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Many faults may be committed where there | freedom from solicitude in a lowly confidence is nevertheless a sincere desire to please God. in him, for which the world has nothing to give Many infirmities are consistent with a cordial in exchange. love of our Redeemer. Faith may be sincere where it is not strong. But he who can conscientiously say that he seeks the favour of God above every earthly good; that he delights in his service incomparably more than in any other gratification; that to obey him here and to enjoy his presence hereafter is the prevailing desire of his heart; that his chief sorrow is that he loves him no more and serves him no better, such a man requires no evidence that his heart is changed, and his sins forgiven.

For the happiness of the Christian does not consist in mere feeling which may deceive, nor in frames which can be only occasional; but in a settled, calm conviction that God and eternal things have the predominance in his heart; in a clear perception that they have, though with much alloy of infirmity, the supreme, if not undisturbed possession of his mind; in an experimental persuasion that his chief remaining sorrow is, that he does not surrender himself with so complete an acquiescence as he ought to his convictions. These abatements, though sufficient to keep us humble, are not powerful enough to make us happy.

The true measure then to be taken of our state is from a perceptible change in our desires, tastes, and pleasures; from a sense of progress, however small, in holiness of heart and life. This seems to be the safest rule of judging, for if mere feeling were allowed to be the criterion, the presumptuous world would be inflated with spiritual pride from the persuasion of enjoying them; while the humble from their very humility, might be as unreasonably depressed at wanting such evidences.

The recognition of this divine aid then, involves no presumption, raises no illusion, causes no inflation: it is sober in its principle and rational in its exercise. In establishing the law of God it does not reverse the law of nature, for it leaves us in full possession of those natural faculties which it improves and sanctifies; and so far from inflaming the imagination, its proper tendency is to subdue and regulate it.

On the whole then, the state which we have been describing is not the dream of the enthusiast; it is not the revery of the visionary, who renounces prescribed duties for fanciful speculations, and embraces shadows for realities; but it is that sober earnest of Heaven, that reasonable anticipation of eternal felicity which God is graciously pleased to grant, not partially, nor arbitrarily, but to all who diligently seek his face, to all to whom his service is freedom, his will a law, his word a delight, his Spirit a guide; to all who love him unfeignedly, to all who devote themselves to him unreservedly, to all who with deep self-abasement, yet with filial confidence, prostrate themselves at the foot of his throne, saying, Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us and we shall be safe.

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CHAP. II.

Christianity a practical principle.

If God be the author of our spiritual life, the root from which we derive the vital principle, with daily supplies to maintain this vitality then the best evidence we can give that we have received something of this principle, is an unreserved dedication of ourselves to the actual promotion of his glory. No man ought to flatter himself that he is in the favour of God, whose life is not consecrated to the service of God. Will it not be the only unequivocal proof of such a consecration, that he be more zealous of good works than those who, disallowing the principle, on which he performs them, do not even pretend to be actuated by any such motive?

The finest theory never yet carried any man to heaven. A religion of notions which occupies the mind, without filling the heart, may obstruct, but cannot advance the salvation of men. If these notions are false, they are most pernicious; if true and not operative, they aggravate guilt; if unimportant though not unjust, they occupy the place which belongs to nobler objects, and sink the mind below its proper level; substitut

undone, in the place of those which ought to be done; and causing the grand essentials not to be done at all. Such a religion is not that which Christ came to teach mankind.

A security which outruns our attainments is a most dangerous state, yet it is a state most un-ing the things which only ought not to be left wisely coveted. The probable way to be safe hereafter, is not to be presumptuous now. If God graciously vouchsafe us inward consolation, it is only to animate us to farther progress. It is given us for support in our way, and not for settled maintenance in our present condition. If the promises are our aliment, the commandments are our works; and a temperate Christian ought to desire nourishment only in order to carry him through his business. If he so supinely rest on the one as to grow sensual and indolent, he might become not only unwilling, but incapacitated for the performance of the other. We must not expect to live upon cordials, which only serve to inflame without strengthening. Even without these supports, which we are more ready to desire than to put ourselves in the way to obtain, there is an inward peace in an humble trust in God, and in a simple reliance on his word; there is a repose of spirit, a

