converts, they set about a thorough reformation. They wonder how they have been so long blind to their true interest; they mourn over the time that they have lost in vain, or in sinful pursuits, and now seem fully determined to follow religion as the one thing needful. With many, this course continues not long; the first new object engages their attention, and turns them aside from the path of the just. But true religion, my friends, does not consist in such fits and starts of devotion; in random resolutions made in the fervour of zeal; in the wavering, desultory, and inconsistent conduct which marks the character of multitudes in the world. He alone is a good man who perseveres in goodness. When the vernal year begins, and the shower of summer descends, all nature bursts into vegetable life; the noxious weeds rival the trees among which they grow; but these sudden growths as suddenly disappear; while favoured by the influences of heaven, the trees arise to their full stature, and bring forth their fruit in season. Are you then as much in earnest now, as when your first love to God began to bring forth the fruits of righte ousness? Without this undiminished ardour; without these unremitting efforts, you never will run the race set before you, so as to finish your course with joy. At the same time, I must take notice, that as you advance in years, all the passions will gradually cool. When, therefore, the fervour of youth has subsided, and mature age hath given a sober cast to the temper, you will not feel that degree of ardour in your devotions which you experienced in your early years. Many serious persons have been alarmed at this appearance, not considering that it was the effect of their constitution, and not a mark of apostacy from God. But your devotion will continue as sincere, though not so inflamed, as before, and religion will be as effectual as ever in the regulation of your life; like a mighty river, before it terminates its course in the ocean, it rolls with greater calmness, but at the same time with a greater strength, than when it arose from its source.

Fourthly, Another mark of increasing grace, is, when you obey the Divine commandments from affection and love. They who, from the fear of hell, put on a form of religion for a time, find it to be a hard and a painful service. They are out of their place, when they strike into the path of the just; they consider religion as a heavy burden, which they would not bear but from necessity, and look upon the duties of the Christian life, as so many tasks which they have to perform. Whoever entertains such notions of religion, will not rise to high attainments in righteousness. The passions and affections are the powerful springs of action in the soul; and unless these are put in motion, the machine will move heavily along. He alone will make progress in the path of the just, who is drawn by the cords of love. Pleasant are the labours of love; and sweet is the precept when the duty pleases. The yoke is easy, and the burden light, when the heart goes along. The Christian is not a slave who obeys from compulsion, or a servant who works for hire: he is a son who acts from filial affec.. tion, and is happiest when he obeys. The love of Christ alone constraineth him. The beauty of holiness allureth him though rewards and punishments were set aside, he would follow religion and virtue for their own sake, and do his duty, because therein he found his happiness. Do you then, my friends, feel this affection, this passion for righteousness? Can you say with the Psalmist, "How do I love thy laws, O Lord? They are my meditation all the day. More "to be desired they are than gold, than inuch fine gold; sweeter than honey from the honeycomb.” I now come to the second thing proposed, To give you some directions how to make further progress in the path of the just.

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In the first place, then, in order to this, make a serious business of a holy life. There are many persons in the world who give a sanction to piety by their example, but who feel very little of its power. They think religion an exceedingly decent thing; they see

it patronized by all wise men, and they know it to be necessary for the purposes of society. For these reasons they follow the faith, and conform to the usages of their fathers; they pay a proper respect to the institutions of the Church; and they attend upon the ordinances of Divine worship with all the marks of external reverence. So far their conduct is not only decent, but laudible. But if they go no further than this; if they confine their sanctity to these walls; if they think that they have done their duty, when they have complied with external ceremonies of the Church, and have adopted this as the easiest and most compendious method of being religious; the religion of such persons is rather a kind of good manners than real devotion. The true Christian will not be deficient in his attention to the externals of religion; but he will not rest there; he will attend upon the ordinances of public worship, not because it is the custom of the country, not because it is his duty to God ; and he will observe the institutions of Christianity; not from complaisance to established usages, but from a sincere desire of making progress in righteousness. We must make piety more than a matter of form; we must make a study of a holy life, in order to advance from strength to strength, in the ways of the Lord : it is with religion, my friends, as with the other pursuits of life. In those arts where success depends upon genius and industry, unless a man have an enthusiasm for his own profession, unless he follow it from choice, and prefer it to all others, he will never rise to eminence and fame. In like manner, unless a man have an attachment of the heart to the cause of virtue; unless he be fervent in spirit to serve the Lord; unless he prefer a good conscience to every thing upon earth, he will never obtain that crown of glory which is reserved for the righteous. In his journey through life, the pilgrim inay turn aside to behold a beautiful scene, or enjoy a passing delight; but he will never forget that his chief object is his journey to the pro

mised land.

In order to attain eminence in the arts just mentioned, the candidate devotes his best and happiest years; lives laborious days and restless nights; makes a sacrifice of ease, and health, and social joy; and at last consoles himself by the triumphant prospect of lying down upon the bed of fame, and living to future ages. If, then, studies of inferior importance become such a serious concern; if the desire of an imaginary immortality has such power over the mind; will this noblest of studies, the science of being good, have no attractions for the soul? Will this passion for a real immortality have no power over the heart? Under the influence of this principle, will not every one who has the faith of a Christian, or the feelings of a man, join with the Apostle, "Yea, doubtless, I "count all things but loss, for the excellency of the "knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord,-that I may "know him, and the power of his resurrection, and "the fellowship of his sufferings, being made con"formable to his death, if by any means I may at

tain to the resurrection of the dead." Under the influence of these principles, will not every person who desires to make advances in the path of the just adopt also the resolution of Job, "While my breath "is in me, and the Spirit of God is in my nostrils, my lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue "utter deceit; till I die I will not remove mine integrity from me: my righteousness I hold fast, and "will not let it go; my heart shall not reproach me "so long as I live."

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In the second place, in order to make progress in the path of the just, you must never rest satisfied with any degrees of holiness or virtue which you attain. The law of the spiritual life is to aim at perfection the intention of Christianity is that we may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God. "As he who hath called you is holy, be ye holy "in all manner of conversation." Absolutely perfect, indeed, we can never become in this life; but we must be always aspiring and endeavouring after

perfection. There is no end of your journey till yoti come to heaven; there is no place by the way where you are to expect a termination from labour, or a period of repose. It is not uncommon to hear persons express themselves in terms of great indifference about the higher attainments in sanctity and virtue. They seem to be much afraid of being better than their neighbours; they have no ambition they say to be saints; they do not desire to rank among the very best; and they would be content with the lowest place in heaven. Happy, beyond all controversy; shall he be, who shall obtain a place, though the lowest, in the heavenly mansions; but for men to mark out to themselves boundaries in the path of virtue; beyond which they are resolved not to go; for men, with impious presumption, to cut out to themselves just such a portion of duty as they think will entitle them to an inestimable reward; this is undervaluing the pearl of great price; it is sacrificing the riches of the Divine goodness to their own indolence; it is doing despite to that Spirit of grace which might have been a powerful principle of advancing holiness in the heart. Had he to whom in the parable ten talents were given, gained no more than he to whom five were given, can you think that he would have obtained the title, and received the reward of a good and faithful servant? No, but of a slothful and unprofitable one, who had not improved aright the deposite of his Master. What saith the Apostle upon this subject?" Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended;" to have already attained perfection; "but this one thing I do; forgetting the things "which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark, "for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ "Jesus."

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"Forgetting the things that are behind," saith the Apostle. What things had this Apostle to forget?" He had to forget his labours in the course of his a postolical functions, his unweared zeal, his unremit