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content with a flood of words; they prefer thinking before talking, and judge, one that knows much is far preferable to one that talks much. And it is certain, knowledge is an excellent gift of God; particularly knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, in which are contained all the depths of divine knowledge and wisdom. Hence it is generally thought that a man of much knowledge, knowledge of Scripture in particular, must not only be in the favour of God, but likewise enjoy a high degree of it.

3. But men of deeper reflection are apt to say, "I lay no stress upon any other knowledge, but the knowledge of God by faith. Faith is the only knowledge, which, in the sight of God, is of great price. "We are saved by faith;" by faith alone: this is the one thing needful. "He that believeth, and he alone, shall be saved everlastingly." There is much truth in this: it is unquestionably true, that "we are saved by faith :" consequently, that "he that believeth, shall be saved, and he that believeth not, shall be damned.”

4. But some men will say, with the Apostle James, "Show me thy faith without thy works," (if thou canst; but indeed it is impossible;)" and I will show thee my faith by my works." And many are induced to think that good works, works of piety and mercy, are of far more consequence than faith itself, and will supply the want of every other qualification for heaven. Indeed this seems

to be the general sentiment, not only of the members of the Church of Rome, but of Protestants also; not of the giddy and thoughtless, but the serious members of our own church.

5. And this cannot be denied, our Lord himself hath said, "Ye shall know them by their fruits :" by their works ye know them that believe, and them that believe not. But yet it may be doubted, whether there is not a surer proof of the sincerity of our faith, than even our works: that is, our willingly suffering for righteousness' sake: especially if, after suffering reproach, and pain, and loss of friends and substance, a man gives up life itself: yea, by a shameful, and painful death, by giving his body to be burned, rather than he would give up faith and a good conscience, by neglecting his known duty.

6. It is proper to observe here, first, What a beautiful gradation there is, each step rising above the other, in the enumeration of those several things, which some or other of those that are called Christians, and are usually accounted so, really believe will supply the absence of love. St. Paul begins at the lowest point, talking well, and advances step by step, every one rising higher than the preceding, till he comes to the highest of all. A step above eloquence is knowledge faith is a step above this. Good works are a step above that faith. And even above this, is suffering for righteousness' sake. Nothing is higher than this but Christian love: the love of our neighbour flowing from the love of God.

7. It may be proper to observe, secondly, That whatever passes for religion in any part of the Christian world, (whether it be a part of religion, or no part at all, but either folly, superstition, or wick

edness,) may with very little difficulty be reduced to one or other of these heads. Every thing which is supposed to be religion, either by Protestants or Romanists, and is not, is contained under one or another of these five particulars. Make trial, as often as you please, with any thing that is called religion, but improperly so called, and you will find the rule to hold without any exception.

III. 1. I am now, in the third place, to demonstrate to all who have ears to hear, who do not harden themselves against conviction, that neither any one of these five qualifications, nor all of them together, will avail any thing before God, without the love above described.

In order to do this in the clearest manner, we may consider them one by one. And, first, Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels with an eloquence such as never was found in men, concerning the nature, attributes, and works of God, whether of creation or providence: though I were not herein a whit behind the chief of the Apostles, preaching like St. Peter, and praying like St. John; yet unless humble, gentle, patient love, be the ruling temper of my soul, I am no better in the judgment of God, "than sounding brass, or a rumbling cymbal." The highest eloquence, therefore, either in private conversation, or in public ministrations; the brightest talents either for preaching or prayer, if they were not joined with humble, meek, and patient resignation, might sink me the deeper into hell, but will not bring me one step nearer heaven.

2. A plain instance may illustrate this. I knew a young man between fifty and sixty years ago, who, during the course of several years, never endeavoured to convince any one of a religious truth, but he was convinced: and he never endeavoured to persuade any one to engage in a religious practice, but he was persuaded: what then? All that power of convincing speech, all that force of persuasion, if it was not joined with meekness and lowliness, with resignation and patient love, would no more qualify him for the fruition of God, than a clear voice, or a fine complexion. Nay, it would rather procure him a hotter place in everlasting burnings.

