VITAL GODLINESS:
A TREATISE
ON
EXPERIMENTAL
AND
PRACTICAL PIETY.
BY WILLIAM S. PLUMER, D. D., LL. D.
PUBLISHED BY THE
AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY,
150 NASSAU-STREET, NEW YORK.




ENTERED according to Act of Congress, in the year 1864, by
the AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, in the Clerk's Office of the District
Court of the Southern District of the State of New York.




IF THIS BOOK SHALL AID ANY ONE
IN MAKING
HIS CALLING AND ELECTION SURE,
TO
THE EVER BLESSED NAME
OFR
Ztt 0talBE tGL OtRY  aInd HIG HEST,Xftt,
BE GLORY IN THE HIGHEST,
W^Urf m^^i~oot  rt^








CONTENTS.
CHAPTEIR I.
General remarks on religious experience -       -     ------      7
CHAPTER II.
Early religious impressions ------------------------- 21,
CHAPTER III.
Early religious impressions, continued-Religious inquiry ---  34
CHAPTER IV.
Further strivings of the Spirit —-------------------------  46
CHAPTER V.
A sense of wretchedness -----           --    --------           64
CHAPTER VI.
Conviction-Conversion --------------------------------  82
CIAPTER VII.
Cases of religious distress —- ----------------------- ----- 106
CHAPTER VIII.
Spiritual darkness —----------       --------------             127
CHAPTER IX.
Backsliding —------------------------------------               148
CHAPTER X.
Faith          --------------------- 173
CHAPTER XI.
Repentance —— 21 —------— 0 —----- -------------------  210




6                       CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XII.
Humility ------—... —----                         -------— 4 249
CHAPTER XIII.
The fear of God —         -------------------------------- 287
CHAPTER XIV.
Hope —----         ----------------        -------             307
CHAPTER XV.
Love to God       --------------------------------------- 327
CHAPTER XVI.
Love to Christ —------------------------------- ------ 347
CHAPTER XVII.
Love to our neighbor —----- ----------                 -       369
CHAPTER XVII.
Love to the brethren —-----     ---     ----------------- 393
CHAPTER XIX.
Peace —------------ --------- 411
CHAPTER XX.
Courage.                    -    --. —---         ---- 431
CHAPTER XXI.
Contentment --------------------------------- 454
CHAPTER XXII.
Patience ----------- ----- --                                  482
CHAPTER XXIII.
Joy              - -------- - - -....... —-   514
CHAPTER XXIV.
Zeal  -------------------------------------------------- 551
CHAPTER XXV.
Concluding observations —------------------- --------   575
Full alphabetical index - -------       --- -----  -------- 605




VITAL GODLINESS.
CHAPTER I.
GENERAL REMARKS ON RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE.
THE test of real character is to be sought
in each man's.experience. He who has never
exercised faith, repentance, love, humility,
hope, and joy, cannot. be profited by his theories and speculations on these subjects. All
knowledge which is unfelt and inoperative
puffs up the mind and hardens the heart. It
is better to have the workings of gracious
affections than to be able to define them, or to
speak ever so learnedly respecting them. The
great use of a large part of divine truth is
rightly to affect our minds and hearts, and so
to control our practice.
It is often doubted whether the present age
is remarkable for depth of religious feeling. In
many cases ministers preach a low experience.




