498 Deuteronomy, Xxxii. 21. [233.

bours. This you cannot but know : what then must we expect, but that God will punish as precisely as he has done the Jews, and provoke us to jealousy, by others whom we despise ? The fact is, that God is already dealing with us in this manner. The rich, the great, the noble are, for the most part, so occu- pied with " vanities," as to forget the services which they owe to God ; and the consequence is, that God overlooks them, and transfers the blessings of his Gospel to the poor. At this day it is true, no less than in the days of the Apostles, that " not many rich, not many mighty, not many noble are called," but " God has chosen the weak, and base, and foolish things of the world ; yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things which are; that no flesh should glory in his presence :" and this very circumstance does move the rich to anger, precisely as it did in the days of old ; " Have any of the rulers, or of the Pharisees, believed on him ? As for these poor contemptible people that make such a noise about religion, they are cursed." But I must go further, and say, that God is dealing in this very way even with those who do profess themselves his peculiar people. Who are the happy Christians ? Who have the richest enjoyment of the Gospel, or most adorn it in their life and conversation ? Are they the richer professors, whose hearts are set on " vanities," or who are labouring night and day to procure them ? Are they not rather the poor and the destitute, who, having but little of this world, are more anxious to enjoy their God? We say not indeed that this is universally the case ; but it is a general truth : nay more, amongst Indians and Hottentots there is often found a more lively and realizing sense of the divine presence, than amongst the worldly-minded pro- fessors of our own day. I must entreat you therefore, Brethren, to reflect, that if we do not, as a people, turn more heartily unto the Lord, we have reason to fear, lest " the candlestick should be removed from us," and be transferred to a people who shall walk more worthy of it.