own mouth, we fhall learn the wondrous ftory of redeeming love towards him, and with him, and all faints, for ever celebrate the grace wherein we ftand.

V. FINALLY, May we not fuppofe our Christian profelyte rejoicing in the prospect of being made greatly and extenfively useful to others; of being made the happy inftrument of immortal happinefs to thousands. How would his heart burn within him with facred ambition, with affectionate zeal, to think that Providence had placed him in a station fo favourable to the interefts of the Redeemer's kingdom, as well as of that mighty temporal empire, in the adminiftration of whofe government he had fo eminent a fhare; that his exalted station and extenfive authority might, by the bleffing of God, have influence with his fellow-citizens, perhaps with his fovereign, towards the reception and acknowledgement of that faith, which he himself had embraced; and that thus generations to come might call him bleffed, while they enjoyed the fruits of his labours of love; that by his means, Ethiopia might, according as it is written, foon ftretch out her hands unto God! May we not suppose him, once more having recourse to the prophets, and reading with delight of that bleffed day, when they that be wife shall fhine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many unto righteousness, as the ftars for ever and ever: When he should

be

be honoured to prefent himfelf before the eternal throne, with a numerous retinue of spiritual children, rescued from Pagan idolatry, grofs ignorance, and barbarous manners, and received into the family of the common Father of all, bleffed with the fpirit of adoption, and raised to glory?

We move in a sphere much more contracted: but to every one there is his particular sphere, in which he may be greatly, nobly ufeful: let every one confider the extent, the connections, and dependencies of his own. You have families and friends: the poor, and the ignorant, and the afflicted, you have always

with you. Are there not among you, the giddy, the thoughtlefs, and the vain, to be admonifhed with wifdom, and reproved with tenderness? are there not the impious and the profane, to be oppofed with firmnefs, reprehended by example, reclaimed by goodness, interceded for with compaffion, or separated from with refolution? are not these dear, precious lambs of the flock the hope of the prefent age, and the feed of thofe which are to come, to be fuckled, to be trained up, to be protected? are not the poor and the afflicted of God's people, for whom Chrift died, to be cherished and comforted, with the confolation whereby we ourselves are comforted of God? are thefe, and objects fuch as thefe, mean or unimportant? are they not generally intereft

ing? would not fuccefs in any fervice, undersaken in the caufe of the gofpel, that is the caufe, at once, of God and of humanity, afford you the moft fincere fatisfaction? How Ally the pride of rearing up a stately edifice, to be the feat of a family and a name, compared to the noble ambition of raising a temple for the Holy Ghoft? how infipid, how tranfient, how unfatisfactory a gratification, that of getting before others in rank, in riches, in reputation, compared to the fublime delight of working together with God, to bring: perishing finners into the way of life and falvation? how poor an object, that of amaffing a great eftate for a beloved child, compared: with the divine joy of laying up for him treafures in heaven; of raifing young ones up to the lively hope of an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not away? O that the profeffed followers of Jefus were thus walking in the fteps of their great Leader going about doing good; never weary of welldoing; fhining as lights in the world; fulfill ing their own. joy, and promoting that of others. How pleasantly might the journey of life glide on, thus fweetened, thus variegated; thus marked in every stage by honour and usefulness; and thus with certainty directed to immortal honours, and an unfading crown..

A few affectionate advices, deemed fuitable to this day's fervice; to your profeffions, your engagements,

engagements, and your profpects, fhall conclude this difcourfe.

As I am therefore bound to with and pray,. that you may be partakers of the joy of the extraordinary perfon whofe hiftory we have: been confidering, after he was made to fee light in the Lord; fo my

1. First direction to you fhall be, to endea-vour to imitate his example previous to the period under review; to be diligent and affiduous in the ufe of all the known and inftituted means of grace. Read the fcriptures,. with what understanding you have, though. you may want much of that fatisfying clearnefs you wish to poffefs: Go at the appointed: times to the temple to worship, though the God of the place may as yet be revealed only in part, and you difcern, only as in a glafs, darkly: Beware of reftraining prayer before God, though the Hearer of prayer. may feem to turn a deaf ear to the voice of your fup plications. You have been feeking confola-tion in waiting upon God in one ordinance, and in the performance of one duty, and you: have miffed it; be the more earnest to fearch. after it in every ordinance and in every duty; of Chriftian life. That Jefus may be found, in the wilderness of this world, and while you are employed in the exercife of your ordinary lawful callings, who fees it meet to withdraw himself from folemn religious feasons and places..

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places. It was in the defert of Gaza, not in the temple at Jerufalem, when he was returning to his fecular employments, not when engaged in fanctuary fervices, that our convert was introduced to the acquaintance of his Saviour. God acts in a manner calculated to convince us, that he is independent of every thing but his own gracious will and pleasure ; but he would have us to act as if our falvation depended entirely on the constant and diligent ufe of the appointed means.

2. Would you have a pleasant journey, endeavour to go on with fpirit and alacrity; as if your heart were in your work. Agreeable and useful travelling is the medium between violent hurry and careless fauntering. The Chriftian ought not only to be in motion, he must be making chearful difpatch. There is a fort of lazy faint-hearted Chriftians, if they can deferve at all a name fo honourable, whom every fultry hour, and every rough ftep, is ready to difcourage. Thefe would be fatisfied to flumber it on through life, and to awake in heaven as from a pleafant dream: They wish to be at home, but they wish to be exempted from the dangers and fatigue of the way. But Chriftianity, like every other work of God, connects the end with the means, and through manifold tribulations conducts its difciple into the kingdom of God: Here, thofe only are encouraged to look for the prize, who run in the race; and

the