They are make relibe no lon

to God not only as the author and giver, but as expressand voluntarily, consecrated to him. Their time, property, influence, and all their talents, are publicly devoted and consecrated to God, to be improved in his cause, and according to his direction. bound, by a solemn oath and covenant, to gion the great business of their lives; to ger conformed to this world, or its sinful customs, maxims and practices; but to be crucified to the world; to mortify their members, which are upon the earth; to set their affections on things above, not on things on the earth; and to lead a life of prayer, humility, self-denial, and uniform, persevering, and strict obedience, to the commandments and ordinances of God.

A sad state, perhaps some of you may say, an unhappy, uncomfortable course of life, from which you hope to be free for ever. But is this the language of the real people of God? Do they regret their choice? Are they weary of the service of God, and desirous of being released from it? By no means.

For,

III. They repent not of their vows, nor desire to be released from them; but rather to renew them.

"I have sworn," says the Psalmist, " and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments."

The true people of God are not weary of his service. They are willing to be under obligations and solemn vows,. to keep God's righteous judgments. It may often be the case, and doubtless is, at present, that many professing Christians grow weary of the ways of God. The sabbath, ordinances, reading of the scriptures, prayer, and religious conversation, are not their delight. They practically say, as those of old, "What a weariness is it?" They regret their undertaking; they repent of their vows; would rejoice to be freed from them, and from the watch of their brethren. Their secret feeling is, that were

they now free, they would not again be thus involv ed. But as they have sworn, though it be to their hurt, they must endeavor to perform it, so far as to pass along, without special ground of censure, from their brethren. Their practical enquiry appears to be, not how much they may be able to do for God; but how little will answer their obligations, or pre serve them a decent reputation among men. Of consequence, whatever they de, in discharge of their covenant obligations, is with a spirit of bondage, and of hypocrisy. The ways of God are grievous to them, and his service a burden. If such flatter themselves with a hope, that they shall be accepted of God, they are self-deceived. Their hope, in the end, will be like the giving up of the ghost. But with David, it was not thus; neither will it ever be thus, with any of the real people of God. They approve of their vows. They are willing, they desire, they rejoice to be bound to the Lord in cove nant; and to be under the strongest obligations, to keep his righteous judgments. The ways of wisdom appear to them, ways of pleasantness and peace. The daily Christian duties enjoined upon them, are not their burden. Their greatest burden and sorrow are, their daily and great imperfections in the discharge of their duties. They desire not to be freed from the duty of prayer. It is their delight; the life of their souls. Without access to the throne of grace, through the Mediator, they would indeed be unhappy, yea, would perish; for they have no sufficiency of themselves, to withstand temptation. It is only by derived strength, by the Spirit of God, that they are able, in any degree, to perform their vows, Of this they are sensible, and when they, in a great measure, lose the spirit of prayer, which is sometimes the case for a season, through the power of indwelling sin, they are then in distress. But their great desire is, not to be freed from the duty of prayer, but to receive the spirit of it. Their language is

N

with Job, "Oh, that I knew where I might find him! that I might come, even unto his seat! I would order my cause before him, and fill my mouth with argu

ments."

They desire not to be freed from their obligations, to attend constantly upon the public worship of God. They can say with David," How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of hosts! My soul longeth, yea even fainteth for the courts of the Lord. Blessed are they that dwell in thy house; they go from strength to strength. A day in thy courts is better than a thousand."

They are not displeased with being obligated to search the scriptures daily. They esteem this a peculiar privilege; and were they to be deprived of it, they would lose their principal source of comfort and edification. David spake the feelings of every Christian, respecting the word of God, when he said, "Oh, how love I thy law, it is my meditation all the day. Thy word is my comfort in affliction. It is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Thy testimonies, have I taken as an heritage for ever, for they are the rejoicing of my heart."

They desire not to be freed from the watch of their Christian brethren; but are ready to say, "Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness; and let him reprove me, it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head."

But I need not enlarge. It is sufficient to say, that the people of God repent not of their vows, and that they love the good ways of the Lord. Although a strict adherence to the path of duty may require much self-denial, as it may bring upon them the opposition of a wicked world, so that their souls may be filled with the contempt of the proud, and the scorning of them that are at "Yet none of There is a joy

case;

these things greatly move them." and peace in believing, possessed by all those who deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow

Christ, a joy and peace, which the world cannot give by its smiles, nor take away by its frowns.

The language of David, relative to this, is the language and feeling of all the children of God: "Great peace have they who love thy law, and nothing shall offend them. The judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether, and in keeping of them, there is great reward. Make me to go in the way of thy commandments, for therein do I delight. I esteem all thy precepts, concerning all things, to be right, and I hate every false way. Oh, that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes !"

Thus it appears, by appealing to the feelings of Christians, and to the language of scripture saints, that the people of God repent not of their vows to be the Lord's, nor are weary of his service. They may say, as an eminent man of God said, "I am weary in thy service, but not of it." The further they proceed, the stronger are their desires to press forward. If they are filled with sorrow of heart, it is not because they have sworn to the Lord, but because they have failed, in the performance of their VOWS. They will be ready, therefore, to renew them, in the strength of Christ, and to say, with the Psalmist, "I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments."

What remains is a brief

IMPROVEMENT.

1. This subject may be instructive to those, who think of joining themselves to the professing people of God, and attending upon sealing ordinances. You see what is required, and what is implied in these things. They imply that you avouch the Lord Jehovah to be your God, and yourselves to be his people and friends. This is a transaction, in which you are to bind yourselves, by a solemn covenant and oath, to be the Lord's, and to keep his righteous judg ments, consecrating to him, all that you have and

are, the faculties of your minds, the members of your bodies, your worldly possessions, your time, and your influence over others; all to be employed, in obedience to his commands, and used entirely for his glory. It implies that you choose the Lord, for your portion, his sacred word, for your guide; his people, for your companions and friends; and a holy heaven, for final home. your If any are conscious, that this is their choice; if they desire to be the Lord's, in the strongest bonds; and if they delight in his judg ments; they have the best evidence, that they are qualified to profess religion, and attend on sealing or dinances.

2. This subject brings into view, the peculiar guilt, and aggravated wickedness of professing Christians, who are conformed to the world, and disregard the statutes and judgments of the Lord. Such, having sworn to the Lord, and consecrated themselves to his service, cannot sin, at so cheap a rate, as others; every act of disobedience is attended with circumstances, which render it peculiarly heinous, in the sight of God. They are in a situation, to let their light shine, which might be the means of salvation to others. But if their light be darkness, they may be instrumental of destroying many, and thus finally be found guilty of the blood of souls.

Their sins, being also against the most solemn Vows, will be of the nature of perjury. In this view, how aggravated do the sins of professing Christians appear; and how awful must be the destruction of hypocrites!

Yet let not sinners, who make no profession of religion, misimprove this truth, by flattering themselves, that they are less criminal than others. Are you safe because others are more criminal? Is it safe for you, to refuse to vow and pay, as you are commanded, and as you are conscious is your reasonable service, because others, who have vowed,