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souls ;"-not to plunder their

The aspect of the world at the present day, is calculated great-property; but to impart to them

ly to awaken the attention of the friends of Zion. See, on the one hand, the activity of the adversary of souls. Having overspread Asia, Africa and the greatest part of Europe and America, he has threatned and purposed to overwhelm the "residue," and involve the whole earth in misery. For hundreds of years he "has made war with the saints;" but now, in " great wrath," appears to be bringing on the hottest of the battle :The trumpet does not give an uncertain sound."

See, on the other hand, the King of Zion "awaked as one out of sleep." Psalm lxxviii. 65. "The spirit of the Lord hath lifted up a standard against the enemy," according to his promise. The Lord, before our eyes, and before the eyes of many people, is giving demonstration of his power to "bruise Satan, to set at liberty the captive," and to bow the most stubborn hearted. His "arrows are made sharp in the hearts of his enemies; whereby the people fall under him."

Cannot the voice be heard from one place and another, "Come over and help us. Come ye to the help of the Lord against the mighty?"

See examples of those who have heard and obeyed, in the Apostolic Vanderkemp, and other men "like minded"-men who have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus." The oceans begin to be traversed, and the most distant regions to be visited; not to destroy the lives of the wretched inhabitants, but to "save their

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the "true riches ;"-not to tear them from all they hold dear and doom them to slavery, but to convey to them and theirs the "freedom of the children of God."

Fathers and brethren, and all present who profess to fear God:

To us who are now alive is the cause of the blessed Redeemer committed. This is the cause which has employed the counsels of eternity, and in which the great Jehovah makes all his, glory to pass before his intelligent creatures. This is the cause, for which the "Father gave his only begotten Son," for which the dear Immanuel shed his most precious blood upon the cross, and for which the Holy Ghost still condescends to visit these abodes of sorrow and spiritual death.

This is the cause which has engaged the eager desires, the ardent prayers and the laborious exertions of "the excellent of the earth" in all ages;-to which God has made, and will make all events in the history of man subservient;--which takes from the grave its victory, bringing in a glorious resurrection from the dead; and is to make millions and millions happy "in the presence of God and of the Lamb" forever and ever.

To the professed friends of Christ, now upon earth, is this cause committed. "The fathers and prophets" are gone. "Hav ing served their generation by the will of God, they have fallen asleep :" not however, till they had bequeathed this cause to us with their dying breath. Shall

we be indifferent whether it fail in our hands or not? Will any one hesitate to do with his might what yet remains to be done, "redeeming the time?" "This I say, brethren, the time is short." Soon we bid adieu to this earth, and our state is decided for eternity.

If through fear, or shame, or indifference, or dislike to the service of Christ, we utterly hold our peace; burying our talent in the earth;" we may depend on being disowned before his tribunal at the last day.

How great, on the other hand, is the encouragement of duty? "Them that honor me, I will honor," saith the Lord.

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was remarked in the former number, that they who walk in the light of God's countenance, embrace the gospel plan of salvation and build their hopes upon the righteousness of Christ alone. And, secondly, as a natural fruit of this temper of mind, and a precious benefit of a justified state, they enjoy sweet peace, calmness and serenity of mind. We now proceed in the enumeration and say,

When the church was reduced to a low state, and in the view of her enemies to inevitable destruction, in the days of Mordecai, we observe in him a noble example of faith and zeal. He, no doubt, well understood the promises relating to the day of Christ; and in particular, that he must descend from the Jews. He believed the promises. The honor and faithfulness of Jehovah were pledged for their fulfilment. Therefore, tho' in the midst of danger, he did not hesitate to appear decidedly and boldly in behalf of the people of God, and to take every prudent measure for their defence. To his hesitating and timorous daughter, who then held an important station, and whose cooperation was necessary, he de-ion with God, casts a shade clares," in the full assurance over the whole material world, of faith, enlargement and de- and creates an holy indifferency liverance shall arise to the Jews; towards all the fading, perishing if thou altogether holdest thy enjoyments of time and sense. peace at this time, it shall arise This is the very spirit and gefrom another place; but thounius of Christianity in the souland thy father's house shall be the fruit of that blessed religion destroyed." Christ hath taught us; who says,

3. It implies a weanedness from the world, and a supreme delight and joy in God. I join these together, because they are in their nature inseparable, and are both implied in the same excrcise. The light of God's glory shining into the heart-attracting the affections--transforming the soul, and imparting the divine pleasure of commun

"He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worth of me; and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brethren and sisters, yea and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple; and whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after me, cannot be my disciple." Here we are given to see that, that temper of mind which essentially characterizes a true child of God and disciple of Jesus, is a supreme love to, and delight in the Saviour, and the despising of every other object of enjoyment, when set in comparison or competition with him.

This

is the general instruction of scripture, and the genuine disposition of the Godly. "The friendship of the world is enmity against God. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him."-(1 John ii. 15.) The Apostle Paul, in regard to his own views and feelings, expresses himself in very bold and striking terms. "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ."And the Psalmist: "There be many that say who will shew us any good: Lord lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us; thou hast put gladness in my heart more than in the time, that their corn and their wine increased. "Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon

the earth whom I desire beside thee."

