institute, and to prosecute a most important inquiry-partakers with her of the same common means, have we acquired, with her, the same degree of religious information, faith, piety, and holiness? Or whilst she advanced to the character of the perfect, and the upright, have we with identically the same advantages gone back, and lost that which we had once gained? What is the cause of this melancholy and alarming circumstance? Say not that to her were given ten talents, and to us but one-be it so, this will not account for the fact, with our one talent we have made no improvement, we should have made at least one tenth of advance towards her religious acquirements, but we have not; we have gone backward and not forward. Let us not foolishly and wickedly attempt to cover our sins, for so we cannot prosper; but let us humble ourselves, let us confess and forsake them. The truth is, God be merciful to us sinners! We slept, when she waked and watched-we welcomed temptation, when she spurned it with indignation—we folded our arms whilst she laboured-we hearkened to the syren song of the world, and sense, whilst she girded her mind, and gave diligence to make her calling and election sure. It is hence we have gone back, miserable creatures as we are! whilst she went on to perfectionThis, when we think of the past, should lead us to remember whence we are fallen, to repent and do our first works.-This, when we think of the future, should lead us to be steadfast and immoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord.'-To mark the perfect, and behold the upright, for the end of those is peace." EDINBURGH, 1825. |