do, do all to the glory of God." Thus did the early Christians: they, "breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart."

Time prevents my entering into the happiness of such a state of society. Indeed, it is so obvious that it is unnecessary; for if we conceive a state in which, instead of the "lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eye, and the pride of life;" instead of the injustice, selfishness, and forgetfulness of God, which is now, alas! but too manifest: if, instead of this, we conceive a state of simplicity and temperance, of love to God and love to man, generally prevailing ; and this not in heaven, but on earth; it requires no figures of speech or lengthened argument to shew the delightful state of such a society. It is fully obvious, that, when these verses receive their fulfilment, Paradise will be restored. Leaving, therefore, this part of the subject for your private meditation, I would only occupy your attention by this one consideration,-the most likely mode of attaining a degree of this blessed state, or the different steps by which a Christian, or a Church; may best attain to some portion, at least, of this spiritual privilege.

Doubtless such a happy state of society will arise, in its efficient cause, from an extensive

effusion of the gracious influence of the Holy Spirit; for it is from Him that "all holy desires, all good counsels, and all just works do proceed." And hence you find a large effusion of this Divine influence promised in this chapter: "And it shall be in that day, that living waters shall go out from Jerusalem; half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea: in summer and in winter shall it be." Here you observe how large the measure, how wide the extent, how constant the supply. "Living waters:" not, as our Lord said to the woman of Samaria, "If thou knowest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink, thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water-or some portion of this Divine gift-but, living waters: according to the full Gospel promise in Isaiah; “Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters," to the abundant, overflowing grace and mercy which are displayed in the Saviour; in Him through whose merits the Lord Jehovah casts the sins of his people into the depths of the sea, or into the great waters. Such is the large measure. So their wide extent: "Half of them toward the former sea, and half of them toward the hinder sea❞—that is to say, in opposite directions, or to all parts. So their constant supply:

"In summer and in winter shall it be;" in all seasons of the church. It is to this Divine influence that we are to look for the immediate fulfilment of this blessed state.

Subordinate to his grace, and in dependence upon it, the first thing which is most likely to produce this blessing is faith, or a simple confidence in the word of the Lord. In every part of religion faith is the leading grace, ** for without faith it is impossible to please God;" but it is more especially so in any thing which appears difficult, or where exertion is required; for without faith our nerves will be unstrung. It is to this principle that you find, in the xith of Hebrews, that all those acts of more than heroic virtue and self-denial were referred. On the contrary, it is said, "they could not enter in because of unbelief." Though the Lord had just brought them through the Red Sea, was then feeding them with the bread of heaven, and supplying them with water from the rock, yet from unbelief they were afraid to engage with the "giants," and preferred lin-gering in the wilderness to taking possession of the promised land.

For our advance therefore, my Christian friends, faith is the first requisite; a belief that what God has promised he is able to per form. With a view to strengthen your faith,

therefore, contemplate the great mystery of godliness, "God manifest in the flesh;" that most astonishing of all facts, that He who "was in the form of God, and thought it not robbery to be equal with God, made himself of no reputation, took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men." Contemplate, again, the "everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure;" containing these among other blessed promises: "I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: and they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest: for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more." Contemplate, again, the power of our God; that ❝he spake, and it was done; he commanded, and the world stood fast." Look, also, at the superabundant goodness of God; at the vast munificence with which he supplies the wants of his creatures; that there is at this moment light and air sufficient in the atmosphere for unnumbered millions: apply this to his grace, that there is as rich or a still greater abundance of spiritual blessings. Contemplate, again, the faithfulness of God; that he never departs from his.

word; that "He is not a man, that he should lie, nor the son of man, that he should repent." So far otherwise, that "with Him there is neither variableness nor shadow of turning;" not even the least propensity to change. Consider, once more, the design of God; that the end for which our Lord shed his blood upon the cross was this, "that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works;" a people who are described as "a holy nation, a royal priesthood, that they should shew forth the praises of him who hath called them out of darkness into his marvellous light." Meditate upon these things, and you will find, that, being connected with a God who has given his Son, who has established his covenant, who is all-powerful, all-good, all-holy; that there is nothing which he has revealed that is too great to expect; that he could with the same ease fulfil the words of our text, as he can give light and air to this congregation. Oh that the Lord would pardon our "slowness of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken;" that we may be "strong in faith, giving glory to God!".

2. The second thing which will be found important in producing this state of religion, is Desire, or a lively thirst of the soul for advancement for it is in religion as it is in the common