Perfons of this character become careless-regardless of the praife of God. The praise of men is the grand prize of their ambitious purfuit. This is their idol. To this they bow the knee. Here they reft. This is their chief good. They have obtained their higheft wish. Their dependence henceforward is, upon the applause already received, to gain them influence with the multitude. Negligence, floth and careleffness come upon them. A fup. pofed fuperiority over others, and envy toward fuch as share a larger portion, render them haughty and infolent. Their conduct, at the mouth of praife, fhews them light as chaff, and viler than drofs; reprobate filver fball men call them. Praifing them confumes the little appearance of fomething commendable. Praifing perfons for such conduct as is praiseworthy, is an effectual way to discover the principle whereby they are influenced. By attention to the operation of our own minds at the mouth of praife, we may as certainly discover whether we are gold or fil. ver, or but mere drofs, as the furnace and fining pot will determine the character and value of metals. That ftriving to excel, though upon a low principle, that seeking the praise of men, for actions commendable among men, is turned into glorying in what they have already attained. Not having any intrinfic value in them, praise confumes them, even as the furnace burns up the drofs, they are devoured as ftubble fully dry. Light as chaff, they are driven away by the breath of applause.

The reason of the different effect of praise upon perfons of these different characters, becomes manifeft, from their different state in the inner man of the heart, and their dif ferent qualities. The reafon of the different effect of the fining pot and furnace upon metals, is the different nature and quality of metals cast into them. Silver and gold are fine and pure. There is nothing for the fire to confume.

Groffer

Groffer metals are conftituted of groffer matter than fire. Fire, therefore, calcines them; fome, ftill more gross, are burnt up. The reason why the furnace of praise has a different effect upon perfons of different characters, is their different nature and quality. The righteous is the Jew inwardly, whofe circumcifion is of the heart, in the Spirit. His heart has been circumcifed with the true circumci-. fion; born of God; renewed by the Spirit; a principle of holiness is formed, which is pure. Grofs corruptions are cut off-vain-glorying caft out-no object is fuffered to engross his affections but God and the Redeemer. God's glory is his aim, and to become meet to enjoy him, his principal concern. He refts not in circumcifion which is in the letter, a bare feal of the covenant, not in a bare profeffion. The furnace of affliction or of praise may refine, but cannot deftroy holiness. His praife is of God. The heart of the ungodly man is not circumcifed; it is the cage of every unclean bird. Self-love reigns there, and blinds the mind. The understanding is darkened. And though light is come into the world, he loves darknefs rather than light, because his deeds are evil. He refts in that circumcifion which is in the letter, in a bare feal of the covenant, or visible relation to God, without the true circumcifion of the heart in the spirit of his mind. His praise is of men. This is the idol of his heart. The Jew inwardly, whofe circumcifion is of the heart, in the fpirit, looks at the praise of God, and acceptance in the - Beloved, as the mark, the prize of his high calling, in Chrift Jefus. The praife of men is the diftinguishing characteristic of one, whofe circumcifion is not of the heart, in the spirit, but in the letter. The praise of men gratifies his uncircumcifed heart. By denying him this, you take away his god, and what has he more? The circumcifed in heart and spirit, and the uncircumcifed in

heart and spirit, have different natures and qualities. The one has a renewed nature-renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created him. The other has an unrenewed and unholy nature. The diftinguishing characteristic mark of the one is, whose praife is not of men, but of God. Of the other, whose praise is of men. Praife, therefore, has this different effect upon them, according to their different nature and qualities. Whence this rule becomes as certain, as that different natures and qualities are not the fame; or that different effects will flow from different causes.

The natural improvement of this fubject is, to determine our moral and religious character by the effect which the praise of men has upon us. If we are refined, if made more humble, vigilant, active and fober, yet ardent in our pursuit after an eternal weight of glory, we have the true circumcifion, whose praise is not of men but of God. The furnace of praise will render us more fit for our Mafter's fervice.

But if the praise of men renders us vain, haughty, is. folent, flothful and envious, reprobate filver fhall men call them. Such may fee the neceffity of circumcifion, that is of the heart, and in the Spirit-the neceffity of being born again-of being renewed in the spirit of their minds-of having the vanity of their minds fubdued by grace. Let fuch confider how miferable they must be after death, who have no better inheritance than the breath of human praise when on earth. How will fuch wish, in vain, when too late, for that praise of God, Well done good and faithful fervant. Such, therefore, the true circumcifion of the heart, in the fpirit, whofe praise will then be of God. Hence alfo fee, that the furnace of praise is a fiery trial to the righteous, as well as the unrighteous. The remainders of vanity, even in godly men, are in danger

of

of being set on fire in the furnace of praife. Humble minds, fenfible of the danger, see the need of vigilance, prayer, and fober thinking of themselves. They, therefore, rejoice in good report, with humility and trembling. Happy they who improve the praise of men, to prefs them on to secure the praise of God.

The furnace of praise is a more fiery trial to the ungodly. Their vanity is fet on fire. They appear vile as the drofs; yet, like diftempered patients, hanker after that which deftroys them. The religion of the Gospel presents a suitable object for the gratification of this univerfal paffion. Well done good and faithful fervant. The applaufe of the omniscient, heart-fearching God, will fill the foul with joy unspeakable, and full of glory; but faithful service, flowing from circumcifion of the heart, in the spirit, must evidence the heart right with God. That well done will never be pronounced by the Judge, but only where there has been a patient continuance in well-doing. Let the subject be improved to engage every foul of man to feek the honour that cometh from God only-to compare actions by the unerring rule-to watch in fimplicity and godly fincerity, that the teftimony of confcience may be matter of rejoicing. Let every one ftudy to approve himself by good report and evil report. If called to fufPraife from the

fer wrongfully, endure with patience.

mouth of the Judge will fully compenfate all fufferings in this life. With this will commence that crown of glory that fadeth not away.

SERMON XVII.

MORAL REFLECTIONS UPON THE
SEASON OF HARVEST.

BY

MATTHIAS BURNET, A. M.

Pastor of the First Congregational Church, Norwalk, Connecticut.

JOHN iv. 35, 36, 37, 38.

Say not ye, there are yet four months, and then cometh harveft? Behold, I fay unto you, lift up your eyes, and look on the fields, for they are white already to harveft ; and be that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal; that both be that foweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together; and berein is that saying true, one foweth and another reapeth. I fent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labour; other men laboured, and ye are entered into their labours.

T was the great and excellent character of the Lord

IT

Jefus Chrift, that he went about doing good. Into whatever place or company he came, in the house and by the way, at the table and in his walks, among friends and

enemies,