the good man for every good work. The scriptures never teach us how to enjoy, but how to act: the enjoyment which they teach is either complacency in well-doing for its own sake, or peace and joy under difficulties and persecutions for doing good. Many have a morbid dread of the religion of DOING: there is something poetical in the religion of feeling, and something magisterial in the religion of creeds; but in the religion of doing, there is nothing, in their apprehension, but self-denial, painful struggle, strenuous effort, and untiring labor. According to their own phraseology, "DO, DO," is to them antiscriptural and legal; it is "the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words, which voice, they that hear, intreat that the word should not be spoken to them any more." It is not, say they, the gospel. Yet Jesus Christ, in the sermon with which he introduced the gospel, asks his disciples, "What do ye more than others?" The first question in evangelical religion is, "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" or, "What shall I do to be saved?" The spiritual brethren of our Lord are they who hear the word of God and do it. The religion which shall be owned and approved in the day of judgment, will be, not the cold and lifeless orthodoxy of those who say, "Lord, Lord!" but the practical usefulness of those who do the will of their Father who is in heaven. The law and the gospel say, do and act; the doctrines and the promises excite us to activity; the history and the examples of the Bible animate us to effort; the life and the parables of Christ make us blush at our indolence; while the letters and the injunctions of the apostles insist that we should not sleep as do others, while we have a world to save. 5. Doing good is the signal peculiarity, and proper individuality of a Christian. A Christian is "created unto good works," as much so as the sun was created to shine, or rivers to flow. A Christian, therefore, who does not produce good works, is not answering the purpose for which he was created. Christians are redeemed from all iniquity, that they might be a peculiar people "zealous of good works; not so zealous for them as to thrust them where they ought not to be, in the foreground af our acceptance with God, but so zealous for them as to be constantly producing them, always about them and in them, for the benefit and the salvation of the world. We are not our own, we are bought with a price: our powers and faculties were not only formed and created for good works; but, after they had been enslaved to sin, they were again bought and ransomed, that they might be employed in doing good. A religious professor, who is of no use, robs Christ, who ransomed him, of that which is his due. Doing good is the business of a good man: he makes it the chief purpose of life; it occupies most of his mind and thoughts; he makes it the employment of every day; he consecrates his energies to improve his means of accomplishing it; it gives a character and odor to all his other transactions; he redeems time, in order to be engaged in it; he subordinates everything to the pursuit of it; and exercises all forethought and caution to seize every opportunity, and to let no season escape him, in which he could do good. The Holy Spirit describes Christians as so prompt in doing good, that they require nothing for its production but the opportunity. "As ye have opportunity, do good unto all men." In this instruction it is supposed that the disposition, the willingness, the ability, and the means to do good, are always present; and that, whenever the opportunity serves, they are always ready and prompt for their noble work. Our day is unquestionably a day of extended beneficence, and of abounding liberality. After all, many Christians seem rather to submit to the demands of well-doing as a penalty, than to enter upon them as the course in which they would covet to distinguish themselves, or as the element in which they would bask and revel. Witness the great sensitiveness of "the many" on the subject of collections, subscriptions, and contributions, for our most useful institutions; also the reluctance, evasions, and the special pleadings put forth against undertaking, from pure love of usefulness, some laborious, self-denying, onerous offices connected with our most active societies. At the same time, it is undeniable, that money will find fit men for any, and for every, religious office, and secure that the duties of the office shall be faithfully discharged. 6. Usefulness to others is the express design of the formation of Christians into churches. The design of forming every church is, that it should be the means of diffusing happiness, by converting the district or the town, where it assembles, to the religion of the gospel. A church is not scripturally prosperous, if it is not efficient in conversions. One of the sweetest promises of God to the church is, "I will make them and the places round about my hill a blessing." A church is a real blessing, only as it is the instrument for the diffusion of religion, and for the conversion of souls. That this was the design of Christ in forming his people into a church is evident, from the fact that the promulgation of the message of salvation was entrusted to its charge; from the contrived adaptation of its institutions and ordinances to the wants of mankind; and from the aspect of its graces, and the influences of its character, upon the welfare and the destinies of the world. It is formed to disciple all nations: the church must tell the world that this is the design for which it is instituted; and it must tell this by its holy character and saving efforts. By some fatal delusion, churches calculate that success in conversions is to result from the public ministry only, and expect nothing from their own character. Whereas, no minister can be successful with an inefficient and inconsistent church; for he never can make good the cause which he pleads, while all the witnesses, to whom he appeals, contradict him. Many churches seem to constitute their minister a kind of substitute, to feel for the world, and act for its salvation, instead of them; they seem to wish to do good by proxy, that they themselves might be left undisturbed, to mind the world, and seek their personal ease or family aggrandizement, with greater liberty. 