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mited topics only, will yield to a better state of feeling and a more enlarged apprehension of truth. Our statements will be plain and nervous, addressed to the conscience and heart, in "the demonstration of the Spirit and of power." We shall neither be worldly and temporizing instructors on the one hand, nor angry and prejudiced controversialists on the other, but standing on the broad footing of scriptural truth, filled with its stupendous discoveries in Christ Jesus, and entering into the unspeakable love of God in Him, we shall discharge the ministry of reconciliation with the elevated and holy purpose of “ saving our own souls and those that hear us;" of "being pure from the blood of all men;" of " pleasing not men but God, which searcheth the heart;" of "being instant in season, out of season, in delivering our message of mercy;" only solicitous to obtain at last, through the grace of our Saviour, that transporting plaudit, "Well done, good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things; I will make thee ruler over many things; enter thou into the joy of thy Lord."

D. W.

FAMILY SERMONS. No. LXXVII. Prov. xii. 26. The righteous is more

excellent than his neighbour. MEN without religion will sometimes ask, "Do not all men sin do not even those whom you admit to be religious, and to be in a safe state, break the commandments of God? And, if so, is not the whole difference between them and ourselves, that our offences are some what more numerous than theirs? But can this difference alone be a sufficient ground for excusing the one class and condemning the other -for thinking that the one will be everlastingly happy, and the other everlastingly miserable?"

Now it must unquestionably be

admitted, that not only the ir religious, but the righteous, sin against God. Still, whatever may be the resemblance upon this point, it is nevertheless true, that men with and without religion differ in many other most important particulars, and in particulars which fully justify us, upon the principles of the Bible; in concluding the one to be in the path to happiness, and the other in the path to misery.It will be my humble endeavour, in the following discourse, to shew some of the points in which the sins or offences of the good and of the bad differ; and may God enable us faithfully to apply the subject to ourselves!

1. The first difference between the sins of the religious and the irreligious man is, that the one does not allow himself in his sins, and the other does.-The real Christian never says, "I know such an action to be wrong, but yet I will do it- I know such an action to be right, but yet I will neglect to do it." But in the other class of men we shall be often struck with the contrary line of conduct. Charge them with their neglect of God, and of their souls, and they say, perhaps, "We confess it to be wrong." And yet they habitually pursue the same practices, and this without any uneasiness of conscience. Here, then, surely there is a manifest and most important distinction between the two classes of characters. For, consider the case as between man and man. We may conceive the affectionate child surprised into an act of disobedience or unkindness to the parent whom it loves; but we cannot conceive that child, if truly affectionate, setting itself de liberately and knowingly to wound that parent at the tenderest point

resolutely to disobey his injunc tions, or to resist his wishes. And thus in religion. In the one case, an act of disobedience discovers a man in whom, though the flesh is weak, the spirit may be willing-in whom a momentary temptation has

prevailed over the settled purpose and desire of his heart. In the other, you have a man whose settled purpose is to do wrong-in whom this particular act only fulfils the general intention of the mind-in whom the conduct is merely the corrupt index of a corrupt mind. And here let us anxiously ask ourselves to which of these classes do we belong? Is our fixed and habitual purpose, wish, desire, to do the whole will of God? Disregarding the opinions of the world, and the corrupt wishes of our own fallen hearts, do we take up the Bible and say, "By the grace of God, I will endeavour to comply with whatever commandment I find there?" If not, we want this feature in the character of a real Christian; and it is a want, I must venture to say, decisive of our state here, and, with out a change of heart and conduct, decisive of our condition: in eter nity. The language of, a true Christian must be that of his Mas ter: "I come to do thy will, O God."

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2. A second distinction between a real Christian and one who is not a real Christian, is this-the real Christian does not seek or find his happiness in sin. A man who is not really religious, if he wants amusement, or relaxation, or indulgence, seeks for it, generally, either in the society of men without religion, or in practices which the word of God condemns. He sins, and it gives him no pain. He sees others sin around him, and it gives him no pain. He can derive his pleasures from occurrences which must offend the holy eye of God. On the contrary, the real Christian finds no happiness in sin. Temptation may surprise him into a sin gle act of sin, but cannot surprise him into the love of it. His happiness" lies hid with God." His treasure is in heaven. He loves to soar above this world of clouds and tempests into the eternal sunshine of the Divine presence-to let loose his imagination on the

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glories of the invisible world-upon the perfections of God-upon the unspeakable love of Christ, and the happiness of his true servants in heaven. His pleasure is in prayer, in communion with God, in the possession of that holy calm, that elevating hope, that spirit of thankfulness, and confidence, and love to God and Christ, which are the exclusive fruits of religion. His heart sickens as he contemplates the sins of his fellow-creatures. To derive pleasure from their offences is, in his judgment, no less impossible than to derive it from seeing a fellow-creature nailed to a cross, or racked on a wheel. He, in fact, seeks his happiness in the field of his duties. "O," says he, "how I love thy law! It is my meditation all the day." "How sweet are thy words unto my taste; yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!" Here, then, we have, I conceive, another most important distinction between these two classes.

