righteousness that he might be just, and the justifier of him that believeth in Jesus."

3. Inscribed in his holy word. Rom. xv. 4.

"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we, through patience and comfort of the Scriptures, might have hope."

4. And published to the soul by the Spirit. 1 Cor. ii. 9, 10.

"But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him; but God hath revealed them to us by his Spirit."

III. THE UNIVERSALITY OF DUTY.
"For ever."

1. At all times. Ps. xxxiv. 1, 2.

"I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad."

2. In all places. 1 Thess. i. 8.

"In every place, your faith to God-ward is spread abroad."

3. And before all persons. Matt. v. 16—10, 32.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven."

IV. A BOLD PROFESSION OF OUTWARD RELIGION.

With my mouth will I make known."

1. The mouth is the index of the heart. Matt. xii. 34.

"For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Again in the 35th verse, "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things; and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.'

2. Always used by believers to God's glory. Acts vi. 10.

"And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the Spirit by which he spake."

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Only let

3. Ever directed by Scripture. Phil. i. 27.

your conversation be as becometh the gospel of Christ."See Phil. iii. 20.

V. THE DOCTRINE OF GOD'S FAITHFULNESS.

"Thy faithfulness."

1. A source of consolation in reference to the Father's love. Heb. vi. 17, 18.

"Wherein God willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have strong consolation."

2. The joy of the believing soul in respect of the Son. Heb. vii. 25.

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Seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them."

3. As evidencing our salvation by the indwelling of the Spirit. "Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it." 1 Thess. v. VI. THE CHURCH'S DESIRE TO PERPETUATE GOD'S LOVE. "To all generations."

1. By all national means and institutions.

2. And by all private means and operations.

24.

THE TRUE END OF LIFE.

A RIGHT application of that for which we were created, will undoubtedly lead the enlightened mind to pursue those objects which qualify the soul for its future destiny and welfare. Were the true end of life constantly kept in view, and the grand, and, at the same time, awful eternity, with its everlasting consequences, continually realized by the eye of the soul, how differently would men conduct themselves! With what circumspection would they guard their lives! How correctly would they think, speak, and act! They would frequently use the prayer of the psalmist, O teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom." Ps. xc. 12. "Lord, let me know mine end, and the number of my days, that I may be certified how long I have to live."Ps. xxxix. 5. But the prevalency of sin has such a domineering power over the human heart, as to prevent those divine meditations from employing the mind, which lead to a knowledge of self; and consequently conduct to the Saviour, from whom all faculties, principles, and feelings are communicated, which capacitate the soul, while continually approximating to its new and unalterable destination, to look forward with joy and not with terror, to the moment of its final departure from the body. He does not accustom himself to meditate on the uncertainty of life, the certainty and nearness of death, and that eternal joy or endless woe is pending on the present state of existence; has altogether mistaken the design of God in his creation, the love of Christ in salvation, and the necessity of the Holy Spirit, to renew and make him holy, and prepare

him for his approaching end. How miserably mistaken are those who, while promising to themselves many years of future health and happiness, and thereby negligently live with respect to the great end of their creation, are summoned before the bar of a holy God, to receive a sentence of banishment, from his presence, into everlasting despair. What an awful thought—a soul cast into everlasting despair!

The true end of life can only be ascertained by a consideration respecting the true design of life. Now, what is the true design of life? God's pleasure and glory; for when he created our first parents, he created them for his own glory, "and for his pleasure they are and were created." Rom. iv. 11. But man having lapsed from his allegiance to his Creator, became subject to sin and Satan, thereby frustrating, as it were, God's original design in his creation. In this state Christ found our fallen and degenerate race; and God still keeping up his determination respecting his own glory, gave his only-begotten Son, the brightness of his glory, to procure our ransom by the death of himself: and effect our reconciliation, save our souls, and make a still farther exhibition of his glory, in the wonderful scheme of redemption, so that the poet says

"'Twas great to speak a word from nought,
-'Twas greater to redeem."

Thus the wonderful achievements which Christ has effected by his death, and in the application of gospel principles, "for life and immortality are brought to light through the Gospel," 1 Tim. i. 10., are far more glorious, and of more infinite importance than anything which has been done in previous dispensations.

In the enhancement of God's declarative glory, man is the chief instrument employed; hence we are said "to have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of men." 2 Cor. iv. 7. And not only is man employed in the promotion of God's glory with respect to others, but also and especially with respect to himself; thus St. Paul says, "For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain." Therefore the true end and design of life to a believer, is "life in Christ." It is the Christian's ardent desire that "Christ may be magnified in his body whether it be by life or by death." Phil. i. 20: for he seeks not his own, but the things that are Jesus Christ's; hence the apostle says, Christ liveth in me, the hope of glory, and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.' Gal. ii. 20. Consequently the true design of life is, to live unto God in Jesus Christ.

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1. "To love Christ" may signify to keep up a regular and perpetual aim at the right end of all that you do, and of all that you have; this will be to walk in the light continually. The glory of God is the only right end of all; and it will gloriously lighten the mind that has an eye upon it. But Christ is to be, at the same time, the light of such a soul; God in that Lord of glory is to be the object which your eye must ever be fixed upon, if you would keep your foot out of the net of the evil

one.

