we are requested to take. We are gradually led down the declivity, almost unconscious of our descent, till we start to see the distance we have passed. If the precepts which relate to the world could be embodied in a brief and positive code, the case would be in some measure different. But the comprehensive application of a few general principles, to an unnumbered variety of particular circumstances, requires a right state of heart. To interpret these exhortations in a somewhat lax and indulgent manner, is a thing so easiJy, so imperceptibly committed, that a Christian is scarcely ever sufficiently on his guard. His rule will vary with his feelings. And yet who is not aware of the mischiefs of small and apparently inconsiderable concessions? With what do the most fatal departures from God originate? Who can assign limits to the progress of evil? What force can dam the torrent which has once carried away its banks? What wisdom extinguish the widely spread conflagration? He, then, that would overcome the world, must watch against little things. He must avoid the appearance of evil. He must be well aware of the danger of yielding to incipient aberrations from the path of duty and must continually examine his whole state and character, in order to detect and remedy evil in its early stages. stition of the dark ages? How little would that Christian have really come out from the world, who should content himself with an exemption from that special modification of a secular and indifferent heart towards God which degraded his countrymen four centuries ago; whilst he is too plainly entangled with the prevalent follies of the age in which he lives? A false candour, a love of refinement, a pride of erudition, a crude and daring philosophy, a spirit of un. bounded speculation, an admiration of talents however abused, an indifference, not to say scepticism, towards many leading truths of religion, are at least as dangerous to the Christian now, as ignorance and rudeness and credulity may have been in former times. To the cha racter of his own age, the Christian will then look: nor will he be satisfied to do this only generally. If it has pleased God to grant extraordi nary success to designs of a religious nature, and to bring a large number of persons into contact, as it were, with the spiritual church, the Christian will weigh the natural conse quences of such a state of things, He will bless God for the progress of his truth. He will be truly re joiced at the benefit which he hopes many, very many at present irreli gious persons will derive from their intercourse and employments in the cause of God. But he will tremble 5. The peculiar character of the for himself. He will fear that dete present times may further be taken rioration of religion which has always into our consideration, as of no small followed its being accredited by the weight on this subject.-Besides the world. Is he then to stand by when general course of the world which noble and extensive schemes for adis common to every age and nation, vancing the glory of God are on and which arises from the depravity foot? Impossible! And yet is there of our nature, there is 'a distinct no cause of alarm in the display, the course in each separate period form- bustle, the flattery, the disputations, ed by the peculiar customs, fashions, the secularity, the loss of time, and prejudices of the times. Who which are in some measure almost would compare the spirit of the inseparable from the prosecution of world in an enlightened Protestant public designs? Does not the world country, with that spirit which lurk under all this religious activity? marked the ignorance and super-But this leads me to notice, win souls ;-how difficult to use, at the same time, great plainness of speech, to keep back nothing profitable, to be pure from the blood of all men! We are required to deal tenderly with the weak, the feeble 6. The importance of fully viewing the danger which arises from the difficult and apparently conflicting duties which we have to perform towards those around us. I say apparently conflicting, because no duties can really oppose each other.-minded, and the tempted; we are There is imminent peril of loosing the spirit of religion and imbibing a worldly temper under such circumstances. Plain questions are most easily resolved. The world cannot so readily perplex the mind with regard to them. But when we are called on to unite various difficult duties, a spirit of indifference to religion often succeeds in stealing in upon us. The judgment hesitates. The affections incline to a favourite point. The heart is betrayed under the pretence of duty. For instance, we are invited to co-operation in public measures for the propagation of truth. How difficult to unite habitually with this the deep and unaffected humility of the Christian character! We are called to exercise kindness and benignity to all men. How seldom do we entirely avoid in such cases sinful compliances! We are required to please our neighbour for his good to edification. How difficult is it to join with this, faithful and plain admonition! We are to be prudent and diligent in managing our worldly concerns. How easy is it to be at times quite absorbed and lost in them! We are commanded attend to family duties:who can always hope to escape from anxious cares and oppressive distraction? We have connections in society and relations to whom some regard is due; but what is the measure? Our station in life has changed, and with it many of our duties; but where and when do the former duties cease? And how is the transition to be made with the least danger of vanity and display? We are ministers of God's church, and are to instruct our parishioners as they are able to bear it; to become all things to all men; to be wise to to be "patient towards all men, in to 7. May I venture to suggest here the peculiar difficulty of avoiding a worldly frame of heart in the acquisition and use of human learning ?