ing from the present state of their minds, it appears to them impossible that they ever should do anything to his glory. It appears far above, out of their reach. It seems to them that such is the habit of their heart, that "it is not subject to this law, neither indeed can be." How shall enmity love? How shall selfishness be disinterested? How shall pride be humble, submissive, and thankful ? How shall worldliness be spiritual? How shall carnality be godly? How shall a mind all devoted to the aggrandizement, the reputation, the convenience, the gratification, the worship of itself, make the glory of God the end of its thoughts, its actions, and its whole being?

Other persons, who will readily confess that hitherto they have never lived to the divine honour, have yet so superficial a view of the requirement, and so small an acquaintance with themselves, as to suppose that there will be but little difficulty, so soon as they shall choose to direct their thoughts to the subject. They imagine it is but to resolve, and the matter is secure. It is but to try, and it is done. The misapprehension lulls them to fatal slumbers. They are little anxious to obtain an object which they think within their easy grasp, at any time, and with little effort and no danger of failure. They therefore sleep and dream on in their disregard of God, and their high conceit of their own capabilities. Their self-sufficiency becomes their couch of death.

Now all the classes of persons to whom we have referred may derive advantage from a careful consideration of what constitute the great and essential pre-requisites, for seeking God's glory in all we do.

The sceptic begins to believe there is such a region of pure and disinterested godliness, when he sees the pathway offering to lead him thither. The bewildered inquirer also rejoices to find this highway. The gloomy abject gathers hope, when he looks along the same road of promise. And the self-sufficient îs alarmed, humbled and abashed, when he learns that he must forsake his own self-devised and self-flattering ways, for "the way of the Lord." Let all know then that before we shall truly seek God's glory, there must be

I. An enlightened view of the divine claims. This is apparent from observation of the very simple and obvious fact, that respect, homage and affection, are never excited, but by claims seen or supposed to be seen in those who are thus regarded. There will be no profound regard to the authority of God until it be seen that with him is "terrible majesty ; nor to his will until it be felt to be righteous, wise and benevolent. His favour will not be appreciated or sought, until it be seen that no creature can, and that no creature ought to be safe or happy without it. His approbation will not be coveted, until it be perceived and felt that God ought to be pleased, and that bliss lies in being acceptable to him. We shall not act under a feeling of preference for his excellence, so long as that glory is hidden from us. No grateful and ardent ascriptions will ascend, so long as we do not see the things which are freely given to us of God." Nor will there be dependence and

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1 Cor. ii. 12.

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confidence, while we are blind to the unchangeable excellencies of the divine character. Neither are we likely to concur cordially in the divine designs before we are persuaded of their wisdom and goodness. And we must see that God is all in all,” before we shall repose with satisfaction on his glory as the great end of all things. The consecration of ourselves and our ways to the Lord is "a reasonable service." It is no blindfold course. It is no dark and undefinable series of mystic deeds, and unintelligible affections. It is the understanding enlightened and led by revelation in its own proper track and to its own proper home. It is the procedure of spiritual intelligence. It is reason restored, elevated and sanctified. There must be illumination or there will 'be no godliness. A ray must shoot from "the excellent glory" into the heart, in order to attract and guide its views and aims to him "who is light and in whom is no darkness at all." When he has "called us out of darkness into marvellous light," we "shew forth his praise." Before we shall seck "the glory of God," "he who commanded the light to shine out of darkness must shine into our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."

We shall not wonder that it should seem so mysterious and impracticable a thing to aim in all things to act to God's glory, when we remember how false, how low, how dark are the conceptions which men are prone to form of God. After "thinking that God is such an one as themselves," will they honour him more than they honour themselves? Will they not be contending against God's claims, and balanc

ing their own against them? These injurious and dishonouring views of God must first be destroyed. These erroneous, defective, ungodly "imaginations must be cast down, and every high thing which exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and every thought brought into captivity to the obedience of Christ!" When men's guilty imaginations have clothed the Deity with the terrors of a tyrant, will they honour him as a Father? When they have sunk him to a fond and conniving parent, will they reverence him as a Judge? When they think that he grants them no good thing but what is their due, will they praise him as their Benefactor and their Saviour? It is evident that our views of God must be just and scriptural. They must also be clear and strong, convincing and penetrating, affecting and spiritual. These "things of the spirit" must be "spiritually discerned." These "deep things of God" can only be taught by the Spirit of God. Under his tuition we must come. He alone can instruct and discipline us for this glorious life of which we speak. He must " open our hearts to attend to the things which are spoken" -so open our hearts, that the glory of God may fall with enlightening beams upon our understanding, before that glory will attract our regards, and fix our aims upon itself. It is when our minds, thus led, see the divine glory, that we adore, and love, that we consecrate ourselves to it-that we seek it-that, as the decisive and final pledge of regard, we become assimilated to it. "Beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, we are changed into

* 2 Cor. x. 5.

+1 Cor. ii 14.

Acts xvi. 14.

the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord."*

II. Before we shall pursue the divine glory in our actions, we must be reconciled to God.

It is not possible that men should care for the honour of one whom they hate. They cannot defer to an authority which they dispute and oppose. Little will they care to please the object of their dislike. Scarcely can they be expected to pay cordial homage to qualities for which they have a distaste and loathing. But the matter appears in a yet stronger light when we remember that it is common for men to look upon God as an enemy to them whilst they are feeling and acting as enemies to him. Can they be supposed then to feel any satisfaction in his supremacy, and any complacency in his purposes? Will they cordially bow to a hostile power, or confide in an arm lifted to destroy them? Will they feel grateful to him, who, whatever he may be to others, is to them only "a consuming fire?" Will they repose with delight in that everlasting glory of God, which is to draw part of its lustre from their destruction? Will they not fear to fall into the hands of the living God? Will they throw themselves voluntarily and cheerfully into the arms of an Almighty and Everlasting Foe? They tremble, they shrink, they flee from the presence of the Lord.

Reconciliation must be brought about before there can be sincere, cordial, filial, earnest and devoted aims and efforts to promote the glory of God. We

2 Cor. iii, 18,

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