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death, and not feel anxious to lead them to the Saviour's fold?

§ 17. If love can constrain you to exertion, you must be active. Can you, if truly a Christian, contemplate the costly sacrifice and nameless agonies of the Son of God, and yet remain indifferent to the prosperity of the cause for which he died? Can you behold the Father of eternity resigning the Son of his love, in compassion to you and to man, and yet be careless about the conversion of a perishing brother? Did the Son of God sacrifice so much for your eternal happiness, and should you not anxiously render to him all the services that you can crowd into a few fleeting, mortal days. Do you believe that the Son of God abode in this vale of pollution, this world of death, for more than thirty mournful years? Do you believe that here he encountered every human woe, and all this for you? Do you believe this, if you feel little concerned about the prosperity of the cause for which he lived and died? The tongue may say, "Yes," but a cold heart and inactive life more truly answer, "No, you believe it not, you have but the shadow of belief."Do you believe, that through sin, death and perdition were your righteous doom, but that a divine hand has snatched you from the fire-has woven for you a garland of unfading glory-has prepared for you an everlasting rest beyond the scenes of toilsome life? Can you believe this and remain inactive? God forbid that you should ever act so base a part! though, alas, it is acted by multitudes.

§ 18. In the value of the deathless soul you should find another motive for activity. The poor, vain, giddy, trifling crowd around you are to live for ever. You know their danger, they know it not; you feel the worth of a soul, they feel it not.

Ah, my friend, even you know not the worth of an immortal soul! It doth not yet appear what we shall be. Could a ransomed soul appear to us, arrayed in the glories of eternity, and the charms of heaven, we might suppose the happy spirit a high archangel. No, it is no archangel; it is the soul; the soul which once inhabited a poor, afflicted body, and appeared a worm, and no man ;-the soul, which Satan ruled, but which a mightier Power snatched from his hand; the soul, over which angels rejoiced; the soul, for which Je

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sus died; and, O more strange! the soul, which some humble Christian's pious cares led to the Saviour and to heaven.

If you should be thus successful in but one instance, this one would be a rich reward even for the labours of the longest life. "He which converteth a sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and hide a multitude of sins." How tragical a sight is the execution of a criminal! how much more tragical the perdition of a soul! How great a benefactor would he be esteemed, who might deliver a sinking nation from famine, pestilence, slavery, and the sword! but they are instruments of effecting much greater good, who lead only one soul to the Saviour of mankind. It is in the labours of Christian piety, that great events crowd upon each other; events perhaps judged little by the world, yet great because their influence is extensive as eternity. A Christian is accosted by a poor beggar, poor for time, and poorer for eternity.He gives the suppliant a trifle, and adds a tract—the beggar goes, he reads, he feels, his heart is impressed-he feels his state, he flees to the Saviour for salvation. The event is unknown to all the world; the subject of it lives in poverty, and dies like Lazarus. The same day on which this tract is given, a mighty battle is fought-hundreds of thousands engage in the conflict-the fate of nations is decided by its issue. The fame of the victors fills the world, and will be handed down to the last age of time. Which is the great event? the battle? Ah, no! not unless it has more influence on eternity than the other. The great event is the poor beggar's conversion. That will be remembered when the trumpet of fame is hushed by the archangel's oath, that time shall be no longer. That will be a subject of gratitude and joy, of delight and praise, when the triumphs of contending nations are forgotten, and when those nations themselves are swept into oblivion by the besom of destruction.

§ 19. In addition to all the other powerful motives which should stimulate the Christian to activity, there is one which the Son of God assigned as a reason for his unwearied exertions; "The night cometh, in which no man can work," the night of death, that will put an eternal end to all our labours for the glory of God in the salvation of man. The longest summer's day soon elapses, and he who toils from its dawn to its close, soon has to say, My labour is done. So

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time will soon end with those you wish to benefit, and end with you. The parent must shortly cease to instruct his child, and the child to pray for his parent. The sabbath-school teacher must finish his last lesson, and the minister his last sermon, and every follower of Jesus end his last conflict, offer his last prayer, and finish his last attempt to lead poor wandering men to heaven. The night cometh when no man can work. Endeavour then to crowd into the little span of life all the benevolent actions, all the useful services, possible. Have you an opportunity for relieving the afflicted, for instructing the ignorant, for comforting the mourner? Say not, I will improve the next opportunity. You cannot improve the next for this; the next will be a fresh one, that will require its own improvement. To do good twice, is better than to do so once. Be active! be zealous! for the time is short. Think how short is the day of labour! how long, how near, the eternity of rest! Behold the blood-bought crown, which glitters through the skies. Hear the voice which says, "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might." "They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." And O, what is the for ever of heaven! Look to him who became for man's welfare a man of sorrows and of toil. Think of admission to his presence, and there of meeting some snatched by your instrumentality from everlasting night; and there of joining with them, in the new eternal song of glory to the Lamb.

