portance of running the race which the Apostle calls upon you to engage in :—and, if there be any virtue, any praise, or any honour, he entreats you to think upon these things.

Do not merely assent to them in the moment of Sabbatical worship, and drive them ever after from your recollection in your intercourse with the world. It is not thus that we can run the Christian's race:—and you deceive yourselves most grossly if you imagine it. The pageantry of this world, which is daily passing before our eyes, must soon close upon us for ever. Insignificant in itself, it nevertheless engages our attention, and we are emulous of adding to, or of speaking of it. But is this selfish gratification the only thing that ought to occupy our thoughts? And have we no account hereafter to render up to our Maker? Were we only created to be idle spectators, or feeble participators, of this world's excellence? Assuredly not. Our children, if we have acted well, will think with transport of our memories: our country, if we have aided it with our councils, or helped it in any measure with our exertions, will remember us with gratitudeand our God, if we have walked humbly and

truly before him-if we have been active at the call of virtue, and strenuous in running the CHRISTIAN'S RACE-Will call us hereafter to witness the fullness of his glory, and to sit down at his right hand, where there are pleasures for evermore!

SERMON XXVI.

2 CHRON. ix. latter part of 6th verse.

Behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me for thou exceedest the fame that I heard.

THESE were the words uttered by the Queen of Sheba to Solomon, on her visit to that monarch. The Queen was a woman of strong discernment, and great mental accomplishments as distinguished in her situation, as Solomon was in his. She set out, it seems, from her own country with a great retinue, and with many precious gifts, to lay at that monarch's feet: moreover she prepared herself with certain curious and intricate questions, in order to put the sagacity of Solomon to the test. "And Solomon told her all her questions; and there was nothing hid from Solomon which he told her not." The Queen was equally amazed at the comprehensiveness of his understanding, and at the magnificence

of his residence. She viewed with astonishment, according to the language of the verses preceding my text, his table, with the attendants thereupon: his servants, his cupbearers, and his ministers-and to conclude the whole, when she saw the ascent by which he went up into the HOUSE OF THE LORD, there was no more spirit in her: that is to say, she was absolutely lost in admiration and astonishment. And she said to the king, "it was a true report which I heard in mine own land of thine acts, and of thy wisdom. Howbeit, I believed not the words, until I came, and mine eyes had seen it—and, behold, the one half of the greatness of thy wisdom was not told me for thou exceedest the fame which I heard."

Having thus explained the circumstances which led to the observation of which the text is composed, I shall solicit your earnest attention to the important doctrine which may be engrafted thereon: and shall more particularly discuss it under the two following heads; First, Fame, or a desire to be distinguished, is natural to man. Secondly, if it be natural, it is our duty to direct it to legitimate objects, and to leave behind a fame distinguished for wisdom and for virtue, rather than for quali

fications of a more dazzling and less durable nature.

First, it has been observed, that fame is natural to man. By endowing us with reasonwith a consciousness of right and wrongand with a will to act-God Almighty seems to have designed us, the fairest work of his creation, for deeds of greatness and of goodness, which necessarily make a general and powerful impression on mankind; cause our deeds to be talked of, and recorded, in so public a manner, that, in contradistinction to the man who has never been heard of beyond the precincts of his fields, or his village, we involuntarily say," such a character is FAMOUS" - is publicly known and applauded. He is mentioned with our lips, and he is recorded in those works which we are in the habits of perusing. This passion for distinction has been said to belong naturally to man. And why? Because it is a feeling which enables him sometimes to be of the most beneficial service to the human race. As every good and perfect gift comes from God, so every pure and intellectual felicity proceeds from the same heavenly source of munificence. Hence, with sensibilities acute, and perhaps in situations humble and straitened, we see