II.] RELIGION THE SAME ON EARTH AS IN HEAVEN.

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continually spring from the temper of their minds, as occasion requires; and that their daily employments, regulated by genuine piety, may be a constant suc. cession of services to their Master who is in heaven.Who can deny, that the law of God requires this at our hands? that the example of Christ recommends and enforces it? or that the apostle inculcates it, when he says, "Whether ye eat, or whether ye drink, or "whatever ye do, do all to the glory of God," Perfection indeed cannot here be attained; nor can we say what measure of this habitual recollection is essential to genuine piety: but if this be the nature of true religion when perfected, it must proportionably be the same in its lowest degrees. If we do not propose to ourselves a high standard, our actual attainments will be very low and if the nature of our religion differ from all our ideas of the worship and holiness of angels, we shall doubtless be finally excluded from their society, as incapable of their holy felicity.

The eternal world is another subject, which der mands our unremitted attention. Death and its important consequences; and the awful realities of that solemn season, when "all that are in the graves shall "hear the voice of the Son of God and shall come "forth; they that have done good to the resurrection

of life; and they that have done evil to the resurrection of damnation," should be familiar to our thoughts, and frequently be made the subject of our conversation. Eternity! the shortness of time! the uncertainty of life! the importance of this fleeting season of preparation for the tribunal of God! the sin, the folly and infatuation, of wasting it in the eager

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ETERNITY MAN'S GRAND CONCERN.

[SERM.

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pursuit of perishing things, or in frivolous and pernicious amusements! By frequently recurring to these topics, we should endeavour to excite ourselves, and to “exhort one another, while it is called to-day; lest any of us should be hardened by the deceitfulness of "sin." A mis-spent day, or even an idle hour must on reflection give pain to the man, who duly considers the words of Christ," Watch and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all those things which are coming on the earth, and to stand "before the Son of man." "Let your loins be girded about and your lamps burning, and ye your"selves like unto men that wait for their Lord." "Be ye, therefore, ready also; for in an hour that think not the Son of man cometh."

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ye

Our chief business is not with men our grand interest is not placed in earthly objects. The Lord himself is he with whom we have to do;" and if we be indeed believers, "we look not at the things "which are seen, but at the things which are not "seen: for the things which are seen are temporal,

but the things which are not seen are eternal." This was the peculiar disposition and practice of all that cloud of witnesses which have gone before us.

Enoch walked with God and was not, for God took him." Moses preferred the reproach of Christ and the sufferings of God's people, to the riches, honours and pleasures of Egypt :-for he "had respect to the "recompence of reward." The old Testament saints

all died in faith, not having received the promises, "but having seen them afar off; and were persuaded

of them, and embraced them, and confessed, that

they were strangers and pilgrims upon the earth."

THE LAW OF GOD HIS RULE AND STANDARD. 127 The primitive Christians "suffered joyfully the spoiling "of their goods, knowing that they had in heaven a "better and a more enduring substance." They "counted not the sufferings of this présent time "worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be " revealed:" and many of them considered death as their gain, that "being absent from the body, they

might be present with the Lord." Yet in these days this kind of life not only appears visionary to profane scoffers and infidels; but many who profess and contend for the peculiar doctrines of the gospel, seem not at all aware, that one grand difference between a believer and other men, consists in the decided preference which he gives to eternal things, above all the interests and enjoyments of this sublunary world. "To be carnally-minded is death, but to be spirituallyminded is life and peace."

The law of God is another of those interesting subjects, which ought to occupy a large share of our thoughts and conversation. This law, which is spiritual, holy, just, and good, is given to be the rule of our conduct, and the standard of our judgment, and it is written in the hearts of all true believers. Thus David exclaims, "Oh how I love thy law! it is my "meditation all the day.' "I esteem all thy pre

$6 cepts in all things to be right." "I love thy "commandments above gold, yea above much fine "gold:" and, "I will walk at liberty for I seek thy "precepts."

Numbers of men called Christians prescribe to themselves no other rule, than the law of fashion, custom, honour, or trade; that is the law of their own

28 IT'S EXTENSIVE AND SPIRITUAL REQUIREMENTS [SERM,

peculiar circle. Others judge of their conduct by some scanty maxims of morality, or their own notions of right and wrong and few, even of those who profess to believe, seem willing to use the commandments of God for these important purposes." Thou "shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, thy ❝mind, thy soul, and thy strength; and thou shalt love

thy neighbour as thyself." These are the two great commandments, in which the whole law is briefly comprehended. But who can fully explain such extensive precepts, or speak of them in terms of commendation equal to their excellency? There can be no part of our conduct, or desire of our hearts; no thought, word, or action whatever; which does not either agree .or disagree with these two grand branches of that holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord." With these, the believer, as far as he acts in character, compares himself continually; and thus determines, whether he hath acted right or wrong in the various circumstances and relations of life. By this rule he learns to decide in doubtful cases; and he keeps it in constant view, while he considers how he should spend his time, use his substance, or employ his talents; what connexions he should form; whether he should contract or extend his acquaintance; what business or situation he should prefer; or how he should regulate his methods and habits of living, In short he endeavours to conform himself to the law of God, as the man of fashion or of business does to the rules of the circle with which he is connected,

But when we have seriously considered the comprehensive, spiritual, and holy requirements of this perfeet

11.] MAKE WAY FOR THE RECEPTION OF THE GOSPEL.

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standard, we shall proportionably be convinced of numberless transgressions, and of immense deficiencies even in our best services:" for by the law is the

knowledge of sin." We shall judge very differently of our own characters, than other men do; or than even we did, before we began to weigh ourselves in this balance of the sanctuary. When each successive hour, and all that passes in our imaginations and conduct, is tried by the law of loving God with all our minds and our neighbour as ourselves, the boasted goodness of our hearts, the imagined innocency of our lives, the compensating efficacy of our meritorious actions, and the whole fabrick of our self-complacency, vanishes as a dream when one awaketh. Then we' readily understand that "by the works of the law no "flesh shall be justified in the sight of God;" and there no longer appears to be either paradox or absurdity in this part, of the apostolical doctrine. That question becomes important to us, which perhaps we once deemed insignificant or speculative, "How shall "man be just before God?" We enquire with increasing solicitude, "What must we do to be saved ?” And we are prepared to welcome information on the method, in which the most perfect justice and holiness of God can consist with his abundant mercy, in pardoning and saving transgressors; without excepting even those who have committed the most numerous and heinous offences. Thus the peculiar doctrines of the blessed gospel of God our Saviour come regularly under our consideration, and open to our view, in their nature, glory, and value, in proportion as we judge ourselves by the holy commandment; and anxiously seek deliverance from the wrath to come.