8          VITAL GODLINESS.
The consequence is painful laxity in religious
practice. Among many professors there is a
manifest disinclination to converse on vital
subjects in religion. This is a great evil. Although hypocrites may babble on such topics,
yet true Christians should not thereby be deterred from  telling what God has done for
their souls, or from diligently seeking to discover and commend the highest style of holy
living. Perhaps on all branches of these subjects there is less preaching than formerly. A
minister of this generation said that he had
received many hundreds of printed sermons
sent out by his brethren, and that among them
all he remembered but one on the subject of
experimental religion.  Yet it is noticeable
that when a preacher of ability and sound discrimination discusses any branch of this subject, he is always highly acceptable to the best
class of professors.
The testimonies to the necessity of experimental piety are exceedingly numerous. Almost every fit form of expression is employed
by inspired writeis to teach us this great truth,
Thus says David, "0 taste and see that the
Lord is good; blessed is the man that trusteth
in him."  Psa. 34: 8. "Come and hear, all




RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE.              9
ye that fear God, and I will declare what he
hath done for my soul."  Psa. 66:16.  So
Elihu said, "Suffer me a little, and I will show
thee that I have yet to speak on God's behalf."
Job 36: 2. Often in the Scriptures religious
experience is expressed by hungering and
thirsting, by eating and drinking. Isa. 55: 1;
Matt. 5: 6; Song 5: 1  John 6: 53-58.  Job,
David, and Isaiah all inform us of the power
of religious experience in their own case. Job
42:5, 6; Psa. 51; Isa. 6:5.
Nor is the testimony of uninspired men on
this point less harmonious.  Richard Baxter
says, "The way to have the firmest belief of
the Christian faith is to draw near and taste
and try it, and lay bare the heart to receive
the impression of it; and then, by the sense of
its admirable effects, we shall know that which
bare speculation could not discover. Though
there must be a belief on other grounds first,
so much as to let in the word into the soul,
and to cause us to submit our hearts to its operations, yet it is this experience that must
strengthen it and confirm it. If any man will
do the will of Christ, he shall know that the.
doctrine is of God. John 7: 17.  The melody
of music is better known by hearing it than
1*




10          VITAL GODLINESS.
by reports of it, and the sweetness of meat is
known better by tasting than by hearsay,
though upon report we may be drawn to taste
and try. So is there a spiritual sense in us of
the effects of the gospel on our own hearts,
which will cause men to love it and hold it fast
against the cavils of deceivers or the temptations of the great deceiver."
John Owen says, "Experience is the food
of all grace, which it grows and thrives upon.
Every taste that faith.obtains of divine love
and grace, or how gracious the Lord is, adds
to its measure and stature. Two things therefore must briefly be declared: 1. That the experience of the reality, excellency, power, and
efficacy of the things that are believed, is an
effectual means of increasing faith and love.
2. That it is the Holy Ghost which gives us
this experience.'
John Newton says, "Experience is the
Lord's school, and they who are taught by him
usually learn by the mistakes they make that
they have no wisdom, and by the slips and
falls they meet with  that they  have  no
strength.',
Charles Buck says, "The report of the
blessings of the religion of Christ, or the intel



RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE.            11
ligence that provision is made for guilty man,
can be of no avail without a real participation
of them. We must not perceive only, but we
must feel; and feeling, of course we experience."
President Edwards the elder says,'A gracious experience arises from operations and
influences which are spiritual, from an inward
principle which is divine, a communication of
God, a participation of the divine nature:
Christ living in the heart, the Holy Spirit
dwelling there in union with the faculties of
the soul as an internal vital principle, exerting his own proper nature in the exercise of
those faculties. Now it is no wonder that that
which is divine is powerful and effectual, for it
has omnipotence on its side."
The late Dr. John M'Dowell says, "If we
be Christians, we shall delight to meet with
our fellow-Christians, and engage with them in
conversation on experimental piety. And true
religion must either be very low or be entirely
wanting in the heart of that person who seldom speaks on the subject, or extends not his
conversation beyond the doctrines and forms
of religion, or speaks in an uninterested or
heartless manner.  The Scripture saints, as




