when they thus view each other through the medium of prejudice, they seem so mutually and so strangely metamorphosed, that, perhaps, both leaders and people are shocked, disgusted, and terrified at the sight of those who are as near the Lord as themselves. Here and there one escapes the general delusion; these wonder at the bustle around them, and endeavour to persuade the rest to peace and love, as becometh brethren, and perhaps are requited with the reproaches of both sides as neutrals, timeservers, and cowards. Through mercy, neither you nor I are to be scared by such words as Methodist or Calvinist. We see there is both wheat and chaff among all parties, and that they who love the Lord Jesus Christ are a people scattered abroad at this time, as they were in the Apostles' days." Vol. vi. p. 366.

8. "Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity." It does not rejoice in the sinful falls of others; on the contrary, charity

"has a tear for others' woes;" can weep over and pray for them, and lay before them all those comfortable and encouraging promises which God in his word has provided for his backsliding people. "Return thou backsliding Israel, saith the Lord, and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon you: for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not keep anger for ever." Jerem. chap. iii. ver. 12. "I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely; for mine anger is turned away from him." Hosea, chap. xiv. ver. 4. True charity mourns indeed, that professors, by their sinful actions, should bring a false report of the good land, and dishonour the best of causes by their misconduct; but at the same time does every thing it can to bring back again the wanderer into the fold of Christ's flock, from which he has unhappily, perhaps, by the power of some sudden overwhelming temptation, strayed. The charitable Christian considers that the case might possibly have

been his own, yea would most inevitably be his own, were God to withdraw from him his all-protecting arm, and leave him to himself. Here again, my bre

thren, try yourselves. If you have sincerely felt for the imprudences of your brethren in Christ, and have mourned over them with sincere sorrow, and have been ready to pour oil and wine into the wounds which sin has made in them, happy are ye: it is the spirit of your divine Master that influences you: it is the spirit of love.

I might, would time permit, go through all of that most delightful description of charity, given in the 13th chapter of the First Epistle to the Corinthians; but I must leave you to meditate upon the remaining clauses in your pri vate devotions. Examine yourselves accurately by them without any self-deception; and if, upon an impartial review, you find that the same disposition of charity as there set forth, shines in your life, you have great reason to thank the

Giver of every good and perfect gift, for having thus, by his Holy Spirit, shed abroad his love in your hearts. You are not far from the kingdom of God; yea, you are true and faithful members thereof; "for, if we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.' "And he that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is no occasion of stumbling in him. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren."

62

SERMON XXVI.

ACTS, XVI. 14.

And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us; whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

THE Conversion of Lydia happened at Philippi, a city of Macedonia, in which province of Greece the Apostle Paul was ordered, by divine authority, to preach the Gospel. This information we gain from the ninth verse: "A vision appeared to Paul in the night: there stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. And after he had seen the vision, we endeavoured to go into Ma