from the wicked class as easily as you can distinguish day from night? Who are they? Are they that company of meek, humble believers in Jesus, who pray as the divine Master taught them; "Our Father who art in heaven-forgive us our sins?" If they are not sinners why do they pray that their sins may be forgiven?

On the other hand, who are the wicked? Are they that company of profane sailors, who appear so careless about religion? But these men, of all grades of society, are acknowledged to be the most generous. They will impart to misery the last dollar of the scanty wages for which they have risked their lives on the uncertain deep, while the wealthy Christian, who goes to the sanctuary in splendor, with great circumspection, gives to poverty a shilling. But who are the wicked? Are they such as make no profession of religion, have subscribed to no creed, joined no church? But where are these men, and what are they about when their neighbors are sick, or are in want, or are in distress? Are they then carelessly loitering behind our high professors of religion, who are administering all needed assistance to the distressed? Where are they when the devouring element turns women and children into the streets? Do they idly fold their arms and look on, while the righteous put out the fire? What do these wicked people do when their country is invaded by a plundering foe, and all that is dear to man lies at stake? Do they then sleep on beds of down, while the saints watch in the camp? The fact is, if we are willing to acknowledge the truth, there is no class of people who are so righteous that there is no need of reformation; nor is there a class that is in no danger of growing worse.

We find the righteous and the wicked in the same individual. David says; "Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness." And again he says; "The Lord rewardeth me according to my righteousness." But with what humility does he acknowledge his sin. He says; "Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my

transgression and my sin is ever before me." Yes, in the same man, and at the same time we find the righteous and the wicked, "him that serveth God and him that serveth him not. St. Paul says; "With the mind I myself serve the law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin."

The habit which professed Christians have so long indulged, of thinking and speaking of the wicked, as a class of people distinct from themselves is a proof of the depravity of their own deceived hearts. The publican, who dared not raise his eyes toward heaven, but smote his breast, saying. God be merciful to me a sinner, was rather justified than the Pharisee, who thanked God that he was not like other men.

The result of a candid examination of this particular subject may be represented by health and sickness. And as this representation is warranted by the declaration of the Saviour to those who thought they were righteous when they were not, it may be the more acceptable. Jesus said, "They that are whole need not the physician, but they that are sick." Now health and sickness are so directly opposite, that there is no difficulty in distinguishing one from the other. But there are many cases where it would be difficult to determine which of two that are sick is the most unwell. And we may further observe, that there is no such thing as a class of people who are exclusively healthy, nor a class that is exclusively sickly. Those, who to-day are in health, may be sick to-morrow; and those who are indisposed to-day may be restored and enjoy health to-morrow. Yes, and in the same person, and at the same time, we may find a degree of health and a degree of sickness. Degrees of health and sickness may increase or decrease, and the subjects may either recover, or decline and die.

Let us in the next place endeavor to ascertain the nature of the recompense which the divine economy awards to the righteous, and what it is designed for.

As we have seen that there are different degrees in righteousness, so we may expect to find that rewards are so varied as to correspond with these different

degrees. Again, we may observe that in some things a man may do that which is right, and receive a recompense accordingly; on the other hand, the same man may do that which is wrong in some things and be recompensed accordingly.

The whole duty of man is embraced in two divine requirements. The first requires us to love God with all the heart, and the second, being like unto the first, requires us to love our neighbors as ourselves. On these two commandments, Jesus says, "hang all the law and the prophets." Now as far as any person loves God so far is he recompensed, and no farther. And as far as he loves his neighbor so far he is recompensed in that respect, and no farther.

But what is the recompense which the soul enjoys who loves God? Answer, it is God himself. "God is love; and he that dwelleth in love, dwelleth in God, and God in him." In an exact proportion to the love which the heart exercises towards God is it recompensed with this richest of all rewards. There is no other object, on which the affections of the heart can be placed, that is so sure of returning a recompense, in all respects equal to the degree of love which is exercised.

