pleasure-shall an evil heart of unbelief-shall the love of sin prevail over the authority of Godover the sentence of your own judgment-over the pleadings of your own conscience-over the strivings of God's Spirit? and will you still tread the paths of sin, and folly, and worldliness, and forgetfulness of God? Will you flatter yourselves that what we plead for is too much? It is only the service of God-the belief of his word and a life directed by that belief, that we urge upon you. Did you ever know one, who as death approached, and that day of "discerning," spoken of in my text, drew near, thought that he had been too strict, regretted that he had taken too much pains to save his soul? No: your conscience says, We are not too strict; it is only your inclination that argues against your conscience.

At all events, beware lest you pronounce us too strict-merely because you wish to think us somerely because the practice of the world favours that decision. In your own consciences you feel that there is no force in such reasons. Neither, on the other hand, do we desire that you should take things upon our authority. No; we only make one demand, to the reasonableness of which you cannot refuse your assent-" Search the scriptures daily" and with prayer to God-" whether these things be so or not," and implore grace to

act according to the conclusions to which such a diligent and humble investigation will infallibly lead you.

Should you find that you have hitherto been wrong; remember, the detection of your error may be salutary. The blood of Jesus Christ is able to purge away your guilt; the grace of his Spirit is able to change your heart. You may yet pass from the world of the wicked and be joined to the number of the servants of God and blessed with all their blessings.

But if conscience bears you witness as in the sight of God that you are the servants of the Lord-that you have returned to him from your wanderings have truly repented of your sins, thankfully accepted the salvation of Christ, and yielded yourselves to his service, to walk before him in holiness and righteousness to your lives' end, that there is no sin which you do not strive to put from you, no duty which you allow yourselves to neglect, that you are laying up for yourselves treasure not on earth, but in heaven, and thus looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life—if this be the case, the text speaks infinite consolation to you. A wide difference shall be made in your state too, but a difference that is infinitely glorious. "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet

appear what we shall be, but we know, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." Bear up under present trials-hold on in the path of duty, and look to the glory which shall be revealed. "Be steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."

SERMON XIX.

2 CORINTHIANS IV. 1.

THEREFORE SEEING WE HAVE THIS MINISTRY, AS WE HAVE RECEIVED MERCY, WE FAINT NOT.

WE are indebted to these Epistles to the Corinthians, and by consequence, in a certain sense, to those false teachers who gave occasion to them, for many interesting notices of the Apostle's private history, and for many fine displays of the spirit which actuated him. He has to vindicate his own apostolic commission, and in so doing he explains the nature of the ministry committed to him; and asserts also the faithfulness and purity with which he executed his commission. "Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not: but have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth, commending ourselves to every man's conscience, in the sight of God."

From the words of the text we will consider,

I. THE NATURE OF THE MINISTRY COMMITTED

TO THE APOSTLE.

II. WHAT THERE WAS TENDING ΤΟ MAKE HIM FAINT IN THE DISCHARGE OF IT.

III. WHAT SUPPORTED HIM So, THAT HE 66 FAINTED NOT."

I. ON THE NATURE OF THE MINISTRY COMMITTED TO THE APOSTLE, the preceding chapters throw ample light. "God hath made us able ministers of the New Testament," or new covenant: "not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not steadfastly behold the face of Moses, for the glory of his countenance, which glory was to be done away; how shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? For, if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory? For even that which was made glorious, had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious."

The passage requires attention; but it will