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Never look either for subsistence or for character to popular suffrage, or government appointments; to public salaries, or official perquisites. He who seeks for property or reputation from these sources, will, long before he is aware, have set up his soul at auction, and sold it for a place. For character, trust to your conduct; for subsistence, to your hands. In the wretched pursuit of office you will find temptations, and snares, and sins at every step; will turn your backs upon your God, and wander every day farther and farther from virtue, and hope, and heaven.

Build up every where the church of Christ; and every where spread, support, and foster his religion. Cherish it at home, and send it abroad. Labour with all your power to sow the seeds of eternal life, wherever there is a soil to receive them; and to convey the tidings of salvation wherever there is an ear to hear them. On the final day it will be transporting to remember that you have befriended the least of Christ's brethren. It will be divinely extatic to remember that you have befriended them all. Let your right hand forget her cunning, ere you fail to prefer Zion above your chief joy. The first good which you can do for mankind, is to live as the Gospel requires you to live; to adorn the doctrine of God, your Saviour. Let your light, therefore, so shine before others, that they, beholding your good works, may glorify your Father who is in heaven.

To secure these delightful purposes, remember especially that God is always where you are, and an awful witness of whatever you think, speak, or do. Continually refer your conduct to his omniscient eye, and regard it as the materials of your final account. Feel, that his favour is life, and that

his anger is death.

Finally, seek always the company, the conversation, and friendship of good men. They will furnish you a thousand unforeseen blessings in their kindness, their counsel, their example, and their prayers. He that walketh with wise men shall be wise. Of good men, in ancient times, it was said by the voice of God himself, "They that feared the Lord spake "often one to another." What was the consequence? 2 F

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They

"shall be mine, saith Jehovah, in the day when I make up

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my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son, that serveth him."

What will

What will

our friends, our What will best

Can you, can I, want motives for such a life? procure us peace and consolation in the world? array the face of conscience in smiles, and tune her voice to harmony? What will gain the approbation, the friendship, and the prayers of wise and virtuous men? What will make us blessings to our own souls, our families, neighbourhoods, our country, and the world? requite the love of our divine Redeemer? What will assure to us the blessing of forgiven sin, and the favour of a pardoning God? What will shed serenity and peace over the evening of life, and enable the setting sun to go down without a cloud? What will sooth the pain and languor of the last sickness, and disarm the final enemy of his sting? What will light up the lamp of hope in the grave? What will inspire the unembodied spirit with confidence, when it enters upon its lonely flight into the invisible world? What will open to its view the distant glory of heaven, dimly, but extatically, dawning on its wistful eyes, and disclosing its untried way to the throne of infinite mercy? A life spent in honouring God, and doing good to mankind, will accomplish all these delightful things; will enable us to die the death of the righteous, and will make our last end like his.

Is there, then, one of you who will not lead such a life? You are now all before me; all in the house of God; all employed in his worship. How solemn, how endeared the assembly! how divine the employment! how becoming is it for immortal beings to hold their farewell meeting with their companions, and with each other, in such a place, on such a day, and for such a purpose!

These instructions are the last which I shall ever address to you. Regard them as my dying words. Let them sink deep into your hearts. That I regard you with strong affection I know you cannot doubt. From this affection they all spring. To your best good, to your eternal good, they are all directed.

Forget them not. Let them not fail of their full influence to produce this good.

You may live, I hope every one of you will live, through many years to come. How desirable will it be to live in such a manner as to find daily the testimony of a good conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, you have had your conversation in the world. You must die. How joyful will it be to fall asleep in the Lord Jesus, give up your souls into the hands of God, and be able to say, with Addison, to those around you, "See in what peace a Christian can die." You will rise again. How transporting will it be to see you all ascending from the grave, with bodies sown in corruption, weakness, and dishonour, but raised in incorruption, power, and glory, and arrayed in the youth and beauty of heaven. The world around you will be convulsed with its last agonies. How will you feel to be able, while multitudes are calling to the rocks and the mountains to fall on them, and to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb, steadfastly and serenely to enjoy the blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God, even your Saviour Jesus Christ. You must be judged. How blessed will it be to behold you all summoned to the right hand of your Judge, the place of his friends and followers, the seat of distinction, the goal of immortal glory!

The final sentence you must hear. What emotions will you experience, should the Judge of the quick and the dead address to all of you these enrapturing words, " Come, ye bless"ed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from "the foundation of the world!" How solemn, how angelic, will be the flight, to ascend with you in his immortal train to the heaven of heavens, the house of Jehovah, the mansion of everlasting joy! Finally, what tongue can describe, what mind can conceive, the extacy of mingling with the church of the first-born; of conversing with the innumerable company of angels; of standing before the throne of God, accepted and beloved; and of uniting in the eternal song, "Blessing, and "honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him, that sitteth on "the throne, and unto the Lamb, for ever and ever!"

In that divine assembly; at that great era in the kingdom of Jehovah; that birth-day of the new heavens and the new earth; when those undefiled mansions shall be filled with all their inhabitants; when, like the drops that form the bow in the cloud in the day of rain, the children of God shall be illumined by the Sun of righteousness with supernal beauty; and all, united, shall form one perfect circle, arrayed in the endless diversities of immortal light and glory; let me ardently hope, and oh! may the Father of all mercies fulfil the hope, that not one of you will be found missing.

SERMON XXIII.

ON CONFORMITY TO THIS WORLD.

To the Candidates for the Baccalaureate, in 1808.

ROMANS XII. 2.

"And be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God."

THIS chapter is the beginning of St. Paul's practical application of the preceding parts of this Epistle. It commences in the first verse with an earnest request of the Apostle to the Roman Christians, that they would present their bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God. In other words, that they would consecrate their bodies to his service finally, and without reserve, as a sacrifice is consecrated to him. In the text he urges them to be no longer conformed to this world, but to be transformed, by the renewing of their mind, in such a manner that they may prove, or experimentally discern, the good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God. In the former verse, the Apostle beseeches the Romans to devote their external powers and actions wholly to the service of their Maker. In the text, he exhorts them not to suffer either their external or internal conduct to be conformed to the opinions or practices of the world; and so to regulate the state of their minds, as that this shall be the happy consequence. The words may be thus rendered: Be not fashioned like unto this

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