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and beneficence to mankind. These can never be separately performed. Evangelical virtue, the only spirit with which either was ever truly performed, is a thing. perfectly one; without any variety or division in its nature. Towards all the objects of our duty, whether God, our neighbour, or ourselves, it operates in the same manner.

Besides, self-government is indispensable in its very nature to the performance of all other duty. This might be evinced with respect to every case in which duty can be performed; but may be sufficiently illustrated in the following: If we do not control our envy, wrath, or revenge, we cannot be contented, meek, or forgiving. If we do not subdue our selfishness, we can never, in the sense of the Gospel, love either God, or mankind.

But, without recurrence to these proofs, the case is perfectly plain in its own nature. In the experience of every man it is abundantly evident, that, so long as his passions and appetites are unsubdued, they keep the mind in a continual agitation. The appetites are syrens, which sing only to deceive, and charm only to destroy. He who listens to them is certain of being shipwrecked in the end. The passions are equally dangerous, equally fatal, by their violence, and toss the soul with tempestuous fury of billows which never rest. Without a pilot, without a compass, without a helm, no hope of safety remains for the unhappy voyager, but in the hushing of the storm, and the subsidence of the tumultuous ocean.

Ungoverned desire, and fear, and rage, and revenge, dwell only in the gloom of a dungeon, and in the midst of maniacs. Into such a cell it is impossible for soft-eyed, gentle-minded, peace even to enter. From such companions she can only fly. These unclean spirits must be subdued, and chained, and banished, their curses and blasphemies must have died upon the ear, the windows of their mansion must be opened to the light of day, the house must be swept and garnished anew, before this divine guest can be induced to bless the habitation with her presence, her smiles, and her joys.

But without peace of conscience there is, there can be, no solid, rational, lasting enjoyment. Real and enduring good must begin at home. The soul, which is not self-approved, can never hope for the approbation of God. The soul which is not at peace with itself, cannot be at peace with its Maker,

nor exercise a pacific spirit towards its fellow-creatures. What real good then can it hope for? What permanent enjoyment can it possibly share?

REMARKS.

1. From these observations it is plain, that religious meditation is of high importance to mankind.

It has been shown, if I am not deceived, that from this source are derived our profitable possession of religious instruction, whencesoever obtained, our realizing useful sense of religious things of every kind, our attainment of desirable habits, both of thinking and feeling, our knowledge of ourselves, our best preparation to turn from sin, and to advance through superior degrees of holiness, and our self-government, peace of mind, and solid enjoyment. Each of these benefits is sufficiently great to justify the remark which has heen made above; and all of them, united, place religious meditation in a light eminently strong, clear, and affecting. As a mean of salvation it holds a high rank, a place of distinguished importance. Most reasonably, most kindly, then, are we required to prove ourselves,' to examine ourselves, whether we be in the faith,' obedience, and kingdom of God. Most mercifully are we directed to ponder the path of life' for the natural, the proper, the inestimable consequence is, that our ways will be ordered aright.'

2. The same observations teach us the pre-eminent folly of those who neglect religious meditation, especially the examination of themselves.

In the minds of these persons instructions from abroad will be like furniture thrown into a garret, out of place, and out of use; incapable, until it shall have been arranged in its proper order, of being applied to any valuable purpose. In these minds also nothing good will be either strongly felt or habitually exercised. Every moral, every valuable thing, whether a truth, a precept, or an affection, will in such minds float at random, as the down of the thistle through the atmosphere. In the moment of its appearance it will vanish. The best purposes, the firmest resolves of such minds are mere abortions, and exist only to expire.

Men of this character can never become possessed of selfknowledge; a kind of knowledge so useful, so excellent, that even the heathen supposed the precept enjoining it to have descended from heaven. If they are deformed by sin, if they are in the most imminent hazard of ruin, they can never know this as it ought to be known. They can neither understand nor feel their real guilt, their real danger, or the real necessity of providing for their escape. They are therefore utterly unprepared to turn form the error of their ways,' and to save their souls alive.'

