And these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of tempta. tion fall away.

FAITH is a persuasion of the mind founded on that evidence which is procured by reason. Philosophically and universally, it is opposed to knowledge.-There is not perhaps any point of divinity which has been and which is more mistaken and misrepresented than the nature of christian faith; and this will appear by comparing these false, weak and fanatical notions of faith with the faith of Abraham.

One errour is, to consider faith as a mere assurance and firm persuasion arising from no suitable evidence and no sufficient reason, but from feelings, from an inward illumination, and an irresistible impulse and operation of the Spirit.

This is a faith which must be useless to all, except the possessor, since he can neither prove the reasonableness of his own belief to others, nor bring them over to his sentiments by any proper motives. And as this faith depends only upon imagination, so when the imagination flags, or takes a new turn, or the inward light waxes dim, the faith is gone, having no solid support. And in fact it appears from their own confessions that such enthusiasts pass alternately from one extreme to another, sometimes fully assured, sometimes doubting or disbelieving, now carried up to heaven, and then sinking down into the deep.

Another errour concerning faith is, to lay more stress upon believing than upon good works,-to exalt faith and to depress morality. The faith of these persons is a bold and a confident persuasion that they are favourites of God and of Christ, and certain of salvation; and this, according to them, is the principal part of religion, though the scriptures plainly assure us that this is a most incomplete and erroneous notion of true faith, that faith without works is nothing.

Another false notion of faith is, that it is a blind submission of the understanding to the haughty decisions of a Church, which scorns to prove her doctrines except first by affirmations, then by blows. The faith of Abraham was not of this absurd kind. He readily submitted to the will and to the orders of God, because he was satisfied and convinced that God was able to reconcile his present command with his former promises, and to make an ample recompense both to him and to his son.

Hence we may form to ourselves a right notion of true, active, practical christian faith. It is a belief of the revelation which God has made to us by his Son; it is a belief entertained upon just grounds; it is a belief of a future state of retribution, and more particularly of the rewards promised to the obedient; and it is a belief shewing itself by doing that which is good, and by abstaining from that which is evil. When the present temptations to sin are strong, and yet are overcome, then it is that faith appears to the most advantage, and shines in its brightest splendour; and he who sacrifices a favourite vice, is as if he sacrificed a favourite son. Thus faith is a victory not over our senses and reason, but over our irregular affections, and turbulent passions. This is faith, the faith which the scriptures recommend: other faith besides this they know not, but reject with disdain, as hypocritical, unprofitable, false and dead,

172

MIXTURE OF GOOD AND BAD MEN,

JUNE 13.

Let both grow together until the harvest.

THERE is a difference between one who is a vicious christian, and one who is no christian. The vicious christian is worse than the vicious pagan. In the world and in the church, there are those who live consistently with their light, and those who live at variance with it. Let both grow together until the harvest.-Grievous inconveniences would follow the rooting up of the tares. Christ has not empowered his servants to destroy all who teach false doctrines or lead inconsistent lives, because the most virtuous would often be the greatest sufferers. Christians being divided into many sects, and warm men of every persuasion thinking themselves the only orthodox believers, and sometimes the only good men, if they should all imagine they had a call and commission to harrass and cut off the bad, destruction and persecution would never cease, and the best persons would fall a sacrifice to ignorant and exterminating zeal. It has been a favourite doctrine with various enthusiasts, that the saints ought to inherit not only heaven, but the earth also ; that the true Israelites have a right to plunder the wicked Egyptians; that the ungodly have no property here below, no true title to their goods, and that dominion is founded in grace.-Certain people would put this system in operation, did not the civil magistrate tie up their hands.-No man is qualified to distinguish the sincere from the hypocrite. If he was, taking sudden vengeance of bad men would alter our state of trial, substituting compulsion for freedom. Motives to obedience are now better adapted to our nature. A great and distant reward is set before us; great, to excite our desires; distant and unseen, to exercise our faith. A punishment is threatened, sufficient to alarm our fears; but it is not immediately inflicted, and therefore it does not force, it only persuades. Moreover, good and bad men, are so united by worldly dependencies, that they cannot be safely separated. Men who are not sincere and devout christians, may have abilities, industry, learning, knowledge and experience, skill in arts and sciences, in commerce, war and politics, making them useful to society. God permits such to be mingled with the holy and pious; and will at death deal with them according to their improvement of all their talents.

