cessities of all men, especially to those of the household of faith; if learned, be clothed with humility; if possessing influence, exert it in exalting the righteous; if successful in business, render unto God the unrivalled honour; if happy in your friends and connections, still love the Saviour with supreme regard: If parents, teach your children from their early years, what the scriptures reveal and require, what unspeakable peace there is in carefully keeping the divine commandments, and what it is to sanctify the Sabbath; to delight in prayer, and to worship God in the devotions of the closet, the sanctuary, and the family: If you are servants, let the word of God be your constant guide, and chief companion; fulfil the duties of your situation, not with eye-service, as menpleasers, but with honesty, integrity, and singleness of heart, as unto the Lord, who is your Master in heaven; and with watchful circumspection, guard against bringing any dishonour upon your religious profession by dishonesty, injustice, falsehood, selfishness, arrogance, discord, or murmuring.

If you are young in years and experience, rejoice, that through grace you have been inclined

inclined and enabled to come to God through Christ Jesus, and to take him for your

God and portion in the land of the living : Having so done, walk humbly with God, and cleave close to him with full purpose of heart; give yourselves to prayer ; grow in acquaintance with his word; beware of the mány snares arising from

your

constitutional dispositions; live for God in this evil world; and ever remember, that he hath in no small measure connected the honour of his religion with the propriety of your conduct; if you şerve him as you ought, and are walking in his commandments and ordinances blameless, you set before others a living example of what is the genuine tendency of evangelical doctrine ; but if you are not maintaining a conversation becoming the gospel, you betray the cause of Christ, you harden the wicked, you make the way of truth to be evil spoken of. Be not, I intreat you, so treacherous to your Saviour and God; call not Jesus Master and Lord, that you may have the better opportunity of injuring his interests ; embrace not his gospel, that

you may more successfully mar its progress ; profess not zeal for Christianity, that

you

you may more effectually wound it in the house of its friends: The cause of our God is sufficiently dishonoured by the ungodly, the impenitent, and the unbelieving; let it not be betrayed and scandalized, by those who experience good hope and strong consolation from the gospel of peace. Live for God in this present evil world; live near him in happy intercourse; live dependent on his mercy, for grace to help in every time of need; and long for the happy period, when grace shall be perfected in glory, and faith swallowed up in immediate vision, and hope exchanged for everlasting uninterrupted enjoyment.

Now, unto him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you blameless before the throne with exceeding great joy, be blessing, and honour, and glory. Amen.

SERMON

SERMON XXIII.

CHRIST'S UNCHANGEABLENESS.

HEBREWS xiii. 7, 8.

Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God; whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation; Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever.

THE longer we continue on earth, we become more and more convinced that every thing is uncertain and unsatisfying, fleeting and short-lived. The sun rises but 10 set; and the flowers blossom but to fade, the

*This Sermon and the next, were preached in Lady Yester's Church, on the 9th of March 1806, after the death of the Rev. David Black, Minister of that church.

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the fashion of the world passes away, and the world itself is hastening to dissolution. Past ages are to us as if they had never been. One generation goeth away, and another cometh: "Our fathers, where are they? and the prophets, do they live for ever?" Look around through the kingdoms of the earth, and you behold the cruel ravages of war, and desolating calamities consuming the nations: In the church of Christ, you behold the faithful failing; the love of many waxing cold; Zion smitten with breach upon breach; and Zion's interest marred, by the opposition of foes, and the indiscretion of friends: In the circles of domestic life, in the habitations of high and low, you behold some, like Rachel, weeping for their children because they are not; some, like Job, lamenting that wearisome nights of pain are appointed them; and others, like David, testifying, “My foes hate me with cruel hatred; thy hand, O Lord, presseth sore upon me. In my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved; thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled."

Amidst these sorrows and changes, is there no chamber of rest to which the weary may retire?