Nor must we fondly attach ourselves to the practice of some particular virtue, or value ourselves exclusively on some favourite quality; nor must we wrap ourselves up in the performance of some individual actions, as if they formed the sum of Christian duty. But we must embrace the whole law of God in all its aspects, bearings and relations. We must bring no fancies, no partialities, no prejudices, no exclusive choice or rejection into our religion, but take it as we find it, and obey it as we receive it, as it is exhibited in the Bible without addition, curtailment, or adulteration. Nor must we pronounce on a character by a single action really bad, or apparently good; if so, Peter's denial would render him the object of our execration, while we should have judged favourably of the prudent economy of Judas. The catastrophe of the latter, who does not know? while the other became a glorious martyr to that master, whom, in a moment of infirmity, he had denied. There is a class of visionary but pious writers who seem to shoot as far beyond the mark, as mere moralists fall short of it.— Men of low views and gross minds may be said to be wise below what is written, while those of too subtle refinement are wise above it. The one grovel in the dust from the inertness of their intellectual faculties; while the others are lost in the clouds by stretching them beyond their appointed limits. The one build spiritual castles in the air, instead of erecting them on the holy ground' of Scripture; the other lay their foundation in the sand instead of resting it on the Rock of Ages. Thus, the superstructure of both is equally unsound. God is the fountain from which all the streams of goodness flow; the centre from which all the rays of blessedness diverge.— All our actions are, therefore, only good, as they have a reference to Him: the streams must revert back to their fountain, the rays must converge again to their centre. If love of God be the governing principle, A piety altogether spiritual, disconnected this powerful spring will actuate all the with all outward circumstances; a religion movements of the rational machine. The of pure meditation and abstracted devotion, essence of religion does not so much consist was not made for so compound, so imperfect in actions as affections. Though right aca creature as man, There have, indeed, tions, therefore, as from an excess of courtebeen a few sublime spirits, not touched but sy they are commonly termed, may be perrapt,' who, totally cut off from the world, formed where there are no right affections; seem almost to have literally soared above yet are they a mere carcass; utterly destithis terrene region, who almost appear to tute of the soul, and, therefore, of the subhave stolen the fire of the Seraphim, and to stance of virtue. But neither can affections have had no business on earth, but to keep substantially and truly subsist without proalive the celestial flame. They would, how-ducing right actions; for never let it be forever, have approximated more nearly to the gotten that a pious inclination which has not example of their divine master, the great standard and only perfect model, had they combined a more diligent discharge of the active duties and benefices of life with their high devotional attainments. But while we are in little danger of imitating, let us not too harshly censure the pious error of these sublimated spirits. Their number is small. Their example is not catching. Their ethereal fire is not likely, by spreading, to inflame the world. The world will take due care not to come in contact with it, while its distant light and warmth may cast, accidentally, a not unuseful ray on the cold-hearted and the worldly. But from this small number of refined but inoperative beings, we do not intend to draw our notions of practical piety. God did not make a religion for these few exceptions to the general state of the world, but for the world at large; for beings active, busy, restless; whose activity, he, by his word, diverts into its proper channels; whose busy spirit is there directed to the common good; whose restlessness, indicating the unsatisfactoriness of all they find on earth, he points to a higher destination. Were total seclusion and abstraction designed to have been the general state of the world, God would have given man other laws, other rules, other faculties, and other employments. life and vigour sufficient to ripen into act when the occasion presents itself, and a right action which does not grow out of a sound principle, will neither of them have any place in the account of real goodness. A good inclination will be contrary to sin, but a mere inclination will not subdue sin. The love of God, as it is the source of every right action and feeling, so it is the only principle which necessarily involves the love of our fellow creatures. As man we do not love man. There is a love of partiality but not of benevolence; of sensibility but not of philanthropy; of friends and favourites, of parties and societies, but not of man collectively. It is true we may, and do, without this principle, relieve his distresses, but we do not bear with his faults. We may promote his fortune, but we do not forgive his offences; above all, we are not anxious for his immortal interests. We could not see him want without pain, but we can see him sin without emotion. We could not