shall know, who follow on to know the Lord";" and to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, shall eternal life assuredly be given0. Many seek to enter into the kingdom of heaven, and are not able : but none ever yet strove in vainp.]
Address —
1. Those who have no zeal at all in religion —
[Whatever zeal men exercise in their worldly callings, few, alas ! are much in earnest about religion. The natural man has no heart, no life or spirit in any thing he does for God. But will the heart-searching God be pleased with mere formal services? We ourselves do not accept them favourably at the hands of a fellow-creature; and shall God from «sq? If we would ever be approved of God, let us follow that in- junction, " Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with all thy might1."]
2. Those who have declined in their zeal —
[" When iniquity abounds, the love of many will wax cold." And are there none amongst us who have " left off to behave themselves wisely ;" none who have lost their first love ? Let the solemn charge addressed to such persons in the primitive churches, be duly considered, and obediently regardeds: for " it were better never to have known the way of righteousness, than, having known it, to turn from it'."]
3. Those who feel the importance and necessity of zeal —
[Good as zeal is in a good cause, it may become pernicious both to ourselves and others, if it be not properly directed. There is "a zeal without knowledge11," which may easily be mistaken for Christian zeal. Let all then who would serve God acceptably, endeavour to have their zeal well regulated, both with respect to its objects, and the manner of its opera- tion. Let their own sins, rather than the sins of others, and their own duties, rather than those of others, be the first objects of their regard. Let not a proud, bigoted, or vin- dictive spirit be cherished by them under the cloak of zealx; but let every duty to God or man be tempered with meekness, humility, and love. Let nothing bear such a preponderance in their mind as to make any other duty appear light and
" Hos. vi. 3. ° Rom. ii. 7. p Luke xiii. 24.
n Matt. xv. 8, 9. r Eccl. ix. 10.
s Rev. ii. 4, 5. and iii. 19. ' 2 Pet. ii. 21.
11 Rom. x. 2. x Luke ix. M.
2074.] A minister's chief wish for his people. 175
insignificant. Let the world, the family, and the closet, have each its proper portion of attention : and, with increasing ardour, let them follow Christ, whose " meat was to do the will of him that sent himy."]
y John iv. 34.