tance; but even in their very opinions and modes of judging, deliberately put by the consideration of it. "Knowing the judgment of God, that they who commit such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but have pleasure in those that do them

For instance, all men know in what strong language our Lord and His Apostles have spoken of the sins of sensuality; yet we know too that many of these sins are systematically indulged by numbers of Christians; persons who profess (when they turn their thoughts that way) to believe the Scripture records, and to respect the authority of the Scripture precepts. Now, how do these persons explain their conduct to themselves? Is it not their habitual practice to laugh down seriousness, and to look on any argument which is brought against them from the words of Scripture, as on that very account unworthy of attention? It seems as if the mere fact, that the objection turned on religious grounds was with some men a sufficient reason for putting it by, as part of a question into which they do not feel called on to enter.

How plainly do such persons resemble the profligate sons-in-law of Lot! The Bible seems to them as a book that mocketh.

And what has just been said of sensuality, is equally applicable to every other course which men knowingly persevere in against God's command, and yet without a feeling of uneasiness.

No persons, who intentionally put by religious

considerations in the regulation of any part of their conduct, can possibly take the Bible to mean what it plainly says. They must suppose that its statements are somehow or other exaggerated, that it was written for different times, or for persons differently circumstanced from themselves, or that it intentionally overstates the rule of conduct, on the assumption that men will aim at something short of the mark prescribed to them.

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These, and other devices of self-deceit, must be systematically cherished by a large portion of mankind. But there is yet a further step of indifference to be traced: we have to observe men not only putting the Bible intentionally out of their thoughts, wherever it is brought to bear upon their own conduct; but, at the same time that they do this, taking God's word into their mouth, praising religious sentiments, expressing the utmost respect for [religion]. They come unto thee," says the Prophet Ezekiel of the faithless Israelites, " as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as My people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And lo thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they hear thy words, but they do them not."

This is the last and most hopeless form of religious indifference; to this, more than to any other

temper, the Bible seems as a book that mocketh; and those who cherish it would have been the least of all men likely either to follow Noah into the Ark, or to fly with Lot from the fate of Sodom. Yet it is to be feared that a way of viewing things not very unlike this, is sadly characteristic of our times; at any rate, we cannot doubt that it is very prevalent among us, and that it takes especial hold on refined and educated minds. The two first forms of practical infidelity which have been mentioned, are common to all times and all stages of society. In all the variety of circumstances in which history exhibits man to us, we see abundant instances of wilful sin against a knowledge of the truth, and a deliberate preference for the servants of mammon before the servants of God. But to combine this real contempt of sacred things with a hollow artificial respect which hears the word of the Most High "as a very lovely song," this is a kind of neglect reserved only for days of intellectual cultivation.

In these times we must be most zealously on our guard against such fatal delusions, if we would hope that it may not sometime be with us as in the days of Lot and in the days of Noe. would hope that God's third great judgment, the coming of the Son of Man, may not overtake us

unawares.

If we

Nor let us suppose it so very certain, that this fearful day is as yet far distant from us. The

course of Nature may indeed seem firm and settled; the thought may suggest itself to us, which St. Peter says shall arise among those who walk after their own lusts," which say, Where is the promise of His coming; for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation." But let us remember that this is to be the scoff of the last days; and that the Apostle states it in connexion with this solemn warning, "The heavens and earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment. . . . The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is long-suffering to us-ward.

But the day of the Lord will come, as a thief in the night."

Let us be careful that this warning is not treated by us as was the warning of the Angels by Lot's sons-in-law.

What then is the Ark which we are to prepare, or where is the Zoar we must fly to?

"Sell that ye have and give alms; provide for yourselves bags which wax not old; a treasure in the heavens that faileth not. . . . Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; and ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their Lord; that when He cometh and knocketh, they may open unto Him immediately. Blessed are those servants whom the Lord, when He cometh, shall find watching."

SERMON XVI'.

MAN'S DEADNESS TO RELIGION THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE OF THE GOSPEL.

2 PETER iii. 4.

"Where is the promise of His coming? for since the Fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation."

Of all the interpositions of God in the affairs of men, the introduction of Christianity is the one for which the greatest preparation was made, and with which the greatest blessings are associated, as its promised result. From the first to the last, it is, as it were, the burden of the Sacred Volume; both in the frequency with which it is mentioned, and the terms in which it is spoken of, our attention is forced towards it as the one leading object of the miraculous Dispensation.

When the first man and woman had forfeited God's favour and received His sentence, the condemnation was mitigated by the promise, that at

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' [The following Sermon has been put together out of portions of three incomplete sermons.]