character, which exposes you to the full force of the appeal of Elijah.

II. Let us then consider the GROUNDS AND

CAUSES OF THIS INDECISION.

The source of all this evil is the deceitfulness of the human heart: among the subordinate causes which may be adduced, I shall notice merely the following: the love of the world, the fear of the world, and the fashion of the world.

(1.) The love of the world. The apostle St. John has left it upon record, that this disposition is totally inconsistent with the love of God. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world: if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him :* and so wide is the apostle's interpretation of the term world, that he includes in it every worldly object, which is suited to gain our affections and to occupy our time: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. The subject is illustrated by the evangelists in the instance of a young man, who came to Christ and demanded, Good Master, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life? Our Lord repeated to him the substance of some of the commandments: the young man said to Him,

* 1 John ii. 15.

All these things have I kept from my youth up: what lack I yet! He was speaking to one who knew the heart, and who detected under all this show of outward obedience a secret principle which was fatal to his pretensions. Jesus therefore said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go sell that thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; and come and follow me. But when the young man heard that saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. * He seems to have been in some measure persuaded that Christ was the Messiah; but he did not follow Him: he seems to have concluded it to be the will of God that he should acknowledge his Son, but the love of the world was in his heart; and, although sorrowful, he went away. How carefully, my brethren, and especially would I say it to those young persons, before whom the world is now opening with all its prodigality of promises;— how carefully should we guard against the influence of a worldly spirit! You are not called to give up your property, and to walk, like these ancient disciples, after a despised Galilean: but unless you are willing to make every worldly sacrifice, which the spirit of the gospel

* Matt. xix. 16-22.

demands, you cherish a principle which is destructive of true religion: Know ye not, saith St. James, that the friendship of the world is enmity with God! *

(2.) The fear of the world. Nothing is more certain, than that the dispositions and habits of the great majority of mankind, even in a Christian country, are totally and radically opposed to the precepts of the gospel; and the world loves its own: and if any are not of the world, it beholds them with aversion. It is true that in this age, those that will live godly in Christ Jesus, do not as in the primitive times, suffer the violence of persecution: yet a real Christian must, doubtless, be a man of courage. He will be exposed to the obloquy of some persons, and to the ridicule of others: and he must be prepared under any emergency, to adopt the language of the apostle; I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. But this is a lesson not easily to be acquired; and many who are in a degree persuaded of the value of eternal things, and of the necessity of a humble and holy conversation, and of a heart renewed by the operation of God's blessed Spi* James iv. 4. + Rom. i. 16.

rit, are still so much under the influence of the world's opinion, and are so much afraid of coming out and being separated from multitudes around them, that they shrink at the very thought of singularity: they would wish to follow God, but it is their desire also to obey men: they hope to accomplish both objects; and the consequence is that they fall short of true religion they fear men, when they ought to fear God only.

(3.) The fashion of the world. Under this term I include the example and authority of those with whom we are conversant; or to whom it is customary to appeal. With respect to example, we can hardly persuade ourselves that so many persons, on every side of us, can be ignorant of the real nature of religion. “Surely," we are ready to say, "it is not to be supposed, as the strict letter of divine revelation would seem to imply, that in a Christian country such multitudes should be halting between two opinions. Is it likely that the gate of heaven should be so strait, and the way so narrow as to allow only a small number to enter and walk in it?" And then comes the argument of authority; an argument as old as Christianity

* 2 Cor. vi. 17.

itself. The doctrine of the primitive teachers was in substance, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ: the reply was, have any of the rulers, or of the Pharisees believed on Him? * In conformity with the example of our Lord and His apostles, the ministers of the gospel in this day insist upon the importance of spiritual religion, and from the express declarations of the holy Scriptures expound and illustrate the doctrine which is according to godliness:† but how often are they met, as in old times, by an appeal to some human authority! Let us not be supposed to undervalue such authority: give to it all the attention which it deserves; but suffer it not on any account to lower the tone, or to explain away the clear statements of the word of God. If the Lord be God, follow Him: if the Scriptures be a divine revelation, believe them. Many are to be found, who, under the sanction of some favoured name, are speaking peace to their consciences, while a prophet like Elijah would thunder in their ears, How long halt ye between two opinions?

These and many similar causes, by drawing the attention from the truths of the gospel, or effacing the impression already produced upon +1 Tim. vi. 3.

* John vii. 48.