12          VITAL GODLINESS.
appears from their history, engaged -much in
religious conversation."
Yet it is to be regretted that but few modern books treat of this subject. Doctrinal discussions, treatises on the history of the Bible,
on branches of Scripture morals, and on church
government, are numerous. But rarely do we
find able men turning their attention to the
work of God in the soul.  It was not always
so.  In the seventeenth century the ablest
productions of the greatest minds were on experimental religion.  The exceeding popularity of a few books, first published in our own
age, shows that so far as there is piety, such
reading is in great demand. This will be more
and more so as true religion shall prevail.
It is admitted that the subject of experimental religion is not free from  difficulties.
But most of these are theoretical, rather than
practical.  Yet those which grow out of the
deceitfulness of sin and the temptations of the
great adyersary, should be carefully studied
by all persons, by religious teachers in particular, and the consolations of God sought out
and administered accordingly. It is also worthy of notice that the best treatises in this department of religious literature are often nar



RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE.             13
ratives of the dealings of God with particular
persons.  Religious biography constitutes a
very useful and popular part of a well-chosen
library. If the time shall come when the memoirs of Halyburton and Brainerd shall be
unwelcome to the.great body of God's people,
then indeed the glory will have departed.
John Newton remarks that "itis to be lamented that in this enlightened age, so signalized by the prevalence of the spirit of investigation, religion should by many be thought the
only subject unworthy of a serious inquiry;
and that while in every branch of science they
studiously endeavor to trace every fact to its
proper and adequate cause, and are cautious
of admitting any theory which cannot stand the
test of experiment, they treat the use of the
term  experimental, when applied to religion,
with contempt."
The tendency of this age is to become vague
and superficial. In giving an account of the
work of God on one or many, there is a proneness to deal in generals and avoid particulars.
In some cases there may be reasons of delicacy for saying little; nor is it necessary to
present individuals by name or description of
person before the community.  But how re



14         VITAL GODLINESS.
freshing it would be to meet with a recent
narrative like that which President Edwards
has given of one who is' now understood to
have been the person who afterwards became
his wife.  In their narratives of revivals of
religion, the old magazines often present quite
a contrast to many of our modern journals.
This deficiency has sometimes been noticed
and a desire for a change expressed, but we
seem  to be getting further and further from
the old paths.
Yet let us not be discouraged.  Let us labor to banish unreasonable prejudices against
this subject as a proper topic of familiar or
religious conversation. This will be no easy
task.  So many ignorant men have spoken
things which they ought not, so many weak
men have uttered folly, and so many bad men
have obtruded their erroneous views upon the
attention of others, that some have been quite
disgusted with the whole matter. Thus it has
come to pass that even in the free church of
Scotland a candidate for the ministry is not
examined as to his acquaintance with experi'
mental religion or his motives for seeking the
sacred office.  But it is never safe to argue
from the abuse of any thing against its use.




RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE.            15
Not only in preaching, but in their private
walks, pastors might exert a happy influence
on this subject. Let them converse freely and
fully with those seeking admission to the Lord's
table. In their pastoral visits let not this subject be forgotten. Sometimes it may be well
to leave particular questions to be answered
or talked over on a subsequent interview. It
would alsd be well if all that class of able
works which  have handled  the  different
branches of this subject were brought into
general use in our churches.  John Newton
has long been a favorite.  His writings on experimental religion contributed much to the
revival of piety in the latter part of the eighteenth and the early part of the nineteenth
centuries.  John, Owen on Indwelling Sin is
more profound than any thing Newton ever
wrote.  One of the- best works on the whole
subject is Guthrie's Trial of a Saving Interest
in Christ. Dr. Archibald Alexander on Religious Experience is admirably suited to awaken a fondness for this kind of reading.
But more than any thing else, we always
need in the church a copious outpouring of
God's Spirit on the hearts of his people, giving them a zest for spiritual things and a great




