rank, power, enterprise, and the love of admiration, the passions are excited, time consumed, the remaining scruples of religious feeling overcome, and the sensuality of the earthly heart gratified and confirmed.

the mind.

The DECEITFULNESS of this course of the world is remarkable. Men fall into it almost imperceptibly; the stream carries them along. They merely follow the example of others. The descent is easy and gradual. One generation succeeds another in the same round of thoughtlessness or laborious trifling. They go on without trouble, contrivance, or direct intention, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of Multitudes of such persons have no idea how far they have departed from the paths of real religion, do not suspect whither the course which they pursue will lead them, and are highly displeased with those who warn them of their danger. Nor are plausible delusions wanting to draw on the too willing travellers. Religion is traduced by many around them as enthusiasm, and separation from the follies or spirit of mankind as misanthropy; the intoxicating pleasures of sense are represented as excusable at least, if not blameless; the tumult of dissipation as innocent enjoyment; and the impure and often destructive fascinations of public and social diversions as allowable recreations and harmless amusements. An intense devotion of heart to earthly cares and employments is further considered as the discharge of necessary duties: whilst the pleas of family connexions, dependence on others, general custom, the laws of honour, station in life, and good intentions, unite with the dread of reproach and the fear of man, to lead the multitude forward in unsuspected captivity. Thus the deceitfulness of the world is its strength. It first blinds and then ruins men. And as it has always the multitude on its side, it has no difficulty in

softening things by giving them spurious names, in establishing corrupt maxims, erecting a delusive. standard, diffusing around every object a false atmosphere, and rejecting the friendly interference which would detect the illusion, and deliver men from its influence.

Need I then stop to speak of the FORCE of the world? It diffuses itself, like the waters of a mighty flood, on every side. None but they who are born of God ever really overcome it. It has been the same in all ages and circumstances. If it be impeded and obstructed in one channel, it bursts out in another. It bears down the restraints of education and conscience, and overflows the embankments which law or morals or religion may erect. Where it cannot flow in a full torrent, it insinuates itself by a secret course. The young and amiable, whom religion especially addresses, and whose hearts, yet tender, might be thought most susceptible of pity, are hurried along, as well as the aged and infirm, from whose feeble but anxious grasp all earthly objects are escaping. The acute and penetrating, whose minds, enlarged by science, might be supposed to be engaged in higher pursuits, and who cannot but detect the miserable folly of a worldly life, mingle in the throng with the uneducated, the frivolous, and the gay. The disappointed still press onward in the train, only to renew their disappointments. The very ministers of the sanctuary are in some instances not altogether free from the infection, and confirm by the exhibition of a low standard of religious feeling and instruction, the errors of the unthinking multitude. Even those who, in the spirit of a proud philosophy, openly inveigh against the trifles of life, submit to the tyranny of them. Erected, in a word, upon the foundation of a corrupt heart, the spirit of the world acts with a force which nothing short of the energy

rank, 1 the pas maining the sens confirmed The DEC remarkable

THE COURSE OF THE WORLD.

of true and spiritual religion, derived i
almighty grace and boundless love of Ch
can effectually withstand.

Such is the general course of the
its principle, its system, its object,
and its force. In every age it prese
and prominent features. Mani
ture, and the course in which
carnal, earthly, ignoble; alm
the dignity of his origin, as i
of those heavenly expecta
and elevate his soul. Stil
from the different circum
deserve a separate notic

This leads me to co II. THE PARTIC SPIRIT OF THE WORL For, besides the been considering, of this spirit, w times, places, a the course of th directions and may be chok in some plac B others.

our p

of

SO

y t n and find it t rent di

Thu

anity

laws

THEtered the course of the world from what

putable, are now held in abomination. especially those of benevolence, are

and its force. hele and popular, that they are geneand prominent ind pretended to. Christian laws,

nformation have had an influence f moral and religious sentiments

the dignity of a worldly life, though some

deserve a separat een the world and the spiritual This leads e Apostles, and the passages

again, the course of the altered by that pure light es in our reformed church, ivil and religious freedom, of our people, and by the reading and information

in some places however who thinks himothers. But Spirit because he is not

de, credulous, uncourbserves some religious from notorious proflind defends the national deceive himself. The ere in another channel. onable errors and vices which he has little tangled in those of

ity, the Pastidiousness, pride,

of true and spiritual religion, derived from the almighty grace and boundless love of Christ Jesus, can effectually withstand.

Such is the general course of the world. Such its principle, its system, its object, its deceitfulness, and its force. In every age it presents these common and prominent features. Man is an apostate creature, and the course in which he naturally walks is carnal, earthly, ignoble; almost as much inferior to the dignity of his origin, as it is below the grandeur of those heavenly expectations which ought to fill and elevate his soul. Still there are varieties arising from the different circumstances of mankind which deserve a separate notice.

This leads me to consider,
II. THE PARTICULAR

SPIRIT OF THE WORLD.

MODIFICATIONS OF THE

For, besides the general spirit of it which we have been considering, there are particular determinations of this spirit, which incessantly vary according to times, places, and circumstances. Like the tide, the course of the world ever rolls on, but in different directions and different channels. Some streams may be choked up, as others are opened; the flood in some places may flow wider and deeper than in others. But these variations do not materially affect our preceding observations. Man is the same, the law of God the same, the nature of sin, and the designs of the tempter, the same. It is only necessary to trace the governing principle, the sys⚫tem and the object of a worldly life, and we shall find it to be essentially the same under every apparent dissimilarity.

Thus, if we regard CHRISTENDOM GENERALLY, we must allow that the public profession of Christianity, the progress of civilization, and the several laws and usages consequent upon them, have con