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upon his own exertion; whilst at the same time he throws himself entirely upon God's mercy in Jesus Christ. Nor let the bold, presumptuous, and audacious sinner imagine that, because he is bold in his iniquity that, therefore, he is any better than a hypocrite. True religion wishes all men good and happy it will readily spend and be spent for others; and though the world, the wicked world, may attribute false motives to good deeds, to kind thoughts, words, and actions, and say they are done from mere self-interested springs of action, O, let not such men be discouraged-" For the fruit of a righteous man is a tree of life; and he that winneth a soul is wise" (Prov. ii. 30).

I would go far, very far, to win the souls of the wicked to God. I would bend myself very lowly before them, that, if possible, I might let them see that a fellow-sinner and a fellow-sufferer had a heart to feel for their state and a spirit to compassionate their miseries. 66 They that be whole need not the physician, but they that be sick." A man unconscious of sickness and suffering would never send for the surgeon; but, if he could release him from pain, set him up again, and successfully subdue his disease, he would make almost any sacrifice to obtain the aid of such a skilful physician. So, if the soul be sick-if it be conscious of its disease-if it would be cured, it will earnestly search for that remedy which is its only cure; and it is our duty, without hypocrisy, to use the means God has appointed for the soul's recovery.

"We pray you, in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." Such is our hope, such our prospect, such our glory in preaching the word of God, We

have a hope that God will make use of us to turn some, if not many, to righteousness. For this purpose we labour each day in the Lord, and count every Sabbath of praying with you, worshipping God with you, preaching His word to you, living kindly and affectionately among you; and, if God so preserve and keep us and make us obedient to His will, dying among you, in the hope that we may rise together to life eternal. "But the hypocrite's hope shall perish." May God preserve us from all hypocrisy at all times: for hypocrites are represented as having the lowest place of darkness assigned them hereafter. It is better for a man to know nothing to be nothing-and to hope nothing, than to possess much and to be an hypocrite.

This sin is almost incurable: it can scarcely be rooted out of the heart of a bad man, because it is so deceitful; but we are assured that all manner of sins shall be forgiven unto men-that even hypocrisy, deep and glaring as it is, shall be forgiven, if the vile hypocrite will but become a sincere penitent. Deep was the hypocrisy of David's heart when he sent word to Joab-" Set ye Uriah in the fore-front of the battle and retire from him, that he may be smitten and die :" but he could not conceal his sin from God: his hope perished, though he caused the death of Uriah that he might cover his sin from the eyes of men; yet, upon his conviction, upon his sincere confession and repentance, the Lord put away his sin and spared his life.

So, if the hypocrite in heart will but sincerely and truly, without deceit, confess that he has sinnedaye, for a long while against his God, and will desire for the future to worship Him in spirit and in truth,

God will for Christ's sake forgive him. Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, if there be any praise, think on these things (Phil. iv. 8, &c.); for there can be no hypocrisy in the following of these things, but they shall bring along with them such ineffable peace as shall pass man's understanding.

May it please the Lord to cleanse and purify all our hearts, and make us fit temples for the indwelling of the Spirit of Christ Jesus our Lord!

Believe me, your affectionate friend,

THE COMFORter.

ADDRESS IX.

ALMIGHTY GOD, before whom no living man is worthy to make his supplication, give us such an awful sense of the majesty of thy presence that we may appeal through our only Mediator to the throne of mercy, and find in Him the Friend who alone can intercede with thee; and by whom alone we receive the consolation of thy holy Scriptures, even through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Behold, He taketh away: who can hinder Him? Who will say unto Him, What doest thou?—JOB ix. 12.

MY DEAR FRIENDS--The absolute sovereignty and will of God is so indisputable that there lives not a man who, whether he will or not, does not do the will of God. The wicked Pharaoh was raised up for this purpose, that the power of God might be shown against him and be the more signally manifested before His chosen people-not that he did the will of God from the heart: this is only done by those who acknowledge His power, and submit themselves as they ought to His laws, and pray to be guided into all good. Pharaoh was compelled to let Israel go, and so he did the will of God; but with a very bad grace and to his own utter confusion and death. So, wicked men in this life, no matter whether in the higher or lower ranks of

society, are compelled to do the will of God, even when they are brought to condign punishment for their crimes. But how different is that will which submits by reason of compulsion and that which bows with reverence and submission! God is lovepure, holy, ever lively love-full of pity, tender mercy, and compassion! He is, indeed, irresistibly powerful, even to the breaking down of every barrier which opposes itself against Him; for who that lives can successfully oppose love? He will subdue all things under His feet, and make the wicked who dares to do anything contrary to His laws a terror to himself and all around him. Come, then, and let 'us this day think of our God as we ought, and see if we cannot, through the operation of divine grace, attain a purer wisdom than we have hitherto possessed, and form juster notions of Him before whom we must all so soon stand or fall! Oh, that it may please Him to employ me to speak as I ought to His people, and to let you have hearing ears and understanding hearts, that we may glorify together the Lord God of Hosts! "Behold He taketh away :

who can hinder Him? What doest thou?"

Who will say unto Him,

We cannot but observe that God takes whom He will and no one can prevent Him; for in Him we live and in Him we die. He can remove us out of

our candlestick and extinguish our light for ever; or He can place us in a more conspicuous place, and let our light so shine before men that they may glorify our Father which is in heaven. There are some, I dare say, who may read this address who are going to change their places of abode even in this world, and who will not be much longer mem