heart, and conftantly referred to, on all occafions, as the rule and direction of all your actions; particularly those very comprehenfive moral precepts he has gracioufly left with us, which can never fail to direct us aright, if fairly and honeftly applied: fuch as, "whatsoever ye would that men fhould do unto you, even fo do unto them."-There is no occafion, great or small, on which you may not fafely apply this rule for the direction of your conduct and, whilft your heart honestly adheres to it, you can never be guilty of any fort of injuftice or unkindnefs. The two great commandments, which contain the fummary of our duty to God and man, are no lefs eafily retained, and made a ftandard by which to judge our own hearts" To love the Lord our God, with all our hearts, with all our minds, with all our ftrength; and our neighbour (or fellow-creature) as ourfelves." "Love worketh no ill to his neighbour." Therefore if you have true benevolence, you will never do any thing injurious to individuals, or to fociety. Now, all crimes whatever are (in their remoter confequences at leaft, if not immediately and apparently) injurious to the fociety in which we live. It is impoffible to love God without defiring to please him, and, as far as we are able, to refemble him; therefore the love of God muft lead to every virtue in the highest degree; and, we may be fure, we do not truly love him, if we content ourfelves with avoiding flagrant fins, and do not strive, in good earneft, to reach the greatest degree of perfection we are capable of. Thus do thefe few words direct us to the higheft Chriftian virtue. Indeed, the whole tenor of the Gofpel is to offer us every help, direction, and motive, that can enable us to attain that degree of perfection on which depends our eternal good. Mrs. Chapone. "God, even at thofe years, be far wifer than the aged; but, can a mortal child "emulate fuch heavenly wifdom? Can «fuch a pattern be propofed to my imi"tation "Yes, certainly ; - remember that he has bequeathed to you his heavenly wifdom, as far as concerns your own good. He has left you fuch declarations of his will, and of the confequences of your actions, as you are, even now, fully able to understand, if you will but attend to them. If, then, you will imitate his zeal for knowledge, if you will delight in gaining information and improvement; you may even now become "wife unto falvation."-Unmoved by the praife he acquired amongst thefe learned men, you fee him meekly return to the fubjection of a child, under those who appeared to be his parents, though he was in reality their Lord: you fee him return to live with them, to work for them, and to be the joy and folace of their lives; till the time came, when he was to enter on that fcene of public action, for which his heavenly Father had fent him from his own right hand, to take upon him the form of a poor carpenter's fon. What a leffon of humility is-this, and of obedience to parents! When, having received the glorious teftimony from heaven, of his being the beloved Son of the Moft High, he enters on his public miniftry, what an example does he give us, of the most extenfive and conftant benevolence!-how are all his hours fpent in doing good to the fouls and bodies of men !-not the meaneft finner is below. his notice to reclaim and fave them, he condefcends to converse familiarly with the moft corrupt, as well as the most ab-. ject. All his miracles are wrought to benefit mankind; not one to punish and affli& them. Inftead of ufing the almighty power, which accompanied him, to the purpose of exalting himself, and treading down his enemies, he makes no other ufc of it than. to heal and to fave. When you come to read of his sufferings and death, the ignominy and reproach, the forrow of mind, and torment of body. which he fubmitted to when you confider that it was all for our fakes" that by his ftripes we are healed"-and by his death we are raised from deftruction to everlafting life-what can I fay, that can add any thing to the fenfations you must then feel? -No power of language can make the fcene more touching than it appears in the plain and fimple narrations of the evan gelifts. thefe dreadful words; -"Depart from me, ye curfed, into everlafting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels."Oh! I cannot fupport even the idea of your becoming one of thofe undone, loft creatures! truft in God's mercy, that you will make a better ufe of that knowledge of his will, which he has vouchfafed you, and of thofe amiable difpofitions he has given you. Let us therefore turn from this horrid, this infupportable view and rather endeavour to imagine, as far as is poflible, what will be the fenfations of your foul, if you fhall hear our heavenly Judge addrefs you in thefe tranfporting words gelifts. The heart that is unmoved by it, can be fcarcely human ;--but the emotions of tenderness and compunction, which almoft every one feels in reading this