when presented by ungodly worshippers, who relied on them for acceptance, whilst they lived in wilful sink. A heart filled with gratitude to him, and devoted to his service, was " more than thousands of rams or ten thousands of rivers of oil ' : and every act of obedience proceeding from faith and love, is in his sight the most acceptable tribute that can possibly be offered"1."
It is also most worthy of a rational being. Any service short of an entire surrender of the soul to God is irrational and absurd. How can it possibly be, that the heart-searching God should approve of formal and hypocritical services ! If he had no delight in the blood of bulls and of goats, how can we suppose that he should have pleasure in lying words, and hypocritical professions? But in the surrender of the soul to him, there is something that commends itself to the judgment of every considerate mind. True, we cannot add to his glory or happiness by any thing that we can do : but still we may employ for him the bodies he has created, and the souls he has redeemed : and in so doing, we l'ender him the best service of which our nature is capable ; and shall asuredly receive from him at last that token of his approbation, " Well done, good and faithful servant."]
Application —
[Let me now, brethren, after the Apostle's example, address you in the language of entreaty. We might, as stand- ing in the place of Almighty God, command you : but for love sake we rather " beseech you." O consider what mercies you have received at God's hand, and are yet hoping to receive,
through the sacrifice of his only dear Son Think too
how reasonable is the service to which we call you ; how pro- fitable to you, and how pleasing to God We entreat
you not to withhold it : we entreat you not to defer it another hour. If indeed you can prove it unreasonable, or unprofit- able, or unacceptable to God, we are content that you shall reject it as folly, and decry it as enthusiasm : but if you cannot find one substantial objection against it, or one reasonable excuse for declining it, then, we beseech you, act as becomes persons already on the brink and precipice of eternity, and speedily to stand at the judgment-seat of Christ. Give yourselves up to Him who bought you with his blood : give yourselves to him, to be saved in his appointed way, and to glorify him in every situation which you may be called to fill. If he calls you to act for him, "whatsoever your hand findeth to do, do it with all your might :" and if to suffer for
* Isai. i. 11—14. i Mie. vi. G— 8.
m Ps. 1. 9—14. Heb. xiii. 15, 16.