bidden shall taste of my supper." In like manner, a very promising young gentleman, who addressed our Lord with great respect, and proposed to become one of his disciples, was for ever separated from him by the love of the world; he left him very sorrowful, for he was very rich. But we must proceed in the last place, to shew, that,

3. Truly religious persons possess a portion which they shall never lose. "Mary," said our Lord, " hath chosen that good part which shall not be taken from her." The part which she chose was to sit at the feet of Jesus, and receive in faith his divine instructions. This was a good part, the advantage of which she never lost. The reputation which Martha acquired as a generous hostess was soon gone; but Mary's honour continues to this moment. In like manner a truly religious person, one who is renewed by the Spirit of God, is a humble learner at the feet of Christ, who still teaches his Church by his word and Spirit; one who accepts the Lord's gracious invitation "Learn of me"-be my scholar, be my disciple; become wise to salvation by my sacred Gospel, for ". ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

The Gospel presents to the enlightened mind a part, or portion, which the soul deliberately chooses in preference. to the whole world. An interest in Christ and union to him enriches the soul with all the infinite blessings of grace and glory. The complete pardon of sin-the perfect justification and acceptance of his person-the unspeakable felicity of peace with God-the most cordial reception into his dear family-the most friendly intercourse and communion with him-the consolations of his Holy Spiritand certain protection from final apostacy-are among the invaluable privileges of a believer in the present world, and surely they deserve the title of the good part; but even these, good and great as they are, are comparatively small, when we take a glance by faith into the unseen and eternal world. Who can tell what is reserved in heaven, as yet unrevealed, for the heirs of glory? "It doth not yet appear what we shall be, but we know, that when he shall appear, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is." Those who have now a part with Christ in his grace, shall have a part with Christ in his glory; those who are par

takers with Christ in his sufferings, shall be partakers with him in his joys and honours to all eternity.

This then is the good part, intrinsically good, eminently good; and what renders it incomparably good is, its duration; it shall not be taken away. This is more than we can say of any earthly possession. Whatever good it may be, it partakes of that vanity and uncertainty which is inseparable from the present state of things. Pleasures perish in the using. Honour is a momentary bubble. Riches make themselves wings and fly away. Life itself is a transient vapour. What then is durable? Nothing, nothing but this good part. This shall abide, when the earth itself is dissolved, and the elements melt with fervent heat. It shall not be taken away. God, who bestowed it, will not take it away, for his gifts and callings are without repentance: wicked men, though they should be permitted to persecute, cannot take it away. Satan, with all his wiles and devices, shall not take it away. No; we are persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor devils, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us fpom the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

In this discourse, religion is brought to a point. Here is nothing to distract your attention. Here is a weighty sentence, uttered by the lips of eternal wisdom-One thing is needful-one thing, observe; and that one thing is religion, or the care of the soul.

So Jesus Christ says. What do you say? Are you of his mind? do you coincide with him, or totally differ? Say now, honestly,-Is religion the one thing needful with you? Is it so in your settled judgment? Is it so in your daily practice? Or is it quite the reverse? Not the one thing? Not any thing. Not at all the object of serious attention, of desire, of delight. How many things engage your thoughts, and divide your affections! But you cannot say they shall not be taken away from you. Even now, they cannot satisfy you. What will they do for you in the hour of death? You know they must fail you then, if not before. O be wise! Be wise now. Defer not a concern so great, so vast, so important. Your eternal happiness

perhaps depends on the decision which your mind shall form this moment. God help you to choose aright! You may never have a clearer or stronger conviction than you have at this moment, that religion is the all-important concern. May divine grace enable you to say-By the help of God, this is the good part which I solemnly choose. Too long I have basely neglected it, but henceforth it shall be my business, my delight, my portion. Heaven and earth say-Amen!

Who can look abroad into the vain and wicked world without an aching heart? How few are there who account religion the one thing needful! How many are there with whom it is the one thing needless; the only thing neglected and despised! But let us take pains to rouse the attention of thoughtless mortals to this great concern. They must regard it, or perish. Have we a relation or a friend living without God in the world? O let us tell him, by some means or other, that one thing is needful, that Jesus Christ says so; that all good men say so; that even bad men, when they come to die, say so too. O that we might be the happy instruments of turning him to righteousness.

