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greedy, covetous, parsimonious man; and I will presently return him to you a generous creature, freely bestowing his money by handsful. Give me a cruel and blood-thirsty man; instantly his ferocity shall be transformed into truly a mild and merciful disposition. Give me an unjust man, a foolish man, a sinful man; and on a sudden he shall become honest, and wise, and virtuous. So great is the efficacy of divine wisdom, that when once admitted into the human heart, it expels folly, the parent of all vices; and, in accomplishing this great end, there is no occasion of any great expense, no absolute need of books, or deep or long study or meditation. The benefit is conferred gratuitously, easily, and expeditiously; provided the ears and heart thirst after wisdom." And such, indeed, were the effects of Christianity, as displayed in the conversion of the first Christians, in the early ages of the gospel. "Inquire," says Origen again, "into the lives of some of us; compare our former and present mode of life; and you will find in what impurities and impieties men were involved, before they embraced our doctrines. But since they embraced them, how just, grave, moderate, and constant, are they become: yea, some are so inflamed with the love of purity and goodness, as to abstain from lawful enjoyments. The church abounds with such men, wherever the doctrines of Christianity prevail; men who have been converted from the sink of vice, to the practice of virtue and a life of temperance, conformable to the dictates of right reason."

That the practice of good works, and a holy and religious life, is the principal end proposed by the gospel, and the principal character of the Christian, is clearly stated in the Scriptures. This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God be careful to maintain good works. The grace of God that bringeth salvation, hath appeared unto all men, teaching us, that, denying ungodliness and worldly lust, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present evil world. The same apostle elsewhere, distinguishing true from false professors, says: For many walk of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and who glory in their shame, who mind earthly things; but our conversation is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus. We are his workmanship, says the same apostle, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. The sixth chapter of Romans asserts, in the most unequivocal language, that the true end of the doctrine of grace is to sanctify men. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid! How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?

Know

ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into his death? Therefore, we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by

the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. The apostle, in his Epistle to the Galatians, having strongly defended that gospel liberty which Jesus Christ has acquired, by his blood, for us, prevents an abuse which might be made of it, by adding: Brethren, ye have been called unto liberty, only use not your liberty for an occasion to the flesh. Walk in the spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh; for the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and the spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary the one to the other. Now the works of the flesh are these: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulation, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelling, and such like; of the which I tell you before, as I also have told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance; against such there is no law. And they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. Our Lord enforces the same doctrine, in these divine and admirable words: Let your light so shine before men, that, seeing your good works, they may glorify your Father which is in heaven.

It is the uniform testimony of the gospel, that the principal end of Christ's coming upon the earth, was to destroy sin. Is it, indeed, likely, that Jesus Christ would have quitted his mansion of glory, and descended to this earth, to acquire an impunity for criminals, leaving them immersed in sensuality and sin? Is it reasonable that he will hold communion with people in rebellion and profaneness? Is it possible for him, the holy, the immaculate Jesus, to join his spirit to our flesh, his purity to our profanity, his holiness to our iniquities? This would be saying, that he came to unite things the most opposite, and which are naturally and essentially incompatible. One of the most embittered enemies of the gospel reproached the primitive Christians, that their Jesus came into the world to make the most horrible and dreadful societies: "For," said he, "he calls sinners, and not the righteous; so that the body he came to assemble, is a body of profligates, separated from good people, amongst whom they were before mixed. He has rejected all the good, and collected all the bad in the world.". What a false and cruel accusation. Origen replied to this charge, in the following appropriate and pungent language: "True," said he, "our Jesus came to call sinners; but it was to repentance: he assembled the wicked; but it was to convert them into new men, or rather, it was to change them into angels. We come to him covetous, he makes us liberal; unjust and extortioners, and he makes us equitable; lascivious, and he makes us chaste; violent and passionate, and he makes us meek; impious and profane, and he makes us religious." This is the true effect of communion with Jesus Christ: it transforms the heart into his image; and this transformation is so essential to the Christian character, that, if it does not appear

in the life and conversation of a man, we are under the necessity of concluding that he is not in communion with the Saviour.

The Scriptures also teach us, that holiness, purity, and virtue, are inseparable from communion with God, to which communion with Jesus Christ leads us. As he came into the world in the quality of a Mediator, he called men to himself only to unite them to God. Hence he said: I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh to the Father but by me. And again he says: Neither pray I for these alone, but for them, also, which shall believe on me through their word, that they may all be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us. But can a holy God hold communion with persons immersed in sin, and maintaining open rebellion against his government? Thou art not a God, says the prophet, that hast pleasure in wickedness, neither shall evil dwell with thee; the foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all the works of iniquity.

It is evident, then, that the Christian religion, which brings us into communion with God, brings us, also, at the same time, into true holiness, without which, communion with God is not attainable. Is it, indeed, conceivable, that while we remain immersed in sensuality and sin, we can be the temples of the Holy Spirit? Can a Spirit, ineffably holy and pure, dwell in a man, who is a slave to the world, and to his vile affections? Can God possess the heart and the affections, and leave the affections enslaved to vice? It is with the Holy Spirit as with fire, which cannot exist without heat; or as the sun, which cannot be above the horizon without giving light. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, says our Saviour, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. In accordance with these sentiments, the apostle tells the Romans: They that are after the flesh, do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit, do mind the things of the Spirit. It is impossible, then, to be a true Christian, or to hold communion with Christ, unless we partake of his Spirit. If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, says St. Paul, he is none of his. Because ye are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.

