mend it to all: but I refer to that love of novelty on which Satan, the arch-fiend, is so ready to work. The present is a day of novelties in the church. Some have found out, that they can very comfortably associate with Arians and Socinians, Jews, &c.; others have invented a most curious method of denying almost every proposition peculiar to the Gospel, and yet call themselves Calvinists; in another quarter some one suddenly arises who has found out, by books, that very shortly the Jews are to return to Palestine; and another, yet more wise, assures us that the Redeemer is, within a very few years, about to accomplish a military reign on the earth in person. In addition to all these schemes, it has become a matter almost of common consent in some other quarters to overlook the doctrine of the Holy Trinity, and to sneer down those who boldly declare it. It often happens, too, that some impudent reasoner stumbles upon certain old heresies, which he brings forward as his own, and he draweth away much people after him, till, finding it convenient to shift his ground, he loses his first adherents, and straightway establisheth a new college of simpletons. In the mean while, surrounding churches suffer from these things. "My son, meddle not with them that are given to change." O men of God, remember that theological subtilties are more dangerous than sceptical blasphemies, because you suspect no evil in them; but be assured they will cat as

t

doth a canker-worm: they are not Christ crucified; they will satisfy Satan, your enemy, for the time, as well as if he saw you rioting in open sin, for they consume your energy and years, and greatly harden the heart. In such occupation you have indeed, as you think, your "faces toward Zion;" but you are sitting down, and building castles of card on the road, instead of hastening to the wicket-gate, escaping for your life, and staying not in all the plain. Theological subtilties may amuse the understanding, but will bring no balm to the conscience.

3. Politics. These constitute another cause of soul-declension very often in persons truly pious, who are led away into such a vortex. There is something so large and exciting in these things, that men of strong feelings and fine understanding can seldom treat them moderately. What are the two subjects on which the best friends quarrel the most frequently?-Religion and politics: for these two questions involve the moral affinities of the two worlds: politics of this, religion of the next. But, my friends, what have we to do with Whig and Tory, or to settle affairs of state? We are told to fear God, and honor the king, and to be in subjection to the powers that are, as ordained of God. If, indeed, any circumstance arise, in which we conscientiously wish to express our opinion, let us do it in the fear of God; but I repeat it, we need not become politicians.

The soul can admit but a given quantity of ideas her energy is measured out for every day; if, therefore, we exhaust it on two subjects instead of one, we shall have the less left for each. He who spends his evenings in noisy conversation with loquacious neighbours, on the teeming subjects of

the daily paper,- -or his own more solitary hour in hunting down the tortuous statements of gazettes, and circulars, and parliamentary reports, will, I fear, have little time for the closet, and less inclination: I say again, beware of politics!they are doubly dangerous: not only because they render you discontented, and gradually woo the mind away from its humbler sphere, but becausc there actually is in them much that may gratify a strong and capacious understanding. The mind loves even to stagger and stumble among coronets, armies, and thrones, to listen to the whisperings of courts, the caballing of councillors, and the eloquence of senatorial harangues, the fate of nations, the murmuring of revolutionists, and the acclamations of the million. In the meanwhile remember, that whenever the high saint has made this mistake, the pastor, the deacon, or the elder of the church, and become engulphed in politics, there has been a great dearth of spiritual comfort, a great falling off. He who was hastily gliding down to the brink of a cataract, which might be avoided by care, would be very foolishly occupied the live-long day in sedulously observing

a company of persons fighting on the beach, and who paid not the slightest attention to his powerless vociferation and monitory gestures. They proceed in their labor, and we only add to our own by using up our life, given us to escape destruction, in eyeing their vain movements, and piously deploring that kings and senators will not take our advice. If nothing but the great and vast can suit us, and we must have political lucubration, let us rather be absorbed in the politics of another world: let us think of the councilchambers of eternity, and rise, as David did in prospect of the temple's building, to that God, whose is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: let us be enlightened and charmed, by contemplating the things of the kingdom,the marvellous politics of that empire, which will exist and flourish when the old world dies!

4. Riches. They that will be rich, make to themselves a snare. If great talents require great grace, so do large riches. We read of some to whom the Lord gave their request, but sent leanness into their souls. We sometimes see in churches distinguished individuals, who seem to have all the characteristics of piety but this onea proper deadness to the world; their amiableness and usefulness seem quite marred by an inordinate love of money. How frequently it happens that God permits such men to become rich,

till suddenly, in their old age, by some miscarriage they lose nearly all, and then learn that they have put their “ money into a bag with holes." You will say, perhaps,-We are in no danger of becoming so rich as to have our minds wholly engrossed in the preservation of our property, and its application to the best purposes. Be it so: but I have known some who have on a death-bed, in my own hearing, bitterly deplored the conduct and the fatal prosperities to which I have alluded. If you will make money your god, you cannot expect that Christ should be so too.

I might mention many other causes, which might be deemed below the dignity of pulpit animadversion; yet nothing should be deemed so that is important to christian prosperity. However, I will waive noticing them for the present; only saying, that at least they are "the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines; for our vines have tender grapes." It is in spirituals as in things temporal: a grain of sand in the eye, or a steely point, or thorn in the flesh, however small, may irritate and render feverish the whole constitution. I would reckon nothing minute which can affect the high and momentous destinies of the immortal soul!

II.

I would now notice some of the Consequences of this state indulged: and these will appear in1. Loss. Great loss of spiritual comfort. This