deliver your soul, or say, Is there not a lie in my right hand"?" And do you suppose, that, whilst you are partaking thus of the world's altar, you can partake of the Lord's also ? Assuredly not : " Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils : ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils^:" " ye cannot serve God and Mammon y." I call you then to consider what will be the issue of a worldly life : for " if ye love the world, whatever you may imagine, the love of the Father is not in you^." Let me entreat you then to go to your God, and to present to him that prayer of David, " Incline not my heart to any evil thing, to practise wicked works with them that work iniquity ; and let vie not eat of their dainties^" For be assured, that, if ye devote not yourselves to God through Christ in this world, ye can never dwell with him in the world to come.]
2. To the friends and worshippers of the Lord Jesus Christ —
[What a blessed employment is yours ! A life of praise to God ; and a life of love to man ! What can you wish for more ? What can add to your happiness, except it be an increase of grace to live more than ever unto God ? Look at the angels around the throne: methinks, you have already invaded their office, and entered upon their bliss. Are they ever praising God ? That is your employment day and night. Are they " ministering spirits, sent forth to minister unto them that shall be heirs of salvation ^ ?" That also is your daily work, who are " doing good unto all men, and especially unto them that are of the household of faith '^." Go ye on then in this blest career : and abound daily more and more. And know that, as by the neglect of your duties " you may suffer loss in heaven ^" so by abounding in all the fruits of righteous- ness, ye may augment your blessedness in heaven, and obtain through Christ " an abundant entrance" into the realms of bliss ^]
" Isai. xliv. 20. ^ 1 Cor. x. 21.
y Matt. vi. 24. ^ \ John ii. 15, 16.
a Ps. cxli. 4. b Heb. i. 14.
c Gal. vi. 10. d 1 Cor. iii. 15. e 2 Pet. i. 10, 11.