desires of our souls : that if, on the one hand, he has seen our corruptions, he has, on the other hand, beheld our conflicts, and can bear witness to the ardour and sincerity of our exer- tions"1 ! What a comfort is it to know, that he sees
us striving after universal holiness, and plunging daily and hourly, as it were, into " the fountain that was opened for sin," and relying, as the very chief of sinners, upon his cove- nanted mercy in Christ Jesus n ! — — ■ — In this view, the most desponding soul may cast itself at the foot of the cross, and may say, " If I perish, I will perish here."]
Address —
[Endeavour to realize the thought of God's presence with you, wherever you are ; and to behold, as it were, the name of
God inscribed on every place, " Thou, God, seest me "
Endeavour also to " set the Lord always before you," and to order all your actions, words, and thoughts with a direct re- ference to his approbation in the future judgment0 ]
ra He testified that there was some good thing in the heart of young Abijah ; 1 Kings xiv. 13. and will bear witness even for those who only " think upon his name." Mai. hi. 10, 17.
n John i. 47, 48. ° Ps. xliv. 20, 21. with 1 Chron. xxviii. 9.
Gen. xvii. 9, 10. And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee, in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep between me and you, and thy seed after thee; Every man-child among you shall be circumcised.
TO a Jewish auditory the subject before us would be so familiar, that it might be treated without auy difficulty. But as it is otherwise with us, we shall wave every thing relative to the right of circumcision, and fix our attention upon the ends for which it was instituted. The writings of the New Testament, as well as of the Old, abound with references to this ordinance : and a just knowledge of its original de- sign is necessary to a due understanding of the corresponding ordinance under the Christian dispen- sation. Let us then state to you, I. What were the great ends of circumcision —