do At V ID CO CN CO tH I n CO O X o si +j +j u 0) rH 0) W c o (0 to m a< Oi \ Digitized by th§ Internet Archive in 2014 https://archive.org/detaiis/paysonsselectthoOOpays ^kpu's Irlcrt (E'ljniig^ts; COMPRISING SELECTIONS FROM THE WRITINGS EDWARD PAYSON, D D. roup. TEENTH THOUSAND HARTFORD: DEOCKETT, FULLER & CO. 1851. AND CONVERSATIONS OF THE LATE Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1833, by Crocker & Brewster, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of Massa. chusetta. PREFACE. The history of this little book may be given in a few words. Soon after the publication of my father's Memoir, the design was formed of preparing a small volume of selections from his remem- bered conversations, addresses at private meetings, Bible classes, &c. As the materials which could be collected in this way proved entirely insufficient, it was thought best to complete the work, as nearly as possible in conform- ity with the original design, by making extracts from his unpublished discours- es ; and this has accordingly been done. In regard to those portions which were written from memory, it is not presumed 4- PREFACE. that the precise language employed, has, in any instance, been preserved. There has been an endeavor to secure variety in the selections, which are arranged with reference to the progress of a mind, from impenitence and unbe- lief, through the different stages of con- viction, to faith and confirmed hope. None of the extracts have before ap- peared in print. They are given to the public in the earnest hope, that they may be instrumental in accom- plishing the wish so often expressed by their author, that he might "be per- mitted to do good with his pen, when his tongue should be silent in death." L. S. P. CONTENTS. Page. God 9.10 Eternity of Ood 11 Love of God 12 Wisdom of nod 1'-^ Living to Cod 14 Can Creatures plorify God ? l'"" Reverence for God 16. 17 Duty of loving God 18,19 Preferring Creatures to God 20 Excellence of God 21 Submission to God JS— 27 Necessity of Submission 23 Sin of Unbelief 29—31 Human Depravity 32 Robbing Cod 34 Love of tlie World 35, 36 Neglect of the Bible 37 Neglect of Prayer 38, 39 Forbearance of God 40, 41 Man's Dependence 42, 43 To the Impenitent 44, 45 God angry witlj pinners 46, 47 Motives to Repentance 48, 49 Objections answered 50 — 53 Folly of Objectors 54, 55 Insiifficienry of Reason 56 Natural Religion 57,58 Folly of Olijectors 59 — 61 Punishment of Sinners 62, 63 No Peace to Sinners 64 Sinners' Thoughts painful 65, 66 Satan's Armor 67 Grounds of false Peace 68 Conscience 69 71 A wounded Spirit 72—74 UnwiUinjiness to be saved 75 Excuses answered 76,77 Peace in Relieving — 81 Effects of Conversion 82—85 The Self-confident 86,87 Christians dissimilar 88 Tests of Piety 89—91 Fear and Hope "2 The Law honored 9:^—96 Adam our Representative 97, 98 Christ bore our Sins 99 Psalm Ixxxv. 10, 11 100, 101 Grounds of Pardon 102, 103 Plans of Redemption 104, 105 The World without Christ 106, 107 The Gospel glad Tidings 108—110 Christ our Example 111> 112 COiNTENTS. I Christ a Teacher 11^ Reasons for loving Christ IN Christ the best Friend 115, IIC Invitations of Christ 117 Christ's Displeasure al Sin IIS, 113 Death of Christ 190 Sufferings of Christ 121, 122 Love of Christ 123—125 Self-denial of Christ 125 Christ's Keward 127—129 Condescension of Christ 130 — isa Language of Penitence 133 — 135 Communion with God 136 — 138 Call to Christians 139—143 Union with Christ 144, 145 The Christian's Consolation 14C — 152 Christ unchangeable 153 Christ a Helper 154, 155 My Beloved is mine 156 The Bible entirely practical 157 Duty of studying the Bible 158 Prayer 159-169 Praise 162 The Lord's Supper 163-165 Relative Duties of Christians 166 — 168 Love one another 169 Universal Law of Benevolence 170, 171 Duties to the Heathen 172 Eeligious Consistency.., — ..173 — 177 8 CONTENTS. Christ glorified in his Church 178, 179 MiscelUuieous Directions to Christians.... 180 The Way to cure a Covetous Spirit. ..181— 183 O Dealli ; where is thy Sting.' 183 To tlie Ministers of Christ 183—186 Happiness of Heaven 186 — 190 A Jewel for your Crown 190 The Doubting comforted 191 The wounded Dove 192 SELECT THOUGHTS. GOD. How much this lille implies, no tongue, human or angelic, can ever express; no mind conceive. It is a volume of an infinite number of leaves, and every leaf full of meaning. It will be read by saints and angels, through the ages of eternity, but they will never reach the last leaf, nor fully comprehend the meaning of a single page. Look back to the time when God existed independent and alone ; when there was nothing but God ; no heavens, no earth, no angels, no men. How wretched should we, how wretched would any creature bes in such a situation ! But Jehovah was then in- finitely happy— happy beyond all possibility JO GOD. of increase. He is an overflowing fountain, a bottomless and shoreless ocean, of being, [lerfpction, and happiness ; and when this infinite ocean overflows, suns and worlds, angels and men, start into existence. I would ask you to pause and contemplate, for a moment, this wonderful Being. But where shall we stand to take a view of him 7 When we wish to contemplate the ocean, we take our stand upon its shore. But this infi- nite ocean of being and perfection has no shore. There is no place where we can stand to look at kim, for he is in us, around us, above us, below us. Yet, in another sense, there is no place where we may not look at him, for he is ever3' where. We Bee nothing which he has not made, no mo- tion which he does not cause ; for he is all, and in all, and above all, God over all, blessed forever. Even he himself cannot tell us fully what he is, for our minds cannot take it in. He can only say to us, I am that I am. I am Jehovah. ETERNIXy OK GOD. 11 ETERNITY OF GOD. Try, for a moment, to conceive of a Being without a beginning ; a Being who does not become older as ages roll away. Fly back, in imagination, millions of millions of millions of years, till reason is confonndcd, and fancy wearied in the flight. God then existed, cind, whatmay at first appear paradoxical, he had then existed as long as he has now ; you would then be no nearer ihe beginning of his exist- ence than you are now, for it has no begin- ning, and you cannot approach to that which does not exist. Nor will his being ever come to an end. Add together ages of ages; multiply them by the leaves on the trees, the sand on the sea-shore, and the dust of the earth, still you will be no nearer the termination of Jehovah's existence, than when you first began.your calculation. And let us remember that the duration of his ex- istence is the only measure of our own. As it respects futurity, we are all as immortal as Jehovah himself. 12 I.OVK OK GOD. LOVE OF GOD. In (lie words, " God is love," we have a perfect portrait of tlie eternal and incompre- hensible Jehovah, drawn by his own unerring hand. The mode of expression here adopt- ed, differs materially from that usually em- ployed by the inspired writers, in speaking of the divine perfections. They say, God is merciful, God is just, God is holy ; but never do they say, God is mercy, God is justice, God is holiness. In this instance, on the contrary, the apostle, instead of say- ing, God is loving, or good, or kind, says, God is love, love itself. By this expression we must understand that God is all pure, unmixed love, and that the other moral per- fections of his character are only so many modifications of this love. Thus his justice, his mercy, his truth, his faithfulness, are but so many different names of his love, or g'oodness. As the light which proceeds from the sun may easily be separated into many different colors, so the holy love of WISDOM OF GOD. 13 God, which is the light and glory of his nature, may be separated into a variety of moral attributes and perfections. But, though separated, they are still love. Ilis whole nature and essence are love; his will, his works, and his word, arc love ; he is nothing, can do nothing but love. WISDOM OF GOD. Often when the church thinks itself in the most imminent danger, when its friends are ready to cry in despair. All these things are against us, our destruction is inevitable; angels are lost in wonder in view of the means which divine wisdom is, even then, employing to effect its deliverance and turn its despondency into triumph. For some thousands of years they have been contem- plating this spectacle ; their knowledge and their admiration of God's wisdom have been continually increasing, and yet every day they learn something new, every day they see new proofs that Jehovah is indeed the all-wise God; that his resources are inex- u LIVING TO GOD. haustible ; that he can never be at a loss ; and (hat he can effect the same oliject in num- berless different ways, and by the use of the most improbable means. DOT! OF LIVING TO THK GLORY OF GOD- We were created and redeemed for the sole purpose of praising- and glorifying our Creator ; and if we refuse or neglect to do this, we transgress the great law of creation, frustrate the end of existence, leave unper- formed the work for which we were made, and do all in our power to prove that we were created in