All the doctrines of the gospel are practical principles. The word of God was not written, the Son of God was not incarnate, the Spirit of God was not given, only that Christians might obtain right views, and possess just notions. Religion is something more than mere correctness of intellect, justness of conception, and exactness of judgment. It is a life-giving principle. It must be infused into the habit, as well as govern the understanding; it must regulate the will as well as direct the creed. It must not only cast the opinions into a new frame, but the heart into a new mould. It is a transforming as well as a penetrating principle. It changes the taste, gives activity to the inclinations, and together with a new heart produces a new life.

Christianity enjoins the same temper, the same, mon good; whose restlessness, indicating the spirit, the same dispositions, on all its real pro- unsatisfactoriness of all they find on earth, he fessors. The act, the performance, must depend points to a higher destination. Were total seon circumstances which do not depend on us. clusion and abstraction designed to have been The power of doing good is withheld from ma- the general state of the world, God would have ny, from whom, however, the reward will not given man other laws, other rules, other faculbe withheld. If the external act constituted the ties, and other employments. whole value of Christian virtue, then must the author of all good be himself the author of injustice, by putting it out of the power of multitudes to fulfil his own commands. In principles, in tempers, in fervent desires, in holy endeavours, consist the very essence of Christian duty.

Nor must we fondly attach ourselves to the practice of some particular virtue, or value ourselves exclusively on some favourite quality; nor must we wrap ourselves up in the performance of some individual actions, as if they formed the sum of Christian duty. But we must embrace the whole law of God in all its aspects, bearings and relations. We must bring no fancies, no partialities, no prejudices, no exclusive choice or rejection into our religion, but take it as we find it, and obey it as we receive it, as it is exhibited in the Bible without addition, curtailment, or adulteration.

Nor must we pronounce on a character by a single action really bad, or apparently good; if so, Peter's denial would render him the object of our execration, while we should have judged favourably of the prudent economy of Judas. The catastrophe of the latter, who does not know? while the other became a glorious martyr to that master, whom, in a moment of infirmity he had denied.

There is a class of visionary but pious writers who seem to shoot as far beyond the mark, as mere moralists fall short of it.-Men of low views and gross minds may be said to be wise below what is written, while those of too subtle refinement are wise above it. The one grovel in the dust from the inertness of their intellectual faculties; while the others are lost in the clouds by stretching them beyond their appointed limits. The one build spiritual castles in the air, instead of erecting them on the holy ground' of Scripture; the other lay their foundation in the sand instead of resting it on the Rock of Ages. Thus, the superstructure of both is equally unsound.

God is the fountain from which all the streams of goodness flow; the centre from which all the rays of blessedness diverge.-All our actions are, therefore, only good, as they have a reference to Him: the streams must revert back to their fountain, the rays must converge again to their centre.

If love of God be the governing principle, this powerful spring will actuate all the movements of the rational machine. The essence of religion does not so much consist in actions as affections. Though right actions, therefore, as from an excess of courtesy they are commonly termed, may be performed where there are no A piety altogether spiritual, disconnected with right affections; yet are they a mere carcass; all outward circumstances; a religion of pure utterly destitute of the soul, and, therefore, of meditation and abstracted devotion, was not the substance of virtue. But neither can affecmade for so compound, so imperfect a creature tions substantially and truly subsist without proas man. There have, indeed, been a few sub-ducing right actions; for never let it be forgotlime spirits, not touched but rapt,' who totally cut off from the world, seem almost to have literally soared above this terrene region, who almost appear to have stolen the fire of the Seraphim, and to have had no business on earth, but to keep alive the celestial flame. They would, however, have approximated more nearly to the example of their divine master, the great standard and only perfect model, had they comThe love of God, as it is the source of every bined a more diligent discharge of the active right action and feeling, so it is the only princiduties and benefices of life with their high devo-ple which necessarily involves the love of our tional attainments.