Companions may love each other most tenderly, but by unavoidable circumstances they may be separated, so as to render their affection even painful. Again, there may be love to creature objects where no return of affection is received. But whoever loves God cannot be separated from him, nor can he ever experience any want of love in God. The soul that truly loves the divine Being is blessed with the presence of the object of affection. There is no place nor condition that can exclude the mind from this enjoyment. Though we were banished from the society of man, if we loved God he would be present with us; would be a well of water springing up into everlasting life. How often do we see our brethren and sisters in the hour of death, rejoicing in a present Saviour, and cheerfully resign life and all earthly things for the enjoyment of God.

What is this rich recompense designed for in the divine economy? It is designed for the only end that divine love can possibly have in view. It is to promote love and enlarge its enjoyments in the soul that is exercised by it.

As there are secondary cases in which righteousness manifests itself, so there are secondary recompenses corresponding with them. As consequences growing out of love to God, we notice those virtuous actions, and propriety of conduct, which are attended with effects which sufficiently recompense and amply bless the agent in his deeds. Whoever loves God, will love truth; he will love honesty; he will love justice; he will love mercy; he will love wisdom and knowledge. Now as he loves these things, he will speak the truth; he will be honest; he will do justly; he will be merciful; he will endeavor to acquire wisdom and knowledge, and he will consider all these things as durable riches and righteousness.

Now as these virtues are all calculated to reward us for all our exertions in their principles, so it is evident that our recompenses must be according to our merits. Accordingly as a man loves the truth, and speaks the truth, he enjoys the divine sunshine in his breast; and in addition to this sure and ample reward, he generally is believed by others, and confidence is placed in his word. In the same proportion as a man is honest in what he does, he has the enjoyment of his own conscience, which is a treasure that the honest man prizes far above silver or gold. And in addition to all this he has the satisfaction of being esteemed by others for his honesty, which is worthy of high estimation.

Those who do justly, love inercy, and walk humbly with God, who seek for wisdom as for hidden treasures, and find out knowledge of witty inventions, enjoy a constant income of moral and intellectual wealth, which is far richer than the revenue of silver, or the merchandise of the most precious spices.

The design of these rich rewards, in the economy of the divine government, is to induce moral beings to labor with all possible diligence to perfect themselves in the love of God.

We may now ask what recompense the divine government is pleased to render to the wicked, and what is the design of such a recompense.

As wickedness is exactly the reverse of righteousness, so the recompense of the former must be the reverse of that of the latter.

If we have no love to God we cannot enjoy him. The thought that he exists and exercises universal dominion, and controls all things by his almighty power is a source of infelicity. The soul, in room of being refreshed with the sweet waters of life, is suf fused with anger, wrath, strife, and bitterness. In the room of peace, there is trouble. "The wicked are like the troubled sea, when it cannot rest, whose waters cast up mire and dirt. There is no peace, saith my God, to the wicked."

Such is the establishment of moral rectitude in the human soul, by the hand of our Maker, that our reason is compelled to acknowledge the dignity of divine justice, the purity of all the virtues, and the excellency of righteousness. But where the affections of the heart are not devoted to these holy qualities, the soul is forever under condemnation. Self-accusation and selfreproach gnaw like the vulture within.

In an exact proportion to the distance the soul is in, from that love to God and our neighbor, which is the fulness of the divine requirement, is measured the recompense due to the sinner. There is tribulation and anguish to every soul of man that doeth evil; and this tribulation and anguish are in proportion to the evil for which they are a recompense.

But why should the divine government so ordain, that sin should be recompensed with so much misery? Why does it not please God to administer comfort, peace, and joy, to the sinner, in his sins? What is the design of the divine economy in this thing?

We may find a solution of these queries in our similitude of health and sickness. Health is the reward of that kind of food, which is nourishment to the body, of that temperance and exercise which our nature requires; while food that is unwholesome, or that is