6. Religious reverence is especially the means of securing eternal life.

'Surely,' saith the Psalmist, his salvation is nigh to them that fear him,' Psalm lxxxv. 9. I know,' saith Solomon, it shall be well with them that fear God, which fear before him. But it shall not be well with the wicked, because he feareth not before God,' Eccles. viii. 12, 13. And again; The fear of the Lord tendeth to life,' Prov. xix. 23. And again; The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life :' and, to sum up all in a single declaration, the wicked are declared by Christ, in the character of Wisdom, Prov. i. 29, to be finally given over to destruction, because they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord.' But it is unnecessary to spend time any further, in illustrating a doctrine which necessarily follows from the observations made under the preceding heads.

REMARKS.

From these observations Christians are taught, 1. The supreme importance of the fear of God.

This affection is indispensable to the acceptableness of their worship, and their obedience; to their hatred of sin; their safety in temptation; and the amendment of their lives. It is a primary ingredient of their piety. It is the well-spring of their benevolence, justice, faithfulness, and brotherly love; of rectitude in them, when rulers; of submission, good order, and public spirit, when subjects. It is indispensable to their enjoyment of the favour of God in this life, and his everlasting kindness in the life to come. Higher motives to the attainment of any character cannot be alleged. Let every Christian, then, cherish and cultivate religious reverence in his own mind. Let him often, and habitually, bring before his eyes the awful Being, who is the only object of this affection, and whose sole prerogative it is to demand it of his creatures. Let him fasten his views on the presence and greatness, the purity and glory, of Jehovah; and solemnly discern, and confess, that he himself is nothing, less than nothing, and vanity.' In the incommunicable splendour, in the incomprehensible. majesty, of the uncreated mind, all created glory is lost and forgotten. In the presence of the Sun of Righteousness every

star hides its diminished head. Before his beams the lustre of angels and archangels fades into nothing. In the presence of his purity' the heavens' themselves, spotless as they are to a created eye, are unclean.' What then is man, that God should be mindful of him; or the son of man, that he should visit him?' What indeed are we- -what indeed must we be -in the presence of such a being as this?

Such thoughts as these ought ever to be present in the mind. Whenever it turns its views towards the Creator, those views ought, from motives of interest and duty alike, to be invariably of the most reverential kind. They most become the character of God; are eminently pleasing in his sight; constitute the best and happiest frame of mind; and most advantageously influence us in all our duty.

1

2. From these observations it is clear, that habitual reverence to God is one of the best evidences of piety.

After what has been said, this truth needs no further illustration. All that it is necessary to add is, that we are bound to examine ourselves accordingly.

3. As reverence to God is the most profitable, so irreverence is the most dangerous, habit which can easily be conceived.

As I shall have occasion to dwell particularly on this subject, when I come to consider the third command in the decalogue, I shall not dwell upon it here. It is sufficient to observe at the present time, that every person who is the subject of this character, ought to tremble at the danger to which he is daily exposing himself. There is no manner in which he can more effectually harden his own heart, or provoke the anger of God.

4. He who does not reverence God habitually, is here taught, that he is wholly destitute of religion.

There is a state of mind, in such persons especially as have been taught to fear God from the morning of life, and have retained a strong influence of these impressions, which it is often difficult to distinguish from evangelical reverence. But there is also a state of mind very extensively existing, which is wholly destitute of this attribute, and which, if examined with an ordinary degree of honesty and candour, may be easily

discerned. No infidel, no profane person, no mere sensualist, or worldling, needs to hesitate for a moment in determining that he is destitute of reverence to God, and consequently of religion. Of course, he ought to regard himself as plainly an object of divine wrath and so far as he has hitherto lived, an acknowledged heir of perdition. The fear of God is a fountain of life.' Irreverence to him is a well-spring of everlasting death. Let every irreverent man remember therefore that, to such as he is, God is a consuming fire.'

I have dwelt more minutely and extensively on this great subject of religion, because of its inherent importance, and because it is, I think unhappily, a rare topic of discussion from the desk.

SERMON XCIV.

THE LAW OF GOD.

THE FIRST AND GREAT COMMANDMENT.

HUMILITY.

YEA, ALL OF YOU BE SUBJECT ONE TO ANOTHER, AND BE CLOTHED WITH HUMILITY; FOR GOD RESISTETH THE PROUD, AND GIVETH GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.

1 PETER V. 5.

IN the preceding Discourse I considered at some length that exercise of love to God which is styled reverence. I will now proceed to examine the kindred virtue of humility, an attribute which seems to differ from reverence, not so much in its nature, as in its object. God is the object of reverence; ourselves, of humility. The state of the mind in the exercise of these Christian graces seems to be the same. It is hardly possible that he who is now employed in reverencing his Maker, when casting his eye towards himself, should fail of being deeply humbled by a view of his own circumstances and character.

Before I enter upon this examination, however, it will be proper to observe, that there are other modes in which love to God is exerted; and which, although not demanding a particular discussion here, are yet of high importance, and well deserve to be mentioned. They deserve to be mentioned because of their importance. The reasons why they do not claim

a particular discussion are, that more time would be demanded by it than can well be spared from the examination of such subjects as require a more minute attention, and that they may be sufficiently understood from the observations made on the other exercises of piety.

Among these, the first place is naturally due to admiration. By this I mean the train of emotions excited in a good mind by the wonderful nature of the various works of God, and the amazing power, and skill, and goodness, which they unfold. God,' saith Eliphaz, Job v. 9, doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number.' These things, we find good men, distinguished in the Scriptures for their piety, observing and commemorating with a transport of admiration. O sing unto the Lord,' says David, for he hath done marvellous things.'-' I will shew forth all thy marvellous works. Surely I will remember thy wonders of oră. - How great are his signs,' says Nebuchadnezzar, speaking at least the language of a good man, how mighty are his wonders!' What they felt they called upon others to feel. 'Remember,' says David, his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,' 1 Chron. xvi. 12.--Declare his glory among the heathen; his wonders among the people,' Psalm xcvi. 3. 'Oh give thanks to the Lord of lords, who alone doeth great wonders; for his mercy .endureth for ever.'

Admiration is a combined exercise of the mind; and is formed of wonder and complacency. It is an exercise emineatly delightful, and is everywhere presented with objects to awaken it. Both creation and providence are full of wonders, presented to us at every moment, and at every step. Every attribute of God is fitted to excite this emotion by the amazing degree in which it exists; and by the degree also in which it is very often displayed. Thus the psalmist speaks of the 'marvellous lovingkindness of God;' St. Peter, of his 'marvellous light.' King Darius says, 'He worketh signs and wonders in heaven and earth.' Thus David says, I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.' Thus one of the names of Christ, whose redemption is the most marvellous of all the works of God, is, 'Wonderful.'.

It is to be observed, that religious admiration is entirely distinguished from wonder in the ordinary sense, by its union