of mere worldly prudence, indeed, is, at the best, vain and fallacious: but equally deceitful, at least, is the dependence of those, who renounce all exertion in their own cause, and rely on a gratuitous and supernatural protection, which they take no pains to deserve.

Never, perhaps, was the error, which we have last been considering, so rapidly extending itself, as at the present day. It is therefore the more necessary, that every Christian, who would entertain a sober and rational view of the terms of salvation proposed in the Gospel, should cautiously guard against its admission into his mind: for fashion and familiarity have more influence than most men are aware of, even in religious opinion; and many (especially under the co-operation of warm hearts and lively imaginations) have themselves been led to adopt, in the end, the identical notions, which they set out with condemning in others; and have been infected with that very enthusiasm, which they had been so anxious to reclaim.

As to the mere moralist, it is seldom that he has any one else to blame for his error: he is self

deceived from the beginning. Original sinfulness, and the consequent necessity of regeneration, is a doctrine humiliating to human pride; not always cordially accepted, even where it is not formally disowned. But the disciples of absolute election generally owe their conversion to the officious zeal of other persons; who, "compassing sea and land to make one proselyte," give that colour to the doctrines of the Gospel, which is most favourable, and therefore most acceptable, to the natural indolence and infirmity of man.

The true follower of Christ knows that he as much to do, as well as much to believe. He feels himself engaged in a warfare, which never can end, but with his life. To that divine Comforter, whom he acknowledges as his only certain support and ally, he looks up with constant and grateful assurance: but, at the same time, in order to deserve and obtain his protecting aid, be exerts every nerve in his own cause, and seeks to avail himself equally of every weapon from the whole armoury of God.

Let us now briefly revert to the main point of this discussion. We have seen, that the defective, mistaken, and corrupt morality, so deplorably prevalent within the pale of Christianity, as well as without it, must in all cases be attributed—not to any intrinsic fault or defect in our holy religion, but to the coldness and worldliness of some who profess it, and to the erroneous notions entertained of it by many others; whereby they are variously exposed to the inroads of sin.

It is not, because any particular people may have adopted, as their national faith, the purest religion, or the best form of that religion; nor even, because, as a body, they seem warmly attached to it, that they must therefore, of necessity, be the most pious and virtuous of nations. We call ourselves Christians—Protestants—members of the Church of England : and, so far, we have reason to rejoice. If the religion of Christ be true, and if our Church exhibits (as I trust it does) the purest form of that religion; we have the more cause to thank God, that we have been rescued from those errors in faith and discipline, into which other churches have fallen. But let us carefully bear in mind, that this is the road to perfection, not perfection itself; and that we cannot reasonably hope to be in any degree the better for these advantages, unless we make our religion the rule of our lives. As well might we expect to reap, where we have not sown; to find our way by a lamp, which we have not lighted; or—as our text illustrates the case—to restore health by a balm, which we have never applied.

What rational being, who has barely cast an eye over the sublime pages of holy writ, can entertain a doubt, how blessed would be the state of that community, in which the divine precepts of the Gospel should be truly and faithfully reduced to practice? And, since the moral character of any society cannot be any other, than that of the individuals, of whom it is composed; let us consider, how honourable, how useful, how amiable a member of society would be found in every individual, whose life should be formed upon the model of Jesus Christ!

Here, then, it becomes obvious, what are the means, to which every Christian must have recourse, in order to render himself worthy of the pure and perfect law, which he professes to obey: namely, to study that law, with an honest desire and fervent prayer to apprehend it aright, to enter into its genuine spirit, and to be enabled, through divine grace, to practise what he learns from it.

On the contrary, if a man takes up defective or erroneus views of his Christian calling;—if he has not religious feeling, as well as religious knowledge; if he is not in earnest in the care of his soul, so as to interweave it with all the business of his life, and make this his principal and daily concern; it will be of small advantage to his moral conduct, that his professed religion is the best in the world.

Would "every one, who nameth the name of Christ," as his leader and guide, regard that name as a pledge of his endeavour to "depart from iniquity,"" and, as far as human infirmity will allow, to become a living example of that piety, integrity, and purity, which every page of the Gospel enforces and displays; there would no longer be any room either for the grief and mortification of the friends of religion, or for the

"2 Tim. ii. 19.