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appetite, he finds has its correspondent temptation to try, and purify it by resistance. Every virtue, which the gospel enjoins, is by some occasion brought to proof.

Are we taught to love God, and have a continual sense of his divine presence upon our minds? As this great presiding power is invisible, we are strongly assaulted to put our trust in a multitude of visible objects, which the world presents on every side.

Are we taught in the gospel that we have no merits of our own that can deserve eternal happiness-and that eternal happiness is procured for us only by the death and atonement of a Saviour? Instead of examining the truth of scripture, in which this doctrine is contained, (as it is certainly incumbent on us to do,) we suffer ourselves to be tempted, and led away by designing men, and bad books, and learn to set up our own reason, and our own righteousness, as sufficient to instruct and save us.

Are we taught to love our neighbour-to be benevolent, and communicate good to others? Self-love is continually working within-opposing our kind intentions, and endeavouring to draw all to itself.

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Are honesty and fair dealing prescribed to us in our intercourse with others? A thousand petty frauds, and modes of deceit, peculiar to every profession, place our virtue in a constant scene of trial.

Are we ordered to be temperate in the use of the good things of this world? A variety of delicacies, if we abound, are continually assailing us; and in all circumstances we find pleasures and gratifications of different kinds to seduce

us.

Humility is among the greatest of christian virtues. But amidst the variety of competitions, with which the world abounds, it is a difficult matter to guard against pride and self-consequence. These imperious inmates are continually pointing out situations, to which we have as good a right to aspire, as they who possess them.

The forgiveness of injuries is a doctrine, which the gospel strongly enjoins. But malice and revenge are sweet gratifications, and powerful incentives.

In many cases, reason and religion engage a man to risk his life. But the fear of death is continually opposing his generous purposes.

Thus

Thus every virtue, and virtuous action, finds some correspondent temptation to bring it to proof; from which we draw, I think, an irrefragable argument that this world was intended for a state of trial. When we see the teeth of two correspondent shells clasping together, and fitted with exact relation to each other, we cannot but conclude, they were originally formed with a view to this union.

FROM the consideration of a state of trial, two or three obvious truths arise.

In the first place, it seems a proof beyond atheistical cavil, of the providence of God. If the adaptation of one thing to another in mere matter, be thought the work of design-here we see the same adaptation in a still higher scale, in the ordering of the moral world.

Secondly, a state of trial proves strongly the existence of a future state. A trial, in its very nature, indicates some connected cause, for which that trial was made: and as our trial lasts through this world, it seems to point at another.

Thirdly, it proves, among a variety of other proofs, the truth of religion. A state of trial is exactly that state of moral discipline, which is held out in the gospel; and in this correspond

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ence, they corroborate each other. There is every appearance of their being parts of one united plan. And as we have proved a state of trial to be derived from God, so is its counterpart, the gospel.

XIV.

That which is highly esteemed amongst men, is abomination in the sight of God.-Luke, xvi.

15.

LOOK into any part of life, and you will find this truth ascertained. We are continually doing things, which are highly esteemed among men, but abominable in the sight of God. Maxims in trade and business, are directed chiefly to the accumulation of wealth. Amusements are carried far beyond the idea of relaxation, and end in dissipation and riot. Even the pursuits of science are often carried too far-and end in what the scriptures call worldly wisdom-often in infidelity.

Now all these things, and various other things, which may be classed with them, are highly esteemed among men, though they are abomination in the sight of God.

The great conclusion therefore is, that the opinion and judgment of the world should never be made the criterion of our actions. We have a true criterion given us in the scriptures, and there we should seek it.

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