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consecrated affections, of the new creature | miration-virtues in which there is a meetin Jesus Christ, shrink from them alto-ing and a combining of both the properties gether as from the extravagancies of a fa- of our text; so that he who in these things naticism in which they have no share, and serveth Christ, is both approved of God, with which they can have no sympathy- and acceptable unto men. and all this, though the same scripture which prescribes the exercises of household and of public religion, lays claim to an undivided authority over all the desires and affections of the soul; and will admit of no compromise between God and the world; and insist upon an utter deadness to the one, and a most vehement sensibility to the other; and elevates the standard of loyalty to the Father of our Spirits, to the lofty pitch of loving him with all our strength, and of doing all things to his glory.

Let a steady hold be kept of this distinction, and it will be found capable of being turned to very useful application, both to the object of illustrating principle, and to the important object of detecting character. For this purpose, let us carry the distinction along with us, and make it subservient to the establishment of two or three successive observations.

First. A man may possess, to a considerable extent, the second class of virtues, and not possess so much as one iota of the religious principle; and that among other reasons, because a man may feel a value for one of the attributes which belongs to this class of virtues, and have no value whatever for the other attribute. If justice be both approved by God, and acceptable to men, he may on the latter property alone,

this virtue-and that without suffering its former property to have any practical influence whatever on any of his habits, or any of his determinations, and the same with every other virtue belonging to this second class. As residing in his character, there may not be the ingredient of godli

Let these examples serve to impress a real and experimental distinction which obtains between two sets of virtues; between those which possess the single ingredient of being approved by God, while they want the ingredient of being also acceptable unto men-and those which possess both these ingredients, and to the observ-be induced to the strictest maintenance of ance of which, therefore, we may be carried by a regard to the will of God, without any reference to the opinion of men-or by a regard to the opinion of men, without any reference to the will of God. Among the first class of virtues we would assign a foremost place to all those inward and spiritual graces which enter into the obe-ness in any one of them. He may be well dience of the affections--highly approved reported on account of them by men; but of God, but not at all acceptable to the gene- with God he may lie under as fearful a ral taste, or carrying along with them the severity of reckoning, as if he wanted them general congeniality of the world. And altogether. Surely, it does not go to allethen, though they do not possess the ingre- viate the withdrawment of your homage dient of God's approbation in a way so from God, that you have such an homage separate and unmixed, we would say that to the opinion of men, as influences you to abstinence from profane language, and at- do things, to the doing of which the law of tendance upon church, and a strict keeping God is not able to influence you. It cannot of the sabbath, and the exercises of family be said to palliate the revolting of your inworship, and the more rigid decrees of so-climations from the Creator, that you have briety, and a fearful avoidance of every en- transferred them all to the creature; and croachment on temperance or chastity, given an ascendency to the voice of human rank more appropriately with the first than reputation, which you have refused to the with the second class of virtues; for though voice and authority of your Lawgiver in there be many in society who have no re- heaven. Your want of subordination to ligion, and yet to whom several of these him, is surely not made up by the respectful virtues are acceptable, yet you will allow, subordination that you render to the taste that they do not convey such a universal or the judgment of society. And in addipopularity along with them, as certain other virtues which belong indisputably to the second class. These are the virtues which have a more obvious and immediate bearing on the interest of society-such as the truth which is punctual to all its engagements, and the honour which never disappoints the confidence it has inspired, and the compassion which cannot look unmoved at any of the symptoms of human wretchedness, and the generosity which scatters unsparingly around it. These are virtues which God has enjoined, and in behalf of which man lifts the testimony of a loud and ready ad

tion to this, we would have you to remember, that though other constitutional principles, besides a regard to the opinion of others, helped to form the virtues of the second class upon your character; though compassion and generosity, and truth, would have broken out into full and flourishing display upon you, and that, just because you had a native sensibility, or a native love of rectitude; yet, if the first ingredient be wanting, if a regard to the approbation of God have no share in the production of the moral accomplishmentthen all the morality you can pretend to, is

