grieves that Holy Spirit, by wilful and deliberate Sin? Can he faithfully return thanks to the giver of every good gift, and every perfect dispensation, whose life is a series of most base ingratitude, abusing the gifts of divine providence, and rejecting the overtures of divine grace? But why do I thus proceed? To prolong this detailed enquiry would be to insult the meanest understanding. It is incontrovertible, it is self-evident, that, though the deliberate sinner may sacrifice, he cannot pray. He cannot approach his Maker, with a lowly, penitent, and obedient heart. He cannot draw near with faith. He cannot lift up his heart, unto the Lord. He cannot unite himself in spirit with angels, and arch-angels, and all the company of heaven. "Unto the wicked, God saith, what hast thou to do, to declare my statutes, or that thou shouldest take my covenant in thy mouth? Now, consider this, all ye that forget God; lest I tear you in pieces, and there be none to deliver."

;

True devotion is universal in its operation. It has various states, indeed and, commonly, progressive stages. But, in its weakest state, and in its earliest stage, it is marked by full integrity of purpose. It holds no compromise, no truce, no secret correspondence with any known sin. The pious man is at irreconcileable warfare with all the hosts of darkness. (5) Peace, indeed, is the object of his prime solicitude. But it is, that the very God of peace may sanctify him wholly. It is, that his whole body, soul, and spirit may be preserved blameless, unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He, therefore, that in any one habitude of heart and life, is deliberately sinful, by the indulgence of that one propensity, bespeaks himself a stranger to all true devotion. And can the sacrifice of such a man be acceptable unto God? We may answer by another question. Would the services of such a man, be acceptable to a virtuous fellow-mortal? Do you not know, do you not feel, that

all external service, when unprompted by the fulness of the heart, is less than nothing? Ask a good man, why is he gratified by the attentions of the friend that he esteems: why is he delighted by the assiduities of the child that he loves? Will he say, that it is the bare act, the outward service, the personal accommodation, with which he is affected? No, my brethren: he will tell you, that it is the kindly feeling, the tender affection (6), the benevolence that beams through the countenance, the love that glistens in the eye. And thus it is, only in an infinitely higher degree, with Him who needeth no service at our hands; who seeketh not our's, but ourselves; who seeketh ourselves, for our own good, to make us wise, and pure, and just, and happy. "My son, give me thy heart," is the language of our God. And, without the heart, if a man were to give the whole substance of his house, it would be utterly contemned. How many vain oblations, how many sumptuous offerings, how many

D

dazzling acts of bounty, what a profusion of observances highly esteemed among men, if tried by this test, would dwindle into insignificance! And the day is fast approaching, when all those splendid monuments shall crumble into dust; when no vestige shall remain, but a hideous mass of ruins, bearing this inscription:

THE

SACRIFICE OF THE WICKED, IS AN

ABOMINATION TO THE LORD!

"Then shall the dead, small and great, stand before God. And the books shall

be opened. And the dead shall be judged, out of those things which are written in the books, according to their deeds. And they that have done good shall come forth, unto the resurrection of life. And they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation !"

Oh! that men were wise; that they understood this; that they would consider their latter end! Then might they feel, that, without holiness, no man shall see the Lord! Then might the wicked man forsake his way; and the un

righteous man forsake his thoughts. Then might they return unto the Lord, and he would have mercy upon them; and to our God, and he would abundantly pardon.

"Come, now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land."

Yes we have a God who is merciful and gracious; long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth. Who, though He heareth not the voice of the wicked, and hateth the sacrifice of the presumptuous sinner, despiseth not the sighing of a contrite heart, nor the desire of such as be sorrowful. There is joy in the presence of the angels of God, over one sinner that repenteth. And, assuredly, the first returning prayer of that sinner is delightful unto God himself (7), 66 I will arise, and go to my Father; and