account, will be of no avail, unless applied to the true end-unless it infpires you with a fincere and warm affection towards your bleffed Lord-with a firm refolution to obey his commands; to be his faithful difciple-and ever to renounce and abhor thofe fins, which brought mankind under divine condemnation, and from which we have been redeemed at fo dear a rate. Remember that the title of Chriflian, or fellower of Christ, implies a more than ordinary degree of holiness and goodness. As Come, thou bleffed of my Father, in-our motives to virtue are ftronger than herit the kingdom prepared for you, from thofe which are afforded to the reft of man- the foundation of the world." Think, kind, our guilt will be proportionably what it must be, to become an object of greater, if we depart from it. the efteem and applaufe-not only of all Our Saviour to have had three mankind affembled together appears but of all great purpcfes, in defcending from his the hoft of heaven, of our bleffed Lord glory and dwelling amongst men. The himfelf-nay, of his and our Almighty firft, to teach them true virtue, both by his Father:-to find your frail flefh changed, example and precepts. The fecond, to in a moment, into a glorious celeftial body, give them the most forcible motives to the endowed with perfect beauty, health, and practice of it, by "bringing life and im- agility:- to find your foul cleansed from mortality to light;" by fhewing them the all its faults and infirmities; exalted to the certainty of a refurrection and judgment, pureft and nobleft affections; overflowing and the abfolute necefity of obedienee to with divsne love and rapturous gratitude! God's laws. The third, to facrifice himfelf for us, to obtain, by his death, the remiflion of our fins, upon our repentance and reformation, and the power of beftowing on his fincere followers the ineflimable gift of immortal happiness. Mrs. Chapene. § 233. What a tremendous fcene of the laft day to have your understanding enlightened and refined'; your heart enlarged and purified; and every power and difpofition of mind and body adapted to the highest relifh of virtue and happiness!-Thus accomplished, to be admitted into the fociety of amiable and happy beings, all united in the most perfect peace and friendship, all breathing nothing but love to God, and to each other;-with them to dwell in scenes more delightful than the richeft imagination can paint-free from every pain and care, and from all poffibility of change or faticty;-but, above all, to enjoy the more immediate prefence of God himself to be able to comprehend and admire his adorable perfections in a high degree, though ftill far fhort of their infinity-to be confcious of his love and favour, and to rejoice in the light of his countenance !But here all imagination fails:- we can form no idea of that blifs, which may be communicated to us by fuch a near approach to the Source of all beauty and all good:-we must content ourfelves with believing, "that it is what mortal eye hath not feen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive." The crown of all our joys will be, to know that we are fecure of poffeffing them for ever-what a transporting idea! Can you reflect on all these things, and not feel the most earneft longings after immortaliy-Do not all other views and defires seem mean and trifling, when compared with this?-And does not your inmoft heart refolve, that this fhall be the chief and conftant object of its wishes and purfuit, through the whole courfe of your life?If you are not infenfible to that defire of happiness which feems woven into our nature, you cannot furely be unmoved by the profpect of fuch a tranfcendant degree of it; and that continued to all eternity-perhaps continually increafing. You cannot but dread the forfeiture of fuch an inheritance, as the most insupportable evil! -Remember then-remember the conditions on which alone it can be obtained. God will not give to vice, to careleffnefs, or floth, the prize he has proposed to virtue. You have every help that can animate your endeavours: - You have written laws to direct you the example of Chrift and his difciples to encourage you the most awakening motives to engage you-and you have befides, the comfortable promise of constant affiftance from the Holy Spirit, if you diligently and fincerely pray for it.