no care in every word and deed to "do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him ;" who confine their thoughts wholly to things on the earth, rarely indeed looking up to that Jesus who sitteth at the right hand of God; men who, because they deem morality the best test of religion, think, if that seem irreproachable, that this must be sufficiently orthodox and sincere; who, strict and punctual in their business, moderate in their pleasures, yet wholly devote their time to business or to pleasure; who consume their days in habitual and total negligence of that holy religion, which, if questioned, they will admit to be of divine authority-as if such neglect were not utterly inconsistent with such acknowledgment, and did not in fact amount to a rejection of the faith of Christ, and a presumptuous contempt of his sacred name and supreme authority.

But, besides the profligate, who seem to pay no attention to any thing but vice, and the worldly-minded, whose grovelling thoughts never rise beyond this earth, others there are (and, it is to be feared, too many) who are as certainly, though not perhaps as evidently, chargeable with the guilt of neglecting to pay uniform and consistent attention to their duty and their God; men, who feel occasionally some zeal for religion, and some anxiety to work out their salvation, but in whose breasts present interest and present gratification, worldly pursuits and worldly desires, still reign with so strong a power, as not to submit to the constant control of religious principle, or to allow a steady preference of their eternal interest. And what is the consequence of such jarring principles and contending affections? How is it, that such men endeavour to secure the criminal enjoyments of this life, and yet not to forfeit the reversionary rewards of another, and hope to reconcile a sensual and carnal spirit with Christian purity and Christian zeal ?—Alas, my fellow Christians, the human "heart is deceitful above all things:"* and surely its destructive and criminal self-deception is here most conspicuous: for every day's experience abundantly proves, that there are many who attempt to reconcile such real contradictions; who attend, as they conceive, sincerely and sufficiently

* Jer. xvii. 2.

to their religion in the closet and the church, in their private prayers and public worship, but who carry on a distinct and opposite system in their worldly pursuits, with which they suffer not religion to interfere; who seem to have one kind of language, one set of principles, and one train of thoughts and affections, which they reserve for an occasional intercourse with their God; while, in their commerce with mankind, they perpetually adopt a different language, act on opposite principles, and indulge contrary desires. How often do such men bend before their Creator with the strongest professions of humility and resignation-implore their heavenly Father, to forgive their offences as they sincerely forgive their fellow-creatures every injury, acknowledging their many transgressions with the strongest appearance of contrition, and testifying their resolution to amend and reform, with what seems even to themselves the most unfeigned sincerity! Yet follow these very men into the scenes of business or pleasure; view them engaged in the bustle of the world; observe the measures they pursue, and the principles of action which direct and control them-where is now the difference between the Christian and the mere man of this world? Where are now the meek, and humble, and self-denying principles of the Gospel? All seem vanished. Human laws seem now the only restraint, human opinions the only guide, eminence and fame the leading objects of pursuit. These men, who would persuade themselves they are Christians—how proud and arrogant do they seem on worldly distinctions; how strict in exacting their rights to the utmost limit of the law-but far beyond the limits of kindness and brotherly love-how eager to supplant each rival, and wound each enemy; how captious, how irritable, how prompt to return evil for evil, and railing for railing, reversing the Evangelic maxims of charity and forgiveness, and adopting the stern code of honourable vengeance and relentless pride; how frequently idle, dissipated, luxurious, extravagant; and while they are thus hurried on, how entirely is religion set aside; serious reflection suspended; self-examination intermitted; holy hope, and gratitude, and love chilled and extinguished! Thus do they proceed, thoughtless of their duty, careless of their salvation, and regardless of their God, till some stated period mechanically recalls, or some extraordinary

event accidentally arouses them, to the unwelcome task of cursory self-examination, transitory contrition, and momentary holiness. Then do they again put on the garb of piety as they enter the temple of God; and when they have used it to pronounce with mock solemnity the tedious forms of words suited to that unnatural character they are now forced to assume, they gladly throw by the cumbrous disguise, as utterly unfit for the daily business of life, and resume that which the fashions of the world recommend to their choice, and which use has familiarized to their habits. Thus do their lives pass on, in an inconsistent succession of virtuous professions, and vicious indulgences; religious prayers, and irreligious actions; purposed amendment, and actual degeneracy; thoughtless transgression, and shortlived repentance. Oh! my brethren, consider, I entreat you, whether such conduct as this can acquit you to your conscience and your God. How unworthy of reasonable, how dangerous for accountable, but above all how impious in Christian beings, is such unsteady and hypocritical obedience; such a weak and wicked attempt to reconcile the successive service of God and of Mammon! Surely our God is a jealous God; he will not allow of any rival in our love, or any division in our allegiance; and as our affections should be set on things above, not on things on the earth, so our conduct should be uniformly influenced by our religious affections.

