required from man by his Creator. It must, therefore, be studied and treasured up in its information, its doctrines, its precepts, and its sanctions; and, though spiritual in its nature, it is made so to us, that is, we imbibe its spirit through the instrumentality of means also proposed to be considered and applied by us.

From the manner in which the communications of the gospel are made to us, moreover, the necessity as well as advantage of serious consideration must be still more evident. For the gospel is in the nature of a proclamation or public message from a potentate to his subjects; and, as it embraces a great variety of matter as well as condition, and includes time that is past and time that is to come, as well as that now present, very careful attention is necessary to apprehend its connexion and bearing upon our individual interests.

Having also this public message recorded for our instruction, in such wise as to be equally authoritative with an audible delivery of its contents, the duty of acquainting ourselves with it is enforced by the readiness wherewith we may apply ourselves to this source of saving knowledge in divine things.

If serious consideration, then, is thus necessary and profitable to our entrance upon religion at all, it is equally so to our continuance in it with increase and advantage. As in all other sciences, we delight in them more as we become better acquainted with them, so it is in an especial manner with the science of religion. Its instruction is more deep, its discoveries more sublime, its results more certain all its knowledge leads to a practical result, and a present reward, with this high distinction over all the rest, that this reward shall be increased and perpetuated in eternity.

That this serious consideration was recommended by our LORD and by his apostles, we learn from many passages in the gospels and epistles, and that it was practised by the primitive Christians, and particularly by those to whom St. Peter wrote this epistle, we learn from the context. From this it would appear that meditations upon a future life, and upon the awful events of death and judgment, as preparatory to it, and bearing upon its condition for happiness or misery eternal, were the awakening and quickening considerations upon which their faith

SERMON XXXIV.

DILIGENCE IN RELIGION.

2 PETER iii. 14.

"Wherefore, beloved, seeing ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless."

WERE I called upon to say what I considered most conducive to the formation of the religious character, I would unhesitatingly name serious consideration. And I think I am warranted in this from the actual condition of mankind, from the nature of religion, and the manner in which the communications of the gospel are made to us.

From the nature of man, fallen and depraved, he is chiefly attracted by present and sensible things. Their power and influence over him is very great, not only because of their subserviency to his present comfort and enjoyment, but because of his natural darkness, and ignorance of higher and still more lasting enjoyments. Yet is there upon the mind of this fallen and perverted creature a faint and obscure, yet anxious and uneasy, perception of things which are not the objects of sense; in which, nevertheless, he is deeply interested. Serious consideration, therefore, is the only thing which can enable him to form some just estimate of what he is most attracted by, and to give a clearer and more impressive character to those anxious interests which lie beyond the boundary of sense.

From the nature of religion also, serious consideration must enter into any safe or profitable examination of its importance to our present as well as future welfare. For religion is a science, even the science of eternal life, upon conditions declared by Almighty GoD, and proposed to our attainment. Without serious consideration, therefore, it cannot be understood; and, if not understood, will never be desired and followed as the one thing needful. Religion, moreover, is a reasonable service

required from man by his Creator. It must, therefore, be studied and treasured up in its information, its doctrines, its precepts, and its sanctions; and, though spiritual in its nature, it is made so to us, that is, we imbibe its spirit through the instrumentality of means also proposed to be considered and applied by us.

From the manner in which the communications of the gospel are made to us, moreover, the necessity as well as advantage of serious consideration must be still more evident. For the gospel is in the nature of a proclamation or public message from a potentate to his subjects; and, as it embraces a great variety of matter as well as condition, and includes time that is past and time that is to come, as well as that now present, very careful attention is necessary to apprehend its connexion and bearing upon our individual interests.

Having also this public message recorded for our instruction, in such wise as to be equally authoritative with an audible delivery of its contents, the duty of acquainting ourselves with it is enforced by the readiness wherewith we may apply ourselves to this source of saving knowledge in divine things.

