are yea, and in him Amen, to the glory of God, by us." They magnify his power, exalt his love, proclaim his mercy, make known his goodness, extol his holiness and truth. But, if you have been enabled to rejoice in the promises yourselves, seek to make them. known to others. Many are perishing for lack of knowledge, while we have bread and to spare! It is an awful thought, that every passing second witnesses the flight of a disembodied spirit from this lower world, into the boundless ocean of eternity!-that, during the period occupied in this morning service, upwards of 5000 of the common family of man, have probably exchanged the shadows of the present, for the realities of the future -and have been severed from the objects which engrossed their hopes, and fears, and joys, and sorrows, for a few fleeting moments, to enter upon that fixed and interminable scene, which will absorb and occupy the soul for ever! And, what infinitely augments the solemnity of the reflection, is-that, by far the larger portion of these have never heard of those gracious promises, which are

so freely declared to us; have never heard of the Almighty Saviour, to whom we are invited to flee; have never listened to those good tidings of great joy, which would "gladden the solitary places, and make the desert rejoice, and blossom as the rose!" While you care, then, for your own souls, care for the souls of others; while you "make your own calling and election sure," seek to bring your children, your relatives, your friends, and the whole family of man, to Jesus. And, as Christian charity resembles the expanding circle, which embraces the whole earth in its ample circumference, so let your efforts be mingled with your prayers, that the Lord would "havė mercy upon all Jews, Turks, infidels, and heretics, and take from them all ignorance, hardness of heart, and contempt of his word, and so fetch them home to his flock, that they may be saved among the remnant of the true Israelites, and be made one fold, under one Shepherd, Jesus Christ our Lord!"

DISCOURSE VII.

PHILIPPIANS i. 11.

Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.

In the verses preceding the text, St. Paul expresses his gratitude to God on behalf of the saints at Philippi; makes known his lively concern for their spiritual welfare, and then prays for their advancement in divine grace and knowledge. "For God is my record," he remarks, in the 8th and following verses, "how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ; and

this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more, in knowledge and in all judgment, that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;" adding, in the language of the text, "Being

L

filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God." These words, which form the conclusion of the apostle's prayer, are very analagous to the concluding clauses of the Confession, which I am now to consider, in terminating my discourses, upon that truly spiritual and edifying part of our Liturgy. "And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake, that we may hereafter live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of thy holy name. Amen."

There are three points in these clauses, which are particularly worthy of notice.

FIRST. The plea which our Church teaches her members to urge, in their addresses to God.

SECONDLY. The practical aim of our prayers.

And THIRDLY. The grand end of our desires, petitions, walk, and conversation.

And we pray thee, O Lord, to "mortify and kill all vices in us, and so strengthen us

by thy grace, that by the uprightness of our lives, and the constancy of our faith, we may glorify thy holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.""

FIRST, then, let us notice, the plea which our Church teaches us to urge, in our addresses to God: "And grant, O most merciful Father, for his sake." In my last lecture, your attention was directed to the blessed Saviour, as the substance of the promises made to mankind, from the earliest ages of the world. "For, all the promises of God in him, are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us." Our confidence, as sinners, is grounded upon the assurances of grace and pardon, which are made to us through the crucified Redeemer. Were the promises removed from the sacred page, the inspired volume, both as regards the encouragement, and support, of the transgressor in the present life, and his prospects of happiness hereafter, would become a blank. To subtract the promises from the Bible, would

1 Vide Collect for Innocents' Day.

2 2 Cor. i. 20.