of the christian character, it is of divine operation. It is what the Lord did for his servant Paul, when he said unto him, "My grace is sufficient for thee; for my strength is made perfect in weakness." It is furnishing the believer, as a good soldier of Christ, from the armoury of God. Every defence, and every weapon is formed and found by him who sends him upon the warfare. "We wrestle not," says the apostle, "against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand, in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand, therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breast-plate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always

with all prayer and supplication in the spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance."

Finally, brethren, this firmness of principle is needful for the right discharge of every christian duty, and for your consistency in the various relations in which you stand. You require its exercise for your own growth in grace, and your spiritual enjoyments ;—you require it, as good, faithful, and exemplary members of the church of Christ;-you require it in behalf of the world, which tests the sincerity of your profession by the stedfastness of your principle;-you require it for the glory of God; for then is he glorified, when

you shine in his graces; when you are "strong

in the Lord, and in the power of his might." It now remains that I exhort you to discharge every duty of your christian profession with,

3. Increasing diligence and perseverance. "Always abounding," is the expression in the text, signifying an activity in well-doing, not only continued, but which, not content with what it has achieved, or is achieving, is still aiming at, and effecting greater achievements. It supposes the Christian actuated

by a principle, the vitality of which is expressed by stimulating him to accumulate exertion upon exertion, for the glory of God and the benefit of mankind. Acting in the spirit of him whose name he bears, he is a diligent character. He has no time for idleness. He follows the footsteps of a Master who "went about doing good," and whose meat it was to do the will of him that sent him." He remembers how he said, "I must work while it is day; the night cometh, in which no man can work;" and knowing, at the same time, that "the servant is not above his master," he feels that he also must work. It is a distinguishing excellence of christianity, that all its revelations have a practical bearing. Its professors must be practical men. They have much to do with God, much with themselves, much with the church, much with the world. Not that their doings, to whatever amount, are intended to earn, or ever can earn, a title to the least of God's mercies; but having received a new life by the Spirit of regeneration, its evidences will be manifested, both by what they become, and by the efforts they make to

serve God, from weaker to stronger efforts, and stronger thence again, as they grow in grace. The spiritual life is progressive. It has its "day of small things;" but it goes on from strength to strength. Its active powers are gradually enlarged; and industry and energy are, by and bye, displayed. In other words, the Christian's sanctification of nature is seen and felt to grow in his hatred of sin, his avoidance of it in himself, and in his discouraging and checking it in others; in his love of holiness, cherishing it in his own heart, and zealously promoting it in the hearts and lives of others. As sure as any cause, in the natural world, produces its effect, so sure does the life of God in the soul operate those and other gracious effects in the character and experience of its happy subjects. "For we are his workmanship," says the apostle, "created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." The WORKMANSHIP OF GOD;-but is not this true of all mankind, -of all creatures?-Has not he made them all? Yes, and as they proceeded from his

hand, each was perfect in its kind, and declared to be " very good." But when sin had destroyed the moral nature of man, he could be restored only by a new creation. In the case of the Christian, therefore, God puts his hand a second time to the work, and creates him anew in Christ Jesus. He thus becomes, specially and emphatically," the workmanship of God." Now, if the value of any work rises, in the general estimation, according to the dignity and excellence of the workman, what estimate ought we to make of the workmanship of God? Truly, the value of the genuine Christian is not to be told! The apostle, however, in this passage shows us in what the excellence of this spiritual creation, in a great measure, consists,-the exemplification of good works. The Christian is "ordained" to walk in them. Words can scarcely be more expressive than these, simple as they are, of the importance of increasing diligence and perseverance in the duties of a christian life. We are ordained to walk,-and what does this mean, but that every step of our pathway, through life, is to be marked by

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