-How difficult is it to join Christian humility and spiritualmindedness with habits of close reading and study! The Christian minister must be a man of thought, of laborious and diligent thought. Some measure of human learning is essential for unlocking and enriching the powers of his mind. But in prosecuting his studies, whether literary or directly theological, how quickly is a vain, secular, trifling spirit generated! A minister may be quite as foolish and dissipated as to his state of mind, when surrounded with his books, as the man of plea. sure when immersed in his worldly amusements. Instead of pursuing his inquiries for the glory of God, and directing them conscientiously to those topics which his immediate duties render important, how easily does he sink into a spirit of literary indolence or prurient curiosity, or wandering fickleness, or unprofitable investigation! For weeks he does nothing, or worse than nothing. Prayer and painful preparation for the pulpit are forgotten. A discursive, useless, frittering away of time ensues. His mind is weakened by trifling over inferior or temporary authors, instead of being nourished and invigorated by deep and solid acquisitions. His affections are chilled, and his judgment poisoned by a half-learned and sceptical philosophy, instead of being inflamed and elevated by contemplations of Divine truth. The cultivation of the heart, and a diligent walk before God are sacrificed to taste and refinement, and a fastidious and morbid spirit of criticism. The mind is inflated with a false notion of the enlargement of its powers, just when it is in fact the most unfitted for all the higher and more holy duties of the Christian ministry. I speak strongly on this point; because nothing, on the one hand, is so important as real and manly study;-for what can an ignorant, rash, and uncultivated mind effect in many of the more arduous and difficult concerns of the ministry of the church? And, on the other hand, nothing so soon destroys the simplicity and meekness of the Christian character; nothing leaves the heart so exposed to the very worst species of worldly vanity and folly, as an indolent, unsettled, vagrant literary spirit. Let us study, but let it be in direct subserviency to our usefulness. Whatever keeps God and the soul apart is worldly and pernicious. Learning is long, and life is short. Let all our reading, then, be strictly directed to the honour of God, and be ever united with an entire reliance on the grace and blessing of the Holy Ghost. 8. But I proceed to notice, in the next place, that a consideration of his own disposition and circumstances, is essential to the Christian's getting further out of the world, and more into the spiritual church.-Self-knowledge must lie at the foundation of all religious improvement. And as the immense varieties of points comprehended under the term, world, will be found chiefly to consist, so far as the true Christian is concerned, of things in themselves indifferent, an examina tion of our own particular temper of mind and our own circumstances will commonly be essential to a right determination. Many things, it is obvious, may be quite unlawful to one, which are perfectly harmless to another; as all food may be in itself indifferent, and yet such and such viands may not suit a particular constitution or state of health. Duties will vary with our tempers. The meek, the sanguine, the irra scible, the timid, the forward, the hasty, the slothful, the considerate, the morose, the distrustful, have each their different temptations, and will each require some peculiarity of discipline in order to escape more from the temper of the world. If such and such habits, or scenes, or company, or relaxation, or studies, or engagements prove uniformly hostile to our purity or peace of mind, the case is clear. Others may lawfully continue in the use of them, if their turn of character exempt them from the temptations which seduce us; but we shall feel it necessary to relinquish them. Instead of glorifying God and benefitting our neighbour, we injure the cause of both. We must retire, be then, to ground which we may able to occupy and defend, and leave the exposed territory to hardier combatants. The mortification of the body of sin very much consists in such acts of self-denial are to detect the approaches of an inin points in themselves indifferent. fectious disease. Are we then disNor will the Christian forget to posed to find fault with our brethren, weigh his own circumstances, as and rather to expose and aggravate well as his natural disposition. Some their infirmities, than to cast a veil Christians may evidently be placed over them? The symptom is alarmby Providence in situations which, ing. Are we offended with truly though eminently dangerous, are at excellent persons, because they difthe same time eminently important. fer in judgment from us on some We must each consider our special topics which we deem to be impor situation, and endeavour to oppose a tant? Do our zeal and fervour in reworldly spirit; not in shrinking from ligion appear chiefly in a party spirit? our duties, but in conscientiously dis- Are we disposed to treat with a secharging them. Many true servants cret contempt those whom we conof God may seem to be extremely ceive to be deficient in the learning secular, to those who view them at a or accomplishments which we think distance, whilst perhaps a most ob- we possess? Are we betraying an vious regard to their duty has placed undue regard for our reputation; and them in the circumstances which rather inviting than abhorring flatgive rise to the mistake, and their tery? Are we careful to provide for state of heart may be most upright appearances before men, rather than and spiritual; whilst others, again, to walk humbly with God? Do we may be