There are in the Christian world men who, under the influence of strong convictions of conscience, and with the aid of that anxious investigation of themselves which always accompanies such convictions, have by the influence of the Holy Ghost been turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God;' and who yet have afterwards become lukewarm in religion, and, with a Laodicean spirit, in a great measure ceased to commune with their own hearts.' All these persons linger at the point where they originally stood, and yield up both the means and the hopes of improvement in the Christian character. I do not intend, that this is absolutely the fact; for no Christian is absolutely destitute of self-examination. But, so far as this destitution exists, he who is the subject of it will cease to keep his body and spirit in subjection, to grow in grace,' to acquire peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost.'

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Why do sinners refuse to examine themselves, and to gain the blessings to which this conduct gives birth? Plainly, because they are too slothful, or too much alarmed at the thought of uncovering the mass of sin and guilt in their hearts. Thus they would rather decline every hope of good, than encounter the labour of searching themselves, or turn their eyes upon the dismal prospect within. The latter is the usual and predominant evil. The picture is too deformed, too dreadful, and, sooner than behold it, they will run the hazard of damnation. But is not knowledge always better than ignorance? Is not truth always more profitable than delusion? To know the truth, in this case, might prove the means of eternal life. To continue ignorant of it cannot fail to terminate in their ruin. What folly can be more complete than to hazard this tremendous evil, rather than to encounter the vain of looking

into ourselves; a pain abundantly overpaid by the profit which is its certain consequence? Such persons hoodwink themselves, and then feel safe from the evils of the precipice to which they are advancing, because they cannot see their danger. They make the darkness in which they grope, and stumble, and fall.

3. These observations also teach us, that this neglect is inexcusable.

Meditation on every moral and religious subject is always in our power. Every man is able to look into himself, and into every moral subject concerning which he has been instructed. Nor is the performance of this duty attended with any real difficulty. The motives to it are infinite. God has required it; our own temporal and eternal interest indispensably demands it; the benefits of it are immense. Sloth only, and a deplorable dread of knowing what we are, can be alleged in behalf of our neglect.

But to how low a situation must he be reduced, how forlorn must be his condition, who can plead for his conduct in so interesting a case no reasons but these! Can these reasons excuse him even to himself? Will they excuse him before the bar of God? What can even self-flattery, with her silver tongue, allege in his behalf, but that he is too slothful, or too indifferent to the command of God? This is worse than the wretched plea of the unprofitable servant in the parable. Even he was able to say, that he thought his Master was an austere man,' and 'hard' in his requisition.

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But, whatever may be thought of these excuses, let no sinner pretend that he has laboured for eternal life, until he has thoroughly examined his heart, and devoted himself to religious contemplation. This is a duty which every man can perform, a duty to which every man is bound, a duty, in the way of which reason can find no obstacle. He who will not perform it, ought therefore to say that he will not; and to acknowledge that he values the indulgence of his sloth, or the sluggish quiet of self-ignorance, more than the salvation of his soul.

SERMON CXLVII.

THE MEANS OF GRACE.

ORDINARY MEANS OF GRACE.

THE DUTY OF EDUCATING CHILDREN RELIGIOUSLY.

OBJECTIONS.

TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO, AND WHEN HE IS OLD HE WILL NOT DEPART FROM IT.

PROVERBS XXII. 6.

THE next subject of inquiry, in the order proposed, is the religious education of children.

6

In a former Discourse I observed, that the word 'train,' originally denotes to "draw along by a regular and steady course of exertions ;" and is, hence, very naturally used to signify drawing from one action to another by persuasions, promises, and other efforts, continually repeated. The way in which a child should go,' as was also observed in that Discourse, is undoubtedly the way in which it is best for him to go; particularly with respect to his eternal well being. With this explanation, the text will be seen,

1. To enjoin upon parents the religious education of their

children.

II. To teach the manner in which this duty should be performed.

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