My brethren! you have now feen the comprehenfive import of the direction to leave all and follow Chrift. You have feen, that no one is a real difciple of Chrift who does not leave all to follow him. Being then thus prepared, enter on the great bufinefs of felf-examination. The hour of your examination in the prefence of men and angels, before the throne of that fame Jefus who has commanded you to leave all and follow him, will arrive. What if it were arrived now? If you were now to render an account of yourself to God; should you be found, like St. Matthew, to have obeyed the call of the Lord Jefus? Have you forfaken the ways of wickedness? When you have been tempted by your own evil appetites, and by the practice or the folicitations of your companions; has it been your custom to yield, or to withstand? Have you cherished the love of holiness; and become more and more fenfible of the hatefulness of fin? Have you cheerfully facrificed present gain for the fake of pleafing God? Have you preferred his favour to the favour of men; and patiently submitted to their ridicule and contempt, that you might maintain a good confcience? Have you kept alive, during your best perform ances, a fteady conviction of your own unworthiness; and refted all your hopes of falvation on the blood of the crofs? Have you laboured to become, year after year, more and more earneft in faith and obedience; more and more watchful against tranfgreffion; and more and more impreffed with true repentance, whenever you have been led to offend against the Gospel of your Lord? It is well if there are not perfons in this congregation, who are far from having made any ferious effort thus to leave all and follow Chrift. For who can look abroad into the world without perceiving numbers, Chriftians only in name, devoted in heart and life not to Chrift, but to the world? The exterior garb of Chriftianity they ftudiously wear. In her ordinances they fcrupulously join. But let them be brought to the trial; and their religion proves formality, or hypocrify. Let intereft call them one. way, and the law of Chrift another: they follow intereft. Let pride beckon to the left hand, and the law of Chrift to the right they follow pride. Let paffion, or floth, or pleasure invite them: they turn their back upon Chrift. Whoever you may be that belong to this defcription, re member member that there are but two mafters between whom mankind can be divided. They, who are not the fervants of God, are the fervants of the devil. They, who are not made partakers through Jefus Chrift of everlafting happiness with God, fhall be for ever miferable with the devil.-Choofe ye this day whom ye will ferve; choofe with whom you will dwell through eternity. To ferve the 'devil here, and to dwell with Chrift after death, is an impoffibility. If thou receiveft thy good things here, if thou takeft the good things, as thou calleft them, of this world for thy portion; thou takeft alfo for thy portion eternal torment. There are others, it is probable, among you, who have difcerned the neceffity of leaving all and following Chrift, have refolved to act according to that conviction, and have alfo made fome endeavours to carry their purposes into effect: yet have fhewn themfelves fo feeble and fluctuating in their exertions, that in their hearts they are evidently wavering between two mafters. A fin, which they refift today, overcomes them to-morrow. A good refolution, which for a fhort period they have H4 have maintained, becomes burthenfome, and is laid afide. Small temptations they repel; and take credit to themfelves for their victory. Then comes a fomewhat more difficult trial: and they excufe themfelves for yielding under it by exaggerating its magnitude. Then they fall into fome greater offence, which calls forth many expreffions, and fome real feelings, of sorrow, and is followed by temporary reformation. Aftewards they fall again, and become tired of contending, and lament that the obstacles in the paths of religion are almost infuperable. Thus life paffes away in heartlefs wifhes, lukewarm prayers, fhort-lived refolves, unfteady efforts, imaginary peni, tence, and real fin. If this be your cha racter, know that Jefus Chrift demands the whole heart. He requires fervent fupplication, ftrenuous exertion, faithful fervice. The whole man muft work: the whole man must work out his falvation with fear and trembling. If grace is extended in vain, Christ will refume his wafted gift. How long balt j'e between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him. To those who have hitherto manifefted by regular fruits of righteoufaefs, that in fincerity Lofe fincerity they have left all to follow Chrift, let me, in the laft place, direct fome few words of exhortation. Though your progress has thus far been triumphant, your warfare is not at an end. Your adversary ftill keeps the field, and despairs not. His affaults will cease only with your life. Perfevere. If you perfevere; He who has begun a good work in you, will complete it. But all depends on your perseverance. The crown of glory is prepared. it not by relaxing in your exertions. Forfeit not the reward of paft labours by future floth. The arm of your Saviour is not shortened, nor his ear turned away. Look up ftill to him, and go forth conquering and to conquer. Yet a few more days. or years of conflict; and the victory is atchieved, and the recompenfe of victory fecured for ever. What are days and years to eternity! Having fustained the burden and heat of the day; will you faint when the hour of reft, the times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, are at hand? Ye have need, and to your laft hour you will have need, of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promife. But yet a little while, and he that |