of as little religious estimation, and is as tory, than to abandon the iniquities of his utterly disconnected with the rewards of past conduct; that the most characteristic religion, as all the elegance of taste you can transformation which takes place at such a pretend to, or all the raptured love of music time, is a transformation from thoughtlessyou can pretend to, or all the vigour andness, and from licentious gaiety, and from dexterity of bodily exercise you can pre- the festive indulgencies of those with whom tend to. All these, in reference to the great question of immortality, profit but little; and it is godliness alone that is profitable unto all things. It is upon this consideration that we would have you to open your eyes to the nakedness of your condition in the sight of God; to look to the full weight of the charge that he may prefer against you; to estimate the fearful extent of the deficiency under which you labour; to resist the delusive whispering of peace, when there is no peace; and to understand, that the wrath of God abideth on every child of nature, however rich he may be in the virtues and accomplishments of nature.

he is wont to run to all those excesses of riot, of which the Apostle says, that they which do these things shall not inherit the kingdom of God; for even then, and in the very midst of all his impiety, he may have been kindhearted, and there might be no room upon his person for a visible transformation from inhumanity of character; even then, he may have been honourable, and there might be as little room for a visible transformation from fraudulency of character.

Thirdly. Nothing is more obvious than the antipathy that is felt by a certain class of religionists against the preaching of good works; and the antipathy is assuredly well and warrantably grounded, when it is such

ness, than an eulogium on the virtues of the shop, or of the market-place; and that while the one is approved of as having about it the solemn and the suitable characteristics of godliness, the other is stigmatized as a piece of barren, heartless, heathenish, and philosophic morality? Now, this antipathy to the preaching of the latter

But again. This view of the distinction between the two sets of virtues, will serve to explain how it is, that, in the act of turn-a preaching as goes to reduce the importing unto God, the one class of them appears ance, or to infringe upon the simplicity, of to gather more copiously, and more con- the great doctrine of justification by faith, spicuously, upon the front of a renewed but along with this, may there not be recharacter, than the other class; how it is marked the toleration with which they will that the former wear a more unequivocal listen to a discourse upon one set of good aspect of religiousness than the latter; how works, and the evident coldness and disit is, that an air of gravity, and decency, like with which they listen to a discourse on and seriousness, looks to be more in alliance another set of them; how a pointed remon-* with sanctity, than the air either of open strance against Sabbath breaking sounds in integrity, or of smiling benevolence; how their ears as if more in character from the it is, that the most ostensible change in the pulpit, than a pointed remonstrance against habit of a converted profligate, is that the commission of theft, or the speaking of change in virtue of which he withdraws evil; how an eulogium on the observance himself from the companions of his licen- of family worship, feels, in their taste, to be tiousness; and that to renounce the dissi-more impregnated with the spirit of sacredpations of his former life stands far more frequently, or, at least, far more visibly, associated with the act of putting on Christianity, than to renounce the dishonesties of his former life. It is true, that, by the law of the gospel he is laid as strictly under the authority of the commandment to live righteously, as of the commandment to live soberly. But there is a compound cha-species of good works, has something peracter in those virtues which are merely culiar in it. It is not enough to say, that social; and the presence of the one ingre- it arises from a sensitive alarm about the dient serves to throw into the shade, or to stability of the doctrine of justification; for disguise altogether, the presence of the other let it be observed, that this doctrine stands ingredient. There is a greater number of opposed to the merit not of one particular irreligious men, who are at the same time class of performances, but to the merit of just in their dealings, than there is of irre- all performances whatsoever. It is just as ligious men, who are at the same time pure unscriptural a detraction from the great and temperate in their habits; and there- truth of salvation by faith, to rest our acfore it is that justice, even the most scrupu- ceptance with God on the duties of prayer, lous, is not so specifical, and of course not or of rigid Sabbath keeping, or of strict and so satisfying a mark of religion, as is a so- untainted sobriety, as to rest it on the puncbriety that is rigid and unviolable. And tual fulfilment of all your bargains, and on all this helps to explain how it is, that when the extent of your manifold liberalities. It a man comes under the power of religion, is not, then, a mere zeal about the great to abandon the levities of his past conduct article of justification which lies at the botis an event which stands far more notice-tom of that peculiar aversion that is felt ably out upon him, at this stage of his his- towards a sermon on some social or hu

