his enemies. Do not quarrel with me, it is in love I tell you these things. Search the volume of inspiration, and on your knees, and from your hearts, invoke the blessing of heaven.

Secondly,

Be

To address another class of hearers. ware of theory in religion; religion cannot be learned, cannot be taught, in the abstract; none of the truths of God, properly speaking, have any abstract existence. The inhabitants of heaven are not theorists, nor are the inmates of hell; the hearts of both are engaged in their respective inhabitancy. Religion is, eminently, the science of the heart,-study it then, with the heart as well as with the head.

Thirdly,

To those who enter into the spirit of what I have been dwelling upon; adore the wisdom and mercy of God, who is educing the greatest good from evil continually. Learn hence true wisdom. Live a life of faith, and mark the blissful consequences! (I now use a strong and strange word, that it may be riveted in your memories,) in living a life of faith on the

Son of God, the monster sin will be obliged to vomit rich blessings on your heads every day,blessings destined to survive the wreck of time, and live throughout the revolving ages of eternity. Amen.

Now to God, &c.

SERMON XIII.

ROMANS xii. 1.

"I BESEECH YOU THEREFORE, BRETHREN, BY THE MERCIES OF GOD, THAT YE PRESENT YOUR BODIES A LIVING SACRIFICE, HOLY, ACCEPTABLE UNTO GOD, WHICH IS YOUR REASONABLE SERVICE."

THE apostle Paul very happily blends together, in the instructions he gives us, doctrinal, experimental, and practical religion. Many will gladly follow him when he is speaking of the doctrine of election, who do not think him worthy their attention for a single instant, when he speaks of the fruits and effects of faith in all their minutiæ and magnitude. This is a

proof, and an awful proof, too, that they do not know the value of election. The doctrine of election in Scripture is this," predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son."! How then are we to appreciate that doctrine? By loving and cultivating the "image of his Son." In this way we may make a wise and holy use of it—it will lead us to every good, and eventually, and for ever deliver us from every evil. "O the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.'

"2

The apostle then proceeds in the words of my text, and adds,

"I beseech you, therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a

'Rom: viii. 29.

2 Rom: xi. 33-36:

living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service."

"Reasonable!" Yes; there is nothing so reasonable-there is nothing that gives-there is nothing that will eventually, and for ever give, reason its full powers, but the religion of Jesus Christ. Nothing brings the human mind to maturity but the religion of Jesus Christ. Classical learning, say some-mathematical learning, say others. Ah, no! the truth as it is in Jesus, alone can do it.

It is a "reasonable service." Our intellects cannot enter far into the natural perfections of the Deity. Listen to me, I conjure you, in the name of the living God-our intellects are destined to travel much further into the moral, than into the natural, perfections of Jehovah; whence we see that those, who spurn the religion of Jesus Christ, insult their intellects, as well as their hearts; robbing themselves, at the same time, of the sublimest pleasures God himself has to confer upon any of his creatures.

We are destined, moreover, to be more intimately acquainted with the moral perfections of