great change of circumstances for the better, it adds so little to our happiness in this world that few would wish it.

But with regard to the high standard of Christian perfection, by which we are required to be dead to this world, to have no cares for the morrow, to be scrupulously just and honest, and charitable to the utmost of our power, and even beyond our power, Christians seem to have given up all thoughts of aiming at this.

As if Holy Scripture did not mean what it says, when it cautions us so much on this subject; as if "the deceivableness of riches," which it speaks of, were such that all the world are under the influence of it except ourselves, because we do not think ourselves rich; for no man yet ever did think himself so. We hear its words indeed, "Blessed are the poor," but without any desire for seeking that blessedness, be we poor or rich; we hear its warnings, "Woe unto you that are rich," without any wish to escape from that woe; or rather as if we were wiser than the wisdom of GOD, endeavouring to obtain the riches, but thinking we shall avoid the woe! This is the kind of way, I say, in which we are content to look upon these things, be we poor or rich; for otherwise, if poor, how could we be dishonest? if rich, how could we be proud? how could we in either case be discontented?

I will mention another instance to show that Christians do not even think of living by that faith which "overcometh the world." The Government under which we live, having been once professedly Christian, has required that all work should be suspended on the Sunday, and, as a matter of course, this day has been given up to ease and rest, if not to religion; so that for a person to profane the LORD's day is considered a sort of outrage to society; and they are but few to keep them in countenance even with the world in so doing.

It is, therefore, no great proof of Religion, none at all of that state of holiness which Christianity requires, for persons to go to Church once or twice of a Sunday; for it is what common respectability and decency would suggest; and if it is only to hear a new or a popular preacher, it is only indulging their own fancies. And yet it must be said that the Christianity of very many, yea, even of the better kind of persons, does not extend much beyond this. The Church of GOD, indeed, requires this-that the LORD'S

day should be kept holy, but the world requires it also. When you come to those things which the Church of GoD only, and not the world, requires; such as keeping Holy days and Saints' days, and joining in public prayer on week days, when opportunities are given, and men are not hindered by necessary business ;—what a difference do we find at once! And if this be the case in matters of public duty,—that people will go as far as the world will go with them, and no further,—how much more it is to be feared is it the case in those duties which lie open only to God and their own conscience; in those three great ways of Holiness, in which our SAVIOUR has instructed us, such as secret Fasting, secret Prayer, and secret Alms! If they do not in public duties look to the pattern set before them in Scripture, but only to the conduct of the generality, is it likely that they seriously think of the eye of God at all? or seek His favour with any sincere endeavours?

Nor can these things only be said of the people, but of the Clergy also more religion, or at least more appearance of it, is demanded of them by the world, and perhaps it is to be found in them in some degree for this reason,-because the world requires it. But the Law of GOD has but one rule of the utmost strictness of life and holiness for all persons alike: all persons are alike called upon to "love GOD with all their heart and soul and strength;" this can make no difference between the Clergy and other men, for every person is bound to do this, and a Clergyman cannot do more. Heaven and hell are as important to one as to the other: life is equally short to eternity is as long to one as to the other. endeavours, and another can do no more.

both to prepare for it : Each must use all his

But now if this be the case, that Christians do not overcome the world, but make a sort of compromise with it, by which they make as much of it as they can, then it is manifest that they have not that faith in CHRIST, as the Son of God, which Scripture speaks of. In the present day there is often a mistake of this nature respecting faith in CHRIST. It is very generally said, that persons must believe CHRIST to be their SAVIOUR; and since all believe this, so as not to doubt the fact that JESUS CHRIST is the SAVIOUR of the world, there are two ways, in one of which mankind are apt to deceive themselves; they either think they must feel that CHRIST is their SAVIOUR, so as to feel a personal

interest in His death, which often comes to be nothing else but an effort of the fancy or imagination; or else they suppose, without any serious reflection at all, that somehow, by GoD's mercies in CHRIST, all will be well at the last. For this is the thought that pacifies and keeps quiet the consciences of men of the world respecting religion.

But Holy Scripture surely gives no sanction to either of these opinions. Faith is indeed considered to be the very life of the baptized Christian: as necessary to the life of his soul as the air which he breathes is to his body. But it is a faith by which he lives and moves and acts always; as it is described, "Faith working by love."

