can be proved by living witnesses that there is more pleasure in searching the word of God, in prayer, and praise, and heavenly psalmody, and in doing good to the souls and bodies of men, than was ever experienced in the gayest flights of folly, or in the most splendid scenes of gorgeous dissipation.

But when this principle does not exist in the heart, the case is wholly different there will be a perpetual hankering after earthly pleasure. The inquiry will be, How little may I serve God, and how much may I serve the world, and yet gain salvation at last? How near may I approach that dangerous precipice, and yet escape final destruction? Can there be any harm in this or that amusement? And why these inquiries? Because the heart lingers in earthly scenes, the affections are rivetted to temporal enjoyments; eternity is an empty shadow, or an object of dreadful anticipation, not a prize, a treasure, a goal, to which we are reaching with

intense eagerness.

Hence, thousands

are continually verging towards danger, they sip the fatal draught like summer insects which hover over the face of the still waters, and skim along their surface, dipping their joyous wings in the cooling lake, till, too venturous, they plunge to rise no more!

IV. LASTLY. IF WE ARE CAREFUL TO MAINTAIN GOOD WORKS, WE SHALL LABOUR AFTER A CONFORMITY TO THE

PRECEPTS AND EXAMPLE OF CHRIST IN

THE DAILY HABITS OF OUR LIVES.

Religion is not a single act nor a succession of actions, it is a uniform and constraining principle, a spirit diffused through the whole man, which leads the Christian to aim at universal obedience, and the subjugation of the whole life to the service of Christ. Nothing short of this can come up to the requirements of scripture: we are to "glorify God in our bodies and in our spirits, which are his:" we are to "adorn the doctrine of

God our Saviour in all things:" "whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, we are to do all to the glory of God:" to "let our light so shine before men that they may see our good works, and glorify our Father who is in heaven." Our tempers, thoughts, and words, are all to be brought into this service: "for every idle word we are to give an account:" "we are to think and speak evil of no man:" "and whatever is lovely and of good report," is to appear and abound in us. We are, in a word, to exhibit the sublimity and spirituality of our hearts, thoughts, and affections, by the exemplary holiness and purity of our lives. In the language of the liturgy we fully recognize the extent of these requirements. We pray "that all our doings may be ordered by God's governance to do always that is righteous in his sight:" we ask of him: "Give us a heart to love and dread thee, and diligently to live after thy commandments, that we may hold the faith in

unity of spirit, in the bond of peace, and in righteousness of life." And in that beautiful composition, the general thanksgiving, we pray for an entire devotion of ourselves to God, in a grateful sense of mercy received. We suppli

cate the Lord thus:

66

That we may

show forth thy praise, not only with our lips but in our lives; BY GIVING UP OURSELVES TO THY SERVICE, and by walking before thee in holiness and righteousness all our days." No words can express a more exclusive consecration of all our powers to God's service than these, and none can be more scriptural.

It only remains that we compare this language of our lips with the state of our hearts and the practice of our lives. "In vain do we call our Saviour, Lord, Lord, if we do not the things which he says." The solemn services of our church will hereafter rise up in judgment against us, and condemn us, if, while we have adopted their language, we have at the

same time either been addicted to any sinful habit, or have been "lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God!" I would earnestly exhort you all, my brethren, in conclusion, to consider how strict and holy the word of God is, and how fully our church services have imbibed its spirit. Reflect how very far short we all have fallen of the gospel standard of holiness! how incapable we are in ourselves of ever reaching it! It is impossible to do so upon any other principle than that of a lively faith, a faith that "worketh by love." If, therefore, we desire not only to forsake vice, but also every doubtful pleasure and every deceitful path, if we would simply devote all the powers of our minds and bodies to God, there is but one way of doing this, which is, by the strength and sufficiency of God's grace. We must repent before we can do works meet for repentance;" we must believe in the fulness and sufficiency of Jesus Christ, and taste his love in our hearts, before