lead me in thy truth, and teach me : for thou art the God of my salvation : on thee do I wait all the day V]
To this must be added, II. A concentration of our souls, that we may walk in it —
[Our heart by nature is divided amongst ten thousand vanities, all of which are sought in preference to God. What- ever can contribute to the satisfaction of the carnal mind be- comes, on that account, an object of desire ; and according as our prospects of attaining it are varied, our hopes and fears, our joys and sorrows, are called forth into powerful and suc- cessive operation. But the powers of the soul are not to be so abused : they were given by God in order that they might be employed in his service : and in order to an acceptable walk with him, they must all centre in him. He will not accept a divided heart. Whosoever possesses that, " will be found faulty'. God says, " My son, give me thine heart*:" and it must be given to him entire. To him it must be exclusively devoted, in all its faculties : at least, nothing must be an object of hope or fear, joy or sorrow, but in subserviency to his glory, and in obedience to his command. " We cannot serve God and Mammon too1." There is " a singleness of eye," and " a singleness of heart," that is indispensable to a right walking with Godm: without that we cannot be " Israelites indeed11," or approve ourselves to " Him who searcheth the heart and trieth the reins " ]
Address —
1. Those who think it an easy thing to serve God — [Many have an idea that this is so easy a matter, that they may execute it at any time, whenever satiety shall have rendered them less anxious about carnal enjoyments, or the approach of death shall render a preparation for eternity more an object of desire. But supposing it to be so easy, how great must be their guilt in neglecting it ! Is it so easy a matter to please, and serve, and honour God : and will they not do it ? Then " out of their own mouth shall they be judged : " and the heaviest condemnation shall be awarded to them, because they would rather rebel against their God and " provoke the eyes of his glory "by their impieties, than they would take on them, what they themselves acknowledged to be, his " light and easy yoke."
But if it be, indeed, so easy, try it; and see if it be so easy to come to God in his appointed " way." See, if you can come with brokenness of heart to the Lord Jesus Christ, and to the
h Ps. xxv. 4, 5. ; Hos. x. 2. k Prov. xxiii. 26.
1 Matt. vi. 24. m Actsii.4G. Col.iii.22. n John i. 47.