tempt and enmity, to which a conduct honourably consistent with your principles may expose you in a world lying in wickedness.

From this brief review, then, of the nature of the godliness of the text, it appears to be the same thing with the whole of practical religion.

My brethren, let us here pause for a moment, and ask ourselves what we know of this godliness? Have we, under the conviction of our rebellions against God, and of our consequent desert of condemnation, believed in Christ to the saving of the soul? Are those dispositions which have been enumerated, in any degree the dispositions of our hearts towards a God in Christ reconciling the world unto himself? And, under the influence of those dispositions, are we, through grace, aiming to "live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world?" According to the answer which an enlightened conscience gives in to such an examination as this, we may conclude that we are, or are not as yet, interested in those

II. Advantages of godliness, which form the second subject of the present inquiry.

These advantages are of very wide extent, the apostle assuring us that "godliness is profitable

to all things:" nor would there be such hesitation as there often is, in admitting the truth of this position, did we but duly bear in mind those two very plain and generally acknowledged axioms in divinity, namely, first, that man consists of a soul as well as of a body; and, secondly, that the whole of his duration is not confined to the present life; his duration here being but as a point compared with the eternity which follows.

and

But the apostle particularizes, and asserts that godliness has the "promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come." The latter part of this position, that godliness has the promise of the life which is to come; that God has laid up for those that love him such good things as pass man's understanding; this is a truth which is pretty generally admitted. It is with respect to the present advantages of godliness that many are far more disposed to hesitate though these several temporal advantages are, when compared with that unmingled and endless bliss which God has graciously connected with it, but as so many drops when compared to the ocean: yet as God has seen fit to recommend religion to us by the promise of them; as they are a description of blessings which are calculated to exert a powerful influence over the human mind; and as the nature of them is not so

easily conceived by many: I propose, in what remains of this discourse, to confine myself to a brief consideration of some of them.

Godliness, then, has the promise of this world, as it is profitable,

1. In reference to business and traffic, that grand source of the profit and wealth of this world. It is true, indeed, that godliness strictly prohibits all indirect methods of attaining or increasing wealth. It forbids us to take advantage of the ignorance or inexperience of others. It condemns the depreciation of what we buy; and the concealment of the defects, and exaggeration of the excellencies, of the articles which we sell. It prevents our being guilty of the gross profanation of attending to our worldly business on God's holy day. Wherever our duty clashes with our apparent interest, it obliges us to side with the former. And thus it certainly forbids the attempt to increase our wealth at the expense of the everlasting condemnation of our souls and bodies too. Still, however, its advantages, even in reference to worldly business, are by no means inconsiderable. When the person, who seeks first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, commences business, he has good ground to hope that his steps will be ordered by the Lord in some most important points; in refer

ence, for instance, to the line of business he shall choose, the place in which he shall establish himself, and the connexions he shall form. And when he is engaged in business, his religious principles are favourable to his success, as they enjoin punctuality and diligence, as they prevent those sins which tend to poverty, namely, pride, intemperance, and dissipation; as they tend to restrain that exorbitant desire to be rich, which often involves men in a ruinous course of gambling speculations; and, above all, as they secure that blessing of the Lord, which maketh rich, (Prov. x. 22,) in our temporal as well as in our spiritual concerns. And though we are not to suppose that "gain is godliness," (1 Tim. vi. 5,) yet is godliness far more gainful, far more profitable, even in matters of worldly business, than is generally imagined. This will appear still further, while we mention a second instance in which godliness has the promise of this world: I mean its favourable aspect as to,

2. Character and general estimation; as it procures that good name, which, if we judge by the unerring standard, "is rather to be chosen than great riches.” (Prov. xxii. 1.) It is true, indeed, that, if a man practically cultivate godliness, and will " live godly in Christ Jesus," (2 Tim. iii. 12,) there will not be wanting those

who will cast out his name as evil, and delight in affixing to it some contemptuous epithet, deeming it a fair subject for ridicule, or abuse, or both. This, however, is a practice which will be indulged in principally by those who know the least of the person in question. The more his character becomes known, the more will it command the respect and win upon the affections of those who surround him, even though they are far from making godliness the great object of pursuit themselves. Bad as the world is, it is commonly found that, in the long-run, due justice is done to that strict integrity, that kindness, that readiness to do good to all, as opportunities present themselves, which are so many constituent parts, or never-failing accompaniments, of genuine godliness. Those who fear not God, may and do, for obvious reasons, wish to associate with men like-minded with themselves: still it is by no means uncommon even for them, in matters of business, to prefer dealing with those who give good evidence that they have the fear of God before their eyes. Such as this is the influence of godliness on a man's character and reputation, even in the world at large. And if this be so, how much higher will godliness elevate that character in the estimation of those who alone are competent judges; I mean those