6 to the care of his providence, to the word of his grace, and to the agency of his Holy Spirit. And let us lift up our hearts with our voices, while we sing "And now, my soul, another year "Of thy short life is past; "I cannot long continue here, "Much of my dubious life is gone, "And swift my passing moments run, "Awake, my soul, with solemn care, Thy true condition learn; "What are thy hopes, how sure, how fair, "Now a new scene of time begins, Devoutly yield thyself to God, "With zeal pursue the heav'nly road, "Nor fear a happy end.' DISCOURSE IV. RELIGION MORE THAN FORMALITY. Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.-2 Tim. iii. 5. AND what is godliness?—It is the tendency of the mind towards God; and is exercised in believing in him; loving and fearing him; holding communion with him; resembling his perfections; and employing ourselves in his service. It is the introduction of God into all our concerns; our acknowledging of him in all our ways; our doing all we do in his name, and with a reference to his authority and glorythrough the mediation of the Saviour, andby the influences of the Holy Spirit. This is godliness; and nothing else deserves the name. This godliness, however, has its form and its power; and this distinction enables us to arrange four classes of characters. For first, there are some who have neither the power, nor the form of godliness; they are as destitute of the pretension, as they are of the reality and often glory in this-for we read of some who glory in their shame. Secondly, there are some who possess both the power and the form. And these are the most worthy of our esteem, and imitation.May their number daily increase! Thirdly, there are some who have the power of godliness, but not the form. Their religion is a kind of disembodied spirit: and because some have laid too much stress upon outward things, they lay too little. They carry their notions of the spirituality of divine worship so far as to exclude social considerations; the influence of the body over the mind; and the use which the Supreme Being himself makes of our senses, to aid our graces-and which is simply the principle upon which the ordinances of the Lord's supper is founded. They do not remember, that though the substance be confessedly the main thing, circumstances are often very beautiful, and impressive, and beneficial; that we are not only to possess, but to profess religion; that we are not only to serve God individually, but to unite ourselves to a body of christians, and walk in holy fel lowship, striving together for the faith of the gospel: and that we are bound, not only to glorify God in our spirits, but in our bodies also, which are God's. So that the form when attached to the principle, is so far from being improper, that it is commendable, and important. But here we have reached the fourth class to which we referred, viz. those who have the form, but deny the power. These are awful characters; and therefore, says the apostle, to Timothy, from such withdraw thyself. We should do this as much as possible, with regard to their persons, but above all with regard to their state. In order to this-let us, I. Consider the power of godliness, and, H. Inquire whence it is that so many who deny it, are still disposed to maintain the form. I. The power of godliness is here distinguished from the mere form and indeed it is easy to shew the difference between them.— The one is principally external, and deals in words the other is internal, actuating our feelings, and governing our actions. The one is the name-the other is the thing; the one is the appearance--the other is the reality. The one is the body-the other is the soul, that inspires every member, and penetrates every particle of the frame. The one is the picture- |