These descend successively to all posterity; and are fixed as firm as the condition of this world will allow any thing to be Thus the bliss, we are encouraged to promise ourselves in that other and better world, is a lasting and unchangeable good. No term of years can wear our title out, no accident can deprive us of the possession. The excellence of the joys prepared for good men, is a consideration, which alone would justify our most ardent desires and eager pursuits of them. But that which crowns all other commendations of them, is the leaving no room for fears and melancholy prospects, the conceiving heaven to be a continuing city,' a permanent abode. Without this, the more exquisite its delights are, the more afflicting must even the most distant possibility of parting with them be. But this fills the mind with perfect acquiescence, and raises our ideas of such a Father's love, who hath provided a settlement for his children, which nothing can waste or shake; which even our own hopes and wishes cannot look beyond; nay, which our utmost stretch of thought cannot distinctly comprehend, but must depend upon his word and truth for the belief of.

And, shall I need to say, that our duty, resulting from this happy circumstance, is, to take off our affections from things on the earth, and to set them on things above?' To contemplate that promised enjoyment, and its advantages, which so manifestly distinguish it from all attainable here below; where time and casualty have such an uncontrolled dominion, and scarce any man arrives to so absurd a degree of extravagance, as to imagine it but barely possible for his tenure to continue always? Particularly, how should this reconcile the арproaches of death to a good man, who hath reason to esteem it a desirable translation, from a state wherein all things are in a perpetual flux, to one where all are constant and immutable; from one, where even our imperfect happiness is bounded within a very short space,-to one, where alone we can be completely happy; and where we are sure to be completely so, for ever and ever.

3. As our future happiness is sometimes mentioned in the quality of a gift,' so is it at other times under the notion of a reward. And hence arises a third convenience of this allusion, in that it takes away all ground for those vain presumptions, which we are so apt to cherish, concerning the merit of our

own performances. Our sonship and adoption is God's free act, conferred at our first entrance into covenant with him; and, consequently, at a time when there is as yet no service that can be pleaded. So that the notions of heaven being an inheritance, and that of meriting by our own works, are plainly incompatible, and will, upon due examination, be found mutually to destroy each other. This, therefore, teaches every Christian to obey with the profoundest humility, and to expect a compensation with all possible thankfulness; to acknowledge the grace and munificence of Almighty God; and to remember what affection, as well as duty, should be paid to so liberal and kind a father. Which leads me to consider,

4. Fourthly: How fitly this metaphor of an inheritance is chosen, to make us sensible of that fulness of joy imported by it, and what a plentiful provision this heavenly father hath laid up in store for every child of his. It seems we are not dealt with, like younger branches of a family, who must be content with such scanty proportions as can commodiously be spared out of an estate, the gross whereof is reserved for keeping up the honour, or the name, in that one who hath the good fortune to be the eldest. The narrowness of our possessions upon earth, requires such distinctions and wary distributions. But it is the pre-eminence of our heavenly inheritance, that there will be enough for every partaker of it: all that the largest heart can ask or think; and no one child shall feel himself straitened there, by any other's abundance. So far from this, that every one's faculties shall be enlarged, to render him still capable of more and more; and the joy of every other glorified spirit shall be an addition to each one's

own.

And is it not a natural effect of this particular, to raise our love and desires of that all-sufficient bliss? and, in the meanwhile, to inspire us with meekness, and patience, and contentment, under any afflictions that shall befal us here? We are now in the quality of heirs under age; and it is reasonable, we should submit to proper methods of education and discipline. In which, if some hardships be undergone, yet are those necessary for qualifying us to make a becoming figure, when we shall come to be put into possession. Now this, St. Paul to the Hebrews affirms to be the express case

of the sons of God, whom he chastises' for their mighty profit, that they may be partakers of his holiness.' Most reasonably, therefore, do those children act, who comply readily with his measures of improvement, and refer all to their heavenly Father's wisdom, in that spirit of contentment and entire resignation, of which the Church hath set us a pattern, in her collect for this day; teaching us that not any of these things can come upon us, without his knowledge or appointment; and, therefore, humbly beseeching him, whose never-failing providence ordereth all things both in heaven and earth, to put away from us all hurtful things, and to give us those things which be profitable for us, through Jesus Christ our Lord.'

[DEAN STANHOPE.]

SERMON XCVII.

NINTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

PARTIAL OBEDIENCE.

1 KINGS Xviii. 21.——And Elijah came unto all the people, and said, How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.

