ceive the "crown of righteousness." Yet in his humility, he feels somewhat surprised, when on the book of his history being opened, he hears of so many good deeds being put down to his account, and not one sin recorded against him. For he well recollects how vile he had been, before he became a true penitent and believer; how many years he had spent in thoughtlessness, in forgetfulness of God, in the neglect of his own soul; how his heart had gone after vain things; how difficult a work it was to arouse him from the slumber of sin; how many calls he had despised; what frequent warnings he had disregarded; how slow was the progress of God's grace in his heart, through his love of sin, and his reluctance to renounce the world. Nor can he forget what infirmities and imperfections beset him, and clung about him, even after he had turned to the Lord, and had seriously made the doing of his will, and the salvation of his own soul the grand concerns of his life. He remembers that his prayers were often languid and cold, and interrupted by worldly thoughts; that his devotion to God was not half so zealous as it should have been; that he did not love his Saviour in any proportion to what He deserved of him; that his faith often wavered; that many times he had acted in a manner inconsistent with his holy profession; that sometimes

he had felt almost ashamed to own Christ before men, when he expected to be ridiculed for his singularity, or rebuked for his interference; that he had felt too much pain at the loss of friends, or of his earthly comforts, when it had pleased God to try him with affliction; that he had omitted numberless opportunities of doing good to the bodies and souls of men; in short, that he had been a weak and sinful creature throughout his whole life, and in himself deserved nothing but the anger and vengeance of God. Yet he knows, too, that he had trusted in his merciful Redeemer, and at other times had loved him with sincere, though feeble affection, and had served him with zealous though imperfect obedience. And is this all that is recorded? It is written in the book, how deeply at last, through the grace which was given him, he repented of his sins; how steadfastly he believed in Christ; how earnestly he prayed; how liberally, yet unostentatiously he gave alms, not suffering his left hand to know what his right hand did; with how devout a mind he used to go to the house of God; how meekly and profitably he would hear his word; with how grateful and pious a heart he would join in the communion of Christ's body and blood; how he strove with himself to conquer his evil dispositions, and to resist all the temptations presented to him; how

lowly and humble he was in his own eyes; how charitable in thought towards others; how pure and temperate in his enjoyments; how honest, true, and just in his dealings with all mankind. "All these things are noted in the book;" but not one sin, not even one infirmity. It is true, there are many places where there seems to have been something written, which is not now legible,here his sins had been once set down, but they have now been blotted out, and are no more remembered against him. The name of his Redeemer, in whom he trusted, is written every where, hiding the record of his offences, and shedding an undeserved glory upon all his works and graces. Every promise in the book of the word of Christ applies to this happy being. His name is found in bright characters in the book of life. The Judge addresses him,—and all the joyful saints on the right hand, “ Come, ye blessed children of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world." They enter immediately into the joy of their Lord, and now experience all those good things, which before their eye had not seen, nor their ear heard, nor had it entered into their heart to conceive.

My brethren, need I exhort you so to prepare for the coming of your Lord, that this may be your happy lot at the last great day? I would

rather leave on your minds the contrasted descriptions which I have set before you. Meditate on these things, and may the Holy Spirit engrave deeply on your hearts, a holy and solemn expectation of Christ's future advent "to judge the world in righteousness. And may he incline you fully to believe, and profitably to consider, that on that day will most assuredly be proved the truth of the scripture, which says, "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord."