account of their attachment to Christ, and conformity to him? delighting in the graces of our fellow-saints? in honor preferring others, as better than ourselves; not contending who shall be greatest, but rather who shall be least, and the servant of all? desiring to see all professors grow exceedingly in grace, and enjoy and glorify God, more than we have ever yet attained ourselves? Is there not a

great beauty in family order, and a regular discharge of relative duties? Walking together as fellow-heirs of life? Parents bringing up children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord; not provoking their passions by indulgence of our own? Commanding children and servants to fear the Lord; laboring to set a good example; children obeying parents; servants not acting as eye-servants, but as those who serve the Lord Christ? O how beautiful if all

professors could be distinguished by their purity, sobriety, diligence, heavenly-mindedness, strict veracity, fidelity, punctuality, &c. How beautiful a thing is consistency of conduct; and a due proportion in all our religious affections. Not one duty jostling out another. Not one supposed grace separate from another; but a blessed conjunction of faith and repentance; holy love and holy fear; confidence in Christ and humility; guarding against all extremes; moroseness and sinful compliances; firmness in adherence to duty, and readiness to oblige others when it can be done without sin. What a beauty in holy activity; laying ourselves out to do good, honoring God with our substance, acting as stewards for him, imitating his beneficence, abounding in every good work. How beautiful is patience, submission, resignation, readiness to bear the cross, constancy, and passive fortitude; enduring "as seeing Him who is invisible." How beautiful is separating from the world, and acting as strangers and pilgrims bound for a better country. Let us pray for this beauty of the Lord to

be

And also,

upon us. SECONDLY, For diligence and success in his blessed service. The seat of religion is in the heart; but every lovely temper must influence the life, though not always obvious to every He that loves God and delights in him, will

one's view.

have much to do for God, and will feel his constant need of assistance in his service, and that he alone can make our attempts successful. Israel was soon to enter Canaan, and had to expect a severe conflict; and when they should fully possess the land, much was to be done for God there. They were to keep up his worship, mind his institutions, act as his witnesses, and beware of their idolatrous neighbours. We also have much to do, and need God to establish the work of our hands. Not merely that he should put it into the power of our hands to get wealth, but help us to glorify him in using it. Ministers have much work to do, and need that you should help them by your prayers; for without Christ they can do nothing. And surely you would not wish to let them serve alone; you would be willing to co-operate with them. You may greatly promote their endeavors to spread the gospel; second their counsels by your private conversation, by your consistent walk, by showing the influence of the gospel. Church members

have much to do, besides merely celebrating the death of Christ together. Strengthen each other's hands in God. Pray more with, as well as for one another. Watch over each other in love. Restore those who are overtaken with a fault. Many of you may help other churches by occasional aid. You may help to do good to those who live on the other side of the globe. While others hope to get good by intercourse with foreign lands; be it your ambition to do good.

XXVII.

THE FOLLY OF IRRELIGION.

PSALM Xciv. 8.

Ye fools, when will ye be wise?

I HOPE none of my hearers will be offended at my proposing to discourse from such a text. I certainly cannot mean to apply it to them, indiscriminately; for I rejoice in a persuasion that many of them are wise unto salvation: and though I dare not extend that hope to all, yet I shall not

presume to except any one individually. There are, however, persons who come occasionally into all our places of worship, who never paid a due attention to religion; and with these we would sometimes expostulate, as earnestly concerned for their eternal welfare. Nor would we address them in the language of contempt, but of tender solicitude for their salvation. For while worldly wisdom may make those who possess it, willing to engross and monopolize it, heavenly wisdom will ever teach us to long that others may be as wise as ourselves.

But since many who are strangers to true religion will dispute the Christian's claim to the possession of wisdom, and are ready to charge them with folly; let us, therefore, examine,

FIRST, Whether this language can be justly addressed by the irreligious to the friends of evangelical religion?

