The can deceive himself as to how he has fulfilled every command ?), - even if we had done all, still we are unprofitable fervants. Experience shows, that the less men do for Christ the more are they apt to boast. The holieft faints are the humbleft, while he who only cleanses the outfide fays, "God, I thank Thee, that I am not as other men." proud Pharifee, who has done nothing but deceive others and himself, boasts; the holy, indefatigable, felf-denying Paul, is, in his own eyes, less than the leaft. Which character of these two fhadows forth yours, my beloved brethren? Before you answer that inquiry before God, beg Him to remove felf-complacency, pray Him to teach you felf-knowledge, befeech Him to enable you to answer truly and fafely, and you will find that God refifteth-and who can ftand. against Him?-He "refifteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." The proud He knoweth afar off, but with the humble He condefcends to dwell. "To this man will I look," He fays, "even to him that is poor and of a contrite fpirit, and trembleth at my word." Thus actuated, thus taught, dear brethren, under the cheering generalship of our Great Captain, and endued with ftrength which He alone can give, we may go forth conquering and to conquer. He approves, He strengthens. Our task may be great, our burdens heavy, even heavier than of Ifrael in Egypt, but in the might of the Lord we may and shall prevail; we fhall be delivered, and then we shall not only hear and read, but prove by happy experience, that God's ftrength is made perfect in our weakness. If moved by the potent impulse of God's Holy Spirit, if constrained by the love of the Lord Jefus Chrift (His love to us and ours to Him), it will be our happy lot to know alfo that we can do all things through His strength given unto us. SERMON II. SIN GRADUAL. Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor ftandeth in the way of finners, nor fitteth in the feat of the fcornful. But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth be meditate day and night.-Pfalm i. 1, 2. IT is encouraging to observe that the opening of the Book of Pfalms, like the commencement of the Lord's fermon on the mount, is a beatitude. "Bleffed is the man," ," writes the Pfalmift; "Bleffed are they," spake Jesus Christ. In what is called "The Reformers' Bible," the following forcible and true description of the scope of the Pfalms occurs -(those who enjoy the high poetry and deep fpirituality of Ifrael's melodies, will gladly hear quoted expreffions which fo well give utterance to the feelings of every devout Christian): The Book of Pfalms is fet forth unto us by the Holy Ghost, to be esteemed a most precious treasure; wherein all things are contained that appertain to true felicity, as well in this life present as in the life to come. For the riches of true knowledge and heavenly wifdom are fet open for us, to take thereof most abundantly. If we would know the great and high majesty of God, here we may see the brightness thereof shine most clearly. If we would feek His incomprehenfible wis If we dom, here is the fchool of the fame profeffion. If we would comprehend His inestimable bounty, and approach near thereunto, and fill our hands with that treasure, here we may have a most lively and most comfortable tafte thereof. would know wherein ftandeth our falvation and how to attain to life everlasting, here is Chrift, our only Redeemer and Mediator, most evidently defcribed. The rich man may learn the true ufe of riches; the poor man may find full contentment. He that will rejoice fhall know the true joy, and how to keep measure therein. They that are afflicted and oppreffed shall see wherein standeth their comfort, and how they ought to praise God when He fendeth them deliverance. The wicked and the persecutors of the children of God shall see how the hand of God is ever against them; and though He fuffer them to prosper for |