SERMON XV.

"Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof, from such turn away."-2 TIM. iii. 5.

THE holy apostle, who, by the illuminating powers of the Spirit, was enabled to look into the annals of futurity, informed his beloved Timothy of the approach of those evils which would sooner or later infest the Church of Christ. He entreated him to continue steadfast in those things which were impressed upon his mind; to press forward through all those difficulties which might present themselves to his view, and to be unwearied in his exertions to promote the cause of vital holiness.

Among the many evils which the inspired penman was sensible would prevail, he particularly mentions lukewarmness in religion. He saw his fellow-creatures deviating from the simplicity of the truth as it is in Jesus; losing their first love; drawing back from their profession of attachment to the precious Saviour; and becoming strangers to the divine power of Christianity. He perceived that a little stated attention to the external duties of religion would, by many, be esteemed sufficient, without considering that the form without the power of godliness, is unacceptable at the throne of grace, and that the duties of Christianity, unless they spring from the influence of the Spirit of God, and are performed with that fervour becom

ing their importance, would meet with the disapprobation of that Being, who requires us to show forth his praise, not only with our lips, but in our lives.

Although the necessity of devotion must appear so evident to the reflecting mind, yet how divided in opinion are mortals upon this important point! Many are afraid that the world will esteem them as enthusiasts, if they should withdraw themselves from the vicious pursuits of a depraved age, and devote their lives to the service of the Almighty. There are others who think that if they attend upon the means of grace one day out of seven, it is all that Jehovah has a right to expect; without considering that every breath they draw proceeds from the goodness of God, and that all the temporal blessings they enjoy flow from his beneficence and care. In order, therefore, that we may become acquainted with that duty required at our hands, it will be proper to examine those instructive precepts delivered by Jehovah for the rule and direction of his people, and to endeavour to regulate our lives by the standard of his word.

In the prosecution of this duty, brethren, let us divest our minds of prejudice, and learn of that Saviour who was meek and lowly in heart. During the ministry of the Redeemer, and while engaged in the work of man's salvation, he was desired, by one of his hearers, to unfold to him the first and great commandment. The blessed Jesus, whose delight it was to benefit mankind, immediately replied, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength." Language, brethren, is insufficient to express the extent of that duty, due from dependent creatures to their great Creator; and to impress the human mind with the nature of that affection with which our bosoms should be animated toward the God of our salvation. When we reflect upon the attributes of the sovereign of the world; when we consider him as the Omnipotent Creator of all things; when we enter into the third heavens, and see him surrounded with thousands of thousands of glorified spirits, and hear them

resounding his praises throughout the heavenly world; when we behold the heavens the work of his hands, the moon and the stars which he hath ordained; when we consider the blessings with which we are surrounded, and the tokens of his love with which we have been favoured; the most pious worshipper has reason to accuse himself of neglect; to bewail the coldness of his devotions, and to exclaim, in the deepest self-abasement, "Lord, what is man, that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that thou visitest him?" There are many, brethren, in every society of Christians, who rest satisfied, and who experience a degree of security, from an outward attendance upon the instituted means of worship, without even wishing to be partakers of those desires which flow from the operation of divine grace! Such people advance toward the temple of the King of kings; they enter the sacred dwelling of the Lord of Hosts; but, instead of worshipping him in spirit and in truth, their thoughts are wandering to the ends of the earth; their minds, instead of being lifted up in prayer, are hurried away in the pursuit of temporal things, to the dishonour of God, and the destruction of their immortal souls. To be found in the company of saints, is perhaps all that they think necessary. When they hear the devout inquirer cry out in the glowing accents of supplication, "Thou Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us;" they ridicule him as an enthusiast, and think it unnecessary that prayer to be effectual should be fervent! When they perceive the tear of contrition, flowing from the weeping eye of the repenting sinner, and see the sigh of anguish swell his bosom, they laugh at his weakness, and censure him for his devotional exercises. Behold such a worshipper in the moments of his devotion; the sacred liturgy of the Church is perhaps before him, but he does not unite in its holy offices; when the service requires him to call upon God to open his lips, that his mouth may shew forth his praise, he remains insensible to the necessity and force of the petition, and regardless of its importance. At length his patience becomes

exhausted, the form of godliness fatigues his mind, he waits with impatience for the moment when he can again converse upon the things of time, and be freed from the necessity of further restraints. Like the Jews, as it is mentioned by Amos, he says within himself, "When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn, and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheat?" His thoughts, beloved, are in the ends of the earth, he makes the house of God a house of merchandise! Consider, I beseech you, the majesty of that God who requires you to love him with all your strength; and reflect with sorrow upon the languor of your religious hours; recollect the solemn awe with which the minds of the children of Israel were impressed, at the delivery of the law upon Mount Sinai, and be astonished at the forbearance of heaven with you: "Speak thou," said the affrighted Israelites to Moses, "Speak thou with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die;" and shall we come into the presence of the majesty of heaven, untouched with the fire of devotion, and mock him to his face? Shall we come into his temple, regardless of that God who fills it with his glory? Shall we enter the house dedicated to that Being, before whom angels veil their faces, without reflecting upon the solemnity of the place, without preparing our hearts to meet him? Shall we come to hear of the death and sufferings of Jesus, at whose crucifixion the rocks rent, the earth quaked, and the sun was clothed in darkness; and shall we sit in his presence unmoved and unconcerned? Oh, my beloved, it is not a cold, formal attendance in the house of God which forms a devotion acceptable to heaven; it is not the form of godliness with which Jehovah will be satisfied! Remember, that the most sublimated devotion falls short of what God has a right to expect at our hands. Be not contented, therefore, with the shadow of religion, but strive to catch a spark of that ardour which animates the hosts of God! Be not contented with having your names recorded upon the baptismal register, but strive to have them written in the Lamb's book of life, and endeavour to worship our Jesus in the

beauty of holiness. Remember the unhappy state of the Church of Sardis; they had a name that they lived, but still they were declared by the Spirit of God to be dead; they had the form, but they wanted the power of godliness. "Be watchful," therefore, said the heavenly messenger, "Be watchful, and strengthen the things which are ready to die, for I have not found thy works perfect before God."

We, like that Church, may abound in religious ceremonies; yet unless our hearts are engaged in worship; unless we feel the power of Christianity influencing our conduct; unless we enter with spirit and zeal into our services, we shall be found a sounding brass and a tinkling symbol; and at last be banished from the presence of God, with a "Depart, ye cursed, ye workers of iniquity, I never knew you." But methinks I hear some of you exclaiming, is the form of godliness of no effect? I have contented myself, year after year, with the assurance that an attendance upon public worship constituted me a follower of the Lamb! I have, indeed, frequently been employed, while within the courts of the Lord's House, in concerting schemes for the advancement of my worldly interest; but still I indulged a hope that my presence within the walls of the sanctuary, would atone for my cold-heartedness, and that the repetition of prayer, though my heart was unaffected, would be acceptable at the throne of grace. If this should be the language of any individual present, permit me to assure him of his danger; Satan, like a roaring lion, is seeking to devour you; he has lulled you into a fatal security; he has cried peace to you when there is no peace -for the ways of religion, to the people of God, are the ways of pleasantness; one day spent in the courts of the Lord, is better than a thousand. To worship God acceptably, therefore, we must draw near to him as those who have business of eternal importance to transact; we must remember that life is uncertain, and that the opportunity with which we are favoured may be our last; earnest, therefore, must we be in our supplications, provided we