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an interest in the favour of the Great Sovereign of the world,-if he looks back on the talents which he has perverted, on the opportunities he has lost, and on the force of his influence which he has not employed for the great ends of his being in serving God, and in serving his generation, he shall curse his wealth, which was the source of crime to himself and others; and will see in it a weight only sinking him lower in perdition.

The rich who have been the persecutors of the children of God will then, in the utmost agony, lament their crime, and will "call upon the rocks and mountains to hide them from the wrath of the Lamb." The purpose for which the Divine Being will then manifest himself is such as it was never attempted to accomplish before, for the trial of the actions of men. As they are now displayed, they can only be judged upon incompetent evidence, and often upon defective principles; but then the whole character will be weighed in the balance: the destiny of every man will be adjusted, and determined for ever. The Divine Being will sit in judgment upon every man, in order to divide mankind into two eternal states; to banish one class to the regions of darkness and despair, and to receive the other to himself; "they shall enter through the gates into the city, and reign with Him and with his Son for ever and ever."

I shall attempt a very brief improvement of this subject, by addressing a few considerations to each of the classes mentioned in the text. Let such as are rich recollect they are rich for the purpose of benefiting their generation, and that they are "the servants of the most high God." "We are not our own, but are bought with a price;" let us glorify God, whose we are, and whom we are bound to serve. These are the sentiments of every disciple of Christ, but they are not the sentiments of every one who now hears me. There are, probably, some unhappy, miserable men, who are not the disciples of Christ. Let each person estimate himself in the sight of God by this consideration-is he living to himself, or is he living to Christ? Is he living for the purpose of luxurious enjoyment?-he is walking in a vain show, and not discharging his appropriate duty, not considering his riches as the means of doing good, as talents wherewith he is to profit, and which he must occupy till the Master come. He does not consider that they are not his own; he does not use them as one who bears in mind that Divine price by which he has been bought. has no true respect for that authority under which he acts: nor does he pay allegiance to the only King of kings, and Lord of lords. We must all stand before his tribunal: God himself will be the judge, He has committed all judgment into the hands of that very Jesus who gave himself a ransom for all.

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Let such persons consider seriously whether they are living to themselves or to God. Let them consider, that if they are living to themselves they miss the very end of their being; they are committing a mistake which can never be repaired; they are guilty of an error which admits of no correction. They mistake the end of their being, which consists in glorifying God, in acquiring his image, in fulfilling his will, and in laying up treasures in heaven. They commit such an

error as no human folly can equal, such as no human virtue can expiate. This is a condemning error: this is the fatal and awful mistake of men; that they live as their own, while the voice of God, the dictates of conscience, the blood of Christ, the precepts of the Spirit of Truth, and the opening light of eternity, all show that "we are not our own:" they show that we are the creatures of another, the possession of another. Our Lord will come forth; he will discover all who have lived to themselves, he will take account of "the quick and the dead; and all that are in their graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done good to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation." Let those who are rich remember that, as Christians, it behooves them who possess riches not to fail in good works. Let them act from Christian principles, and with Christian motives, and with a view to Christian reward. Let them recollect that they are bound to ascertain whether they are Christians. Till we are Christians, we cannot serve God as Christians we can serve God only in that state which belongs to us. Till we are Christians we cannot pay due regard to his will, we cannot act with a view to his glory, nor according to the instructions of his Word; nor can we seriously expect that eternal life, which rests nowhere but on his promise, which he will fulfil to "all that love his appearing." Let it be the care of all in the presence of God in this assembly that they be Christians; let them secure a portion among the saints; let them see that they have a place among the people of God; that they are united to Him "of whom the whole family in heaven and on earth is named." Let them seek to be renewed, regenerated, and sanctified, and washed in the atoning blood of the Saviour, to be made members of Christ, and heirs of his kingdom; to be fitted and prepared for his eternal glory. Let them seek to be vessels of honour, sanctified by the Spirit of God, and fit for the Master's use, fit to serve him in the lower functions of his temple on earth, and to serve him hereafter in his eternal kingdom and glory. What will it avail any of us to possess now what we must then cease to possess; what we can possess only till we arrive at the threshold of death, and shall look back on the distinctions which must then have vanished; when we lay down our bodies in the grave, and have nothing before us but a vast eternity, the complexion of which will be decided by the will of another, by the will of that Being who sees not with the eyes of flesh and blood, before whom riches and poverty, wisdom and folly, and all physical distinctions are nothing; who will regard nothing in his creatures but the will to please him, and obedience to that will? The happiness to be obtained by faith will be infinitely superior to the happiness which is derived from the objects of sense. For a man thus to lose his own soul will be to sacrifice the great end of his being.

But there are some here to whom the possession of riches is sanctified, who consider them as a great trust, for the use of which they are responsible, and who are asking, What shall I do? what return shall I make to God for all his benefits? and who tremble, lest at the

final account they should be found unfaithful stewards. They trust in the Saviour: they cultivate communion with God; they condescend to men of low estate; they are rich in good works; they lay up a good foundation for the time to come; they will surmount the perils of the most prosperous fortune; they will combine the riches of this world with the riches of glory; they will be distinguished in both worlds, standing complete and ready for their Master's will; they are armed for the combat in the present state, and fitted at any moment to take wing, to "depart and be with Christ, which is far better." Happy those who, while they have abundance of the things of this world, have also a treasure elsewhere! While they walk in light, and glory, and reputation on earth, they seek first the honour that cometh from above; they seek, indeed, no higher honour than that which comes from Him who is the arbiter of all destinies.

