which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."*

"This I say, then, walk in the spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, wrath, strife, seditions and heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance,-against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. For our conversation is in Heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body, according to the working whereby He is able to subdue all things unto Himself." +

I have thus, my Brethren, laid before you a number of texts of Scripture, by which you may try yourselves as to the due discharge of your public, social, and private duties as Christians. May God shed abundantly in your hearts His Holy Spirit, that you may be enabled to form "a right judgment in all things" belonging to your present and everlasting welfare; and at once enter upon a reformation of whatever you find in your belief and practice at variance with

* Phil. iii. 13. † Gal. v. 16. ↑ Phil, iii. 2.

God's Word. If you be sincere and honest inquirers after truth, and deal faithfully with yourselves, the result of your examination will be, to admit, with all humility of mind, that “it is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness."*.

The fuller the knowledge we obtain of our own hearts, the deeper is the self-abasement with which we are brought to the foot of the Cross ; and the clearer the understanding we have of the grand scheme of salvation, by which lost and perishing sinners are restored to God's favour, the more our souls are filled with wonder and thankfulness-with wonder at that astonishing proof of Divine love, that the Son of God," the brightness of his Father's glory, and the express image of His person," should" take upon Him the form of a servant, and humble himself unto death, even the death of the Cross ;"-and with thankfulness for this blessed atonement, by which a full, perfect, and sufficient sacrifice was made for the sins of the whole world. But take heed, Brethren, lest you should rest satisfied with mere feelings and expressions of thankfulness. In the passages of Scripture, relating to the commands and promises of Holy Writ, which have been laid before you, the great object was to lead you, step by step, to the full development of the Christian character, in all its practical excellence and beauty. The Gospel is not revealed as a demonstration of God's mercy and goodness, merely to be admired and loved, but to be admired, loved, and acted upon. The strictness and holi

1 Lam. iii. 22. .

ness of God's law are dwelt upon, that “Every mouth may be stopped, and all the world found guilty before God" that thus the necessity of repentance in all may be fully admitted. Faith is next stated, as the gracious means through which pardon and peace are bestowed on the humble and contrite. And then we have, arising out of these, those works of holiness which are necessary as evidence of a sincere repentance and a living faith. Nor are we to stop there: the Christian requires to be instructed how to act, and whence to look for aid, under the various trials and difficulties of his passage through life. The gracious and all-sufficient aid and consolation of God's Holy Spirit, as the strengthener, guide, and sanctifier of the believer, in all the conflicts of his spiritual warfare, are freely offered, and abundantly supplied. And thus it is the true Christian, under the holy influence of the Spirit, grows, in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; bis life exhibits a continual advance in godliness, a growing conformity to the image of Christ," who dwells in his heart by faith."

辈

My friends and brethren, how does your religious state agree with what has been now laid before you, as to the duties and obligations of the Christian towards God, his neighbour, and himself? Do not all our consciences testify against us?-for, whilst we wear this veil of flesh, "in many things we offend all." But let us not satisfy ourselves with the admission of our weakness and sinfulness. "We are to be going on unto perfection," and should be most thankful to

Romans iii. 19.

1 James iii. 2.

that Gracious Power which has prolonged our lives, earnestly praying that we may continue to advance in holiness, till we attain to the full measure of the stature of the sons of God. This brings us to the second point to be considered, upon which it will not be necessary to enter so much at length..

II. That it is the duty of a Christian, upon the removal of a Divine visitation, to offer his praises and thanksgivings to Almighty God, for mercy shown unto him, and to pray for grace to be enabled to amend whatever may be unsound in his faith or unholy in his practice. ・・

The first duty of the believer, upon deliverance from a threatened danger, is an acknowledgment of God's providential care in his preservation. "The Lord killeth, and maketh alive; the Lord bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up." The second, to offer his praises and thanksgivings for such preservation. "Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: who saveth thy life from destruction, and crowneth thee with mercy and loving-kindness." The third, to profit by such preservation, by carrying into effect, through Divine grace, resolutions of amendment of life, and of more entire devotedness to God's honour and service." Offer unto God thanksgiving, and pay thy vows unto the Most High; and call upon Me in the time of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me."

Under these three heads may be summed up our duty, my Christian brethren, upon the removal of the grievous disease which it pleased Almighty God to send upon our land. It is proposed briefly to consider them in connexion. May the Lord bless such consideration to us all!

The sin of neglecting to acknowledge, or of distrusting, Divine Providence, which governs all things, in heaven and earth, has been already noticed; but the subject is so important, that it is proper, in this place, to enter upon it more at length. The foundation of all religion rests upon a belief in Divine Providence. And yet, though this is an acknowledged truth, it is not acted upon by the great body of mankind, because a large class of Christians are only theoretical believers as far as regards God's government of the world. Reason, as well as Revelation, satisfies the mind, that the eye of Providence watches over all creation, and that the hand of Providence supplies all things living with plenteousness. But it is one thing to admit, and another to act upon, the belief that the same Almighty power which was employed in the formation, is now exerted in the preservation and government of the works of his hands. What, then, is the practical conclusion to which we ought to come?

Surely to look up to God for every thing, and to refer every thing to him-our birth in a Christian land and of Christian parents; our frame of body and of mind; our situations in life; our joys and sorrows; our sickness and health; our prosperity or adversity; -all proceed from Him, who orders the events of life according to His sovereign will and pleasure. Hence, the use of prayer. For though God is far better acquainted than ourselves with our wants, and most willing to bestow upon His creatures what is for their present and eternal welfare, still He requires