and the acquisition of fame, and the indulgence of appetite, would not comport with the chief design of his existence. Desirous, therefore, of co-operating with God, and, thus, of advancing that design, he consecrates himself, his mind, his affections, and his life, to the service of his Creator.

These, my brethren, are the desires and aims of the true Christian; but are these the desires and aims of every one in this assembly? Do not some of you, though you pray with apparent devotion, "Hallowed be thy name," live wholly for yourselves, and concentrate all your thoughts and wishes in some personal gratification; and act as though there were no name to honour, no glory to promote, besides your own? But, can you hallow the Supreme God, if you do not submit to his laws; if you deny him the throne of your hearts; if you seek your own pleasure in preference to his approbation; if, notwithstanding your professed attachment to Jesus Christ, you dishonour his religion, and strengthen the objections of infidelity, by a sinful conformity to the world, and an habitual deviation from the strict line of duty? Is this to set God before you? Is this to walk as seeing Him who is invisible? Is this to be in the fear of the Lord all the day long? Inconsistency of conduct, even in the estimation of an unbeliever,

is irreconcilable with the christian name; it is a proof that the internal character is defective, and that the heart is not right in the sight of God. Whatever pretensions may be made to superior illumination, if men do not regulate their tempers and deportment by the word of God, their religion is vain ;-"They profess to know God, but in works deny him; instead of "labouring together with God," they are acting in a manner directly hostile to him; they are working in the same direction as his bitterest enemies, and are propping up the odious cause of impiety and rebellion !

Bear in mind, my christian friends, that God is glorified by your conformity to his character. Aspire, therefore, to resemble him in all his imitable perfections. Let integrity distinguish all your transactions with men. Let the name of the Most High be always mentioned with awe. Let his word be perused with humility, and cited with reverence; and let all things that are true, and honest, and just, and pure, and lovely, and of good report, be diligently cultivated, and exhibited to the world as the fruits of genuine religion, that men, "seeing your good works, may glorify your Father who is in heaven."

From this subject we may learn,

1. The true source of human happiness. Men, in their fallen state, are disposed to seek all their happiness in this perishing world. Their pursuits, how diversified soever, are all characteristic of an earthly mind. The speculative push their inquiries into the regions of possibility and conjecture; men of pleasure try all the springs of forbidden gratification; the selfish aim at no end, in all their labours, besides their own interest. But have they realized their hopes? Have they not, in innumerable instances, been vexed with cares, chagrined with disappointment, and deeply humbled where they expected their proudest elevation? It is by this mortifying review that we may be convinced, if any thing can convince us, that the soul of man must derive its real happiness from a source infinitely higher than the present world. That source is the blessed God, who unfolds the excellencies of his character, to attract us from earth to heaven, and connects our supreme felicity with an unreserved surrender of our intellectual and moral powers to his service. This surrender is the only way in which we can glorify him. God, it is admitted, will be glorified, in some form or other, whatever may be our behaviour towards him; but it is, in co-operating with him, it is in the intentional act of honouring him, that we shall,

properly speaking, live to his glory, and find true happiness in his service. The consciousness of endeavouring to hallow him will inspire the peace which passeth understanding, as it will be a delightful evidence of our sincerity, and an incontestible proof of our interest in his favour.

2. We learn from this subject the importance of human beings in the moral system.

We have already seen, that God designed in all his works to advance his own glory, and, consequently, to advance it by this portion of his empire, no less than by any other. The human world, we acknowledge, may be but a small part of the intelligent universe, and, for aught we know, with the exception of the infernal world, the only sinful part; but, as its comparative diminutiveness is no reason why it should not be interested in the care of Divine Providence, there can be none why it should not have been the scene of those miraculous interpositions which constitute the theme and glory of the gospel; and if the reasonableness of those interpositions be admitted, the inference is unavoidable; that human beings are of vast importance in the moral system. The eternal happiness of a single rational creature is a subject of stupendous magnitude, and must

involve consequences of the highest moment, not only to himself, but also to many other beings. But it should be remembered, that the purpose of God in redemption extends to an innumerable multitude of every kindred, people, nation, and tongue. Can any thing, then, within the compass of our knowledge, or our imagination, be equal in importance to the interminable happiness of countless millions of intelligent creatures, who, by their exalted capacities, are capable of the highest intellectual and moral improvement, and of ceaseless joys, derived immediately from God himself? Can any thing, considered with relation to the honour which is due to the Supreme Being, be equal in importance to the humble acknowledgments, the fervent love, and the rapturous praises of those whom, in his illimitable benevolence, he has rescued by the death of his Son from everlasting ruin, and constituted his favourites and his children? Can any thing, so far as human obligation is concerned, be of greater moment than the united, harmonious, affectionate, and persistive, obedience of all these redeemed and happy creatures to the will of their Creator? But how is the importance of human beings enhanced, when it is considered, that their salvation will excite the interest and admiration of all holy and bene