Man, in the full extent of his capacities and affections, possesses something more than mere organs by which to look abroad upon the earth, and hear the voice of his fellow man, and procure subsistence for his perishing body. He is something more than a mental being, who can recollect, and reason, and imagine. He can wish as well as see; desire as well as hear; love as well as recollect; hate as well as reason; choose and refuse as well as imagine. The existence of powers and faculties, corporeal and mental, is comparatively a small matter. _How are they employed_—is the great question. How does a man feel? What are his affections? What are his principles? What is his practice? These are questions which go deep into the soul, and discover what a man is, in the sight of Him who looketh on the heart, and cannot be deceived. I say, then, with reference to the point before us, that the truly regenerate soul has _a new object of supreme affection_. Formerly self was first and last with him. Morning, noon, and night,—in youth and manhood, and declining years,—at home, and abroad, in the church and in the field, seeking property or bestowing it on the destitute, in health and in sickness, in life and in death, the unregenerate heart pours forth its highest affections upon self. If it looks upward to God and abroad to his kingdom, these are regarded as secondary objects. He cannot think complacently of God, as ruling for himself, for the display of his perfections, for the manifestation of his character, and as making the impenitent sinner illustrate that character throughout the universe and through eternity. Such thoughts, if they force themselves into his mind, are unwelcome intruders, and are banished, as you would drive from your house a suspected guest, who you feared would rob you of your treasures, and deprive you of life. Just so it is with self. Whatever it suspects as inimical to its little, paltry ends, it eyes with suspicion and fixed hostility, and opposes with all the vigour that sin and Satan can impart. God, his character, his government, his perfections, his will,—these are objects that cross the path and thwart the purposes of self. Both cannot be first. ‘Ye will love the one and hate the other.’ This is the irreversible law of man’s moral nature.—The selfish person may for a time be ignorant of his selfishness, and may think himself actuated by noble, generous, disinterested views; but even when the wrappers are taken off, and his true character is revealed, still, he will continue to love himself. Still, he will dread and hate the holy character and government of Jehovah.