will " forget all that is behind, and press forward to that which is before ;" like persons in a race, who have no desire but to fulfil the will of God, and to " finish their course with joy." In this respect then, no less than in the former, is godliness truly profitable ; and that it is so, " is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation."]
Let me then, in this view of the subject, entreat
you all,
1. To esteem godliness according to its true cha- racter—
[The greater part of mankind deny the necessity of it even to their eternal welfare: and, if you justify your zeal by a reference to the future judgment, they will not hesitate to affirm, that such exertions are not necessary to the salvation of the soul, and that to abound in them is to be " righteous over-much." Then, as to the present life, almost all will main- tain, that such godliness as the Gospel requires will be sub- versive of our interests and our happiness in the world ; and from those considerations will urge us to lay aside what they call our needless peculiarities. But be assured, that there is no real happiness even in this world, and much less in the world to come, but through an entire devotion of the soul to God. Let no man deceive you in relation to this matter ; for " it is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation." The whole Scripture, from the beginning to the end, bears testi- mony to this truth, that God's service is perfect freedom, and that religion's " ways are ways of pleasantness and peace." If it be said, that piety will involve us in trouble, for that " all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution ;" we reply, It is true : but nevertheless the consolations of the godly shall infinitely over-balance their afflictions ; nor are " the sufferings of this present life worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in usq." Let this then be a fixed principle in all your hearts, that " the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding."]
2. To seek it according to its real worth —
[The word which we translate, " exercise thyself" unto godliness, is taken from the Grecian games, in which those who engaged stripped themselves of all unnecessary clothing, in order that they might be able to exert themselves with more effect1-. Now in this manner should we address ourselves to the work of religion. We should feel that the utmost possible exertions are necessary for the attaining of sucb a measure of it as will secure the prize. We should cast off every thing
i Rom. viii. 18. J yvfivafe treavrbv, ver. 7.