languishes; justice is subject to power, or submissive to policy; injured innocence bleeds; the groans of oppression are beaved to the winds; and grief sheds her tears upon the bosom of night. Disease and death, in spectre form, plant themselves, in every step of our pathway, through life. And why has death triumphed over our common nature, and held his revels amongst the tombs of the dead? Why has he mocked our joys; and snatched from us our fondest hopes; and given to the worm, and to corruption, the dearest objects of our earthly love? 'Tis SIN that has marred this fair part of God's creation, and peopled the land of the dead with the corpses of a thousand generations, and filled the bottomless pit with the lost souls of men. Ah, my friends, where sin is, when we look to the retributions of eternity, there must be hell. But is there no way of escape, from guilt, and ruin? Yes. Blessed be God! Jesus "is the way, and the truth, and the life." Believe on him, and though you were dead, yet shall you live." Believe on him, and you shall "awake to the resurrection of life." Believe on him, and yours, to eter nity, shall be the society, and the employments, and the anthems of heaven.

t

SERMON VII.

"And thou shalt love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”

DEUTERONOMY, vi, 5.

IN the preceding chapter, Moses calls the attention of the tribes of Israel, to the past kind, and merciful dealings of God towards them, repeats the ten commandments, and exhorts them to a diligent and faithful observance of all the divine requirements. The text furnishes a summary, of all that the law demands, in detail. The great lawgiver of Israel, very clearly teaches them, that, although an external obedience to the law, would be a compliance, in form, with its requirements, yet, that the spirit, and essence of that obedience which the law demands, consists, altogether, in the total surrendry of the heart to God.

It is a principle which is taught, the Bible over, and the correctness of it, is sanctioned, by the common consent of mankind, in their intercourse with each other, that a man is commendable, for an action which is right in form, only, in so far forth, as it is dictated by a kind and benevolent inten

tion. If a man has it in his heart to do good, he is accepted, both of God and man. If on the other hand, he be the instrument of never so much good, without designing it, or when he had designed something else, he deserves no praise. What a man is in his heart, then, is his true character, in the sight of God, whatever may be the language of his actions.

God, in teaching us what his law requires, and in propounding the grand principle of obedience, reduces the whole to a simple, and single exercise of the heart. "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart." God only, could authorize a law, making such a requirement, and he only, is capable of judging his creatures by it. Every one feels, that it would be presumption in an earthly parent, to make that the condition of his favour, to his son, of which it is the exclusive prerogative, of God only, to judge. If an earthly parent should require his son to love him with all his heart, by what means could he test the obedience of his son. It is very obvious, that he would not be able to sit in judgement on his own law. But God, whose province it is, to demand of his creatures, the entire surrendry of all their powers; and who, as the searcher of hearts, is able to discover the secret wickedness of men, and to bring their true character to light, has the right to demand, that we should give him our supreme affections, and the ability to judge, in the case. 'Tis not necessary, that men should act out, what they feel, to enable God to know, and determine, how they feel. He sees the internal feeling, as clearly, and as distinctly, as the external expression.

We come, then, to this conclusion, that a law, demanding the heart, can only be authorized by God; and that he, only, is capable of judging, by this law, those, on whom it is binding.

I desire, my brethren, as we pass along, that you keep in view, these two great truths; that God does demand of you, that you love him, with all your heart; and that he is infinitely capable of determining, whether you have complied, or not, with what he requires.

In what I shall further say on this subject, I shall call your attention,

TO THE NATURE, AND EXTENT OF THE OBLIGATION EXHIBI

TED IN THE TEXT.

1. THE NATURE OF THE OBLIGATION.

What is it that God demands of the sinner? The text answers, that he is required to love God; that he is required to love him, with all his powers; to love him supremely. Thence we see, the nature of the requirement, both as it regards the endowments of our being, and the extent, to which he claims them, to be devoted to his service.

Love and hatred are the ruling passions of the soul. What we hate, we avoid, and feel a strong propensity to subvert, and destroy. If I love an object, I shall labour to secure it and the constancy, and the extent of my efforts, will be in exact proportion, to the ardour, and strength of my affection.

Do I love my father? Nothing gives me so much happiness, as to please him. My affection for him will render it easy for me to comply with his requirements. Indeed, it is

this alone, that can ensure my submission to his will. If he knows that my obedience flows from love to him, it cannot fail to delight his heart. If, on the other hand, I render the act of obedience, because I expect some good, or dread some evil, I exhibit no evidence that I love him; nor can I deserve the reward of one, whose heart is devoted to his father's honour and happiness. It is not, under these circumstances, my father, that I love, when I render the formal obedience, but my own personal happiness, as I deem it connected with the anticipated good, or evil.

If I love God, I shall take pleasure in doing his will. His will, I shall esteem it my privilege, to make the rule of my life. Not merely nor primarily, nor principally, because I expect to derive a personal good, from obedience to what he requires. Obedience rendered from a supreme regard to my own happiness, would make God the subordinate object of my affections; and would justify the expectation, that I should not only cease to love him, but that I should hate him also, with all my heart, the moment I should indulge the suspicion, that his existence and government were not necessary, or stood opposed to my happiness. If my love to God is genuine, and sincere, I shall as cheerfully serve him for naught, as for a reward. The motive to obedience will consist altogether, in my deep felt sense of the supreme excellency, and loveliness of God's character, and not at all, in any good I may expect from him. Love to my own happiness, is not Love to God; although I may love God, and love him supremely too, as the instrument of my happiness, as I should