Brethren, what must be the consequence of defying God in this daring and contemptuous manner ? O, that you would lay it to heart, before it be too late !]
2. Those who are attentive to the form, but regard- less of the power, of religion —
[To those of your description, our Lord said, " Go, and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice :" and we repeat his words, " Go, and learn this." A clear view of this passage will undeceive you. While you are destitute of faith and love, or not living in the daily exercise of them, you differ but little from those whom we have before addressed. They are open sepulchres, that pour forth their nauseous vapours before all : and you are " whited sepulchres," that, with a fair outside, retain all that is filthy and abominable within. It is with such persons that God himself classes you now™; with such, if you repent not, you will be numbered to all eternity.]
3. Those who possess vital religion in their hearts —
[While the generality act as if form were all, you are too apt to act as if form were nothing. There is in this respect a great fault amongst the professors of the present day : they are too apt to come late to the house of God ; and to be irre- verent in their postures while the different parts of divine worship are performed ; sitting at their ease, when they should be either devoutly kneeling in their supplications, or standing up to sing the praises of Jehovah. This gives occasion to the world to say of you, " They mind the sermon, but care not at all about the 'prayers" Beloved Brethren, let there be no occasion for such a censure amongst us. It is dishonourable to our profession ; it casts a stumbling-block in the way of the ungodly; and it is highly displeasing to our God. Where real necessity prevents an early attendance on God's worship, or infirmity of body requires an easy posture, the text applies in full force : but where these things do not exist, we must reverence the institutions of God and man: and the more humility we have, the more shall we manifest it in the whole of our deportment.]
m 2 Tim. hi. 1 — 5.
vol. x. f