3. Secondly, Though I have the gift of prophecy, of foretelling those future events which no creature can foresee; and though I understand all the mysteries of nature, of providence, and the word of God and have all knowledge of things, divine or human, that any mortal ever attained to: though I can explain the most mysterious passages of Daniel, of Ezekiel, and the Revelation; if I have not humility, gentleness, and resignation, I am nothing in the sight of God.

A little before the conclusion of the late war in Flanders, one who came from thence gave us a very strange relation. I knew not what judgment to form of this; but waited till John Haime should come over, of whose veracity I could no more doubt, than of his understanding. The account he gave was this." Jonathan Pyrah was a member of our Society in Flanders. I knew him some years, and knew him to be a man of an unblameable character. One day he was summoned to appear before the Board of General Officers.

One of them said, What is this which we hear of you? We hear you are turned prophet, and that you foretell the downfal of the bloody House of Bourbon, and the haughty House of Austria. We should be glad if you were a real prophet, and if your prophecies came true. But what sign do you give, to convince us you are so ; and that your predictions will come to pass? He readily answered, Gentlemen, I give you a sign. To-morrow at twelve o'clock, you shall have such a storm of thunder and lightning, as you never had before since you came into Flanders. I give you a second sign: as little as any of you expect any such thing, as little appearance of it as there is now, you shall have a general engagement with the French within three days. I give you a third sign: I shall be ordered to advance in the first line. If I am a false prophet, I shall be shot dead at the first discharge. But if I am a true prophet I shall only receive a musket-ball in the calf of my left leg.' At twelve the next day there was such thunder and lightning as they never had before in Flanders. On the third day, contrary to all expectation, was the general battle of Fontenoy. He was ordered to advance in the first line. And at the very first discharge, he did receive a musket-ball in the calf of his left leg."

4. And yet all this profited him nothing, either for temporal or eternal happiness. When the war was over, he returned to England; but the story was got before him: in consequence of which he was sent for by the Countess of Sts, and several other persons of quality, who were desirous to receive so surprising an account from his own mouth. He could not bear so much honour. It quite turned his brain. In a little time he ran stark mad. And so he continues to this day, living still, as I apprehend, on Wibsey Mooreside, within a few miles of Leeds.*

5. And what would it profit a man to have all knowledge, even that which is infinitely preferable to all other, the knowledge of the Holy Scripture? I knew a young man about twenty years ago, who was so thoroughly acquainted with the Bible, that if he was questioned concerning any Hebrew word in the Old, or any Greek word in the New Testament, he would tell, after a little pause, not only how often the one or the other occurred in the Bible, but also what it meant in every place. His name was Thomas Walsh.† Such a master of Biblic knowledge I never saw before, and never expect to see again. Yet with all his knowledge he had been void of love; if he had been proud, passionate, or impatient, he and all his knowledge would have perished together, as sure as ever he was born.

6. And though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains.— The faith which is able to do this, cannot be the fruit of vain imagination, a mere madman's dream, a system of opinions; but must be a real work of God. Otherwise it could not have such an effect. Yet if this faith does not work by love, if it does not produce universal

* At the time of writing this Sermon. He is since dead.

↑ His Journal, written by himself, is extant.

holiness, if it do not bring forth lowliness, meekness, and resignation, it will profit me nothing. This is as certain a truth as any that is delivered in the whole oracles of God. All faith that is, that ever was, or ever can be, separate from tender benevolence to every child of man, friend or foe, Christian, Jew, Heretic, or Pagan ;-separate from gentleness to all men; separate from resignation in all events, and contentedness in all conditions: is not the faith of a Christian, and will stand us in no stead before the face of God.

7. Hear ye this, All you that are called Methodists! You, of all men living, are most concerned herein. You constantly speak of salvation by faith and you are in the right for so doing. You maintain, (one and all,) that a man is justified by faith, without the works of the law. And you cannot do otherwise, without giving up the Bible, and betraying your own souls. You insist upon it, that we are saved by faith: and, undoubtedly, so we are. But consider, meantime, that let us have ever so much faith, and be our faith ever so strong, it will never save us from hell, unless it now save us from all unholy tempers; from pride, passion, impatience; from all arrogance of spirit, all haughtiness and overbearing; from wrath, anger, bitterness; from discontent, murmuring, fretfulness, peevishness. We are of all men most inexcusable, if having been so frequently guarded against that strong delusion, we still, while we indulge any of these tempers, bless ourselves, and dream we are in the way to heaven!