16         VITAL GODLINESS.
desire for a full assurance of understanding, of
faith and of hope. Many real Christians have
made but low attainments, and are too little
dissatisfied with their present state. One who
should speak and act with the zeal and ardor
of Paul, of Knox, of Welsh, of Whitefield, or
of Henry Martyn, would'by the thoughtless
world be esteemed mad.  But wisdom is justified of her children. The truly regenerate
and growing Christian will not be offended at
sound views on this subject.
It may encourage us to study this subject,
to remember that, though in unessential particulars there is an endless diversity in the experience of men, yet in all that necessarily belongs to vital piety there is a substantial agreement. Perhaps a more striking contrast could
hardly be found between two men, than between
John Newton and Occum the Indian preacher.
Yet Newton says of the latter, that "in describing to me the state of his heart, when he
was a blind idolater, he gave me in general a
striking picture of what my own was in the
early part of my own life; and his subsequent
views of the gospel corresponded with mine as
face answers to face in a glass."
John Owen also says, " As sin worketh in




RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE.            17
one, so doth it in another; as grace is effectual
in one, so is it in another; as he that prayeth
longeth for mercy and grace, so do they that
join with him. Of the same kind with his hatred of sin, his love to Christ, his laboring after
holiness and conformity to the will of God, are
also those in other believers. And hence it is
that persons'praying in the Spirit' according
to their own experience, are oftentimes supposed by "every one in the congregation rather
to pray over their condition than their own."
Nor is there any way of preserving men
from falling into error respecting the true nature.f religion, but by bringing them to feel
its power.  "The head may be strengthened
till the heart is starved."  Indeed, infidelity
itself will be sure to gain a footing in a community where vital godliness is not experienced.  John Owen truly says, "The owning of the Scripture to be the word of God
bespeaks a divine  majesty, authority, and
power to be present in it and with it. Wherefore, after men who have for a long time so
professed, do find that they never had any
real'experience of such a divine presence
in it by any effects upon their own minds,
they grow. insensibly regardless of it, or to




18         VITAL GODLINESS.
allow it a very common place in their thoughts.
When they have worn off the impressions that
were on their minds from tradition, education,
and custom, they do for the future rather not
oppose it than in any way believe it. And
when once a reverence unto the word of God
on account of its authority is lost, an assent
unto it on account of its truth will not long
abide.. And all such persons, under a concurrence of temptations and outward "occasions,
will either reject it or prefer other guides before it."
There is not a doctrine of revelation the
power of which ought not to be'felt in the human soul. If God is revealed to us in a trinity of persons, as the Father, the Son, and the
Holy Ghost, it is that we may love and serve
and worship him just as he is revealed. If
Jesus Christ made a vicarious atonement, that
great doctrine is revealed to us that we may
rest the whole weight of our salvation upon it.
If men are totally depraved,, that truth ought
to be known and felt, that the whole salvation
of the gospel may be sought and secured.
Nothing therefore can be more unphilosophical than to charge that experimental religion
and wild enthusiasm are synonymous terms.




RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCE.            19
If men dead in sin are ever to be restored to
spiritual life, they must be the subjects of a
mighty work of grace; they must be taught of
God,; they must be born from above; they
must be called out of darkness into God's marvellous light; they must be renewed in the
inner man.
The advantages of experience are felt in
all the affairs of life.  The truths we knowby
experience are worth more to a wise man than
all he can learn from the demonstrative sciences or the reasonings of others. In all the
departments of life, he who has experience has
qualifications denied to the mere theorist or
scholar. Religious experience puts us on our
guard against the snares of the world, the flesh,
and the devil. It teaches us modesty, self-distrust, and humility. It causes us to abound in
all prudence. It gives us a delightful confirmation in the truth.  It fits us for doing good
to an extent far beyond what we could ever
attain by instruction in the letter of God's
word.
All the friends of true religion ought carefully to guard against the abuses of religious
experience.  They should be very careful to
avoid all vain boasting, a sin into which men




20          VITAL GODLINESS.
easily fall.  They should learn wisely to discriminate between the genuine and the spurious, between effects produced by divine truth
on the one hand and by nervous temperament
on the other. They should be especially careful not to rely on any past attainments which
do not produce present good fruit. Any exercise of the mind which leads us to dulness in
devotion, to carelessness about holy living, to
want of zeal for the salvation of men, is not
gracious.  It may be well here to state that
there is nothing gained by substituting, as some
seem disposed to do, the term consciousness for
that of experience.  There is no word better
explained in religious literature than the word
experience, and such a change of terms is
likely to induce confusion.




RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS.           21
CHAPTER  II.
EARLY RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS.
THE early exercises of a soul turning to
God have unusual interest, because they are
connected with the setting up of Christ's kingdomn in the heart. The mind of man has a
peculiar delight in contemplating the origin of
things, and in seeing them rise to vigor. This
is so in the growth of grain, plants, and trees,
in the beginning of revolutions, in the founding of empires, and in the early struggles of
mind to rise to worth and greatness. But the
early history of religious impressions has vast
interest, from the fact that it is the soul that is
then saved and restored to communion with
God.  Cecil says, "The history of a man's
life is to himself the most interesting history
in the world, next to that of the Scriptures."
The reason is that it is a detailed account of
what he has learned in the school of experience.
AWAKENING.
The work of God for the recovery of the
soul of man begins in what is fitly spoken of




22          VITAL GODLINESS.
as an awakening. A revival of religion a century ago was often so called.  It was a good
name.  It described an effect produced both
on saints and sinners. The term seems to be
scriptural.  "It is high time to awake out of
sleep." "Awake to righteousness, and sin not."
"Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the
dead, and Christ shall give thee light."  Rom.
13:11; 1 Cor. 15:34; Eph. 5:14.  The peculiar fitness of this mode of speaking arises
from the fact that the stupor of a sinful state
is aptly compared to sleep.  That sleep is
guilty.  It is also profound.  It is like the
sleep of death, from which none awake but by
the power of God. Indulged a little longer, it
will prove fatal.  There is a time when every
subject of divine grace is awaked from spiritual lethargy. This awakening is sometimes so
gentle, that its commencement can hardly be
fixed to any date.  Again, it at once arouses
the whole soul.  It has often been noticed,
that in some cases it is preceded by peculiar
thoughtlessness, or even by outbreaking wickedness.  But when God', time has come, he
effectually arouses the soul, and makes his
arrows sharp in the heart of the Kiilg's enemies.
The means employed to this end are various.




RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS.           23
God often puts great honor on the very words
of Scripture. "The word of God is quick, and
powerful, and sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder
of soul and spirit, and of the joints and-marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and
intents of the heart." Heb. 4: 12.  "The law
of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul."
Psa. 19:7. Sometimes the mere reading of
God's word is blessed to this.end; and if men
could be prevailed on to examine and ponder
its truths more than they do, they would oftener
begin the search for a Saviour.  Even of the
darkest book of the New Testament it is said,
"Blessed is he that readeth, and they that
hear the words of this prophecy; and keep
those things which are written therein."  Rev.
1: 3. Some writers of the seventeenth century
notice the fact that God honored the phrase,
"And he died," which occurs so often in the
fifth chapter of Genesis, to the awakening of a
great sinner. It is an interesting exercise in
which little circles, composed of religious people, sometimes engage, to inquire what portion
of God's word was thus first deeply impressed
on the mind of each one.
The word of- God preached is still more




24         VITAL GODLINESS.
frequently blessed to the same end.  Thus
many thousands were awakened on the day of
Pentecost. Modern times give us instances of
many hundreds impressed under one gospel
sermon. The church of God still sings, "How
beautiful are the feet of them that preach the
gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good
things."  "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God."  Rom. 10:-15, 17.
Uninspired- writings, which contain sound
Bible principles and urge divine things on the
attention with great tenderness and solemnity,
are often greatly blessed to men's salvation.
They awake them out of sleep, and bring into
exercise all their faculties.  It is therefore a
good thing to circulate good books. The author
has known five persons in one neighborhood
brought to deep concern, and finally to a hope
in Christ, by reading -the first part of Doddridge's Rise and Progress of Religion in the
Soul.
Sometimes God arouses men from  their
guilty slumbers by some startling providence
or some awful judgment. The sudden death of
some loved one starts in the mind of the survivor the question, Where should I now be, if
I had been called so soon or with so little




RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS.            25
warning?  "When thy judgments are in the
earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn
righteousness.". Isa. 26:9.  Personal affliction is sometimes sanctified to the same end.
In a respectable Christian church, not long
since, every official member was known to
have been a thoughtless worldling until God's
hand was laid heavily upon him.  Many a,
child of God now says, "Before I was afflicted I went astray; but now have I kept thy
word.  It is good for me that I have been
afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes."
Psa. 119:67, 71.  "In their affliction they
will seek me early."  Hos. 5:15.  Manasseh
went heedlessly and brutally on in a course of
crime and cruelty until dreadful calamities
overtook him. Then he "prayed, and God
was entreated of him."  2 Chron. 33: 13.
Sometimes a pious conversation, a kind
and friendly admonition, a hint dropped in
love, a word fitly spoken, has the same effect.
A profane oath, an act of injustice, a debauch,
or some other sin, has filled a man's soul with
such horror that he has had no peace until he
fled to Christ. To show his power, God may
make any of our sins to flash condemnation in
our face, thus fulfilling the scripture, "Thine
Vital Godlinoss.   2




26          VITAL GODLINESS.
own wickedness shall correct thee."  Jer.
2:19.
A  powerful means of arousing men to
attend to their souls' affairs is the conversion
of their fellows, and especially of notorious
sinners. Our Lord himself speaks as though
he regarded this as the loudest kind of call:
The publicans and the harlots believed John;
and ye, when ye had seen it, repented not
afterward, that ye might believe. him."  Matt.
21: 32. When rightly considered, the conversion of a fellow-creature is well suited to call up
the attention of every candidate for eternity.
Frequently, however, men can give no
minute account of the causes or beginnings of
their increased attention to religion. Nor is it
necessary that they should.  A man may not
know the steps or causes of his recovery from
sickness, and yet he may now be a well man.
Often too there is at first nothing very clear in
the state of mind of one who is beginning to
turn to God.  Nothing indeed so much interests him as the general subject of salvation.
He sees its importance; he owns its necessity.
The mind also often spends its chief thoughts
for a season on one sin, or one point of truth,
and this serves as a key to many others.




RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS.           27
In this state of awakened interest, the
course of thought pursued is as much in accordance with the laws of mind, and is in this sense
as natural, as in any period of one's history;
so that the man greatly wonders that he never
before saw things on this wise. He greatly
marvels, and well he may, that his mind could
so long be utterly dead to the things of salvation. Although he may not yet be the subject
of a sacving change, yet the frame of his soul
is very different from  what it was. Never
before was he in such a state, for he has now
fairly entered upon a course of
RELIGIOUS REFLECTION.
The power of reflection is that which chiefly
distinguishes a man from  a brute; and the
habit of reflection, more than any thing else,
distinguishes a wise man from a fool.  He
must be given over to folly who never looks at
the remote bearings and consequences of his
actions.  Things may easily be done which
can never be undone. The silliest may plunge
himself into ruin. There is no wise man who
is not considerate. The rash, light, heedless
must expect in all weighty matters to go
astray. Reflection is important in proportion




