according to what they cost them. The price at which redeemed souls were purchased is infinitely high. No wonder they should be esteemed of inestimable value. For ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ.

Heaven's inexhaustible, exhausted fund paid down,

is the price of man's redemption. To create and uphold the universe a word of God's power is sufficient, but to redeem a soul from the second death, the wages of sin; required a sacrifice of infinite value. Well may the King of kings put a higher moral value on those creatures which cost the blood of the Lamb, than on all his other works.

Another coincidence between the gem and the Christian is, that they reflect borrowed glories. The diamond has no light or radiance of his own. It possesses in the highest degree the powers of reflection and refraction.From rays of light which fall on it, the lustre which it displays is entirely derived. How striking the coincidence here-the Christian has not the least light in himself. It is all moral darkness, before souls are light in the Lord. The light of Scripture, the illuminations of the Spirit, and other rays from the Sun of righteousness, are indispensably necessary to the least degree of moral light's being possessed or communicated by fallen men. But as all objects on which light shines do not reflect rays, so the beams of heavenly light fall on millions of the human race unheeded and unreflected.

Not so with the real Christian. On him the light of life opens a new world. New views of God, of Christ, of sin, and of holiness, of truth, and of duty, erowd on his moral vision. These are not fruitless speculations, floating only in the head; but they are sanctifying realities, renewing the heart and purifying the life. For while Christians "behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord, they are changed into the same image from glory to glory." They then possess moral beauties to reflect around them. In proportion as the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, as seen in the face of Jesus Christ, shines into their hearts, the light of truth, purity and godliness will pervade their hearts and adorn their lives.

Christians do not all let their light brightly shine before men, because they so faintly resemble that God who is called light.

Real diamonds have different hues, and different degrees of transparency and brilliancy. The same may be said of real Christians. They have shades of difference about truths not fundamental, and modes which are unessential. It would be as unreasonable to expect that all Christians should be perfectly alike in every thing, as that all gems, should perfectly resemble each other.They have properties in common to them all. But these are compatible with peculiarities which do not affect their essential properties. The observation, is however deserving of particular notice, that gems are valuable in proportion to their purity, magnitude and brilliancy.Real Christians possess moral worth, in proportion to the purity of their hearts, their growth in grace, their attainments in religion, their reflection of the moral image of God.

Here another striking coincidence between gems and Christians presents itself. Diamonds require much polishing to bring to light their peculiar qualities. Their lusture depends much on the forms and finishings which they receive from the hands of artizans. Real Christians at the first are but comparatively rough. They are in their probationary state, constantly subject to the refining and finishing workmanship of Him who worketh all things according to the good pleasure of his will. The dispensations of Divine Providence, the teachings of his word, and the operations of the Holy Spirit, are preparing these moral gems for the plans and purposes, to which Infinite Wisdom has assigned them They will at length all be prepared to shine as stars, or as suns in the firmament of glory. But this leads us to our

SECOND proposition; That the KING of kings has appointed a day when he will exhibit these moral gems of the universe, as his CHIEF TREASURE, and his most RESPLENDENT ORNAMENTS. That DAY of days, is at hand, when the Lord Jesus shall descend from heaven in all the glory of the Godhead, attended with legions of angels to swell his train, and execute his pleasure. Then shall his angels gather his elect, the moral treasures of his kingdom, from the four winds of heaven. Zion shall

then be a crown of glory in the hand of her Lord and a royal diadem in the hand of her God. The glories of the Eternal King will be reflected in their brightest colours from souls redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, sanctified by the Spirit of all grace, and kept by the mighty power of God through faith unto salvation.Unsearchable riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God in the scheme of salvation will be unfolded before an admiring or astonished universe. Infinite condescension in the Majesty of heaven to stoop from immeasurable heights for the recovery of rebel worms, his inflexible justice in awaking the sword against him who is the fellow of Jehovah of hosts, will shine with an unclouded lustre. While mercy like the sun-beams after the crucifixion, will appear clad with new effulgence from that event which for a while appeared to veil it.In one word, the Lord's redeemed ones will then reflect all his perfections in a manner pre-eminently glorious.St. John in prophetic vision beheld the attention of the universe attracted to the bride, the Lamb's wife, to the New Jerusalem, the spiritual building of God, composed of those lively stones, which he had prepared in time for this glorious city. Ten thousand glories of God and the Lamb will then be reflected from her foundations of jasper, and sapphire, jacinth, and amethyst, the twelve apostles of the Lamb. Her pearly gates and golden streets, transparent as glass and resplendent as the sun, will obliterate all earthly glories, and eclipse every display of the divine character in the creation and govern ment of angels, when they are seen to be all ministering spirits to the heirs of salvation; but minor glories before the ineffable throne.

