shall hereafter "awake to everlasting shame and contempt? Is it no ground of alarm that God has said "they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed?" + When you contemplate the "terrible majesty" of Jehovah, and remember that he is a "jealous God"-that he has "revealed his wrath from heaven against all ungodliness of men"‡ — is there no reason why you should "fear, and give glory to the God of heaven?" § When you think of your past robbery of God-the withholding of regard, of service, and of honour-will you not "con... fess, and give glory to the God of Israel? H When you call to mind the rebellion and apostacy of past days, will you not "lay it to heart to give glory unto his name, lest he curse your blessings, because ye do not lay it to heart? "¶ When you meditate upon the unreasonableness, the ingratitude, the baseness of thus treating the Benefactor and Saviour of man, will you "repent not to give him glory? When informed that there yet is hope,-that notwithstanding the past, God is willing to be your God, and that you should be his people-will you not "glorify God for his mercy?"++ When told of the perfect and wonderful way of return to God, will you not humbly, eagerly, and thankfully "confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father?" And when the new and lovely path of piety is open before you, will you not anxiously desire to be filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of

Dan. xiii. 2. § Rev. xi. 13; xv. 4.

** Rev. xvi. 9.

† 1 Sam. ii. 30.

Josh. vii. 19.

tt Rom. xv. 9.

Rom. i. 18.

¶ Mal. ii. 2. ‡‡ Phil. ii. 11.

God?" It surely is not seemly, or wise, or safe, to regard these claims and these objects with neglect, with coldness, with reluctance, with hesitancy, or with indecision. Listen therefore to that voice, so imperative in its demand, so terrible in its warning, and yet so compassionate in its spirit: "GIVE GLORY TO THE LORD YOUR GOD, BEFORE HE CAUSE DARKNESS, AND BEFORE YOUR FEET STUMBLE UPON THE DARK MOUNTAINS, AND, WHILE YOU LOOK FOR LIGHT, HE TURN IT INTO THE SHADOW OF DEATH, AND MAKE IT GROSS DARKNESS. BUT IF YE WILL

NOT HEAR IT, MY SOUL SHALL WEEP IN SECRET PLACES FOR YOUR PRIDE,"

IV. How safe a test of piety! This is indeed the great touchstone to which all pretensions to religion are to be brought. There is much among men that is decent and reputable, amiable and honourable, which sometimes puts forth its claim to the credit of piety, but which utterly fails to establish that claim, through the entire want of a suitable regard for God. Will God look upon that as service done to him, which was done with no view to him? Will he be pleased with that goodness which makes no account of him? Are reputation and God, the same? Is that "pure religion and undefiled before God," in which self-security is the sole end, and from which the glory of God is excluded? On what object is "the eye that is single," to be fixed? To whom is the heart to be given? Whom are we to set always before us? To whom are we to live and to whom are we to die? If we are so unhappy as to be able to make nothing of this subject-to find it all mys

* Jer. xlii. 16, 17.

tery and darkness, let our pretensions cease, and let us conclnde that we are "without God.”

By this we judge of the character of incipient appearances of piety. So far as God-his nature, his law, his will-appears to enter into these first convictions and impressions, we indulge hope. By this repentance must be tried. This will also test our religious affections. This will likewise prove the reality of our devotion. This is the great scope of all piety. It gives to religion all its meaning, its worth, its acceptableness, and its beauty. Compared with one spark of that piety of which God is the Supreme object and the chief end, all the collected excellence of men, exalted and refined to its utmost, but destitute of this great aim, is confusion and darkness; and when all mere human worth shall perish, that pure and divine scintillation shall flame up and expand into everlasting glory.-In our contemplation of this momentous theme we have also been compelled to remark

V. How humiliating a standard by which to judge of the strength of our christian principles, and the measure of our religious affections! Can we have gone over this hallowed ground without feeling self-condemnation, abasement and shame? Whilst at the command of this great principle, conscience has been stripping our religion of all that is unmeaning, of all that is formal, of all that is insincere, of all that is selfish, of all that is vain, of all that is sinister, of all that is secular, of all that is proud, of all that is self-sufficient, have we not trembled lest nothing would be left? And when nevertheless at last conscience has been compelled to confess that

there is in us 66 some good thing toward the Lord God;" has not our trembling been exchanged for tears, for deep confession, for prostrate humiliation, at the shameful defects and the unseemly mixtures which we discern?

When we understand what we should be, and at the same time see what we are, nothing but the great principle of grace and the glorious expedient of mediation could make us believe that such miserable and distant attempts as ours would be accepted. Here the humbled spirit finds repose. "If any

man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." When looking at our grand direction we are also constrained to feel

VI. How secure a guide have we in doubtful matters! Numerous are the occasions in which we are called to decide and act, where we have no positive or specific precept to guide us. We have then to throw ourselves upon great principles; and of these what shall we find more safe or more sure than the grand christian aim to do all to the glory of God? Questions which appeared obscure, difficult and perplexing, become plain and easy so soon as this strong light is made to bear upon them. How pure, how simple, how noble is the casuistry in which the divine glory is cardinal and controlling! How little are those likely to err who fly to this guide in their perplexities! And how perilous is our position when we fear and shun the application of this great rule! Who shall say how large is the proportion of our embarrassment, in cases of this kind, which arises from our sinful unwillingness to resort to this authoritative principle, or from our unfaithfulness in applying it?

We pray to be directed in difficulties of the description to which we allude. God has one way of answering us. It is not by voice, nor angel, nor miracle, nor inspiration, nor impulse. It is by disposing us to seek his glory. When this blessed and celestial light is let down into our souls, we see our path.

When a particular step in life, or a given course of conduct is proposed upon which no explicit law is found, how direct and suitable a way of relieving our minds from difficulty, to ask:-how does it agree with the drift and spirit of those laws which are explicit? How far will its adoption or pursuit indicate a right state of heart towards God? In what degree will it tend to preserve and foster a devout and godly temper? How far will it exhibit, exemplify and adorn christian principles ? What will be its effect upon other minds? Will it conduce to the spiritual good of those observing or interested? Will it advance the divine designs of grace? In what manner and to what extent does it bear upon the interests of the kingdom of God?

If thus favourable to a just decision, how desirable to have this regard for God's honour ever with us! How close ought we to keep to our guide; and how attentive and obedient should we be to its dictates!

VII. How certain a path to eminent piety! If we had the glory of God in view as the constant scope of all we do, it would deliver us more effectually than any thing else from a doubtful, wavering, fitful, uncertain course. It would give a strength, a steadiness, an uniformity to our christian character,

DD