Page images
PDF
EPUB

tual sloth and lethargy, as I have just described. Let us bear in mind the solemn warning, given in the book of Revelation, against lukewarmness in religion, and let us endeavour to maintain, to keep up in our hearts, a constant, never failing warmth of religious zeal, to be always zealously affected towards God and godliness.

It is difficult,-to the natural man it is impossible,-constantly to maintain such a feeling. By nature our soul cleaveth to the dust" of the earth, is disposed to be overborne and chained down by the cares and anxieties, by the pleasures and enjoyments, of this lower world. But we can do all things, however difficult, through Christ strengthening us. Let us, therefore, earnestly pray for the influence of his Holy Spirit to quicken,-and warm,-and invigorate our dull and sluggish affections. Let us be diligent in the use of all the means of grace; regular in our attendance all the offices and ordinances of reli

upon

gion. So may we humbly hope to be enabled to keep up a steady, uniform, con

1

sistent tone of devotional earnestness, to be always zealously affected towards religion, the highest and most important of all interests, and towards God, the greatest, and best, and most merciful of beings.

SERMON VIII.

FOLLY OF BEING WICKED.

PSALM liii. 3.

"Are not they without understanding that work wickedness?"

I AM persuaded, my friends, that if I address to you the question contained in the text, you will all answer in the affirmative. You will all readily acknowledge, that the working of wickedness is a decided mark or token, of want of understanding, of want of common sense.

But though we may acknowledge this when our judgment is cool and unbiassed, yet the temptations to various kinds of wickedness are so many, and so strong, that they are too often permitted to cloud our reason

and to make us forget those maxims and those principles, the truth and force of which we cannot but allow. It may, perhaps, assist these maxims and principles of reason and religion in preserving their ascendancy, and enable them the better to bear up against the force of temptation, if we seriously reflect upon the foolishness of doing wrong, and consider, why it is, that the working of wickedness is so great and decisive a mark of want of understanding. If we can become thoroughly and lastingly persuaded of this, we shall have gained an important advantage. Few men can easily bear to have their understanding impeached. Many of those, who have brought themselves to commit many kinds of iniquity without being ashamed of it, who can even affect to boast of some of their evil doings, would yet be deeply hurt to be convicted of foolishness. They value themselves on the qualities of the head, more than on those of the heart; they had almost rather be looked upon as bad men, than as fools. If therefore they could but be convinced,

and be made to feel, that their being bad men proves them to be fools; if they could but be made to feel, that the working of wickedness is a sure proof of want of understanding; there would be the greater probability of their being induced to give up a course of life, which is thus doubly disgraceful to them.

Now the wilful continuance in wickedness proceeds, sometimes from an actual disbelief in God, a total absence of all religion;-sometimes from a neglect and forgetfulness of God;-sometimes from a sort of mad defiance of God's authority. From which ever of these sources wickedness may proceed, it is in each case a mark or instance of want of understanding.

The proofs of the being of God, and the marks of his power, his wisdom, and his goodness, are many and various, and some of them of a nature to suit the humblest comprehension. It stands to reason, that every thing that is made, must have had some maker; and our opinion of the skill, and wisdom, and power, of the maker, must

« PreviousContinue »