hear of a beggar perishing at our door without horror, but we can, without concern, witness an acquaintance dying without repentance. Is it not strange that we must participate something of the divine nature, before we can really love the human? It seems, indeed, to be an insensibility to sin, rather than want of THE WORKS OF HANNAH MORE. benevolence to mankind, that makes us naturally pity their temporal and be careless of their spiritual wants; but does no this very insensibility proceed from the want of love to God? As it is the habitual frame, and predominating disposition, which are the true measure of virtue, incidental good actions are no certain criterion of the state of the heart; for who is there, who does not occasionally do them? Having made some progress in attaining this disposition, we must not sit down satisfied with propensities and inclinations to virtuous actions, while we rest short of their actual exercise. If the principle be that of sound Christianity, it will never be inert. While wc shall never do good with any great effect, till we labour to be conformed, in some measure, to the image of God; we shall best evince our having obtained something of that conformity, by a course of steady and active obedience to God. little charity, and themselves with little hu- The rooted habits of a religious life may indeed lose their prominence because they are become more indented. If they are not embossed it is because they are burnt in. Where there is uniformity and consistency in the whole character, there will be little A good deed Every individual should bear in mind, relief in an individual action. that he is sent into this world to act a part in will be less striking in an established Chrisit. And though one may have a more splen- tian than a deed less good in one who has did, and another a more obscure part as-been previously careless; good actions besigned him, yet the actor of each is equally, ing his expected duty and his ordinary pracis awfully accountable. Though God is not tice. Such a Christian indeed, when his a hard, he is an exact master. His service, right habits cease to be new and striking, though not a severe, is a reasonable service. may fear that he is declining: but his quiet He accurately proportions his requisitions to and confirmed course is a surer evidence his gifts. If he does not expect that one ta- than the more early starts of charity, or fits lent should be as productive as five, yet to a of piety, which may have drawn more atAgain;-We should cultivate most assisingle talent a proportionable responsibility tention, and obtained more applause. is annexed, duously, because the work is so difficult, those graces which are most opposite to our lities depending much on their being produnatural temper; the value of our good quaced by the victory over some natural wrong propensity. The implantation of a virtue is the eradication of a vice. It would cost one man more to keep down a rising passion than to do a brilliant deed. It will try another more to keep back a sparkling but corrupt thought, which his wit had suggested but which religion checks, than it would to give a large sum in charity. A real Christian being deeply sensible of the worthlessness of any actions which do not spring from the genuine fountain, will aim at such an habitual conformity to the divine image, that to perform all acts of justice, charity, kindness, temperance, and every kindred virtue, may become the temper, the habitual, the abiding state of his heart; that like natural streams they may flow spontaneous He who has said 'Give me thy heart,' will not be satisfied with less; he will not accept the praying lips, nor the mere hand of charity as substitutes. A real Christian will be more just, sober, and charitable than other men, though he will not rest for salvation on justice, sobriety, or charity. He will perform the duties they enjoin, in the spirit of Christianity, as instances of devout obedience, as evidences of a heart devoted to God, All virtues, it cannot be too often repeated, are sanctified or unhallowed according to the principle, which dictates them; and will be accepted or rejected accordingly. This principle kept in due exercise, becomes a habit, and every act strengthens the inclination, adding vigour to the principle and pleasure to the performance. We cannot be said to be real Christians, till religion become our animating motive, our predominating principle and pursuit, as much as worldly things are the predomina-ly from the living source. ting motive, principle and pursuit, of worldly men. Practical Christianity then, is the actual operation of Christian principles. It is lying New converts, it is said, are most zealous, on the watch for occasions to exemplify but they are not always the most persevering. them. It is exercising ourselves unto godIf their tempers are warm; and they have liness. A Christian cannot tell in the mornonly been touched on the side of their pas-ing, what opportunities he may have of dosions, they start eagerly, march rapidly, ing good during the day; but if he be a real and are full of confidence in their own Christian, he can tell that he will try to strength. They too often judge others with keep his heart open, his mind prepared, his VOL. I. 60 affections alive to do whatever may occur in propensity to reform, some crooked practice the way of duty. He