-O! let not all this mercy be loft upon you-but give your attention to your only important concern, and accept, with profound gratitude, the ineftimable advantages that are thus affectionately offered you. this Though the four Gofpels are each of them a narration of the life, fayings, and death of Chrift; yet as they are not exactly alike, but fome circumftances and fayings, omitted in one, are recorded in another, you must make yourself perfectly mafter of them all. The Acts of the holy Apoftles, endowed with the Holy Ghost, and authorized by their divine Mafter, come next in order to be read. Nothing can be more interesting and edifying, than the hiftory of their actions of the piety, zeal, and courage, with which they preached the glad tidings of falvation; and of the various exertions of the wonderful powers conferred on them by the Holy Spirit, for the confirmation of their miffion. Mrs. Chapone. § 234. Character of St. Paul. The Character of St. Paul, and his miraculous converfion, demand your particular attention: moft of the apostles were men of low birth and education; but St. Paul was a Roman citizen; that is, he poffeffed the privileges annexed to the freedom of the city of Rome, which was confidered as a high diftinction, in thofe countries that had been conquered by the Romans. He was educated amongst the most learned fect of the Jews, and by one of their principal doctors. He was a man of extraordinary eloquence, as appears not only in his writings, but in feveral fpeeches in his own defence, pronounced before governors and courts of juftice, when he was called to account for the doctrines he taught. He feems to have been of an uncommonly warm temper, and zealous in whatever religion he profeffed: this zeal, before his converfion, fhewed itself in the moft unjustifiable actions, by furiously perfecuting the innocent Chriftians: but, tho' his actions were bad, we may be fure his intentions were good; otherwise we should not have seen a miracle employed to convince him of his mistake, and to bring him into the right way. into the right way. This example may affure us of the mercy of God towards miftaken confciences, and ought to inspire us with the moft enlarged charity and good-will towards those whofe erroneous principles miflead their conduct: instead of refentment and hatred against their perfons, we ought only to feel an active wish of affifting them to find the truth; fince we know not whether, if convinced, they might not prove, like St. Paul, chofen veffels to promote the honour of God, and of true religion. It is not now my intention to enter with you into any of the arguments for the truth of Christianity; otherwife it would be impoffible wholly to pafs, over that, which arifes from this remarkable converfion, and which, has been fo admirably illuftrated by a noble writer, whofe tract on this fubject is in every body's hands. Mrs. Chapone. paffages hard to be understood: fuch, in particular, are the firft eleven chapters to the Romans; the greater part of his Epiftles to the Corinthians and Galatians; and feveral chapters of that to the Hebrews. Indicad of perplexing yourself with thefe more obfcure paffages of fcripture, I would wish you to employ your attention chiefly on those that are plain; and to judge of the doctrines taught in the other parts, by comparing them with what you find in thefe. It is through the neglect of this rule, that many have been led to draw the molt abfurd doctrines from the holy fcriptures. Let me particularly recommend to your careful perufal the xii. xiii. xiv. and xv. chapters of the Epistle to the Romans. In the xiv. chapter St. Paul has in view the difference between the Jewish and Gentile (or Heathen) converts, at that time: the former were difpofed to 1ok with horror on the latter, for their impiety in not pay. ing the fame regard to the diftinctions of days and meats that they did; and the latter, on the contrary, were inclined to look with contempt on the former, for their weakness and fuperftition. Excellent is the advice which the Apostle gives to both parties he exhorts the Jewish converts not to judge, and the Gentiles not to defpife; remembering, that the kingdom of Heaven is not meat and drink, but righte oufnels and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghoft.-Endeavour to conform yourself to this advice; to acquire a temper of univerfal candour and benevolence; and learn neither to defpife nor condemn any perfous on account of their particular modes of faith and worship; remembering always, that goodness is confined to no party that there are wife and worthy men among all the feats of Chriftiansand that, to his own mafter, every one must ftand or fall. will enter no farther into the feveral points difcuffed by St. Paul in his various epiftles-molt of them too intricate for your understanding at prefent, and many of them beyond my abilities to ftate clearly. I will only again recommend to you, to read thofe paffages frequently, which, with fo much fervour and energy, excite you to the practice of the most exalted piety and benevolence. If the effufions of a heart, warmed with the tendereft af. fection for the whole human race-if precept, warning, encouragement, example, urged by an eloquenoe which fuch affec tion only could infpire, are capable of influencing your mind-you cannot fail to find, in fuch parts of his epiftles as are adapted to your understanding, the strongest perfuafives to every virtue that can adorn and improve your nature. Mrs. Chapone. § 236. The Epistle of St. James. The epiftle of St. James is