credit the love of God to our souls, is the surest way to hate sin, and to excite us to holiness. Does a child who cordially believes and speaks much of his father's love, feel therefore disposed to grieve and offend him? Does the friend who admits he owes all his happiness to the kindred companion of his heart, feel therefore disposed to insult him, and to thwart his wishes? No, my brethren, the man who believes the testimony of God; the man who lives in the peace and the grace of Christ; the man who feels that he has received an imperishable life, and is heir to final glory, this is the man to toil against evil; this is the man to abhor transgression; to be dissatisfied with the poor scanty morality of this world, and to labour after that "holiness without which he cannot see the Lord!"

But, my fellow creatures; ye who have not yet received into your hearts the testimony of God; ye who have stood aloof from his counsel, and thrust aside the lamp and the light which his gospel would bring to your aid; what do you hope to put in its place? If God's word be true, you must "perish upon the dark mountains," should you continue to walk by the wisdom and maxims of men. If you reject the testimony of God respecting Christ, the "wrath of God abideth on you." There is no salvation but in Christ. There is no light which can

point out the road to happiness, but the light of his truth. Would that there were a heart in you to believe, and to fly for guidance, and protection, and grace to Jesus Christ! May he give you to obey his call, and to confide in his promise! Very soon the policy of man will fail. Very soon the dreams of pride and of wealth will expire; the possessions of earth will pass away; the world will be dissolved; the hope of the hypocrite will perish! Believe at length the record of God, and by faith in Jesus, receive pardon and peace! He waiteth to be gracious. Hear then the voice of your Father, and keep his law. So shall it "lead you also when you go, and keep you when you sleep, and talk with you when awake!" Its accents shall be sweet, yea sweeter than honey to the taste!

86

SERMON VI.

THE LOVE OF HUMAN APPLAUSE.

JOHN xii. 42, 43.

"NEVERTHELESS, AMONG THE CHIEF RULERS ALSO, MANY BELIEVED ON HIM; BUT BECAUSE OF THE PHARISEES THEY DID NOT CONFESS HIM, LEST THEY SHOULD BE PUT OUT OF THE SYNAGOGUE. FOR THEY LOVED THE PRAISE OF MEN MORE THAN THE PRAISE OF GOD."

THE true and proper glory of a creature is to love and to obey his Creator. This assertion, as an abstract proposition, no man will venture to deny. Sufficient light yet illuminates the understanding to ratify the obligation which such a relation implies; yet this proposition, thus admitted abstractedly to be true, is in practice felt to be false.

To bring into exercise a habit of gratitude to God is an effort harsh and contradictory to the natural bent of our feelings. Independence of controul is a native principle of the human heart, and yet the approbation of others is gratifying to our self-importance. To please others, therefore, in a manner which presses not too heavily on the principle of our own in

dependence, is the ordinary wish and practice of human beings. Yet we are not quite at ease in this habit of thinking and acting. The abstract claims of God occasionally advance and press upon the mind, and the conscience finds no way in which absolutely to reject their appeal. Hence, on the one hand, the prevalence of a ceremonial religion, and, on the other, an internal conflict, which neither gaiety nor splendour, nor rank, nor possessions, nor flattery can wholly appease. It is however true, that by an incessant inattention to the voice of conscience, the moral ear at length becomes more or less insensible to its sound; and a hollow species of happiness is at length enjoyed, alike independent both of reason and of religion.

It will thus appear that practical infidelity is the result, generally speaking, rather of disaffection of heart than of want of evidence. Men secretly admit more than they are willing to allow.

These remarks accord with the fact announced by the evangelist in the words of the text: "Among the chief rulers also, many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue. For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.”

Humbly looking up to the divine blessing, let us consider on this passage of Scripture,

I. THE CONVICTION WHICH THESE MEN ENTERTAINED OF THE VALIDITY OF THE CLAIMS OF JESUS CHRIST.

II. THEIR RELUCTANCE TO CONFESS THOSE CLAIMS; and,

III. THE MOTIVE BY WHICH THAT RELUCTANCE WAS SUSTAINED.

I. Let us notice THE CONVICTION WHICH

THESE MEN ENTERTAINED OF THE VALIDITY OF THE CLAIMS OF JESUS CHRIST.

As a nation, a judicial hardness of heart had sealed up the Jews to perdition. They had so long trifled with God; they had so long been familiar with abused mercies and violated laws, that they were become insensible to all the sacred obligations arising from their national connection with God. His name was become as a common and degraded sound in their ears. Fruitful in the external recognition of his authority, they were utterly barren of reverence, and love, and fear. Their consciences were seared. They believed their own delusions, and valued their own lies. They were given up to a hardness of heart, which was proof alike against warning and invitation; a hardness which neither melted beneath the beams of mercy nor received impressions from the stern