Burning infidels and heretics in order to make agreeing christians-a custom supported by a false Moses and a false Aaron, that is, by the prince and the inquisition-has filled the world with hypocrites and unbelievers.

From the mixture of good and bad men, several advantages arise to both.--The ill usage and oppressions which the righteous receive from the wicked, are the trials which make virtue appear in its strength and splendour. Examples of heroic fortitude and christian forbearance are thus furnished, which continue through successive generations. If it is trial which purifies, the christian would be both almost and altogether such an one as Paul was, not excepting his bonds.--Again-The good may, by coming in contact with the vicious, reclaim them. Goodness is contagious as well as sin. A religious man has a dignity, serenity and power which is attractive; and the abandoned may sometimes wish themselves like him; and these desires may be the beginning of wisdom, and the forerunners of amendment.

INDUSTRY IN OUR WORLDLY PURSUITS.

JUNE 14.

173

Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings.

If we hope to acquire what is necessary for our subsistence, to preserve it when acquired, to provide for those who depend on us, and to avoid gross and scandalous ignorance, labour of the body and mind must be undergone. We read in ancient history of a sect of christians, who from these words, "Labour not for the meat that perisheth," concluded they ought to do no work to get their bread. We may suppose this sect were soon starved out of the world, or that cold and hunger sharpened their understandings and made them better interpreters of scripture.-Our bodies were given to increase in strength, as our minds were to increase in knowledge. They are committed to each others care, and the welfare of both must be regarded. Adam was placed in the garden to cultivate and embellish it; and the toil imposed on him when driven from it, has proved a blessing rather than a curse. Labour, if it was brought into the world by transgression, is one of the best preservatives against it : if it was the child of sin, it is the parent of virtue.-Our social nature calls for industry. We must return the offices of care and support, which we early received, on others who come after us. We must do good-assist, instruct, and relieve others. Indolence has no inclination to these.

Idleness is the parent of vice. He who cheerfully and zealously pursues his honest calling, has no leisure for listening to temptation. The mind cannot cease from thought and action, and therefore when not busy in virtue, will grow wicked for the want of employment. A vacant mind is a proper habitation for a devil: it is the house which he cometh and findeth empty; then goeth he and taketh with him, seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there.-The idle person loathes his own company, for which he is not much to be blamed. This drives him to contract unprofitable friendships or rather acquaintances, for there is seldom friendship where there is no virtue. The idler generally falls into want and thence into wickedness. He says to himself; What shall I do? I cannot dig; to beg I am ashamed. Hence follow falsehood, knavery and theft. Thus the indolent man is a nuisance in society, salt that has lost its savour, fit only to be cast out and trodden under foot.-The desire of the sluggard kills him. The wretchedness of indolence shews partly the value of industry. Industry has a tendency to preserve health of body and serenity of mind; it repays us with something grateful and advantageous. In all prudent labour of the hands or head some acquisition is made -we maintain ourselves-are not burdensome to others-we get skill, dexterity and experience-learn to do our own work with less toil and trouble-improve our understandings, and find out truths which doubly reward our pains of search. By diligence, promptitude and fidelity we obtain reputation; every one being willing to employ the assiduous man; for whatever his condition, he must be respectable. By industry we shut out many implacable enemies to our repose, many clamorous desires, sorrowful reflections, threatening fears and violent temptations. By industry we become beneficial to others, able to assist our friends, to relieve the poor, to instruct the ignorant and to provide for our families. In short, we obey God, and answer the purposes of existence.

174

INDUSTRY IN OUR RELIGIOUS DUTIES.

JUNE 15.

Always abounding in the work of the Lord.

To industry in working out our salvation, we have the most pressing motives. The shortness and uncertainty of life warns us not to neglect it; for since upon our present behaviour depends our future state; since the days of man are few, few according to the course of nature, and often made fewer by a thousand unforeseen accidents, it behoves us to lose no time, but to set about our duty instantly, today whilst it is called today.

The reward set before us excites us to it. We think it reasonable to labour for conveniences which are temporal, that is, uncertain and transitory; and this industry is commendable. Much more should we exert our utmost care and diligence in securing to ourselves riches unchangeable and eternal.

Gratitude moves us to it; to serve him with all our power who has done so much for us, with whose benefits we are enclosed and by whose admonitions we are addressed.

