tiply his people a thousand-fold, and bless them, as he has promised them !" If any of you need a stimulus to concur in this wish, reflect on,
1. The benefit that will accrue to every converted soul — -
[Were we to contemplate a soul actually taken out of hell, and translated to a throne of glory in heaven, we should say, indeed, that such an one had reason to rejoice. Yet, what is it less than this that is done for every child of God ? Are we not doomed to perdition ? Is there any child of man that is not " by nature a child of wrathk?" Consequently, if delivered from condemnation, " is he not a brand plucked out of the fire1?" Is he not, at the very time that he is "turned from darkness to light, turned also from the power of Satan unto Godm?" Does he not actually "pass from death unto life"?" and is he not " delivered from the power of darkness, and translated into the kingdom of God's dear Son°?" Reflect then on this, as done for only one soul ; and there is reason, abundant reason, for every benevolent person in the universe to pant for it. But consider it as extended to thousands, and millions, yea, millions of millions, even the whole human race, and who should not pant and pray for that? See what a com- motion is produced in heaven even by the conversion of one soul : for " there is joy among the angels, in the very presence of God, over one sinner that repenteth :" and what must we be, who feel so indifferent about the conversion and salvation of the whole world ? Verily, we have need to blush and be confounded before God, for the coldness with which we con- template his promised blessings.]
2. The honour that will redound to God —
[Behold our fallen race ! Who is there amongst them that bears any measure of resemblance to the image in which man was first created ? Who regards God ? Who does not practically " say to God, Depart from me ; I desire not the knowledge of thy ways p ?" But let a soul be apprehended by divine grace, and converted to the faith of Christ, and what a different aspect does he then bear ! Verily, the whole works of creation do not so brightly exhibit the glory of God, as does this new-created being. Brilliant as are the rays of the noon- day sun, they do not display even the natural perfections, and still less the moral perfections, of the Deity, as he ; who, from the image of " his father, the devil," is " transformed into the image of God himself, in righteousness and true holiness."
k Eph. ii. 3. » Zech. iii. 2. «» Acts xxvi. 18.
n 1 John iii. 14. ° Col. i. 13. p Job xxi.14.