of God has made to thee the discovery, which has led thee to humble thyself. It is he that tore from thy sins their covering; that exhibited to thy view Christ crucified; that touched thee with a sense of thy ingratitude, and brought thee down from thy towering pride to the dust of self-abasement. Pray for still greater discoveries, for still deeper humiliation; and for thy daily, hourly sins, prostrate thyself before God, and ask his forgiveness. It is thy happiness that he can forgive without dishonour to himself, and that he has promised that they that confess and forsake their sins shall obtain mercy. Like David and Peter, repent and return to duty, with renewed alacrity and zeal; and expose not thyself to the hopeless and fruitless repentance of Judas, who, when ruin was impending, could only look on Christ as insulted and betrayed. Better to feel the sorrows of contrition now, than the despair and remorse of hell hereafter. As thou art always sinning, be always repenting; and hourly come for a fresh ablution in that blood which cleanseth from all sin. UNACCEPTABLE WORSHIP. THE sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination: how much more, when he bringethit with a wicked mind. The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord: but the words of the pure are pleasant words. He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination. THERE is, it is probable, no nation under heaven, however rude or barbarous, which has not some form of religious worship. A sense of Deity, with whatever obscurity and perversion of view attended, impels men to recognize the existence of a superior being, and to render him homage. The abominable fancies and polluted rites of heathenism demonstrate how completely the native depravity of the heart may obliterate the true evidences of Deity which the works of creation furnish, and pervert the very nature and design of religious worship. Their imaginations being vain and their foolish hearts darkened, "they change the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds and four-footed beasts and creeping things." We need scarcely say that the worship offered to idols, must prove unacceptable to the true God. Our reference, at present, is more particularly to another class of worshippers. Many who are surrounded by the light of Christianity, and have a clear and explicit revelation of the will of God on this subject, may err as fatally as do the heathen. Our Lord has assured us that they who would worship God acceptably, must do it in spirit and in truth. They must have intelligent views of his character, approach him by the way which he has constituted, cultivate the right frame and temper of mind, and present the sacrifice which he requires. All these particulars are fully explained and insisted on in the Holy Scriptures. Now can we suppose that God will accept as a substitute for this worship, an empty form or lip service in which the heart has no interest? Will he accept the words of thanksgiving where there is no gratitude; or the tender of homage where there is no reverence; or the expression of desires which are not felt; or the professions of love which are insincere? Has he required such a sacrifice as this? When he demands humility, will he accept pride? or when he requires contrition, will he be satisfied with impenitence? or will he accept cherished impurity for holiness? If it be essential to acceptable worship, that the heart should be sincere; that it should have an humbling sense of its sinfulness and dependence, and that it should not only express a gratitude that is felt, but solicit further favours as being truly desired; then what becomes of the offering of the hypocrite? What will avail all the empty ceremonies of the formalist? If the throne of grace be accessible only in one way, how can God look with complacency on those who set aside the only Mediator, or rely on mediators who have no power to press their suit? We profanely mock God if we profess adoration for his perfections, and yet secretly wish that his nature were not so holy, nor his law so strict; if we confess sins without any wish or intention to forsake them; or ask for salvation without approving his plan, or having any disposition to walk in that narrow way through which alone it can be obtained. Not only is the sacrifice of the wicked and their very prayer an abomination to God, but even the worship of true Christians may be vitiated by carelessness and inattention, and especially by the entertainment of any improper feeling or disposition. The single case referred to by our Lord, may sufficiently indicate the state of mind in which the Christian is to appear at the mercy seat. "If thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come offer thy gift." The holy fire of devotion cannot burn brightly in an impure and foul atmosphere. We rise to God only in proportion as we lay aside our weights, and especially easily besetting sins. O my soul, thou canst live and be in health only in close proximity with God; and how canst thou approach him if uncrucified sin obscures thy faith, chills thy love, and obstructs thy path? Thy God is holy, and he requires a holy worship, a spiritual worship, a heart worship. Satisfy not thyself with a regular attention to forms; but strive to infuse life and feeling into them. It is thy privilege to be much in the divine presence, and it should be thy pleasure to adore his matchless perfections; to thank him for his mercies; to confess with contrition thy sins, and to ask him to bestow, in covenant love, the things which are requisite and necessary as well for the body as the soul. Thy God is a hearer of prayer; let him therefore often hear thy importunity. Thou hast a glorious High Priest, who has passed into the heavens; be therefore emboldened to come in his name to obtain grace to help in time of need. Here, thou must necessarily worship God amid many imperfections; but look within the veil, behold the angels and the spirits of the just made perfect, hear their enraptured strains of praise, and be encouraged to believe that thou shalt soon join their glorious assembly and mingle in their worship, without any of those sinful hindrances which now repress thy aspirations. O glorious hour! O blest abode, |