shall behold him not merely as God, but as a Re- deeming God, yea, as our Redeemer, and our God, and our 'portion for ever. Tell me, does not this afford us encouragement to serve him, and to " follow him without the camp, bearing his reproach g ? " Surely not life itself should be of any value, but to honour him with it. See what men will do for earthly advancement ; what cares, what labours, what priva- tions will they endure ; if by any means they may obtain the favoured objects of their ambition ! And shall we account much of any labours or sufferings which we may be called to endure in order to the attainment of this glory ? I blush to think how stupid and brutish we all are : Methinks, that ac- knowledgment of Agur was but the just expression of his feelings, and well befits every one of us, " I am more brutish than any man, and have not the under- standing of a manh."
And now, my brethren, let us improve this subject, first in reference to ourselves, and next in reference to the mournful occasion before us.
In respect to ourselves, we are here of necessity called to inquire what our habits are, and what our prospects? Whose servants are we, and whom do we follow? The Apostle appeals to us, that " To whomsoever we yield ourselves servants to obey, his servants we are to whom we obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness1." Let me ask you then, Whose sentiments you have adopted, and whose precepts you have followed ? Do you not find, on a retrospect of your past lives, that you have adopted for the most part the maxims of a corrupt world, instead of receiving explicitly, and following exclusively, the commandments of your God ? Let me further ask respecting your views of salvation : Have you seen and felt your utter inca- pacity to save yourselves, and " fled to Christ for refuge as to the hope set before you," renouncing every other ground of dependence, and relying alto- gether upon his blood and righteousness for your
8 Heb. xiii. 12, 13. h Prov. xxx. 2. j Rom. vi. 16.