vain, and to cause God to repent of having made us. Should the sun refuse to shine; should the showers refuse to descend ; should the earth refuse to bring forth food ; or should trees in a fruitful soil continue barren — would you not say that it was contrary to nature and to the design of their creation ; and that since they no longer fulfilled this design, they might properly be reduced to nothing again? And do you not see that while you refuse to praise God, youi CAN CRKATURKS CLORIFV GOD. 15 conduct is equally unnatural, and that you may justly be made the monuments of his everlasting- displeasure ? What would only be unnatural in inanimate creatures, is the Iteififht of folly and wickedness in us ; be- cause we are capable of knowing our duly, and are under innumerable obligations to practise it. Let the sun then refuse to shine, the showers to descend, and the earth to be fruitful ; but lei not rational creatures refuse to praise their Creator, since it is the purpose for which they were created. HOW CAN CREATDRES GRORIFY GOD? If it be asked how creatures so feeble and ungrateful as we are, can glorify God, I answer, by conducting in such a manner as naturally tends to make him appear glorious, amiable and excellent in the view of his creatures. A son, for instance, honors his parents, when he evidently loves, reverences, confides in, and obeys them ; because such conduct tends to make those who know him think favorably of his parents. A subject 16 RKVKRENCK FOR GOD. honors his sovereign when he cheerfully submits lo his authority, and appears to be contented and happy in his government; because tliis lends to give others a favorable opinion of his sovereign. So men honor and glorify God, when they show by their conduct that they consider him the most perfect and best of beings, and love, reve- rence and confide in him as such ; for these things naturally tend lo excite a high esti- mation of God, in the minds of their fellow creatures. REVERENCE FOR GOD. With what profound veneration does it become us to enter the presence, and to receive the favors of the awful Majesty of heaven and earth ! And how ought we to dread grieving or offending goodness so great, so glorious, so venerable! To illus- trate this remark, suppose that the sun, whose brightness, even at this distance, you cannot gaze upon without shrinking, were an animated, intelligent body ; and that, with REVERENCE FOR GOD. 17 a design lo do j ou good, he should leave his place in the heavens, and gradually approach you. As it drew more and more near, its apparent magnitude and eflulgence would every moment increase ; it would occupy a larger and larger portion of the vis- ible heavens, until at length all other objects would be lost, and yourselves swallowed up in one insufTerably dazzling, overpowering flood of light. Would you not, in such cir- cumstances, feel the strongest emotions of awe, of something like fear? Would a knowledge that the glorious luminary was ai>proaching with a benevolent design for your good, banish these emotions ? What, then, ought to be the feelings of a sinful worm of ihe dust, when the Father of lights, the eternal Sun of the universe, who dwells in the high and holy place, and in the con- trite heart, stoops from his awful throne, to visit him, to smile upon him, to pardon him, to purifj' him from his moral defilement, to adopt him as a child, to make him an heir of heaven, lo take possession of his heart as Ins earthly habitation ? 2 13 DUTY OF LOVING GOD. DUTY OF LOVING GOD. We ought to love God because he has given us the power to love. He might have formed us gloomy, morose, misanthropic beings, destitute of all the social affections ; without the power of loving any object, and strangers to the happiness of being beloved. Should God withdraw into himself, not only all the amiable qualities which excite love, but the very power of loving, would vanish from the world, and we should not only, like the evil spirits, become perfectly hateful, but should, like them, hale one another. Every object which can be presented to us has a claim on our affections correspond- ing to its character. If any object be admi- rable, it possesses a natural and inherent claim to our admiration ; if it be venerable, it has a claim to our reverence ; if it be terrible, it demands our fear ; if it be beauti- ful and amiable, it claims and deserves our DUTY OF LOVING GOD. 19 love. But God is perfectly and infinitely lovely; nay, he is excellence and loveliness itself. If you doubt this, ask those who can tell you. Ask Christ, who is in the bosom of the Father, and he will tell you that God is infinitely lovely. Ask the holy anjels, who dwell in his immediate presence, and they will tell you that he is lovely beyond all that even angelic minds can conceive. Ask good men iu all ages, and they will lament that they cannot tell you how amiable and ex- cellent Jehovah is. Ask every thing beautiful and amiable in the universe, and it will tell you that all its beauty is but a faint reflec- tion of his. If all this does not satisfy you, ask the spirits of disobedience ; and they, though filled with malice and rage against him, will tell, if you can constrain them to speak, that the Being they hate is lovely, and that it constitutes the essence of theii misery that they can find no blemish in his character. But if God be thus infinitely lovely, we are under infinite oliligations to love him; obligations from which he himself cannot release us but by altering his charac« ter, and ceasing to be lovely. EXCKLLtNCE OF GOD. KOLLT OF PREFERRING CREiTCRES TO GOD. Would you not consider a person foolish and absurd, who should extravagantly love and prize a drop of sla^naiil water, and yet view the ocean with indifference or disgust ? or who should constantly grovel in the dust to admire a shining grain of sand, yet neglect to admire the sun which caused it to shine ? Of what folly cuid absurdity, then, are we guilty, w lien we love the imperfectly amiable qualities of our fellow worms, or admire the sublimity and beauty of the works of nature, and yet exercise no love to him to whom they are indebted for all ; him whose glory gilds the heavens, and from whom angels derive every thing that can excite admiration or love. GOD THE ONLY SOURCE OF EXCELLENCE. God only, the Father of lights, from whom Cometh down every good and perfect gift. EXCELI.F.NCE OF GOD. makes one creature to differ from another. They are wise only by his wisdom, strong in his strength, and good in liis goodness. He is more entirely tlie Author of every thing good in heaven and on earth, than the sun is the author of that image of himself which is seen in a mirror. When creatures acknowl- edge this, and ascribe all the excellences they possess to liim alone, they then, in the language of Scripture, bring forth fruit, not to themselves, but to his glory. God is the source of every thing excellent or praiseworthy in the intellectual world. 4 To him angels and men are alike indebted for all their faculties. Reason, memory, wit, prudence, invention and imagination, are I only his gifts. The statesman, the warrior, the mathematician, the poet, the orator, the historian, the astronomer, the painter, and the sculptor, all were formed, inslructed and directed by him. Ry his assistance, all the great enterprises, splendid achievements and admirable works which the world ever SUBMISSION TO GOD. saw, were performed. It is he, sa3's David, who teaches my hands to war, and my fingers to fight. It was he who guided Columbus to the discovery of this new world. It was he who inspired our fathers with wis- dom and courage to cross tlie ocean and settle in this wilderness. It was he who qualified our revered Washington for the great work of delivering his country, and assisted him in its accomplishment. And while we admire the giAs of God in men, shaW we not admire the Giver ? \\1iile we admire the achievements, enterprises and •vorks of men, shall we not admire him who enabled men to perform them ? Shall we rest in streams, and admire them onh', with- out praising the fountain? Surely this is highly unreasonable. DUTY OF SUBMISSION TO THE WILL OF GOD. Suppose that the members of our bodies, instead of being controlled by the will of the liead, had each a separate, independent will of its own : would ihey not, in this case, be- come useless and even mischievous? Some- thin- like this, you are sensible, occasionally lakes place. In certain diseases, the mem- bers seem to escape from the control of the will and act as if they were governed by a separate will of their own. When this ,s the case terrible consequences often ensue. The teeth shut suddenly and violently, and lacer- ate the tongue ; the elevated hands beat the face and oiher parts of the body ; the leet refuse to support it, and it rolls in the dust, a melancholy and frightful spectacle. Such effects we call convulsions. There arc con- vulsions in the moral as well as in the natural world, and they take place when the w, 1 ol man refuses to be controlled by the will of God. Did all men submit cordially to his will they would live together in love and harmony, and, like the members of a heallhy body, would all promote each other's wel- fare and that of the wliolc system. But ihey have refused to o1>ey his will, and have set up their own wills in opposition to it ; an 1 what has been the consequence? Cor.vul- SUBMISSION TO GOD. sions, most terrible convulsions, which have, in ten thousand thousand instances, led one member of this g'reat body to injure another; and not only disturbed but almost destroyed the peace of society. What are wars, in- surrections, revolutions 1 MTiat are robberies, piracies, murders, but convulsions in the moral world ? convulsions which would never have occurred had not the will of man refused to submit to the will of God. And never will these con\Tilsions cease, never will universal love, and peace and happiness prevail, until the rebellious will of man shall again submit to the controlling will of God, and his will shall be done on earth as it is in heaven. If all mankind could be persuaded to say, Not as I will, but as thou wilt, as sincerely as Christ said it, sin would that moment cease to e.