Let us seek to excel in sanctity. Without obedience vain is our knowledge-"If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them." What is it to understand all mysteries, and not bridle the tongue or govern the temper? To be orthodox and not moral? To be taught by the gospel every thing except to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present world? Holiness is the beauty, the dignity of the soul. It is the radiance of the divine image. The design of God in all his commands, promises, dispensations, and influences is to make us "partakers of his holiness."

Let us seek to excel in charity. "Covet earnestly the best gifts," says the apostle, "and yet I show unto you a more excellent way:" and this he immediately explains to be our acquiring and exercising. the best graces, and príncipally charity; for the greatest of these is charity-love to God, and to our fellow creatures, and especially to them that are of the household of faith. By this all men are to know that we are the disciples of Jesus; and by this we ourselves are to know that we have passed from death unto life. This is that which the apostle so commends in the Thessalonians: "As touching brotherly love, ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another. And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia." Yet he adds; " But we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more." And after many admonitions to the Colossians, he says, "and above all these things, put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness."

Let us seek to excel in usefulness. If the unprofitable servant be a wicked one; and if every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit be hewn down and cast into the fire, what becomes of the religion and the hope of many? What good of any kind or of any degree do they perform-or even endeavour to perform? The endeavour indeed is execution with him who looketh to the heart, and says, where there is a first willing mind it is accepted according to what a man hath, and not according to what he hath not. It would be well if they deserved the commendation pronounced upon Mary; "She hath done what she could." But is this their case? Is there one of their powers or resources which they fully tax? What good work at the end of a day or a week have they ever to review; we do not mean with Cself-exultation, but with thankfulness to God that they do not eat,) and drink, and sleep, and live in vain? In a world like curs, if we are disposed, we can never be at a loss for opportunities or means of doing good. And if we have no profession or business, we are the more bound to be useful, because we are the more free from care. Has not God promised that he will not only save his people, but make them a blessing? Is it not most delightful and honourable to resemble him who went about doing good? Be teachers of babes in our Sunday schools. Be eyes to the blind. Let the blessing of him that is ready to perish, come upon you. Cause the widow's heart to (sing for joy. Serve your generation according to the will of God;" and "seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the Church."

Seek to excel in reputation. A bishop must have a good report of them that are without; and Christians are to be blameless, as well as harmless. They are not to be unconcerned about what people say of them, but to take heed that their good be not evil spoken of.

A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches. It is valuable as an instrument of usefulness. It gains a man esteem. It procures for him confidence. It gives force to his advice, authority to his reproof, and influence to his example. If the world does not love some men, it cannot despise them. If it speaks against them, it is only in matters pertaining to the law of their God-which is their glory; or by magnifying infirmities from which no one professes to be free, or by misrepresenting their actions or motives-and against this it may be impossible to guard. But commonly after a while a consistent Christian puts to silence the ignorance of foolish men, and constrains those around him to bear their testimony in his favour. Demetrius had a good report of all men, as well as of the truth itself. And where the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost-he that in these things serveth Christ, is acceptable to God, and approved of

men.

Much has been said upon the subject of emulation; and it has been often disputed whether it should be encouraged or repressed. It is certain that a disposition to excel others in beauty, dress, learning, riches, power, and honour, may prove very corrupting, and gender envy, hatred, falsehood, and strife. But there is a principle of this kind in our nature; and there is a course in which you may seek to surpass, without danger to yourselves or injury to others. We have placed it before you-Pursue it. Be ambitious to be great in the sight of the Lord. Be not satisfied with the reality of religion, but go from strength to strength and be changed from glory to glory. Increase with all the increase of God. Do not compare yourselves with low models, but with the highest examples. Pray that you may do the will of God on earth, as it is done in heaven-And be ye perfect even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.

MARCH 22.-"Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel."-Gen. xlix. 4. --WHEREIN should we guard against instability?

We should guard against it in our governing aim. If a vessel at sea is steering for no port, who is to determine whether the direction of the wind be favourable or unfavourable? If we are travelling at random, we move, but we do not journey; and it is a matter of indifference whether we turn aside or draw back; we make no progress unless we advance towards some end which we wish to reach. When a man has fixed his aim, his aim will simplify his conduct, arrange his actions, and give every thing a relation. Paul says, "This one thing I do." He does not speak of a oneness of exertion, for he did a thousand things; but a oneness of purpose, which combined them all, and gave them the same direction. Now our determinate aim should be to please and serve God according to the injunction, "whether ye eat or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God." If here our eye be single, our whole body will be full of light. But if other aims also sway us, we shall be perplexed, distracted, and often at a stand. "Their heart is divided; now shall they be found faulty." "A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways." "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold

to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mam

mon."

Let us guard against instability in our views of divine_truth. Some have no fixed sentiments in religion; they are struck with every novel opinion; and are led after every "Lo! here; or lo! there." But, says Paul, "Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines, for it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace." By grace he means the Gospel. We would not plead for bigotry or prejudice. We should be open to conviction, and judge according to evidence: but it is absurd to suppose we must remain all our days in uncertainty and doubt. If the poor have the Gospel preached unto them, it cannot be, if they are to receive it, very difficult as to its leading principles. And we are told that the wayfaring man though a fool, shall not err therein. Surely it is a reproach and not a commendation, that some are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. It is desirable and necessary that we should be early able to decide what is truth, (that we may make use of it, and live upon it, and enjoy it. Who has ever seen a sound experience and a consistent practice in connexion with a loose creed? We should distinguish between what is circumstantial in religion and what is essential. With regard to the former we cannot be too candid and liberal. But with regard to the latter let us be inflexible-Here "take hold of instruction; let it not go: keep her, for she is thy life."

