end. They only who continue faithful unto death, shall receive the crown of life. And they only, when the time of their dissolution is at hand, can, with the great Apostle of the Gentiles, say, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing," and have kept his commandments.

To the observations which I have already made. permit me to add a few more distinctions, which are exceedingly necessary for the information of your minds, and the proper government of your thoughts and actions.

When two of the divine commandments, the one respecting the glory of God, and the other the good of our neighbour, come in competition, it may be asked, which of them ought we rather to obey? There can surely be no room for hesitation that, doubtless, which regards the glory of God. For, when we cannot execute the commandments which regard our neighbour, without violating those which regard the honour of our Creator, then, certainly we should rather violate the former than infringe on the latter. Now is it not only very possible, but certain also, that these duties may come in collision one with the other? For instance, God has commanded us to obey our parents; but, at the same time, he has enjoined us not to lie, nor steal. Now, if a father or a mother should so far forget their parental obligations to their children, and their duty to their God, as to issue their injunctions to their offspring to tell a falsehood for any particular purpose, or commit a theft * upon the property of another person, in such a case-(and the world is not without instances of the kind, in which juvenile delinquents have been trained up by their parents to every species of vice, and every mode of trickery, as the criminal records of this metropolis, and as even our own experience will attest)-in such a case, the line of duty and the course of conduct to be pursued admit not of a moment's hesitation to decide. God must be obeyed. Dishonour and disobey the parents rather than dishonour God. For, saith Christ, "He that loveth father or mother more than me, is not worthy of me." Again,

Should a moral and a ceremonial commandment come in competition, the preference is equally plain and obvious. The latter must in every case yield to the former-the moral must be observed and regarded before the ceremonial, if I may be allowed to borrow a similitude from the Psalmist, like the righthand of the Lord, it must have the pre-eminence. I desired " mercy and not sacrifice," saith God, by the mouth of his servant Hosea; by which he intimated, that the exercise of mercy, of charity, and compassion, is more grateful and acceptable unto him, than thousands of burnt-offerings. And the same reflection may be made respecting the forms and ceremonies of religion. No system of public worship can, perhaps, subsist without them. They are excellent in their place, especially when they are simple in their character, and unpretending in their appearance. But any reliance upon them, as a substitute for the observance of the precepts, and the neglect of the spirituality of religion, is highly offensive in the sight of God. They ought to be observed, but only in due subordination and subserviency to the spirit of the law, the letter of which killeth, when unaccompanied by that which giveth life, and animation, and beauty, and consistency to the whole. No church can possess a more

See also Deut. xiii.-It has lately been proved by Sir Robert Peel in the House of Cominons, that in the course of twenty years, crimes have increased in England about fourfold.

beautiful liturgical service than our own, and our forms and ceremonies of devotion are on the whole unexceptionable in their kind. But they are without their edifying effect, and their intended influence, if used as mere words of course, and as mere formularies of devotion. It ceases to be a service of the heart, whenever it fails to interest and warm the affections, and to fix and improve the heart. It is then an observance of the letter without the substance, of the form without the spirit; and such a ceremonial sacrifice is, we may be assured, one which the Lord desireth not. The sacrifices of God, even amid the forms of devotion, and the pomp of rituals, are a broken spirit—" a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise !" "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord. I am full of the burntofferings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts." That is, "I see that ye can observe these ceremonies, and that ye can offer these sacrifices, and your hearts remain unchanged, and your lives unreformed. I see that your observance of the letter, and of the ceremony, and of the outward sacrifice, makes you esteem yourselves holy and approved in my sight. But I tell you, come not to appear before me, and to tread my courts, with such mistaken views, and delusive sacrifices any longer." "Bring no more such oblations, wherein is vanity—such incense is abomination unto me: your sabbaths the calling of your assemblies, so constituted and so spent, I cannot away with it-it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear." Such was the language in which the ancient people of God were addressed, who observed the ceremonies, but failed to bring a willing and obedient heart to the moral and more important precepts and meaning of the law; and the same may still be considered as personally addressed to all, who now observe the forms, without retaining the spirit, of religion, and use the formularies of the church, without deriving from them that moral influence, and spiritual improvement which they are so admirably calculated to convey. "Put away from you the evil of your doings from before mine eyes cease to do evil-learn to do well," contains the substance of all religion, and is the practical effect which the worship of God-which every use of prayer, and every observance of the forms of devotion, should produce; and without it our solemn meeting is a solemn mockery, and all our religion an abomination and trouble in the sight of God!

