Still, there are many persons, who rely either wholly, or partially, on their own righteousness for salvation, and not on his. In many respects these persons differ from each other greatly in this, their character is exactly the same. world in the possession of this character; united in the ruin of their hopes.

If they go out of the they will hereafter be

Of this number are all those persons, who place their reliance on External religious services. Confidence in the external services of Religion has probably existed in every generation of men ; and especially at those periods, in which Religion has been peculiarly corrupted. These plainly constituted the whole religion of the Pharisees. But our Saviour says to his Disciples, "Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." These services were, also, in an eminent degree, the religion of the Jews in the time of Isaiah: "To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord. Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me. The new moons, and Sabbaths, and the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with. When ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear." But, notwithstanding these decisive declarations, not a small number of persons, through every succeeding generation, have placed their hopes of final acceptance on the same services.

"He that believeth," and he only, "shall be saved." Whatever may be intended by that faith, which is the means of our justification, and, therefore, of our title to eternal life, it is certain, that it can be nothing external. Faith, whatever else it may be, has its seat in the soul, and cannot possibly be an exercise of the body. How valuable soever, then, these services may be, their value cannot exist in this; that they constitute, either wholly or partially, the foundation of acceptance with GOD. Of course, every man, who has placed his reliance on his prayers; his praises; his communion at the table of Christ; the dedication of himself, or his children, to GOD in baptism; his assumption of the

Christian covenant; his confirmation; his absolution; or his exact attendance on the established, or occasional, worship of God; will find, all these of no more use or avail than a pilgrimage to Mecca, or an ablution in the Nile or the Ganges. When they are recited in the final account, however numerous, exact, and uniform, they may have been, he will learn, what he ought now to know, that they are "a smoke in the nostrils of JEHOVAH; an abomination, which he cannot away with."

The multiplication of such services, and extreme exactness in performing them, united with many scruples and fears concerning things of an indifferent, and therefore ordinarily of a lawful, nature, constitute the character of those who are styled superstitious. The difference between the superstitious man and the external Christian lies not in the kind, but in the degree. Between the observances of superstition, and the faith, repentance, and holiness, of the Gospel, the distance is infinite: there being nothing in the former which bears even a remote resemblance to the latter. To the latter GoD has promised salvation: to the former he has promised nothing. In the day of trial therefore, the superstitious man will find, that all his hopes are built upon the sand.

Of the same number is the enthusiast.

Enthusiasm is a reliance for religious knowledge, dispositions, and duties, on immediate and supernatural communications from GOD. No such communications exist in fact. Those, which are mistaken for them, are only the suggestions of a wild and heated imagination. Were they really what they are believed to be; they would contain in themselves nothing, which is evangelically good; nothing, of the nature of Religion; nothing, which can entitle the subjects of them to eternal life. "Though I speak with the tongues of men, and of angels, and have not love; I am become as sounding brass, and a tinkling cymbal." These supposed communications from GoD are also supposed to be proofs, that the subjects of them are peculiarly his favourites. In consequence of this belief, they are filled with what they erroneously call spiritual joy, but what is in reality nothing but

gross spiritual pride. Accordingly, they erect themselves very often into private, and not unfrequently into public, teachers of Religion. They profess to know, that themselves are, and that others are, or are not, regenerated; and to determine whether Ministers are, as they style it, sent, or have an internal call to preach the Gospel. They not unfrequently speak of themselves, as being thus sent, or called; intending by the call an internal impulse, a direct communication from heaven; which they professedly feel, and understand, to be of this nature. Thus, they consider themselves as summoned no less clearly and certainly to preach, than Paul was; and, substantially, in the same manner; viz. by a direct revelation from GOD. A real call to preach the Gospel, whenever it exists, is made up of piety; a capacity to understand the Gospel; an actual, and extensive, acquaintance with what it contains, derived from an enlightened understanding, and intense study; together with such extensive knowledge, as will enable a man to write, and to speak, so as hopefully to convince his fellow-men of the Truth, and persuade them to embrace it. All this, however, as every man, even the best, is perpetually in danger of deceiving himself, especially with regard to his own endowments, and attainments, should be clearly decided by the judgment of those around us, who are eminently wise and virtuous. But these men have no such qualifications; and, therefore, no such call.

