than by your tongues. The relations in which some pious characters are found peculiarly require the observance of this distinction. Such, for instance, are professing servants. Their province of usefulness is not by teaching and exhorting and reproving. One of these was recently speaking to the preacher, of her master and mistress, and complained, "Nothing I say to them seems to do them any good." To whom-knowing the class of the individual, he replied, "What you say to them! But this is not the way in which you are to expect to do them good-but by early rising; by neatness, and order, and diligence; by not answering again; by not purloining, but showing all good fidelity:' it is thus that you are to adorn the doctrine of God your Saviour in all things."" I am far from ranking wives with servants and dependants. My female hearers, you will bear me witness that I never plead for the degradation of your sex; and I am sure you will not count me your enemy because I tell you the truth. We need not remind you of the language of the Apostle: "I suffer not a woman to teach, nor usurp an authority over the man; but to be in silence." He can only speak comparatively. We know you are well endued with speech; and we delight to hear your readiness and skill. But we yet question whether any talent, even of this kind, be your most advantageous and successful instrument. The love of home; the concern to please; the silent tear; the graceful sacrifice; the willing concession; the placid temper-these upon menand we presume you would not have married brutes-these upon ingenuous and attached husbands, will seldom fail of producing their effect, really, if not instantly. "Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives, while they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price." There is no eloquence so powerful as the address of a holy and 'consistent life. It shames the accusers. It puts to silence the ignorance of foolish men. It constrains them by the good works which they behold, to glorify God in the day of visitation. -We hope there is no Cain here this morning, who in answer to all this is ready to say, "Am I my brother's keeper?" From this obligation to seek the salvation of others, none are exempted. But if some are more peculiarly bound than others, they are those who have been saved from a long and awful course of vice themselves. You ought to feel, above others, a claim of gratitude, and of justice. You have had much forgiven, and you should love much. You have been a curse to many; you ought now to be a blessing. Oh! it seems enough to make you shed tears of blood to think that there are some now in hell who ascribe their destruction to you: while others are walking the downward road, urged on and encouraged by your former errors and crimes and influence. Some of these are placed beyond your reach. Others are yet accessible. O! repair to them immediately. They know your former condition; describe to them your present; and acquaint them with the peace and pleasure which have resulted from your conversion. Who can tell what an affectionate and earnest testimony, derived from experience, and accompanied with a change too obvious to be denied, may accomplish? -But them that honour me," says God, "I will honour." Let all your attempts therefore be preceded and attended and followed by prayer. This will prepare you for your work; this will encourage you in it. This will preserve you from growing weary in well-doing. This will teach you not to consider any of your fellow-creatures as abandoned; and keep you from giving over the use of means to reclaim them. Nothing is too hard for the Lord; and prayer brings him into the scene: we are workers together with God-Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith the Lord." -And need I say, "Whatsoever your hand findeth to do, do it with your might;" do it immediately. While you delay, they may be gone, and their condition determined for ever. While you linger, you may be gone, and every possibility of usefulness be shut out. "For what is your life? It is even a vapour that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away." Yet all your opportunities of doing good are limited to this short and equally uncertain duration. In consequence of this, what an inestimable value attaches to the present hour. Awake, my fellow-Christians, and redeem the time. Remember, earth has one privilege above heaven. It is the privilege of BENEFICENCE. The privilege of passing by a transgression, of relieving the distressed, of spreading the Scriptures, of evangelizing the heathens, of instructing the ignorant, of reclaiming the vicious, of seeking and saving them that are lost. They who are now in joy and felicity, would be ready, were it the will of God, to descend from their glory, and re-enter the body, and traverse the vale of tears again, to be able to do, for a number of years, what at present lies within the reach of every one of you.-Is this incredible? Why they are now perfect in knowledge; and see that "it is not the will of our Father who is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish." Why their benevolence is now perfect; they dwell in love, and God dwelleth in them. They are filled with the Spirit of Him who "though he was rich, yet for your sakes became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich." Christians! we have thus spoken of your being in the world. Let me now speak of your leaving it. After David had served his generation by the will of God, he fell on sleep, and was gathered to his fathers. Jesus went about doing good; but at last he said, "I have glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do." "And now I am no more in the world. Holy Father, I come to thee." Such is the removal that awaits you all. You will soon be no more in this world-how soon, it is impossible to determine. But as to some of you, from the infirmities of nature and the course of years, the event cannot be very remote, and you need not-you do not deplore it. "Your salvation is now nearer than when you believed." "The night is far spent. The day is at hand." You are not required to be indifferent to what is passing around you, or insensible to the events that befall yourselves; but you are to feel as Christians, and you are to declare plainly you seek a country, You are not to undervalue a state in which you enjoy many comforts, and are favoured with the means of grace, and are blessed and dignified with opportunities of usefulness; but considered as your portion, and your dwelling-place, the voice cries, and you ought to hear it," Arise, and depart hence, for this is not your rest, because it is polluted." You are not to be in haste to leave it, while God has any thing for you to do, or to suffer: but while bearing the burden and heat of the day, you may resemble the man in harvest: he does not throw down his implements and run out of the field before the time; but he occasionally erects himself and looks westward, to see when the descending sun will furnish him with an honourable discharge. "Jesus," the Evangelist tells us, "knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father." There was something peculiar here. He knew the time of his departure, and had his eye upon it, and regulated his measures by it from the beginning-But you must say with Isaac, "I know not the day of death. my Yet you also have your hour appointed for this purpose; and appointed by Infinite Wisdom and Goodness. And till it arrives, you are immortal; and friends cannot retard, and enemies cannot accelerate its approach. -And what will it then be but a departure out of this world? This vain world-this vexing world-this defiling world-this tempting world-this world which crucified the Lord of Glory-this world in which you walk by faith, and not by sight; and in which you so often exclaim, "Wo is me, that I dwell in Mesech, and make my tents in Kedar." -What will it be but a departure out of this world, to the Father? to his world? To his abode?-and to yours also? For since you are the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty, your going to the Father, is going home. The poet represents the traveller returning at eve, buried in the drifted snow, as "stung with the thoughts of home;" a home he was not permitted to see. But, Christian, no. disaster shall hinder your arriving at your Father's house in peace. And as your home is sure, so it is replenished with every attraction that can draw you forward. the venerable Mede, whose grey hairs were a crown of glory, being found in the way of righteousness, was asked how he was? resting upon his staff, he cheerfully answered, 66 When Why, going home as fast as I can; as every honest man ought to do when his day's work is done: and I bless God, I have a good home to go to." God forbid, Christians, that you should be all your lifetime subject to bondage through fear of an event that has so much to render it not only harmless, but desirable. Does the Lord Jesus stand in no relation to you? Is not he and your your ransom vocate? Is not he your righteousness and strength? Has not he abolished death, and brought life and immortality ad 126 THE CHRISTIAN, IN THE WORLD. to light through the gospel? Has not he opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers? Has not he said, "If a man keep my sayings, he shall never see death?" What is dying now, but your hour to depart out of this world unto the Father? "There is my house and portion fair; For me my elder brethren stay, |