Let me now say a word to the poor. If they are poor, and yet partakers of true piety springing from the faith of the gospel, let them not repine. Let them indulge no envious thought at those who possess more of this world's goods than is allotted to themselves. To such I would say, Recollect that your happiness depends not on the station in life which you occupy, but on the manner in which you perform its duties. A small circle is not less complete than a large one: an humble field of occupation, yielding proper fruits in their season, will be recognised by God and approved of men. You will have the testimony of your conscience that "in simplicity, and godly sincerity, you have your conversation in the world." You will leave a testimony behind you of the power of religion: your remains will breathe a sweet odour in all the churches of which you formed a part: you will dignify a low station, you will rescue it from all reproach; for the reproach consists not in poverty, but in yielding to the temptations of poverty. Riches, in themselves, confer no lasting honour, but as they are accompanied by a resistance to their peculiar temptations. You are walking in the footsteps of "the Lord of all," who, when he came into the world, made poverty his abode, became a companion of fishermen, and at length a companion of sinners on the cross. Let such as are poor seek to be "rich in faith :" let them exult and rejoice in the prospect of future happiness: let them rise above the sorrows of time in the contemplation of the glory which awaits them. Your recompense is above; your pleasures are in heaven. If you are real Christians you would not relinquish one portion in heaven for all the happiness of the present state. Avoid every temptation to dishonesty, to prevarication, to envy, to murmuring, to discontent. Avoid all those temptations which arise from a narrow and scanty fortune. Show how religion can dignify the lowest station in society, and do all possible honour to that station. Thousands of saints have done this. Our Saviour illustrated the sorrows and privations of poverty; and if you are animated by his spirit, you will walk in his steps; and after having suffered with him here, you will be also glorified together with him, and reign with him for ever and ever.

INDEX.

The Roman numerals refer to the volume, and the figures to the page; "Mem." refers to
the Memoir, and " Obs." to the Observations on Mr. Hall's Character as a Preacher.

ACADEMICAL EDUCATION; its usefulness to the candidate for the Chris-
tian ministry, ii. 442. Rendered necessary by the existing state of society, ib.
No impediment to the growth of piety, ib.
ADOPTION; a privilege belonging to all believers in Christ, iii. 502, 503.
AFFLICTION; its universality, iii. 137-139, 140, 141, 210. Shows the fallen
state of man, and the Divine displeasure against sin, 139, 140. Religion the
only support under it, 142. Considered as a chastisement for sin, 143. Its
frequent inefficacy in that respect, 143-145. Consequent necessity for Divine
influence, 145. Need of its infliction on the pious, iii. 368, 369. Beneficial
effects of sanctified affliction, 369, 370. Feelings with which the afflictions of
the great and noble are contemplated, i. 183.

AGRICULTURE; its present depressed state, ii. 103.

AMBITION; its pleasures shown to be unreal and imaginary, iii. 383.
ANGELS; why called spirits, iii. 36, 42. Their wonderful powers, 36, 37.
Their moral excellences, 37. Their employment and office in heaven, 37-39.
Their ministry to the saints, 40.

ANNUAL PARLIAMENTS recommended, ii. 62-64.

ANTINOMIANISM, i. 389, 390, iii. (Mem.) 78. Its tenets described, ii. 458.
Character of its adherents, 459. Its progress favoured by the use of technical
phraseology in religion, 460,-by the undue importance attached to what are
called "doctrines of grace," ib.-by the deficiency of practical pulpit instruc-
tion, 460, 461; the latter shown to be the most effectual antidote to the evil,
461, 462. Manner in which instruction was administered by the apostles,
contrasted with that adopted by Antinomian preachers, 462, 463. Antinomian-
ism fostered by unscriptural notions of the "conditions of salvation," 463, 464.
APOSTACY; reasons why the Jews who had been baptized by John were not
charged with that crime for their rejection of Christ, i. 388.
APOSTLES; probably not baptized, i. 303. Their authority, 311.
APOSTOLIC COMMISSION; examination of the argument for strict com-
munion founded upon it, i. 304, 305.

APOSTOLIC PRECEDENT; explained, i. 310, ii. 213, 214. Examination
of the argument drawn from it in favour of strict communion, i. 311-313,
ii. 215. Practical illustration adduced, ib. The argument retorted on the
advocates of strict communion, 216, 217. Precedents of thought to be followed
as well as precedents of action, 217, 218.

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ARBITRARY POWER, ii. 41. Approaches towards it in England, 85. Argu-
ment in its favour advanced in the "Christian Guardian," 102.
ARISTOTLE; his remark on tragedy, i. 82. His opinions on the foundation of
morals, 101 (note). The influence his authority once exerted on the human
mind, iii. 416.

ASSOCIATIONS; origin of the political societies so called, formed at the close
of the last century, ii. 56. Singular and unprecedented in their character, ib.
Unsupported by expedience or necessity, 57. Their unreasonable hostility to
the freedom of the press, ib. Their impolicy, 58. Their silence on the

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