But while we are in little danger of imitating, let us not too harshly censure the pious error of these sublimated spirits. Their number is small. Their example is not catching. Their ethereal fire is not likely, by spreading, to inflame the world. The world will take due care not to come in contact with it, while its distant light and warmth may cast, accidentally, a not unuseful ray on the cold-hearted and the worldly.

But from this small number of refined but inoperative beings, we do not intend to draw our notions of practical piety. God did not make a religion for these few exceptions to the general state of the world, but for the world at large; for beings active, busy, restless; whose activity, he, by his word, diverts into its proper channels; whose busy spirit is there directed to the com.

ten that a pious inclination which has not life and vigour sufficient to ripen into act when the occasion presents itself, and a right action which does not grow out of a sound principle, will neither of them have any place in the account of real goodness. A good inclination will be contrary to sin, but a mere inclination will not subdue sin.

We

fellow creatures. As man we do not love man.
There is a love of partiality but not of benevo
lence; of sensibility but not of philanthropy; of
friends and favourites, of parties and societies,
but not of man collectively. It is true we may,
and do, without this principle, relieve his dis-
tresses, but we do not bear with his faults.
may promote his fortune, but we do not forgive
his offences; above all, we are not anxious for
his immortal interests. We could not see him
want without pain, but we can see him sin with-
out emotion. We could not hear of a beggar
perishing at our door without horror, but we
can, without concern, witness an acquaintance
dying without repentance. Is it not strange
that we must participate something of the divine
nature, before we can really love the human?
It seems, indeed, to be an insensibility to sin,

rather than want of benevolence to mankind, | become not retrograde. Those who are truly that makes us naturally pity their temporal, and sincere, will commonly be persevering. If their be careless of their spiritual wants; but does speed is less eager, it is more steady. As they not this very insensibility proceed from the want know their own heart more, they discover its of love to God? deceitfulness, and learn to distrust themselves. As they become more humble in spirit, they become more charitable in judging. As they grow more firm in principle they grow more exact in conduct.

As it is the habitual frame, and predominating disposition, which are the true measure of virtue, incidental good actions are no certain criterion of the state of the heart; for who is there, who does not occasionally do them? Having made some progress in attaining this disposition, we must not sit down satisfied with propensities and inclinations to virtuous actions, while we rest short of their actual exercise. If the principle be that of sound Christianity, it will never be inert. While we shall never do good with any great effect, till we labour to be conformed, in some measure, to the image of God; we shall best evince our having obtained something of that conformity, by a course of steady and active obedience to God.

The rooted habits of a religious life may in deed lose their prominence because they are become more indented. If they are not embossed it is because they are burnt in. Where there is uniformity and consistency in the whole character, there will be little relief in an individual action. A good deed will be less striking in an established Christian than a deed less good in one who has been previously careless; good actions being his expected duty and his ordinary practice. Such a Christian indeed, when his right habits cease to be new and striking, may Every individual should bear in mind, that he fear that he is declining: but his quiet and conis sent into this world to act a part in it. And firmed course is a surer evidence than the more though one may have a more splendid, and an-early starts of charity, or fits of piety, which other a more obscure part assigned him, yet the may have drawn more attention, and obtained actor of each is equally, is awfully accountable. more applause. Though God is not a hard, he is an exact master. His service, though not a severe, is a reasonable service. He accurately proportions his requisitions to his gifts. If he does not expect that one talent should be as productive as five, yet to a single talent a proportionable responsibility is annexed.

He who has said 'Give me thy heart,' will not be satisfied with less; he will not accept the praying lips, nor the mere hand of charity as substitutes.

A real Christian will be more just, sober, and charitable than other men, though he will not rest for salvation on justice, sobriety, or charity. He will perform the duties they enjoin, in the spirit of Christianity, as instances of devout obedience, as evidences of a heart devoted to God.