\ist in the world, God and men would be perfectly reconciled, and his will would be done on earth as it is in heaven. Yes, let every humctn being only say to God, SUBMISSION TO GOD. with his whole heart, Not niy will but thine be done, and holiness and happiness would instantly fill the world ; men would be im- bodied angels, and earth would become a sublunary heaven. I look up to heaven, and there see tho blessed and only Potentate, the Creator and Upholder of all things, the infinite and eter- nal Sovereign of the universe, governing his vast kingdom with uncontrollable power, in a manner perfectly wise, and holy, and just, and good. In this Being I see my CrcaK.r, my Preserver, my unwearied Benefactor, to whom I am indebted for every thing which I possess. And what does this being see, what has he seen, in me? He sees a frail worm of the dust, who is of yesterday, and knows nothing, wlio cannot take a single step without making mistakes, who is wholly incompetent to guide himself, and who, by his own folly, is self-destroyed. He has seen this frail, blind, erring worm, presump. tuously daring to criticise and censure tjis 26 SUBMISSION TO GOD. proceedings, to interfere in his government of the universe, and to set up his own per- verse will against tlie will of his Creator, his Sovereign, and his God ; his own ignorance against divine omniscience, and his own folly against infinite wisdom. This he has seen in me, and this he has seen in you; and who, that believes God has seen this in him, can avoid feeling overwhelmed with sorrow, and shame, and remorse? We may say what we please of the difficulty of repenting, but it would seem to be a thou- sand fold more difficult to refrain from re- penting, aficr having been guilty of conduct like this. O, then, come and perform this easy, this most reasonable duty. Come, and repent, before God, of your disobedience and opposition to his will, receive through Christ a free and gracious pardon, and then learn of him who was meek and lowly in heart, to say, Father, not my will, but thine, be done. Should an angel who knew nothing of our characters, but who had heard of the bless- SUBMISSION TO GOD. 27 ings which God has bestowed on us, visii this world, would he not expect to find every part of it resounding with the praises of God and his love ? Would he not expect to heai old and young, parents and children, all blessing God for the glad tidings of the gospel, and crying, Hosanna to the Son of David? How, then, would he be grieved and disappointed ! How astonished to find that Being whom he had ever heard praised in the most rapturous strains by all (he bright armies of heaven, slighted, disobeyed., and dishonored, by his creatures on earth ! Would you not be ashamed, would 3 0U not t)lush to look such a visiter in the face ? to lell him how little you have done for God, lell him that you are not one of his servants 7 O, then, let us strive to wipe away this foul etain, this disgrace to our race and our world. Let not this world be the only place, except hell, where God is not praised. Let us not be the only creatures, exce(>t devils, who refuse to praise him. 28 NF.CKSSITY OF SUBMISSION. ALL MEN THE SUBJECTS OF CHRIST. The subjecls of Christ's mediatorial king- dom are divided into two grand classes — those who are obedient, and those who are rebellious. The former class is composed of good men and angels, the latter of wicked men and devils. The former serve Christ wilhngly and cheerfully. lie rules them wlh the golden sceptre of love; his law is written in their hearts ; they esteem his yoke easy and his burden light, and habitually execute his will. All the bright armies of heaven, angels and archangels, who excel in strength, are his servants, and go forth at his command, as messengers of love, to minister to the heirs of salvation, or eis mes- sengers of wrath to execute vengeance on his enemies. Nor are his obedient subjects to be found only in heaven. In this world, also, the standard of the cross, the banner of his love, is erected, and thousands and millions, who were once his enemies, have been brought willing captives to his feet, SIN OF UNBELIEF. 29 have joyfully acknowledged liim as their Master and Lord, and sworn allegiance to him as the Author of their salvation. Nor is his authority less absolute over the second class of his subjects, who still persist in their rebellion. In vain do they say, We will not have this man to reign over us. He rules them with a rod of iron, causes even their wrath to praise him, and makes them the in- voluntary instruments of carrying on his great designs. He holds all the infernal spirits in a chain, governs the conquerors, monarchs and great ones of the earth, and in all things wherein they deal proudly, he is still above them. In one or the other of these ways, all must serve Christ. Is it not belter to serve him willingly, and be rewarded, than to serve him reluctantly, and be destroyed? SINFULNESS OF UNBELIEF. The reason why persons who appear lo be in some measure convinced of sin, so often lose their convictions ; and why so many professors of religion fall away and 30 SIN OF UNBELIEF. disgrace Iheir profession, is, because the work of conviclion was never thoroughly perfonnecl ; because they were never con- vinced of unbelief. They saw, perhaps, that they were sinners. They felt con- vinced of many sins in their tempers and conduct; they in some meetsure corrected and laid aside these sins ; then their con- sciences ceased to reproach them, and they flattered themselves that they had become new creatures. But, meanwhile, they knew nothing of the great sin of unbelief, and therefore never confessed, repented of, or forsook it, until it proved their destruction. They were like a man who should go to a physician to be healed of some slight exter- nal wound, while he knew nothing of a deep- rooted disease which was preying upon his vitals. Professors, try yourselves by these remarks. Look back to the time when you imagined yourselves to be convinced of sin, and say whether you were then convinced, or whether you have at any time since been convinced, of the exceeding sinfulness of unbelief. If not, there is great reason to SIN OF UNBKI.IKF. fear that you are deceived, that you have mistaken the form for tjie power of godliness. It is God's invariable method to humble before he exalts ; to show us our diseases before he heals them ; to convince us that we are sinners before he pronounces our pardon. When, therefore, the Spirit of all j^race and consolation comes to comfort and sanelily a sinner, he begins by acting the part of a reprover, and thus convincing him of sin. The sin of which he more particu- larly aims to convince him is unbelief. He shall reprove the world of sin, says our Saviour. Why? Because they are mur- derers, thieves, or adulterers? No. Be- cause Ihey are guilty of slander, fraud, or extortion ? No. Because they are intempe- rate, dissipated, or sensual ? No. Because they are envious, malicious, or revengeful ? No ; but because they are unbelievers, because they believe not on me. HUMAN DEPRAVITY. If there is one fact, or cloclrine, or promise ill the Bihie, which has produced no practiced effect upon your temper or conduct, be as- sured that you do not truly believe it. CONDUCT OF MEN TOV\'ARDS THEIR MAKER. Mankind seem to consider God as a sort of outlaw, who has no rights ; or, at least, as one whose rights may be disregarded aiid trampled on at pleasure. They allow that promises made to each other ought to be fulfilled; but they violate, witliout scruple those promises which they often make to God, in an hour of seriousness, sickness, or affliction. They allow that earthly rulers ought to be obeyed, but they seem to think Uiat no obedience is due to the Sovereign Ruler of the universe. They allow that children ought to love, honor, and submit to their parents ; but they do not appear to think that either love, honor, or submission, should be paid to our Father in heaven. They allow that gratitude is due to human HUMAN DK.PRAVITY. 