They are deceiving themselves. They have no sufficient conviction of their sins. They are governed by a prevailing regard to the present life; are proud of their imagined attainments; and God and his supreme claim on their love are forgotten. The salt is without its savour; the lamp without its oil; the scaffolding without a building; the guest without the weddinggarment; the body without a soul. It is not the living Christian, but a picture. It is not David, but an image and pillow of goat's hair. It is not wheat, but chaff; not inward purity, but the washing of the outside of the cup and platter; the whited sepulchre; a name to live whilst we are dead.

THE FINAL TENDENCY of this adherence to the mere semblance of piety may be learnt from the statements which introduce the text. Men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy; without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good; traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. How terrible a picture; and how calculated to inspire us with a dread of mere formality in religion! It is observable that the enumeration begins with the vice of selfishness and ends with that of sensuality. This may possibly be designed to teach us that

men depart from God by being lovers of their own selves; and terminate their apostacy by being lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God; whilst the vain appearances and decencies of religion are partly the cause, and partly the effect of both. So that this perilous state of lifeless conformity, trifling as the evil may appear at first, may reduce men at last to nearly the same condition as the unenlightened heathens. The list of their vices, as given us in the first chapter of the Romans, resembles in almost every particular the one we have just recited, and seems to teach us that, if the power of religion be lost, all is lost; and that, whatever be the outward form of piety, the corrupt heart of man will gradually sink to the same abyss of disorder and immorality, from which the genuine doctrines of salvation, and the mighty grace of God attending them, alone can deliver it.

I proceed, then, in applying the subject, to address myself,

I. TO THOSE WHO HAVE TOO MUCH REASON TO FEAR THAT THEY HAVE THE FORM OF GODLINESS WITHOUT THE POWER.

And here I would wish to speak with unfeigned respect and tenderness. I would address you with the most friendly intentions, and in the accents of kindness and affection. I am

4

far from imputing to you all the vices, which in many instances spring from a state of mind somewhat similar to your own. I am ready to acknowledge all the amiable and prepossessing qualities which may probably adorn your character. I admit the good effects of your moral and religious example on your neighbourhood and dependents. I acknowledge your benevo lence to the poor. I grant even that you are sincere in serving God according to your conscience. I will suppose further, that, from your education and circumstances, you may have seldom met with truly religious persons, or, as perhaps you might be inclined to call them, over-religious persons. All this I concede; and every measure of deference and regard which is due to your rank or reputation in society, I most cordially render to you. Nay, I allow further, that the statements which I have been making in this discourse are the statements of a minority in the community, and of a minority which you may have been taught to overlook. But allow me seriously to propose to you this plain question, Have you ever considered, as becomes immortal and accountable creatures,

THE ESSENTIAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FORM

AND THE POWER OF CHRISTIANITY? Have you ever thoroughly examined your heart and life as to this obvious and yet fundamental point? You must be aware, from the express language of

the text, as well as from the confessedly corrupt state of many Christian churches, that there is such a thing as retaining the one whilst the other is denied. Have you, then, ever suspected yourselves? Have you considered that the very circumstance of belonging to a pure and reformed national church, may possibly assist to betray you into an error upon this point? Have you ever reflected that there is possibly something higher and more spiritual in religion than you have as yet discovered, something more delightful and elevating, something that engages and fills the heart, something that brings back man to God as a father, something that unites him to the cross of Christ, that separates him from the world, and fixes his whole soul on eternity and heaven?

Read only with a teachable heart the plain language of Holy Scripture. Mark what it states, in every place, of the power of godliness. Open, for instance, the 6th chapter of St. John. All is spiritual and divine. Christ is spoken of as the bread of life-His flesh is the life of the world-Except we eat his flesh and drink his blood, we have no life in us. Now, let me simply ask if you ever experienced any thing of THIS UNION WITH CHRIST BY FAITH? Turn again to the 5th chapter of the 2nd Epistle to the Corinthians. The Apostle there speaks of the constraining love of Christ, of our being new crea

tures in him, of our being reconciled to God through Him who was made sin for us. Now, has this solemn transaction of the soul with God, THIS RECONCILIATION, taken place? Has it led you to a supreme love to Christ? Are you new creatures?-Once more, for almost any part of Scripture is sufficient for this purpose, read the 8th chapter to the Romans; reflect on the two states there described-the being in the flesh, and the being in the Spirit—the carnal and the spiritual mind-the indwelling, the leading, the consolation of the Spirit of God, and the minding and following the things of this world. Did this subject ever occupy your thoughts? Can you hope that you are ACTUALLY LED BY THE INFLUENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT?

But I need not press you on these or similar points. You must acknowledge that your religion has never gone so deep as these and other passages of Scripture obviously and necessarily require. You know that you have never prayed with a humble and contrite heart; that you have never sought reconciliation with God by a living faith, nor been justified by the alone righteousness of Christ, nor been born again of the Holy Ghost, nor endeavoured to walk according to the Spirit, Your religion has never changed your heart and broken you off from your secret sins. Your religion has never