humbling tendency of his doctrines? And have not the pride and the selfishness of the human heart ever proved, from that day to this, in every age, and in every country, whether avowedly Heathen, or professedly Christian, the main sources of enmity to the Gospel, and the grand hindrances in the way of men's salvation?

Let us, once more, listen to the beloved disciple St. John. "Love not the world," saith he, "neither the things that are in the world."* How peremptory, how unequivocal, how uncompromising this prohibition! And how solemn the declaration by which it is supported! "If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him!" But still the question recurs, what is meant by the world and the things of the world? Surely the Apostle intended only to forbid the riotings, and impurities, and other vicious excesses of the idolatrous Heathen.' Let us not ima

* 1 John ii. 15.

gine any such thing. He immediately subjoins his own explanation. "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever."* In this passage there are two things carefully to be observed-first, that the love of the world, which is so frequently forbidden in Scripture, is such an attachment to the things of it, as hinders men from supremely loving God, and obediently doing the will of God; secondly, that the things which produce this effect are, not only the lust uf the flesh, commonly so called—that is, sensuality, uncleanness, drunkenness, gluttony, and such like-but the lust of the eye also; that is, the fondness for such things as dazzle the eye and captivate the heart of the beholder-treasures of gold and silver, precious stones, jewels, mag

* 1 John xvi. 17.

nificent houses, splendid equipages, expensive furnitures, costly dresses, and all that external shew and decoration which attract the notice and admiration of those who see them, and feed vanity and an ostentatious love of display in those who possess them. The pride of life, also, is as much included in the things of the world, the love of which is utterly incompatible with the love of God, as either of the former: that is, the eager desire, and vain-glorious estimation of titles and dignities, honour and authority, celebrity and renown, and of those other distinctions which raise men above the ordinary level of society, which form the summit of earthly greatness, and to which the pride and ambition of the unrenewed heart of man unceasingly and restlessly aspire.

Say, my brethren, if these are not the things which, under one form or another, engross the attention of the great bulk of mankind, even in Christian countries? Say, whether even among ourselves these be not the objects in the

pursuit or enjoyment of which by far the greater part are occupied; so occupied, that they have little or no leisure, and less inclination, left for the service of God, and the supremely important concerns of the eternal world?What is it which young persons, of both sexes, are in general taught to consider as the great business of life? To grow rich, to prosper in the world, to add house to house, and field to field.--What are the objects in which they learn, from their very childhood, to take most delight? Dress, gaiety, public amusements, fashionable frivolities. And as they advance in life, what is the thing on which their hearts are most set, and which occupies their time and attention almost to the exclusion of every other? Is it not the world, in one shape or other, according as their various inclinations or circumstances in life may lead themworldly possessions, or worldly honour, or worldly amusements? And are not God, and the soul, and death, and judgment, and eternity, left almost, if not

altogether, out of view, in the busy, feverish, impatient pursuit of one or other of these objects?

Let me not be misunderstood. It is not diligence in men's lawful callings, it is not activity in business, whether public or private, it is not the persevering endeavour to better our circumstances and provide for our families; nor is it the sober and moderate enjoyment of the recreations which a bountiful God has furnished to his creatures-it is not any, nor all, of these which the word of God forbids as inconsistent with the character, and incompatible with the happiness, of the real Christian. Many real Christians there both have been and are, diligent, active, enterprising-men of taste, science, literature-and having as much real enjoyment of life as others, yea, much more real, because purer and more simple, enjoyment of it. But the true Christian will not suffer either the business or the recreations of life to have the first place in his heart. He will not, for the sake of them, neglect secret