4. It has holiness, real and universal hohness, for its end —
[Not even the salvation of men from perdition is so much the end of all religion as the saving of them from sin. It was in the latter view, rather than the former, that the very name of Jesus was given to our blessed Lord ^. He came to redeem us from all iniquity, and to purify unto himself a peculiar peo- ple, zealous of good works^." This also, like all the foregoing- characters of true religion, is specified in the passage before us : " The statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the com- mandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore^." And to this agrees the testimony of Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist : " Blessed be the Lord God of Israel ; for he hath visited and redeemed his people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us that, being de- livered out of the hand of our enemies, we might serve him
q ver. 36. "^ Rom. xii. 1.
s 1 Cor. vi. 19, 20. 1 Pet. i. 17—19. * Rev. v. 9, 10.
1 Rom. xiv. 7 — 9. ^ Matt. i. 21.
y Tit. ii. 14. ^ vcr. 37.
without fear, in righteousness and holiness before him, all the days of our life^."
Now, from hence we may see how far we are possessed of true religion: for, if we desire not holiness as our chief aim, and as that which alone can render heaven itself desirable, we have yet to learn what are the first principles cf true religion. Satan himself would gladly be restored to his original happi- ness in heaven : but he has no desire to be " renewed in the spirit of his mind, and to be created anew, after the divine image, in righteousness and true holiness''." These are exclusively the desires of a Christian mind; and in every regenerate soul under heaven are they paramount and pre- dominant. There is not a Christian in the universe who does not desire to become " holy, as God himself is holy," and " perfect, even as his Father which is in heaven is perfect."]
And now, by way of improvement,
1 . I will call you to humiliation —
[Methinks the Prophet Isaiah furnishes me with the most appropriate address that can possibly be delivered to you : " Hear ye this, O house of Jacob, who are called by the name of Israel, and are come forth out of the waters of Judah; who swear by the name of the Lord, and make mention of the God of Israel, but not in truth, nor in righteousness^ !" Here your Christian ])rofession is acknowledged : and here, alas ! is your Christian practice described. For who amongst us has devoted himsehf to God with that entireness of heart and life
which the very name of Christian implies ? 1 must
indeed warn you, that " ye cannot serve two masters, who are so opposed to each other as God and the world are. To whichever of them you adhere, you must, of necessity, despise the other: ye cannot serve God and mammon^." This is not the warning of an enthusiast who is carried to excess by an heated imagination, but the warning of our Lord Jesus Christ himself, who will confirm it by his judgment at the last day. And if this be true, what have you been, but despisers of God, whilst you have been professing to reverence and serve him ? Let a sense of this humble you in the dust: and remember, that, if ever you would serve God acceptably, every rival must be put away, and he alone must reign in your heart.]
2. I call you to decision —
[What is the determination which I would wish you aU to form? It is that which the Prophet Micah so well incul- cates : " All people will walk every one in the name of his