charge of duty, not by a feeling of terror, | resolution to serve him in the face of his but from a principle of love; and he is dependants, in the face of his countryenabled to look upon God, not as a slavemaster driving with the lash, but as an affectionate parent whom he delights to honour from a high sense of obligation, and with a happier spirit of alacrity.

men, in the face of the world. He rejoiced in his baptism, in short, because it paved the way for his admission into the remaining privileges of Christian discipleship, and because it gave him a pledge of those gracious influences of the Spirit by which he might make still further advances in knowledge, and still higher attainments in holiness.

And here I would observe, my friends, with reference more particularly to the solemn ordinance of the supper which we have in prospect, that, though in the subsequent ages of the church's history, and in the more advanced stage of the Christian dispensation, we, being admitted to baptism in our infancy by virtue of our conjunction with professing Christian parents, have at that early period of life neither the capacity nor the means of

In the second place, we may infer that the Ethiopian went on his way rejoicing, on account of his recent admission to Christian privileges. In obedience to the divine appointment, it was, you know, the practice of the primitive preachers of the gospel to introduce new converts into the bosom of the church, by administering to them the ordinance of baptism. That Philip had already instructed this new disciple respecting the nature and the obligations of that initiatory sacrament, is evident from the fact, that the proposal to receive it originated with the Ethiopian himself—" Here is water," said he, "what doth hinder me from being bap-making a Christian profession in the tized?" And Philip said, "If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest." And on the Ethiopian replying, "I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God,"-" he commanded the chariot to stand still and they went both down into the water together, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him."

Now, my brethren, the administration of this sacrament to the individual in question, constituted, I doubt not, one of the principal reasons of his joy, and a rational one too. Not that either he or his teachers would regard this ordinance as essentially necessary to salvation-not that he attached to it any mystical, or miraculous, or superstitious virtue-not that he mistook the mere sign for the thing signified-not that he considered that to be regeneration which was only its appointed symbol, the rejoicing of his heart was based upon more enlightened principles, and established upon firmer ground. He rejoiced in his baptism, because it afforded him the first opportunity since his conversion of conforming to the express will of his Redeemer. He rejoiced in his baptism, because it presented him with a sacrament by which he could seal his adherence to the cause of Christ, and by which he could testify his VOL. 1.-53

same way as the Ethiopian had; yet we are not, on that account, the less favoured with equally appropriate opportunities of a similar kind; for what the ordinance of baptism was to him, the sacrament of the supper is to us. If, therefore, on believing in the Lord Jesus, he felt anxious to take the first opportunity of testifying the sincerity of his faith by conformity to the Saviour's will, in the initiatory ordinance of baptism;'how strong and how irresistible is the reproof, which his conduct, in this respect, offers to those, who, though outwardly professing it, and even inwardly cherishing the same faith with him, have hitherto neglected to give a similar testimony in the conformatory ordinance of the supper.

To believe in the Son of God with full purpose of heart, and yet to continue in the habitual neglect of those solemn and edifying ordinances, is in reality a practical contradiction in terms. It is at any rate an evidence of a very inadequate estimate of religious duty, and of a very imperfect conformity to the divine will; for while it is obvious you live in the violation of an express command, "Do this in remembrance of me," it is at the same time a neglect of one of the appointed means, in the use of which God is

especially pleased to meet, to bless, and to edify his people, and which of all others is fitted in its very nature and design to encourage our Christian profession, to revive our languishing graces, to promote our personal holiness, and to increase the divine light in our hearts and in our minds.

a benevolent scheme, as it certainly would be the ground of many a fervent prayer. How much more ardently would those views and designs be strengthened within him, now he became enlightened with the truth of the gospel, now he became admitted into the liberty of the sons of God, now that his heart was enlarged with all the kindly sympathies, and cha

fails to impart. Accordingly, it is stated in ecclesiastical history, though it is impossible to avouch for the fact in the most satisfactory way, it is recorded that on his return home into Ethiopia, he was the means, under God, of planting a Christian church; and depend upon it, my brethren, that the very moment we arrive at a clear, and full, and personal appreciation of divine truth, it is like good seed in the soil, it must germinate, and quicken, and disseminate itself throughout all the influences which we have, in our family circle, in our immedi

If, therefore, any of us be in such a condition as this, it becomes us to pauserities, which the gospel of Christ never and ponder well the culpable incongruity of our conduct, and if, in sincerity of heart, we do believe in Christ as our only hope, all our salvation, and all our desire -if we do feel that in some humble measure we put no confidence in the flesh, but trust implicitly in his precious blood, and in his perfect righteousness, it is at once our privilege and our duty to manifest our faith, and to evince our gratitude by joyfully obeying the commands of the Redeemer, as this Ethiopian nobleman did, in earnestly desiring to receive the ordinance of baptism-it is our duty in like manner, in the holy ordinance of the sup-ate neighbourhood, and in the society in per, to give a public testimony that we are one with Christ in that ordinance which he has instituted as a festival for his people's refreshment, and as a memorial of the Saviour's love.

