tually has instructed, corrected, reclaimed, sanctified and hastened forward again, the careless, listless, and declining soul! Well may the believer say, surely "goodness and mercy have followed me all the days of my life." "The Lord God is a sun and shield, he will give grace and glory." "He forgiveth all mine iniquities, he healeth all my diseases, he crowneth me with loving-kindness and tender mercies, so that my youth is renewed like the eagle's." The testimony of every day may well be in these respects, that "where sin hath abounded, grace did much more abound."

And then lastly on this point, consider the fulness of the promises. It were not easy to obtain a collected concentrated view of the abundant promises of God to those whom he has chosen: but surely it is impossible for those whose attention has been occupied with them, not to feel in some degree how splendid they are. Think what everlasting life and blessedness in the presence of God must be. It surpasses in every point our present conceptions. We may make some faint effort towards it, by imagining the absence of all that now annoys us, and the increase of all that is legitimately pleasing. We may combine the glitter of gold and precious gems, and the fragrance and refreshment of the cooling fruit, the green pasture, and the living fountain; but it is all poor and meagre. We shall feel that the bare idea of eternal felicity surpasses not only the experience of the

eye and the ear, but the richest and most fluent suggestions and combinations of the most powerful imagination. We still feel that the joys which God has promised are "unspeakable ;" and that like the love in which they originated, they are in their heighth, and depth, and length, and breadth, beyond comprehension. This however we know be yond all controversy, that it will be among the chief joys of the redeemed, to be completely con formed to the image of the sinless Jesus-to-be. like him, "holy as he is holy," and pure as he is pure.

Such then are the aboundings of divine grace to the guilty rebels of this apostate world; pardon, peace, holiness, protection, and the immutable promise of eternal life. All these abundant blessings are opened to us, and freely offered to us in the gospel of Christ.

Consider, Secondly, What ought to be the feeling of the Christian's heart in this respect. It should be filled and abounding with these things. The Saviour speaks in the text of "the abundance of the heart."

It ill becomes the recipient of so many blessings to give to the consideration of them a cold, scanty, formal, and merely slavish application of the mind. This may consist with false views of religion; but one cannot conceive this to be the case, where there is a right appreciation of the fulness of divine mercy. If you have discovered the guilt and dan

ger of your natural state, and learned any thing of the freeness of God's mercy through Christ; if you have realized in any degree the spiritual blessings which we have been enumerating; you must have found your attention and your affections drawn towards the subject, so as to make it a delightful one. This is the constitution of our nature. Look at the man of the world, who has his favourite object in pursuit, be it what it may; great as any finite object can be, or small and trifling in itself, but swelled into importance by his desire for it. See in either case with what an eager rush his animal spirits go forth towards it, to sustain him in the difficulties, the risks, and the occasional disappointments incidental to his pursuit. Though at the best it be but an earthly thing, a transitory indulgence, or a contemptible crown; yet his heart is full of it. Not that it will always be so; for in the very nature of things he is sure to be disappointed in the end for while he thinks he is gathering fruit, he is in fact feeding on ashes. He is sowing the wind, and he must reap the whirlwind. In the mean time, however, we see an instance of the present ardour and exclusive devotion of the mind to the object that it really desires-the overflowing abundance of the heart respecting it. We see clearly, that where the treasure is, there will the heart be also.

Now, if I believe in my deliverance from eternal suffering, through the voluntary suffering of a cru

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cified Saviour; and if the promise of eternal glory is before me; and if every day gives me proof of the present care and kindness of this everlasting friend; then surely, as the object is greater and more worthy, the abounding of the heart towards this deliverance, ought to be at least equally great. If we are in a right state, this great and glorious salvation ought to be the supreme subject of interest. The loveliest object, and the brightest lot on earth, are fading and untrustworthy. Experience proves them to be so. Our association with our earthly comforts is as uncertain as is our tenure of human life; and that is but as a vapour. know not what shall be on the morrow." alone ought to stamp the gospel with supreme value, as the means of eternal happiness. The very circumstances also of risk for eternity in which, but for the gospel, we should lie, ought to place that gospel in a light supremely interesting before our eyes. "There is no other name given under heaven among men, whereby we must be saved, but the name of Jesus Christ." "How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation ?" Should we not cleave to it then as our only refuge? And if it were only on account of the wisdom and beauty of the scheme of grace-that scheme which unites the justice and the mercy of God in perfect harmony over the forgiven sinner-it were deserving of our supreme regard. It is the wisdom of God in a mystery. The uncertainty of every thing else,

a regard to our own future safety, and a sense of the value of the gospel, as a display of divine wisdom and glory, should make it the subject of supreme delight. It was said of old by the Psalmist, "The words of thy mouth are dearer to me than thousands of gold and silver;" "more to be desired are they than gold, yea than much fine gold, sweeter also than honey, and the honey comb.” And they who are partakers of the grace of Christ can really adopt this language.

Again, to constitute religion "the abundance of the heart," it should be the most prominent subject of thought. In looking at a natural landscape scene, and especially at a well-arranged picture, the eye is generally fixed by some prominent object to which all others in the natural or artificial composition are subservient. It is so with the subject of religion, as compared with every other. When the heart is truly Christian," the grace of God which bringeth salvation" is the main thing, and all others are subordinate and subservient.

It is perfectly allowable to occupy the mind with other things. In fact in many cases it is duty. There is scarcely an individual in life, who is so insulated and solitary, as to be freed from all those minor duties which go to make up the comfort of social and domestic intercourse. Many for the sake of the amusement of others, owe a portion of their time even to the lighter accomplishments of life. Many are bound by the privileges of their station