will, as it were, stand to straighten. He will never be at a loss in the way to receive the orders of Provi- for employment, while there is a sin or niidence. Doing good is his vocation. Nor does sery in the world; he will never be idle, the young artisan bind himself by firmer ar- while there is a distress to be relieved in anticles to the rigid performance of his mas-other, or a corruption to be cured in his own ter's work, than the indentured Christian to heart. We have employments assigned to the active service of that Divine Master, us for every circumstance in life. When we who himself went about doing good.' He are alone, we have our thoughts to watch; rejects no duty which comes within the in the family, our tempers; in company, our sphere of his calling, nor does he think the tongues. work he is employed in a good one, if he What an example of disinterested goodmight be doing a better. His having wellness and unbounded kindness have we in our acquitted himself of a good action, is so far heavenly Father, who is merciful over all from furnishing him with an excuse for his works; who distributes common blessavoiding the next, that it is a new reason for ings without distinction; who bestows the his embarking in it. He looks not at the necessary refreshments of life, the shining work which he has accomplished; but on sun and the refreshing shower, without waitthat which he has to do. His views are al-ing, as we are apt to do for personal merit, ways prospective. His charities are scarce- or attachment or gratitude; who does not ly limited by his power. His will knows no look out for desert, but want as a qualificalimits. His fortune may have bounds: His tion for his favours; who does not afflict wilbenevolence has none. He is, in mind and lingly, who delights in the happiness, and dedesire, the benefactor of every miserable sires the salvation of all his children; who man. His heart is open to all the distressed; dispenses his daily munificence and bears to the household of faith it overflows. Where with our daily offences; who in return for the heart is large, however small the ability, our violation of his laws, supplies our necesa thousand ways of doing good will be in-sities; who waits patiently for our repentvented. Christian charity is a great enlar-ance, and even solicits us to have mercy on ger of means. Christian self-denial nega- our own souls! tively accomplishes the purpose of the fa who encouraged those whose importunity others censured; who in healing sicknesses converted souls; who gave bread and forgave injuries! What a model for our humble imitation is vourites of fortune in the fables of the nurse- that Divine person who was clothed with ry-if it cannot fill the purse by a wish, it our humanity; who dwelt among us that will not empty it by a vanity. It provides the pattern being brought near might be for others by abridging from itself. Having rendered more engaging, the conformity be carefully defined what is necessary and be-made more practicable; whose whole life coming, it allows of no encroachment on its was one unbroken series of universal charidefinition. Superfluitics it will lop, vanities ty; who in his complicated bounties never it will cut off. The deviser of liberal things forgot that man is compounded both of soul will find means of effecting them, which to and body; who after teaching the multitude, the indolent appear incredible, to the covet-fed them; who repulsed none for being ig ous impossible. Christian beneficence takes norant; was impatient with none for being a large sweep. That circumference cannot dull; despised none for being contemned by be small of which God is the centre. Nor the world; rejected none for being sinners; does religious charity in a Christian stand still because not kept in motion by the main spring of the world. Money may fail, but benevolence will be going on. If he cannot relieve want, he may mitigate sorrow. He It will be the endeavour of the sincere may warn the inexperienced, he may in- Christian, to illustrate his devotions in the struct the ignorant, he may confirm the morning by his actions during the day. He doubting. The Christian will find out the will try to make his conduct a practical excheapest way of being good as well as of do-position of the divine prayer which made a ing good. If he cannot give money, he may part of them. He will desire to hallow the exercise a more difficult virtue, he may for-name of God, to promote the enlargement give injuries. Forgiveness is the economy and the coming' of the kingdom' of Christ, of the heart. A Christian will find it cheap- He will endeavour to do and to suffer his er to pardon than to resent. Forgiveness whole will; to forgive' as he himself trusts saves the expense of anger, the cost of ha- that he is forgiven. He will resolve to avoid tred, the waste of spirits. It also puts the that temptation' into which he had been soul into a frame, which makes the practice praying not to be led;' and he will labour of other virtues easy. The achievement of to shun the 'evil' from which he had been a hard duty is a great abolisher of difficulties. begging to be delivered.' He thus makes If great occasions do not arise, he will his prayers as practical as the other parts of thankfully seize on small ones. If he cannot his religion; and labours to render his coaglorify God by serving others, he knows