to him, and obtained relief like the Queen of Sheba, fix their eyes upon the King. This is one great cause, my friends, wherefore some, who seem to run well at first, grow cold in their religion; that when their distress is removed, they proceed no further. Instead of having their hearts warmed by improving their rest to a more admiring acquaintance with the Lord Jesus, they return in a degree to the world, or at least become remiss in waiting upon the Saviour. You observe, that this Queen was not content with having fixed her eyes upon the throne of Solomon, but she saw his wisdom, his palace, his servants, his ascent to the house of the Lord and in this way her admiration much increased. Let it be thus with you: a hope of pardon, or of being made a new creature, is only the commencement of religion the progress of it is, by having the heart filled with affectionate love to the Saviour. And how does love to any amiable object come? By looking at it: yes, not only by looking at it, but, when it will bear inspection, by again and again regarding it. Thus, my friends, it must be with you. There are many excellencies in the Lord Jesus Christ which are not observ able at first sight. You have heard of his sufferings in the Garden; but have you marked them as all foreknown, and willingly and un

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reservedly endured; so willingly, that in the very night they were to be borne he declared, "With desire I have desired to eat this passover before I suffer?" You have heard of his general offers of pardon; but have you reflected upon the grace of those words, "Beginat Jerusalem?" making the place where he was so shamefully treated the first place where his mercy should appear. You have read of him as coming to bind up the brokenhearted, and to comfort those that mourn; but have you meditated upon his spending a whole day in comforting a widow, as he did the widow of Nain? You have been told of his occasionally offering up prayer with his disciples; but have you fixed your eye upon him as "ever living to make intercession for us," never ceasing his advocacy day or night? Or you have heard of his sending angels to receive the spirits of his departing servants; but have you regarded him as himself standing at the right hand of God to receive their spirits, as he did when Stephen was martyred? Or you have heard of his first Advent, when he came to visit us in great humility; but have you meditated upon his appearing a second time, without sin, unto salvation; appearing in his own glory, and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels?

It is these continued lookings which advance

love in the soul. It is quite a mistake to imagine that believers love their Lord most at the beginning: there may be then a greater degree of partly selfish joy, as a criminal who has just obtained his pardon feels at first more sensible joy in his deliverance. But love, when the means are used to promote it, will grow; yes, for years will still be growing. Do not think, my dear young friends, that you have come to the pleasantest part of religion yet; there are many beauties in the Saviour yet to be discovered. The fragrance that comes from the Rose of Sharon" increases in its sweetness: some undiscovered tints are still manifesting themselves; as an aged servant of God's mentioned, at nearly his eightieth year, that, in reading the Scriptures again, he had found them still new, and still more blessed. Let, then, this Queen of the South lead you forward, still looking to your Saviour, till, like her, you say, "It was a true report that I heard in my own land of thy acts and of thy wisdom. Howbeit, I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it; and, behold, the half was not told me: thy wisdom and prosperity exceedeth the fame which I heard."

69

SERMON IV.

ON CONVERSION.

MATT. Xviii. 3.

Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

THERE is no one, my friends, who is at all acquainted with the events which are passing in society, but knows, that within these ten years past, to go back no further, there has been, both in the middle and higher classes, an attention to religion but little visible in the close of the last century. So much is this the case, that, whereas a few years since it was quite unusual for any remark of a religious nature to be introduced in ordinary conversation, now it is no uncommon thing in general society for reference to be made, if not to particular doctrines of the Holy Scriptures, at least to the discourses of the preceding Sabbath. Men

begin to see they were formed for higher purposes than to collect shells, or to write epigrams, or to court popularity, or to die rich, or any of those occupations which, however respectable they may seem compared with sordid sensuality, are yet but earthly, regarding only the present short span of life, but by no means extending to the high and noble purpose for which man was formed-namely, to walk with God by faith now, and by sight hereafter.

This alteration in the tone of public opinion. has had this inconvenience,-that no sooner does a person discover any regard to religion, than his former acquaintances, with perhaps a sarcastic smile, are saying, 'What, you are converted! you are now become a saint!' endeayouring to stifle all serious thought by ridicule or bitter mocking; continuing the same satanic art which was employed against Peter, when he was charged with being a disciple of Christ. My friends, this has been an inconvenience that many have felt: their most intimate associates have tried to laugh them out of their religion.

But, whilst many have not feared to dart these shafts of ridicule, others have been afraid, that when several of their former friends have given such decided proofs, not only of being converted, but of the real happiness of such a