But in order to make this consecration acceptable to God, or useful to ourselves, it must be entire and perfect. We must not follow the example of Ananias and Sapphira, in professing to give all, and then keeping back a part. So long as we "keep back part of the price," so long as we hold fast to anything we know we ought to give up, or hold ourselves back from any duty we know we ought to perform, so long is our offering imperfect—unpleasing to God, and unprofitable to ourselves. "Cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth to the Lord a corrupt thing," said the prophet to the Jews after the captivity. (Mal. i. 14.) Their God had redeemed them from captivity worse than death, had brought them to their own land once more, and restored to them their old religious privileges, yet they reckoned His service weariness, and grudged to give of their best for His offering. Our Lord has redeemed us from a worse bondage than theirs, and has bought us with a great price, even with the suffering and death of His dear Son, and shall we grudge to give Him that which is His own? The want of this perfect consecration is the reason why so many Christian people have no comfort in their devotion. Old-fashioned Methodist people used to employ a significant phrase in this connection. They would ask,— "Do you enjoy religion?" Too many, it is to be feared, do not enjoy it at all. They seem to have just enough to make them uncomfortable. "I feel as if it were of no use for me to pray," said one; "my prayers never seem to get out of the room, and my heart is cold and heavy. I have no sense of the Lord's presence at all." "Are you sure," asked her friend, "that you are indulging no sin, or neglecting no known duty?" After a moment's pause came the question, "Do you think such a thing is wrong?" "Whatever I think, I know what you think," was her friend's inward answer. Our God is a jealous God! He will not share His temple with another. If we would have Him dwelling in our hearts, we must banish thence every idol, and every unclean and even doubtful thing. For we must remember that if we think any act wrong, or even doubtful, that act becomes a sin to us. This is true especially of amusements and pleasures of all sorts. He who risks God's anger for the sake of a personal gratification, is guilty of presumptuous sin.