The punishment allotted to the idle and wicked servant calls us to it, to think no labour too great by which we may avoid the miseries of spiritual poverty.

Our present interest invites us to it, to be most industrious in pursuing the welfare of our soul, which will procure us peace of mind, and the blessing of God even upon our worldly undertakings; whilst a neglect of our duty to him will be attended with fear and remorse, and give us an uneasiness which outward circumstances, however flourishing, will not be able to compose.

Let us then consider what kind of expressions the sacred writers use, when they speak of this christian duty. They exhort us to be rich and fruitful in every good work, to be ready to every good work, to be zealous of good works, to abound always in the work of the Lord, to pursue and work good towards all men, to exercise ourselves in godliness, and in the labour of charity, to work out our salvation with fear and trembling, to give diligence to make our calling and election sure, to continue patiently in wel! doing, to run that we may obtain a prize, and to press towards the mark, to watch continually and to be upon our guard, to give all diligence to add one virtue to another, to walk circumspectly, to watch incessantly, to pray often, to gird up the loins of our mind, to strive that we may enter in at the strait gate, to wrestle against principalities and powers, to fight that we may receive a crown, and to war a good warfare, and to endure hardship as faithful soldiers of Jesus Christ.

Thus the scriptures tell us plainly, that without some labour we cannot be good. The duty of a christian is a laborious thing, especially to those who have bad dispositions to conquer, or particular difficulties to encounter; but when we do any thing good with labour, the labour passes away, and the good remains: when we do any evil with pleasure, the pleasure passes away, and the evil remains; and then custom making our obedience habitual, an even temper, peace of mind, and many other present advantages springing from it, the hope not only of escaping future evil, but of obtaining everlasting life, and the divine assistance vouchsafed to us as far as it is needful, will by degrees make our inclinations join with our reason, and our duty become our delight.

CAUSES OF PARTIALITY IN MEN.

JUNE 16.

With what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.

175

To be impartial in our judgments and conduct, we must divest ourselves of those qualities and inclinations which lead to unfairness; and these are generally our passions, which, when irregular and excessive, are turned into vices.

Thus; Pride and insolence always produce partiality. The love of power teaches us to oppress others purely to show our power, to favour those who submit to us in all things, and to be unkind and cruel to those who refuse to be our slaves.

Pride is usually accompanied with the love of praise, and then he who flatters most will be best rewarded, and he who cannot submit to such mean arts will be slighted and rejected; and so every favour will be disposed of to those who least deserve it, and the children's bread given to the dogs.

Covetousness and self interest are unavoidably accompanied with partiality. Such persons usually sell their favours to the best bidder, without any regard to any other qualification, and have no consideration for those who can make no other return than thanks and gratitude. Persons of this temper lie under strong temptations to violate the rules of honesty and equity, when it may be done with impunity, and with present profit.

Party zeal, either civil or religious, when indiscreet and intemperate, has the same bad influence in biassing the judgment; and the foulest things are then said and done without remorse, to serve what is imagined to be a good cause.

Anger and envy also, when indulged, always lead men to carry their spleen and resentment beyond all reason and decency, to overlook the good qualities, to aggravate the defects, to misrepresent the innocent actions of those at whom they are offended, to listen to any calumnies raised against them, and to refuse them the offices even of justice and common humanity.

Credulity, and indolence of temper, are also parents of partiality. Persons of this turn of mind are led by others; they will say and behave as they are directed; and thus it is often seen that even a good natured person will do an ill natured action. Again, there is in some a capricious temper, by which they adopt accountable likings and dislikings, are kind to one and cold to another, for no reason besides humour and prejudice. The evil effect of this f is often found in families, where one child and one depescant w be indulged and humoured, and another slighted and kept at a cut tance, for no imaginable cause.

Lastly, Love and friendship are too often accompanied with partiality. Pity it is that these fair parents should produce so foal an offspring. But whenever our affection for any person is excerate, and not founded upon reason, it induces us to serve the idolized ve ject at the expence of our duty to God, to mankind, and to outselves. From these disorderly passions we mat endearer to divest ourselves, and set our affections upon truth, justice, integrey, and equity, and remember our Saviour's rule as the best resum, to do to others as we would that they should do to us. Arie 1077 comfortable, or very formidable, as our behaviour stali maxe #tors either to our future advantage or detriment.