which we live. It is the very nature of the grace of the gospel, when it is received into the heart, to extend its influence to others-it is the very nature of the grace and love of the gospel to desire But in the third place, we may fairly to impart its influence to those in whom conclude that the Ethiopian went on his we feel an interest, or with whom we way rejoicing, on account of his augmented may come into contact; and this has means of usefulness. Occupying, as he been the case, not merely with the Ethidid, a high and responsible place in the opian alluded to in the text-but with civil administration of his country, as be- many other Scripture characters; look at ing chamberlain or treasurer to the queen, David, for example, when he exclaimed, it may naturally be supposed that he "Restore unto me the joys of thy salvawould be proportionably zealous, not tion, and uphold me with thy free Spimerely for his temporal welfare, but also rit;" what did he immediately rejoin, for his spiritual improvement. To a as a natural and necessary consequence, mind like his, it is not unlikely that the" then will I teach transgressors thy idolatry of Ethiopia would be considera- ways, and sinners shall be converted unto bly distressing, not so much as it was a thee." Therefore, when we receive the proof of the intellectual degradation of truth in the love of it, and in all its prachis countrymen, as because it afforded a tical and purifying power, one of its very lamentable evidence of their moral and first effects on the soul, will be to lead us spiritual degeneracy. Even under his to take a deep, and tender, and affectionate former profession as a Jew, before he was interest in the condition of our fellowconverted through the preaching of Phi- creatures; and therefore, knowing this to lip, it is highly probable, I think, that the be the case, is it not clear to a demonabolition of idolatrous worship would be stration, when the Ethiopian thus saw to him the cause of many an anxious his way to usefulness opened up, he felt thought, and, perhaps, the object of many his means of usefulness were extended

when his spiritual information was increased when he had imparted that light to others, which he had enjoyed himself, is it not clear that this would be one of the grounds of his rejoicing, and that he would "rejoice with joy unspeakable, and full of glory?"

To you who have neither received the truth, in the love of it, nor are living according to the grace of the gospel-to you who are contenting yourselves with a mere pharisaical profession, a name to live, while in reality you are dead-to you who are acting the hypocrite among men, and palming a cheat upon God, I have no such exhortation to give; for "there is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked." In your experience you must already have found, if you will speak out, that a life of sin and a life of joy are altogether incompatible. Then I would ask, why will you persevere in that way; that way, broad and apparently beautiful though it be, which leadeth down to destruction. Oh, pause, I beseech you, before you proceed another step in unbelief and iniquity, before you permit another Sabbath to pass without pausing to consider of your actual condition in the sight of God, guilty and condemned under his law, without hope and without faith-pause and consider before you proceed another step, which, for any thing you know, may precipitate your ruin, and seal for ever your doom. The free offer of an unconditional pardon is once more made unto you. Believe, then, the testimony of God concerning the only Saviour, Jesus Christ; and if you receive that Saviour, as he is offered to you in the gospel, as all your portion and all your hope-if you receive him as having wrought out an everlasting righteousness, with which he is willing to clothe you, as having made a perfect atonement for sin, whose provisions and benefits he is willing to impart to you, then, my brethren, you also may take part with the Ethiopian nobleman, and instead of being in sadness and in sorrow, you may go on your way rejoicing; and so, when you come to the end of your journey, an en

That you, brethren, may go on your way rejoicing, let it be your constant and anxious care to cultivate a holy nearness unto God, a close living with God, a firm and unwavering faith to comply with the will of Christ; to seek to be crucified unto the world, and to have the world crucified unto you, and never forget that it is sin alone and unbelief which can wound the believer's conscience, or damp the ardour of his joy. Let it be as ardent in your case, as it was in the case of the Ethiopian-let the exercises of faith and holiness produce a glad heart and a cheerful countenance; and in order that you may exhibit religion in an amiable and practical view-in order that you may exhibit it for your own comfort, and for the encouragement of others, I would say, in the language of the apostle, "Rejoice in the Lord always; and again, I say, rejoice." Rejoice if you have been made a partaker of the grace of God-rejoice in that you have been delivered from the fearful pit, and from the miry clay-rejoice in the access which is opened to you of daily communication between earth and heaven, to a throne of grace, through the merits of Jesus Christ, in the rent vail of the Redeemer's bloodrejoice in the privileges that are opened up to you as the professing people of God, admission to his table, association with his people, fellowship with the saints, and all the high and countless privileges of the church-rejoice in the precious blood of Christ, which cleanseth from all sin-rejoice in the agency and work of the Spirit, which is given to you | trance shall be ministered unto you into to be your comforter, your enlightener, the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and and your sanctifier. Saviour, Jesus Christ.-Amen.

SERMON XLVI.

EPHRAIM'S IDOLATRY, AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.

PREACHED

BY THE REV. W. B. WILLIAMS, M.A.

ᎪᎢ MARBŒUF CHAPEL, CHAMPS ELYSEES, PARIS.

'Ephraim is joined to his idols: let him alone."-Hosea iv. 17.

"ART thou he that troubleth Israel?" | nor heart. "Let us alone," say they; said the fretful Ahab to the faithful prophet, who had done an act of kindness in the path of duty, when, in boldly reproving him for his guilt, he likewise warned him of his danger.