verbally consistent with a fcriptural injunction, be the refult of selfishnefs or of self-denial; of spiritual mindedness or of pride; whether it be done for the honour of God and our Lord Jefus Chrift, or in conformity to the fuggeftions of the world, the flesh, and the devil; there is no moral difference in the conduct of the agent, nor any difference as to the manner in which the deed will be appreciated at the great day of account and retribution. To expofe fuch a doctrine, it is not neceffary to refer to the Scriptures. In a cafe fo plain, why even of ourselves judge we not what is right? No action whatever, though fulfilling the wideft extent of the letter of a divine commandment, partakes of Christian morality, is included within the limits of fcriptural goodness, is in any degree authorised to hope through the merits of Chrift for acceptance with God, except so far as the obedience to the divine commandment has ultimately proceeded from a defire to please our God and Saviour. No other obedience is obedience to the Father and the Son. And on what grounds fhall man contend that obedience, not rendered to Them, fhall be accepted and rewarded by Them?

In every respect, then, and from first to laft, our Lord Jefus Chrift is the corner

ftone of morality. Other foundation can no man lay. If this momentous truth be eftablished, be it our care to have it fixed in our hearts: be it our care to build our morality on that foundation, which has been laid by the hand of God; and to build upon it that morality, which our Lord himself has taught. The morality of our Lord is not of the world, therefore the world hateth it; dif likes its purity, complains of its ftrictness, puts afide fome of its precepts, and labours to curtail, and pare down, and circumfcribe the reft. Let us look not to the world, not to the maxins of the wifeft of the human race, but to a higher and purer fource, for the knowledge of our duties; even to Christ, the infallible revealer of the will of his Father, the author and finisher of the law of Chriftian morality. Come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord, who came to be the light of the world. The moral precepts of Scripture are of the number of those commandments, for the tranfgreffion of which 'he died to atone. They are of the number of thofe concerning which we have his recorded declaration: Whosoever shall break one of the leaft of thefe commandments, and fhall teach men fo, he fhall be called leaft in the kingdom of heaven. But whofoever fall do and

teach them, the fame fhall be called great in the kingdom of heaven (k). They are of the number of those commandments, with a reference to which his apoftle pronounces, that neither fornicators, nor adulterers, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, nor they who are guilty of hatred, or of variance, or of emulations, or of wrath, or of ftrife, or of fedition, or of envying, or of murder, or of revelling, fhall inherit the kingdom of God (1).

you

Let no man deceive with vain words, intimating that you may perfift in any of these fins and be faved. Vain and deceitful words! Wretched the man who is beguiled by them! For because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of difobedience (m). Whofoever obftinately perfeveres in the violation of any moral duty, remains under the curfe of the broken law. He shall not fee life: the wrath of God abideth on him (n). If it is with fincerity that we profefs to be the followers of Chrift, let us take his example for our pattern. Let us walk in the path which he has traced for us, if we would reach the kingdom to which he directed his courfe. If

:

we hope to be made like him (0) in that world of glory; let us feek to attain to some faint resemblance of his moral perfections, while we are in the body. But in ftriving for the acquifition of Chriftian morality, let us purfue it in the Chriftian way. Let us remember that it is God who worketh in us both to will and to do that we are not fufficient of ourselves to think, much less to do, any thing as of ourselves, but our fufficiency is of God: that it is the grace of Chrift which is, and muft be, fufficient for us, the grace of the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Chrift, which our Lord beftows. Do we stand in need of warnings to admonish us from time to time, that it is only through the grace of Chrift that genuine morality can be attained? Let us turn our eyes to those men, who are attempting to attain it by their own strength. Behold them for a season apparently fuccefsful. Witness their felf-complacency. Hear their vauntings, and the vauntings of their admirers! But withdraw not your attention from them. See them at once overcome by the passion or the appetite, which they believed themselves to have mastered. See them astonished at their own defeat, and paffively declining any future conteft. Or behold them roufed by (0) 1 John, iii. 2.

wounded

wounded pride, and renewing with vehemence their exertions for victory. See them again confident of fuccefs; again foiled; rallying anew; vanquished still more shamefully. Give them the highest praise to which, under the most favourable circumftances, they are entitled; and what is its amount? They ftruggle against common temptations, and when brought to a more than ordinary trial, are overcome. Or they refift fins of fome particular clafs, fins perhaps to which they are by natural conftitution the least inclined; and indulge in other more attractive gratifications. Or they guard the outward conduct, with little of inward regulation of the tempers and difpofitions. Would you furvey morality that is enlarged, confiftent, humble, devout? Look for it in him whofe fole dependence is on the grace of his Redeemer. That man's morality will be humble; and no other morality is Chriftian. That man will feel, and will confefs how very far his moral attainments fall below the ftandard of his duty; how defective they are in themfelves; how clofely accompanied by tranfgreffions and omiffions in every branch of moral obedience; how unworthy of the divine acceptance, but through the mediation of a