duct as spiritual as his prayers. The comthat he has always something to do at home; mentary and the text are of reciprocal ..psome evil temper to correct, some wrong plication. THE WORKS OF HANNAH MORE. If this gracious Saviour has left us a perfect model for our devotion in his prayer, he has left a model no less perfect for our practice in his sermon. This Divine exposition has been sometimes misunderstood. It was not so much a supplement to a defective law, at the restoration of the purity of a perfect law from the corrupt interpretations of its blind expounders. These persons had ceased to consider it as forbidding the principle of sin, and as only forbidding the act. Christ restores it to its original meaning, spreads it out on its due extent, shows the largeness of its dimensions and the spirit of its institution. He unfolds all its motions, tendencies and relations. Not contenting himself, as human legislators are obliged to do, to prohibit a man the act which is injurious to others, but the inward temper which is prejudicial to himself. CHAP. III. Mistakes in Religion. To point out with precision all the mis- There are, among many others, three difThere cannot be a more striking instance, ferent sorts of religious professors. The rehow emphatically every doctrine of the gos-ligion of one consists in a sturdy defence of gel has a reference to practical goodness, what they themselves call orthodoxy, an atthan is exhibited by St. Paul in that magni- tendance on public worship, and a general ficent picture of the resurrection, in his decency of behaviour. In their views of epistle to the Corinthians, which our church religion, they are not a little apprehensive of has happily selected, for the consolation of excess, not perceiving that their danger lies survivors at the last closing scene of mor- on the other side. They are far from retality. After an interference as triumphant jecting faith or morals, but are somewhat as it is logical, that because Christ is risen, afraid of believing too much, and a little we shall rise also;' after the most philoso-scrupulous about doing too much, lest the cal illustration of the raising of the body former be suspected of fanaticism, and the from the dust, by the process of grain sown latter of singularity. These Christians conin the earth, and by the springing up into a sider religion as a point, which they, by new mode of existence; after describing the their regular observances, having attained, subjugation of all things to the Redeemer, there is nothing further required but to and his laying down the mediatorial king- maintain the point they have reached, by a dom; after sketching with a seraph's pencil, repetition of the same observances. They the relative glories of the celestial and ter- are therefore satisfied to remain stationary, restrial bodies; after exhausting the grand- considering that whoever has obtained his est images of created nature, and the disso-end, is of course saved the labour of purlution of nature itself;-after such a display suit; he is to keep his ground without trouof the solemnities of the great day, as makes bling himself in searching after imaginary These frugal Christians are afraid of nothis world, and all its concerns shrink into perfection. nothing in such a moment, when, if ever, the rapt spirit might be supposed too high-thing so much as superfluity in their love, ly wrought for precept and admonition, the and supererogation in their obedience. This apostle, wound up as he was by the energies kind of fear however is always superfluous, of inspiration, to the immediate view of the but most especially in those who are trouglorified state-the last trumpet sounding bled with the apprehension. They are apt the change from mortal to immortality ef- to weigh in the nicely poised scales of scrufected in the twinkling of an eye-the sting pulous exactness, the duties which must of of death drawn out-victory snatched from hard necessity be done, and those which the grave-then, by a turn as surprising as without much risk may be left undone; it is beautiful, he draws a conclusion as unex- compounding for a larger indulgence by the pectedly practical as his premises were relinquishment of a smaller; giving up, grand and awful: Therefore, my beloved through fear, a trivial gratification to which Brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable; al- they are less inclined, and snatching doubtways abounding in the work of the Lord.' ingly, as an equivalent, at one they like betThen at once, by another quick transition, ter. The gratification in both cases being resorting from the duty to the reward, and perhaps such as a manly mind would hardwinding up the whole with an argument as ly think worth contending for, even were powerful, as his rhetoric had been sublime, religion out of the question. Nothing but he adds Forasmuch as ye know that your love to God can conquer love of the world. One grain of that divine principle would make the scale of self-indulgence kick the labour is not in vain in the Lord.' beam. These persons dread nothing so much as enthusiasm. Yet if to look for effects without their predisposing causes; to depend for heaven on that to which heaven was never promised, be features of enthusiasm, then are they themselves enthusiasts. The religion of a second class, we have already described in the two preceding chapters. It