Nor are we baptized into a faith of this sort; we are not baptized into a hope that we shall some day feel this interest and assurance; but into the Name of the HOLY TRINITY, and with these words, that

the baptized person "shall not be ashamed to confess the faith of CHRIST crucified, and manfully to fight under His banner against sin, the world, and the devil; and to continue CHRIST's faithful soldier and servant unto his life's end." Nor are we baptized merely into the words that CHRIST is our SAVIOUR, much less that we should feel HIM to be so; but into the Apostles' Creed, which contains, we know, a great deal more than this; it contains the whole of the Trinity, as our MAKER, and REDEEMER, and SANCTIFIER; and the circumstances of our SAVIOUR'S Incarnation, and sufferings, and death, and Resurrection, and Ascension, and His final Judgment. The first words of it are of GOD the FATHER ALMIGHTY," and the last are "everlasting life." And the faith in this, which is required, is doubtless such a faith as Scripture always implies,-not a mere emotion of the mind, not an empty assurance, not a naked and barren intellectual assent and knowledge, but—a living principle of action, by which the thoughts and actions of a Christian are as different to those of the natural man as light is from darkness: by which his natural self, as it were, his frail, low, human imaginations, are lost in the Divinity of JESUS CHRIST; in Whom he lives, and moves, and has his new regenerate being; as one alive from the dead; and in whom CHRIST lives, so that he himself, as it were, lives no more.

This is the faith which overcometh the world. For if CHRIST

lives within him by His HOLY SPIRIT, CHRIST will be manifested in his actions also; and therefore his life must be in some manner like that of his SAVIOUR'S. He cannot indeed live the same life, but he must live the same kind of life. If he lives by faith in JESUS CHRIST as GOD, so that CHRIST lives within him, he must constantly be doing actions of kindness, as JESUS CHRIST did; he must suffer with meekness all manner of indignities; he must be humbling himself very much; he must be always praying.

Now, some persons speak of the Atonement of JESUS CHRIST as if this one vast and unspeakable mercy was every thing which we had to believe; others say the same of His example, or of His commands and teaching; others of our assenting to and acknowledging the necessity of His guidance by His HOLY SPIRIT; and others put forth especially His speedy Coming to judge the world, as the great point which we are to believe. But Holy Scripture and the Apostles' Creed, into which we are baptized, will not allow us to choose one thing, as it were, for ourselves in this way; but would have us believe in Hıм as GOD, and therefore to think every thing respecting HIM of infinite importance.

We must show by our lives that we are thankful to Him as our MAKER; that we put our trust in Him as our SAVIOUR; that we are guided by His teaching as our SANCTIFIER: we must live as those who look to HIм as our LawGIVER,—who expect HIM as our JUDGE. We must live as those who believe in His Cross, by being dead to the world; and in His burial, by being buried with HIM in Baptism from worldly desires. We must show that we believe in His Resurrection, by being risen with HIM; in His Ascension, by having our affections with HIM in Heaven. And all this is implied in our believing in HIM as the Son of GOD.

Unless we do this, unless, I say, we act up to this, or endeavour to do so, our religion is a mere shadow, and not a substance and no wonder that we do not overcome the world; for the temptations which the world offers are not shadowy and merely imaginary, but real. The worldly man does not think it enough that he should imagine and fancy himself to be rich; but he spends his life, directs his actions, that he may become so it is in religion only that he is contented with a fancy, without acting accordingly.

And therefore our Blessed LORD has taken great pains to assure us, that there is nothing to be depended upon in religion but our words and actions only: for by them it is, we are told over and over again, that we shall be judged at the last Day,— by them only we shall stand, by them only we shall fall; every thing in the Gospel seems to set this before us in as strong a way as possible: those who will come to Him on that Day with fancies, and feelings, and assurances, will be rejected of HIM with those most terrible words, "I know you not; depart from ME, ye workers of iniquity !"

This it is, our JUDGE HIMSELF assures us, that makes all the difference between the house on the sand and that built on the rock, i. e. our works, our way of life from day to day: this it is upon which the whole matter depends. It is said expressly, "he that heareth these words, and doeth them," is like the man who built his house on the rock. He "that heareth them, and doeth them not," is like the foolish man who built his house on the sand.

The doing them, or doing them not, is the whole matter, I repeat; and unless we amend our daily lives, not our fancies and wishes, not our resolutions only, but our thoughts, our words and actions, our dealings with mankind, and our dealings with ALMIGHTY GOD; unless, I say, we amend these, we shall many of us find this to be true when it is too late.

"If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them."