All virtues, it cannot be too often repeated, are sanctified or unhallowed according to the principle, which dictates them; and will be accepted or rejected accordingly. This principle kept in due exercise, becomes a habit, and every act strengthens the inclination, adding vigour to the principle and pleasure to the performance.

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Again;-We should cultivate most assiduously, because the work is so difficult, those graces which are most opposite to our natural temper; the value of our good qualities depending much on their being produced by the victory over some natural wrong propensity. The implantation of a virtue is the eradication of a vice. It would cost one man more to keep down a rising. passion than to do a brilliant deed. It will try another more to keep back a sparkling but corrupt thought, which his wit had suggested but which religion checks, than it would to give a large sum in charity. A real Christian being deeply sensible of the worthlessness of any actions which do not spring from the genuine fountain, will aim at such,an habitual conformity to the divine image, that to perform all acts of justice, charity, kindness, temperance, and every kindred virtue, may become the temper, the habitual, the abiding state of his heart; that like natural streams they may flow spontaneously from the living source.

Practical Christianity then, is the actual operation of Christian principles. It is lying on the watch for occasions to exemplify them. It is exercising ourselves unto godliness.' A Christian cannot tell in the morning, what op

We cannot be said to be real Christians, till religion become our animating motive, our pre-portunities he may have of doing good during dominating principle and pursuit, as much as worldly things are the predominating motive, principle and pursuit, of worldly men.

New converts, it is said, are most zealous, but they are not always the most persevering. If their tempers are warm; and they have only been touched on the side of their passions, they start eagerly, march rapidly, and are full of confidence in their own strength. They too often judge others with little charity, and themselves with little humility. While they accuse those who move steadily of standing still, they fancy their own course will never be slackened. If their conversion be not solid, religion, in losing its novelty, loses its power. Their speed declines. Nay, it will be happy if their motion

the day; but if he be a real Christian, he can
tell that he will try to keep his heart open, his
mind prepared, his affections alive to do what-
ever may occur in the way of duty. He will,
as it were, stand in the way to receive the orders
of Providence. Doing good is his vocation. Nor
does the young artisan bind himself by firmer
articles to the rigid performance of his master's
work, than the indentured Christian to the ac-
tive service of that Divine Master, who himself
'went about doing good.' He rejects no duty
which comes within the sphere of his calling,
nor does he think the work he is employed in a
good one, if he might be doing a better. His
having well acquitted himself of a good action,
is so far from furnishing him with an excuse

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for avoiding the next, that it is a new reason | for his embarking in it. He looks not at the work which he has accomplished; but on that which he has to do. His views are always prospective. His charities are scarcely limited by his power. His will knows no limits. His fortune may have bounds: His benevolence has none. He is, in mind and desire, the benefactor of every miserable man. His heart is open to all the distressed; to the household of faith it overflows. Where the heart is large, however small the ability, a thousand ways of doing good will be invented. Christian charity is a great enlarger of means. Christian self-denial negatively accomplishes the purpose of the favourites of fortune in the fables of the nursery-if it cannot fill the purse by a wish, it will not empty it by a vanity. It provides for others by abridg ing from itself. Having carefully defined what is necessary and becoming, it allows of no encroachment on its definition. Superfluities it will lop, vanities it will cut off. The deviser of liberal things will find means of effecting them, which to the indolent appear incredible, to the covetous impossible. Christian beneficence takes a large sweep. That circumference cannot be small of which God is the centre. Nor does religious charity in a Christian stand still because not kept in motion by the main spring of the world. Money may fail, but benevolence will be going on. If he cannot relieve want, he may mitigate sorrow. He may warn the inexperienced, he may instruct the ignorant, he may confirm the doubting. The Christian will find out the cheapest way of being good as well as of doing good. If he cannot give money, he may exercise a more difficult virtue; he may forgive injuries. Forgiveness is the economy of the heart. A Christian will find it cheaper to pardon than to resent. Forgiveness saves expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits. It also puts the soul into a frame, which makes the practice of other virtues easy. The achievement of a hard duty is a great abolisher of difficulties. If great occasions do not arise, he will thankfully seize on small ones. If he cannot glorify God by serving others, he knows that he has always something to do at home; some evil temper to correct, some wrong propensity to reform, some crooked practice to straighten. He will never be at a loss for employment, while there is a sin or misery in the world; he will never be idle, while there is a distress to be relieved in another, or a corruption to be cured in his own heart. We have employment assigned to us for every circumstance in life. When we are alone, we have our thoughts to watch: in the family, our tempers; in company, our tongues.

