is any great sin in this. Let us then transfer our thoughts to the fallen angels, and contemplate them as acting in this man- ner. They have sinned, as we have : and are as incapable of restoring themselves to the Divine favour, as we are : Let us then suppose God to say, ' I will send my only-begotten Son into those regions of misery, to bear their punishment, and to expiate theil guilt : and 1 will send my Holy Spirit into their hearts, to change their natures, to renew them after my image, and to fit them for my presence.' Suppose, when God, of his own sovereign grace and mercy had done this, those wicked fiends should arrogate the glory to themselves, and say, ' God has saved us, because he foresaw what holy dispositions we should exercise, and how richly we should merit his favour ;' What should we think of them? Should we not say, that their guilt was augmented ten-fold; and that the punishment they might expect would be proportionably severe ? Where then is the difference between them and us ? What have we, more than they, to merit the Divine favour? Or what can we have more than they, except it be given us from above ? Know then, that, if God would burn with indignation against them for such pride and ingratitude, so will he against us, if we refuse to give him the glory due to his name. If Herod was made a monument of wrath for accepting from others a tribute due only to his God, much more shall we, if we, reversing what he has spoken, shall presume to say, " Herein is love, not that God loved us, but that ive loved him, and earned by our love an interest in his favour."]
We conclude with some suitable advice :
1 . Contemplate frequently this love of God to you —
[The angels are not interested in the wonders of redemp- tion as we are, and yet are ever " desiring to look into them." Shall we then be regardless of them? Shall we not search into them ; and meditate upon them ; and speak of them ; and glory in them ; and make them " all our salvation, and all our desire?" Shall we not especially consecrate to the con- templation of them this season which has been set apart by our Church for that express purpose ? O make not this a time for carnal feasting, but for holy meditation, and for delight in God !]
2. Get your hearts filled with love to him —
[If our love be not the cause, it nevertheless should be the consequence, of his love to us. Of this, none can entertain a doubt. Who that is in the smallest degree impressed with the Saviour's love to us, does not see the reasonableness of that awful denunciation, " If any man love not the Lord Jesus