which those blessings are conferred. At this season, then, in which we celebrate the incarnation of the Son of God, and meditate upon the hope set before us, let us pay particular attention to this point. Let us see that we have that humble penitent disposition which the Gospel requires. Let us learn to be thankful to God for his inestimable gift; thankful from the experience of its value, from the enjoyment of the freedom, peace, and hope which it communicates. These blessings are of the most valuable kind: they deserve the highest return of praise; they are a gift worthy of God, who bestowed, and of the astonishing means which were devised to convey them. But take these away, and the glory of the Gospel is departed. It sinks down to a mere system of ethics. It no longer answers to the title which it bears: "glad tidings of great joy." The characteristic title of "Saviour" becomes an empty name, and the whole system becomes little better than a modification of philosophy; a set of pure rules and decent ceremonies alone. But we have not so learned Christ.

I recommend, in a particular manner, the consideration of this subject to those persons, and I believe they are not a few, who are in some degree persuaded of their guilt and unworthiness, but who rest in that persuasion without taking any steps, at least any proper steps, to remove them. I say, without taking proper steps; for there is an infinite variety of methods to which our minds will have recourse when the conscience is oppressed with guilt. I do not merely speak of listening to the suggestions of infidelity; or fleeing for refuge to dissipation or to vice; of studiously banishing all serious thought upon the subject. These are the resources of the disingenuous, and of the hardened sinner. But I speak rather of the palliatives, which many are disposed to apply,-remedies short of that which alone is complete and satisfactory. Such persons will acknowledge their guilt, but they flatter themselves that it may be less than their fears represent

it. They are not quite sure that they have not proposed an unnecessary degree of strictness: they think that God may prove more merciful than He is represented in the Scriptures; or they depend on good qualities to redeem bad actions, and are disposed to think their own both numerous and valuable. They promise yet greater amendment and a higher degree of purity hereafter; and thus, in any or all of these ways, they seek to obtain a peace which at the best is but short-lived and deceitful, and which will fail those who trust to it when they need it most. Believe me, my brethren, there is no solid peace to be found but in a sincere and faithful application to the Saviour. Extenuation of guilt, or confidence in our own power of amendment will but increase the evil. Dismiss such vain expectations. Come at once to Christ, as guilty and miserable sinners; confess to him your sin, and implore from him grace to know it better. Give up all subterfuges, and place your whole trust in the Saviour of sinners. In his promises, and in his intercession, you may find solid peace. And be persuaded, in applying to him, that it is his whole yoke which you must take upon you; that all partial reformation will be useless: you must become his disciples in spirit and in truth; nor can you enjoy any solid peace till this is the case. But when once the heart, abandoning its refuges of vanity and lies, is disposed cordially to embrace the Gospel-salvation, and to surrender itself wholly to Christ, then the promises of my text will be found true in their fullest extent. The broken hearted will be healed, deliverance will be granted to the captives, and a jubilee proclaimed to the destitute and hopeless. Then the benefits of this salvation will be clearly known; and they will be found to be worthy of all which has been done to procure them.

May we thus yield ourselves to God in Christ, that we may enjoy these benefits in time and through all eternity! Amen.

SERMON XIX.

THE DUTY OF GLORIFYING GOD.

1 Cor. x. 31.

Whether, therefore, ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.

ONE great object of religion is to bring men to a sense of the duty which they owe to God. It is declared of the unregenerate (as distinguished from the righteous,) that God is not in all their thoughts; that "they have no fear of God before their eyes;" that they are "without God in the world;" that they are "lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God." On the contrary, real Christians are described as living no longer to themselves, but unto God; as serving, fearing, and loving God; as putting their trust in him, and as doing every thing to his glory.

The precept, therefore, which is given in my text is not to be viewed as a mere command to practise any particular branch of virtue, but rather as an exhortation to adopt and employ that general principle of true religion which will not only direct to all virtue, but sanctify even the common actions of life.

Let us, therefore, inquire into the general nature of this principle, and then endeavour to elucidate ts operation by tracing its influence upon our ordinary conduct.

1. To understand the nature of the principle which St. Paul here inculcates, we should observe the cises before him, in the context from which he takes occasion to prescribe this general rule.

This chapter contains advice upon three particuar cases of conscience. The first respects the lawfulness of assisting at idolatrous feasts; such as were held on pagan temples, and in honour of the pagan worship. Of these entertainments, some Christians, it appears, who were less careful to please God than to gratify their worldly connexions, condescended to partake, and justified their conduct by an argument of this kind; That an idol was, in fact, nothing; that it was a deity of mere imagination; and that, therefore, what was offered in sacrifice to idols had nothing in it which could pollute; that it could have contracted no defilement by this use; nor be at all less proper for food than flesh which had not been sacrificed. To this the Apostle replies, that certainly an idol was nothing; yet still, since the principle upon which idolatrous sacrifices were offered was the worship of false gods, or, as he might more fitly call it, devils, he could say no less of the compliance than that it was "holding fellowship with devils;" and, therefore, absolutely unlawful. “Ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils." "Do we provoke the Lord to jeal ousy?"

The second case was that of buying such flesh in the market: for whatever part of the animal was not consumed on the altar, or distributed for presents and en tertainments, was exposed publicly to sale. And to this the Apostle gives his decided sanction. "Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake." Being designed for common food, it is not liable to the same objection with

what is appropriated to idolatrous feasting: for the of fence does not consist in eating what was slain for sacrifice, but in eating of it on such occasions; where it is scandalously abused, to the dishonour of him who gave it. The other is its legitimate and appointed use. Eat, therefore, without inquiry and without scruple: "for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof." He gave cattle for the use of man: nothing can annul his grant to you, but your own wilful perversion of it.

The third case respected the propriety of eating these same meats at the table of an heathen acquaintance; and this is resolved like the last. Being invited as to a common meal, you are in general to partake of it as such, without either uneasiness or remark. "Whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake." But are you officiously told that it is a portion of the sacrifice? Or would a weak brother, who regards it as defiled, consider God as dishonoured by your participation of it? Then abstain, on both these accounts, "for his sake that shewed it;" to satisfy your informer, that you give no countenance to such things; and also, "for conscience sake;" for the sake of his conscience, who may be vounded or scandalized, or ensnared by your connivance. It might be lawful for you; but things lawful are not always expedient. It might be lawful; but it would not edify. Disregard not, then, the edification of your brother; respect his weakness. Deem it a sufficient reason for your abstinence that you might otherwise grieve him, or incur the risk of corrupting his integrity, by warranting what he esteems a crime. The principle, therefore, is the same whether you eat, or whether, under these or any other peculiar circumstances, you abstain. In both, you shew a respect to God: in the one, by enjoying his bounty with thankfulness, as he designed; in the other, by giving proof of your sincerity in his service, and by respecting even that scrupulosity in your brethren, which arises from their reverence for him. This leads to the general conclusion, not only in these cases