But, whatever were the Almighty's reasons, (which it behoves us not to scrutinize too deeply,) for opening the world with the fall of man, whom he had just created; of this we may be assured, that as far as Adam himself was concerned, his will was as free as ours. At the same time, God made use of him as an instrument, as he does of all his creatures, bad and good, in forwarding his own designs. XLVII. Luke, x. 26. What is written in the law? how readest thou? THESE two questions our Saviour proposed. as an answer to a curious inquirer, who had the means, he thought, of answering himself. They were proposed to a Jew; but are equally adapted to a Christian. What is written in the Gospel? How readest thou? -Both questions require a very serious consideration. We are first asked, What is written in the Gospel? Though the Gospel contains all our hopes of eternal life, and instructs us in all the means of obtaining it; there are numbers who never look into it, nor have the least knowledge of what is written in it.-Numbers again, though they may casually look into it, or hear it read in churches, rarely rarely make it the subject of their thoughts. If they should be asked, What is written in the Gospel? What are you to believe?-What are you to practise? What provision does it make for sinners? What assistance does it offer? They have nothing to answer: they know little of its contents. The second question, How readest thou? may be proposed to those who do indeed read the Scriptures but in an improper manner. They read them carelessly, perhaps, and merely as a task -or with the prejudices of some sect about them -orto seek objections -or to find arguments to enforce a favourite tenet-or, perhaps, under some ambiguous text to get a licence to sin. All these modes of reading Scripture turn religion into mischief.- An honest man sees his path plainly before him. He knows that by reading the Scriptures he must first learn his duty, and that when he has learned his duty, his only business is to practise it. XLVIII. James, i. 26. If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, that man's religion is vain. THE Scripture proposes various tests of religion. Charity is a test; the forgiveness of injuries also, and many other virtues and duties may be called tests; that is, if a man possess any of them in a Christian manner, it may well be presumed he possesses others also. In this light St. James, in the text, makes bridling the tongue a test of religion. How properly it may be called so, may appear from running over the effects of a bridled and an unbridled tongue. The unbridled tongue shows itself in deceit, tricking, blasphemy, swearing, and lying. In a neighbour neighbourhood it is a firebrand. It defames, and inflames. Spiteful speeches, detraction, and malice, and venomous shafts, which it shoots in all directions. Where interest is concerned, it can flatter as well as defame. In state matters, it whispers treason. In matters of religion, it can be loud in the cause of infidelity. - An unbridled tongue, therefore, is the great source of wickedness; and, of course, when a man pretends to religion, without bridling his tongue, his religion his vain. It may be added, that the unbridled tongue is the great bane of conversation and social intercourse. When it is most innocent, it often abounds with nonsense and folly repeating things over and over, and fatiguing every body with tedious details of unimportant circumstances. On the other hand, the bridled tongue is one of the choice instruments of religion and social happiness. It is never so much in its proper office as when engaged in the duties of religion-in praise, thanksgiving, petition, and confession, to the great Creator. The bridled tongue is the instrument also of kindness to man. It comforts the afflicted-it encourages the diffident — It advises and instructs the ignorant. It speaks always |