What a shield does this text afford us, against all the arrows of censure and ridicule that a vain and thoughtless world may hurl against us! Let them call our serious regard to religion fanaticism; let them treat us as enthusiasts or madmen. It is of no consequence at all. We know that we are right, and they are wrong. We will never blush at the charge of being religious, while the glorious Teacher and Judge of the world is on our side, and says-One thing is needful.

Have we chosen the good part? Who hath made us to differ from those who reject it? This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes. To sovereign, distinguishing, almighty grace, be all the glory and all the praise! We give him the glory; he permits ns to take the joy. And have I indeed chosen the good part? and shall it never be taken away? Is all safe for eternity? Is Jesus mine, and heaven mine? O Christian, happy art thou. Envy not the gayest and the richest of the world; be content with thy better portion; rejoice; be thankful and live to God.

SERMON LVIII.

RELIGION, OR RUIN.

Ezek. xviii. 30. So Iniquity shall not be your Ruin.

F we believe the Scriptures to be the word of God, we

every

ject from them; and in doing so, we shall find a wonderful difference between the doctrines of God and the opinions of men. This difference will appear in a most striking manner on the subject of SIN: the representations which are made of it in the Bible are totally different from those which are made of it by sinners themselves. It is common for the latter to think and speak of sin as a light and trifling affair; it gives them no concern; it excites no alarm; they seek no remedy; but can make plausible excuses for it, turn it into a jest, and even glory in their shame. But if we consult the word of God, we should find that sin is the worst of all evils: that it is extremely hateful to our Maker; extremely prejudicial to ourselves; that it is the dreadful source of all the miseries we feel, and the procuring cause of sufferings unspeakable and eternal in the world to come. Look at sin in the flattering mirror that Satan and the world present to us, and it assumes the appearance of bewitching pleasure, freedom and advantage; but survey it in the faithful glass of the divine truth, and you behold an object deformed and loathsome; vile and base in itself, and full of unspeakable danger and mischief to the sinner. The text describes its tendency in one comprehensive word-RUIN-a word of tremendous import, even when applied to worldly concerns; it is to subvert, demolish, impoverish, and utterly destroy; applied to the soul, it is to demolish the image of God; it is to become miserably poor; it is to destroy all true happiness; and to ensure a long eternity of inconceivable sorrows and sufferings.

But the text also opens to us a door of hope; while it points out the ruinous effect of sin, it offers the most gracious advice in order to our avoiding it: and this is the

principal design of the Gospel; it is good news; information how we may be delivered from eternal misery, and made partakers of everlasting life. There are two things therefore which now call for our serious attention.

1. Sin is certainly ruinous to the souls of men; and, 2. The Gospel directs us how to avoid the impending ruin.

:

We are first to prove, that "Sin is certainly ruinous to the souls of men.” "The wages of sin is death.-When lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death." By sin, we mean, any want of conformity to the law of God, or any transgression of it; not coming up to what it requires, or doing any thing that it forbids. God has an undoubted right to our obedience; he made us; he gave us all the powers we possess ; he preserves us and provides for us, and bestows innumerable comforts upon us. How reasonable then is it, that we should obey his will, abstain from what would hurt us, and do the things which are pleasing and acceptable in his sight! But such is the perverseness of our hearts, that we refuse to do this. We set up our own carnal will as our law; and practically say, "Let us break his bands asunder,' and cast away his cords from us."-" As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the Lord, we will not hearken unto thee: but we will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth." "Who is the Lord, that I should obey him?"

This is the daring language, this is the provoking practice of men in general. But is it not awfully criminal? Can we reasonably suppose that a God of unspotted holiness and purity will endure such conduct? Would the rulers of this world permit their subjects to disobey their laws with impunity? No: every human law has its proper sanction, or it would be merely a piece of advice, and not a law; and if the law be broken, punishment follows of course.

Even in private life, those very persons, who flatter themselves that God will not punish their sins, are frequently disposed severely to resent the little injuries done to themselves. The parent thinks it right to keep his child in subjection, and sometimes punish him for a fault. He is extremely angry with a negligent and undutiful ser