may, from his imperfect view of things, indulge himself in, (which, however, will always be with moderation and submission,) all news is good news. Every event that has actually taken place, as it could not have been without the permission (which is in fact the appointment) of God, he is persuaded is that which was most fit and proper for the circumstances, and will lead to the best end; and though for the present it may be calamitous, the final issue, he cannot doubt, will be happy. But mere men of the world look no farther than to men, though they are no more than instruments in the hand of God; and consequently, as the events are pleasing or displeasing to them, promising or unpromising, their hopes and fears, their affections or dislikes, are excited to the greatest degree; so as often to banish all tranquillity of mind and cool reflection. And certainly, a mind in this state is not the proper seat of religion and devotion. All the thoughts of such persons are engaged, and their whole minds are occupied by objects, which not only exclude Christianity, but such as inspire a temper the very reverse of that of a Christian, which is peculiarly meek, benevolent, even to enemies, and heavenly-minded, a disposition of mind which we should in vain look for in the eager politician of these times. In this state of things can we wonder at the progress of infidelity? Those who are entire strangers to it, see that it has little influence on the hearts and lives of those with whom they converse; so that whether it be true or false, they think it to be of little consequence, and not worth the trouble of a serious investigation. And many persons who had nominally Christian parents, giving no more serious attention to Christianity than they see their parents and others give to it; observing none of its exercises, or only in the most superficial manner; seldom attending public worship; never reading the Scriptures, or any book relating to religion, either explaining its evidences, or enforcing its duties, which they find to interfere with their inclinations, get a dislike to the subject; and in this state of mind a mere cavil or a jest, such as are to be found in the writings of Voltaire and other modern unbelievers, has the force of argument. With many persons, too, in the upper ranks of life, Christianity being the belief of the common people, on whom they look down with contempt, has more weight in their rejection of it than they will acknowledge, or than they may even be aware of themselves. Now, as I observed before, Christianity, though not absolutely and expressly rejected, is of no use, unless it influence the temper of our minds and our conduct in life; if it lays no restraint on the love of pleasure, the love of gain, or the pursuits of ambition, but leaves men as worldly-minded in all respects as those who never heard of it; as much as if they had never heard of that future state which is brought to light by it, and which in the gospel is held up as a constant and most interesting object of attention and contemplation, to all Christians. We should never forget that religion is only a fo. 78.m means to a certain end; and if we do not make this use of it, it would have been better for us never to have had it, or to have known it; since, then, we should have had one talent less than we now have to be accountable for. And if it be true that God has revealed his will to men, and sent messenger after messenger to promote the virtue and happiness of his rational offspring, he knew that such an extraordinary dispensation was necessary for us, and we cannot be innocent if we neglect to attend to it, and to make the proper use of it; unless we be so situated as never to have heard of it, And certainly it requires no small degree of fortitude and resolution to appear so singular, as a sincere and zealous Christian must sometimes do, among persons of a different character. He must be content to be thought righteous over much; to be considered as a man of a weak mind, and devoid of spirit, and of those qualities which recommend men to the admiration of the world. For though virtue, as it is commonly understood, has the sanction of general estimation, and persons accounted vicious are universally censured, the virtues that are most admired are not always Christian virtues, and give more indulgence to the passions, (as to those of revenge, and a love of what is called pleasure, of various kinds,) than Christianity allows. And there is not perhaps any vice besides that of a mean selfishness, that is equally condemned by Christianity and the voice of the world. We see that even murder, in the form of a duel, passes without any censure at all. Nay, the spirit with which men fight duels is applauded; while the meekness, though it be real magnanimity, showing a due command of temper, which overlooks insults, and preserves a kindness for those who offer them, is branded as meanness of spirit. Voluptuousness to a really criminal excess passes with so light a censure, that, when any person is said to be no man's enemy but his own, he is not thought at all the worse of on that account, especially as it is often accompanied with a contempt of money, and a love of society like his own. Profaneness is too generally considered as no vice at all, but only, at the worst, a foolish and unmeaning custom. In these circumstances, a profound reverence for the name and attributes of God, the great duty of not living to ourselves, but of the appropriation of the whole of a man's time, fortune, and ability of every kind to the good of others, the love of God with the whole heart, and our neighbour as ourselves, including in the word neighbour every person to whom it is in our power to render any service; the obligation of sacrificing every thing in life, and even life itself, for the sake of conscience, in the cause of truth and right, with a view to a recompence, not in this world, but another, which Christianity requires of us; are things quite above the comprehension of mankind in general. And whatever men cannot attain themselves, they think to be romantic and absurd, a kind of Quixotism in morals, and a just object of ridicule and contempt. Since, then, what is called the world, and the prevailing maxims and customs of the times in which we live, give us no assistance, but must operate as an impediment in our Christian course, we must surmount this great difficulty by If, then, we call ourselves Christians, we must ever bear in mind, that, though we live in the world, that is, with men, who have no views or prospects beyond it, whose chief pursuits are riches, honors, or pleasures, these are but secondary things for us. We are to receive them thankfully, and above all, to improve them properly, if, in the course of Divine Providence, they fall to our lot; but we are, at the same time, to be always looking beyond them to a more enduring substance, to a treasure in heaven, to honors that are unfading, which come from God and not from man, and to that pleasure which is at his right hand for evermore, accompanied with that inward satisfaction of mind, which always attends the possession of a good conscience. And we ought ever to be ready even to renounce all the advantages, honors, and pleasures of the world, when they come in competition with our duty, and our obedience to the commands of Christ. We must not hold even life itself so dear to us, as acts 20:24 that we should not be ready to part with it (and, in whatever manner those who in this world have the power over life shall please) rather than make shipwreck of faith and a good m conscience. 'If in the hour of trial we deny Christ, he will a also deny us. It is much easier to preserve these just views of the object and end of our profession in an openly hostile, than in a seemingly friendly world, from the constant opposition of principles and objects in the former circumstances. In this case, that is, in a state of persecution, whether we voluntarily attend to it or not, we cannot help seeing, and reflecting continually, that this world is not our home. While we preserve the profession of our faith uncorrupted, and while we retain our integrity in asserting that faith, without any of those unworthy artifices, whereby too many evade the consequences of a frank and open declaration of their real principles, we see there is no state of enjoyment or repose to be looked for here; and we therefore naturally, and indeed necessarily, look forward to "that rest which yet remaineth 49 for the people of God," where alone "the wicked cease from 3117 troubling." In this situation we want no motives to cultivate that temper and disposition of mind, which alone can qualify us for the happiness of that heavenly state. by the world, at the we naturally and with cer But when the world is not apparently hostile to us, it is most of all truly so. For then it is, that, not being molested same time that we are subject to the influence of it, being "men of like passions with others,” the same things that strike others, strike us. By mixing with the world and sharing the emoluments of it, become fond of them, and attached to them; tain limits this is unavoidable and not amiss. But is it in human nature, without particular efforts with ourselves, to which the bulk of mankind are much averse, to keep within the bounds of moderation, and not to become too much attached to the world, and those things of it which are foreign to our main object and ultimate views? Living with the world, we naturally live as the world does, and become grad. ually, in all respects, like the world; and the great objects of our Christian profession, being too long kept out of sight, lose their influence, and we are in danger of abandoning the pursuit of them altogether. |