services of religion, chills and discourages in his measure all the rest of the congregation. His carelessness tends to shake the conviction, that we are occupied, while here, in a real transaction with Almighty God. As far as it goes, it makes it appear that coming to church is merely a form; that religion is a mere shadow, or idle ceremony, and not a solemn and blessed reality. Oh! how different would it be, if all, or most of those who come to worship within these walls, were to come with the fullest confidence that God is here! If we could believe of all, or even the greater part, that their religion is a reality, that they feel to their sorrow the sins which they confess; that they desire in their hearts the blessing of forgiveness; that they long to be heard when they pray for the Spirit; that they mean what they say, when they speak good of the Name of God; how powerfully would this solemnize and quicken and sustain our feelings!

But the largest charity cannot believe this. We cannot help seeing-it is forced upon us—that a considerable proportion of every congregation have not their hearts really engaged in the holy services for which it might be supposed they meet together in the House of God. But yet there are those, who shutting out of sight the world and its ways, and desiring to see or hear

of nothing but of God and His salvation, come together here with hearts religiously disposed, longing to bear a part in the joyful exercise of prayer and praise; earnestly endeavouring to worship God not only with the bended knee, but with a devoted heart; to tell forth his praise, not only with their lips, but in their lives; who feel and know that they are here in His more immediate presence, and who desire their whole souls to be absorbed in adoring Him for His mercy. And oh ! let it be your care and earnest desire to come in this spirit before the Lord your God. Serve the Lord with fear and rejoice unto Him with reverence. Put away, as much as possible, every worldly thought, endeavour to keep your minds free from being distracted by what you see around you. Kneel down as at the very feet of God, by faith beholding Him accepting your grateful homage, and lifting up His hands to bestow on you His blessing.

Thus in all your devotions, whether public or private, be reverent and sincere. Do every thing in faith. Let God have the unfeigned adoration of your hearts. Let it be your first and chief desire that the light of His countenance may always shine upon you; and then, at the last, He will graciously proclaim concerning you, "They shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that

day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him."

SERMON VI.

RESPECTABILITY NOT RELIGION.

PSALM xl. 12.

"Mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of my head: therefore my heart faileth me."

THERE can be no doubt, that the more we advance in holiness, the more perfect will be our estimation of the evil of sin. In proportion as we partake of the Holy Spirit, so we shall feel the extreme danger of transgression, and the galling misery of rebelling against God. It is not however in the consciousness of grievous sin only, that the true Christian feels his heart disquieted; all voluntary omissions of duty, the want of faith in his daily life, forgetfulness of God, dulness of feeling in acknowledging His mercy, backwardness in doing His will, and love of the world; these things, and such as these make him thoughtful and sad, make him sensible of his fallen condition, alive to the serious dangers

which beset his soul, and anxious lest by any means he should come short of salvation.

And in truth, in what we call little sins there is very great danger. Nothing perhaps is doing greater mischief, than the feeling so generally prevalent, which expresses itself in the enquiry, "Why, what harm are we doing?" "How very wicked such an one would persuade us that we are." Quiet and respectable people are, of course, by the very name which designates them, free from the commission of flagrant sin. They do not kill, nor steal, nor drink to excess, seldom or never swear, live peaceably with their neighbours, fulfil creditably their social duties; in short, answer to the character usually given them, shewing themselves well conducted, good natured people. But meanwhile, all this propriety of outward deportment is quite compatible with the indulgence of innumerable little sins; it is no security against a heart altogether worldly, a spirit wholly selfish, affections destitute of all right feeling towards God. God may be dishonoured, His laws regarded with conscious dislike, His service scorned or only attended to in a patronizing spirit, by those whose respectability no one could call in question. To state the truth still more clearly, it may be said, that the souls of many will be lost through lack of devotion to