That you may truly live, oh! may the life of God, and of his Christ,

be manifested in you, Everything which the word of God condemns respecting faith you are to disbelieve; everything which it commands you are implicitly to give credence to. To live Christ is to believe in Christ; and to believe in Christ is his scriptural statement of doctrine impressed upon our minds, received in animo in our souls, and practised in our lives. The same doctrines which He and his apostles taught to their hearers and followers, must be received by you, without any vain desires of alteration or misinterpretation to suit the preconceived notions of your hearts, or square with your actions. You must believe the Scriptures as they are written, and come unto them for teaching as little children; and there, without asking any selfish questions, receive what is set before you, believing the record which God has given of his Son. "To live Christ" means to receive, through the channel of faith, Christ's righteousness to adorn the soul in-that God may view it, clothed in his own perfection, washed in his Son's cleansing and atoning blood; and, having on the wedding garment, he is happy in receiving him to a glorious feast, at the head of which he himself presides. Faith is a power with which the soul is endowed by the Holy Ghost, capacitating it to realize eternal blessings, and as it were, with the hand it takes hold of the precious promises of the Gospel, and rejoices in the communication of their sweets. It is the spring of action; hence we read of the "works of faith." It is a holy principle, "purifying the heart.” It is a testifying principle, for it "is the evidence of things not seen." It is a solid principle, for it "is the substance of things hoped for." It is a characterizing principle, "for by it the elders obtained a good report." It is a holy, active, courageous, God-receiving principle; in short, it is everything in practical religion. "Thus to live Christ to live by faith; and one (the true) design of life is, to prove in our actions the possession of this principle.

is

"Without

2. Another design of life is, to live a life of sanctification. holiness no man shall see the Lord." Heb. xii. 14. Hence the true Christian is always desirous of manifesting, in his life and actions, that honesty of endeavour, uprightness of intention, and strict veracity of speech, which Christ's religion demands, "yielding his members servants to righteousness unto holiness" (Rom. vi. 19); serving God with his heart, labours, and substance; constantly being prompted to seek the temporal and spiritual prosperity of his fellow-creatures; and this not for the gratification of self, for "he has his fruit unto holiness, and the end thereof is everlasting life." Rom. vi. 22. The true design of life is admirably illustrated in the life of Jesus Christ; and his followers copying his example, live as he lived, walk as he walked, and pursue and delight in those things which pleased him. I do not mean to say or affirm, that they can do these things as perfectly as he did them; but their performances and enjoyments are the same in kind, though not in degree. Thus St. Paul says, that true Christians are "perfecting holiness in the fear of the Lord." 2 Cor. vii. 1. Now, although the true design of life may be comprehended in this "unto the Lord," yet it may be particularised under several heads, or given in answer to several questions, such as the following:

S

Why do you attend to the duties of your closet and household?

In answering this question, remember I am only speaking to those who have established family and closet worship, and have a domestic and private altar set up in their houses. All the rest have nothing to 'do with it. If you are true Christians, you are rendering to God that worship which you suppose to be reasonable and scriptural; and which God will, for the sake of Christ, look down upon with pleasure. You diligently study and pray over your Bibles secretly, laying up a fund of scriptural information in your minds, so that when you come forth to the duties of family religion, grace dwelleth on your lips and influenceth your hearts, and the members of your family are benefitted by the holy fervour of your supplications; and the benign power of the Holy Ghost is sensibly experienced by all the circle. The holy animations of soul which you feel in your private approaches to God, are so deep as to lead you in importunate prayer, to wrestle with him for present and future blessings; thus your faith being strong, you have a full assurance of endless glory; and when you come forth into the world, the inhabitants thereof see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Why do you give diligent heed to the public exercises of religion?

It is because you delight to unite with God's people in praying to him, and making known those acknowledgments with which he is well pleased. You have such a joy in public worship that, like David, your heart fainteth, as it were, and crieth out after the living God, and the courts of the Lord's house; and you would be door-keepers in the house of God, rather than to dwell in the tents of wickedness, or to be prevented from paying your devotions there. You listen attentively to the word read or preached, and endeavour to apply everything therein to your own case. You do not, like many, hear for others, but for yourselves. When God's praises are sung, your hearts are lifted up in holy elevation to his throne, and his heavenly fire beams in your souls. Every ordinance of public worship you are engaged in, and the holy Sabbath, are your delight. Your devotions are not cold and formal, but lively and spiritual, fervent and faithful, and full of divinity. You desire to improve in knowledge and goodness, and so, in being where God would have you to be, you converse with him on such truths as make you wise unto salvation.

Why do you study to fill the chambers of your soul with precious riches?

It is because you wish to be qualified for carrying on his work on earth, in the renewal of sinners; teaching and explaining to them the verities of the Scriptures, and learning yourselves to be what God designed you should be. Your visits to your neighbours are profitable to yourselves and them; and while watering others, you are refreshed yourselves. You desire to let fall something for the welfare of the company, that the conference may be blessed, so that more may be known than before. And when you try to ingratiate yourselves into the feelings of the people, it is that you may the better prosecute your determination with greater