little known, may glide abstain from various points of worldly through life in a tranquil course, and vanity and display, more from a reappear to the observation of others gard to the general opinion of reliquite out of the spirit of the world, gious persons than from a deep and and yet may be, in fact, immersed lively view of their inexpediency and and lost in its cares or pleasures. In danger? Are we inclined to excuse things which are not in themselves and palliate such worldly compliansinful, we must not be too ready to ces, as we imagine will remain unjudge for others; it will be as much noticed, or will consist with our geas we shall accomplish to determine neral character as professors of serirightly for ourselves. To consider ous Christianity? Do we begin to the world as it surrounds those much dread, and a little to avoid, singuabove us in station, or those much larity in points of inferior imporbelow us, will be of little benefit. tance perhaps, but still of importance? Our concern is to learn the dangers Do we affect the acquaintance of which immediately affect our own the great and wealthy and learned, safety. The rocks and currents of though we can be admitted to their those parts of the ocean which are an company only by concealing our relihemisphere distant, are less impor- gion? Do we begin to lose sight of tant to us. It is our chief interest, the broad distinction between a to become acquainted with the shoals, and quicksands which abound in that part where our vessel is about to sail. 9. Permit me to suggest, as a further means of promoting a spiritual state of mind, the importance of knowing the marks of a heart which is declining into a worldly temper.-We should be as anxious to learn the symptoms of decaying piety, as we Christ. Observ. No. 158. worldly person and a Christian? Can we fearlessly venture on the extreme line of what is right? Does reproof, however well intended, provoke and irritate us? Are we disposed readily to admit statements which lower the grace and simplicity of pure Christianity, because they come recommended by celebrated names? Can we find time for amusements, and M dress, and company, and indulgence, whilst we allege want of time as an excuse for withholding our co-operation in plans which we know will tend to promote the glory of God? Have we less delight than formerly in the Sabbath, in spiritual and family duties, in secret prayer, and the quiet and unostentatious part of our ordinary calling? Does reading the Scripture and devotional exercises become uninteresting, and occupy but a very small portion of our time? Are some such symptoms too apparent? The case is plain. The plague is begun. The world has succeeded in seducing us. The vitals of our religion are infected. We are neither cold nor hot. No time is to be lost. We must shake ourselves from our slumbers and repent, and call upon God, and do our first works, that we perish not. 10. A frequent consideration of the examples of those who have been drawn aside by the world, and of those who have overcome it, may further be of important use. Who can reflect on the numbers whom prosperity, riches, flattery, or honour have overthrown, without alarm and consternation? The wrecks float around us. The multitudes, once fervent and spiritual, who afterwards have made shipwreck of faith and a good conscience, are perfectly frightful. Mark then the progress of their decline, Christian, that you may avoid it; mark the gloom of their end, that you may dread the being exposed to it. Remember Lot's wife. Call to mind the case of Demas. Remember the example of Solomon. Keep in your view the decay of the church of the Laodiceans. Read in such examples the fearful consequences of de parting from the living God. On the other hand, contemplate, for your encouragement, the character of our Lord. What a picture of absolute superiority, both over the favour and frown of the world, together with the most perfect condescension and benignity! In our Saviour's whole character, a heavenly spirit, an indifference to human applause, a disre. gard of personal ease, an abstraction and elevation of soul were perpetually manifest. Let us fix our eye on his purity and deadness to the world, and strive to imitate them. In addi tion to this, let examples of faith in men like ourselves, which the Scriptures exhibit, animate our hearts, Let Abraham leaving his country, let Moses renouncing the pleasures of Egypt, let St. Paul in his holy spirit of laborious self-denial, excite us to an increasing victory over the world. Or, if our attention is directed to later times, let Christians of marked and exemplary godliness be placed before us. Let the martyrs and confessors of religion, the reformers of the church, the great leaders of reviving piety in different ages, or in our own, be the objects of our holy emulation! No man attains the height which he aims at; if therefore our standard is low, we shall ourselves be low indeed. Let us rather mark the steps of those who have been the light and glory of the church. The great body of even pious persons, in a day like our own, especially of those in easy circumstances, who have been exempt from remarkable trials, are no examples for us to follow. Let our view be much higher. There is a world, so to speak, even in the spiritual church, (the "religious world," a term familiar in some quarters, is surely of itself a little suspicious,) a body of persons, in many respects estimable, who, whilst they have been removed by education and circumstances from the grosser evils of the age, have never felt sufficiently the influence of practical religion, or, having felt it, have lost the impression. These are border. ers, living on the confines of the two kingdoms. With these are associated, many who are inquiring after truth, or not yet established in the love of it. Amiable and benevolent persons, almost entirely |