besides thee." Once I loved the world, and the things of the world, as if all my happiness was bound up in worldly enjoyments: "I said unto gold, Thou art my hope; and to fine gold, Thou art my confidence:" I applied to creature after creature, eagerly inquiring, Who will show me any good and thought of, and desired, nothing more or better, than to have my corn and wine and oil increased; but now I renounce them all: I give up all my expectations from the world, and choose thee, O Lord, for my portion; and prefer the smiles of thy countenance, and the slightest expressions of thy love, to all the kingdoms of this world, and all the glory of them."

2. This preference must be, Practical.

us ?

Actions are the best interpreters of our affection and esteem: and if we do not show more earnestness about the things of Christ and religion, than in common matters, how say we at least, how prove we that the love of Christ reigneth or dwelleth in What does our divine Lawgiver mean by those precepts, "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness;" "Lay not up for yourselves treasures on earth;""Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that which endureth to everlasting life;" if religion is not to have our chief endeavours? Why did he give us such a pattern of contempt of the world, and spend his life in zeal for God and doing good to men, if we are to make this world our prize and scope? Why are we bid to keep ourselves in the love of God, and to give such diligence, to the full assurance of hope unto the end; if we may be careless whether Christ love us, or whether we improve his love? He hath, in

deed, allowed us a large portion of time for our worldly business: but, then, he expects that we abide with him in our callings; that we mind earthly things always in subordination to the calls of religion; and that, "whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, we should do all to the glory of God." To say we love Christ best, and yet give the world the chief of our thoughts and time and strength; to be elated at worldly prosperity, and dejected at worldly disappointments, and at the same time indifferent to the smiles or frowns of Christ; is not merely inconsistent, but insolent and profane. If our affection to Christ be true, and our preference of him be real, it will discover itself in every part of our conduct and conversation; and we shall determine to know nothing, and mind nothing, comparatively, "but Jesus Christ, and him crucified." Our whole study will be to walk so as to please him; and we shall be more solicitous to obey him, in instances the most painful to flesh and blood, than to gratify our own natural desires, though in things otherwise the most innocent and commendable-according to that declaration of

his; "If any man come unto me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple" (Luke xiv. 26)—that is, they must no more prejudice our love to Christ, or stand in competition with him, than if they were objects of detestation :-a father, in this case, should be no more than a stranger; a child, no more than an alien.

3, Our preference must be, Patient and persevering

goes

For it will be put to many a painful trial. Those that will live godly must expect to suffer persecution. "If ye were of the world," said Christ to his disciples, "the world would love its own; but because I have chosen you out of the world, therefore: the world hateth you." And scarcely a day passes, but your love, and faith, and zeal will be called into exercise. Sometimes the tongues of the world will be let loose against you. In every age, and in every place, there are "scoffers, walking after their own hearts' lusts" these sit "in the seat of the scornful;" and not one of Zion's travellers can pass by, but they have some ill-natured remark ready;-There one of your saints! saints! Here comes another of the godly! See how wonderfully scrupulous they are not to tread a single step awry; and how squeamishly they turn away their eyes from so much as beholding vanity!Well, Christian, and what then? What is there in all this that thou needest be ashamed of? And yet their bitterest fury would be, many times, less terrible than these cruel mockings. Here, then, is a trial of your preference of the love of Christ-whether you can continue "steadfast, immovable, and abounding in the work of the Lord," while they are laughing at you as formal and precise ;-whether you had rather they should. ridicule and reproach you never so much, than that Christ should have somewhat against you;-whether you can boldly tell them, 'If this be to be vile, I will be yet more vile. You cannot want encouragement so long as that text stands in your Bibles. "Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you, falsely, for my sake: rejoice, and be

exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven; for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you." (Matthew v. 11.)

At other times the world may carry their resentment higher, and threaten you with losses, and crosses, and ruin: They will never look upon you more, they will never employ you more, they will never buy of you more, if you do not throw aside that puritanical strictness (as they call it), and look and live as the rest of the world.-To instance only in the Sabbath. Those who make no conscience of keeping that day holy to the Lord, themselves, are angry with those that do; and it is no uncommon thing for them to say, "If you will not do this or that on Sabbath-days, you shall not do it at all: if you will not sell on Sabbath-days, I will not buy of you on other days.' Here, then, is another trial of your love to Christ. Can you give up the goodwill of those who would be your best friends as to the world; can you hazard their displeasure, rather than break the commandment of your God? Had you rather lose some, had you rather lose all, your business, than profane the Sabbath and offend your Saviour? Had you rather all the world should be angry with you, than Christ? Had you rather be a poor friend of Christ, than a rich favourite of the world?

I repeat it again,-there is scarcely a day but you are some way or other put to the trial: Do you hold fast the profession of your faith without wavering? Can you leave all, have you left all, to follow Christ? Or, rather, have you not, by unworthy and unjustifiable compliances, hazarded the displeasure of Christ, and given him too much reason to ask

that cutting question, "Will ye also go away?" "Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. But if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him."

Improvement.

I. If the remembrance of Christ's love is better than wine, what shall we think of those who prefer the basest things of the world to the love of Christ!

It was a very severe expostulation, "Will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls of barley and pieces of bread?" (Ezek. xiii. 19.) Do you so lightly esteem the Rock of your salvation? Will you provoke your Master for things so cheap and contemptible?'-And yet there are many to whom this expostulation (severe and reproachful as it is) may with sad propriety be applied. Some will not take the least pains to procure or maintain communion with Christ. He comes and knocks, and in a voice of melting mercy says, " If any man open to me, I will come in and sup with him, and he with me." If they do not presently comply, he repeats his call, and with more vehemence and importunity beseeches them: "Open to me, my sister, my spouse, my love, my dove, my undefiled; for my head is filled with the dew, and my locks with the drops of the night." And all the while they lie stretched on the bed of sloth-as if they should say 'Let him wait; it is not worth my while to break my rest for him: his conversation may be instructive and entertaining another time; but at present, I had rather have "a little more sleep, a