33 " benefactors, and that to requite their favors with ingratitude, is a proof of abominable wickedness ; but they practically deny tnat any grateful returns should be made to our lieavenly Benefactor for his innumerable benefits, and seem to consider the blackest ingratitude tow ards him as scarcely a sin. When a son forsakes his father's house ; when he refuses to comply with his entreaties to return ; w hen he chooses to endure all the evils of poverty rather than return, — we are ready to suspect that his father must be a very disagreeable, unlovely, or cruel char- acter, since his own children cannot live with him. At least, we shall think this un- less we have a very bad opinion of the son. We must condemn one or the other. So, when God's own creatures, whom he has nourished and brought up as children, for- sake him, and refuse to return or be recon- ciled, it gives other beings cause to suspect that he must be a very cruel, unlovely being ; and Ihey must either conclude that he is so^ or form a very bad opinion of us. Now, 3 3i UOBBINC GOU. sinners will not allow thai llie fault is llicirs nf course they throw all the blamR upon their Creator, anil represent him as such an unkind, cruel Parent, that bis children cannot live with or please him. It is true, God has power to vindicate his own character, and to show the universe that the fault is wholly ours. Cut this is no thanks to us. . The ten- dency of our conduct is still the same ; il still tends to load his character with the Slackest infamy and disgrace. This is all the return we make him for giving us exist- ence. 'Hius do ye requite the Lord, O foolish people, and unwise. Will a man rob God? Yet ye have robbed roe. It is evident that you withhold your hearts from God ; or, in other words, rob him of your atiections, the very llnng which be prii^cipally desires. And is this a small offence ? Should a person rob you of the affection and esteem of the partner of your bosom, of your cnildren, or your friends, would you not think it a great hijury? Would it not ia many instances be v.'orse LOVE OF THE WORI.Il. So thaa robbing; you of your properly ? And* is it, tlien, a Irifliug offence for in!clll°-eiit creatures to rob their Creator, Father and Benefactor, of that supreme place in their affections to which he has a most perfect right, and which he prizes above every tl)ing tliey possess ? The world is, in some form or other, the' great Diana, the grand idol of all its inhab- itants, so long as they continue in their nat- ural sinful slate. They bow down to it ; they worship it ; they spend and are spent for it ; they educate their children in its service ; their hearts, their minds, their memories, their imaginations, are full of it ; their tongues speak of it ; their hands grasp it ; their feet pursue it. In a word, it is all in all to them, while they give scarcely a word, a look, or a thought to him who made and preserves them ; and who is really all in all. Thus men roJ) God of their bodies and spirits, which are his, and practically say, We are our own ; who is Lord over us ? l OVE OF THE WORLD. From the manner in which we habitually treat the Bible, we may learn what are our I'eclinsfs and dispositions towards God ; for as we treat the word of God, so should we treat God himself, were he to come and reside among us, in a human form, as he once dwolt on earth in the form of his Son. The contents of Scripture are a perfect transcript of the divijie mind. If, then, God should come to dwell among us, he would leach the same things that the Scriptures teach, and pronounce upon us the same sen- tence which they pronounce. We should therefore feel towards him as we now feel towards them. If we reverence, and love, and obey the Scriptures, then we should reverence, love, and obey God. But if we dislike or disbelieve the Scriptures, if we seldom study them, or read them only with indifference and neglect, we should treat God in the same manner. Never would he be a welcome Guest in a family where his word is neglected. NF.CI.ECT OK THE BIBLE. LANGUAGE OF THOSE WHO NEGLECT THE BIBLE. No man will ever voluntarily neglect to make himself acquainted with the contents of a message sent to him by one whom he acknowledges as his superior, or on whom he feels himself to be dependent. Let a subject receive a communication from his acknowledged sovereign, and as it claims, so it will receive his 'immediate allcntioii. Nor will he, especially if it contains various and important instructions, think a haslv perusal of it sufficient. No, he will study it till he feels confident that he is acquaintc render them holy : tliese privileges they sliall enjoy for years together. If they im- prove them aright, If they believe my word, receive ami love my Son, and renounce their sins, I will acknowledge that I have accused them falsely, that they are not so depraved as I have rcjiresenled them. But, should they, on the contrary, neglect my word, disbelieve the gospel, and refuse to receive antl submit to my Son ; should they profane the Sal)balh, misimprove the day of grace, refuse to repent of their sins, and be recon- ciled to me, — then it will be evident to all, that! have not accused them falsely; that they are just such depraved, obstinate, ir- reconcilable enemies to me and to good- ness, as I have represented them to be in uiy word. WE ARE LORDS, JER. II. 31. If men are indeed independent of God, it may, with safely, be asserted, that he is almost the only being or object in the uni- verse, on whom they are not dependent. From the cradle to the grave, their lives man's dependence. 43 exhibit little else than a coiuimied course of dependence. They are dependent on the earth, on the water, on the air, on each other, on irrational animals, on vegetables, on unorganized substances. Let but the sun withhold his beams, and the clouds their showers for a single year, and the whole race of these mi-hty, independent beiu-s expires. Lei but a pestilential blast sweep over them, and they are gone. Let but some imperceptible derangement take place HI their frail but complicated frame, ane inhabit- ants of heaven to rejoice in your repentance, their love of justice, truth and Imliuess will constrain lliein to rejoice in your condem- nation, and to sing alleluia, while the smoke of your tonneut asceudeth up forever antl ever. OBJKCTIOSS OF SINNERS TO THE GOSPEl ANSWERED. Suppose that, while you are dying of a fatal disease, a medicine of great reputed efticacy is offered you, on making trial of which, you find yourself restored to health and activity. Full of joy and gratitude, you propose the remedy to others, aiilicted with the same disease. One of these persons replies to you, " 1 am surprised that you place so much faith in llie virtues of this Hiedicine. How do you know that it was really discovered by the person whose name it bears 7 Or, eveu if it were, it is so maajr () BJ K.C I'IONS A NSW KRKl). 61 years ago, and the medicine lias passed through so many hands since, that it is probably corniploi. for he has felt, in his own soul, its li.'t-gii m;;;- power. 62 oli.IKCriONS ANSWKHKI). Will you say that lliere arc no real stars, because you sometimes see meteors fall, which for a time appeared to be stars 7 Will you say that blossoms never produce fruit, because many of them fall off, and gome fruit, which appears sound, is rotten at the core ? Equally absurd is il to say there is no such thing- as real rclig^ion, because many who profess it fall away, or prove to be hypocrites in heart. Or will you say that a medicine does no good, because, though il removes the fever, il does not restore the patient to perfect strength in an instant ? Equally groundless and absurd is it to say that religion does not make its possessors better, because it docs not, in a moment, make them perfect as the angels of God. The many false and counterfeit appear- ances which we meet with, instead of prov- ing that there is no religion in tlie world, not only prove that there is, but that it is ex- tremelv precious ; otherwise it would not be connlcrfeilcd. No one will lie at the trouble of countorfelling, either what does not exist, ( ) K .1 K C r 1 ( > N S A N S W K R K t ) . 