consists in a heart devoted to its Maker; inwardly changed in its temper and disposition, yet deeply sensible of its remaining infirmities; continually aspiring however to higher improvements in faith, hope and charity, and thinking that the greatest of these is charity.' These, by the former class, are reckoned enthusiasts, but they are in fact, if Christianity be true, acting on the only rational principles. If the doctrines of the gospel have any solidity, if its promises have any meaning, these Christians are building on no false ground. They hope that submission to the power of God, obedience to his laws, compliance with his will, trust in his word, are through the efficacy of the eternal Spirit, real evidences, because they are vital acts of genuine faith in Jesus Christ. If they profess not to place their reliance on works, they are however more zealous in performing them than the others, who professing to depend on their good deeds for salvation, are not always diligent in securing it by the very means which they themselves establish to be alone effectual. There is a third class-the high flown professor, who looks down from the giddy heights of antinomian delusion on the other two, abhors the one, and despises the other, concludes that the one is lost, and the other in a fair way to be so. Though perhaps not living himself in any course of immorality, which requires the sanction of such doctrines, he does not hesitate to imply in his discourse, that virtue is heathenish, and good works superfluous if not dangerous. He does not consider that though the Gospel is an act of oblivion to penitent sinners, yet it no where promises pardon to those who continue to live in a state of rebellion against God, and of disobedience to his laws. He forgets to insist to others that it is of little importance even to believe that sin is an evil (which however they do not always believe) while they persist to live in it; that to know every thing of duty except the doing it, is to offend God with an aggravation from which ignorance itself is exempt. It is not giving ourselves up to Christ In a nameless, inexplicable way, which will avail us. God loves an humble, not an audacious faith. To suppose that the blood of Christ redeems us from sin, while sin continues to pollute the soul, is to suppose an impossibility; to maintain that it is effectual for the salvation, and not for the sanctification of the sinner, is to suppose that it acts like an amulet, an incantation, a talisman, which is to produce its effect by operating on the imagination, and not on the discase. The religion which mixes with human passions, and is set on fire by them, will make a stronger blaze than that light which is from above, which sheds a steady and lasting brightness on the path, and communicates a sober but desirable warmth to the heart. It is equable and constant; while the other, like culinary fire, fed by gross materials, is extinguished the sooner from the fierceness of the flame, That religion which is merely seated in the passions, is not only liable to wear itself out by its own impetuosity, but to be driven out by some other passion. The dominion of violent passions is short. They dispos sess each other. When religion has had its day, it gives way to the next usurper. Its empire is no more solid than it is lasting, when principle and reason do not fix it on the throne. The first of the above classes consider prudence as the paramount virtue in religion. Their antipodes, the flaming professors, believe a burning zeal to be the exclu sive grace. They revere saint Paul's collocation of the three Christian graces, and think that the greatest of these is faith. Though even in respect of this grace, their conduct and conversation too often give us reason to lament that they do not bear in mind its genuine and distinctive properties. Their faith instead of working by love, seems to be adopted from a notion that it leaves the Christian nothing to do, rather than because it is its nature to lead him to do more and better than other men. In this case, as in many others, that which is directly contrary to what is wrong, is wrong also. If each opponent would only barter half his favourite quality with the favourite quality of the other, both parties would approach nearer to the truth. They might even furnish a complete Christian between them, that is, provided the zeal of the one was sincere, and the prudence of the other honest. But the misfortune is, each is as proud of not possessing the quality he wants, because his adversary has it, as he is proud of possessing that of which the other is destitute, and because he is destitute of it. Among the many mistakes in religion, it is commonly thought that there is something so unintelligible, absurd, and fanatical in the term conversion, that those who employ it, run no small hazard of being involved in the ridicule it excites. It is seldom used but ludicrously, or in contempt. This arises partly from the levity and ignorance of the censurer, but perhaps as much from the imprudence and enthusiasm of those, who have absurdly confined it to real or supposed instances of sudden or miraculous changes from profligacy to piety. But surely, with reasonable people, we run no risk in asserting that he, who being awakened by any of those various methods which the Almighty uses to bring his creatures to the |