Think of all this, and can you be the cold, formal, negligent, worthless creature, that some professors of the gospel are? Treatment of enemies.

§ 20. Few are so happy as to pass through this world, without encountering hostility and enmity. Even the blessed Jesus had enemies, and all the gentle graces of his character, all the harmlessness of his benevolent life, all the good effected by his unwearied labours, did not prevent his being the object of scorn and malignity, hatred and persecution. Perhaps by enemies your character may be defamed, and injury and loss heaped upon you. Should this ever be the case, then remember the instructions of the Bible. The natural feelings of your heart may prompt you to indulge resentment: to revile those who revile you, to take pleasure in their dis

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tresses who take pleasure in yours, or in hearing them defamed who have defamed you. But these feelings are as opposite to those the Christian must cherish, as hell is to heaven.

You are solemnly commanded to do no ill to those who may do ill to you. "Say not, I will do so to him as he hath done to me: I will render to the man according to his work."a "Recompense to no man evil for evil. Avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath."b

You are not only forbidden to injure enemies, but forbidden to take pleasure in their afflictions. Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth; lest the Lord see it, and it displease him."c

Inculcating upon you a disposition like his own, the God of mercy solemnly and imperiously requires from you the forgiveness of injuries and of enemies. The Saviour teaches you when praying for forgiveness, to declare to God that you forgive. Forgive us our sins; FOR we also forgive EVERY ONE that is indebted to us." He adds, "For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your heavenly Father forgive your trespasses." The divine Saviour calls on his disciples, not merely to forgive an injurer, or an enemy; but to requite injuries by benefits, evil by good. "I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven." "Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Therefore, if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good."f

§ 21. Exemplifying his divine instruction, the holy Jesus while his enemies were nailing him to the cross prayed for mercy on those murderers: "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." His first martyr expired with a similar prayer upon his lips. The duties here inculcated, are at times among the most difficult possible; yet they must be practised, if you would enjoy the Saviour's favour. The proud heart must be made to bend, the resentful heart must be brought to forgive, or your religion will prove an empty (a) Prov. xx. 22; xxiv. 29. (6) Rom. xii. 17, 19. (c) Prov. xxiv. 17, 18. (d) Luke xi, 4. (e) Matt. vi. 14, 15. (f) Rom. xii. 14, 20, 21.

(g) Luke xxiii. 34.

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name. You may say, I have been so injured that I cannot for. give; but if you cannot, you will never be forgiven. Besides, it is absurd and wicked, if you are a disciple of Jesus, to say, I cannot discharge this duty, I cannot comply with this precept. What mere nature cannot do, grace can effect, and will effect, in the case of every heir of heaven. My grace," said Jesus," is sufficient for thee." "I can do all things," his servant added, "through Christ, that strengtheneth me;" and that grace is still sufficient. If you indulge an unforgiving spirit, be candid, be honest, deceive not yourself, you cannot deceive your Judge. Say not, I cannot forgive; but say, I will not; for be assured, while the grace of Christ is sufficient for all who seek his aid, if you have enemies whom you do not forgive, the reason is not that you cannot, but that you will not. Yet remember, unless you do so mortify corruption, as to forgive every enemy, the decree is gone forth, that will shut you out of heaven. Eternal truth has said, “If ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."

Cherish humility, and then it will not be a difficult duty to forgive and bless even the bitterest foes. It is pride that renders man so prone to resentment, so unwilling to forgive. Think what have been your crimes against the Majesty of heaven! How vast his goodness! how dire your ingratitude! how many your offences! yet how rich, how free his forgiving love! Had all the inhabitants of the earth been persecuting you with ceaseless cruelty and hatred; had every moment witnessed fresh injuries inflicted by them, and fresh miseries suffered by you; if considered merely in reference to you, the guilt of all the ceaseless, causeless enmity of all those millions, would not have been so great as the guilt of your least sin against your gracious, but much injured God. And does he forgive ten thousand talents? Has he for you blotted out sins vast as the mountains of the earth, and countless as the stars of heaven? Can you believe this, and indulge resentment against a poor fellow-worm that has injured you? Can you think, "I was a traitor doomed to fire, yet my injured Creator has snatched me from the flame, by the costly sacrifice of his dear Son; can you believe this, and cherish resentment against a poor brother mortal, whose utmost offences against vou bear no more proportion to those your God has forgiven,