53 or what is of no value. No one will make false stones, or false dust, lliough many make false pearls and diamonds. If lliere were no real money, there would lie no counterfeit ; and so, if there were no real religion, there would be no false rclisicn. One raiuiol exist without the other any more than a shadow can exist widiout a suhsiance; and he who rejeete all religion, because hypocrites sometimes' borrow its name and appearance, acts no less absur.lly than lie who throws his gold or jewels into the fire, because gold and jewels have sometimes been conntcrfeiled. Surely, if Christianity be a delusion, it is a blessed delusion indeed; and he who at- tempts to destroy it is an enemy to mankind. Il is a delusion which teaches us lo do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God ; a delusion which teaches us lo love our Maker supremely, and our neighbor as our- selves ; a delusion which bids us love, forgive, and pray for our enemies, render good for evil, and promote the glory of God 54 KUM.Y l>K OBJKCTOKS and the liappinessof our I'ellow creatures, by every mc;aiis in our power; a delusion, which, vvlicrever il is received, produces a humble, meek, charitable and peaceful temper, and which, did it universally prevail, would banish wars, vice and misery from the world. Il is a delusion which not only supports and comforts its believers in their wearisome progress ihroug^h this vale of tears, but attends them in death, whei* all other consolations fail, and enables them to triumph over sorrows, sickness, ang'uish and the griive. If delusion can do this, in delu- sion let me live and die ; for what could the most blessed reality do more ? FOLLY OK REJECTING THE GOSPEL. Shall we listen to men when God speaks ? Shall blind and ignorant worms of the dust pretenil to know what God will do, betlei thaji he '.v ho was from eternity in the bosom of the Father? Hast thou, O man, whoso ever thou art, that prelendesl that the words of Clir si are unreasonable, or iniprol.alile, or false, hast thou ascended into heaven, or de- FOI.I.Y OK OB.IKCTORS. scenclcd into hell ? Hast ihou mcasiireH eternity anfl grasped infT\iily ? Hast thou by searching found out God? Hast thou found out the Almighty unto perfection? Canst thou tell me more of him than can the Son of his love, in whom are hid all the Irea'^sures of wisdom and knowledge ? Does the dim taper of thy darkened reason shine briglitcr than the glorious Sun of righteous- ness ? And are those to he branded as fools and madmen, who choose to walk in his light, ralhcr than to be led by a mere ignis fatuus ? No ; till you can bring us a teacher superior to Christ, who is the wisdom of Cod ; till you can show us a man who has weighed the mountains in the hollow of his hand, and moled out heaven with a span: who has lived in heaven from eternity ; and can prove that he knows more than Omnis- cience, — we will, we must, cleave lo Christ. Here is a rock. All is sea besides. Nor shall the unbelief of sijmers make ihe failh of God without efTecl; for, if we believe not, he remains faithful ; he cannot deny himself,. 56 I NSlJFKIClKNCy OF KF.ASON. INSUFFICIENCY OF HUMAN REASON. Viewed throng any olhrr medium tlian lliat of revelation, mail is a riddle whic h man caiiiiol expound ; a being roinposed of inconsislenrles and conirarmat!on, she is soon lost in a labyrinth of doulits and perplexities, and finds the progress of her researches inlerrupicd by a tiloud of oliicurily which the rays of her feeble lamp are insufficient to penetrate. Suppose you should see a man carrying a tilde, glimmering taper in his hand at noonday, with his back turned to the sun, and foolishly endeavoring to persuade him- ' self and others thai be bad no need of the NATURAL BKI.ir.lllS. 67 sun, ami llial liis taper gave more ligbt than that glorious luminary. How amazingly great wouki be Ills folly ! Yet this illustra- lion l>ul very feebly represents ll.c folly of those who walk in the sparks of their own kinciling, while they disregard the glorious Sun of righteousness. SATURAI. RElICIO.f. 1 know thai those who hale atid despise the religion of Jesus because it condemns their evil deeds, have endeavored lo deprive him of ihc honor of communicating lo man- kind the glad tidings of life and immortality; 1 know that ihcy have dragged the moul- dering carcass of paganism from the grave, animated her lifeless form with a spark stolen from the sacred altar, arrayel). and from that river it must be fed, or it will dry up. If, with a careful and enlightene MOPR. FEAR AND HOPE. True rolig'on consists in a pinper mixture of fear of God, and of hope in liis mercy ; and wherever citlier of lliese is entirely wanting', there can be no I rue religion. fJod has joined these ihins;^, and we ought by no means to put them asunder. He cannot take pleasure in tliose wlio fear him with a slavish fear, with- out hoping iii his mercy, because they scera to consider him as a cruel and tyrannical being, who has no mercy or goodness in his nature; and, besides, they implicitly charge him with fal3ehooaii, to adopt a dilVereul eonsliiiHiou of things ; aud siiise it iiad ap- l^arcd that holv beiugs, endowed with every possible aiKaiitaje for obeying God s law, would disobey it and ruiu tiiemselves, h& Siiougtil proper, iuslead of leaving us, like the angels, to stand for ourseWes, to appoint a cove'iaui head or representative lo stand for us, aiid to enter into covenajit with himv liow, lei us- suppose (oi a maineut, that we, aud Lll the human race, had been broughi kito existence at once, and that God had proposed u> u*, that we should clioose one of our number to be our representative, and to enter into covenant with him on our behaif. Should xve not, with one vo«^e, have ehosen our first parent for this responsible office ? Sliould we not have said, " He is a perfect inaii, and bears the image and like- ness of God ? If any one must stand or falV for us, let him be the man." Now, since the- aiigels,who stood fox thensselves, fel^wk* CHRIST BORE OUR SINS. 99 should we wish lo stand for oursolvcs ? And if we must have a representative lo stand for us, why should we complain, wlioii God has chosen the same person for this offire, that we should have chosen, had we been in ex- istence, and capable of choosing for our- selves ? CHRIST OUR REPRESENTATIVE. Christ " bore our sins" in the same sense m which the .lewish sacrifices, under the law, were said to bear the sins of him ia whose behalf they were presejiicd. The lamb which was oflcred, vhlch woul.l result from his death, rendered his sorrows comparatively light, and almost couvcricd ihcm to joys. 122 SUKFF.KINGS OF CHrilST ]?ul never v«as su|)poiilion more erroneous. Jesus Clirisl was as truly a man as eillier of us 5 and, as man, he was as really susceptible of grief, as keenly alive to pain and reproach, and as much averse from pain and suffering, as any of tlie descendants of Adam. As to divine consolations and supports, they were at all times bestowed on him in a very spar- ing maimer, and in the season of his greatest extremity entirely withheld ; and though a knowledge of the happy consequences which would result from his sufferings ren- dered him willing to endure them, it did not in the smallest degree lake off their edge, or render !iim insensible to pain. No, his suf- ferings, instead of lieing less, were incom- parably greater than they appeared to be. No finite mind can conceive of their extent, nor was any of the human race ever so well entitled to the appellation of the man of sorrows, as the man Christ Jesus. As Christ died for all, so he felt and wept for the sufferings of all. The temporal and eternal calamities of the whole human race, I,OVK OF CH i< isr. V23 and ol' every individiinl amonc; ilicm all, seemed lo be collected and laid upon liini. He saw, al one view, the whole mi^hly vc;' grej^ale of luiinan giilU and liuman wrelcli- edness, and his boundless benevolenre and compassion made it, by sympathy, all his own. It has been said by philosophers, thai if anv man could see all the misery which is daily felt in the world, he would never smile again. We need not wonder, then, that Christ, who saw it all, never smiled, though he often wept. I.OVE OF CHRIST. In order to form some faint conception of the love of Christ, suppose, my Christian frienils, that all your toils and sufferings were ended, and you were safely arrived in heaven, the rest which remains for the people of Cod. Suppose that you were (here crowned with glory, and honor, and immor- tatiiy, listening with lumtlerablc ecstasies to the S(inc;s of the redeemed, conlemp.laling the inrlThble, unveiled glories of .leliovah, drinking full draughts from those rivers of 121 LOVE OF CHRIST. pleasure wliicli flow forever nl his riglil hand, and lastin:; those joys which the hciirl of man hath not conceived. What would tempi you lo revisit this vale of tears, commence anew the wearisome journey of life, aiieen called to bear, and continued to carry it through a rough chkist's reward. 127 and llioriiy rood, till his human nature, ex- hausted, sunk under the weig;lit. In short, he considered himself, his time, his talents, his reputation, his happiness, his very exist- ence, as not his own, hut another's ; and he ever employed them accordingly. lie lived not for himself, he died not for himself; bul for others he lived, and for others lie died. HE SHALL SEE OF THE TRAVAIL OF HIS SOUL. How great, how inconceivable will he oui Savior's happiness, after the final consum- mation of all lhiu2fs 1 Then tlie plan for which our world was formed will he com- pleted. Then every member of the church, for the sake of which he loved and visited our world, will have been brou<;hl home to heaven, to be with him where he is. And if he loved, and rejoiced, and delighted in ihem before they existed, and beferc they know and loved him, how will he love and rejoice in them when he sees them surrounding- liis throne, perfectly rcsemblinir himself in body and soul; lovin;; him with unutterable love, 128 contemplaliiiy liim vviili ineffable delight, and praising liim as ihcir deliverer from sin, and dealh, and licll ; as the aullior of all their everlasting glory and felicity 1 Then, — O blessed, animating thought ! — he will be amply rewarded for all his sufferings, and for all his love to our ruined race ; then his people shall cease to grieve and offend him ; then they shall no longer degrade him by weak, confused, inadequate conceptions of his person, character, and work ; for then shall they see as they are seen, and know even as they are known. Then the whole church shall be presented to liim, a glorious church, without spot or blemish, or imper- fection ; and shall be as a crown of glory in the hand of the Lord, and as a royal diadem in the hand of our God. Then, O Zion, as a bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so .shall thy God rejoice over thee. 