company with us, in those principles of decency and respectability which will purify and elevate your characters.' Is not this an afflictive representation, my brethren; and the more afflictive that it is so true? And, notwithstanding all I have said about the cheerfulness of the Christian life, are there not materials of uncleanness within the visible church, over which a true-hearted patriot of that kingdom might weep night and day, when he reflects on the foul dishonour which is thereby put upon his Lord?-What is the remedy, brethren, of this sore evil? The first and chief part of it is, that each man look to his own ways, and reflect, that he is not his own, but that the Lord hath bought him, and will reward him according to his deeds. The other part of the remedy is, that Elders as judges, and the People as witnesses, (I speak as a Presbyterian,) lay the consideration seriously to heart, that the church is not their church, to be regulated, in respect of its membership, according to the inclinations of their own honour, or the dictates of their own prudence and views of expediency; but that it is the Institution of the Holy Jesus, which they are under solemn obligations to purify and keep pure for Him, according to his prescription; that she may be an acceptable Bride for him in the day when he shall appear as the Bridegroom. "Even so, come Lord Jesus!" Should not all the professed friends of the Bride-or rather, I should say, those who constitute the Institution which is thus denominated-be submitted to the test of this apostolic exclamation? Do they rejoice in the prospect of the Bridegroom's Advent, and pray that it be accomplished without delay? "As Christ would have us to be certainly persuaded," say the Westminster Divines, in their Confession, "that there shall be a day of judgment, both to deter all men from sin, and for the greater consolation of the godly in their adversity; so will he have that day unknown to men, that they may shake off all carnal security, and be always watchful, because they know not at

what hour the Lord will come; and may be ever prepared to say, Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly. Amen."

III. In the Third place, as witness-bearers for the advantage of the kingdom of Christ, it is requisite that our conduct be Honourable. Honour is something less than that generosity to which I shall advert afterwards. Nevertheless it is a virtue of great importance. I would describe it as being integrity in a state of high refinement. The honourable man feels no gratification in its being said of him, that he is never guilty of fraud, or seduction, or slander, or falsehood. He is influenced by a sense of justice, which controls him with a much stronger power than that of the fear of the penalties of human legislation, or of the opprobrium of popular opinion, which is all the motive which some mean and dastardly natures acknowledge, in their abstaining from the perpetration of wrongs.-As a merchant, the man of honour has recourse to none of that deceitful cunning in the making of his bargains, which others will not only practise without any misgivings of conscience, but of which they will boast as a proof of their dexterity. He may be prudent and cautious, and as a wise man he may keep his own counsel, but no one can justly complain as having been outwitted by his misrepresentations or unfair concealments. And although he will abide faithfully by the terms of the contract, and, when he has promised to his own hurt, scorn to take advantage of the quibbles of the law in an attempt to escape from them; yet, should it appear that to insist on the implementing of the terms, on the part of his fellow-merchant, would be oppressive, he makes the abatements and relaxations which equity requires, nor feels that he has conferred an obligation.—As a companion or member of general society, the man of honour affects no false airs of independence, but is respectful in his carriage towards those who are his superiors in office or years. He despises having recourse to flattery with either rich or poor that he may obtain their favour: but neither is

of

he rude in taunting the vicious with their faults-conduct often applauded by the vulgar as honest and independent, but which, in many instances, proceeds from mean-spirited envy or malice. And should the protection of his own rights, or respect for the public welfare, require the exposure of the wrongs of the injurious, he restricts himself to his case, and takes no advantage, for exciting prejudice against the accused, any knowledge of which he is possessed of his private or domestic conduct. He accommodates himself to the innocent manners of his present company. If educated in more polished society, when at any time circumstances place him among persons who have not enjoyed his opportunities, he so demeans himself, that they feel no pain in the fear that they are disagreeable to him, or that he is observing and despising their vulgarities.-In conversation, he is on his guard that he do no injury to the feelings of any present. With his sarcasm, indeed, as a matter of duty, he may rebuke and put to silence the self-conceited and presumptuous; but he will rather deny himself the utterance of the wit which has risen to his lips, than excite the painful laugh against the modest and sensitive. Nor does he ever attempt to display himself clever or amusing by making the foibles of some weak one of the party, who does not perceive his mockery, the materials of his sport. Should he unhappily have given offence, he is eager to make all possible reparation of the injury. And should he be the party offended, he does not insist on degrading apologies, which would show that he was more concerned about humbling his victim than vindicating himself; and in no case does he exact the satisfaction of the duellist. It would be an exorbitant reparation, he says, howsoever gross the insult, to murder my offender. Duelling honourable! A feature of the character of some Noble Lords, and zealous Churchmen also, though it be, it is of the inspiration of the meanest demon that Satan retains in his service.-A beautiful exhibition is made of the principles of an honourable