28         VITAL GODLINESS.
to the gravity of the matter on which we are
called to exercise it. As religion is the most
important theme on which the human mind is
ever fixed, so above all other topics human
salvation calls for thought, care, reflection.
True religion is as. reasonable as it is necessary. To be pious without thoughtfulness is
not possible. No one acts so wisely as he who
counts the cost, looks well to his state, and
entirely consecrates himself to God. In their
most solemn appeals, the Scriptures address
man as rational: "   that they would consider."  "Thus saith the Lord of hosts, Consider
your ways."  "I speak as to wise men; judge
ye what I say."  Dent. 32:29; Hag. 1:7;
1 Cor. 10: 15.
Every stage of serious reflection is liable
to many interruptions.  Yet where God has
begun a work of grace in the soul, the mind
will not fall into continued -thoughtlessness.
God will employ suitable means to keep the
attention awake. Perhaps he will make the
example of the righteous at once a reproof
and an encouragement, and that of the wicked
a warning and a cause of alarm to the soul
ready to settle on its lees. The conduct of
the worldly or profane is often held before the




RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS.          29
mind as a mirror, in which one sees reflected
the wickedness of his own life. If God has
not yet shown to the soul the beauty of holiness, he at least enables one to see that the
truly pious possess many advantages, and
awakens a desire to secure them. It is a point
gained when one clearly perceives that the
servant of God is the better man.  So that in
the midst of company and lawful employments
one often finds his thoughts eagerly turned to
everlasting things. This is proof that God has
not abandoned him to the power of all evil.
Under such circumstances the talkative man
will be inclined to silence and seriousness.
He will look at the past, think of the life he
has led, recount God's mercies to him, review
many parts of his conduct with pain, and say,
If I had my life to live over again, I would not
do as I have done. I am an unhappy man.
My state is sinful. Possibly I may be nigh to
a miserable death or an undone eternity. I
cannot justify my present course of life. I am
not fit to die. I am not holy. Sin is deeply
rooted in my nature. Without a great change
of character, I shall never be what I ought.
Looking at the future, he remembers that
he must live for ever, that ere long death will




30         VITAL GODLINESS.
summon him into the presence of his Maker,
and that without a change in his character and
prospects, he must pass from the solemnities
of his lone interview with God to the retributions of an unblessed eternity. By this time
he has probably become a habitual reader of
the Bible and of other religious books.  Although sinful shame has still much power over
him, yet he thinks prayer useful and obligatory. A fit place of retirement, suitable words
to be used, and more than all, a suitable frame
of mind, seem to him to be wanting. It will
be well for him if Satan does not prevail on
him at first quite to restrain prayer. A young
man under serious impressions once retired to
his room, locked his door, closed the shutters,
and was about to pray, when he thought some
one might see him through the keyhole. He
went to cover that, when a band of music be-.gan to play under his window. His attention
was drawn off. He offered no prayer then.
His seriousness left him. Let men be warned
by such a case. Men must call upon God or
perish. "Let sinners learn to pray." He who
is effectually diverted from prayer, is hopelessly involved in guilt.
Led by God's Spirit, a soul thus awakened




RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS.           31
and brought to reflection finds out much of
the vanity of earthly things.'His sense of
their fleeting duration, and of their unsatisfying nature, is deep and strong. Once he called
them the chief good. Now he sees that they
are vain, empty, delusory.  He sees that his
pursuit of them has been both foolish and sinful. The merriment which once filled him
with delight now grieves him to the heart.
By this time he begins to wonder what
these things mean, and how they will terminate. Preaching has a strange effect on him.
The words of truth have a peculiar pungency.
He is surprised to find another exactly describing his thoughts and feelings. Sometimes
he suspects that some one has informed the
minister of Christ of his unhappy state. At
times he feels a momentary anger that the
secrets of his heart should be thus exposed;
but a good conscience will show him that the
fault is in himself.
Not unfrequently one in this state is beset
with sceptical thoughts.  They are a great
annoyance to him; but his efforts to get rid of
them are unsuccessful.  They are the natural
fruit of his corrupt and unbelieving heart.
Nothing belongs more properly to an unregen



