conspire for his good. He imitates God, and rejoiceth in that blessedness, which God alone can give, and which the righteous only can enjoy.

To the mind and heart thus influenced by Christianity, the sources of enjoyment are alike rich and inexhaustible. Every acquisition of knowledge, every manifestation of providence, every trial of faith, every exercise of patience, every victory over prejudice, the subjugation of passion, the ascendency of reason, the harmony of good affections, the integrity of generous conduct, and, above all, and in all, the consecration of the whole man to the love and service of Almighty God, these are the proper enjoyments of a Christian; enjoyments, worthy of a being who shall live for ever. This is the commencement of salvation upon earth: this, the love, and peace, and joy, which Christ bequeathed all his faithful followers, to cherish them in life, to comfort them in death, to follow them through all the changes of immortal being.

These thoughts, my brethren, have been suggested by the words of the text: words, which exhort us to seek this very salvation, and to realize within ourselves this very love, and peace, and joy: words, which warn us from delusion, misery, and death; and which invite us to the acquisition of pure, calm, heavenly tempers, the fervency of faith, the cheerfulness of hope, and the graciousness of Christian charity. In the following discourse, then, you will be prepared to learn, what we must resign, and what we must embrace, in order to be happy here, and happy for ever. An important, and a fruitful subject.

"Be not conformed to this world,"

says

the Apostle," but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds."

This is, in truth, the sum and substance, the soul and spirit, of all practical religion. It identically corresponds with the views elsewhere exhibited by Saint Paul, of the grand design of the Gospel. "The grace of God, which bringeth salvation, hath

appeared unto all men; teaching us, that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world." And again," Our Saviour Jesus Christ gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works." The whole scope and meaning of these wonderful passages, (and who but their own author could do justice to their depth and fulness?) is comprised in the words of our present text. For, whoever is not "conformed to this world," must conscientiously "deny ungodliness and worldly lusts," and may, therefore, be considered as "redeemed from all iniquity." And whoever is really "transformed by the renewing of his mind," cannot but "live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world," and must, consequently, be one of God's "purified and peculiar people, zealous of good works."

Would we, then, obtain complete deliverance from spiritual bondage? We must resist and overcome that world, which enslaves its votaries. And would we attain the full enjoyment of our rescued powers? We must use constant prayer, and unremitting exertion, that we may be "transformed by the renewing of our mind." We must, indeed, exert ourselves, but in the first place, and as our great reliance, we must pray to God. For, we cannot maintain the conflict by our own strength; we cannot overcome the world, unless we be previously born of God; we cannot be made free from the law of sin and death, by any lower principle than the law of the spirit of life, in Christ Jesus; " For this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."

It is the great moral purpose of Christianity, to make us live on earth as citizens of heaven; as those, who seek a better country, a more enduring habitation; to make what is invisible, spiritual,

E

and eternal, predominate over what is visible, corporeal, and temporal; to withdraw our affections from low, trivial, unsatisfactory objects; and to place us in a world, where all is elevated, important, and answerable to the claims of spirits made for God (1), and which in God alone can find their adequate enjoyment. In the regions of this good and pleasant land, there may, indeed, be sufferings and trials. But sufferings, which purify the soul; and trials, which advance our nature towards its full perfection. If we do but leave the desert, we shall reach the garden of the Lord: and the light of his countenance will cheer us; and the inspirations of his spirit will direct us. For every relinquishment, we shall obtain a rich indemnity: in this life, an hundred fold; in the world to come, life everlasting. This is the special promise of our Saviour and whatsoever Christ hath promised, he will assuredly perform.

Relinquishments, indeed, must unreservedly be made. We must renounce