man, when, a friend having quarrelled with him, and begun to revile him, he forbears, except so far as may be absolutely necessary for self-defence, from making hurtful disclosures of his conversation and conduct during their intimacy. The exhibition is perhaps more beautiful still, when his friend having fallen under public censure, he, being persuaded of his innocence, continues to associate with him openly.—It is in their treatment, however, of the female sex that the spirit of men of honour is sometimes exposed to the severest trial. I do not refer to the case of him who may have resisted the temptation of opportunities to seduce the weak, the light-hearted, or confiding; or the temptation of the allurements of the faithless spouse, to dishonour his friend: nor do I refer to the case of him who preserves inviolate his vow to her of humble life, though tempted to be false by another heavily dowried with gold. Less integrity than the high integrity of honour is surely sufficient for such moderate morality as this. But here, I conceive, is honour; when, having paid attentions calculated and designed to win a heart, and having obviously won it, although the man should have neither promised nor vowed, he shall yet deny himself to what might be the hopeful pursuit of a lovelier object which has glided across the path of his affections. 'Tis no generosity; honour demands it.

Now observe, as before, my professing Christian brethren, that there are many worldly men who have well-founded claims on being regarded men of honour, in respect of their intercourse with their fellow-men; most dishonourable though their conduct be, in respect of loyalty to God. To this latter kind of honour it is our duty, as witnesses for Christ, to endeavour to win them over. And one of the ways is, by showing them, that in His church we ourselves have been made honourable in our social conduct. But since in this respect they are honourable already, we must exhibit in our deportment a more noble honour still, lest they say, Wherein

would we profit by changing our position, and uniting with you? O, we must be more honourable-must we? Think of this, ye patriots of the Redeemer's kingdom, and learn what work there is for your zeal in vindicating its character. Reflect what is the condition of the morals of many with whom you are associated in church-fellowship,-men of low cunning, of tricks and stratagems, of round-about and crooked ways, watching for undue advantages, circumventing and over-reaching if possible every man with whom they deal, and exacting at law the fulfilment of the minutest article of their oppressive bonds: but when the implementing of their own engagements is concerned, making payment only when compelled, full of evasions, pleading the double sense of words in defence of the violation of their covenants, slippery as snakes and as poisonous. Quick to insult, slow to make reparation, but pushing their revenge to the utmost extremity. Uncivil, impertinently familiar, and boasting of their rudeness; making sport of the weak, when they dare not for cowardice meddle with the strong; even bodily deformity, yea, the womb which the Lord hath shut, they will make the subject of their mockery and their jeers. O, surely the mothers who gave birth to them are to be envied of the honour of such witty, such entertaining, such frank and out-spoken children! Out-spoken, said ye? When they have some selfish object to carry, they will fawn upon and flatter the prejudices of the lowest and most worthless. Prying into the secrets of private life, listeners, eaves-droppers, dogging you, violating the sacredness of the seal of correspondence, making themselves meanly familiar with servants, that they may discover the state of domestic circumstances, and then gossipping abroad all they have learned. Shrinking from the side of friends in the day of adversity and public discredit; and with most convenient liberality shifting with everchanging fortune to the party that wins. Making sport of the heart of woman as if it were a thing to be kissed or to be