Son to be their Saviour; the manifold consolations he has furnished for their sufferings and afflictions; the unfading inheritance which he has provided for their eternal residence; and he will beseech them, by all that is interesting and moving in his dispensations and perfections, to become 'lovers of God as dear children.' And finally, he will strive to bring forward all the moral influences of our holy religion. He will not 'shun to declare the whole counsel of the Lord.' Especially, he will not fail to keep them in remembrance of the righteous retributions of eternity—that great doctrine of Christianity, which its heavenly Founder so plainly taught in this solemn declaration; The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.' And to their moral and religious improvement, he will cheerfully devote all his time and talents, all his thoughts and exertions; nay-he will not 'count his life dear unto himself, so that he may finish his course with joy, and fulfil' the holy purposes of 'the ministry which he has received from the Lord Jesus.'

3. From what has been said, we likewise learn the chief duty of hearers. It is, to aid the minister in ac complishing the merciful design of our Saviour's mission and death. Let me then address all such in the words of inspiration. Work out your salvation with fear and trembling.' Your duty is plain. Keep the commandments.' 'Cease to do evil, and learn to do well.' Ever avoid what you know to be wrong. Always practise what you believe to be right. Regularly attend upon the services of the sanctuary. Prepare yourselves to be edi

fied by all its exercises. Feelingly engage in the public devotions. Listen candidly to all evangelical instructions. Bring home to your own consciences everything applicable to your wants. Carry much of the spirit of the sabbath into the week. Frequently scrutinize your whole character. Attentively compare the habitual state of your thoughts, motives, feelings, affections, conversation and conduct with the divine standard. Speedily reform whatever you discover amiss in your hearts or lives. Quickly supply whatever you find defective in your faith or practice. Confirm and strengthen whatever you possess according to truth and godliness. And never imagine that you have arrived at perfection; but forgetting your past acquirements, press forward most zealously to higher and still higher degrees of christian knowledge and holiness. And be not discouraged at opposing obstacles. For your work is not only so plain, that the fool cannot honestly err therein; but it is so practicable, that no excuse of inability will ever be admitted at the bar of conscience or heaven. Your Father remembers that you are dust, and he does not require impossibilities of his frail children. Bring to your aid, therefore, all the motives of the blessed gospel. Keep in mind the glorious rewards which await those who persevere unto the end, and the awful punishments threatened upon the disobedient. Place the perfect example of your divine Master ever before you. Recollect that the same apostle who commands you to work out your salvation, also assures you, that 'God worketh in you, both to will and to do, of his good pleasure.' Remember that a greater than Paul declares for your encouragement, that 'your heavenly Father is more ready to give you his holy spirit, than earthly parents are to

give good gifts to their children.' If then you seek spiritual influences in sincerity and truth; if you labor in the work of moral improvement with untiring perseverance, if you continue in the plain paths of gospel salvation; you will aid your minister in accomplishing the great object of his ministry; and your exertions will be crowned with present and everlasting salvation.

4. From what has been said, we further learn to determine whether we ourselves, and those around us, have experienced christian salvation. If we adhere to the direction of our Saviour, we shall find no difficulty on this question. For if we are sober, chaste, meek and humble, we are surely saved from intemperance, impurity, anger and pride. If we are just, candid, forgiving and benevolent, we are certainly saved from dishonesty, bigotry, revenge and covetousness. If we love, serve and worship our heavenly Father, we are undoubtedly saved from impiety, ingratitude and disobedience. If we imitate the example, imbibe the spirit, and obey the instructions of Christ Jesus, we are indeed saved from unbelief, hypocrisy and condemnation. But on the other hand, if we slight his invitations, disregard his precepts, and contemn his authority, we manifestly do not possess christian knowledge, virtue and piety. And so also, if we wish to know whether any particular neighbor or acquaintance is a subject of gospel salvation, we need not inquire into the length or soundness of his religious creed; for if his faith influences him to forsake iniquity and acquire holiness, it answers for him all the purposes of salvation; but if it does not produce these results, be it called heterodox, or orthodox, it is no better to him 'than sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.' We need not in

quire to what denomination of believers he belongs; for if his heart is pure and his habits virtuous, his salvation is accomplished; but if this be not the case, the name of his sect will work no miracles for him at death, and he will be accounted as nothing at the bar of heaven. We need not inquire what his religious experiences have been; for if he exhibit the christian character, no other evidence is needed; but if he cannot furnish this scriptural proof of election, no experiences whatever are of any service. We need not inquire if he has been born again; for unless we see the marks of the new birth in his temper and conduct, all the professions in the world should give no satisfaction; but with this evidence, all other testimony is unnecessary and superfluous. We have an inspired rule by which to measure his moral condition. By their fruits shall ye know them.' The moral and religious character is the only standard of salvation furnished by our appointed judge. And let the sectarian. creed of our friend be what it may; let him belong to what denomination he pleases; let him relate what experiences he can; let him make what professions he chooses; all these are nothing in the account. For so far as he commits sin, so far will his sin punish him; and so far as he acquires holiness, so far will his holiness reward him. He will, therefore, enjoy just so much of heaven as he possesses of moral goodness, and no more; and he will suffer just so much of hell as he possesses of moral depravity, and no more. Consequently, he is saved just so far as he is holy, and no farther; and he is damned just so far as he is sinful, and no farther. This is true in life; it is true in death; and it must be true in eternity.

5. From what has been said, we finally learn that innocence or reformation is the only method of escaping the punishment of sin. We may indeed commit sin with the expectation of avoiding its consequences. We may employ the darkness of night, and the secrecy of the grave, to conceal our iniquity. And for a time we may elude the detection of our fellow mortals. But when we are least aware, some event may occur, some circumstance may arise, which shall reveal our infamy and our disgrace to the world.—We may commit sin; we may conceal it from every human being but ourselves; our labors may be crowned with success; the voice of gladness may be heard in our dwellings; the world may lay her riches and her honors at our feet. But with all that time has to offer, we shall still be miserable. For our wickedness will have left a corroding disease on our very soul. And we shall carry a hell in our own bosom which no earthly offerings can quench or smother.-We may commit sin; we may affirm that all actions are alike; we may ridicule religion, and scoff at all sacred things; we may plunge into the very vortex of dissipation, and pass along the briery road of transgression, until arrested by the summons of death. But his cold hand will dissipate all the mists of infidelity and depravity. A knowledge of our desperate wickedness will fill our souls with agony; and convulsive cries for mercy will tremble on our quivering lips. We may commit sin; we may sear our consciences so as to pass even the portal of the grave in our delusion. But when the light of eternity bursts upon our guilty souls, we shall come to a knowledge of ourselves; of our wilful disobedience, our sinful pollution, our