8. Fourthly, "Although I give all my goods to the poor, though I divide all my real, and all my personal estate into small portions, (so the original word properly signifies,) and diligently bestow it on those who, I have reason to believe, are the most proper objects; yet if I am proud, passionate, or discontented; if I give way to any of these tempers; whatever good I may do to others, I do none to my own soul. O how pitiable a case is this! Who would not grieve, that these beneficent men should lose all their labour! It is true, many of them have a reward in this world, if not before, yet after their death. They have costly and pompous funerals. They have marble monuments of the most exquisite workmanship. They have epitaphs, written in the most elegant strain, which extol their virtues to the skies. Perhaps they have yearly orations spoken over them, to transmit their memory to all generations. So have many founders of religious houses, of Colleges, alms-houses, and most charitable institutions. And it is an allowed rule, that none can exceed in the praise of the founder of his house, College, or Hospital. But still what a poor reward is this! Will it add to their comfort or to their misery, suppose (which must be the case if they did not die in faith,) that they are in the hands of the devil and his angels! What insults, what cutting reproaches would these occasion, from their infernal companions! O that they were wise! that all those who are zealous of good works, would put them in their proper place; would not imagine, they can supply the want of holy tempers; but take care that they spring from them!

9. How exceedingly strange must this sound in the ears of most of those who are, by the courtesy of England, called Christians! But stranger still is that assertion of the Apostle, which comes in the last place: "Although I give my body to be burned, and have not love, it profiteth me nothing." Although rather than deny the faith, rather than commit a known sin, or omit a known duty, I voluntarily submit to a cruel death; "deliver up my body to be burned:" yet if I am under the power of pride, or anger, or fretfulness, "it profiteth me nothing."

10. Perhaps this may be illustrated by an example. We have a remarkable account in the Tracts of Dr. Geddes, (a Civilian, who was envoy from queen Anne to the court of Portugal, in the latter end of her reign.j He was present at one of those Auto da Fés, (Acts of Faith,) wherein the Roman inquisitors burnt heretics alive. One of the persons who was then brought out for execution, having been confined in the dungeons of the inquisition, had not seen the sun for many years. It proved a bright sun-shiny day. Looking up, he cried out in surprise, "O how can any one who sees that glorious luminary, worship any but the God that made it!" A friar standing by, ordered them to run an iron gag through his lips, that he might speak no more. Now what did that poor man feel within when this order was executed? If he said in his heart, though he could not utter it with his lips, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do;" undoubtedly the angels of God were ready to carry his soul into Abraham's bosom. But if, instead of this, he cherished the resentment in his heart, which he could not express. with his tongue, although his body was consumed by the flames, I will not say his soul went to paradise.

11..The sum of all that has been observed is this, Whatever I speak, whatever I know, whatever I believe, whatever I do, whatever I suffer; if I have not the faith that worketh by love, that produces love to God and all mankind, I am not. in the narrow way which leadeth to life; but in the broad road that leadeth to destruction. In other words; whatever eloquence I have, whatever natural or supernatural knowledge, whatever faith I have received from God, whatever works I do, whether of piety or mercy, whatever sufferings I undergo for conscience' sake, even though I resist unto blood: all these things put together, however applauded of men, will avail nothing before God, unless I am meek and lowly in heart, and can say, in all things, "Not as I will, but as thou wilt."

12. We conclude from the whole, (and it can never be too much inculcated, because all the world votes on the other side,) That true religion, in the very essence of it, is nothing short of holy tempers. Consequently all other religion, whatever name it bears, whether Pagan, Mahometan, Jewish, or Christian; and whether Popish or Protestant, Lutheran or Reformed; without these, is lighter than vanity itself.

13. Let every man, therefore, that has a soul to be saved, see that he secure this one point. With all his eloquence, his knowledge,

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