wounds, the scars of which may remain to his dying day. There are many corruptions to be mortified; the right eye to be plucked out, and the right hand to be cut off. The religion of Jesus is a self-denying religion; the world must be renounced, his natural inclinations resisted, and his own righteousness thrown away.

2. To this he will add the possible and contingent expense, not only what it must, but what it may, cost him, before he can erect this edifice, and bring it to a state of perfection. His most intimate friends may forsake him, his enemies assail him, and a thousand obstacles be thrown in his way to discourage him. He may be called to forsake father and mother, house and land, for the sake of Christ : he may lose his character, and every thing else that is dear to him.

3. There is another kind of expense which such a one will also take into account: not only what it will cost him, but what, if I may be allowed to use the expression,-it must cost God, before he can finish his work. His own finances are not sufficient; he must have help from abroad, help from ministers and christian friends, but, above all, help from heaven. The Spirit of God must afford him his continual aid, and Christ's strength must be made perfect in his weakness. The arm of the Lord must be revealed to repel the assaults and defeat the purposes of his enemies. No spiritual duty can be performed without a divine influence; and his ability to think a good thought, put forth a good desire, or form a good resolution, must be sought and received from Him who is "Wonderful in council, and mighty in working." The grace bestowed already is not equal to the work to be performed; but he must have daily fresh supplies of it. "Grace for grace;" grace to animate and improve. "Not I," says the apostle Paul," but the grace of God that was with me.”

4. To the labour and expense he is at, he will oppose the benefits and advantages hoped for. The cross is the way to the crown. His toils upon earth will be more than

compensated by a glorious reward in heaven, to which the hardest duties and greatest difficulties bear no proportion. The gains of religion will abundantly overbalance its losses. He may be a loser for Christ, but he shall not be a loser by Christ. He shall receive an hundredfold in this world, in the pardon of his sins, peace of conscience, the earnest of his Spirit, and the smiles of a reconciled God; and in the world to come, life everlasting. "Forsake," says the Psalmist," thine own people, and thy father's house; so shall the king greatly desire thy beauty." "Our light affliction," says the apostle," which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

5. Where this caution and circumspection is neglected, it is an instance of egregious folly, and will expose to universal shame and contempt. All things of importance require thought and deliberation, but there is nothing of so great importance as religion; for "what shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Those who do not set out well, are not likely to hold on; "Lest haply," says my text, "he may not be able to finish" and to begin a work, and leave it unfinished, will subject a man to ridicule and scorn; for either in the one case he must discover inadvertency, or in the other, cowardice. It is only the persevering Christian that is honoured here, and will be applauded hereafter; whereas, he that draws back, as he is Satan's vassal in this world, will be his sport in the next. The words of my text are, "All that behold him begin to mock him." God himself is said to have hypocritical professors in derision. The righteous are said to laugh at such, and say, "Lo, this is the man that made not God his strength."

From what has been said, we may learn the excellency of religion. It will bear the strictest scrutiny, the closest examination. "The devil would have no subjects," says one, were men in good earnest to count the cost;"

desirable it appears. Let us also turn our eyes to the expense Christ was at in the work of redemption: he did not enter upon it inconsiderately, but sat down and counted the cost, the tears, the groans, the blood, the unkindness of his friends, the violence of his enemies; yet he courageously undertook it, cheerfully went through, and gloriously finished it. Finally, let those who have begun to build in God's name, in God's strength go on. "Therefore, my beloved brethren," says the apostle," be stedfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord."

SERMON XX.

THE HAPPY RESULTS OF REPENTANCE.

2 CORINTHIANS II. 2.

Who is he that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?

CAN the same fountain send forth bitter water, and sweet? Is it possible that this should be the language of that tender, affectionate, and sympathizing apostle, who elsewhere says, "Who is weak, and I am not weak; who is offended, and I burn not?" yet it is his language, and proceeded from the same benevolent principle. Uniformity of temper and conduct was a distinguishing characteristic of the inspired writer of this epistle. He at the same time lamented the occasion of sorrow, and rejoiced in the happy effects of it; so that from hence we may observe the three following things:

1. Though a minister's life is generally a life of sorrow, on account of his own infirmities and the apostasy of others, the languishing state of the church, and the slender success that attends his labours; yet they sometimes rejoice when a beam of light breaks through the dark cloud, and there are some promising appearances of revival in the life and power of religion; when sinners are inquiring, professors act consistently, and the beauty and glory of the Lord are seen in his sanctuary. "Ye are our glory and joy," says the apostle to the Thessalonian believers; and again-" We were com

desirable it appears. Let us also turn our eyes to the expense Christ was at in the work of redemption: he did not enter upon it inconsiderately, but sat down and counted the cost, the tears, the groans, the blood, the unkindness of his friends, the violence of his enemies; yet he courageously undertook it, cheerfully went through, and gloriously finished it. Finally, let those who have begun to build in God's name, in God's strength go on. "Therefore, my beloved brethren," says the apostle, "be stedfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord."