demean myself so that my conduct may please Him? To this question a direct answer is given in the form of absolution. When repentance and faith are the inmates of our hearts, then, and then only will those things please Him, which we do at this present.' If these are wanting, the most splendid acts of charity, and our worship, whatever appearance of devotion it may have, are an abomination in His sight. Unless selfrenunciation and self-abhorrence, accompanied by faith in the great atoning sacrifice, be the spring of action, and the source whence our confessions, prayers, and praises flow; we can have no testimony that we please God.' Jesus is the beloved Son of God, in whom He is well pleased:' and nothing of our's can be pleasant to God, but what is honorable to Christ. • The sacrifices of God,' acceptable to Him, are a broken and contrite spirit.' A man may build and endow hospitals, and rear stately and magnificent edifices for God's worship; and yet hear at last the tremendous words, Depart from me, I never knew you.' It is the motive that is regarded by the Great Searcher of hearts, rather than the act. It is the principle, that sanctifies the gift. Were I to bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and give my body to be burned; it would not recommend me to God, unless in the performance of these acts, I refused to ground on them any hope of acceptance with Him; and, as a poor sinner, rested my plea on Without faith the atonement of Jesus Christ. it is impossible to please God.'* The awakened soul is solicitous that the rest of his life hereafter may be pure and holy.' The time past of his days he accounts more than sufficient to be devoted to the service of sin. But he knows that he can only become holy, in proportion as God the Sanctifier makes him so; and therefore he earnestly beseeches God to 'grant' him His Holy Spirit' for this end. But perhaps it may be objected that if pardon, faith, repentance, and even eternal life be freely bestowed on the undeserving without money and without price;' then there is no need of any anxiety about a pure and holy life.' In answer to this, let us endeavour to illustrate the Apostle's position that faith worketh by love.'t Your house has taken fire, and the flames are kindled all around you. No probable way of escape appears. You give yourself up for lost, and, in your own apprehension, you must perish. Just at the critical moment, when despair has seized your mind, one, who was under no obligations to you, undertakes your rescue ; rushes through the surrounding flames; and, after suffering severely himself in the attempt, is success-* ful in effecting your deliverance. Ask yourselves, what would the feelings of your heart be towards that person? This act of kindness is more than realized to the redeemed sinner. Must not he, who knows that he has been redeemed' from endless ruin with a price, not of ⚫ corruptible things, such as silver and gold, but ' with the precious blood of Christ,' love God, and labour to keep His commandments? Will not gratitude operate on the ingenuous mind more powerfully than slavish fear? We love Him, because He first loved us.'* Thus at the last we shall come to His eternal 'joy.' Blessed be God, there is a state before us, in which the tear of repentance will be wiped away from our eyes, the sigh of sorrow be suppressed, and the conflict of faith be changed for everlasting triumph! For they, that sow in • tears, shall reap in joy: he, that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubt• less come again with rejoicing, bringing his • sheaves with him.' The husbandman ploughs his ground, and scatters his precious seed over the soil, in expectation of a future increase: his pleasing hopes are, however, often chastised by fear of a disappointment. So the awakened sinner weeps, and prays; laments his past life, and 6 corrupt nature; struggles against sin that dwelleth in him ; fights the good fight of faith; and labours hard to lay hold on eternal life. Many weary steps the industrious husbandman takes, while waiting for the time of harvest : but, when that season comes, his labours are amply repaid, while with joy and gladness of heart he carries the golden grain to his barns in safety. So shall it be with the humble believer. The present time is the time of sowing and waiting. We are now to live by faith and that faith must be tried. Blighting winds and nipping frosts will threaten to destroy our pleasing prospects. The time of harvest may be long delayed. But there is a reaping season to come. Our utmost wishes will then be more than realized. • We shall enter into his eternal joy.' That joy will be greater than the joy in harvest, or ⚫ that of those who divide the spoil.'* It will not be like the short-lived joy, which arises from worldly prosperity, and which resembles the crackling of thorns under a pot,'† a momentary blaze and nothing more. But it will be eternal.' Our present comforts, even those of a religious nature, often leave us to regret their want of permanence and stability. But, when the day of the consummation of all our hopes arrives, our |