quire. And it will be used for such purposes as far as is necessary, whenever and wherever the standard of piety is such as we have here delineated; and there, too, we may reasonably expect that means as well as numbers will be increased. But even if means be comparatively limited, it will be found that if the interests of piety be properly regarded, there will be no lack of whatever may be needful to attain within reasonable limits, every object that is desirable. If there be first, the willing mind, a way will be open. But wealth, although important, yet without religion, is far from constituting or securing the true prosperity which every congregation should seek to attain.

2. The fact that great numbers are added to the church is not always a sure indication of real prosperity. There are or may be instances in which the reverse is true, and in which an increase of numbers brings along with it weakness instead of strength. The debilitated and sickly condition of many congregations and churches at the present day, affords an exemplification of the fact. This may have arisen, in some instances, from an over anxiety to increase the number, without a due regard to the qualifications of members of a church, when amidst scenes of high excitement, many have been gathered in, who, like the seed springing up in stony places, having no root in themselves, soon wither away. They do not grow up to maturity, and bring forth fruit meet for repentance. They do not seem to abide in Christ, nor He in them, and therefore they remain unfruitful. For the Savior has said, As the branch cannot bear fruit except it abide in the vine, no more can ye, except ye abide in me.

Suppose one hundred men should be added to a church, a considerable portion of whom should, after having gained admission, never worship God in their families; and never attend a meeting for prayer and social worship observed by the church except on the Sabbath, and perhaps even that only occasionally; and should be just as worldly as other men are, living equally in the neglect of the peculiar and appropriate duties of a religious profession. Or, suppose the church to be already composed in part, or to a considerable extent, of members possessing this character. In the former case, you only add to the amount of imbecility, and in the latter, you already have weakness instead of strength. It is not a temple after the similitude of that, which is composed of lively stones, built up a spiritual house, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. Such a church cannot be said to be truly edified, or to be walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost. And under such circumstances it. is not likely to be multiplied; or if it should be, without a decided moral renovation, a spiritual resurrection of the dead that are already in it, an increase of its numbers might be a disastrous instead

of a prosperous event. And why? Because we may have reason to expect that those who enter the church will be generally conformed to the standard of its piety, whatever it may be. If that is low, theirs will be likely to be so. If it be more elevated, their character and usefulness will be modified more or less according to it. And then, if it be true that new additions to the church will only increase the deadening influence of spiritual declension, it would be disastrous to the cause of religion, and render still more powerless and ineffectual upon the impenitent and worldly, the means of grace, and the instrumentality which is employed for their conversion by the ministry of the Gospel.

You may sometimes see in a particular church, a few, and it may be a very few, of its members who are alive and awake to the responsibilities of their Christian vocation, while a far greater number, the many, are buried in spiritual slumber, and walking mainly according to the course of this world, caring little or nothing for the dangers or the destiny of those who are emphatically without God and without hope. And this is little to be wondered at, while both seem to be walking so nearly in the same path, and the way to heaven seems to have so little divergence from that which leadeth to destruction. But when the church is truly edified-built up-walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, it is not so. Then it will be multiplied to some purpose, and wandering sinners of every description actually returning from the error of their way, will crowd the gates of Zion with thankful songs for their deliverance from the delusions of sin and from spiritual death. As doves to their windows, will they fly to Him who is a hiding place from the wind and a covert from the tempest. Then it is seen and felt that the great Deliverer who has come out of Zion is actually exerting his great power, and that He is mighty to save. Then is there a realization of true prosperity; of substantial growth and of abiding strength-strength in the Lord.

3. We are led here to remark that it cannot be regarded as a favorable sign in regard to any particular congregation, when a union with it is thought to be desirable, because it has the reputation of a low standard of piety, and is supposed to be less strict in its views of religious duty and obligation. Some have been known to express a decided preference for a particular church for this very reason, that the preaching was of a lax and liberal character, and not calculated to disturb the worldly mind; that to indulge in vain amusements was not regarded as inconsistent with a religious profession, and that on the whole there is not much religion there. This we have known to be the common estimate of a whole denomination of Christians, and not unfrequently of particular churches. A man has been known to say, "I have no religion or attachment to any particular creed, but if I must unite

with any society, I prefer such a one (naming a particular denomination), for I think they are nearest to it, i. e. to not having any religion, of any within my knowledge." But such accessions for such a reason could add nothing to the strength or prosperity of any congregation, and the fact that such views are entertained of it is evidence enough of its weakness. Far, very far should it be from any church or congregation to desire such a reputation, or to possess such a character. With such a character it cannot be truly prosperous, and ought not to be. It should aim, therefore, to change its character and put on strength, such as comes only from a vital union with the great Head of the church, and seek to be adorned with the beauties of holiness.

