who has the strongest faith; and not he who encounters the fewest dangers. And remember, that the power of the devil, and of the wicked, who are seduced by him, is limited in the strictest sense, so that they can do nothing in a single instance without permission from above. For" the Lord reigneth. With him is strength and wisdom : the deceived and the deceiver are his."* So long as your child trusts in the Lord Jesus, he will stand by him, and deliver him; and in the hottest fire of the enemy will be with him, and not suffer the flame to kindle upon him. Happy is the parent, who can, with truth, adopt such language as the following in his prayers: O my God, I have 'brought up this child that thou hast given me for 'thyself; and now that he is to be removed from my 'immediate oversight, I commend him to thee, that 'he may be thine for ever. Thou knowest, that it 'has been, and is the first desire of my heart, that 'he may serve thee. Take him, I pray thee, under 'thy special care, and keep him from the evil. I 'ask neither worldly honour, nor riches for him ; 'but that honour which cometh from thee only, and 'that he may have access to the unsearchable riches 'of Christ. Thou art the faithful God; and I bless 'thy name, that thou enablest me to trust in thee, 'and to choose thy favor and service as the only 'riches, and the only happiness, both for myself, and 'my children. Carry my child where thou wilt, 'and do with him as seemeth good in thy sight; 'only let him serve thee for ever. O my God, put 'thy fear into his heart, that he may never depart 'from thee.'

There are other duties weighty and numerous :

*Ps, xcvii. Job, xii. 16.

but it would carry me too far to enter on a particular discussion of them. I therefore commend you again to the word of grace, that you may learn what the Lord requires of you at the fountain-head of information. Christ himself has said, "Search the scriptures."* Investigate, and make your way into them, as into a tract not yet fully explored. Search them, that you may learn the glories of Immanuel, the mysteries of his kingdom, and the obedience he claims from his people. Search as a man searches for hidden treasure, when he has every reason to believe he shall find it. There is treasure in every part of this sacred field. There are mines of precious things which the carnal eye has never seen, and which have never entered into the imagination of the unregenerate heart. There are depths which the most holy and learned men have not yet fathomed, into which angels look with delight, and the promulgation of which from time to time makes the pillars of hell to tremble.

And remember, that every duty you find here is of divine obligation. Nothing which God has commanded, is to be thought lightly of,-nothing to be dispensed with by man. The faithful performance of duties is a demonstration to the world, that Christianity is of God. It is a living exhibition of truth, to be seen, and known, and read of all men; -the noblest spectacle we behold on earth; for it reveals the image of God to us, who makes it also a means of grace and salvation. It matters little what station you fill, or what walk of life you move in; but it is of infinite consequence how you discharge the duties of it. The king, and the peasant, the nobleman and the beggar, in this respect,

* John v. 39.

are on an equal footing before him, who is no respecter of persons, and who will reward every man according to his works. Joseph served, and glorified God, when a servant, and in a prison, as

much as,-perhaps more than David did on a throne. And this shews us how the grace of God brings men on a level, as to the highest privileges they can possess, and the only real happiness to be obtained; and that it abundantly compensates for the disorders occasioned by the fall. When the Christian servant is diligent, respectful, and faithful in all things, his conduct recommends the gospel he professes, and he may be instrumental in saving the souls of those, who are placed over him in Providence. When the pious wife of a profane, dissolute, and drunken husband, is careful, that her conversation be uniformly chaste, holy, and obliging in things lawful, some beams of the glory of God in that conversation may at length enter his heart, and win him over to his service.* When the rich are enabled to receive the gospel, and thereby become humble, temperate, heavenly minded, and rich in good works, diffusing blessings around them by means of their wealth, and supporting every institution for the spiritual and temporal benefit of mankind, it will probably be inferred, that the doctrine they have embraced is the truth, and that it is the power of God which produces a change so striking, and so opposite to the usual course and practice of the world. The children of this world are too much engaged with the shadows passing before them to examine the doctrines we have received with due attention. We shall be disappointed, if we expect them to

* 1 Pet. iii. 1.
N

hear all we have to say, or to read what we write in their support. But, my brethren, if the excellence of our principles be apparent in the holiness of our lives, this will produce conviction not always to be resisted, and leave impressions not soon forgotten. On the other hand, if our conduct be careless and remiss, the unconverted will perversely turn it to their own injury, and derive arguments from it to harden themselves in sin, and to strengthen their aversion to the doctrine 'which we have failed to adorn.

Our sufficiency for the faithful performance of duty is altogether of God. His is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory. Learn that mysterious, but most needful lesson to be "strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Work out your own salvation with fear, and trembling; for it is God that worketh in you both to will, and to do, of his good pleasure."* And if God worketh in you, you shall prevail, and at length triumph; for there is nothing hard, or difficult with the ALMIGHTY. When you are weakest in your own apprehension, look to Jesus, and you will be strong; for his strength is made perfect, or fully accomplishes his gracious designs, in our weakness.+ "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh." Walk, I say, with God; and he will be "your shield, and exceeding great Reward. For this God is our God for ever and ever; he will be our Guide even unto death."§ And after we shall have passed through the dark valley of death, and the gloomy prison of the grave, how delightful will it be to meet again, in robes of

Eph. vi. 10. Phil. ii. 12. 2 Cor. xii. 9. Gal. v. 16. § Gen. xv. 1

Ps. xlviii. 14.

immortality, at his right hand, who has conquered them both for us! Farewell, my beloved brethren, till that day! I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, &c.

I shall now speak to various cases, and characters, in hope, that I may offer a word in season, by which God may graciously confer on you some spiritual gift, or benefit. And first, I shall address mourners in Zion, I mean those who mourn after Christ, and for deliverance from sin. There are times when you lament, and groan under a body of sin, which you still find dwelling, and working in you; and you are therefore cast down, and not comforted. But I ask, is there no balm in Gilead? no Physician there? Is there no Saviour, who came "to comfort all that mourn, to give them beauty for ashes, and the oil of joy for mourning?"* You know there is, but you are afraid, that you are not one of the number. You question not the power of Christ to save sinners; but you doubt his willingness to save you. But my brother, or my sister, why do you make distinctions which tend to obscure a part of the Saviour's glory, and to deprive you of your consolation in him? No sinner was ever rejected by Christ, who desired to be saved by him, or sought him in the appointed way. To believe the divine power of Christ, that he is able to save you, according to his own word, is, I conceive, true, and saving faith. A poor leper, helpless as to every other resource, once came to Christ, and falling down on his face worshipped him, saying, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean." The reply instantly made was, "I will; be thou clean." And it seems designed to

* Isa, Ixi. 2.