"are peace.

«Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all herpaths She is a tree of life to them that lay hold "upon her; and happy is every one that retaineth her." -A little grace then is too precious to be despised!

And, thirdly, we should not despise the day of small things, because it will be a day of great things.-That child will become a man: contemn not his infancy. Suppose he is now only a babe--he is an heir, and when of age will possess an inheritance reserved in heaven for him....he is a prince, and will reign for ever and ever. What is the dawn to the day? But we do not despise it and why do we not? Because it is the pledge and the beginning of noon. And the path of the just is "as the shining light which shineth more and more un"to the perfect day."

Yes, divine grace shall assuredly increase. "The " righteous shall hold on his way; and he that hath "clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger. He has "life and he shall have it more abundantly." What is sown in weakness shall be raised in power. What Eli. phaz said of Job, may be applied with peculiar force to the christian," though thy beginning was small, yet thy "latter end shall greatly increase." O what will that poor meek, doubting, distressed christian be, when God, who has already begun the good work, will accom"plish in him all the good pleasure of his will!” In a few years, and he will be upon a level with the angels of God. In a few months, and he will be presented faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy!

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But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear "heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the "things which God hath prepared for them that love "him."

Seeing therefore that the day of small things is so much regarded by our Lord and Saviour-is already so valuable and will so certainly increase with all the increase of God; let us beware of despising it.

We conclude the subject with a question; an admonition and a caution,

The question is this-It is even a day of small things with you? You have had your day of rebellion-do you know any thing of a day of reconciliation? You have wandered from God-have you ever returned to him? You have been ignorant of divine things-can you say at last, whereas I was blind, now I see? You have been dead to the things of God-are you now alive to them: and do they impress, and govern you? have you any new and holy bias given to your will and affections? do you "hunger and thirst after righteousness ?" are you praying, "create in me a clean heart, O Lord, and re"new a right spirit within me?"

Can this be a useless inquiry? Will it be a waste of time to retire this evening, and ask yourselves—whethcr you have received the grace of God in truth ?-What will you do without it?

The admonition calls upon you not to overlook or undervalue imperfect religion, whether in yourselves or others. If you are upright in heart, you will be in most danger of despising it in yourselves. Judging of the reality of your grace, by the degree of it, you may conclude you have none. Comparing yourselves with others, who are more advanced in the divine life, you may shrink into nothing: and imagine you have no part or lot in the matter.

But beware of any rash conclusions. You may be travelling in the same road, though not with equal steps. You may be of the same species, though not of the same stature. While you mourn for what you want, yon should rejoice in what you have. While you ought to he humble, you ought also to be thankful; and in taking shame to yourselves, you should acknowledge what God has done for your souls. If you are not what you would be, you are not what you once were: if you are not like some of the Lord's people, you are not like the rest of the world.

But you are also in some danger with regard to others. You may think too little of a real work of grace. Yea, from inattention: or from prejudice; from the

manner in which it commences, or from some peculiarities in the subject—you may suppose God has done nothing, where he has been doing much.

Guard against this. And remember also, that it is not enough that you do not despise the day of small things you must cherish it. Ministers should cherish every promising impression made upon the minds of their hearers. Parents should cherish every tender and pious disposition in their children. Friends should cherish every favourable appearance in their acquaintances. And " ye that are strong, should hear the in"firmities of the weak, and not please yourselves."Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and "the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your "feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way, "but let it rather be healed. Now we exhort you, "brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the fee"ble-minded, support the weak, be patient toward all "men."

But it is necessary to mention, thirdly, a cautionand it is this. Let not the subject we have been considering, cause remisness in duty, or lead any to settle upon their lees. Were you, from what has been said to rest satisfied with any present attainments, it would be an abuse of encouragement. It would be an evidence that you know nothing of the power of divine grace in reality. For

"Whoever says I want no more,
"Confesses he has none."

Those who have seen the Lord, will always pray I be seech thee shew me thy glory. Those that have once tasted that the Lord is gracious, will always cry, ever more give us this bread to eat.

Besides more is attainable. There is a fulness from which you may receive and grace for grace. There is a command: open thy mouth wide, and I will fill it. There is a promise; ask and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

YOL. II.

And more is desirable. There are particularly two reasons why you should seek after a growth in grace. The first is taken from usefulness. For supposing you are safe-ought you to have no concern for the welfare of your fellow-creatures, and the spread of the Saviour's cause around you? Ought you to wish merely to creep to heaven, without doing any good upon earth? Should you not wish to recommend religion every step of the way; and to honor God, who has done such great things for you, both in the life that you live, and in the death that you die?-And the other is drawn from comfort. It is with grace as it is with other things; when little, it is not easily seen: but by growing it becomes more visible. There are richer and higher consolations in religion, which some never taste of; they see them— but are not tall enough to reach them. For these depend-not upon the existence, but the degree of grace. In a word, to use the language on an old divine, "a lit"tle grace will bring us to heaven hereafter, but great "grace will bring heaven to us now." Weak faith may be compared to a small infirm leaky vessel, which does indeed carry the passenger safely over, but subjects him to many a restless anxiety, and many a dreadful fear-while strong faith is a firm, and well constructed ship, that enables him to smile at the waves, to defy the storm, and gloriously enter the desired haven.

Wherefore giving all diligence, add to your faith "virtue, and to virtue knowledge, and to knowledge "temperance, and to temperance patience, and to pa"tience godliness, and to godliness brotherly kindness, "and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things "be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall "neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of "our Lord Jesus Christ. But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see far off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Where"fore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your "calling and election sure; for, if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: for so an entrance shall be min

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❝istered unto you abundantly into the everlasting king"dom of our Lord and Saviour 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; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, "which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise "of God." Amen.