But it is time to advert to the last head of the discourse, viz, THE BLESSEDNESS AND HAPPINESS which attend those," who hear the word of God, and keep it." On this point, a few observations only will be necessary.

We shall surely be ready to say with the pious woman, to whom the words of my text were addressed, that blessed was the mother of our Lord; and that highly favoured was she among women. Now this we must certainly believe, since He, who is truth itself, has declared it, that still more "blessed are they that hear the Word of God, and keep it :" more happy they who hear Christ in their hearts by faith, than she who bare him in her womb by nature. The blessedness of a true believer of a faithful servant of Christ, is even greater than that of the mother of the Saviour. How noble-how glorious a privilege is this! Yet the question is, are we deeply sensible of so exalted a blessedness? Blessed be the Father of mercies, that, notwithstanding our insensibility, we still enjoy it! And, though we cannot now see Christ, with the bodily eye, and here be deiglhted with his visible presence, yet we may,

by the eye of faith, behold him—our hearts may love him, and our souls enjoy communion and fellowship with him. Though he may not be ours by natural affinity, and consanguinity, yet he may be ours in affection, in love, and in service. And thus, spiritual regeneration-a holy and willing obedience to the divine law, and a prompt and cheerful submission to the divine will, bring men into a more happy relation, and a more honourable connexion with Christ, than it is possible for natural generation to do.

In hearing and meditating upon the Word of God, believers experience a pleasure and a satisfaction of which the men of the world can form no estimate, and entertain no idea whatsoever. Like David, they find it sweet to their taste. It is the heavenly manna, with which they feed their souls, and satisfy their spiritual appetites. It is the living water which they draw from the wells of salvation, with which their spirits are cheered, and their hearts refreshed. In fine, it is the food which strengthens the new man, and nourishes him to life everlasting. What pity must it excite, and what regret must it occasion, that, while this celestial manna falls daily around our camp in such purity and abundance, so few will take the trouble to gather it! that, while so few are so wise as to be filled with this heavenly food, even with marrow and with fatness, such multitudes are so reckless and inconsiderate, as to neglect and undervalue it! They "spend their money for that which is not bread, and their labour for that which satisfieth not." They lavish their lives in search of earthly blessings, the choicest of which impoverish the hungry soul, and filleth not the empty soul with gladness. Let not any of you, my brethren, act this foolish-this soul-destroying part, lest you perish-lest you pine away, and die in your iniquities-lest you be "as an oak whose leaf fadeth, and as a garden that hath no water;" "for, saith the Lord, the mighty One of Israel, I will ease me of mine adversaries," "and they that forsake me shall be consumed!" Our lot has been cast in a land flowing with Gospel-milk and honey-our civil and religious liberties are great and inestimable—ours is the blessed freedom of worshipping the Lord our God as every man's conscience directs. Do not through a wilful and depraved taste, refuse to partake of the richness and sweetness of your privileges, but with pleasure and delight feed thereon to your spiritual nourishment, and to your daily growth in grace and holiness, until you come to the full measure of the stature in Christ.

And that you may not lose the blessings attending those, "who hear the Word and keep it," and that you may acquire the holy habit of reducing what you hear to practice, I would exhort you, and every Christian who desires to promote his eternal salvation, to read the sacred Scriptures frequently with care, with attention and prayer; and, at the same time, to examine, every evening, before you give sleep to your eyes, and slumber to your eye-lids, whether, throughout the past day, in all the dealings and transactions between you and your fellow-creatures, you have acted according to the divine precepts, and have transfused their spirit into all you have thought, and uttered, and done and whether, in any case, you have fallen short of what conscience dictated as fit, and duty prescribed as essential to be observed. This personal examination, which I recommend with all the ardour which friendship can inspire, and with all the strength and vehemence which its importance demands, was followed by a heathen sage, and he thus adverts to this practice; "I make it a law," saith he, "every day of the world to bring myself to a trial. As soon as the torches are brought me, I begin an inquiry into the transactions of

the day. I go over all that I have said and all that I have done. I conceal nothing, I pardon nothing. I speak to myself, and say, Have you not seen too opinionative in this dispute? Have you not looked on this man with an evil eye? Have not you animadverted too freely upon the conduct, or the character, of this or the other person, &c.? Avoid such an animadversion for the future it is unworthy of thee. I pardon thee now, but beware of acting in the like manner in the time to come." This self-examination was observed by a heathen; and it is an example well-becoming the imitation of a Christian!

