Page images
PDF
EPUB

that tends to make men co-operate for mutual good: and thus, my brethren, does the religion of Christ. A religion that came from heaven might be expected to contain precepts that were new; and one of the peculiar features of Christianity is to be found in its precepts on humility, self-abasement, repentance, faith, charity, and forgiveness of injuries; all unknown to the pagan moralists. A religion that came from heaven should teach the purest and most rational worship; so does the Christian religion. It teaches us that God is a Spirit, and that they who worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth; an injunction that at once excludes formality and hypocrisy, and that requires the sincerest worship of the heart. Finally, a religion that came from heaven, to be adapted to our various wants and circumstances, should meet us as it were in all directions, and come in contact with us at every point: and thus, my brethren, does the religion of Christ.

If we examine the word of God with this view, we shall find that it is indeed adapted to every circumstance and condition in life. Thus

for example, every precept has its exemplification; every command its corresponding benefit; every want its corresponding prayer. Thus every duty is urged by an appropriate motive; every blessing has its dependent duty; every trial its adequate support; every affliction its consolation; and every temptation its way of escape. Even in the last great and solemn change, when a human creature stands most in need of consolation, Christianity forsakes him not; enabling survivors to feel the acuteness, without the bitterness of grief; extracting the sting of death, and causing the departing saint to feel, that when " flesh and heart fail, God is the strength of his heart, and his portion for ever." Such are the benefits, the blessings, and the aids of the Christian religion.

But be it recollected, however, and with this remark I shall conclude our present discourse, that the blessings and enjoyments of the Christian religion are confined to sincere Christians alone. To these enjoyments, therefore, my brethren, we shall necessarily be strangers, unless we resign ourselves wholly

to its power. Many, without renouncing the profession of Christianity, without formally rejecting its distinguishing doctrines, live in such an habitual violation of its laws, and in such a contradiction to its spirit, that conscious they have more to fear than to hope from its truth, they are never able to contemplate it without terror. It haunts their imagination, instead of tranquillising their hearts; and hangs with a depressing weight on all their enjoyments and pursuits. It is surprising then, my brethren, to find minds thus bewildered and dissatisfied with themselves courting deception and seeking refuge in infidelity; although they can obtain nothing in exchange but perplexing doubts, and such anxious suspicions and gloomy fears as are of themselves sufficient to mar the comforts and to destroy the satisfactions of life. "This is the condemnation," saith our Saviour, "that light is come into the world; but men love darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil."

God of his infinite mercy grant that this may not be the case, my brethren, with any of us; but rather may we all, by the grace of

God, so feel the power and the influence of religion upon our minds, that it may animate and regulate our conduct in life, support and comfort us in death, and prepare us for that everlasting rest which remaineth for the people of God.

169

SERMON XIII.

INTERNAL EVIDENCE CONTINUED. DOCTRINE OF HUMAN DEPRAVITY.

"For from within, out of the heart of men proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man."-MARK Vii. 21-23.

E

We noticed in our last discourse the argument we possess for the truth of the Christian religion from its internal evidence; namely, the evidence arising from the character of our Saviour and from the nature and excellence of the religion itself. We shall continue the same subject in this and some following discourses, by dwelling more particularly on some of the peculiar doctrines of Christianity, which from their nature and originality will furnish us with additional arguments for their divine original. And first, we shall proceed to consider the doctrine of human de

« PreviousContinue »