What an example of disinterested goodness and unbounded kindness have we in our heavenly Father, who is merciful over all his works; who distributes common blessings without distinction; who bestows the necessary refreshments of life, the shining sun and the refreshing shower, without waiting, as we are apt to do for personal merit, or attachment or gratitude; who does not look out for desert, but want as a qualification for his favours; who does not afflict willingly, who delights in the

happiness and desires the salvation of all his children; who dispenses his daily munificence and bears with our daily offences; who in return for our violation of his laws, supplies our necessities who waits patiently for our repentance, and even solicits us to have mercy on our own souls?

What a model for our humble imitation is that Divine person who was clothed with our humanity; who dwelt among us that the pattern being brought near might be rendered more engaging, the conformity be made more practicable; whose whole life was one unbroken series of universal charity; who in his complicated bounties never forgot that man is compounded both of soul and body; who after teaching the multitude, fed them; who repulsed none for being ignorant; was impatient with none for being dull; despised none for being contemned by the world; rejected none for being sinners; who encouraged those whose importunity others censured; who in healing sickness converted souls; who gave bread and forgave injuries!

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It will be the endeavour of the sincere Chris tian, to illustrate his devotions in the morning by his actions during the day. He will try to make his conduct a practical exposition of the divine prayer which made a part of them. He will desire to hallow the name of God, to promote the enlargement and the coming' of the kingdom' of Christ. He will endeavour to do and to suffer his whole will; to forgive' as he himself trusts that he is forgiven. He will resolve to avoid that 'temptation' into which he had been praying 'not to be led ;' and he will labour to shun the 'evil' from which he had been begging to be 'delivered.' He thus makes his prayers as practical as the other parts of his religion; and labours to render his conduct as spiritual as his prayers. The commentary and the text are of reciprocal application.

If this gracious Saviour has left us a perfect model for our devotion in his prayer, he has left a model no less perfect for our practice in his sermon. This Divine exposition has been sometimes misunderstood. It was not so much a supplement to a defective law, at the restoration of the purity of a perfect law from the corrupt interpretations of its blind expounders. These persons had ceased to consider it as forbidding the principle of sin, and as only forbidding the act. Christ restores it to its original meaning, spreads it out on its due extent, shows the largeness of its dimensions and the spirit of its institution. He unfolds all its motions, tendencies and relations. Not contenting himself, as human legislators, are obliged to do, to prohibit a man the act which is injurious to others, but the inward temper which is prejudicial to himself.

There cannot be a more striking instance, how emphatically every doctrine of the gospel has a reference to practical goodness, than is exhibited by St. Paul in that magnificent picture of the resurrection, in his epistle to the Corinthians, which our church has happily selected, for the consolation of survivors at the last closing scene of mortality. After an interference as triumphant as it is logical, that because Christ is risen, we shall rise also;' after the most philosophical illustration of the raising