Let us guard against instability in church fellowship and attendance. Some belong to no religious community. They are mere birds of passage, fleeing from one congregation to another. They enter no school, and therefore are subject to no rules of instruction. They are attached to no corps in the army of heaven; and therefore they have no discipline or drilling. They are not fellow-citizens with the saints, but spiritual vagrants. If all were like-ininded, there would be no such thing as a church state in which the members give up themselves to each other as well as to the Lord, communing together in privilege, co-operating together in exertions, and walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord, blameless. They are also inconstant in their attendance on the means of grace in the same sanctuary. We would not have the house of God turned into a prison, and have people fettered to their own walls. Yet it is desirable, and for the promotion of godliness, for persons to have a spiritual home of their own. Some on the Sabbath-day morning have to determine where they shall go, and whom they shall hear. They are actuated by novelty and curiosity, rather than a simple desire to profit: and unwilling to endure any course of tuition which would do some justice to the word of God at large, they "heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears." Unstable as water, they never excel.

We should guard against instability even in our temporal concerns. This is inferior in some respects to the former articles, but it has a considerable degree of importance. People will judge of you in other things, by what comes under their observation: and you will be sure to lose respect in proportion as you appear to be versatile. Yet in some what variableness is there! What instability with regard to friendship-every month or year yields a new

favourite, at whose shrine some old connexion is sacrificed. What instability with regard to domestics-what changes of servants! What instability with regard to residence-what changes of abode! What instability with regard to business-what changes of employment! What instability in the management of their affairs-what violations of engagement and punctuality-what confusion, what delays, what excuses-nothing is done decently and in order "Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel."

"Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." And "the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, /strengthen, settle you. To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen."

MARCH 23." And the prince in the midst of them, when they go in, shall go m; and when they go forth, shall go forth."-Ezekiel xlvi. 10.

THIS refers immediately to the temple worship. Read the verse preceding: "When the people of the land shall come before the Lord in solemn feasts, he that entereth in by the way of the north gate to worship, shall go out by the way of the south gate; and he that entereth by the way of the south gate, shall go forth by the way of the north gate: he shall not return by the way of the gate whereby he came in, but shall go forth over against it." This regulates the attendance of the people. Then follows an order for the prince. He was to appear in the house of God as well as others; and regardless of his civil prerogatives, feel himself in sacred things on a level with his people, observing the same ordinances, entering the sanctuary at the same time, and continuing as long in as they. "And the prince in the midst of them, when they go in, shall go in; and when they go forth, shall go forth."

Various are the gradations of life, and it is not for the benefit of society that they should be abolished. But religion is not as some imagine, for the lower classes, or only a proper and necessary expedient to keep them orderly and obedient. Its institutions and exercises are binding upon the rich as well as the poor; upon the noble as well as the vulgar; upon masters as well as servants; and upon sovereigns as well as subjects. It is very pleasing and becoming in persons of quality to be seen going to the temple of God with their domestics, tenants, and poor neighbours about them. And superiors ought to be constant and devout in their attendance on public worship: yea, they are under peculiar obligations to do it. They are under an obligation arising from gratitude: for duty grows with benefits: and if they are more distinguished and indulged than others, they owe the more to their benefactor, and should be the more concerned to please and serve him; and not resemble vapours exhaled from the earth that only darken and hide the sun that raised them. They are under an obligation arising from influence. They are more seen observed and followed than persons in lower life. If they are irreligious and vicious, they take away shame and fear from others; and by their example they sanction,

excite and encourage imitation. Morals as well as fashions are sure to work downwards. They are under an obligation arising from self-interest. Did they consider things aright they would be sensible that none need the means of grace more than themselves Their duty is great: and here they would find instruction, encour agement, consolation, and support, amidst all that is difficult and trying in their stations. And their danger is great. They are set in slippery places, and the prosperity of fools destroys them. They are in jeopardy from self-indulgence, and flattery, and vanity, and pride, and forgetfulness of God and eternity: and here they would be admonished and armed; here they would be reminded amidst their temptations of their original, their dependance, their mortality, their end, and of the account they will have to render at the judgmentseat of Christ-But this page is not likely to reach many of the great-Otherwise we would thunder in their ear: "Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him."

But some suppose a reference here to another prince, even he who was to be ruler in Israel. The allusion is possible and pleasing. We say possible; for God's aim in his word is so comprehensive as to include all the lawful purposes to which any part of it is applied; and it is lawful to avail ourselves of every thing that will teach and preach Jesus Christ. And we say pleasing as well as possible; for so must the assurance be felt, if significant of him. And there is a conformity between him and his people; and in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren. Yet in all things too he has the pre-eminence and is anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows. He could say, In the midst of the Church will I sing praise unto thee: but he is more than their fellow-worshipper, more than their companion, more than their example, more than a man-He is lord of all.

-Observe his title "The Prince." He is the only King in Zion but he is "Messiah the Prince;" "the Prince of peace;" "the Prince of life;" "the Prince of the kings of the earth;" "a Prince and a Saviour"

Observe his residence-“ In the midst of them." This situation agrees with all the representations we have of him, and the state of his people requires it. He was in the midst of the burning bush; and hence it was not consumed. He was in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks. I will, says he, be not only a wall of fire round about them, but the glory in the midst of them. Sometimes kings reign over a country in which they do not reside, and which they seldom or never visit: and no earthly prince can be in the midst of his people so as to be heard and seen and approached at the same time by all. But the Lord Jesus is nigh unto all of them that call upon him; and has said, Lo! I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. And

Observe therefore his agency-Wherever they go he attends them graciously, and the angel of his presence saves them. "When they shall go in, he shall go in; and when they shall go forth, he shall go forth." It is so as to their devotions. Do they enter the temple?