strongly as the toils and strugglings of an apostlethat the humble laborer that earns his daily bread, and eats it with a thankful heart, and bears his hard lot with patience and without repining, may prove himself as good a Christian as the martyr that is yielding his life at the stake.

2. As a further testimony of the great value of our ordinary conduct in affording evidence of the holiness of the character, look at the design of Christianity. Is it not to unfold our common nature, and improve the character of mankind; to create-to use the allusion of the prohet-to create a new heaven and a new earth. Taking then, one great purpose of religion to be, to improve the moral condition of the world-how could you, on any principles of common prudence, hope to effect this so well, as by charging each man to perform faithfully and earnestly the duties which devolve upon him. Consider, I entreat you, the influence of a single individual who acts with a strict integrity and faithfulness in all his duties. What a respect does he secure! What a virtue goes out of him, to correct the sins of an evil generation, and to invite men to the quiet paths of virtue and peace. And if you have ever met with such an one, quietly moving in his allotted sphere, fulfilling his duties with a sacred fidelity, just in the minutest transaction, merciful in all his thoughts, humble before his God-if you have ever met with such an one, did you not feel that that man was doing more for the cause of God, and of goodness, than whole hosts that are leaving the path that Providence has assigned them, neglecting near and present duties, in the delusive expectation that they were doing more good in a sphere that was not assigned them. And if one individual can do so much, what might not a whole community do, actuated by the same principle, and moved by the same spirit? Let but each

individual fulfil the duties of his station, and what a change would be wrought upon the earth! how speedily would the great purposes of heaven be accomplished! The world would be blessed as it was never blessed before. A new day would dawn upon it, and that day would be bright with celestial glory. The mind would unfold with a new power, conscience would speak with a freer voice, and the affections would spring up and scatter abroad the fragrance of peace and good will.

Let me not, however, be misunderstood. I mean not that our thoughts and wishes, and efforts are not to extend sometimes beyond our own little circle of immediate influence. I mean only that our main duty begins at home, among the habits and dispositions and practices of common life; and that no external considerations are a sufficient apology for a neglect of these that no public benefits will atone for the defects of private character. I mean that our every day dispositions and habits and practices are the best test of our Christianity.

3. This truth is illustrated in another way.Christianity is designed not only to promote virtue, but present happiness also. And how truly is this purpose of our religion effected by adopting that method of which I have been speaking. By beginning with the faithful performance of our common duties, how much more may we do for the happiness of our fellow men than in any other way. Do you ask for an illustration of this? It is found in our daily experience. Compare the actual good, which the occasional efforts of the most gifted genius imparts with the constant efforts of more ordinary men-exerted in more ordinary ways.— Compare the actual influence of the two upon the happiness of mankind. The one is the transient meteor that shoots across the sky-all eyes are turned towards it, and all eyes are dazzled with the

glare. It rises and flashes, and then sinks and leaves the world to darkness and gloom. The other is the steady light, casting the beams of gladness around; receiving no particular honor, attracting no particular attention, yet men rejoice in the light, and receive a good incomparably greater. So too, it is with great and glaring actions. It would be pleasant to the heart to do some great deed of generosity. You would rejoice to have rescued your neighbor's house from a conflagration, or to have saved his life at the risk of your own; and, doubtless, would think that could you do this, you would here be the means of happiness beyond that of all the rest of your lives. But I ask in soberness and sincerity, is it so? Would you do, in such a case, as much for the substantial happiness of mankind as you may now do-as any man may do, who is faithful to the light within, and is constant in maintaining kind and benevolent dispositions. I say the humblest individual alive, let him move in whatever sphere he may, if he possess a right spirit, and fulfil with faithfulness his duties, exerts a beneficial influence which great men in another sphere might covet, and strive to emulate in vain.

You see the truth of which we are speaking, illustrated in another way. Consider the consequences of a want of those virtues which should be found in our daily intercourse-say, the most humble and least honored of the virtues-I mean dispositions of kindness, a spirit of forgiveness, and charity, a mild and subdued temper. What good, which a man can do, shall compensate for a want of these? What a world of misery does it create, to yield, for instance, to an unkind, uncharitable temper? What a sum of wretchedness must he account for, who freely indulges it? Let him at the close of life but think of the instances in which he has thrown dis

cord into the peaceful neighborhood by his uncharitableness. Let him reckon the days in which he has robbed, by his evil temper, his family and his friends of their quiet-Let him dwell on the blighting influence which he has had on the bright and joyous days of life, and then tell the amount of wretchedness of which he is the author, and the amount of guilt too, which he has incurred. You think him who robs you of your purse, justly deprived of his liberty, and immured in a dungeon-what will you say of him who, by his exclusive bitter spirit, and by his habitual accents of unkindness, robs all around him of their peace and comfort. And you deem him who takes the life of a fellow being by a single stroke, and without torture, worthy of deathwhat will you think of him, who, by the indulgence of an evil temper, takes it not at once, but piece-meal—that wears and wastes it through lingering years of torture. And yet, this he does, who pays no regard to those humble duties which he ought to practice daily. Well then, if it be the object of religion to diffuse peace and happiness, and increase the real enjoyments of mankind— must you not pronounce him a Christian, who carries the spirit of his master into all the relations and connexions of human life?

4. We have one more illustration of our subject. Religion is every where represented as sublime and arduous-great in its consequences, and difficult in its acquisition. And where does it seem more so, than in those virtues which belong to common life. If energy of character, firmness of purpose, promptness in action, patience in suffering-if these are the things which constitute true greatness; and I were asked where true greatness is ; where human nature in its brightest forms is found? I know where I should look for it. I would not seek it in the tented field, as many have done,

amidst the stir and strife of arms-for though it be a brave thing to die bravely, when the sacrifice is required, yet this feeling of self devotion here is mixed and contaminated by vulgar excitements. I would not seek it among those who have stood out from their fellow men as the great men of their race-for I know how their spirits have been marred by vulgar ambition and a belittling vanity. It is comparatively easy to make a great sacrifice when all the world are spectators. I would turn from all these, and look on the walks of common life; and there, among those who aspire at nothing higher than to be enrolled as the humble followers of Jesus of Nazareth, I would find what I seek. If I could, I would find the man, who in all his duties, humble though they may be, is always faithful, in the little vexatious circumstances of life is always unruffled, in trial is always patient, gentle, affectionate, speaking in tones of kindness, and acting with a strength of devotion-and here, I would say, are true worth and true greatness. Here are the best fruits of our religion-Here is impressed the seal of heaven-Here is the man who has taken his weapons from the armory of God, and has put forth his strength, and overcome many difficulties, and gained a glorious victory. And I would feel as sure that such a man is a Christian, as if I already heard the voice which shall one day say, Well done, good and faithful servant. He has gained the last ornament of his religion; he already wears its crown of glory, and he shall enter into the joy of his Lord. Such is the test of true holiness.

We come then to that plain simple declaration with which we began, without holiness no man shall see the Lord-without habitual goodnesswithout the performance of those duties which we owe to him, our fellow men, and ourselves-no one