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that holy blessed frame, to grow in the love | Aim high. He that darts his arrow toof our God and Saviour. Such are the wards the heavens, will reach a greater means placed before us for the attainment | height than he that turns it on earth. Let, of this great object, namely, faith appre- at least, our standard be high; let our aim hending all the works of God in Christ be high; let the law of God in all its amJesus, and prayer poured out before him plitude be the object of our pursuit, the by the power of the Holy Ghost. And means of grace, the diligent instruments such is the encouragement to cheer the we employ, and the looking for the mercy drooping heart, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, our strong enof our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." couragement. The whole hangs together, and there is a correspondence in the magnitude of the end, and in the magnitude and fitness of the means; and there is a correspondence in the brightness of the encouragement. No man can read the text, and understand it, without saying, "these are the words of eternal life-no mortal pen ever dictated such a sentiment."

Secondly, let all be convinced that this is the only religion that can save the soul. Now this includes the conduct of all those whom I have now the pleasure, though a painful one, yet the pleasure to address, on this occasion. Let the highest not be satisfied with less attainments; let the lowest not despond at the first beginnings; let all be convinced that there is no other religion. There is no other bridge thrown over the bottomless abyss of the world's misery but Jesus Christ,

and but one. Sceptic, you will find at last that your vain reasonings are the mere ignis fatuus of a corrupt understanding. You will find, believe me, that a penitent's heart, that one tear dropped over your Bible for your sins, is worth all the metaphysics and all the speculations by which the head is lifted up and inflated, and the heart hardened. Worldly profes

And now, brethren, let me First exhort all of you not to be satisfied with any thing below this in your future course of life. Aim, I pray you, beloved, at further pro-and him crucified: there is one religion, gress in this divine and heavenly religion. Examine yourselves. Is this my religion? If it be, am I growing in it? am I advancing in it? am I going forward in it? am I more and more increasing in love to God? If I have fallen into decay, am I coming back? Perhaps half the Christian brethren that hear me may feel the note, when it is touched, vibrate in their own hearts. Beloved, if you have in any measure fal-sor, there is no other religion will do. len from God, or in any measure declined, will you come back, will you begin again to build up yourselves in your "most holy faith," to pray in the Holy Ghost, and keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life? He that is satisfied in a low and doubtful state of Christianity, has no Christianity at all. There is no such thing; there is no religion that is not a growing religion, a vivacious, augmenting, increasing religion. There may be a sickening religion, but it does not deserve the name; until it attains something of health we can express no hope, and we dare not poison you by flat-stance; to build up yourselves because tery.

Let, therefore, this be the first improvement that I will venture to leave on my own heart; and let, my beloved friends, let nothing short of this standard satisfy you.

You cannot have the world and God at once; you cannot have the love of the world and the love of God in the same heart at the same time. It is contrary to the nature of things; as much so as it is in physical science for two bodies to fill the same space at the same moment. Vain professors of evangelical truth, who form a large class at the present day, and will be larger, it is Satan's art when the gospel is widely preached and spread, to induce us to rely upon national approbation, to hang upon that doctrine, to make religion consist of this and that charity, this and that feeling, this and that circum

we belong to this or that society, or are doing this or that good thing. O, my brethren, this is not the love of God; and it is nothing but that which will prepare you for heaven, and nothing but faith in

a crucified Saviour that can ever build you may make the prayer in your own you up in your "most holy faith!"

as he saw him, to run home with all speed, and close the door before Mr. Fletcher could reach it: and thus, for many months together, he escaped his deserved reproofs. The holy man, however, still persevering in his attempts, on one occasion outran this determined sinner, and obtained possession of his house before him. The poor man, awed by the presence of his minister, and softened by the persuasive kindness of his manners, was greatly affected, and received those religious impressions which soon ended in a thorough change of his character.