From the foregoing observations, it clearly follows, that holiness and virtue are inseparable companions, and are the true and proper effects of the gospel; and are, also, infailible marks of a sound

convert.

As virtue is a necessary concomitant of the Christian character, so the gospel furnishes the strongest possible motives to obedience. These motives are almost all comprehended in Jesus Christ, and in the economy of the grace and mercy of God. They are such as must affect every soul, that is not entirely dead in sin; for that God, after all our rebellions and all our crimes, should yet be reconciled to us-that he should give his Son, that he should give him to be flesh and blood like us, that he should give him to be our head, our brother, and our example, that he should give him to die for us-to

die the most bloody, the most ignominious, and the most cruel death that could be conceived-is not this love and mercy, worthy of eternal praise? And what horrible ingratitude must it be, if, after all this, we should be yet capable of wilfully sinning against a God so good, and of counting the blood of the covenant an unholy thing. It appears, then, from all that has been said, that the true test of Christian character is obedience. Ye are my friends, said our Lord, if ye do whatsoever I command you. The good man from the good treasure of his heart, bringeth forth good things; therefore, by their fruit ye shall know them. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit, neither can a bad tree bring forth good fruit. This is the test by which the quality of our faith and experience must be determined. We are to prove our faith and experience evangelical, by our works. If the grace of faith and experience has been wrought in our hearts, by the power of truth, we shall bring forth, in our daily walk and conversation, the fruits of righteousness. We shall live soberly, and righteously, and godly, in this present evil world; and shall shine as lights in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation. "Giving all diligence, we shall add to our faith, virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity. These things being in us and abounding, they make us that we shall be neither barren nor unfruitful, in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. Whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report," are the meditation of our hearts, and the fruit of our lives.

A person who is destitute of either faith, experience, or practice, cannot be a Christian. They operate simultaneously, and, like the colors of the rainbow, mix and blend in the formation of the Christian character, and can never be separated from it. They exist in some degree, in all Christians. Whosoever, therefore, possesses an evangelical faith, a genuine experience, and manifests his love to his Redeemer, by keeping his commandments, is a Christian. Such are the graces which form the Christian character, and such are the characters owned and blessed of God as the true followers of Jesus Christ. God is no respecter of persons; but in every nation, he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted of him.

In the conclusion of my remarks, permit me, brethren, to urge upon you the importance of giving a practical illustration of the Christian character, by the exercise of piety towards God, and universal benevolence and good will towards man. Remember you have made a great profession, and that the vows of God are upon you. Adorn this profession, by a well-ordered life and a godly

conversation. Avoid every kind and every species of immorality, and walk worthy of the vocation wherewith you are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with long-suffering; forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace. Let your conversation be only as becometh the gospel of Christ. and adorn the doctrine of God your Saviour, in all things. Remember you are the salt of the earth-the light of the world-the city set on a hill; it therefore becomes you to walk worthy of God, who has called you to his kingdom and glory. May you never seek to wrong or injure any man, in his person, his property, or his reputation; but endeavor to render to all their just dues. Lie not one to another, but speak every man truth to his neighbor, and provide things honest in the sight of all men. your intercourse with mankind, avoid all injustice and violence, all fraud and falsehood, in your words and dealings. Be not angry with your brother without a cause: speak evil of no man; and neither raise evil reports yourselves against your neighbors, nor spread them abroad when raised by others. Never pass rash judgments upon others, lest yourselves should be judged by God. On the contrary, put the best construction upon their words, which the case will bear. You should also remember, that no seeming acts of piety and devotion, or diligence in the ritual observances of religion, will compensate for the wrongs or injuries done to your neighbors; nor will they be accepted by God, without making reparation, as far as may be in your power, for those injuries and

wrongs.

Rest not satisfied with the observance of a merely negative morality; but do good to all men as far as you have ability and opportunity. Assist them in their necessities and distresses, sympathize with them in their afflictions and sorrows, as well as rejoice in their prosperity; be ready to distribute to their necessities out of your worldly substance; endeavor to convert them from the error of their way, and reprove them, when guilty of faults, in the spirit of kindness; and, finally, do all you can to promote their temporal and spiritual welfare. If you have suffered injuries from others, exercise a forgiving temper towards them, and not give way to the bitterness of revenge. Never render evil for evil, but render good for evil, and thus you shall heap coals of fire on the heads of your enemies, and soften the asperity of their hearts. Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute you; that you may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth his rain on the just and on the unjust.

Remember that your conversation or citizenship is in heaven, and that you are only strangers and pilgrims upon earth, and that you must, therefore, abstain from fleshly lusts that war against the peace, the purity, and dignity of the soul. Recollect that you are

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