of human life shews the folly, if other things did not teach the rashness, of resting solely on man for that happiness, that security, that repose which the mind must find in its own consciousness, from its own exertions, and in its God, the unfailing source of all good. What he is he will be. "His hand is not shortened that it cannot save, nor his ear heavy that it cannot hear." Time, that changes all human things, produces no change and causes no decay in his infinite mind. His existence, like the principles of divine truth which proceed from him, is of imperishable duration. No union can take place with his divine nature which can subject it to be affected by any of the circumstances which possess irresistible influence over us. And when our minds are enlightened with just views of all the glorious perfections of God, how grateful is the conviction that this Being will be our perpetual and unfailing friend, helper, and protector; that in time we cannot cease to enjoy his goodness, to be the objects of his providence, and that to eternity our happiness will be promoted by dwelling in his presence, by sharing more intimately all that is communicable of his divine power and glory!

Dwell, then, in devout meditation on the character and perfections of God. Withdraw your minds at times from the circumstances which are calculated to debase your feelings, to contract your views, to fill you with unholy passions, to warp and mislead your judgment in the true estimate of

the real good and ill of life. And, instead of this debasing course of attention and thought to which the cares and pleasures of the world are constantly alluring us, raise your thoughts to God; think what he is, what you are; what he has revealed, what you may know. Estimate his goodness and his glory, and find in him what the world can neither give nor take away. Hope full of immortality will then spring up in your breast. The cares of the world will cease so entirely to engross and affect your heart; the troubles of life you will estimate in a manner not devoid of moral use, nor destitute of cheering hope; and your happiness in the peaceful passage and in the tranquil close of life will be secure; since your confidence will be in that Eternal Spirit who will never leave nor forsake those who put their trust in him.

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DISCOURSE II.

CHRISTIANS THE TEMPLE OF GOD.

2 COR. vi. 16:

FOR YE ARE THE TEMPLE OF THE LIVING GOD.

CAN any man read the exalted descriptions which the sacred writers give of mankind, when elevated by the advantages they are able to improve, or contemplate the high duties which these writers call us to perform, or reflect on the noble end to which they teach us to aspire, and think that religion was intended to debase us in our own esteem, and to give a degrading view of the character and condition of mankind? In accordance with the truth, we cannot think too highly of human nature and destiny; while, in subservience to our moral improvement, we cannot think too humbly of ourselves, individually, in the relative portion of talent which we possess, or of exertions we have made to improve our talents to the best account. All must be conscious of such limitation in the

capacities they have, and of such defect in the service of their lives in properly cultivating them, that they must feel, if they feel aright respecting themselves, that humility which the sacred writers so strongly commend, and which is the only feeling in unison with a faithful review of our imperfect and defective lives. But this is quite consistent with exalted notions of our nature, of man, as distinguished above all other living creatures; of our advantages, which are the gracious gifts of heaven; of the high duties we have to perform; of the noble relations we have to sustain; and of the glorious destiny we anticipate. I would wish to set this forth-fully conscious that humility is the most characteristic virtue of Christian excellence; but confident that just views of human life in all its capacities, and in all its relations, cannot weaken that moral sensibility with which a Christian character ought ever to be adorned.

There are two relations in which the sacred writers speak in apparently degrading language of mankind. When they describe man as alienated from God, by the errors of superstition and idolatry, or as depraved by consequent abounding vice, the fruit of ignorance-then they depict him as sunk in wickedness; as averse to what is good, and prone to evil; as weak and helpless and wretched, without God and without hope in the world. And as this state was the condition of the whole population of our globe, at the time when the authors of

the sacred books lived, with scarcely any exception, can we wonder that the strongest language expressive of the degraded condition of mankind should be used? When also they speak of man in relation to God, though nothing can be compared to him, yet they cannot help contrasting the infinite majesty and purity of the Creator, with the dependence and helplessness and imperfection of the creature; and then, if they would speak as piety would make them feel, they cannot but represent forcibly the frailty and brevity of human life, compared to the infinite holiness and eternal duration of the Being to whom it owes its existence.

But the character in which they have to deal with man, is that of a moral agent-a being endowed with faculties that qualify him for devotion and virtue. On these powers they strive to work. What man possesses in himself is the ground of their hope of what, by the blessing of God, they shall accomplish in him. And these high expectations and hopes depend upon no accidental advantages, upon no favourable circumstances, upon no peculiar rank or condition in life. The greater portion of mankind must be poor and necessitous; on their exertions in some humble occupation they must depend for their support in all civilized society; and the majority of those who have been most the willing subjects of moral instruction, of religious influence, is but one remove from the most humble state in which mankind live and act. It