7. God supplies us with suitable seasons for doing good. In the art of doing good there is nothing rash, obtrusive, and violent. Opportunities of usefulness constantly occur, so proper, so fit, and so adapted, as if they were intended for the convenience of our holy attempts. The tact of the man devoted to well-doing lies, in quickly perceiving these occasions, and promptly seizing them to do-work while it is day. We never let such opportunities slip, without incurring great guilt on our own souls, and risking great perils to the souls of others. "Withhold not good from them to whom it is due, when it is in the power of thine hand to do it. Say not unto thy neighbor, Go, and come again, and to-morrow I will give, when thou hast it by thee." Every work is good and acceptable only when it is done in time. "Every thing is beautiful in its season ;" and "to speak a word in season " is a mark of skill and adroitness in the messengers of salvation. When out of season, even what is really good, becomes ridiculous and evil: food, clothing, and medicine for the hungry, the naked, and the sick, are good in their season; but supplied too late, and to the dead, they are worse than useless. The most difficult duty may be easy in its right time, but hard and painful, when attempted out of its season. It is easy to swim with the tide, to sail with the wind, to weld the iron when heated, to bend a twig, or to pluck up a plant. Make either of these attempts at the improper season, and the failure is certain. When a religious duty is found painfully difficult, as, commencing and sustaining family and social prayer, domestic discipline, or holy instruction, an inquiry will probably discover that it was not begun in time, or tried in its season. When the adapted season for doing good is allowed to pass, usefulness becomes almost impossible. All works cannot be done at all seasons, for there are times when our work cannot be accomplished. This was the maxim of Him who went about doing good: "I must work the works of him that sent me while it is day, for the night cometh in which no man can work." If we sow not in sowing time, it will be in vain to sow at any other. Say not, the next day will do, the next season will suit; for the next day has another work, and the next season has other duties, and you must do both, and do each in its appointed season. - All If you omit the season for duty, your means for performing it may become very uncertain. If, while it is called to-day, you harden your hearts, God may arrange that his Spirit shall no more strive with you. Lose this season, and perhaps you lose all; helps and means may be taken away from you, or you from them; and you may not have the same facilities and the same openings for usefulness as you have now. the creatures of God are prompt to supply the service, which he appointed them to do for you: the sun rises and sets, day and night come and go, seed-time and harvest observe their appointed weeks, all bring their tribute in time to you,and will you embezzle all this revenue for yourself, or detain it from whom it is due? In worldly affairs you take heed to do every thing in its time. You do not plough when you should reap; and you are wise to discern the face of the sky. A good man is described as a tree that bringeth forth its fruit in its season. The wicked are prompt to mark and embrace the season for sin and wrong. "They sleep not, except they have done mischief." Is it true of you that you sleep not, except you have accomplished some good? When you are in distress, you expect God to be prompt in relieving you, and you are impatient until the deliverance come, and can hardly wait even till his time is matured. Be as prompt to do good, as you are ready to receive good. In your cause, Jesus Christ acted with all promptitude. He came in the fulness of time, and it was in due time that he died for you. In heaven he is prompt to receive your requests, and to plead your cause; he is prompt to deliver you in temptation, and to support you in affliction; and he will be prompt to meet and cheer you in the valley of the shadow of death. Let your loins, then, be girt about to serve him; stand before his presence, in an attitude of readiness to do all his will. To acquire this habitual promptitude for usefulness, be much in earnest prayer that God would supply you with opportunities for doing good: this will make you watch every day for such seasons, and to seize them when they appear. Pray for these opportunities, as if you expected God to answer you. Be always "thoroughly furnished" with suitable means for doing good: a word in season, a religious tract, or Christian temper, should never be wanting. Be masters of your time: exercise foresight in the morning of the day, or at the commencement of a journey, and make preparations for openings of usefulness. Listen to the complaints of conscience about your past remissness, and impress your mind with a due sense of the uncertainty of your life. Think how much is expected, by God and by man, from your Christian character. All your works will follow you: think how large a train you would wish to see in the day of judgment, and in heaven; and remember that now is the time to swell their number, and to adorn their aspect. § 2. Religious Conversation Means of Grace. There have been great and fervid controversies between Papists and Protestants as to the right number of the sacraments. Probably great benefit would redound to the church, and to the world, if a new question for discussion were started among Protestants themselves, and that is, the number of the means of grace. Hitherto it has been regarded as a fixed and settled decree, that the only means of grace are reading the scriptures, prayer, meditation, preaching, hearing, baptism, and the Lord's Supper. The Spirit of God distinctly and expressly points out another medium and instrument, of immense usefulness, which Christians have not been accustomed to consider and to employ as means of grace. It is religious conversation. "Let no corrupt communication pro |