The state and character of any person may to a great extent be judged by the nature of his pleasures. Does he seek them in trifles? he is a trifling man :-does he seek them in worldly pursuits? he is a worldly man:-does he seek them in vice? he is a vicious man:— does he seek them in God and Christ? he is a Christian. Let us, then, endeavour honestly and conscientiously to bring ourselves to this test. What are our pleasures?

Do we find them in breaking the Sabbath; in neglecting the Saviour; in those occupations which, if grief can enter heaven, must fill with grief and hallowed indignation even its happy spirits, and interrupt their heavenly melody with many a discordant note? Is it to God we draw near, as the Author of our peace and joy-do we refuse to taste of those pleasures in which angels might not in a sense participate? Such, I conceive, is the character of the true servant of God. And the language of one of these holy men best illustrates that

character: "One thing have I de-enable us to decide to which class

sired of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to dwell in his temple."

3. Thirdly, the habits of a real Christian are holy.-Men are not to be judged by a few solitary actions of their lives. There is scarcely any life so dark as not to be lighted up by a few brighter actions--as a single star may glimmer through the most cloudy atmosphere; and there is no life so bright, as not to be darkened by many spots-as many small clouds are apt to checquer even the clearest sky. But then we determine the real state of the heavens not by the single star, in the one case, or by the few clouds in the other. We ask, what is the general aspect, the prevalent appearance: does night or day, does shade or sunshine, prevail? Thus also must we proceed in estimating the character of men. We must not judge them by a few solitary acts which the greatness of temptation, on the one hand, or the absence of temptation, on the other, may produce. It is the habitual frame of the mind-it is what we may call the work-day character-it is the general, ha. bitual, prevalent temper, conduct, conversation, in the family, or the parish; in the shop, or the farm; which are the only true tests of our condition. We must no more judge them by single instances than we would call the field foul in which a single thistle was found, or fertile because it produced a single ear of corn. But let us bring the two classes to this standard, and we shall find that in the real Christian the habits are holy--in the insincere Christian they are unholy; that the one is habitually right, and accidentally wrong; and the other habitually wrong, and accidentally right. Such, then, is another highly important distinction between these classes; may God

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we belong! To this end let us examine ourselves; always remembering, however, that, in selfexamination we are liable to a double error upon this very point. In looking at our virtues, we are apt to mistake our single acts for our fixed habits; and in looking at our faults, to mistake our fixed habits for single acts. A grain of wheat, has fallen among the chaff, and the examiner treasures up that, and produces it as a sort of sample of the whole. But, let us examine and prove ourselves more carefully and effectually, Let us not live in that state of self-ignorance in which we shall be compelled to hear our sins first proclaimed by the dreadful trumpet which summons us to judgment or dismisses us to perdition.

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4. Fourthly, every act of sin in real Christians is followed by sincere repentance. No feature is more essentially and invariably characteristic of a holy mind, than a feeling of deep penitence for transgression. Job and David were men high in the favour of God; men, as it would seem, of different character, and placed in very different circumstances, yet both appear to have been touched by precisely the same penitential feelings. "I abhor myself," said the "perfect and upright" Job, "and repent in dust and ashes." "My sin," said the "man after God's own heart," "is ever before me." And thus is it with every sincere Christian. His tenderness of conscience is of such rapid growth, as even to outstrip every other religious quality: and though there is every day less to condemn in himself, he seems to discover more. Men find him depressed, perhaps, and, wondering, ask the cause. His wonder and grief are, that others are not distressed as well as himself. When they chance to see him, perhaps he has just convicted himself of some act of disobedience to his God and Benefactor: and, if so,

such tears are holy tears; and they that "sow in these shall reap in joy:" they that "go forth bearing this seed, shall doubtless come again rejoicing, bringing their sheaves with them." And such alone must expect to reap of this heavenly harvest. And here in this point alone, is a sufficiently broad line between the characters of the religious and irreligious, a sufficient distinction as to the hopes of their acceptance with God. Without penitence no fallen creature can enter into heaven: "Except ye repent, ye must perish." Without penitence, we are not the weary and heavy laden to whom the promises of the Gospel are addressed. The dew of Divine mercy slides off, as it were, from the heights of pride and self-sufficiency into the low vallies of humility and self-condemnation.— The promises of God apply to that poor man who does not venture to lift up his eyes to God; who, in one corner of the temple, unsecn by any eye, perhaps, but that of God, offers a humble supplication to his God and Saviour" Jesus, Master, have mercy on me." His penitence and faith are the features by which such a man is known to God-the qualities which prepare him for heaven. Such is the mark stamped on the forehead of apostles and martyrs-the seal by which the faithful are sealed. God himself stamps it upon the soul; and will, at the day of judgment, recognise his own mark, and admit those who bear it to the joy of their Lord.