mane accomplishment; and that is not felt | religious. The man who pays no homage towards a sermon on sobermindedness, or to sabbaths or to sacraments, will be cona sermon on the observation of the sacra- trasted in the open, liberal, and manly style ment, or a sermon on any of those perform- of all his transactions, with the low cunances which bear a more direct and exclu-ning of this drivelling methodistical presive reference to God. We shall find the tender; and the loud laugh of a multitude explanation of this phenomenon, which of scorners, will give a force and a swell to often presents itself in the religious world, this public outcry against the whole chain that distinction of which we have just racter of the sainthood. required that it should be kept in steady Now, this delusion on the part of the unhold, and followed into its various applica-believing world is very natural, and ought tions. The aversion in question is often, in not to excite our astonishment. We are fact, a well founded aversion, to a topic, not surprized, from the reasons already adwhich, though religious in the matter of it,verted to, that the truth, and the justice, and may, from the way in which it is proposed, the humanity, and the moral loveliness, be altogether secular in the principle of it. which do in fact belong to every new creaIt is resistance to what is deemed, and justly ture in Jesus Christ our Lord, should miss deemed, an act of usurpation on the part their observation; or, at least, fail to be reof certain virtues, which, when unanimated cognized among the other more obvious by a sentiment of godliness, are entitled to characteristics into which believers have no place whatever in the ministrations of been translated by the faith of the gospel. the gospel of Christ. It proceeds from a But, on this very subject there is a tendency most enlightened fear, lest that should be to delusion on the part of the disciples of held to make up the whole of religion, the faith. They need to be reminded of which is in fact utterly devoid of the spirit the solemn and indispensable religiousness of religion; and from a true and tender ap- of the second class of virtues. They need prehension, lest, on the possession of cer- to be told, that though these virtues do postain accomplishments, which secure a fleet-sess the one ingredient of being approved ing credit throughout the little hour of this world's history, deluded man should look forward to his eternity with hope, and upward to his God with complacency, while he carries not on his forehead one vestige of the character of heaven, one lineament of the aspect of godliness.

by men, and may, on this single account, be found to reside in the characters of those who live without God-yet, that they also possess the other ingredient of being acceptable unto God; and, on this latter account, should be made the subjects of their most strenuous cultivation. They must not And lastly. The first class of virtues lose sight of the one ingredient in the other; bear the character of religiousness more or stigmatize, as so many fruitless and instrongly, just because they bear that cha- significant moralities, those virtues which racter more singly. The people who are enter as component parts, into the service without, might, no doubt, see in every real of Christ; so that he who in these things Christian the virtues of the second class serveth Christ, is both acceptable to God, also; but these virtues do not belong to and approved by men. They must not them peculiarly and exclusively. For though expend all their warmth on the high and it be true, that every religious man must be peculiar doctrine of the New Testament, honest, the converse does not follow, that while they offer a cold and reluctant adevery honest man must be religious. And mission to the practical duties of the New it is because the social accomplishments do Testament. The Apostle has bound the not form the specific, that neither do they one to the other by a tie of immediate conform the most prominent and distinguish-nexion. Wherefore, lie not one to another, as ing marks of Christianity. They may also ye have put off the old man and his deeds, be recognized as features in the character and put on the new man, which is formed of men, who utterly repudiate the whole after the image of God, in righteousness style and doctrine of the New Testament; and true holiness. Here the very obvious and hence a very prevalent impression in and popular accomplishment of truth is society, that the faith of the gospel does not grafted on the very peculiar doctrine of rebear so powerfully and so directly on the generation: and you altogether mistake the relative virtues of human conduct. A few kind of transforming influence which the instances of hypocrisy amongst the more se- faith of the gospel brings along with it, if rious professors of our faith, serve to rivet you think that uprightness of character does the impression, and to give it perpetuity in not emerge at the same time with godliness the world. One single example, indeed, of of character; or that the virtues of society sanctimonious duplicity will suffice, in the do not form upon the believer into as rich judgment of many, to cover the whole of and varied an assemblage, as do the virtues vital and orthodox Christianity with dis-of the sanctuary; or that, while he puts on grace. The report of it will be borne in triumph amongst the companies of the ir