With regard to the knowledge, which they profess of their own conversion, they are equally and miserably deluded. The Scriptures no where tell us, that we shall know the fact, that we are converted. Were this otherwise, and the fact known; it would not at all help us to know the time, when our conversion took place. There is not a hint in the Gospel, that this time is ever known; and, were it actually known, it would preclude all the necessity of self-examination, so often enjoined; and render useless the evidences of regeneration, given us in the Scriptures; and nugatory the rules, by which we are to try ourselves.

As to their knowledge of the regeneration of others, whether ministers or Christians; we may judge of its soundness from this

fact that St. Peter, in the plenitude of inspiration, and under the immediate guidance of the Holy Ghost, said of Silvanus or Silas, the companion of Paul; a prophet; a man inspired; an eminent, laborious, and very successful minister of the Gospel, whom Paul thought proper to unite with himself in the two Epistles to the Thessalonians; of this man St. Peter said, only, "Silvanus a faithful brother, as I suppose." Unless, therefore, the men, whom they pronounce to be Christians, are better men than Silas, or they, better judges of this subject than St. Peter, it would certainly become them to exhibit no more confidence, than he has thought proper to exhibit.

The truth is, all these opinions are deplorable delusions; unwarranted by Scripture; unsupported by facts. Nor is this all. Their pretensions are, in the most absolute manner, refuted by facts. Instead of exhibiting the wisdom and piety of good men, they ordinarily exhibit a character, made up of gross folly, and gross sin. Particularly, they are wonderfully guilty of the complicated sins of spiritual pride and self-righteousness; and are thus a wound to Religion, and a smoke to the eyes of all its friends.

Let every person of this character remember, that, were he possessed of all the communications from heaven, which he challenges, they would not go a single step towards proving that he is a Religious man. Balaam was really inspired; and in a higher degree, than these persons will dare to boast. He uttered, also, several sublime and wonderful prophecies. Yet "he loved the wages of unrighteousness;" and perished in his iniquity. If I am asked whether none of these men, whom I have described, can be good men; and am so severe as to condemn them all; I answer, that my own business lies not with the men, but with their principles, and practices. As there are sinners, who have hypocrisy enough to appear like Christians; so there are Christians, who have folly and wickedness enough, remaining, to make them appear much like sinners. The principles, and practices, of these men I condemn absolutely; and pronounce with confidence, nay, with certainty, that they will not help them a single VOL. II.

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step towards heaven. As to the men themselves; "to their own Master they stand, or fall." For myself, when they cease to be "puffed up, and to vaunt themselves;" when they become meek, modest, humble, and self-denying; when they are more willing to obey that precept of St. James; "My brethren be not many teachers;" I shall begin to think more favourably of their character.

Of the same number, also, are those persons, who rely upon a decent and amiable behaviour.

To give pleasure to others, and to be loved by them, are attainments, naturally desirable in the eyes of all men. Nor will he, who steadily aims at this object, fail of giving the pleasure, which he intends, and of being loved by those, to whom it is given. The disposition, which gives birth to such behaviour, is in itself amiable, and useful; and contributes much to the peace of domestic life, and to the comfort of good neighbourhood. It is therefore naturally, and in some sense deservedly, esteemed and commended. For what is thus commended they of course give themselves full credit. Others think well of them; and they think still better of themselves. Others think them good; they think themselves eminently good. But, unhappily, they stop here; and, while they are much busied in pleasing men, make no attempts to please GOD. GOD, therefore, is not pleased with them; and, of course, will not accept them at the final day.

Of the same number, also, are they, who rely upon what are called the Moral duties of life.

These persons, pay their debts; speak truth; treat others kindly; are charitable to the poor; are sober, diligent, frugal, chaste, and temperate. At least, they profess all these things; and rarely profess, or do, any thing more. These, also, are useful members of society. The things which they do, are useful things: nay, they are essential and indispensable parts of the Christian character. But it is indispensable, also, that all these and all other things which are done by man, should be done with a spirit of obedience to God. All good things, such as the Scriptures call good, come forth "out of the good treasure in the heart of