Will any account us fools, for owning the existence of a God? Would it be more rational to attribute the existence of the universe to chance, or to some unintelligent cause? Should we be happier without the idea of a God? Are we fools for admitting the extent of Divine Providence, and its uncontrollable powers? Can it be proved a wiser opinion than ours, that the Creator of the universe cannot manage the creatures he has called into existence? or that we have no reason to believe that he will give himself any concern about them? Are we fools for allowing and maintaining the doctrine of God's moral government and human responsibility? Surely if God has no regard to our conduct, it cannot be proved he has any regard to our happiness. Is it a sign of folly to believe a revelation from God to be desirable, needful, and possible; and actually contained in the Sacred Scriptures? Call us fools, if you will; we will not part with the Bible, till you can show us a better book, and one more worthy of God. Are we fools, for having any desire to know the will of God? or to understand the full extent of our duty? Would it be more rational to own the Bible inspired, and yet never attend to its contents? Are we to

be set down as fools for regarding our duty to God himself? for reverencing, loving, and obeying him? acknowledging him

heartfelt religion?

alone to be God? for being exact in worshipping him, revering his name? Was Boyle a fool for making a slight pause before he pronounced it? or are they wiser who use it as an interjection? Are we fools for attending to our duty to our neighbour? for doing to you as we could wish you to do to us? for honesty, kindness, compassion, chastity, sobriety, and truth? for suppressing all inordinate desires? Are we fools for repenting of our sins? for confessing them to God? loathing and forsaking them, and never remembering them but with self-abhorrence? : Are we fools for embracing the gospel of Christ? for believing God's testimony concerning his Son? for resting with complacency in a way of salvation which excludes all boasting; and shows God's righteousness in the act of forgiveness, while it effectually constrains to new obedience? Are we fools for believing an atonement necessary? and such an atonement sufficient? for depending entirely on Christ, admiring his love, and devoting ourselves to him? Are we fools for valuing communion with God? loving his ordinances, and attending to Are we fools for joining such a low, But why despicable? Does Christ despise them? Do angels despise them? Are we fools for separating from the world? for not taking delight in ensnaring amusements? Are we fools for preferring heaven to earth? Or for seeking the salvation of others, and laboring to promote it, at home and abroad? even if it should cost us ten pounds per annum, or twenty, or fifty, or more? Is that man a bigger fool who gives this to save souls, than he who gives it to a horserace, or loses it at a gaming table; or who lays it up in a chest, or in the stocks, treasured up against the last day, when it shall be a testimony against him, and "eat his flesh as with fire"? Will any man who glorified God with his substance, tax his folly at the resurrection, and reflect thus- Alas! several hundreds of those who now stand at the left hand of the Judge, would have thought better of me formerly, if I had spent less of my fortune on those who now surround me on his right hand! Surely I died as a fool dieth; for had it not been for religion, I might have died worth twenty thousand pounds; whereas

despicable set?

3

now all those who were my neighbors on earth know I left but ten thousand!"? But it is now time to

inquire,

SECONDLY, Whether consistent professors of evangelical religion may not justly apply this question to them that neglect or oppose it?

Certainly, if religious people are not downright fools, the irreligious must be chargeable with extreme folly. I hope

all present will admit that he is a fool, who says in his heart, "There is no God;" who supposes the universe had no author, or that his whole body and soul had no maker. Nor can I think the Deist, who rejects divine revelation, to be much wiser than the Atheist. Such may have a high conceit of their own understanding; but when I think what mere reason ever did for ancient heathens, and what it does for modern heathens, or even for Deists themselves, I cannot but apply to those who are disposed to reject the Bible, this interrogation-"Ye fools, when will ye be wise ?" May we not address this question to the neglecters of religion, who admit the truth of Christianity, and yet are not anxious to be interested in Christ, but go on carelessly and inconsiderately, minding only earthly things, instead of the one thing needful. We may apply it also to the self-righteous, who expect to obtain justification by the works of the law, which they have violated, and who go about to establish their own righteousness. To the procrastinator, who admits it is needful to attend to religion, yet is ever putting it off to some more convenient season. Just as if repentance would be easier the longer it was delayed; or as if religion were a disagreeable, but necessary medicine, which no one need use, till at the point of death. We may

apply the interrogation to the hypocrite and self-deceiver, who either knowingly imposes on others, or fatally deludes himself. Remember, God cannot be deceived, and will not be mocked. The man who pretends to serve God and Mammon, may be included under the last class. Certainly, at the end he will be found a fool. Our Lord declares that no man can serve two masters, that no one can be his disciple who does not leave all and follow him.