'I'hen shall thy sun no more go down, nor lliy moon withdraw itself ; but the Lord shall he thine everlasting light, and thy God, thy glory; and the days of thy mourning, and of ihy Savior's suffering, shall be ended. Christ's reward. 129 If we love, and prize, and rejoice in any object, in proportion to the labor, pain, and expense which it has cost us to obtain it, how greatly must Christ love, and prize, and rejoice in every penitent sinner! His love and joy must be unutloralilc, inconceiv- able, infinite. For once, I rejoice that our Savior's toils and sufTerings were so great, since the greater they were, the greater must be his love for us, and his joy in our conversion. And if he thus rojoiceth over one sinner that rcpenteth, what must be his joy, when all his people are collected, out of every tongue, and kindred, and people, aiid nation, and presented spotless before his Father's throne ! What a full tide of felicity will pour in upon him, and how will his benevolent heart expand with unutterable delight, when, contemplating the countless myriads of the redeemed, he says. Were it not for my sufferings, all those immortal beings would have been, throughout eternity, as miserable, and now they will be as happy, as God can make them '. It is enough. I see of the travail of my soul, and am satisfied. 9 130 CONDESCENSION OF CHRIST. CONDESCENSION AND LOTE OF CHRIST. The meanest beggar, the vilest wretch, the most loathsome, depraved, abandoned sinner, is perfectly welcome to the arms and the heart of the Savior, if he comes wilh the temper of the penitent prodigal. To all who come with this temper, he ever lends a gracious ear; he listens to catch the first penitential sigh ; be watches their first feeble steps towards the path of duty ; he prevents them with his grace, hastens to meet them, and while they are ready to sink at his feet with mingled shame, confusion and grief, he puts underneath tliem his everlasting arms, embraces, cheers, supports and com- forts them ; wipes away their tears, washes away their stains, clothes them with his riglileousness, unites them to himself forever, and feeds them with the bread and water of life. Thus he binds up the broken reed, en- kindles the smoking flax, and, like a mosi tender, compassionate shepherd, gathers the helpless lambs in his arms, and carries them • in his bosora. Thus, by the condescending CONDESCENSION OF CHRIST. 131 grace of our Immanucl, heaven is brought down to earth ; the awful majesty, and inac- cessible glories of Jehovah, are shrouded in a veil of flesh ; a new and living way is opened for our return to God ; and sinful, guilty worms of the dust may talk with their Maker face to face, as a man talkelh with liis friend. Trembling sinner, desponding Christian, permit me to take you by the hand and lead you to Jesus. Why do you linger, why do you hang back ? It is to Christ, it is to Jesus, it is to the Babe of Bethlehem, to a man like yourselves, to the meek and lowly Savior of sinners, thai I would bring you. Here are no terrors, no flaming sword, no burning throne to appal you. Come, then, to his feet, to his arms, to his heart, which overflows with compassion for your perishing souls. Come and contemplate the glory of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth, and receive of his fulness grace for grace. 132 CONDESCENSION OF CHRIST. COMPASSION AND COND ASCENSION OF CHRIST. Fear not, says the Savior to liis penitent, heart-broken disciple. Fear not, trembling, despondi.is soul. My glory, my perfections need not alarm thee, for ihey are all engaged on thy side, all pledged to secure thy salva- tion. Tell me not of thy sins. I will take Ihem away. Tell me not of thy weakness, thy folly and ignorance. I have treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and strength for thee. Tell me not of the weakness of thy graces. My grace is sufficient for thee, for its riches are unsearchable. Tell me not of the difficulties which oppose thy salvation. Is any thing too hard for me ? Tell me not that the favors thou art receiving are loo great for thee. I know they are too great for thee to merit, but they are not too great for me to give. Nay, more, I will give thee greater things than these. I will not only continue to pardon thy sins, beat with thine infirmities, and heal thy backslidings ; but give thee larger and larger measures of LANGUAGE OF PENITENCE. 133 my gn^ace, make lliee more and more useful in the world, render lliee more llian a con- queror over all lliine enemies, and at deatli wipe away forever all thy tears; receive Ihee to the mansions which my Father has prepared for ihee in heaven, and cause thee to sit down with me on my throne for- ever and ever. Thus does Christ comfort those that mourn ; thus he encourajjcs the (J^spondint ; or, if not, to fear that God would bring upon him some terrible judg- ment for his sins, and make him an exampl^ to others— then to see his much-insulted Savior, his neglected Benefactor, his in- jured Friend, suddenly appear to deliver him from t'.ia consequences of his own folly and ingratitude ; to see him come with smiles and blessings, when he expected nothing but upbraidings, thrcatcnlngs, and scourges— it is too much ; he knows not how to bear it ; he scarcely dares take the consolation offered him ; he thinks it must be all a delu- sion. Even when convinced, beyond a doubt, that it is not so ; when he feels the healing virtue of his kind Physician, pervad- mg his" whole soul, and sees him stooping to cleanse, to comfort, and embrace him, he shrinks back, iii'voluntarily, as if the spotless LANGUAGE OF PK.NITF.NCE. I3j Savior would be contaminated by his loiicli ; sinks down ashamed and broken-hearted at his feel; feels unworthy and unable to look up; and the more condescendingly Christ sloops to embrace him, so much lower and lower does he sink in the dust. At length his emotions find utterance, and he cries, O Lord, treat me not thus kindly. Such favors belong to those, only, who do not requite thy \ovi as I have done. How can it be just, how can it be right to give them to one so undeserving? Thy kindness is lavished upon mc in vain ; thy mercies are thrown away upon one so incorrigibly vile. If thou pardon me now, I shall offend thee again ; if thou heal my backslidings, I shall again wander from thee ; if thou cleanse me, T shall again become polluted : thou must, O Lord- give me up -thou must leave me to perish, and bestow thy favors on those who are less unworthy, less incurably prone to offend thee. Such are often the feelings of the broken-hearted penitent ; thus does he shrink from the mercy which pursues him, thus seems to plead against himself; and, though he desires and prizes nothing so much as his 136 COMMCNIOX WITH GOU. Sa\-ior's presence, feels conslrained, by a sense of his vileness and pollution, to ask him, and almost wish him to depart, and leave him to the fate which he so richly desenes. JOY OF COMMUSIOS WITH GOD. At times, God is pleased to admit his chil- dren to nearer approaches, and more inti- mate degrees of fellowship with himself and his Son. Jesus Christ. He sends down the spirit of adoption into their hearts, whereby thev are enabled to cry Abba, Father ; and to feel those lively affections of love, joy, trust, hope, reverence and dependence, w^hich it is at once their duty and their hap- piness to exercise towards their Father in heaven. By the influences of the same spirit he shines into their minds, to give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God, in the face of Jesus Christ ; causes his o-lory to pass before them, and makes them, in some measure, to understand the per- fections of his nature. He also reveals to them the unutterable, inconceivable.unheard- COMMUNION WITH GOD. 137 of ihings, which he has prepared for those who love him ; applies to them his exceed- ing great and precious promises ; makes them to know that great love wherewith he has loved them, and thus causes them to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. He shines in upon their souls with the dazzling, melting, overpowering beams of grace and mercy proceeding from the Sun of righteousness, gives them to know the heights and the depths, the lengths and the lireadlhs, of the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,"and fills ihem with all the fulness of God. The Christian, in these bright, enrap- tftred moments, w hile thus basking in beams of celestial light and splendor, forgets him- self, forgets his existence, and is wholly ab- sorbed in the ravishing, the ecstatic contem • plation of uncreated beauty and lovelinc.s.o. He endeavors to plunge himself into thn boundless ocean of divine glory which opens to his view, and longs to be wholly swal- lowed up and lost in God. His whole soul goes forth in one intense flame of gratitude, admiration, love and desire. He contem- plates, he wonders, ho admires, he loves 138 COMMfSIOS WITH GOD. and adores. His soul dilates itself bevond its ordinary capacity, and expands to re- ceive the flood of happiness which over- whelms it. All its desires are satisfied. It no longer inquires, who will show us any good, but returns unto its rest, because the Lord hath dealt bountifully with it. The scanty, noisy, thirst-producinf streams of worldly delight only increase the feverish desires of the soul ; but the tide of joy which flows in upon the Christian, is silent, deep, full and satisfvnng. .