such a measure as may enable us to serve him, and to " serve him acceptably" to the latest hour of our lives. Especially must we seek a meekness of spirit, an humility of mind, a ten- derness of conscience, a purity of heart, an hatred of sin, an abhorrence of ourselves on account of sin, a holy desire to please God, a love to his will, a delight in his service, and an utter contempt even of life itself in comparison of his honour and glory. But these are attainments which he alone can give : therefore we must cry day and night unto him for more and more grace, and must labour for them only in a dependence on his good Spirit.
To this state of mind we must be brought by the considera- tion of the unbounded mercies bestowed upon us : " Having received a kingdom^'' we must thus seek his grace, and thus labour joyfully to fulfil his will : for so the Apostle elsewhere teaches us : "I beseech you by the mercies of God that ye present yourselves a living sacrifice, holy, and acceptable unto God, as your reasonable service*^."]
The CONCLUDING DECLARATION In oui' text deserving more especial notice, I will draw your attention to it, 1. To augment your thankfulness for the Gospel of Christ —
[We see how terrible the presence of God was when he appeared as a consuming fire upon Mount Sinai. But, how much more terrible is it in that world where he is inflicting vengeance both on men and devils as the monuments of his wrath ! Yet that is the view of him which we should have had to all eternity, if the Lord Jesus Christ had not interposed to effect our reconciliation with him, and to restore us to his
favour Can we reflect on this, and not adore that
blessed Saviour, who " bore our sins in his own body on the tree," and " died, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God ?" Think for a moment of that place which he has " ordained of old, the pile whereof is fire and much wood, and the breath of the Lord, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it''." Think of the state of the souls which are confined there, all of them drinking " of the wine of God's wrath, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation, and tormented with fire and brimstone, having no rest, and the smoke of their torment ascending up for ever and ever*^:" and then let us ask ourselves, " Who amongst us can dwell with the devouring fire ? Who amongst us can dwell with everlast- ing burnings^?" Verily, if we would more habituate ourselves
^ Rom. xii. 1. ^ Isai. xxx. 33,
f Rev. xiv. 10, 11. s Isai. xxxiii. 14.