entirely practical, and exceedingly fine; you cannot study it too much. It feèms particularly defigned to guard Chriftians against mifunderstanding fome things in St. Paul's writings, which have been fatally perverted to the encouragement of a dependance on faith alone, without good works. But the more rational commentators will tell you, that, by the works of the law, which the apoftle afferts to be incapable of juftifying us, he means, not the works of moral righteousness, but the ceremonial works of the Mofaic law; on which the Jews laid the greatest ftrefs, as neceflary to falvation. But St. James tells us, that, " if any man among us feem to be religious, and "bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth "his own heart, that man's religion is "vain"-and that " pure religion, and "undefiled before God and the Father, is "this, to vifit the fatherlefs and widow in "their affli&tion, and to keep himself unfpotted from the world." Faith in Christ, if it produce not thefe effects, he declareth is dead, or of no power. Ibid. $237. Epistles of St. Peter, and the firft of St. John. The Epiftles of St. Peter are alfo full of the best instructions and admonitions, concerning the relative duties of life; amongst which, are fet forth the duties of women in general, and of wives in particular. Some part of his fecond Epittle is prophetical; warning the church of falfe teachers, and falfe doctrines, which should undermine morality, and difgrace the cause of Chriftianity, The firft of St. John is written in a highly figurative ftyle, which makes it, in fome parts, hard to be understood; but the fpirit of divine love, which it so fervently exprefles, renders it highly edifying and delightful. That love of God and of man, which this beloved apoftle fo A a pathetically pathetically recommends, is in truth the effence of religion, as our Saviour himself informs us. Mrs. Chapone. $238. Of the Revelations. The book of the Revelations contains a : prophetical account of most of the great events relating to the Chriftian church, which were to happen from the time of the writer, St. John, to the end of the world. Many learned men have taken a great deal of pains to explain it ; and they have done this, in many inftances, very fuccefsfully but I think it is yet too foon for you to study this part of fcripture; fome years hence, perhaps, there may be no objection to your attempting it, and taking into your hands the best expofitions, to affist you in reading fuch of the most difficult parts of the New Teftament as you cánnot now be fuppofed to understand.May Heaven direct you in ftudying this facred volume, and render it the means of making you wife unto falvation!-May you love and reverence, as it deserves, this bleffed and invaluable book, which contains the best rule of life, the cleareft declaration of the will and laws of the Deity, the reviving affurance of favour to true penitents, and the unspeakably joyful tidings of eternal life and happiness to all the truly virtuous, through Jefus Chrift, the Saviour and Deliverer of the world! power is unbounded, his wifdom is from eternity, and his goodness endureth for ever. He fitteth on his throne in the centre, and the breath of his mouth giveth life to the world. He toucheth the stars with his finger, and they run their course rejoicing. On the wings of the wind he walketh abroad, and performeth his will through all the regions of unlimited space. Order, and grace, and beauty, spring from his hand. The voice of wisdom fpeaketh in all his works; but the human understanding comprehendeth it not. The fhadow of knowledge paffeth over the mind of man as a dream; he feeth as in the dark; he reafoneth, and is deceived. But the wisdom of God is as the light of heaven; he reafoneth not; his mind is the fountain of truth. benevolence and love enlighten his counJuftice and mercy wait before his throne; tenance for ever. Who is like unto the Lord in glory? Who in power fhall contend with the Almighty? Hath he any equal in wisdom? Can any in goodnefs be compared unto him? He it is, O man! who hath created thee: thy ftation on earth is fixed by his appointment: the powers of thy mind are the gift of his goodness: the wonders of thy frame are the work of his hand. Hear then his voice, for it is gracious; and he that obeyeth, shall establish his foul in peace. DUTIES that relate to MAN, confidered as an INDIVIDUAL. $ 240. CONSIDERATION. Commune with thyfelf, O man! and confider wherefore thou wert made. Contemplate thy powers, contemplate thy wants and thy connections; fo fhalt thou discover the duties of life, and be directed in all thy ways. Proceed not to fpeak or act, before thou haft weighed thy words, and examined the tendency of every step thou shalt take; fo fhall difgrace fly far from thee, and in thy houfe fhall fhame be a ftranger; repentance fhall not vifit thee, nor forrow dwell upon thy cheek. The thoughtless man bridleth not his tongue; |