sinner manifests an earnestness, to his immortal interests, never known or felt before. For a while, he is so much and so warmly engaged in the pursuit of spiritual good, is so delighted with, and engrossed by, religious objects, that the fear is entertained, that he will be righteous overmuch. But these days of warmth and vigour, of fervour and elevation, pass away. The Christian, acquiring greater light and knowledge, and being of longer standing, in the courts of the Lord, is apt to lose a considerable measure of the relish, which he once had for spiritual things. There is, indeed, an injudiciousness, and an immaturity, in his first views and exercises, which he finds it expedient afterwards to dispense with. But in exchanging warmth for solidity, and fancy for reason, we become in danger of growing entirely formal. Our religion assumes a more guarded form, in some respects, but it is apt to be attended with, or followed by, a lukewarm state of mind, peculiarly odious to the head of the Church. Instead of being fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, we become neither one thing, nor another; we regard Religion, so far as to own it, externally to perform its duties, and engage in its exercises but our hearts are so inanimate, our conduct so indecisive, that, partaking of the Laodicean character, of being neither cold nor hot, we are in danger of meeting the Laodicean sentence: "I would thou wert cold or hot; so, then, because thou "art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will reject "thee with loathing and abhorrence." It is observed, in the parable of the Virgins, that the wise as well as the foolish, slumbered and slept. In this, they were to be blamed; though their sleep was not the sleep of death. If we are not watchful, the subtle enemy, who is ever vigilant to discern and malicious to improve advantages against us, will ensnare us e're we are aware. Against gradual declension in the spiritual life, we should pray

and strive; and when we have been charmed away, from the Saviour, and from duty, by the deceitful glare of worldly objects, or the stupifying influence of sinful pleasures, we may be even thankful, if God, by some alarming, and soul-rousing providence, call out to us, "What dost thou here, Elijah? Instead of watching, "and praying that thou enter not into temptation, thou "art already far gone in delusion and in danger, and the strong man armed, threatens to keep thy heart as his "palace, and his own goods there in peace. Awake thou "that sleepest-trim the lamps that burn so dimly"seek the unction of the Holy Spirit, whose influence, "like oil, will re-kindle if extinct, or render brilliant, if it "be dim, the flame, that should shed a light on every "surrounding object." The question, " What dost thou "here," not only carries in it a censure of a state of indifference, but conveys an exhortation to the instant adoption of means, for bringing back our wandering souls to the fold, whence they have, perhaps inadvertently strayed. Keep no longer at such an inauspicious and unhappy distance from the fountain of living waters, at which it seemed once your delight to drink; but repair thither, for the revival of your dying graces, for the re-kindling of your half-extinguished light. The same Sun of righteousness, which both illumined and warmed the soul, when it lay in the darkness of spiritual night, and was bound in the icy fetters of sin, must disperse those clouds that have since enveloped it with gloom, and thus invigorate it with those energies which have been long suspended, or withheld. Instead of remaining where you are, drooping or declining Christians, betake yourselves speedily to him, who, notwithstanding your departure, is still waiting to be gracious, is still exalted that he may have mercy.

Y y

One or two reflections, on the frailty and perversity of man, in contrast with the mercy and goodness of God, shall close the subject. Who can help feeling astonished at the part Elijah acted, that considers the interpositions of Jehovah in his favour? By miraculous events, God authenticated his mission, prospered his ministry, and consoled and encouraged his heart. But, because a base and wicked woman uttered her malicious menaces against him, he trembles, he flies, he abandons his duty, he throws aside his work, he takes his refuge in the desert, he prays that he may die. Lord, what is man! Is this the same Elijah that confronted, that defeated, that caused to be slain, four hundred and fifty idolatrous priests, whose heart, on that occasion, knew not fear? Yes, this is he; but oh! how changed! But not less astonishing is the forbearance of Heaven. "What dost "thou here, Elijah?" is all the censure which Divine benignity passes upon him; and immediately, he has renewed tokens of the presence, power, and love of Israel's God. Well might St. James affirm, that Elias was a man of like passions with ourselves. And how often do we imitate this unwise and unworthy portion of his cha racter! Sometimes, Divine goodness, so affects, so amazes, so dissolves, so subdues us, that we determine, we never will distrust our God again. Vain determination! The first difficulty that occurs, the first temptation that assails, the first peril that awaits us, unmans our soul; and like Elijah, either in temper or in conduct, we act so unlike ourselves, so out of character, that God puts us to shame, by the keen interrogation, "What dost thou here? “thou, a child of God, who keeps his people, as the apple "of his eye; thou, a disciple of Jesus, who gathers his "brood under his wings, what dost thou here, in this un"worthy company, in these unbecoming scenes, in this "unchristian temper, in this complaining attitude, in

"this forbidden conduct?" Every such reproof must cause our sins to find us out-must so affect us with a sense of guilt on the one hand, and of Divine goodness, on the other, that we must acknowledge, "It is of the "Lord's mercies, and because he is God, and not man, "that we are not consumed. Amen.

SERMON XXIII.

ON THE CURSE PRONOUNCED AGAINST THE SERPENT, INCLU DING THE FIRST PROMISE OF A SAVIOUR, MADE TO OUR FIRST PARENTS.

GENESIS III. 15.

"And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between "thy seed and her seed: it (he) shall bruise thy head, and thou "shalt bruise his heel."

OUR text, connected with the immediately previous verse, contains the curse of God, pronounced upon the serpent, the seducer, the wicked seducer of the mother of all the human family. Subjects of fear, shame, and a sense of guilt, because of the fall, Adam and Eve had vainly attempted to hide themselves from the Lord amongst the trees of the garden."*"The Lord called "unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?" Adam made a feeble and false apology: "I heard thy "voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was "naked; and I hid myself." God convicted him, and charged him with his crime in the mode of interrogation."Who told thee that thou wast naked? Hast thou "eaten of the tree whereof I commanded thee that thou "shouldest not eat?" Adam makes another feeble apology: "The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, "she gave me of the tree, and I did eat." The woman,