from Him. He is able to finish what He has begun". You can do all things, through Christ strengthening you*. God wrought with Israel to bring them to the promised land. His presence was death to those who would not believe Him nor obey His word, but to Joshua and Caleb, who trusted in Him, and fearlessly did His will, it was life and strength. Thus it is with us who are brought to Christ, redeemed by Him out of the hand of the enemy, accepted through His Sacrifice, fed with His heavenly Manna. If we walk by faith, and live to God, the light of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the presence of His Holy Spirit, will ever be our life and strength. But if we would live as though He were not with us, and forget Him, His presence with us will be to our destruction. To have tasted of the heavenly gift, and of the powers of the world to come, will make us without excuse, and finally without hope. Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap". The tree is known by its fruit. The spiritual life will bring forth u Phil. i. 6. x Phil. iv. 13. z Gal. vi. 7. the fruits of the Spirit, the carnal life the fruits of the flesh. Our actions, duly examined, will tell us which of these lives we are really cultivating, and which we shall stand or fall by; which is growing and which is withering; which we choose and which we give up. One or other we must be following in every thing we do, and even where they are not outwardly at variance, one must take the lead, and be that which really animates and guides us. To know this, then, examine yourselves, and consider how you pass each day of your lives. Were all your thoughts, words, and deeds written in a book for the day, and given you at evening to read, should you say these are the ways of one who lives to God, or these are the ways of one who forgets God? What should you find done to strengthen you in the spiritual life? How much prayer for the grace of God? How much thanksgiving for His mercies? How much dependance on Him, and how much on uncertain riches? How much fear of offending God, and how much of displeasing man? How much in your worldly pursuits done to please God, (for honest industry, when followed for His sake, is pleasing to Him,) and how much done in distrust of His goodness, murmuring at His appointments, and forgetfulness of Him? For what purposes are you willing to spend your money, time, and labour? Those which concern your carnal life or your spiritual? Would you rather see yourselves in comfortable houses, and abundantly supplied with all things, or are you like David, who could take no rest till he had found a place for the temple of God? Do you set your minds to make gain of the labour of your work-people, or of your family, or are you much more anxious to do them good, to set them an example of holiness, to afford them the means of Christian instruction, and to remove out of their way whatever might hinder their course toward Heaven? Do you seek to stand well in the eyes of the world, or do you seek with all your heart to be found in Christ at the last day? to live to Him, and to live like Him in this present world? Reckon yourselves to be born not for yourselves, not for this world, but for God, for the Church of Christ, and for Heaven. Act upon this belief, and give yourselves without reserve, body and soul, life, wealth, and strength, to the service of God, "as those that are alive from the dead"." b Rom. vi. 13. So, when Christ, Who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory. Brethren, we are debtors not to the flesh, to live after the flesh. For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of Goda. c Col. iii. 4. d Rom. viii. 12-14. SERMON II. PREACHED AT KYNNERSLEY, 1838. PSALM CXXXIX. 23, 24. Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my thoughts; and see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. How shall man dare to speak thus to his Maker to call upon the Most Holy God to search the depths of his heart? Does he know what is there, that he can thus beg to have all laid open in the sight of Heaven? What he knows, is it such that he can present it before the Lord with boldness ? What he knows not, can he dare to pledge his salvation upon that? Is it better than what he knows, that he should trust to it? This is not the reason of his prayer; he cannot trust thus in his own righteousness. Blessed be God, it is not left to man to determine whether his heart shall be known to the Almighty. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any |