give our fins.* St. Paul had before declared that "there is none righteous, and that the Scripture hath concluded all under fin."

In what sense then are the faints perfect? And wherein confifts the excellence of their character?

1. THE faints are perfect in Chrift. "In him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." His righteousness is made theirs. They are complete in him. He is made of God unto them wifdom and righteousness, fanctification and redemption." In this view every good man is a perfect man.

And

THE faints before the gospel day were but very partially inftructed refpecting the way of falvation. They knew not how they were to be faved through a Redeemer who had not come in the flesh. But the matter was open to the divine eye. it is obfervable that the term perfect is never affumed by the faints. They confefs their own empținefs and abase themselves before God. Where perfection is attributed to them, it is always by those who spake as moved by the Holy Ghoft.

2. THE faints are the fubjects not only of an imputed, but also of an inherent righteousness: And have been fo from the beginning. "Noah was a juft man and perfect-Job perfect and upright. In this respect they were not made to differ from other faints. All the faints are born of God-they are renewed after the image of the Creator and made to bear the image of the heavenly. The change which takes place in them caus

* 1 John i. 8-10.

es them to favor the things of God; to love holi ness, and delight to do good as they have oppor. tunity and ability.

THEY are just and upright; juft toward man, and upright before God.

JUSTICE refpects the part which mankind act toward one another. It is opposed to fraud and injuftice. The just man is fair in his dealingsgives to all their dues-is careful to fulfil every truft, and to do by others as he would others should do by him.

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SUCH is the character given of him of old, who was perfect in his generations," when "the whole earth was filled with violence, because all flesh had corrupted their way." And every good man follows his example; hath respect to all God's commandments, and hates every evil way. fection, in the strict sense of the term, is his wish and his aim, though he doth not expect to attain it while refident in the body. But he "forgets the things which are behind and reaching forth to those which are before, he preffes on," endeavoring a nearer conformity to the divine pattern.

WHILE he is juft toward man, he is fincere toward God, acting uprightly before him. He is really the good man he appears. His profeffion is not diffembled. His heart is right-his eye fingle. Sincerity is gospel perfection. In this true religion very effentially confifts: And it is found on all the faints.

THE good man keeps in mind his covenant engagements. For the vows of God are upon him

and he is careful to fulfil them. He doth not wish to be releafed from his obligations with which he is bound to be the Lord's and to ferve him. He is concerned to honor God-thinks nothing unimportant which he hath required, though the reasons of the requirement may lie out of fight. "Lord what wilt thou have me to do ?” is his daily inquiry. And he feeks to know, that he may do his duty. He waits on God in the ways of his appointment, and is bufy about the work affigned him. He is also steady in his counfels and uniform in his conduct. His heart is eftablished by grace, and his life accords with the inward principle. He is not whiffling and unfteady, "carried about by every wind of doctrine", -taken and drawn away by every new scheme of religion; but "holds faft the faithful word; and is able by found doctrine both to exhort and convince gainfayers." He doth not " He doth not "put his hand to the plough and look back," but perfeveres to the end, and is faithful unto death. The fear and love of God reigning in his heart, govern his life and direct his way, rendering him an uniform character. Therefore do thofe moft intimately acquainted with him, convinced of his integritythat he is free from duplicity, and that he abhors evil, and all approaches toward it, both value him themselves, and make him known to others; and by bringing him into public view, render him a public bleffing. Neither doth he difappoint their expectations, but according to his ability, acquits himself with honor, and doth good to all around

him.

OTHERS may differ from him in fpeculative opinions; other good men. Such differences are unavoidable in this ftate of darkness and uncertainty. No two persons see alike in every thing, whatever may be pretended. But those who know the perfect and upright man,will generally allow that he acts fincerely towards God and man. While those who are connected with him by tender ties, who are fo happy as to make with him the journey of life, are led by a thousand kind offices and nameless acts of benevolence and goodness to revere and love him.

SUCH is the character intended in the textSuch the perfect man and upright in himself, and in the estimation of those who know him. Thus

doth he pass through life, feeling and confeffing his deficiencies, lamenting that he can do no more for God's honor, and relying on grace alone in Christ, for acceptance with him.

having

WHEN a person of this defcription ferved his generation, by the will of God falls afleep," not only relatives and near connexions; but all who know his worth, mourn his exit, and weeping around his corfe, bedew his hearfe with tears. His name is revered, his memory is bleffed, and even envy is filent.

II. We are to confider his peaceful end-The end of that man is peace.

By a perfon's end, his death, the period of his mortal life is intended. It doth not intend the end of his exiftence-the modern infidel terms used to express death.

So in other scriptures; as

when God foretold the deftruction of the old world-" The end of all flesh is before me." So Balaam, when looking forward to his exit out of life-"Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his." Had death been the period of his existence, it would have been a matter of indifference whether it found him righteous or wicked. As to hope in death there would have been no difference. But this is not the cafe. Man hath an immortal part within. At the period of mortal life, he enters on an interminable ftate.

MARK the perfect man, and behold the upright: For the end of that man is peace. He finds peace at the approach of death-in death, and after death. In order to a due estimation of the value of true religion in itself, and in its reward, we are here called to obferve the good man's end. It demands our careful attention. For the scene is peculiarly inftructive. It animates to a discharge of the duties of life, and fupports under its troubles; especially at the approach of death, when worldly comforts fly away.

THE wicked who live in habitual neglect of religion, or the indulgence of vicious defires, are commonly filled with dismay and horror, if reason remains, when they perceive their end draw nigh. The flights which they have caft on the gospel, and on the grace therein offered; their neglects of known duty; their acts of injuftice, intemperance, uncleanness, or other immoralities, the remembrance of which were almoft obliterated by time, at that awful period rise up before them! Conscience