the essence of every acceptable service. We value not the efforts of friends by their intrinsic worth, so much as by the measure of affection displayed in them : and much more is this the standard by which the Almighty will try, and estimate, our services to him. It was this which rendered the widow's mite a more acceptable offering to God, than all the treasures of the opulent : and if only we give our whole souls to God, the very disposition to glorify him shall be equivalent to the act. We may not be able to do great things for him : but, if we have the desire, he will accept it, and say, " Thou didst well, in that it was in thine heart."]
3. With unreserved fidelity —
[There is to be no limit to our obedience ; no line beyond which we will not go, if God call us. " No commandment is to be considered as grievous0;" nor is any thing to be regarded as " a hard saying d." We are to "walk in all God's ways," obeying every commandment " without partiality and without hypocrisy." We are to " do his will on earth, even as it is done in heaven." Of the angels we are told, that " they do God's will, hearkening to the voice of his word." They look for the very first intimation of his will, and fly to execute it with all their might. They never for a moment consider what bearing the command may have on their own personal con- cerns : they find all their happiness in fulfilling the divine will. And this should be the state of our minds also : it should be " our meat and our drink to do the will of Him that sent us." And, if suffering be the recompence allotted us, we should " rejoice that we are counted worthy to suffer for His sake." Even life itself should not be dear to us in comparison of His honour ; and we should be ready to lay it down, at any time, and in any way, that the sacrifice may be demanded of us.]
The text will lead me to shew you further,
II. The reasonableness and excellency of his require- ments :—
That they are reasonable, is evident from the ap- peal which Moses makes respecting them —
[Two things are intimated in this appeal to Israel ; the one, that these things were required of them ; the other, that the requisitions were such as they could not but approve. If they only considered themselves as God's creatures, they could not but acknowledge that these services were due to him : but when they viewed the mercies that had been vouchsafed unto them, and the blessings which God had yet further in reserve
c 1 John v. 3. rt John vi. GO.