guide in judgment; and such as are gentle, them will he learn his way."

Christian! hast thou too found in Jesus of Nazareth, "him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets did write;" one "who hath borne thy griefs, and carried thy sorrows, and by whose stripes thou art healed?" Hast thou hastened in baptism to join thyself to him, and by this rite, which he ordained, are thy sins washed away; and thy interest in the privileges and hopes of his family assured thee? Go on thy "way rejoicing." There may be yet before thee a long journey. It may be, thou shalt meet with some trials by the way. But faithful and mighty is He who hath promised, and is able to perform it. Let thy hope then be strong; thy faith steadfast; thy life pious and obedient to God, fulfilling all his ordinances with a willing mind, and thou shalt descend into the valley of "the shadow of death," "rejoicing with joy unspeakable" in God your Redeemer.

SERMON XXIV.

ON THE CHARACTER OF CORNELIUS.

ACTs, x. 31.

Cornelius, thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God."

To know and survey the characters of men, who have stood

foremost in events which concerned the whole human race, is gratifying and instructive. The mind feels a satisfaction in thinking this was the leader of the great occurrence; in him, first opened the interesting scene, and, if he were renowned for good qualities, we look to learn, as well as to admire. If these be the sentiments of my hearers, they will at once feel interested in the character introduced in the text. What event more greatly important than the breaking down of the partition, which separated one people to the service and communications of the Most High; what occurrence more interesting, especially to us, who were not of God's people, than the admission of the heathen, to share with the Jew, the richest revelation from the eternal mind. Of this great gift, it was Cornelius who received the deed. First Gentile proselyte to the gospel, our Abraham in respect to his call, he stands conspicuous, and claims our notice. His character, as given in the chapter from which the text is taken, the blessing he received, and the instructions rising from the subject, invite your attention, as calculated to unfold the essential nature of religion, with some truths of special practical importance.

To keep the conquered Jews in orderly submission, there

were bands of soldiers stationed in different parts of Palestine, under the Roman control. As captain of one of these bands, gathered in Italy, and eminent in profane history, Cornelius dwelt at Cæsarea, about seventy miles from Jerusalem. It appears that, though a heathen, he had, from his intercourse with the Jews, or in some other way, become a worshipper of the Supreme Invisible Jehovah, without subjecting himself to their rites or feeling bound by their laws. The sacred record styles him, "a devout man ;" an expression significant in the Scriptures of one who acknowledges the only true God, in distinction from polytheists and idolaters, and generally applied to those, who, as adorers of the same Lord, without being admitted to circumcision and its consequent privileges, are elsewhere styled "proselytes of the gate." Convinced of the existence of one only Almighty Being, he felt holy obligations, and cherished the principles which flow from the relation of that Being, to man and the universe.

There are many men; alas, they form too large a part of our race! who, though they believe in no other God than the Lord, yet forget him; refuse his laws; feel not restrained by his government nor presence, and neglect those services, which, if he exist, and they are intelligent, are their most solemn duty. Such was not Cornelius. He feared the God whom he acknowledged with all his house. His belief in the Supreme Being, was not a mere abstract notion floating in his head. It entered his heart, and planted there a reverence for the divine character; holy emotions; an ever-living desire to please him. His religion was not confined to his own breast. His family were kept in habits of devotion, piety, and virtue. They were made acquainted with their Maker; they were assembled at the altar when he sacrificed; they were taught the rules which he obeyed. Receiving religion as a celestial guest, he introduced her into the family with which Providence had blest him, and made her a constant resident therein. He "feared God with all his house."

Various are the forms in which religion was clothed before the promulgation of the gospel. Strange and incongruous have

her appearances sometimes been among Christians. In one, she has been seen a cold, retiring spectre, placing her merit in her misery. In another, a frantic, superstitious being, displaying her divinity in immolating human victims, or counting beads. Here she has seemed a stupid, senseless form, prostrate to a stock or stone. There, a fantastic, airy enthusiast, consecrating whims, or living on reveries. In some, a profusion of sympathies and generous deeds have been exhibited as her form, while it has been unanimated by one pious principle, or one spark of holiness. In others, a piety, hallowing hours, observing seasons, and making many prayers, without a smile of mercy for the penitent offender, or a tear of compassion for the poor and the wretched. Strange incongruities! Perversions of religion's name to cover constitutional frailties, habits of ignorance, errors of education, selfishness, and pride. Religion, as she descends. undisguised from above, is of plain, cheerful and lovely, yet holy, firm, and dignified appearance. Would you see the outlines of her character, the prominent features of her native excellence? They claim your admiration in Cornelius. He "gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway;" that is, it was his delight and labour to relieve the wants of the needy, to sweeten the portion of the miserable, to diffuse happiness among his fellow men; and in public and private offices of worship to God, he was regular and frequent. Real benevolence and sincere devotion ever go hand in hand. When each grows out of the other, and both proceed from a regard to the divine will, they form the sum and substance of religion. A man may "give all his goods to feed the poor;" he may mark each minute of the day with some act of liberality; and yet, if he be destitute of affection and piety towards his Maker, it wants that principle which gives benevolence its worth; it will be a hollow virtue, "a sounding brass, or tinkling cymbal." On the other hand, though a man rigidly observe all holy times; though he talk much of God, and do no act, unsanctified with a prayer, if he be destitute of regard for the happiness of his race; if he "shut up his bowels of compassion;" if the wishes and exertions of

mercy and kindness have no cultivation in his bosom, his wor ship is an imperfect service, unsatisfactory to the God of love. Benevolence and devotion, charity and piety, united, as they eminently were in Cornelius, discover the man who rightly feareth God; and form the properly religious character.

In scenes of temptation, on lofty sites, or where we look for vice, virtue has a more glorious, because a more extraordinary appearance. The star which breaks through the misty atmosphere, when all its fellows have withdrawn their light, discovers, more strikingly, the gloominess of the scene, but is, itself, marked for its superiority. A good character in a corrupt circle attracts the admiration of a melancholy attention. The piety and virtue of Cornelius are the more pleasing, because of his station and office. A soldier, born to the ambition and pride of a Roman; high in power above his fellows; surrounded by the allurements of the wealthy Cæsarea, amidst a people, strange, conquered, and resentful, he is yet humble, devout, and charitable. How many would have excused their piety with their office; how many their charity, because the objects of it were hateful Jews.

But moved by none of these things, and correcting that vanity which assumes true goodness exclusively to its own class, or thinks there are stations in which piety and benevolence never exist, we find "Cornelius, a centurion of the band, called the Italian band, a devout man, and one that feared God with all his house, who gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God alway." Such a character can never fail of love and respect. We are not surprised to hear his domestics giving to the apostle, the unflattering, cordial testimony to his worth; that he was "just" and "of good report among all the nation of the Jews;" so exemplarily religious in himself and his family, in a station so unaccommodated to virtue, we should naturally expect he would be an object of the special favour of the Being, who views his creatures with one common eye, and promises to honour them who honour him.

If we proceed to the blessing Cornelius received, we shall find it was conspicuously the case. The divine Being created man