reasonableness, the propriety, or the justice of any of the divine commandments. He does not search out for arguments to justify his neglect or his violation of them. He does not plead the strictness of the law, the strength of the temptation, or his own weakness, as any excuse for his disobedience, or any extenuation of his guilt. It is his prevailing endeavour and constant prayer, that no regard to his own private ease or interest, no fear of the reproach or ridicule of the world may deter him from a conscientious discharge of his duty. His judgement is liable to error; but his heart is right with God. He may not always clearly discern the path which he ought to chuse; but when this is once discovered, be it thorny, rough, and steep, he hesitates not to follow it. Of this Simplicity of obedience we meet with a beautiful illustration in the history of Abraham. When God commanded him to offer up his son, how many excuses might he have alleged for disobeying, at least for contesting or explaining away, the divine command. Isaac was his son, his only son, whom he loved; the child of promise; nay the child, of whom God had declared, that in him should all the nations of the earth be blessed. Then, how cruel and unnatural the act! Should a father put his own son to death? What had Isaac done to merit such a treatment? What pleasure could the Almighty experience in thus doing violence to the natural feelings of his creatures? What profit or glory could He derive from such an instance of obedience ? Nay, would not the lustre of His great perfections be tarnished and dishonoured, if one, who was His professed and distinguished worshipper, should be guilty of so atrocious a deed? These and many other pleas might the patriarch have urged, had he been inclined to disobedience. But, convinced that the injunction came from God, he sought no further. He left it with the Lord to fulfil his promises, to vindicate his own perfections. The duty of the creature was not to question, but to obey not to raise objections to the divine command, but to execute the assigned commission. What a striking contrast to this Simplicity of obedience, does the example of Saul, in after ages, exhibit! The Lord commands him to go and smite Amalek, and utterly to destroy all that they have, and to spare them not*. The command is positive. What is the conduct of the king? Does he simply obey the mandate? No. His obedience is partial and defective; and plainly shews that he consults his own vanity and interest more than he regards the divine injunction: for he spares * 1 Samuel, xv. 3. Agag, the king, and the best of the sheep, and of the oxen, and of the fatlings, and of the lambs, and all that is good, and destroys them not. When charged by the prophet. Samuel with this failure in his duty, he endeavours to extenuate his own guilt, by throwing the blame on the people; and justifies the violation of the orders which had been given to him, on the pretence, that the cattle, which should have been utterly destroyed, had been spared for the purpose of sacrificing unto the Lord. The very excuse which he urges detects the duplicity of his heart, and calls for this animated reproof from the prophet. Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt-offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry; because thou hast rejected the word of the Lord, he hath also rejected thee from being king*. The preceding remarks illustrate the nature of true religion as it is described in the text. Before we proceed further, let us inquire, does our religion correspond with this description? Have we attained to that Simplicity of heart and life which distinguishes the true Christian? * 1 Samuel, xv. 22, 23. Have we renounced every vain and carnal dependence? Are we simply relying on the merits of Christ for acceptance; on his grace, for strength and holiness? Do we take the whole of the divine law, so far as we understand it, for the rule of our practice? Are we ready to surrender on all occasions, do we surrender whenever an occasion arises, our own inclinations to the command of God? My brethren, if after the most careful investigation you have good reason to hope that such is the state of your heart, bless God who hath done such great things for you. Presume not however on present appearances. Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. Be not high minded, but fear. Fear lest by any means you should be corrupted from the Simplicity that is in Christ. Such fears the apostle entertained for his beloved Corinthians. Such fears your ministers entertain for you. Such fears then entertain for yourselves. Deem not the caution unnecessary. Think not, because your mountain be strong, that therefore it can never be removed. Confidence of this kind can proceed only from ignorance of the dangers with which you are surrounded. Give me then your serious attention, while I proceed to enlarge on this particular. II. The danger to which true Christians are exposed, of being corrupted from their Sim plicity, arises from the assaults of their spiritual adversary. Over the rest of mankind he rules with absolute and undisturbed dominion. They are taken captive by him at his will, and do his work without resistance. But the servants of Christ are subjects of another kingdom. They have renounced the usurped authority of Satan. They have cast off his yoke; are opposing his government; are setting his power at defiance. Against these therefore his utmost fury is directed. Disappointed ambition, wounded pride, envy, and revenge, all concur in actuating him to leave no means untried which may work their ruin. Nay, by reducing them to allegiance, not only will his malice be gratified, but the interests of his kingdom will be most effectually promoted. If after they have escaped the pollutions of the world, through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. Their guilt will be greater. Their return will be less probable than their original conversion. Or if they should at length be recovered out of the snare, yet much shame and grief must be incurred; much of their comfort, peace, and usefulness, must be destroyed. To others, the effects of their fall will have been scarcely less prejudicial than |