[Text taken from the First Morning-Lesson for the Day.] NOTWITHSTANDING the many express commands given to the Jews, to worship the one only true God, and the many admirable provisions made in their law to preserve them from the adoration of any other; yet it is notorious that, from the time of their leaving Egypt, down to the Babylonish captivity, they were frequently falling into idolatry. It must be observed, however, that this idolatry of theirs, wicked and inexcusable as it undoubtedly was, did not consist in absolutely renouncing the worship of the true God, but in joining with it the worship of false gods. This they did, in imitation of the heathen nations around them, who, like all other pagans, though they had each their peculiar tutelary deities, yet made no scruple of associating those of any other people along with them. In conformity to which accommodating temper, the Jews themselves, probab y considering the God of Israel as their national god,

imagined their allegiance to him was not violated by admitting other local deities to a share in his worship. It was this absurd and impious custom of joining the adoration of idols to that of the true God, against which we find so many precepts and exhortations in the Old Testament directed, and such. severe punishments denounced. And, in opposition to this strange practice it was, that Elijah proposes to the idolatrous Ahab and his people, an effectual method of deciding which was the true God, Jehovah or Baal; and he introduces his proposal with that spirited expostulation, contained in the words of the text: How long halt ye between two opinions? If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.' This was in effect saying, How long will ye act this base disingenuous part, of attempting to serve two masters, and to worship at once both the Lord and Baal? The Lord is a jealous God; he demands your whole affection; he will not be served by halves; he will not accept of a divided empire with Baal. Choose ye, then, whom ye will serve; and no longer halt between two directly opposite and inconsistent opinions. If you are persuaded (and never had any people more reason to be persuaded) that the Lord Jehovah, the great Creator of heaven and earth, is the only true God, act agreeably to such a persuasion. Follow him, and him only; serve him sincerely, uniformly, and entirely, with all your heart, and soul, and mind, and strength; and live a life of virtue and holiness, in obedience to his commands. But if, on the contrary, you can, in opposition to the plainest and strongest evidence, bring yourself seriously to believe that Baal is God, follow him. Follow him (if your nature recoil not at it) through all those impure and detestable practices, which his worship authorizes and requires. But come not thus reeking with idolatry to the altar of the Lord. He will accept of no sacrifices from such polluted hands. Baal is then your God, and you are his people. To him alone offer up your vows; from him only expect the supply of all your wants, and deliverance from all your calamities.

The observation, naturally arising from the text thus explained, is this: That as God would not allow a partial worship under the Mosaic dispensation, neither will he admit of partial faith, and partial obedience, under the Christian covenant.

He who was the God of the Jews, is also the God of the

Christians, has, from the same invariable pre-eminence of his divine nature, the same claim to our entire and unreserved submission to his will; is equally jealous of his own glory and of our allegiance, and equally averse to any rival in our affections, and our services. It was the duty of the Jew, to believe and obey the whole law of Moses. It is the duty of the Christian, to believe and obey the whole law of Christ. In opposi tion to the doctrines and duties of the Mosaic law, stood the extravagant conceit of Gentile theology, and the execrable impurities and barbarities of idolatrous worship. In opposition to the doctrines and duties of the gospel, stand the fanciful refinements of modern philosophy, and the allurements of a sinful world, which are now too frequently distracting the belief, and dividing the obedience of Christians, as superstition and idolatry did formerly those of the Jews. And it is no more allowable to halt in our belief between deism and revelation, and in our practice between God and Mammon, than it was in the Jews, formerly, to follow at once both the Lord and Baal. The text, therefore, when divested of all peculiarity of circumstance, and brought home to ourselves, affords this general and useful principle, that we should not waver between two systems, and endeavour to serve at the same time two masters; but entirely devote ourselves either to the one or the other, and stand to all the consequences of our choice. This admonition may be applied with equal justice both to our faith and practice. But I shall confine my observations almost entirely to the latter, as being the most useful; for among the professors of our faith, there are too many, who, though their speculative opinions may be right and uniform, yet, in their practice, halt between two opposite modes of conduct, and endeavour to serve, at the same time, two masters, God and Mammon.

I

say nothing here of those, who are professedly men of the world, who disclaim all belief in the doctrines of the gospel, and all obedience to its laws. These men have taken their part, have adopted a system. A miserable one, indeed, it is: but it is, however, a decided one; and whatever other guilt they may be chargeable with, inconsistence, certainly, is not one of their faults.

In this respect, the children of this world are, in their generation, commonly wiser than the children of light; among