I pray you, brethren, consider this ; and let the truth of it receive a daily illustration from your conduct. Never place religion in any one duty, or in any one set of duties; but let all the graces of the Spirit have their appropriate place, their seasonable attention, and their harmonious exercise.]
3. How lovely in its influence —
[Only conceive of any person living in the constant exer- cise of all these graces : how amiable, how godlike, I had almost said, would be his deportment ! Then conceive of a whole family penetrated with this spirit, and what a picture of heaven would you behold! But conceive of religion filling, as assuredly it will one day fill, the whole earth, and every indi- vidual of mankind living in the unvaried exercise of these heavenly dispositions : well may such a state as this be called, as it is frequently in Scripture called, " The reign of Christ on earth." Blessed, blessed state ! O that God would hasten it in his time ! But if we be not privileged to behold that day, let us at least seek the commencement of that period in our own souls Let us seek to resemble Christ as much as pos- sible, and to " have the beauty of the Lord our God " beaming
y Eph. vi. 13— f 7. z Mark ix. 42—48.
from our own facea. This Moses had, by communing with God upon the holy mount ; and this we also may have, if we will " give all diligence " to attain it. Rise then to the occa- sion : let your efforts be without intermission : cry mightily unto God for grace and strength : plead with him the promises which he has made to you in his Gospel ; and " which in Christ Jesus are all yea, and amen." So shall you be enabled to " cleanse yourselves from all filthiness both of flesh and spirit, and to perfect holiness in the fear of Godb."]
a Ps. xc. 17. b 2 Cor. vii. 1.