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redeemed creatures! Oh! surely, it is for their good, even in this present life, that they love the Lord and serve him with all their heart and with all their soul.

But there is more and greater good to come. There is another life. There is a heaven, which in all its enjoyments and privileges is as superior to every thing which can be possessed now, as itself is high above the earth. There is a perfect freedom from every feeling of sorrow or pain. There is a perfect deliverance from every taint and emotion of sin. There will be an unclouded vision of the infinitely holy, and blessed God, a full knowledge of all his perfections, works, and dispensations. There will be uninterrupted communion with that merciful Saviour, whom here, having not seen, they love. There will be a spirit made perfect. There will be a body fashioned like unto Christ's glorious body. Do you ask then, "who will shew us any good?" Here it is, in heaven. Here it is, on earth. Do you ask, how you are to obtain it? We answer with the text, "Fear the Lord thy God, walk in all his ways, love him,

and serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes," and this will secure for thee the possession of all this good on earth and in heaven. Be brought to this feeling of heart and this service of life through the powerful motives of the Father's creating power and the Son's redeeming love, and through the divine operation of the Spirit's mighty grace, and then not one thing shall fail of all the good which the Lord has promised to give you.

The text consists of an interrogation, and my application of the subject shall take that form. I ask you then, has not God a right to be thus loved and served? And is it not reasonable that you should be his willing, grateful, affectionate, and obedient servants? Are not the mercies of creation and redemption sufficient to require this at your hands? Ought you to have any other Lords but him? Ought you to be the servants of sin, the votaries of the world, the subjects of Satan? Ought you to be lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God? Ought there to be any

person or thing in heaven above or earth beneath that should have a preference in your heart, and occupy more of your time, thought, and actions, than he? Can there be a more powerful claim than that which the Lord God makes of you? Is it not right and most reasonable that he should require of you what he does? Then is it not base and vile on your part that you have not fulfilled it? that you have not loved the Lord, nor walked in his ways, nor served him with all your heart and with all your soul? And should you not now at length return to him, and give him the remainder of your lives, and the best of all that you can yet do for him? Is not the time past sufficient for you to have lived in opposition to his law, and should not the whole of the time to come be faithfully devoted to his service?

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I ask you also, would not this be for your good? Would it not tend to promote your happiness? Would it not make your mind more peaceful, and give you more comfort and satisfaction than you have yet found? Would you not thus get an approving conscience?

Would you not thus feel a lively hope? Would not the remainder of life pass with more real content and pleasure than you have hitherto experienced?-But would it not tend to save your soul? What say you in answer to that question? Oh! Brethren, put all these interrogatories to your own consciences. Think on them with deep and serious regard. I say to you solemnly, with the deepest conviction of its truth, and the most affectionate solicitude for your welfare, that it is your bounden duty, and will be for your present and eternal good, if you fulfil the requirement of this text, and give yourselves wholly to the Lord.

SERMON XVIII.

THE BLESSING AND THE CURSE.

DEUT. XI. 26-29.

Behold, I set before you this day a blessing and a curse; a blessing, if ye obey the commandments of the Lord your God, which I command you this day, and a curse, if ye will not obey the commandments of the Lord your God, but turn aside out of the way which I command you this day, to go after other gods, which ye have not known. And it shall come to pass, when the Lord thy God has brought thee in unto the land whither thou goest to possess it, that thou shalť put the blessing upon Mount Gerizim, and the curse upon Mount Ebal.

THE faithful adherence of Israel to the service of that God who had chosen them out

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