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Jesus, and his evangelists and apostles, we are assured, that if we sincerely repent of our sins, and firmly believe in him, if, with hearty sorrow for our past wickedness, and true faith, we "turn unto him," in newness of life," not trusting in our own righteousness," but wholly and altogether "in his manifold and great mercies," we shall, for the sake of his sufferings and his righteousness, have all our transgressions forgiven; indeed, Christ himself declares, "him that truly cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out." Yes! through faith in this adorable Saviour,―a "faith working by love," we shall be pardoned, sanctified, justified;-cleansed from our sins in his precious blood, we shall be regarded as innocent in the sight of God;-His Holy Spirit will give us that godly sorrow for sin, which worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of;—He will support, assist, and guide us in all the trials and temptations of our future lives; and if, under his blessed influence -we labour to persevere to the end, in a steady and consistent obedience to the commands of Christ, we shall, through his merits, be finally accepted, and be rewarded with everlasting glory.

Since, then, the necessity of reading or hearing the scriptures is so great, since they are not only the best guide we can consult, but the only guide that can possibly lead us to eternal

happiness, it is assuredly the indispensable duty of every one of us, most carefully to peruse those sacred oracles, that we may thereby, through God's grace become "perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." They who have leisure afforded them should, (with hearty thanks for the blessed privilege, and earnest prayer for divine aid) constantly devote a portion of each day to this holy exercise:-and even they who are most engaged in worldly concerns, have, or ought to have, the Lord's day to bestow on those things that belong to their eternal peace,-and should always employ some part of it, not only in attending the public services of the church, but in reading or hearing the Word of God. Yet be it remembered, that it will avail us little to read or hear, unless we reflect also upon the sacred truths thus imparted to us: unless we apply what we read or hear to those great purposes for which the holy scriptures were given; namely, the amendment of our lives—the improvement of our hearts-and the salvation of our immortal souls. If this be, indeed, our first object,―our -our "delight will be in the law of the Lord"-we shall "meditate upon it day and night." Firmly persuaded that "all Scripture is given by the inspiration of God," we shall "search" diligently, "as for hid treasure"-we shall "search" with that spiritual "hunger and thirst" which will lead us eagerly to "desire the

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138 READING OR HEARING THE SCRIPTURES.

sincere milk of the word"-that we may thereby

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grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." We shall "search" in the spirit of meekness :—and may He who hath "hidden these things from the wise in their own eyes-and the prudent" in their own conceit-mercifully reveal to us his saving truths :-May the Holy Spirit "open our understandings, that we may understand the Scriptures:"-and may He give us grace so to apply them to our hearts by faith-that, whether in prosperity or adversity-in health or sickness -in life or death-we may have "joy and peace in believing"-yea,-that we may evermore "rejoice in the Lord-and joy in the God of our salvation."

SERMON XII.

ON LOVING PLEASURE MORE THAN GOD.

2 TIMOTHY, III. 4.-"Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God."

Of all the attacks that are made on human virtue, none are more disguised-none more fatal -than those which assume the form of pleasure: and therefore it is that we are so frequently warned in scripture against the danger of an enemy, at once so alluring and destructive. In order that we may be able to discern this realthough often unperceived foe, and to reject, with christian forbearance, the palatable poison offered to our taste, I shall enquire into the meaning of the word pleasure;-endeavour, by divine aid, to explain what it is to love pleasure more than God;-and conclude, by exhorting my present hearers, as they value their precioustheir immortal souls, to take heed to themselves, and, before the day of grace is past, resolutely adopt a better-a safer rule of action.

Mankind, in general, divide the pleasures of this life into innocent and guilty. Now, though this definition might be supposed sufficient to teach them what to indulge, and what to reject, yet, so fallible is human judgment—so prone to error and self-deceit the heart of fallen man,— that, far from being rigid in an application of the rule, the lovers of pleasure are seldom accurate; but too often include in the number of harmless amusements, such as, were they subjected to strict examination, would be found unfit for the enjoyment of rational and accountable beings and allowing that some more cautious individuals exclude from the catalogue, pleasures of a doubtful nature,-yet even they are too frequently unsuspicious of the danger attendant on those usually denominated innocent; and consider not, that what, to a certain degree, may be harmless,-in excess, may be sinful; and that those things which are not in themselves blameable, become so, when preferred to objects of higher estimation. Now, by the term "pleasures," in the text, we are not to understand that the Apostle meant actual sin;—yet that he condemns such a strong attachment, even to what is not sinful, as gives it a preference to more valuable-more exalted considerations.

Regarding pleasure then, in the most favourable and liberal sense, let us enquire what is to be understood by "being lovers of it more than