too great a share of his thoughts-not ashamed to confess his hope and calling, but letting his moderation be known unto all men-the light of an extended sphere, and the standard round which the timid or the undecided may rallyrestraining the bad, by the respect which consistent Christian behaviour always commands 5. -persuading the doubtful, by the silent force of example-strengthening the good by holding out the right hand of fellowship wherever the interests of piety or charity stand in need of his concurrence. If, therefore, there is a difficulty in establishing any general rule applicable to the point at issue, there are some particulars connected with it which the laws of Christian prudence seem absolutely to require. It is quite certain that any thing enjoyed to excess, or, what is the same thing, which leaves the mind in a state of dissipation whence it cannot be 5 pictate gravem ac meritis si forte virum quem Aspexere, silent, arrectisque auribus astant; Ille regit dictis animos, et pec ora mulcet.-Æn. i. 155. C C recalled to that composure necessary for serious thought, partakes of the nature of crime. Christianity has won its way without making any sacrifice to the weakness of men in this respect. It is so far from flattering the selfish feelings of human nature, that it characterizes as wordly those who will not forego the gratifications of the senses, and expressly disclaims them as children of God. The lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world' And the reason of this is evident. If every thing were very good, as it was when the Creator first beheld and blessed the world, every object around would remind man of God, and promote the beginning of a spiritual intercourse. with him which would be continued face to face' hereafter, on closer terms of intimacy. All his pleasures would be pure, all his enjoyments innocent, all his desires moderate and cautious and regulated by a predominant feel 6 1 John, ii. 16. ing of love and obedience to his Maker-every external object from which the mind could receive impressions would exercise his gratitude, and furnish him with suitable thoughts of Him who 'crowneth the year with his goodness, and whose tender mercies are over all his works. The world would be on the side of God, and acquaintance with it would not lessen that relish for heavenly things, which, as it forms the principal enjoyment of glorified spirits in heaven, must be acquired in some measure on earth, to make us meet for eternity. But it is vain to speculate on what might have been the case, had the world continued to the descendant of Adam, that garden of Eden in which the first created being was stationed. The contrast which the actual state of things presents leads to this practical conclusionthat, on the one hand, no countenance is afforded by our Saviour's example for separating Christians from the great body of mankind as an insulated sect. The prayer of our Lord for his followers was, that they should be filled with grace to withstand temptation, not that they should be abstracted from a state of trial. 'I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil". On the other hand, they are as clearly warned, that they must come out of the world, and not be conformed to it'-that the friendship of the world is enmity with Godand that what is born of God overcometh the world. With these texts before him, he would be presumptuous who adventured into the scenes of mixed life, as into a friendly country, where every thing was to be enjoyed without restraint or caution. 7 John, xvii. 15. 8 Rom. xii. 2. James, iv. 4. 1 John, v. 4. 389 CHAPTER IX. The individual Application of Christ's Preaching. ALTHOUGH the Jewish law consisted almost entirely of detached and definite precepts, there was yet nothing in the spirit of it which approached to what may be called individual application. All its ordinances were general and abstract. With the exception of the laws respecting the Levites, which were appointed for them exclusively as forming a distinct and hereditary priesthood, the statutes of the covenant are always addressed collectively to the whole congregation of Israel. Nor could it have been otherwise under the simple form of society which that people presented. Men who were alternately shepherds or soldiers, as the exigencies of the moment required, were little acquainted with that artificial division of labour which the increased wants of |