thy God?" Especially let us advert to that declaration of the Scribe, concerning whom our Lord himself affirmed that he had spoken discreetly, and was not far from the kingdom of God. His words were these, "There is one God, and there is none other but He; and to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices."*

From this view of the Meaning of the Prophet's assertion, let us now proceed to consider,

II. The Reasons on which it is grounded. When Samuel made this assertion; when he declared that "to obey is better than sacrifice," are we to suppose that he undervalued the sacrifices, or meant to speak lightly or irreverently of those positive institutions of religion, which had been expressly appointed by God Himself, and the use of which had been so peremptorily enjoined on the nation of Israel? By no means. We can suppose nothing of this kind. His sole intention was to testify against a formal, a presumptuous, or an hypocritical use of these appointed ordinances; to assign to them their proper station; to place them on their right foundation; and to shew that the per* Hosea, vi. 6. Micah, vi. 7, 8. Mark, xii. 32, 33.

formance of them, so far from being an excuse for actual disobedience, as Saul was indirectly alleging, could not even supply the place, or compensate for the want of an habitual disposition of heart to fear and obey God: nor indeed without such a disposition could itself be acceptable to him, or available to any good purpose.

What then may we conclude were the Prophet's Reasons for this assertion? They were probably two, and may be thus stated:

1. That obedience of which he speaks, that inward submission of the heart to God, that habitual disposition of the soul to fear and serve Him, is the one grand requisite in religion. Without it there can be no true religion at all, and in it consists the sum and essence of all religion. The great end and design of religion in this world is to fit and prepare men for the happiness of another world, which happiness will result from their seeing, serving, and obeying God. It is in these things that the happiness of the Blessed Angels and glorified Spirits in Heaven now consists. They find their delight in doing the will of God. And how do they do His will? With alacrity, with cheerfulness, with perfection, without ceasing. The nearer then that man now approaches to this state, and the more he resembles the angels in disposition and obedience; the nearer he now approaches

to a fitness for heavenly happiness, and the more he now partakes of the genuine work and fruit of true religion. In short, that man has most religion who has most piety; who in his soul most constantly realizes the presence, most humbly bows to the will, most sincerely desires the favour, and most devoutly longs for the glory of God. And hence it is that the fear of God, as comprehending all these constituent parts of true piety, is so frequently used in Scripture for the whole of religion. Here then was one Reason for the Prophet's assertion in the text. We see why he said that "to obey was better than sacrifice."

2. Another Reason was this. The end of sacrifices itself was but to promote and secure obedience. The great design of all the positive institutions of the Jewish worship was to excite and strengthen in those who used them, pious feelings, devout affections, and holy resolutions. It is true that the greater part of these institutions were of a typical nature, and had a typical meaning. They were intended to point out the evil of sin, the necessity of an atonement for it, and the efficacy of that Lamb of God, who in due time was to take away the sin of the world by the sacrifice of Himself. This was their immediate design; but their ultimate object in all this design was to lead men to holiness, tą

teach them to worship God in spirit and in truth; and thus to prepare them for future glory and happiness. And those persons alone used these ordinances aright, who partook of them with spiritual affections, and regarded and employed them as means of exciting and increasing spiritual feelings and desires in their hearts. We see, then, another reason for the Prophet's assertion in the text. In fact, when he declared that "to obey is better than sacrifice," he said no more, than that the means are of less importance than the end to which they are designed to lead: that the scaffolding is of less value than the building which it helps to rear: that the forms and ceremonies of religion, though even divinely appointed, are objects of inferior consideration compared with those vital and essential parts of it, for the attainment of which these very forms and ceremonies were themselves appointed. Such was the subject which I proposed to discuss-And now, my Brethren, let us apply it to our own case, and see how far we are concerned in the conclusions to which this discussion has led.

In the first place, then, let us remember that true religion under every dispensation is the same. It equally consists now, under the Christian dispensation, as it did formerly under the Jewish, of two parts; the one internal and spiritual, the other external and

ceremonial; and it is no small exercise of true wisdom to estimate these two parts aright; to distinguish clearly between them, and to assign to each its proper place and relative importance. From the want of a due understanding, and discrimination on these points, many dangerous and destructive errors arise, and introduce inconceivable mischief into the Church of Christ.

The internal and spiritual part of religion is the same now as it has always been. This, from the nature of things, can never be altered. It must at all times consist, and therefore now consists in piety; in an humble, habitual, practical submission to the revealed will of God, in a sincere disposition of the soul to fear and obey Him. This is still the essence of true religion, like its divine author and object, "the same yesterday, and to-day, and for ever." But this is not the case with the external and ceremonial part of religion. This part may vary at different times; for being only a matter of positive, though divine institution, it is not in its nature unchangeable. And accordingly this part has now undergone very substantial alterations. We are no longer required to worship God with sacrifices, purifications, and such solemnities as the Jews were commanded to use. Our form is of a simpler kind, and consists of the following particulars the observance of the Sabbath, the