those graces which are singly acceptable to God, he falls behind in any of those graces

them that if there be a place in our world, where the subtle evasion, and the dexterous imposition, and the sly but gainful concealment, and the report which misleads an inquirer, and the gloss which tempts, the unwary purchaser-are not only currently practised in the walks of merchandize, but, when not carried forward to the glare and the literality of falsehood, are beheld with general connivance; if there be a place where the sense of morality has thus fallen, and all the nicer delicacies of conscience are overborne in the keen and ambitious rivalry of men hasting to be rich, and wholly given over to the idolatrous service of the god of this world-then that is the place, the smoke of whose iniquity rises before Him who sitteth on the throne, in a tide of the deepest and most revolting abomination.

which are both acceptable to God, and ap-|ings, he would try to make the odiousness proved of men. of sin stand visibly out on every shade and Let, therefore, every pretender to Chris-modification of dishonesty; and to assure tianity vindicate this assertion by his own personal history in the world. Let him not lay his godliness aside, when he is done with the morning devotion of his family; but carry it abroad with him, and make it his companion and his guide through the whole business of the day; always bearing in his heart the sentiment, that thou God seest me; and remembering, that there is not one hour that can flow, or one occasion that can cast up, where his law is not present with some imperious exaction or other. It is false, that the principle of christian sanctification possesses no influence over the familiarities of civil and ordinary life. It is altogether false, that godliness is a virtue of such a lofty and monastic order, as to hold its dominion only over the solemnities of worship, or over the solitudes of prayer and spiritual contemplation. If it be substantially a grace within us at all, it And here we have to complain of the will give a direction and a colour to the public injustice that is done to Christianity, whole of our path in society. There is not when one of its ostentatious professors has one conceivable transaction, amongst all the acted the hypocrite, and stands in disgracemanifold varieties of human employment, ful exposure before the eyes of the world. which it is not fitted to animate by its spirit. We advert to the readiness with which this There is nothing that meets us too homely is turned into a matter of general impeachto be beyond the reach of obtaining, from ment, against every appearance of seriousits influence, the stamp of something celes-ness; and how loud the exclamation is against tial. It offers to take the whole man under the religion of all who signalize themits ascendency, and to subordinate all his selves; and that, if the aspect of godliness movements; nor does it hold the place be so very decided as to become an aspect which rightfully belongs to it, till it be of peculiarity, then is this peculiarity convested with a presiding authority over the verted into a ground of distrust and suspientire system of human affairs. And there- cion against the bearer of it. Now, it so fore it is, that the preacher is not bringing happens, that in the midst of this world down Christianity-he is only sending it lying in wickedness, a man, to be a Chrisabroad over the field of its legitimate ope- tian at all, must signalize himself. Neither ration, when he goes with it to your count- is he in a way of salvation, unless he be ing-houses, and there rebukes every selfish one of a very peculiar people; nor would inclination that would carry you ever so we precipitately consign him to discredit, little within the limits of fraudulency; when even though the peculiarity be so very he enters into your chambers of agency, glaring as to provoke the charge of meand there detects the character of falsehood, thodism. But instead of making one man's which lurks under all the plausibility of hypocrisy act as a draw-back upon the your multiplied and excessive charges; reputation of a thousand, we submit, if it when he repairs to the crowded market- would not be a fairer and more philosophiplace, and pronounces of every bargain, cal procedure, just to betake one's-self to over which truth, in all the strictness of the method of induction-to make a walkquakerism, has not presided, that it is tainted ing survey over the town, and record an with moral evil; when he looks into your inventory of all the men in it who are so shops, and, in listening to the contest of very far gone as to have the voice of psalms argument between him who magnifies his in their family; or as to attend the meetarticle, and him who pretends to undervalue ings of fellowship for prayer; or as scruit, he calls it the contest of avarice, broken pulously to abstain from all that is quesloose from the restraints of integrity. He tionable in the amusements of the world; is not, by all this, vulgarizing religion, or or as, by any other marked and visible giving it the hue and the character of earth-symptom whatever, to stand out to general liness. He is only asserting the might and observation as the members of a saintly the universality of its sole preeminence over and separated society. We know, that even And therefore it is, that if possible of such there are a few, who, if Paul were to solemnize his hearers to the practice of alive, would move him to weep for the resimplicity and godly sincerity in their deal-proach they bring upon his master. But