It has been recorded of him, that when vicar of Madeley, as often as a small congregation could be collected, which was usually every evening, he preached to them. He visited every family in his parish that gave him access, for conversation and prayer; and no hour of the night, nor severity of the weather, precluded his attendance on the sick. He interrupted the nocturnal revellings, then common among his young parishioners, by his solemn but affectionate admonitions; and braved the fury of the colliers, amidst their savage orgies and inhuman sports. At Coal-brook Dale and Madeley- Another of his parishioners, who is still wood, two hamlets in his parish, distant living, relates the following characteristic from the church, he preached alternately; circumstance:-When a young man, he and erected, chiefly at his own expense, was married by Mr. Fletcher, who said two buildings for more convenient wor- to him as soon as the service was conship. At his church he preached twice cluded, and he was about to make the every Sunday, besides catechizing chil- accustomed entry, "Well, William, you dren; and often repeated his services, in have had your name entered in our registhe evening, at places considerably dis- ter once before this." 66 Yes, sir, at my tant. In his efforts to do good he mani- baptism." "And now, your name will fested a zeal and perseverance rarely seen, be entered a second time. You have no and was frequently rewarded with a suc- doubt thought much about your present cess as striking, as the means employed step, and made proper preparations for it to obtain it. A poor collier, now living in many different ways." "Yes, sir." at Madeley, and upwards of eighty years" Recollect that a third entry of your of age, relates, that in the former part of name,-the register of your burial, will, his life he was exceedingly profligate, sooner or later, take place. Think, then, and that Mr. Fletcher frequently sought about death, and make preparations for opportunities to warn him of his danger. that also, lest it overtake you as a thief "For," added the poor man, "he used in the night.' This person also is now always to run after such wicked fellows walking in the ways of the Lord, and as I was, whenever he saw us, in order states, that he often adverts to this and that he might talk with us, and warn us.' ." other things which his serious and affecBeing aware of his pious vicar's intentionate pastor found frequent occasion to tions, this collier was accustomed, as soon say to him.

VOL. I.-12

H 2

SERMON VII.

MOTIVES IN MISSIONARY OBJECTS ESSENTIAL TO SUCCESS.

BY THE REV. R. W. HAMILTON.

“Let not, then, your good be evil spoken of.”—Rom. xiv. 16.

of the Christian-(and only any thing because of its accessary and incidental character with respect to the particular department of his benevolence and zeal)

form the scope and the reward of all their exertions: the soul, the object of our care; the salvation of the soul, the prize of our ambition, have no points of attraction, and no ground of admiration for them. How could they value in others that which they in themselves do not appreciate? How could they desire for others that which they do not seek for themselves?

But there are accidents to our cause, and in our progress, which are levelled to their understanding-inferior spoils which are congenial to their tastes. The subserviency of missions to literature and

THE question of Christian missions | which is almost nothing in the estimation occupies, my beloved hearers, a very different position in the public mind in our current history from that which it formerly obtained. Statesmen do not necessarily, as at the first, denounce it; philo--the burning surface, the elaborate ornasophers do not necessarily denounce it; ment, the productions of the soil-these travellers do not necessarily deprecate it. | It does not, as of old, invariably provoke mercantile clamour and political alarm. Contempt has become more calm, and calumny has learned to impose a restraint upon itself. The old outcry is spent; the fierce onset has obeyed the sound of retreat; "the stout-hearted are spoiled; and none of the men of might have found their hands." Insinuation still secretes its subtle poison, and crawls its reptile course; but the invective and menace which once filled our legislatures, our tribunals, our schools, our marts-which were heard in high debate, and were re-science-in arranging languages whose verberated by popular tumult-which gave a tone to polite letters, and an expression to outrageous vulgarities these, with a few exceptions, which stand related to a system whose moderation can never be more than affected, and whose enmity it is impossible to allay or subdue -these more boisterous ebullitions have-in collating facts which sustain the wellnigh died away. The adventurer, most important conclusions and systems the speculator, the infidel, the bigot, must in physical truth;-the favourable influnow avail themselves of other expedients, ence of missions in providing security and have recourse to other weapons. for persons, and infusing confidence into The missionary enterprise has secured | barter, as well as opening new fields, and to itself no small portion of secular re-establishing fresh interchanges, by accusspectability; there are many who are now toming the savage to social institutionsdisposed to do it homage on account of the grandeur of the very scheme of misits indirect results. They have, indeed, sions taking hold upon the imagination, no sympathy with its nobler aims. That and of the mind, as the nearest possible

name had not hitherto been heard-in supplying knowledge touching mythologies which had hitherto been screened from every curious eye, and fenced from every intrusive footstep-in marking, with a very accurate geography, the chart of rivers and oceans, states and countries