gion, benevolence, and humanity, the call has gone forth, "enter into my vineyard and labour, and whatsoever is right ye shall receive." Time is swiftly drawing to a close, and it will soon be lost forever in the darkness of that night in which no man can work, and we are as fully convinced of this truth, that life must be followed by death, as we are of the change from day to night in the outward world. Some of us have reached the sixth, some the ninth, and some the eleventh hour; and it becomes a question of the greatest importance to us to know that we are so labouring in the Lord's vineyard as to realize our penny.

I feel the magnitude of the subject when I consider my own latter end. I am conscious that the present probation has its limits and they will soon be reached. I feel the necessity of faithfulness to truth and duty, and I desire above all things for myself and fellowcreatures, that we may make our "calling and election sure." I am satisfied, my friends, that if we live up to the knowledge that is received, the end of our being will be answered; we shall glorify God upon earth, enjoy his presence here and for ever. Oh, my friends, let us not be idle, but enter into the garden of our own minds and labour. There is a work there that is needful for us to perform-" man know thyself, enough for man to know." If we turn within ourselves we shall discover that the fountain of truth —of love—of light-is not far from any one of us. God is that fountain, and in him "we live and move, and have our being." Oh! blessed privilege, that we should have access to the source of all good, and

have no more need that any man should instruct us in Divine things, than we have of trusting to others the salvation of our souls. The work of salvation belongs to us as individual heirs of immortality and eternal life, and it must be begun, carried on, and completed by our faithfulness and obedience to God. No man or woman ever performed an act of duty in accordance with the convictions of truth, who did not feel the reward of "well done, good and faithful servant." Well, my friends, if we have been rewarded for faithfulness in little things it should stimulate us to press forward towards the "mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus," and lead us to extend the invitation to others, to come and see how good the Lord is. Then should we be blessed by religious association, our spiritual strength would be renewed; the strong would encourage the weak, and when permitted to mingle with minds engaged in spiritual devotion, we should feel that we were in heavenly places in Christ Jesus, enjoying that unity of spirit on earth which shall bind the just of all generations together in the kingdom of heaven.

SERMON VII.

DELIVERED AT FRIENDS' MEETING, CHERRY STREET, PHILADELPHIA, IN THE EVENING OF FIRST MONTH 20TH, 1850.

“I Aм not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth."

I am a believer in the doctrine, that the gospel of Christ is "the power of God unto salvation," preached to every rational soul, in a manner so plain and intelligible, that all can understand it, and that the effects of obedience to its teachings, are the same in all ages of the world, and among all people, for it leads invariably to a life of devotion to God, and of usefulness to man. The great change that was effected in the conduct and experience of the apostle who made use of the expressions I have quoted, was produced according to his own testimony, when consulting not with flesh and blood, he gave up to the heavenly illuminations of truth upon his own mind, and was thus brought out of darkness into light, and from under the power and dominion of hatred and error, into the blessed liberty of the children of God. He could then say, "there is now, therefore, no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit, for the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath set me free from the law of sin and death." The evident design of the gospel is to bring us into a state of blessedness, to

lead us out of all error, into truth and righteousness. Since we have been together on the present occasion, this state, described by the apostle, as being without condemnation, has been presented to the view of my mind in such a light, that I have desired all in this assembly might see the beauty, simplicity and purity of the Christian's life, and desire to make it our's for its own eternal excellence, that we might realize the blessed enjoyment inseparable from continual obedience to the will of our Father who is in heaven. We bear the name of Christians among men, but the Christian religion does not consist in a name or profession of religion-not in word, but in deed-not in any cunningly devised fable, nor in every "wind of doctrine, and cunning craftiness of men, wherein they lie in wait to deceive," but in obedience to Christ. The Christian character so remarkable for its simplicity and purity, is easily distinguished from every thing of an opposite nature that has assumed its name. We have an infallible criterion by which it is to be known. When the blessed Jesus was engaged in the work of his mission, he told his disciples, that they should be judged by their fruits, and the rule is as applicable to us as to them. How simple is the test. "By their fruits ye shall know them; men do not gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles." The Christian is known. by his fruits. "Not every one that saith unto me Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven," was another declaration of Jesus, pointing to the same thing, and showing that a profession to religion

does not always imply that we have come to the kingdom of God.

Now, my friends, if I have any work to do in the gospel, it is not to be engaged in the defence of any of the speculative opinions, theories of religion, or systems of faith which have so unhappily led to strife and contention amongst men, but rather to bring before our view the practical and vital part of Christianity, to show us the necessity of daily obedience to Christ, that we may exhibit those fruits of righteousness by which the followers of Jesus will ever be known, and by which alone we can prove to others that we are "not ashamed of that gospel which is the power of God unto salvation, to every one that believeth." I consider it of no importance to make declarations of a belief in Christ, or in any thing else that pertains to religion, if our conduct does not correspond with our belief and profession; and yet we see how much dependence is placed upon a name to religion; how strenuously men are defending their opinions of Christ; their conflicting creeds and systems of faith; their forms and ceremonies, as though these constituted vital religion. Christ is not divided. It is in vain for us to say, "I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ." We have need to observe the command of Jesus-"If any man shall say unto you, lo, here is Christ, or there, believe it not, the kingdom of God is within you." The visible church has become scattered and divided amidst the conflict of opinions, and the strife of tongues which so unhappily prevail at the expense of practical and vital religion. Whatever we may pro