reign, and exert its influence, at the fountain-head of all our affections and sensibilities, and at the source and spring of every moral movement of our nature. You need not be reminded, that GoD is pleased to govern the operations of that grace, which is essential to spiritual advancement, with a reference to the ordinary principles, to which he has subjected the mutual connexion of cause and effect. In conformity with this view of the case, deducible from Scripture, and strengthened by just inference from human nature, and from the teaching of experience and observation,..it may safely be asserted, that deeply-rooted personal piety, that which thoroughly influences the character and life, can be expected, only, as the result of much meditation,.. much calm, undisturbed, and quiet thought, much retired devotion, and much anxious study. The great delusion consists, in substituting for such duties, an almost endless round, of public, or other social exercises and employments, leaving little leisure, and less mental vigour, to be given to that private preparation of the heart, and culture of the seed of divine grace, whence its richest, and most wholesome fruits may be expected. Under this delusion, now extensively prevalent, a more imposing show of the form of godliness, and more of animal excitement, wearing the appearance of its power, may characterize our age; but it is a grave question, whether deep and effective piety, (that, which, controlling and sanctifying the affections, dispositions, and tempers, makes practically good Christians, faithful to their GOD, and true to the responsibilities and obligations of their various ties,) has really increased among us; and whether it can

be expected to do so, as long as religion, deprived of the strengthening influence of due devotion to private exercises of piety, is supported, rather, by the excitement of incessant contact with the world, and incessant trial of new schemes of spiritual consolation. PERSONAL RELIGION IS MORE A MATTER BETWEEN A MAN'S CONSCIENCE AND HIS GOD, AND LESS THE CONCERN OF OTHERS, AND LESS CONNECTED WITH CREDIT AND APPEARANCE IN THE WORLD, THAN SEEMS TO BE NOW GENERALLY IMAGINED.'

228

SERMON IX.

(PREACHED ON EASTER SUNDAY.)

ROMANS, VI. 3, 4.

KNOW YE NOT, THAT SO MANY OF US, AS WERE BAPTIZED INTO JESUS CHRIST, WERE BAPTIZED INTO HIS DEATH? THEREFORE WE ARE BURIED WITH HIM BY BAPTISM INTO DEATH; THAT, LIKE AS CHRIST WAS RAISED UP FROM THE DEAD, BY THE GLORY OF THE FATHER, EVEN SO, WE, ALSO, SHOULD WALK IN NEWNESS OF LIFE.

'IF we have been planted together in the likeness of Christ's death,' says the Apostle, we shall be, also, in the likeness of his resurrection. If we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall, also, live with him. Let not sin, therefore, reign in your mortal body;

but yield yourselves unto God, as them

that are alive from the dead. Reckon yourselves, to be dead, indeed, unto sin, but alive unto God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. For then, being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye shall have your fruit unto holiness, and the end, everlasting life.'

Such is the language, which the church has adopted from Saint Paul; and, by the lips of her ministers, has this day, solemnly delivered to her children. Language, peculiarly accordant with the spirit and design of this great commemorative festival. For, it were in vain, to celebrate the death and resurrection of our blessed Lord, unless it be our serious purpose, to show forth that death, and to imitate that resurrection, in the whole tenour of our lives and conversation.

It is usual, indeed, on this day, to expatiate on the blessed hope of immortality. But, is there not a more immediate concern, which demands our more immediate thought and care? For how could the most absolute assurance of im

mortality, be a source of real comfort, unless, to us, the day, at least, have dawned, and the day-spring have arisen, in our hearts? Christ, indeed, has died for our offences, and risen for our justification. But to us, it will be only aggravated condemnation, that Christ has died, except we be made conformable to his death. To us, it will be no more than accumulated woe, that Christ has risen, except, in spirit and affection, we also be risen with Christ. If, therefore, we would know the power of his resurrection, we must first experience the fellowship of his sufferings; and if, at the last, we would inherit his victorious kingdom, we must not, merely, through the chinks and crevices of a worldly life, amuse our fancy, with the dim perspective of a reversionary heaven. It must, on the contrary, be our great aim and purpose, by the imitation, and through the grace, of our blessed Lord, in self-denial, in self-conquest, in self-possession, in the love of high and heavenly objects, and