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Had the chosen family was set apart to withstand. not God in mercy confirmed to us, by the mouth of St. Peter, the saying of the wise man in the Apocrypha, that Lot was "righteous," we should have had cause to doubt whether he had not fallen away.

However, without forming harsh judgments con-
cerning one whom Scripture thus honours, we may at
least draw from his history a useful lesson for ourselves.
Miserable will be the fate of the doubleminded, of those
who love this world so well that they will not give
it up, though they believe and acknowledge that God
Not that they confess to themselves
bids them do so.
that their hearts are set upon it; they contrive to hide
the fact from themselves by specious excuses, and
My brethren, do
consider themselves religious men.

not take it for granted that your temper of mind is
much superior to that which I have been describing
and condemning; nay, that it is not worse than it.
You, indeed, are placed in an age of the world which is
conspicuous for decency, and in which there are no
temptations to the more hideous forms of sin, or rather
much to deter from them. But answer this one ques-
tion, and then decide whether this age does not follow
Lot's pattern. It would appear that he thought more
of the riches than of the sins of the cities of the plain.
Now, as to the temper of this country, consider fairly,
is there any place, any persons, any work, which our
countrymen will not connect themselves with, in the
way of trade or business? For the sake of gain, do
we not put aside all considerations of principle as
unseasonable and almost absurd? It is not possible to

explain myself on this subject without entering into details too familiar for this sacred place; but try to follow out for yourselves what I suggest in general terms. Is there any speculation in commerce which religion is allowed to interfere with? Whether Jew, Pagan, or Heretic, is to be our associate, does it frighten us ever so little? Do we care what side of a quarrel, civil, political, or international, we take, so that we gain by it? Do we not serve in war, do we not become debaters and advocates, do we not form associations and parties, with the supreme object of preserving property, or making it? Do we not support religion for the sake of peace and good order? Do we not measure its importance by its efficacy in securing these objects? Do we not support it only so far as it secures them? Do we not retrench all expenses of maintaining it which are not necessary for securing them? Should we not feel very lukewarm towards the established religion, unless we thought the security of property bound up in its welfare? Should we not easily resign ourselves to its overthrow, could it be proved to us that it endangered the State, involved the prospect of civil disturbances, or embarrassed the Government? nay, could we not even consent to that overthrow, at the price of the reunion of all parties in the nation, the pacification of turbulent districts, and the establishment of our public credit? Nay, further still, could we not easily persuade ourselves to support Antichrist, I will not say at home, but at least abroad, rather than we should lose one portion of the freights which "the ships of Tarshish" bring us? If this be the case in

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any good measure, how vain is it to shelter ourselves, as the manner of some is, under the notion that we are a moral, thoughtful, sober-minded, or religious people! Lot is called a "just man" by St. Peter, he is referred to as "hospitable" by St. Paul;1 doubtless he was a confessor of the truth among the wretched inhabitants of the cities in which he dwelt; and the rays of light which those Apostles shed upon his history, are most cheering and acceptable, after reading the sad narrative of the Book of Genesis; still, after all, who would willingly take on himself Lot's sins, plain though it be that God had not deserted him? Surely, if we are to be saved, it is not by keeping ourselves just above the line of reprobation, and living without any anxiety and struggle to serve God with a perfect heart. Surely, if Christians are to be saved, at least their righteousness must be far other than that which merely argued some remaining grace in one who was not a Christian. Surely, if Christians are to be saved, they must have carefully unlearned the love of this world's pleasures, comforts, luxuries, honours. No one, surely, can really be a Christian, who makes his worldly interests his chief end of action. A man may be, in a measure, ill-tempered, resentful, proud, cruel, or sensual, and yet be a Christian. For passions belong to our inferior nature; they are irrational, rise spontaneously, are to be subdued by our governing principle, and (through God's grace) are ultimately, though gradually, subdued. But what shall be said when the reasoning and ruling faculty, the power that wills and controls, is turned earthward? 12 Pet. ii. 7, 8; Heb. xiii. 2.

"If the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness !"1

God only knows how far these remarks concern each of us. I will not dare to apply them to this man or that; but where I even might, I will rather turn away my mind from the subject. The thought is too serious, too dreadful to dwell upon. But you must do, my brethren, what I must not do. It is your duty to apply them to yourselves. Do not hesitate, as many of you as have never done so, to imagine the miserable and shocking possibility of your coming short of your hope, "having loved this present world." Retire into yourselves and imagine it; in the presence of Christ your Saviour-in that presence which at once will shame you, and will encourage you to hope for forgiveness, if you earnestly turn to Him to obtain it.

1 Matt. vi. 23.

SERMON II.

WILFULNESS OF ISRAEL IN REJECTING SAMUEL.

PSALM xlvi. 10.

"Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”

T was a lesson continually set before the Israelites,

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that they were never to presume to act of themselves, but to wait till God wrought for them, to look on reverently, and then follow His guidance. God was their All-wise King: it was their duty to have no will of their own, distinct from His will, to form no plan of their own, to attempt no work of their own. "Be still, and know that I am God." Move not, speak notlook to the pillar of the cloud, see how it moves-then follow. Such was the command.

For instance-when the Egyptians pursued the Israelites to the coast of the Red Sea, Moses said to the people, "Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord; the Lord shall fight for you, and ye shall hold your peace." When they came to the borders of Canaan, and were frightened at the strength of its inhabitants, they were exhorted, "Dread not, neither be afraid of them. The Lord your God shall fight for