4. It may be readily inferred from our subject that every church, and each individual member of it, should aim at a high standard of piety. This is ever the foundation of real prosperity. Let this be the controlling spirit, and the fruits of righteousness abound, and all other deficiencies will be supplied. If the claims of religion are allowed, there will be no backwardness in doing whatever may be necessary to be done to promote its interests and sustain and extend its influence, or in exercising whatever self-denial may be requisite for the maintenance of religious order and worship. And why should any church, or individual member of it, be content with that which is low, when that which is more elevated will secure the best results; the substantial comforts which do not grow in nature's barren soil, and without which earth is but a dreary waste, a desolate wilderness? How strange and how wonderful, that Christians should be living, or wish to live, so far beneath their privileges, and fail to enjoy the rich and abounding consolations which a firm and devoted and consistent piety only can impart, and which it cannot fail to give!

5. How clearly is the connexion between walking in the fear of the Lord and the enjoyment of the presence of the Holy Spirit indicated by our subject! And it enforces with solemn emphasis the divine admonition, Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. It calls upon every friend of the Redeemer in every church, to walk circumspectly, redeeming the time; to awake to righteousness and put on the whole armor of God, and to be renewed in the spirit of his mind. The consequences depending upon it are beyond all computation. The Spirit grieved away, and then what is there but the form of godliness without the power? The Spirit gone, and what becomes of fervent piety; of communion with God; and of the hope which is an anchor to the soul? The Spirit grieved away, and where are the life and power of religion; and how certainly onward to dispair is the course of sinners, who are still walking according to that Spirit, which worketh in the children of disobedience?

And why is not that blessed Spirit working with a mightier energy in subduing the hearts of those who are dead in sin, and raising them to spiritual life, causing the churches to be multiplied and to be adorned with the beauties of holiness? Let the conscience answer according to the light which our subject unfolds, and every friend of the Savior take heed to his ways accordingly. If it be true, as suggested by a distinguished and honored servant of God, that the Spirit is not wont to grant his more distinguishing favors where they are not desired, it would be well for those by whom they are not enjoyed, to consider carefully what are their feelings and their desires in relation to a subject of such momentous importance; whether the glorious manifestations of his reviving presence are truly desired, so that with self-denying importunity they are prepared to ask, that they may receive this inestimable blessing. Without it, what is life, but as the troubled sea whose waters cast up mire and dirt; with it, there is rest for the weary and heavy laden-a rest, which is but a faint emblem of that above, and which is eternal. And that blessing is your Heavenly Father more ready to bestow, than earthly parents to give good gifts unto their children. Let it be sought with diligence, and the desert shall bud and blossom as the rose, and solitary places shall become vocal with the praise of God.

SERMON CCCCXLVII.

BY THE LATE REV. DANIEL A. CLARK.

THE FOUR LEPERS.

Why sit we here until we die ?-2 KINGS VII., 3.

DURING the time that Ben-hadad, king of Syria, was engaged in besieging Samaria, there was a great famine in Samaria. There were four lepers at the entering in of the gate, who, by the laws of their land, were forbidden to mingle with the populace. In their extremity they consulted together what course they should pursue. There were three courses before them.

In the first place, they might return into the city. But the famine was as sore upon the people there as upon the four lepers at the gate. The city was reduced to the last stage of desperation. Mothers boiled their own children for food. "An ass's

head was sold for four-score pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove's dung for five pieces of silver." They surely had little to hope for, being themselves miserable outcasts from society, bereft of friends and of sympathy.

In the second place, they might stay where they were. But doing this, they were sure that a few days must carry them off by a dreadful death. They must die alone in their separate houses, with none to smoothe their dying pillow or to wet their lips in their last agonies. They must die lepers, than which hardly any fate. is more to be dreaded.

In the third place, they might " fall unto the host of the Syrians." But what sympathy could they expect from the enemies of their country? Especially as lepers, how could they hope to be received in the camp of the Syrians? It was indeed as a last resort, in their desperation, that they resolved to throw themselves. upon the tender mercies of the Syrian soldiery. How unbounded must have been their joy when, on reaching the enemy's encampments, they found them deserted; when gold and raiment, and horses and asses, were there abandoned by their affrighted owners; and above all, when they were able to enter into the tents, to eat and drink, and stay the famine which was so rapidly destroying them.

This interesting narrative suggests a few remarks which I hope may be useful in exhibiting the dilemma in which awakened sinners find themselves. They often feel pressed with the dangers which beset them, and being reluctant to come directly to the Lamb of God, they look in every direction in the hope of safety. Yet there is only one course which will enable them to realize their hopes, and escape the woe they would shun.

1. In the first place, they may not return to their former state of stupidity. As well might the lepers have gone for food to the starving city from which they were exiled by the curse which was on them. The awakened sinner sees too plainly that his former condition was one of increasing guilt and danger. Returning to it would grieve the Holy Spirit, whereby he is to be sealed as an heir of Heaven. Returning to his former state, he would harden his heart against the influences of the Gospel.

2. Nor may they remain in their present state. It is too miserable. Few men are more wretched than the sinner awakened to a view of his guilt and danger. A consuming fire is kindled within him. Rest he cannot find. Sleep flies from him. He cannot survive the agitations which heave his bosom, unless they are soon quieted. If it were not that men do escape from the power of conviction, either by repentance and faith in Christ, or by a return o stupidity, who can tell how often reason would be dethroned? It is no argument against religion that there are so many cases of insanity from religious excitement; it only shows the power of eter