peace. Nor is it merely on some particular occasions that they obey his voice : they do it constantly, and without re- serve : " they delight to do his will;" and " run the way of his commandments with enlarged hearts." This characterizes the angels around the throne : and it distinguishes also the children of the living God : they " do his will, hearkening to the voice of his word*," and making every succeeding act a prelude to yet further services.]
Address —
1. Those who have never yet experienced this change —
[Be assured, it must be experienced before you can ever enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whether your lives have been more or less polluted with outward sin, you have all equally lived to yourselves, instead of unto God : and your consciences bear testimony against you, that to secure an interest in Christ, and to grow up into his image, and to live for his glory, have not been the great objects of your ambition, nor has your departure from this path been any source of humi- liation to your souls. What is darkness, if this be not ? It is, in fact, a living " without God in the world :" and this path, if persisted in, will bring you to " the blackness of darkness for ever." But I thank God, there is no room for despon- dency. The Lord Jesus Christ has " come a light into the world, that whoso followeth him should not walk in darkness, but have the light of lifeV For this very end was he given, that " he should be a light to the Gentiles, and say to the prisoners, Go forth ; and to them that are in darkness, Shew yourselves r." Despair not therefore ; but entreat, that, as the Sun of Righteousness, he would " arise upon you with healing in his wings." And hear, for your encouragement, his gra- cious promise: " I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known : I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight : these things will I do unto them, and not forsake thems." But delay not to seek these blessings at his hands. Seek them " before he cause your darkness to in- crease, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and, while ye are looking for light, he turn it into the shadow of death, and make it gross darkness*." To this effect our Saviour himself charges you : " Yet a little while is the light with you : walk whilst ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you. While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light"."]
P Ps. ciii. 20. <J John viii. 12. r Isai. xlix. C, 9.
s Isai. xlii. 16. * Jer. xiii. 16. u John xii. 35, 36.