolence in the time of distress, his zeal in the season of barrenness, his cheerfulness in affliction, and his triumph in the hour of death.

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APPLICATION." Is thine heart right? By giving due attention to the verse which contains our text, you may ascertain whether your hearts are right or not. A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things."

If your thoughts be unholy, impure, worldly, envious, or vindictive; your words impure, profane, or uncharitable ; your works unrighteous, malicious, or impious; you may be certain that yours is an evil heart of unbelief; that in it there is no good treasure; that from it, while in its present state, there can come no good thing. Let me, therefore, entreat you to humble yourselves, and repent of your wickedness, and pray to God, if perhaps the thoughts of your hearts may be forgiven you, and your souls renewed by the power of Divine grace.

But have you reason to conclude that your hearts are so far under the influence of the grace of God, that you are enabled to bring forth good things? Render thanks to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord, for his abundant mercy and grace look to him that he may continue to cleanse the thoughts of your hearts by the inspiration of his Holy Spirit, that you may perfectly love him, and worthily magnify his holy name; and constantly pray, "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my Redeemer."

COME AND WELCOME.

ISAIAH, lv, 1.

Oh, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters," &c.

THE history of the prophet Isaiah, as contained in the book of his prophecy, and in other parts of Holy Writ, developes one of those valuable characters which is always better for investigation. The more we know of him, the more we venerate his memory; and in whatever light we consider him, whether as a writer, a public character, or a prophet, we invariably find in him something to admire. As a writer, he is a perfect model of the sublime and beautiful. We do not know of any thing so rich and elegant in language as the writings of this prophet. His powerful eloquence fires the breast! Who can stand unmoved under the exalted strains of this evangelical prophet? As a public man, we cannot but admire the unassuming modesty on the one hand, and the manly firmness on the other, with which he addressed nobles and princes, and the confidence and authority with which he delivered Jehovah's messages. When Sennacherib, king of Assyria, invaded Judah and came up against Jerusalem, he and Rabshakeh his general boasted much of what his fathers had done to several nations, and of what he intended to do to Judah and Jerusalem. He endeavoured to intimidate king Hezekiah, to prejudice the men of Judah against him, and to reproach the living God. Hezekiah, feeling anxious for himself and his people, rent his clothes and covered himself with sackcloth, and went to the house of the Lord and spread Sennacherib's letter before his God: he also sent some of the priests to Isaiah, to solicit an interest in the prayers of the prophet; and Isaiah, with strong confidence in God, sent this message to the despairing king. "Thus saith the Lord, be not afraid of the words which thou hast heard, wherein the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed me. He shall not enter into this city, nor shoot an arrow there, nor come before it with shield, nor cast a bank against it, for I will defend this city to save it." And it came to pass, that very soon after the angel of death entered Sennacherib's camp and slew 185,000 of his men: and the proud Assyrian was