To conclude, as there is but one God and Father of all, whose glory gives light and life to every thing which lives, whose presence fills all places, whose power supports all beings, whose providence ruleth all events; And one Lord Jesus, who is the "brightness of his Father's glory," "the only begotten Son of God, by whom he made the worlds," who is above all thrones and dominions, principalities, and powers; so every thing that lives, whether in heaven or earth, whether they be men or angels, all with one spirit should live wholly to the praise and glory of this one God and Father of them all-angels, as angels, in their heavenly ministrations; men, as men, in their various occupations; some with things temporal, some with things spiritual, offering to God the daily devotion of a reasonable life, wise actions, purity of heart, and heavenly affections, whatsoever they do in word or deed, doing all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him."

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SERMON VI.

SINCERITY AND CONSISTENCY OF CHRISTIAN OBEDIENCE.

JAMES II. 10.

"Whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all."

THIS precept is not to be so understood as to place a single instance of transgression on a level with a continued course of profligacy and impenitence. No, the whole tenor of the law is, on the contrary, in the highest degree merciful and equitable, assuring us of forgiveness on repentance, through the merits of Him "who died for our sins, and rose again for our justification," "who knoweth whereof we are made, and remembereth that we are but dust." It was originally designed to expose the folly and danger of a maxim adopted and taught by some of the Jewish doctors, that, as it was too burdensome to attempt a perfect obedience to the whole law, it was possible to obtain divine favour by obeying any one principal part of it, as the choice of each individual should direct, without particularly attending to the observance of the rest. Hence the Jews questioned our Lord, "which was the first and great commandment ?" Hence one party neglected "the weightier matters of the law, judgment, justice, and truth," yet hoped that they would be justified by their strict observance of ceremonies and worship. The folly and danger of this opinion justifies and explains the emphasis with which the apostle asserts the very reverse of this false maxim; and maintains, that the deliberate violation of any of the divine commands, the habitual neglect of any moral duty, cannot be excused or compensated for by the observance of all the remaining injunctions of the law. Any such deliberate violation, any such habitual neglect, indicates the want of that principle which alone can render our conduct acceptable to the Searcher of hearts,-even a principle of sin

cere desire to fulfil the divine will, and unreservedly to obey the divine commands. Such was the original occasion of this denunciation; and this must direct the present application; teaching us to oppose it to that guilt, which indicates a substantial defect of the principle of Christian obedience, and a depravity of the whole heart, even to the deliberate commission of any one crime, or the allowance of any habitual offence. It is of such conduct, the apostle loudly proclaims the guilt and condemnation. In this sense it is, that, "whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, is guilty of all."

Undoubtedly, my brethren, however exactly you may seem to conform to the rules of morality and the duties of religion in the general tenour of your lives, yet as long as you presume to allow yourselves in the commission of any one deliberate or habitual offence, and hope to compound for your guilt by a compliance with the letter of the law in all other instances, be assured such mockery of moral strictness, such partial obedience, will not blind your Judge, will not avail to screen from his scrutiny or punishment. No, by such a conduct you prove yourselves false and disobedient servants; you prove that the love and fear of God are not the ruling principle of your heart, nor a reverent regard to the divine law, the guide of your lives; you prove this as clearly by allowing yourselves in any one deliberate or habitual offence, as if, yielding to the force of stronger temptation, you dared to violate the whole law. And the reason is most fully stated by the apostle :-"For he that said do not commit adultery, said, also, do not kill. Now, if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law." All the precepts of morality, all the duties of religion, proceed from the same divine authority, are all enjoined with equal strictness, and all maintained by the same sanctions. therefore, attention to these awful sanctions, and reverence for this sacred authority, are your ruling principles of action, you will obey all these precepts, you will attain to all these duties, with equal care and equal perseverance. Whatever be your success, your design will be in every thing to do well. On this principle of steady and uniform obedience, the whole system of the divine law depends for observance and support. Allow yourselves to indulge in any one offence deliberately and habitually,

If,