\11 the powers and faculties of his mind are lost, absorbed, and gwallowed up in the contemplation of infinite glory. With an energy and activity un- known before, he roams and ranges through the ocean of light and love, where he can neither find a bottom nor a shore. No lan- guase can utter his feelings ; but, with an emphasis, a meaning, an expression, which Go,and, or the feci to envy the per-p.cu.ly of the eve which directed their motions, and prevente.l them from running into danger . Still more absurd is it. if possible, for one Christian to envy (he gills, or graces or usefulness of another, since the whole bo.ly, and he amongst the rest, enjoys the bencnt of them. The fact is, wkenever God be- stows a favor on any Christian, he does, m effect, confer a favor on all ; j«st as «hen a man heals, or c'K,lhes one part of the body, '.^ confers a be:tefit on the whole. Ke- joice and bless Cod, then. Christians, «he« he honors or favors any fellow Christian, for it is an act of kindness done to you, am. ^.-,11 promote your present and eternal fe- licity. No Cnrlstian should be dissatisfied wilb his lot if poor and despised, or indulge pride ,if honored and prospor<=d. Every one .s m ,hat place which infinite wisdom sees be« for him, and the most hig^ily favored Chris- tians are, in many respects, depcn.lent o« ,hc lowest. The ej-e cannot say to the hand, 1 have no need of thee, nor the hand to the feet, 1 have no need of you. If the ^hole body were an eye, where were the hearia" ? and f ^^e wbole body we^e bear- 168 RK.l.ATIVF. DUTIKS. mg. where were ih.c smc'linj;? But now God hath set the mL'm'jiTS iii the body, every one as it hath pleased liim, and it is the same in the great body of Christ. It h ii>cniTil)eiit on every Christian to sscertain for wh:it he is tmalificd, and what service he is called to perform, for the body of which he is a member. You can easily conceive what vvonid be llie conseqnence, in the human body, should the feet attempt to perform the work of the hands, or the hands, the olTrce of the eye. Almost equally per- nicious and rile peculiarities about them ; but we shall love them hereafter, as we love our own souls, and they will love us, in a similar manner. Besides, our Savior loves them, notwithstanding all these imperfections; and ought not our affections to follow his ? If he°were now \'is!bly on earth, and we were permitted to stand by his side, if wc saw him bend a look of love on any individual, would not our affections immediately flow out towards that person, however disagreea- ble or imperfect he might be ? Such a look 170 BKNKVOI.KNCK. oiir Savior docs bend on the most unlovely of his disciples. Lei us, then, love ihcm all, for his sake. CKtVKRSAL LAW OF T ENEVOIF.KCE. "Not for ourselves, but others" — is the ^rand law of nature, inscribed by tlie hand of God on every part of creation. Not for itself, but others, does the sun dispense its beams ; not for themselves, but others, do the clouds distil their showers ; not for her- fclf, but others, does the earth unlock her treasures ; not for themselves, but others, do the trees produce their fruits, or the flowers diffuse their fragrance and display their various hues. So, not for himself, but others, are the blessings of Heaven bestowed on man ; and whenever, instead of diffusing iheni around, he devotes (hem exclusively to tiis own gralificalion. and shuts himself up in the dark and fl niy caverns of selfishness, he transi^csses the great law of creation — he cuts himself off from the created uni%'erse, and its .Author — he sacrilegiously converts Vo his own use the favors which were givep BENEVOI.KNCE. him for the relief of others, and must be con- sidered, not only as an unprofitable, but as a franduleiU servant, who lias worse than wasted his Lord's money. He, who thus lives only to himself, and consumes the bounty of Heaven upon his lusts, or conse- crates it to the demon of avarice, is a barren rock in a fertile plain ; lie is a thorny bramble in a fruitful vineyard ; he is the grave of God's blessings; he is the very Arabia De- sertaof tlie moral world. And if he is high- ly exalted in wealth or power, he stands, inaccessible and strong, like an insulated towering clifT, which exhibits only acoM and cheerless prospect, intercepts the genial beams of the sun, chills the vales below with its gloomy shade, adds fresh keenness to the freezing blast, and tempts down the liglu- ninas of angry heaven. How different this from the gently-rising hill, clothed to its summit with fruits and flowers, which attracts and receives the dews of heaven, and retaining only sufTicient to supply its numerous offspring, sends the remainder in a thousand streams to bless the vales which lie at its feel ! 172 DUTIES TO THE HEATHEN. DUTIES TO THE HEATHEN. It is a fart tliat vigorous and persevering^ exertions in favor of religion abroad, natu- rally excite, and are inseparably connected nitli similar and successful exertions at home. Witness the example of Great Brit- ain. While she was reaching the full cup of life and salvation to other countries, the drops which fell from it refreslied and fer- tilized her own. Witness the present reli- gious situation of our own country. Never, Ml the same space of time, was so much done for its amelioration ; never were tlie Scrip- lures so generally diffused among us ; never were our domestic missions in so prosperous a state ; never were their endeavors crowned with so much success, as since we began to send Bibles and missionaries to tlie heathen, (iod has been pouring out spiritual blessings upon our churches, our towns, our villages and our schools ; and thus, for every mis- sionary whom we have sent abroad, he has given us ten to labor at home. If we wish to obtaiii greater blessings of a similar kind, RKI.IOIOl'S CONSISTENCY. 173 we must seek lliem in a similar way. If vice and infulelily are to be finally con- quered, and banished from our country, the battle must be foujjht, and the victory won, on the plains of India. True cli&rity receives her instructions, as well as her existence, from faith in God's word ; and when faith points to human beings in dancjer, charity, without delaying to pro- pose questions, hastens to their relief. Our houses are built, our vineyards are planted, around the base of a volcano. They may be fair and flourishing to-day- to-morrow, ashes may be all that remains. Open your hands wide, then, while they contain anv blessings to bestow ; for of that which you give, you can never be deprived. SEE THAT YE AllOUND IN THIS GRACE At.SO. Unless we strenuously aim at universal holiness, we can have no satisfactory evi- 174 RELIGIOUS CONSISTENCY. deuce, thai we are the servants of Christ. A servant of Christ is one who obeys Christ as his master, and makes Christ's revealed word die rule of his conduct. No man, then, can have any evidence that he is a servant of Christ any further tlian he obeys the will of Christ. And no man can have any evi- dence that he obeys the will of Christ in one particular, unless he sincerely and strenu- ously aim to obey in every particular — for the will of Christ is one. In consequence of their natural constitu- tion, of the circumstances in which they are placed, or of the absence of temptation, most Christians find it comparatively easy to avoid some sins, to be exemplary in the performance of some duties, and to cultivate some branches of the Christian temper with success. One man, for instance, enjoys much leisure and has a taste for study : hence the acquisition of religious knowledge becomes easy to him. Another is blessed with a mild and amiable disposition, and of course can regulate his temper without much KKI.IGIOUS CONSISTKNCV. 175 dilTicully. A third is cnnslilutioiially liberal, and can tticrefore coiiirilmlc readily lo reli- gious and charitable objccls. A fouith is mud and rclirin!