I must now draw to a conclusion the subject which has suggested so many aspects of important and improving examination in this and the preceding exercises. But, before I dismiss altogether my meditations on this text of Scripture, I would add a parting word or two of exhortation. I have besought you, brethren, in these exercises for your good, to read, and hear, and keep the Word of God. And I would now beseech you to bear in mind that, whether my advice be followed or not, the Word of God is that by which you shall finally be judged-that by which a sentence of approbation, or of disapprobation upon your thoughts and actions, shall finally be pronounced. Now if this be so—if the Book of God must be the judge that shall acquit, or condemn hereafter, it surely must be your true wisdom to read and study it now, in order that, by it, your spirits may be tried, and state ascertained. It is one of the surest characters of a good Christian, that he makes the divine Word as his rule and counsellor, on every day, and in every emergency of life, in order that he may ascertain the divine will, and having found it, to keep it. It is his way, in which he delights to walk. It is his wisdom by which he directs his ways. It is his instrument by which he works-his charter by which he holds his immunities and privileges. In a word, it is the will and testament of Christ, in which are given unto us exceding great and precious promises : and it is the law of his kingdom, which it concerns all his subjects to know and to study. Be, therefore, careful, my brethren, to make God's Word your rule, your way, your wisdom, and your delight, labouring to increase more and more in the knowledge and the practice of it. Be not like those invited to the marriage feast, who chose to attend on their cattle, their ground, and their wives, rather than on the Master of the entertainment-Christ. Beware of acting like the Gadarenes, who, for the loss of their swine, became weary of his company, and desired him to depart out of their coasts. Rather imitate the conduct of Mary, who, although there was much work to do in the house, neglected it, that she might sit at the feet of Jesus, and hear his doctrine; and for which he greatly commended her. Christ was better pleased to see her hungering after the feast which he brought her, than solicitous and anxious to provide a feast for him. He was more delighted with her love to his doctrine, than with her sister's care for his entertainment. Let the same mind be in you which was in her. Go and do likewise. Sit with humility and attention at the feet of Jesus. Listen to the gracious words which came from the mouth of him, who spake as never man spake." In fine, seek to "learn of him who is meek and lowly in heart, and you shall find rest unto your souls."

May God bless what has been spoken! May the eyes of your understandings be opened to see the wonders of his law, and may you so read and hear, as that you may evermore keep them, and bring forth good fruits, to the glory of God, and the salvation of your precious and immortal souls. Amen.

91

THE LAW OF CHRISTIAN CHARITY.

THE RIGHT REV. G. H. LAW, D.D., LORD BISHOP OF BATH AND WELLS ST. GEORGE'S CHURCH, HANOVER SQUARE, JULY 12, 1835.

"They cannot recompense thee: but thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the Just."-LUKE, xiv. 14.

THERE are few obligations more generally allowed, and what is of far greater importance, there are few more generally practised, than those which have for their object the relief of the suffering part of the community. Amidst a too prevalent corruption of manners-amidst a luxury which exceeds all bounds-amidst the decay or extinction of many sterner virtues, charity is still left to allure and to lead onward in the road to heaven. Almost every argument and every principle which can be adduced in the recommendation of duty, concur in enforcing the practice of charity. If we retire into our own breasts, and examine the feelings that exist there, we find our compassion so powerfully excited by cases of distress and misfortune, so cordial a co-operation in affording assistance to the distressed, that we cannot for a moment doubt, either concerning the reality of the feeling, or concerning the end for which that feeling was implanted in our breast.

If from our own breast we carry abroad our observations into the actual state of human society, we are soon led to acknowledge, that those things which all desire, but which all cannot obtain, that these must be regulated by some fixed rule of distribution, by some stern, unbending law. Peace and order could not otherwise be maintained among men. Did not, therefore, charity step in to supply the imperfection, to soften the rigour of these laws, instances would continually occur of hardships extremely hopeless; of virtuous and useful members of society sinking under the pressure of calamities; calamities which they could in no degree have averted, and from which they had no power to escape.

And then the feelings of our nature, as well as the deductions of our reason, are abundantly confirmed and strengthened by the Word of revelation. Almost every page of Scripture declares, "Whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" All claim, then, you see, to a religious character, all pretensions to piety and zeal, without this test, are nothing worth. Benevolence and humanity are the characteristics of our religion; the end and aim of Christianity. And by this, and by this only, do we shew that we are Christ's disciples, if we love one another.

But it is unnecessary for me to stop and point out more at large to this On behalf of the Royal Dispensary for Diseases of the Ear, and for the Deaf and Dumb.