CHARACTERISTICS

OF

VITAL RELIGION.

WE frequently hear the terms vital piety, vital Christianity, heart-religion; which, with similar expressions, are employed in the writings and conversation of Christians to denote the character of true religion. They are terms of comprehensive import; but they are sometimes misunderstood and not seldom perverted. We propose here a few remarks explanatory of these terms. We shall exhibit some of the characteristics of vital religion, particularly as it is to be distinguished from that, which is merely speculative; and shall show what we mean, or ought to mean, when we pray that it may be established in our hearts, or in the hearts of others. In doing this, we shall remark on the sentiments or affections, which it calls into exercise; and on the manner, in which we may expect to find them exhibited.

I. Vital religion, that, which exerts a practical, sanctifying influence on the character, has unquestionably much to do with the heart and the affections. It imparts its own spirit, and gives its law to these. But that they

may be properly exercised, it lays its foundation, first of all, in clear and just conceptions of the truth of religion. It supposes the mind to be enlightened, that it may distinguish the objects, evidence, and province of truth. In this, however, is not implied freedom from all error. There may be what the apostle denominates the 'spirit of faith,' a strong and habitual conviction of truth, mingled with much speculative error. At the same time, true faith lays its foundation in knowledge; and if we would experience the best influences of vital Christianity, our minds must be enlightened—' we must know the mind of Christ,' we must understand the doctrines, objects, and spirit of his religion. This must be too obvious to require illustration. It will, we presume, be at once admitted, that the understanding must be the controlling principle. For on the views which men entertain of God, his perfections, government and law, will depend what service they render him, and with what spirit they worship him. If they imagine that God is a tyrant, they will serve him as slaves; or if, unmindful of the sanctions of his law, they allow themselves in an unwarrantable confidence in his mercy, as if that were the only attribute exercised in the government of his creatures they will not serve him at all. If they believe, that religion consists in the reception of certain dogmas, or in compliance with certain forms, they will busy themselves to embrace these dogmas, and will make an easy exchange of substance for form. If, for example, they imagine, that salvation depends, not on conditions, which they are able and required to perform, but on certain decrees of arbitrary election, with which they have no concern but as the passive subjects of such decrees, their error must

exert an injurious influence upon their practice; and,instead of the humble, cheerful performance of duty, in the hope of divine acceptance, instead of the filial spirit of prayer, in the confidence, that we serve a Father, who hears, and a God, who will help us,—there is danger, that there be found either the arrogance of presumption, or the wretchedness of despair.

Let the understanding, therefore, be informed and established in religious truth, if we would obtain the best influences of pure Christianity. For there is a connexion, as we have seen, inseparable between faith and practice; between speculative truth and vital godliness. If it be objected to this, that we often find pious and excellent persons, with very little knowledge and a great deal of error; the answer is, besides what has already been conceded upon this point, that, defective as may be their knowledge, and numerous as may be their errors, there will be found amidst all their ignorance and mistakes a few plain, indisputable truths, which possess a controlling power over their minds and hearts, and are able to make them wise unto salvation.

It is essential also to vital Christianity, that it interest and engage the affections. The throne of religion is in the heart. The affections, it has been said, are the springs of action; and we are never prompted to any earnest pursuit, but when these are enlisted. There cannot be a question, that to make religion an effectual principle, and to give it a controlling power, our hearts must be engaged. They must feel, and feel deeply, the transcendent grandeur, solemnity, and importance of its truths, and the invaluable interests of the immortal soul. They

must be pervaded by the love of God, by reverence and gratitude towards Jesus Christ, by earnest desires after holiness. At the same time, we shall perceive, that as religion has to do with the tenderest and the deepest sentiments of the heart, it must from its very nature preclude all ostentation. It shrinks instinctively from what is boastful and pretending. If it give utterance to the secrets of the soul, it is always with humility, and with a reverential regard to the decorums of time, and place, and circumstance. It loathes all parade and ostentation, as the sure indication of a low state both of religious knowledge and religious sensibility.

Again, the spirit of vital Christianity demands habitual devotion. He who feels truly, will pray frequently and earnestly. He will regard prayer as the instrument of his virtue, the source of his strength, the solace of his sorrows, the reviving of his hope, the entrance of light and joy to his heart. Under a deep sense of its value and blessing, he will not fail, he will not cease to pray. He will go to the mercy seat and return thence with the delight of heart, with which we hold converse with a beloved and venerated friend. There may, indeed, be wanderings, there may be intermissions, and sometimes the world with its temptations or cares may intrude upon his thoughts; but as a prevailing characteristic, there will be the life of devotion. So essential is this, that it may be asserted without exception, that there can be no vital religion, where there is not the habit and the love of prayer.

This spirit will produce a tenderness of heart and conscience. There will be great susceptibility to whatever is connected with religion, or has any influence upon

our religious state. A man, whose affections are thoroughly engaged upon any object, looks with solicitude upon everything that has the least relation to that object ; and the true Christian can regard nothing as indifferent, which can promote or retard, even in the smallest degree, his spiritual growth. His conscience is tender; and he feels every offence, as committed against a most kind and indulgent Father. He thinks fearfully of the odiousness and folly of all sin, its ingratitude as well as its danger.

This tenderness of heart is peculiarly favorable to the purest influences of religion, and is represented as a state acceptable in the sight of God. 'Because thy heart was tender,' said Jehovah to the penitent monarch of Israel, ' and thou hast humbled thyself before me, I have even heard thee, and thou shalt be gathered to thy grave in peace.'

In intimate connexion with this, let it not be forgotten, that true religion will produce and be accompanied by habitual seriousness. By this is not to be understood gloom, melancholy, distrust of God and his providence, or anything inconsistent with that 'joy in God and in our Lord Jesus Christ,' which it is the influence of the Christian's hope to inspire; but the seriousness of wise and holy men; of those who believe, that there is reality in religion, and that subjects of infinite interest, even the safety and peace of their immortal souls, depend upon present conduct and character. It is indeed impossible to think at all upon the objects, duties, prospects, and solemn alternatives of religion without seriousness. He who can trifle upon such a theme; he, who has even a suspicion, to say nothing of a firm conviction, that his whole future destiny, the happiness or the wretchedness of his immor