^, and is for tliis reason little tempted lo pride, ambiiion, or discontent. A fifth is naturally bold and ardent. Of fourse he can easily overcome indolence and the fear of man. In a word, there are very few Christians, who, for these and other similar reasons, do not in some respects excel. Hut the evil is that they are prone, lhou<;h perhaps without being- sensible of it, to attach an undue importance to that grace or duty in which they excel, to make the whole of rehpon cotisisl in it. and to neg- lect other Ihiiig^s of equal importance, the performance of which they would find more difficult. Nay, more; they secretly regard the eminence which they have attained in some respects, as an excuse for great defi- ciencies in others ; and endeavor lo atone for a neglect of self-denying duties, by at- tending with peculiar zeal lo those duties which are more easy. One man, for instance, is lukewarm in his affections, format in his devotions, aud makes 176 Rf:i.IGIOtS CONSISTENCY. lillle progress in subduing his sinful propen- sities. Bui lie comforls himsell" wiih the hope that his know ledge of religious truth is increasing. Another, who neglects to improve opportunities for acquiring religious kuowl- ctlge, derives consolation from the warmth of his zeal, and the liveliness of his atTcctions. One person is by no means disposed to con- tribute liberally for the promotion of Christ's cause and the relief of the poor ; but he hopes to atone for his deficiency in this re- spect, by the frequency and fervency of his prayers. Another neglects prayer, medita- tion and communion with God, but he quiets himself by pleading the pressure of worldly business, and by liberal contributions for religious and charitable purposes. Thus, as there are few Christians who do not excel in some respects, there are few who are not, in some respects, exceedingly deficient. Small indeed is the number of tliose who sedulously strive to stand perfect and com- plete in all the will of God. Nothuig is more common than to meet with Christians who in many respects are RELIGIOUS CONSISTENCY. 177 eminentlj niid exemplarily pious, but who, by some sinful imprudence or defect, render llieir ciiaraclers vulnerable, destroy all the good elTecls of their example, and dis- honor instead of adorning religion. They resemble a beautiful and well-proportioned body, which has been disfigured by a wound, or which has lost a limb, or some member ol which is disproportionably large. While in 6ome respects they are giants, in others they are mere dwarfs. Hence not only their rep- utation, but their influence, their comfort, their usefulness are impaired, and they adorn religion less than many others who are in many respects greatly their inferiors, but who are more uniform and coiisislent in their conduct. Christ commands us, whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, to do all to the glory of God. Perhaps some will ask, How is this possible ? We cannot be always thinking of God ; we must attend to our business, provide for our own wants and those of our families. True — but look at a man about to send a sliip to a foreign porL 12 178 riirtlST GI-OKIKIKD. As he purchases iiis car^jo, and makes the requisite preparations, he considers vvlial ar- ticles are most su'rtable for the market ; what provisions most necessary for the voyage ; how the ship is to be rigged and manned ; in short, all his pTans are laid witli reference to the end of the voyage. So the Clirislian, though not atways thinking of heaven, should take care that atl his hnsiness and all his pleasures may forward his journey thither, and promote his great object of preparatioii for that abode of blessedness. CHRIST GLORIFIED IN HIS CHURCH. When we took at the sim, we only per- eeive that it is a bright and glorious lumina- ry. But when we behold the earth in spring, in summer or autumn, clothed with fuxuriant vegetation, adorned with (lowers, and enli- vened bv myriad's of spoctive, happy beings -f when we compare this slate of things with, clip rigors, the frost, the barrenness of winter, Becollect that the sim is, instrumerflallv, the jause of this mighty dlfTorence, and reflect liow gl jomy anvl desolate ouj woil'il vjoulci CIIKIST GI.OHI I I F.n. 179 '. * ' be, if wliolly deprived of ils hcaiiis ; we have far more dear and eiil.irg-ed ronrcplions of the value and excellence of tliis luminary. The sun is then, if I may so express it, glo- rified in iho earth, and admired in all ihe productions aud beneficial eifecis which re- sult from his influence. In a similar manner will Christ, the Sun of rig;liteousncss, he g-lo- rified and admired in his people. Il will tlien be clearly seen how much mercy was necessary to pardon their sins, how much grace was required to sanctify, preserve and glorify them ; how mirch wisdom, good- ness and power were displayed in devising and executing llie wondrous plan of their redemption. They will not, therefore, be admired, but Christ will be seen and admired in them. The assembled universe will be ready to exclaim, with one voice, How infi- nitely powerful, wise, and good must he be, who could transform sinful, giiilly worms of the dust, into beings so perfectly glorious and lovely ! 180 DIRICTIONS TO CHRISTIANS. MlSCrXLANEOUS DIRECTIONS TO CHRISTIANS. God commands aU men to repent. Christians have enough to repent of daily ; and if thoy are not in a penitent frame, they justify impenitent sinners. Let your ?reat Physician heal you in his own wav. Only follow his directions and take the" medicine which he prescribes, and Uien quietly leave the result with him. What God calls a man to do, he will carry him throu;h. I would undertake to govern half a dozen worlds, if Go.l called me to do it; but I would not undertake to govern half a dozen sheep unless God called me to it. To a person who had been frustrated in a benevolent design:-"! congratulate you, and anticipate your eventual success. I do not recollect ever to have succeeded in any thing of importance, in «hich I did not meet with"somc rebuff, al the commencemeut." DIRECTIONS TO CHRISTIANS. 181 THE WAT TO CURE A COVETOUS SPIRIT. Suppose you were to pass over a pit whicli liad no boUom ; would you endeavor to fill il up, or bridge it over ? Anticipated sorrows are harder to bear tlian real ones, because Clirist does not sup- port us under them. In every slonyli we may sec the footsteps of Christ's flock who have gone before us. Christian friends, when separated from each other's society, may derive comfort from the reflection that God is able to extend a hand to two of his children at the same lime, however remote may be their places of habitation. Every thing we do or say should be im- mediately tried by a little court within our own breasts. Our motives should be exam- ined, and a decision made on the spot. Our best rule is, to give God the same p!acc in our liearts, that he holds in the uni- ISi. IliKKtTlONS TO CHRISTIANS. verse. We must make liiiii all in all. We should act as if llisre were no olher beings in the universe but Got) and ourselves. As ihe eye which has g^zed at the sun, caiinol immedialely discern any oilier ob- ject ; as the man who has been acmslomed to behold ihe ocean, lunis wilh coulcmpl from a stagnant pool, so the mind which has contemplated eternity, overlooks and de- spises the tilings of lime. If at any time you have enlargement in prayer an i are favored wilh access to the throne of grace, do not go away satisfied and self-complacent. Pride says, " 1 have done very well now ; God will accept this." Yon perhaps discover that this is the sug- gestion of pride ; it then takes a new turn. Another would not have discovered it to be pride ; I must be very humble to see it thus. Thus if vou continue the search, you will find pride, like the different coals of an onion, lurking one beneath another to the very centre. TO MINISTKHS. 183 Praise Christ for every tiling. lie is tlie fouiKlatinii of every good lli<)U';lit, desire aud affection. It should lie our aim to draw all we can from him by prayer, aud return him all we can by praise. o de.^th; where is thy sting? The power of death, the last enemy, is ■destroyed, as it respects all who believe in Christ. Instead of being tlie jailer of hell and llie grave, he is now, as it respects Christ's people, the porter of paradise. All he can now do is to cau«e them to sleep in Jesus, release their immortal spirits fiom the fetters which bind them to earth, and deposit their weary bolor, or pardoned criminnl, and restore him to Ihe, embraces of his family; the officer, wlio is sent by his commander in chief to carry home tidings of an important victory ; and still more the ambassador, who is appointed lo proclaim pardun and peace, in his sovereign's name, to conquered rebels ; thinks himself, and is thought by others, to have received no common favor. Should God put into your hands the wonder-working rod of Moses ; should he commission and enable you lo work miracles of beneficence, to enrich Ihe poor, lo comfort the miserable, lo restore siglit to the blind, hearing lo the deaf, health lo the diseased, and life lo the dead ; you would esteem it a favor and honor, incomparably greater than earthly moiiarchs can bestow. I?ut in committing the go.spel to your care, God has conferred on vou honors and favors, compared with which, even the power of working miracles is a trifle. He has put into your hands the cross of Christ, an instrument of far greater •efficacy than the rod of Moses. He has TO MI.N'ISTKUS. m sent vou to proclaim the most jovt'iil tidinjrs that heaven can desire, or llial earth can hear. He has sent you to preach deliver- ance to captives, the recovery of siglil to the blind, llie balm of Oilead and the great Physician to the spiritually woimded and disease