deeper, and the freightage of many good deeds it bears onward and onward to eternity, until it abouches there, and the ocean, the ocean of Love is gained. The child when taught early to pray, and to mind what he prays about, and why he prays at all; and is taught also to frame his life and his prayers as one, being knit together by grace; he gets used to the subject, and cannot very easily break it off. So with any other habit. The true child of God grows in grace; he never rests satisfied with himself; there is much country to be gained yet; there is much strength to be acquired; he waits upon the Lord; in meditation and serious thoughtfulness; in prayers, public and private; in reading of scripture, and good books; in converse with Christians; in every lawful way he waits upon the Lord. Never is he so happy as when thus engaged; never does he wish to break off from such pursuits; he has no desire to go and wait upon the world, or the flesh ; he cannot renew his strength thus; by patient continuance in well-doing, he seeks for glory, and honor, and immortality, and he mounts up heaven-ward as the eagle, and he runs, and is not weary; and he walks, and is not faint. Let me ask in conclusion, dear brethren, how this subject affects you. What kind of strength you have in your souls as you near the borders of your life-time. How you have arranged about your sins and shortcomings, those sad marks of weakness and frailty; and, supposing you should be called on a sudden to uit this scene of your experience, whether you hope ou could, as on wings of faith, soar upward to the right glory of that place where the Sun of Righteusness shineth in all his splendour. Let me entreat you to read the Scriptures more; O make a more diligent use of the means of grace; to ltivate a spirit of prayer and pains-taking; to acuaint yourselves more with Him whom we call Master nd Lord; and you will find this promise, as well as he other promises of Holy Writ, full of comfort, full hope, full of help, and thus waiting on the Lord, ou shall mount up with wings as eagles, you shall in, and not be weary; you shall walk, and not be int. |