far above the heathen standard, who only wished to keep in reserve some few convenient points on which they might gratify their evil inclinations, and say in their excuse, that no one else thought there was any harm in such things. They thought and knew that there was harm in them, for their eyes had been opened by Gospel light, and they would be judged by their own knowledge, and not by their neighbour's ignorance. Vain, therefore, is the attempt to serve God and mammon together; to reconcile the low standard of your companions, with that purer and higher one with which it has been your happiness to be made acquainted-your happiness, if not almost only but altogether you become conformed to it; or else, not your happiness, but your certain and most just condemnation. One thing in which this low standard fearfully shows itself, I cannot but take this occasion of mentioning. I have observed, from time to time, that the sin of falsehood is not considered among you so hateful as Christ teaches us to regard it; or even as the common notions of worldly honour, in this respect most true in their judgment, estimate it amongst men in the world. It is really awful to witness the quantity of direct falsehood, of equivocation, unfair concealment, false representations, and all the train of similar wickednesses, of which too many of you continually allow yourselves to be guilty. Your aim seems to be, not to tell the truth, but to steer dexterously between the truth and a lie. And this is as foolish as it is wicked. It is impossible to steer between them: for he who once allows himself any other object than the truth,-who suffers himself to try to make his neighbour believe something which is not exactly the real fair state of the case,—is already a liar in his heart. The real guilt of falsehood consists in the attempt to disguise the truth; that is, to deceive: and it matters not by what form of words this object is effected; whether it be by equivocating, or concealing, or misrepresenting, or by direct lying. It is the truth that God loves, and which is the peculiar glory of the Gospel; insomuch that St. Paul twice notices, as the first mark of a converted heart, that putting away lying, we should "speak every one truth with his neighbour; for we are members one of another." And this you are all taught at home: from your earliest childhood you have known the wickedness of falsehood, the duty of absolute sincerity and truth. But here you find another standard, which tells you that it is fair to deceive and lie to serve your own turn, at least when you are speaking to a master. You let this false standard lead you away from your duty to God and man; you make it your idol, and fall down and worship it, and sacrifice to it every thing that ought to be most precious, even your own souls, which Christ died to save. For a short time, this fatal spell will now be taken off from you; for a few weeks you will breathe in a purer air, and be subjected, I trust, to a gentler and a holier influence. Some, nay many, and I hope most of you, will see in your own homes examples of a very different kind; will hear there a very different language from what they have seen and heard around them here. The evil spirit will leave his hold for a time, and you may breathe and speak in freedom. But remember that he will surely return again: a few short weeks, and we shall be met here once more, and the same temptations will be again besetting you. Would that you would use the precious interval that is now granted to you! Would that some of you, whose principles have been somewhat stained, and their practice corrupted, during the last five months, may purify yourselves from these soils; may refresh and strengthen your fainting spirits with a new draught of the well of everlasting life! And I will add our Lord's solemn words to Peter: "Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have thee, that he may sift thee as wheat. But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." If Satan has desired to have you, and if his desire has been in part fulfilled,-if you have been tempted, like Peter, to deny your VOL. II. L Saviour, yet that same Saviour, who prayed for Peter, prays for you also, that your faith may not fail finally. Remember, too, and strive that his last words also may apply to you-" When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren." You are not called to an inactive state; you cannot serve Christ in secret, when his enemies are loud in denying him. You must confess him before men, even at the risk of being put out of the synagogue; that is, of being laughed or reviled out of their society still you must confess him, and not be ashamed of his Gospel. But yet there is a comfort for you, that may lawfully encourage you. They who were put out of the synagogue, who were persecuted and reviled everywhere for preaching the Gospel of Christ; they lived to see the day when the kingdom of Christ was greatly multiplied, and the synagogue of the Jews sunk before it. What if this be, in part at least, your case; if, by firmness, by union amongst yourselves, for they who feared the Lord, in the midst of wickedness, were wont to speak often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and heard it,)— by patient continuance in well-doing, and by a Christian prudence, teaching you not to disfigure your profession by any needless severity or by folly, -you could not only save yourselves from being corrupted, but turn back the torrent of evil upon itself, and win others from the service of Satan to join with you? What, if owing to your efforts, always in the strength, and with your sole trust in your Saviour's aid, it should be no more reckoned excusable to lie or to equivocate, no more thought honourable to be idle, no more thought poorspirited to walk stedfastly in the path of duty? Even this is not beyond hope, if we all of us here assembled, who do love the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, you in your station, and your teachers in theirs, labour, with all holy diligence, to advance Christ's kingdom. But if not,-if this be denied you, and if you must still have to struggle against triumphant evil,—still remember whose arm will never fail you, and think of that hour when the triumph will surely be your own to all eternity. Think of the blessedness of being confessed by Christ before his Father, and the holy angels, because you in the world had confessed him. Think of the glory of receiving such praise as the most sublime of poets has expressed, in a strain not surely uninspired by that "Eternal Spirit" whose aid he had sincerely sought "Servant of God! well done! well hast thou fought The better fight, who singly hast maintained Against revolted multitudes the cause Of Truth, in word mightier than they in arms: To stand approved in sight of God, though worlds |