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in heaven, praising and glorifying God with the holy angels: all my desire is to glorify God.-There is nothing in the world worth living for, but doing good, and finishing God's work. I see nothing else in the world, that can yield any satisfaction, besides living to God, pleasing him, and doing his whole will. Can you refrain from saying, Let me live the life, “ let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his ?"

Secondly, Let the word of God be habitually studied as the rule of life.

If the doctrines of the Bible had been exhibited in a detached form, so as to constitute a separate part of the word of God; and if the precepts had also been presented to our view as a

distinct section of the sacred book, some persons would have evinced a predilection for the former, to the neglect of the latter; and some would have displayed a preference of the latter, to the disparagement of the former. Such, however, is the wisdom apparent in the intimacy of connection between the one and the other, throughout the entire extent of the Holy Scriptures, that we cannot study the rule of faith without having our attention summoned to the rule of conduct; neither can we examine the rule of life, without having our views directed to the rule of faith. The doctrines and the precepts are 80 interwoven in the very texture of divine revelation, that nothing short of

destructive violence can effect a disruption. He, therefore, who has "believed on God will be careful to maintain good works;" and he who cherishes this solicitude, will daily search those oracles of truth which

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are profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and instruction in righteousness, in order that he may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." The language of his inmost soul will be,-"Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" "If," said a holy man, "in reference to any action or indulgence, the word of God says, Thou shalt not, a child of God says at once, I will not, in spite of strength of inclination, or violence of temptation. If God says, Thou shalt, he says, in

spite of custom, difficulty, or danger, I will. This is freedom; this is happiness; this is life and power from God." Can you, my friends, adopt this language as your own? Is it your prevaling desire to be able to say all this with sincerity and truth? Do you habitually resort to the word of God for practical purposes? Do you resort to it, as to the wisest of counsellors, to take advice on which you are prepared to act? Do you resort to it, as to the decisions of a judge, from whom there is no appeal? Do you greatly avail yourselves of its adaptation to be "a lamp to your feet and a light to your path?" Can you truly say,-"I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be

right; and I hate every false way?" What are they all, but amplifications in beauteous detail, adapted to all the diversified circumstances of life, of the one grand directory,-"Whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God"

Thirdly, Yield yourselves unreservedly to the directing and controlling influence of the Spirit of God.

Unless the indispensable necessity of this divine influence be kept in view, as the object of desire and prayer, all the other rules of holy living will be enforced in vain. "They that are in the flesh cannot please God; but ye," said the Apo

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stle, are not in the flesh, but in the

Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God

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