was sent to deliver us, we should be adoring God for it as the richest of all mercies. Let our distress be either in body or mind, who will not bless God for it, if it be the means of weakening the influence of worldly objects on his soul, and of
keeping his eyes from beholding vanity ?
But, in addition to this, we should cry to him also for his quickening grace. However active we may be in the pursuit of earthly things, we all are too sluggish in our heavenly course. Nine times in this psalm does David cry, " Quicken me!" and ninety times nine do we need to renew the petition every day of our lives. Beg of God then to shew you more and more clearly the excellency of " his ivay" (even of that salvation which Christ has wrought out for us ), and the blessed- ness of the end to which it leads. This will quicken us more than any thing else. Let us see the excellency of a life of faith ; and that will make us despise the things of sense. Let us also get Pisgah views of the land of Canaan ; and we shall value nothing that can be offered us in this dreary wilderness. Look at Christ as the way, and Christ as the end ; and you will soon " cast away the besetting sins that impede you," and " run with alacrity the race that is set before youg."] Address —
1. Young people —
[Greatly do you need to offer the petition in our text. O ! bear in mind what is the true character of earthly things:
they are "vanity'''' altogether Bear in mind your
danger from them : they will ensnare, and, if the snare be not
broken, destroy, your souls Bear in mind your need of
divine grace to counteract their influence. It is God only that can preserve you : and, if not preserved by him, you will fall and perish ]
2. Those who make a profession of godliness — [Think not that you are above temptation. Satan tempted
even our blessed Lord himself, by " shewing him all the king- doms of the world, and the glory of them." And you will he tempt in like manner. Nor imagine that you may not fall : for Demas was as eminent as any of you, and yet fell at last, through love of this present world h. In every Church the sad effect of worldly and carnal lusts is seen. You yourselves see it in others. O, beware lest it be seen in you also. It is your duty, and your happiness, to "be crucified unto the world, and to have the world crucified unto you'." You may use this world, if God have given it to you ; but you must " so use it, as not to abuse it;k" and so flee from all occasions of evil, that you maybe " found of God at last without spot, and blameless1."]
e Heb. xii. 1,2. h 2 Tim. iv. 10. with Col. iv. 14. and Phil. 24. • Gal. vi. 14. * 1 Cor. vii. 29—31. l 2 Pet. hi. 14.