that like one in a delirium, you please yourselves with ideas of perfect safety, while dangers of the most alarming nature attend every step you take. Come, bring yourselves to the test, which these remarks afford; and from hence form a judgment of yourselves, whether you are a churchman in name only, or in deed and in truth. The latter can cordially every morning join in this petition; merciful Fatber, grant that this day we fall into no sin, neither run into any kind of danger! He knows that in every step he takes, and thro' every hour of the day, he is liable to sin that every employment in which he engages, will expose him to temptation: that even in religious duties he is not exempt from perils: that in his lawful business, and all his intercourse with the world, his heart is incessantly obnoxious to danger of being drawn off from the God of his life: and that, unless the Lord is pleased graciously to keep the door of his lips,' and direct his goings; he shall disgrace his profession, and bring guilt on his own conscience: that every relative duty is attended with difficulty insurmountable to the unassisted efforts of the best of men: his comfort therefore arises from God's faithful promise, that He will never leave nor forsake those, who trust in Him. What says thy heart, sinner, to this experience? is it thus with you? 6 Every true son of our church can lift his heart together with his voice to God, and pray, as it follows in this excellent form, that all his doings being ordered by God's governance, may be ' righteous in His sight.' 6 But what is righteousness? There is a necessity of accuracy and certainty, as to this important point; because many are the mistakes which are made on the subject. The word of God, explained by the teaching of His Spirit, is the only source of information. If we follow the multitude in opinion, we shall share with them in error and confusion. As sin is the transgression of the ' law,'* righteousness is its opposite, an exact obedience thereto. Our doings are righteous in proportion to the rectitude of the motive, which influences our minds; our measure of conformity to the standard, by which they are regulated; and the worthiness of the object which we have in view. The specious act of external piety, often like the tulip gaudy in its appearance, but destitute of those fragrant odors which regale the senses, through defect of principle, proves an abomination in the sight of God: while the circumspect walk of the lowly penitent, though, like the sweet scented violet, it may attract no notice from man, is accepted in His sight, who seeth not as man seeth. This might be illustrated by the com * 1 John iii. 4. mendation, with which our Savior honored the diminutive contribution of two mites, which the poor widow cast into the treasury of the temple, in preference to the magnificent offerings of the rich.* The actions of men, though formally good, may be deficient in that without which all our doings are nothing worth ;' like the apples of Sodom, which are beautiful to the eye, but are found on examination to contain nothing but fœtid dust. Such was the conduct of King Saul, as recorded in the thirteenth chapter of the first book of Samuel. To offer sacrifice to the Lord was certainly an instance of piety with respect to the overt act. Yet this very part of his conduct, specious as it seemed in his own eyes, authorized the prophet to charge him with disobedience, and denounce to him the loss of his kingdom. This may to many appear strange; but for as much as it was not done as God had commanded and willed it to be done, it had the nature of sin.' We have another instance of the same kind, in the history of Saul, recorded in a subsequent chapter. Saul was sent to destroy the Amalekites. When victory had crowned his arms, he spared the best of the spoil, if we might believe the account he himself gave of the matter, in order that he might offer it to the Lord God of Israel. Such was the plausible design, of which he vaunted: and doubt * Mark xii. 41, &c. less many admire his seemingly pious intention. But self was at the bottom of this devotional parade. Covetousness was the principle on which he dared to act in opposition to the express order he had received to smite Amalek, and utterly destroy all that he had. The great searcher of hearts (whose Omniscience pierces through all the hidden motives of the soul with greater facility than the light of the radiant sun passes thro' the most transparent glass) detected his hypocrisy, and rejected both his person and offerings. It behoves us to consider this matter with deep attention. Our persons must be made righteous, before any of our doings can be accepted: for • no works, done before the grace of Christ and inspiration of His Spirit, are good works,'* but the contrary; for they have in them the nature ' of sin.' Therefore it is said that God had • respect to Abel and to his offering.' His person was first justified through faith in the future Messiah, and then his doings became pleasing to God. Our first inquiry is, are we justified thro' faith in the atonement and obedience of Jesus? For, we are accounted righteous before God only for the merit of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ by faith, and not for our own works or *Art. 13. + Gen. iv. 4. deservings.'* This question being satisfactorily answered in the affirmative, we may safely and comfortably infer that, Albeit (our) good works, which are the fruits of faith, and follow after 'justification, cannot put away sin, and endure the severity of God's judgment; yet are they pleasing and acceptable to God in Christ, and do spring out necessarily of a true and lively • faith, insomuch that by them a lively faith may be as evidently known, as a tree is discerned by the fruit.' The love of Christ, arising from faith in his meritorious death and intercession, is necessary to constitute our doings righteous in • His sight.' 'Talk they of morals? O thou bleeding Love, The sincere worshipper of God, according to the forms of our church avows his earnest desire to have ALL his doings righteous.' It may be be asked, is it possible in the present state of imperfection that they should be so? Certainly not without great alloy. The state of a believer's heart, and the practice which results from it, may be compared to the precious substance which is dug out of the mines of Mexico and Though it be truly valuable to the Peru. pro |