If serious consideration, then, is thus necessary and profitable to our entrance upon religion at all, it is equally so to our continuance in it with increase and advantage. As in all other sciences, we delight in them more as we become better acquainted with them, so it is in an especial manner with the science of religion. Its instruction is more deep, its discoveries more sublime, its results more certain all its knowledge leads to a practical result, and a present reward, with this high distinction over all the rest, that this reward shall be increased and perpetuated in eternity.

That this serious consideration was recommended by our LORD and by his apostles, we learn from many passages in the gospels and epistles, and that it was practised by the primitive Christians, and particularly by those to whom St. Peter wrote this epistle, we learn from the context. From this it would appear that meditations upon a future life, and upon the awful events of death and judgment, as preparatory to it, and bearing upon its condition for happiness or misery eternal, were the awakening and quickening considerations upon which their faith

everlasting reward. In all that God hath done for him and wrought in him here, he hath a foretaste of the greater and better things which shall be conferred on him there. In the love of GOD in CHRIST JESUS he realizes the pledge of all needed mercy. In the cross of CHRIST, he sees justice satisfied, sin atoned for, and GoD reconciled. In the resurrection of JESUS, he sees death vanquished and life and immortality brought to light. Thus delivered from the bondage created by the fear of death, he meets his last enemy without dismay, and asks him, O death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory?

Secondly, as the Christian is looking for death, it is because this is to him the commencement of another life. He is, therefore, looking for what must follow it, which St. Peter here calls the coming of the day of GOD.

This is the day which shall finally determine the everlasting condition of men and angels for happiness or misery. It is, therefore, called the day of GOD-the great and terrible day of the LORD the day of God's vengeance; because on that day the Almighty will vindicate the equity of all his ways and dealings with his creatures-because he will then convince the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him; and because on that day he will execute his righteous vengeance in the perdition of ungodly men.

It is also called the last day, because it will be the last in which time will be measured by the revolution of the heavenly bodies. As the evening and the morning were the first day at the creation, so, in like manner, will the evening and the morning of this day be the last at the close of this world, and will usher in eternity. Then shall the sun set in darkness and the moon withdraw her light, the stars shall fall from heaven, and the heavens themselves being on fire shall be dissolved.

It is, moreover, called the day of judgment, because GOD will then judge the world in righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance to all men in that he hath raised him from the dead.

To this day the Christian knows that he must come; it is, therefore, much in his thoughts. The awful business then to

him, and acts over his death as a scene through which he must pass; often is it so realized in the deep abstraction of his spirit, as hardly to be distinguished from the reality, until the mind reacts and returns him once more to the shadows of time-for such, indeed, they are, and never more truly considered as such than when coming back from such a contemplation. I know not, my brethren, that this was exactly St. Paul's meaning when he said to the Corinthians, I protest by your rejoicing which I have in CHRIST JESUS our LORD, I die daily. But every true Christian must, more or less, have met the hour of his death in those solemn meditations which bring near the end of his faith and the enjoyment of his hope of immortality.

Being thus familiar with it, he prepares for it as for a necessary journey-he lays in those supplies, and provides those accommodations, which will enable him to pass through its dark valley with light and safety. His lamp lighted up at the promises of GOD's faithful word, shows him his Redeemer's footsteps, and guides him through its gloomy shadow to the bright uncreated light of his Father's presence. The LORD is his shepherd, and is with him; therefore, he fears no evil.

In the serious contemplation of death, the Christian learns the true estimate of temporal things. He, therefore, holds them as accommodations of God's goodness to our present condition, and is thankful for his share of them. As they are to be accounted for as his Master's goods, he strives to be faithful in the management and diligent in the improvement of them. He, therefore, so uses the world as not abusing it; neither wasting it in revelling and dissipation, nor hoarding in anxious distrust or idolatrous love, but according to ability and opportunity he gives his LORD's money to the exchangers in the persons of the necessitous and suffering, thus laying up a good foundation against the time to come, that he may lay hold on eternal life.

Above all, in the certainty of the event and the uncertainty of the time, seriously considered, the Christian learns that he has here no continuing city. He, therefore, considers himself as a stranger and a pilgrim upon earth, and is hastening his return to another and a better country. His thoughts are at his home, with its loved society, its unspeakable enjoyments, its VOL. II.-49