man.

we also know, that the blind and impe- poverty-and who look with the most tuous world exaggerates the few into the wakeful eye over all the sufferings and nemany; inverts the process of atonement cessities of our species-and who open altogether, by laying the sins of one man their hand most widely in behalf of the upon the multitude; looks at their general imploring and the friendless-and to whom, aspect of sanctity, and is so engrossed with in spite of all their mockery, the men of this single expression of character, as to be the world are sure, in the negociations of insensible to the noble uprightness, and the business, to award the readiest confidence tender humanity with which this sanctity is associated. And therefore it is, that we offer the assertion, and challenge all to its most thorough and searching investigation, that the Christianity of these people, which many think does nothing but cant, and profess, and run after ordinances, has augmented their honesties and their liberalities, and that, tenfold beyond the average character of society; that these are the men we oftenest meet with in the mansions of

and who sustain the most splendid part in all those great movements of philanthropy which bear on the general interests of mankind--and who, with their eye full upon eternity, scatter the most abundant blessings over the fleeting pilgrimage of time-and who, while they hold their conversation in heaven, do most enrich the earth we tread upon, with all those virtues which secure enjoyment to families, and uphold the order and prosperity of the commonwealth.

DISCOURSE III.

The Power of Selfishness in promoting the Honesties of mercantile Intercourse. "And if you do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same."-Luke vi. 33.

IT is to be remarked of many of those | particular testimony when it is rendered. duties, the performance of which confers The other is additional to my right-the the least distinction upon an individual, offering of a spontaneous good will which that they are at the same time the very I had no title to exact; and which, thereduties, the violation of which would con- fore, when rendered to me, excites in my fer upon him the largest measure of oblo-bosom the cordiality of a warmer acknowquy and disgrace. Truth and justice do not serve to elevate a man so highly above the average morality of his species, as would generosity, or ardent friendship, or devoted and disinterested patriotism; the former are greatly more common than the latter; and, on that account, the presence of them is not so calculated to signalize the individual to whom they belong. But that is one account, also, why the absence of them would make him a more monstrous exception to the general run of character in society. And, accordingly, while it is true, that there are more men of integrity in the world, than there are men of very wide and liberal beneficence-it is also true, that one act of falsehood, or one act of dishonesty, would stamp a far more burning infamy on the name of a transgressor than any defect in those more heroic charities, and extraordinary virtues, of which humanity is capable.

So it is far more disgraceful not to be just to another, than not to be kind to him; and, at the same time, an act of kindness may be held in higher positive estimation than an act of justice. The one is my right --nor is there any call for the homage of a

ledgement. And yet, our Saviour, who knew what was in man, saw, that ́ much of the apparent kindness of nature, was resolvable into the real selfishness of nature; that much of the good done unto others, was done in the hope that these others would do something again. And, we believe it would be found by an able analyst of the human character, that this was the secret but substantial principle of many of the civilities and hospitalities of ordinary intercourse--that if there were no expectation either of a return in kind, or of a return in gratitude, or of a return in popularity, many of the sweetening and cement ing virtues of a neighbourhood would be practically done away-all serving to prove, that a multitude of virtues, which, in effect, promoted the comfort and the interest of others, were tainted in principle by a latent regard to one's own interest; and that thus being the fellowship of those who did good, either as a return for the good done unto them, or who did good in hope of such a return, it might be, in fact, what our Saviour characterizes in the text-the fellowship of sinners.

But if to do that which is unjust, is still

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