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abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh,' neral shyness, in a body of Christians, of religious: conversation is an unfavourable indication. If it be objected that such intercourse is an occasion of display, pride, insincerity, or too abundant profession; we answer, that if a regard for God's glory prompts the intercourse, the same motive will guard it. So long as our aim is to find real gratification in the interchange of pious thought; to foster holy principle in ourselves, and to promote it in others; to "provoke to love and to good works; " what is ostentatious, vain, self-sufficient or insincere will be held in strong and effectual check.

There is one form of Christian association which especially requires to be reduced to the control of mutual regard for the divine honour. We refer to the connexion between Pastor and People. On the part of the minister we have already seen that this should guard his entrance upon the holy office; that it should awe him into habitual sense of responsibility; that it should defend him from the incursions of bad motives; that it should guide his course amidst the perplexities and dangers of his path; that it should be his solace in scenes of discouragement, neglect, and opposition; that it should moderate the keenness of his disappointment, and purify the joys of his success. But the people too, require to be under the same regulation in reference to this relation. This should direct their choice, measure their esteem, bound their confidence, select the grounds of approbation and affection, determine their treatment, and secure their co-operation in every good word and work. How far below this is favouritism,

adulation of talent, mere personal esteem, and party zeal. The rebuke of Paul to the Corinthians is on record. What is the point of that accusation? A regard to men rather than to God. And this has often since been, and still is, the source of endless dissatisfaction and confusion. Would not a strange re-arrangement and transposition take place, if all ministerial and ecclesiastical matters had to be adjusted strictly by our rule? One indication of its working and prevalence would be the mutual yielding of the showy, the pompous, the merely intellectual, the glittering, the imposing qualities, to the spiritual, the simple, the urgent, the humble, the devout and the faithful. We should thus learn "to account of" preachers and pastors as "the ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God."*

XII. In benevolent exertion and enterprise the glory of God is the great end to be kept in view.

The place which God has given to human instrumentality in his amazing arrangements for restoring man, must be cheerfully and devoutly recognised. It is indeed a wonderful contrivance which makes the powers, relations, affections, and efforts of even fallen and sinful beings the means of goodness and happiness to others. When a world of sinful creatures was to be recovered, we should hardly have expected that some of these very fallen ones, were to be the agents and instruments of deliverance. We might have expected that in a scene of such prostrate helplessness and universal unworthiness, another or

1 Cor. iv. 1.

der of beings would be called to the work. But "his thoughts are not as our thoughts, nor his ways as our ways." And in this respect, "as high as the heavens are above the earth, so are his thoughts above our thoughts and his ways above our ways." They are full of wisdom. Man is best approached through man. The old channels of social life become the fittest modes of conveying truth and goodness. The long established system of human relations, becomes converted easily into a grand machine of spiritual improvement. Mind still works on mind. To these considerations should be added the immense advantage secured by this arrangement to the agents themselves, in that powerful and salutary reaction which is developed. To these instruments, as yet imperfectly. recovered themselves, their benevolent and hallowed labours for others, are of incalculable service. Besides this, how exceedingly conducive to pure and elevated affection, must be this system of spiritual: action and reaction which brings into play the deepest and tenderest sympathies of the human heart. Can love fail to grow up between those who are deriving from each other, beneficial influence-influ-. ence the purest, the happiest and the most lasting— influence involving a blissful and perfect immortality? Is not he "wonderful in counsel and excellent in working" who constructed this glorious scheme of instrumentality, securing as it does, ends so varied, so vast, so beautiful and so inconceivably valuable, so holy and so merciful? This admirable and lovely system, because appointed and enjoined by God, and. because aiming at designs so worthy of God, com-: mends itself to the obedient and holy and benevolent.

mind of a christian. He is humble enough to consider himself an instrument; holy enough to wish to be God's instrument; benevolent enough to rejoice in the thought of being an instrument of good and happiness to his fellow sinners. He does not feel himself at liberty to refuse "the work which is given him to do." He feels that he is in his Lord's vineyard. He must be about his Father's business. Great caution however will be requisite here to preserve the aim direct and clear. When we employ our minds in reference to God, and the relations in which we stand to him, he appears as the immediate Object. But when they are employed in reference to others, there is danger lest these, intervening as ends, engross the whole vision, and exclude him, who is the great and ultimate end of all. Or perhaps we should say in this case there is danger lest these interposing objects of attention, furnish the occasions and facilities of thrusting forward ourselves as the end of our doings. When God is, as in devotion, religious affections, and direct obedience, the immediate object, self is deterred, depressed and awed; but in those mediate objects, through which God is to be sought and served, it will often seek a resting place, a sanctuary and a throne for itself. There is danger lest when we think for the good of others, we should think for the applause of others; lest whilst we are professing to give the features of truth, we should be carefully presenting the lineaments of our own minds; lest whilst correcting others, we should be exalting ourselves; lest we be more anxious to please than to benefit; lest we look less upon what is done, than upon our having done it; lest we forget

that "neither is he that planteth anything, nor he that watereth, but God that giveth the increase." We should therefore constantly revert to the principle, that we profess to do it for God-because he ordains it, he commands it, he approves it, he prospers it, he recompenses it.

But the motive should be nourished, as well as guarded. We must not only see to its rectitude and its purity; but to its liveliness, its vigour, its impelling force. How greatly may we honour God by the wise selection, the abundance, the self-denying character, the conscientious discharge of the duties of evangelical benevolence;-by the spirit of lowly dependance, of confiding hope, and of fervent prayer with which they are pursued ;-and by the pure, and blessed, and everlasting fruits of our labours! "As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: THAT GOD IN ALL THINGS MAY BE GLORIFIED through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.”*

XIII. The same great end is not to be lost sight of in what are termed, and in some respects not improperly, indifferent matters. Whether regarded in its comprehensiveness of principle, or its point of application, most appropriate and direct is the injunction from which our entire discussion takes its title

1 Pet. iv. 10, 11.