"* and by the name of " the Prince of Peace,' claiming to himself, as he justly may, the power of dispensing it, he says to his disciples, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."†

Seeing then, that God has been pleased to give to man the knowledge of his fallen state, to give him hope of complete recovery through a Redeemer, and to comfort him with the peaceable assurance, that he will with Christ freely give him all things, what further proof can you want of the benevolence of his nature? If what has been spoken be not enough to satisfy you in this matter, hear his own most kind and condescending intreaties,

Why," says he, addressing himself by his prophet Ezekiel to the house of Israel," will ye die? Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions, so iniquity shall not be your ruin. I have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, saith the Lord God; wherefore turn yourselves, and live ye."

As many of you, as have attended the Holy Communion with sincerity of heart, have avouched this compassionate Lord to be your God. You have confessed your sin before him; you have received the pledges of your

*ls. ix. 6.

† John xiv. 27.

Ezek. xviii. 31, 22.

Saviour's love, and you have testified before the world, that you consider yourselves no longer as your own, but as bought with a price, and under an obligation to serve God with your bodies, and with your spirits, which are his. Having then begun to live a life of faith, whatever you do, being a labour of love, will be accepted, and though imperfection. and defilement will still cleave to your best duties, yet you shall find an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and the blessing of the Lord shall be continually upon you; yea, what is written, Deuteronomy xxviii. 4-6, shall be your portion. "Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep; blessed shall be thy basket and thy store; blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out." Such are the blessings, which attend the devoted Christian. I am now to mention

3rd .The sentiments and conduct of the man, who shall receive them. He, who is a Christian indeed, and not by profession only, will say, upon the recollection of his mercies, what shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits? I will give him all I can, and indeed all he demands, and that is my heart. I will beseech

him to cleanse it by his Holy Spirit, that it may become a temple fit for so sacred a guest, and that he would vouchsafe to direct, sanctify, and govern my soul and body in the ways of his laws, and in the works of his commandments. I will, through grace, keep a conscience void of offence towards God, and towards man; and, as my works are now accepted through the merits of my Redeemer, I will cast all my care upon God, who careth for me. I will eat my bread with joy, and drink my wine, or my water, if I have nothing better, with a merry heart."

If such are your sentiments, my Brethren, most sincerely do I congratulate you upon your happiness; yea, and I also congratulate your relations, friends, neighbours, and all other persons, with whom you have any connexion. To have so many just and honourable characters among us in these bad times is an acquisition of no small value. Ye are the lights of the world, ye are the salt of the earth. Ye are, I trust, fulfilling the design of providence in seasoning that portion of the mass of mankind among whom ye are placed, so as to check the general corruption, which prevails. As many as were witnesses to the solemn manner, in which you dedicated yours lves to the Lord on the last Sabbath, are to believe, that now, at kast, if you did not so before, you will per

form your public and private duties in the most exemplary manner; that you will fear God, honour the king, and study to promote the ge neral welfare of society. As husbands, wives, parents, children, masters, servants, or as bearing any other relationship to those that are round about you, the inhabitants of that dwelling, which it is your lot to occupy, will expect from you a uniform course of temperance, regularity, kindness, and piety; so that while you are blessed and happy yourselves, you may, by the propriety of your conduct, bring blessing and happiness to them also.

But, some, perhaps, who have narrowly watched the conduct of that part of mankind, who are usually called religious, will say, " Undoubtedly this is a fine picture you have drawn of the Christian, who, if we may believe his own professions, has solemnly devoted himself to the service of God; but, in truth, we see little in him, that corresponds with the character you have given, and he is, for the most part, sad and gloomy. So he may be, and for this two reasons may be assigned. First, when a man entertains false notions of the nature of God, he perceives his justice, but is unacquainted with the extent of his love. In that case, thinking the staff of vengeance is lifted up to strike him, he cannot but tremble. Or, secondly, he

is unsteady in his Christian profession. Like the Jews, when some of their kings counte nanced the worship of their idol Baal, he halts between two opinions, and is the doubleminded man mentioned by Saint James, who is unstable in all his ways. Now he serves God, and now Mammon. At one time he attaches himself to the world, and at another thinks of cleaving to Christ. He can appear religious, and in some degree is so. He has a respect for the people of God, and can talk with them of the things that pertain to salvation; but, as the faithful monitor in his own breast will tell him, that his heart is not right with God, he will entertain a fear, that, after all his labors, he shall come short of the kingdom of heaven. Such a one must be sad and gloomy, and through such false professors it is, that the Truth is often evil spoken of

46

Very different from this was the character of Saint Paul, and also of many of those believers to whom he addressed his Epistles Rejoice in the Lord always, says he, and again I say rejoice,”* yea he makes mention of joy unspeak able and full of glory, and thanks God for enabling him and his fellow soldiers in the Christian warfare, always to triumph in Christ.

Go ye on then my Brethren, thus rejoicing,

Phill, ix. 4.