4. To walk in the light of God's countenance implies an holy nearness to God-sweet access to him, and a sense of his gracious presence. This is a spiritual nearness. God is essentially present with all his creatures, and they are ever in his immediate view; but he is present in a different manner with his children, and they have a very different sense of his presence, from what any other men have or can have. It is the joyful sensation of a dutiful, affectionate child, in the presence of his father, whom he loves and fears-enjoying his parental caresses, the smiles of his countenance and the tokens of his fatherly favor and affection. Such are the feelings and enjoyments of the child of God, but ineffably more sweet and endearing. The pious soul enjoys an holy intimacy with his heavenly father, and with a childlike freedom and confidence, utters all his complaints and his wants, his sorrows and his joys, his hopes and his fears and desires, into his gracious and attentive ear ever open to his cries. He pours out his whole soul into his bosom, and rolls all his burdens on the Lord. And God manifests himself unto his people otherwise than he doth to the world. He comforts them with his presence, and manifestations of his special love and favor. He feeds them with hidden manna. is near to them in all they call upon him for. He hears their cries. He answers their prayers, and is a very present helper in all times of trouble. Such blessed nearness to, and commu nion with God, do holy souls en

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their Christian conversation
have an easy opportunity of read-
ing the laws of Christ, every
day; and will discover in them a
conscientious regard to God's
authority and a filial fear of of-
fending him. This is the way
in which they are directed to
adorn their profession, and re-

joy. The light of his countenance gives them this nearness, and causes them to see him who is invisible, and to rejoice in his presence. Therefore the Psalmist prays, with such fervency, "Cast me not away from thy presence," and in pleasing expectation of this blessed enjoyment, exclaims, " In thy pre-prove and reform the unbelievsence there is fullness of joy."

5. To walk in the light of God's countenance, implies a faithful and conscientious discharge of all the outward duties of Christianity. It has been observed that this light has a transforming effect, and assimilates the soul to God. The natural tendency of it, therefore, will be to cause the soul to exemplify the divine image in outward life, by acts of cheerful, holy obedience, thro' all the various paths of duty to God and his fellowmen. "Ye are my disciples," saith Christ, "if ye do whatsoever things I command you." Grace is not a lifeless, inoperative principle in the heart, but it is vigorous and powerfully active. It will discover itself by its proper genuine exercises and fruits. This is the end and design of the Saints' spiritual creation. They are "created in Christ Jesus unto good works." And this is the end of their eternal election, as appears by what immediately follows, "which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." This is the nature, and these the proper exercises of the new creature. When the law of God is written upon the heart, every precept is inscribed, and the soul will have respect to all God's precepts; they will be exemplified, copied and drawn out in daily life so that all beholding |

ing world. "Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works, and glorify your father who is in heaven." It is true, they are very imperfect, and may often fall into sin and dishonor their Christian character and profession; but this is not walking in the light of God's countenance, but departing from God and walking for a season by the light of their own fire. It is because, as is sometimes the case with them, they are walking in darkness without light. But the habitual tenor of their lives savours of obedience, of spiritual mindedness and devotedness to God.And the earnest desire of their hearts, the subject of their daily prayer to God, is, “Oh, that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes-guide me by thy counsel-teach me thy way, Lord, and lead me in a plain path, because of mine enemies."

6. To walk in the light of God's countenance implies, the absolute dependence of the saints upon the constant special and supernatural influences of God's spirit, for the preservation of spiritual life in their souls, and the holy exercises of grace.-He that gave them spiritual life, must also preserve it, and quicken their graces. The same power which created them in Christ Jesus unto good works, must also work in them both to

will and to do, of his own good, tence the right hand of God's pleasure. This is the instruc-righteousness, and the light of

his countenance, because he has
a favor unto them. Grace is
not the effect of nature, but it
counteracts every established
principle of nature.
It is en-
tirely supernatural.

tion and uniform language of God's word. To walk in the light of God's countenance, is to walk by the direction, quickening and strength which that light imparts to them. And they walk no longer than they 7. They who walk in the have that light. When the light of God's countenance shall light of God's countenance is grow in grace, make advances' withdrawn, and his face is hid- in the divine life and progress in den from them, their strength sanctification. "Blessed is the immediately fails, they fall into people who know the joyful darkness and lose their way. sound, they shall walk, O Lord, "Thou didst hide thy face and I in the light of thy countenance." was troubled." It is God who (Psalm lxxxix, 15.). Walkconquers, and drives out their ing is opposed to rest, and sigspiritual enemies for them. nifies motion from one object or This the Psalmist acknowledges place towards another; and every in the type of God's driving out step the man takes brings him the Canaanitish nations, and nearer to the place or point tobringing the children of Israel in- wards which he is advancing. If to the promised land-(Ps. xliv. then, to walk in the light of God's 3.) "For they got not the land in countenance, implies, as we have possession by their own sword, seen, the moral likeness of God neither did their own arm save in the heart, or the being and them but thy right hand and exercises of grace supported by thine arm, and the light of thy divine power, and perfect conconntenance, because thou hadst a formity to God, be the object favor unto them." This is very and tendency of his desires; then pointed and express. "The it will follow that every step the light of thy countenance," sig- Christian takes, while walking nifies the exercise of that pow- in the light of God's counteer by which God brought the nance, is a step towards the goal: children of Israel on their way of perfection-an advancement to Canaan; and "thy right hand towards perfect holiness, and and thine arm," import the sig-spreads the divine image wider nal and miraculous displays of and deeper in his heart. At this divine power in their behalf.-point he constantly aims, to These the Psalmist acknowledges cleanse himself from all filthiand celebrates in a devout song ness of the flesh and spirit, and of praise. But all these things perfect holiness in the fear of point with special and ultimate God." This is the object of all reference to the spiritual jour-his spiritual warfare, and his unneyings and deliverances of wearied struggles with the reChristians. They have nomaining corruptions of his heart; strength of their own. It is not and nothing short of this can by their own sword-neither bound, or completely satisfy his does their own arm save them; desires. The Psalmist exults but it is the power of omnipo- in the prospect of this.

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