Every redeemed soul, renovated, sanctified, and preserved in Christ Jesus will then occupy his own place among the gems of the New Jerusalem. All the glories of the Church of God, which she derives from him that sitteth on the throne and from the Lamb will then be displayed before the assembled universe, and her God will rejoice in her as his peculiar treasure, an ornament in his crown of transcendent splendour. But the powers of human imagination flag when attempting to soar so high. The subject becomes dark through excessive brightness.

Let us descend to a practical improvement of the truths before us.

First; Compared with the superlative splendours of heaven we discover the emptiness and vanity of earthly magnificence. What are all the treasures of time compared with the inheritance of the saints in light. What are all the honours or magnificence which mortals have ever displayed compared with the honours which await those whom the King of kings delighteth to honour!— The palaces, the equipage aud glories of earthly monarchs shrink to gilded trifles in comparison with those mansions which Christ has prepared for them that love God, with that glory, honour, and immortality which await those who are worn as gems in the diadem of the Prince of peace.

Secondly; From our subject we infer that Christians should never indulge the least envy towards those of the world whose rank or wealth or popularity exceeds theirs. What if these men are to have their portion in this life, how undesirable their lot whatever earthly splendour attends it. Humble child of God, your chief treasure is in heaven. Let your heart be always there. Envy none the badges of honour. There are unfading crowns of glory reserved in heaven, for all those who love the appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. What will all the applause of mortals be worth, which was lavished on any thing short of moral excellence; in that day when Christ will exhibit his friends as the only excellent of the earth, and all others as objects of shame and everlasting contempt.

row.

How desirable the circumstances of those whom God esteems his chief treasure. Fix your eyes, reader, on one of these heirs of glory. See him after a few days of trial, gathered home beyond the reach of all sin and sorBehold him rising in the first resurrection, owned as his peculiar treasure by the Judge of quick and dead and received into the everlasting kingdom of glory as a resplendent ornament of the place. Do you involuntarily sigh let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his ? Remember you must fear, love, and serve the Lord, if you would be gathered among his treasures. The heartless sigh, or the cry of Lord, Lord, on your dying pillows will admit none to heaven who

refuse to do the will of God. Such as die unpardoned, unreclaimed, and unsactified, instead of being the jewels of the Lord of hosts in the great day, will be cast out from his presence as refuse, things which offend, as chaff to be burned with unquenchable fire.

Fellow candidates for immortality, how near to each one of us, is that moment which will seal up our moral characters to the judgment of the great day? Our probation season is rolling away with astonishing rapidity. Each day is bringing us nearer to the period, when we shall either shine in the firmament of glory or be cast out into outer darkness. Grey hairs are on the verge of eternity. And shall they not think on eternity?— There is but a step between the middle aged and death. For man at his best estate is altogether vanity. Shall not things unseen and eternal be allowed by them to occupy the first place in their desires and pursuits P What if they should gain the whole world but lose their souls ? How foolish, how ruinous to barter the soul for earth! The young are apt to think much of their appearance. And will not you, dear youth, bestow your thoughts on what appearance you shall make before an assembled universe. The Saviour's righteousness will be a glorious robe there. Do you desire life, and wealth, and honour. Follow heavenly wisdom, Length of days is in her right hand, and in her left hand riches and honour. She bestows durable riches, unfading honour, and eternal life. How animating the hope that many of our youthful readers will presently shine as the brightness of the firmament forever,-will be gathered among the jewels of the Lord of hosts. If, through fearing the Lord in their youth they are brought to shine among the guests at the marriage supper of the Lamb, will they regret that they refrained from those vanities in time, which so much engrossed the thoughts of other youth, and led them to neglect their eternal salvation? Will they then be displeased with those ministers, who tenderly and constantly strive to turn away their feet from the paths of the destroyer?

How distressing the fear, that many for whose particular benefit this work is intended, will live and die in your sins, and in that day when your pious youthful