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of the body from the dust, by the process of suit; he is to keep his ground without troubling grain sown in the earth, and by the springing himself in searching after imaginary perfection. These frugal Christians are afraid of nothing up into a new mode of existence; after describing the subjugation of all things to the Re- so much as superfluity in their love, and deemer, and his laying down the mediatorial rogation in their obedience. This kind of fear kingdom; after sketching with a seraph's pen- however is always superfluous, but most especil, the relative glories of the celestial and ter- cially in those who are troubled with the apprerestrial bodies; after exhausting the grandest hension. They are apt to weigh in the nicely images of created nature, and the dissolution of poised scales of scrupulous exactness, the duties nature itself;-after such a display of the which must of hard necessity be done, and solemnities of the great day, as makes this those which without much risk may be left world, and all its concerns shrink into nothing: undone; compounding for a larger indulgence in such a moment, when, if ever, the rapt spirit by the relinquishment of a smaller; giving up, might be supposed too highly wrought for pre- through fear, a trivial gratification to which they cept and admonition, the apostle, wound up as are less inclined, and snatching doubtingly, as he was by the energies of inspiration, to the im- an equivalent, at one they like better. The mediate view of the glorified state-the last gratification in both cases being perhaps such trumpet sounding-the change from mortal to as a manly mind would hardly think worth immortality effected in the twinkling of an eye contending for, oven were religion out of the -the sting of death drawn out-victory snatch-question. Nothing but love to God can conquer ed from the grave-then, by a turn as surprising as it is beautiful, he draws a conclusion as unexpectedly practical as his premises were grand and awful: Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable; always abounding in the work of the Lord.' Then at once, by another quick transition, resorting from the duty to the reward, and winding up the whole with an argument as powerful, as his rhetoric had been sublime, he adds- Forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.'

CHAP. III.

Mistakes in Religion

love of the world. One grain of that divine principle would make the scale of self-indulgence kick the beam.

These persons dread nothing so much as enthusiasm. Yet if to look for effects without their predisposing causes; to depend for heaven on that to which heaven was never promised, be features of enthusiasm, then are they themselves enthusiasts.

that submission to the power of God, obedience to his laws, compliance with his will, trust in his word, are through the efficacy of the eternal Spirit, real evidences, because they are vital acts of genuine faith in Jesus Christ. If they profess not to place their reliance on works, they are however more zealous in performing them than the others, who professing to depend on their good deeds for salvation, are not always diligent in securing it by the very means which they themselves establish to be alone effectual.

The religion of a second class, we have already described in the two preceding chapters. It consists in a heart devoted to its Maker; inwardly changed in its temper and disposition, yet deeply sensible of its remaining infirmities; continually aspiring however to higher improvements in faith, hope and charity, and thinking that the greatest of these is charity.' These, by the former class, are reckoned enthusiasts, To point out with precision all the mistakes but they are in fact, if Christianity be true, which exist in the present day, on the awful acting on the only rational principles. If the subject of religion, would far exceed the limits doctrines of the gospel have any solidity, if its of this small work. No mention therefore is promises have any meaning, these Christians intended to be made of the opinions or the prac-are building on no false ground. They hope tice of any particular body of people; nor will any notice be taken of any of the peculiarities of the numerous sects and parties which have risen up among us. It will be sufficient for the present purpose, to hazard some slight remarks on a few of those common classes of characters, which belong more or less to most general bodies. There are, among many others, three different sorts of religious professors. The religion of one consists in a sturdy defence of what they themselves call orthodoxy, an attendance on There is a third class-the high flown propublic worship, and a general decency of behaviour. In their views of religion, they are not fessor, who looks down from the giddy heights a little apprehensive of excess, not perceiving of antinomian delusion on the other two, abhors that their danger lies on the other side. They the one, and despises the other, concludes that are far from rejecting faith or morals, but are the one is lost, and the other in a fair way to be somewhat afraid of believing too much, and a so. Though perhaps not living himself in any little scrupulous about doing too much, lest the course of immorality, which requires the sancformer be suspected of fanaticism, and the latter tion of such doctrines, he does not hesitate to of singularity. These Christians consider re-imply in his discourse, that virtue is heathenish, ligion as a point, which they, by their regular and good works superfluous if not dangerous. observances, having attained, there is nothing further required but to maintain the point they have reached, by a repetition of the same observances. They are therefore satisfied to remain stationary, considering that whoever has obtained his end, is of course saved the labour of pur

He does not consider that though the Gospel is an act of oblivion to penitent sinners, yet it no where promises pardon to those who continue to live in a state of rebellion against God, and of disobedience to his laws. He forgets to insist to others that it is of little importance even

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