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5. A fifth no less important feature, by which the real Christian is distinguished, is, that he anxiously seeks the pardon of his sins through Jesus Christ.-Others may, in a sense, partake with him in his regret for having done wrong. But he alone diligently seeks forgiveness through his Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Others too often seem to imagine their sins cancelled immediately upon their bare and CHRIST. OBSERV. No. 161.

cold acknowledgment of them. He, on the contrary, knows that the hatred of sin, and indignation at the sinner, must be deeply lodged in a mind of infinite purity. He cannot believe, therefore, that even a light sin is a matter of little moment; that a mere confession is to wipe it out: and discovering in the Gospel, in the death of the Son of God for the sins of the world, a wonderful and most merciful provision for the rescue of the penitent sinner, he fixes his eyes upon the cross of Christ, and, prostrate at its foot, seeks pardon in the name of the great Intercessor. Other men, by a mischievous delusion, fancy that the storm of Divine anger is calmed as soon as raised; and conjure up, in imagination, around themselves, although impenitent, a sky bright with the rays of Divine favour and love. He sees that sky as it really is, dark with the clouds of eternal wrath, till brightened by the rising of the star of Bethlehem. That star he sees, and follows it to the presence of his Lord. There he seeks peace, and he finds it. And his consolation is this-not that he can save himself, but that "he has an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous."

6. The sixth, and last point of distinction which I shall have time to notice between the real Christian and every other character is, that he alone seeks diligently from God a power to abstain from sin in future. If others even desire the pardon of their past sins, they are careless about future advancement in holiness-about such a change of nature as may prevent the repetition of their offences, and may bring them nearer to the Divine image. They, perhaps, persist in a course of sinning and repenting, through the whole stage of their lives. Heaven is every day mocked by the language of an unmeaning sorrow. No real hatred for the sin is felt-no anxious desire is manifested to present to the holy 2 Q

eye of God a life of more unsullied holiness-an image reflecting more rays of the character of our heavenly Father. In the Christian a different feeling prevails. A deep abhorrence of sin mingles with his regret for it. His are tears of hatred as well as grief. He knows that the Holy Spirit is pledged to the assistance of the devout worshipper-that he can renew the heart-that he can dry up with his holy fire the fountain of our crimes -or cherish by his presence the slow growth of a new nature, of our infant resolutions and desires. Low on his bended knees he anxiously seeks this new nature; nor does he love to rise till he feels the present God-till he can go forth fortified with heavenly strength, and "clothed in the whole armour of God."-Here, also, I must be permitted to ask, is this your own state of mind? I ask not merely what is your regret for your past misconduct, but what are your daily advances in religion? What sins do you put away? How far are you diligently seeking the grace of your God, who is able to perceive that you are daily putting off your old nature, and putting on a new and heavenly nature? No man, who is in earnest about heaven, ought to feel satisfied with being that to-day which he was a month before.

Here I close my observations on the substantial distinction between a real Christian and every other character. I think you will agree with me, that it is strongly marked that the distinction which is to be a broad gulf in eternity, which is to be measured out and defined for ever by the vast interval between heaven and hell, is something more than a mere line or shadowy difference here.

There is but a single observation which I should wish to offer in conclusion. If we carefully observe the several points of distinction which I have noticed, we shall ind that they imply in the two

classes of characters, in each particular instance, a different state of heart or mind. The will of the one does not consent to sin-that of the other does the taste of the one is not gratified by sin-that of the other is: the one grieves for sin, is anxious for pardon through Christ, and desirous of amendment by the influences of the blessed Spirit-the other is not. Now all these differences imply a different state of mind, of heart, of affections. In other words, the one man has a renewed and sanctified heart-the other has not: the one is spiritually born again, or converted the other is not: the one is in a state of nature or natural corruption the other is not. Need I say, then-to whichever of these classes we belong-what is our obvious and imperative duty? Need I tell you where alone our wants can be supplied? If we are without religion, we need an entire change of heart. If religious, we still need more and more of the supply of the Spirit of God, both to sustain us at our present point, and to carry us higher. Let us cast ourselves, then, upon God. Let us be persuaded that the evil is not to be eradicated, nor the good to be maintained or increased, by mere changes or reforms of the outward conduct, Let us seek a new and more sanctified nature; more and more of the influences of the sacred Spirit. In the fable of old, when the artist had made the figure of a man, he could not animate it with out stealing fire from heaven. That heavenly fire is offered to us. Many has it already quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins. At the day of judgment the bones of the saints, every where dispersed or loosened into dust, shall be collected, arranged, and formed, and animated into man. Let us call upon God, then, now to begin the work on ourselves-to breathe upon the inanimate members of our fallen nature; bid these dead bones live; to

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