32         VITAL GODLINESS.
erate state.  He has wickedly cherished them
for a long time.  The habit of unbelief has
grown inveterate.
The best means to be used for overcoming
these infidel temptations will be hearty prayer
and the simple reading of God's word. The
gospel is its own witness. The word of God
is life and spirit. Nothing so directly and forcibly attacks sin. Yet no means possess inherent and adequate efficacy.  God alone can
cast out this devil of uncleanness and scepticism. Hence the necessity of fervent prayer.
If the Lord should leave one in this doleful
state of unbelief, his destruction would be
inevitable, but it would be just.
One who has been brought thus far may
be sorely tempted to give up both the hope
and the pursuit of salvation.  Seeing himself
very far short of what he ought to be, he fears
that he may never become a Christian. Should
such fears prevail, he will sink into the inertness of despondency. Yet if God purposes to
grant him salvation, he will not allow him to
consent to the tempter.  A kindly influence
in his heart will urge him to flee from the
wrath to come. He will feel that he cannot
turn back.  Nor can he stand still. He is




RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS.    33
afraid of the avenger of blood. He has hope
that he shall yet be in the city of refuge.
Sometimes fears almost overwhelm him; but
yet they are not allowed quite to prevail
against him. This state of mind is followed
by religious inquiry.
2*




34         VITAL GODLINESS.
CHAPTER III.
EARLY RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONSCONTINUED.
RELIGIOUS INQUIRY.
RELIGIOUS inquiry naturally succeeds reflection. The three thousand converted on the
day of Pentecost were all honest and earnest
inquirers: "Men and brethren, what shall we
do?" Acts 2: 37. The same was true of Saul
of Tarsus: "Lord, what wilt thou have me to
do?"  Acts 9: 6.  So also the jailer cried,
"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"  Acts
16:30. It cannot be otherwise with the truly
awakened.  Any man in deep distress and
ignorant of the true method of deliverance,
will naturally and earnestly desire instruction.
The truly anxious soul will cry to God for divine guidance: Teach me thy statutes; lead
me in a plain path; let me not err from thy
ways; my Father, be thou my guide. -He
will also search the Scriptures with a sincere
desire to know their teachings. He will ask
the pilgrims to Zion and the ministers of the
gospel to show him the way to the hill of the




RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS.          35
Lord. Sometimes he finds poor counsellors,
who but perplex or mislead him.  But the
best directions that can be given him  are
either not understood or not followed, until he
is led by the Spirit of all truth. I have known
an intelligent man to send seven hundred miles
for a printed sermon which had been useful to
one of his friends, in the hope that it might
show him also the way of life.
The chief ingredient of this inquiry, when
it is likely to result in saving good, is its sincerity.  The young ruler asked our Lord a
very weighty question and in a very earnest
manner; but as soon as he got the full answer, he went away exceeding sorrowful. Saul
of Tarsus cried, "Lord, what wilt thou have
me to do?"  As soon as he received the answer, he obeyed the voice of Christ. There is
no substitute for genuine sincerity. The lack
of it spoils every thing.
True, hearty inquiry is soon followed by
GOOD RESOLUTIONS.
Within the present century some have
taught that a change of the governing purpose
was the great essential of salvation.  The
practical result on many was a belief that if
they resolved to be Christians, they were




36         VITAL GODLINESS.
Christians. This greatly damaged the cause
of Christ and injured men's souls. In opposing it, perhaps some went to the opposite extreme. It is not consistent with the laws of
the human mind to undertake and execute
any great work without a purpose of heart so
to do.  Accordingly he whose case we are
considering, resolves to forsake some known
or open sins, to avoid profane language, company, and practices, or to perform  certain
known duties. But he now learns how difficult it is for him, who is accustomed to do evil,
to learn to do well. The usefulness of forming
resolutions depends very much on the state of
heart accompanying them. When made in a
spirit of self-righteousness, or under a vain
persuasion that we may thus commend ourselves to God, they are of no use. Purposes
formed in a spirit of self-dependence vanish
before temptation as walls of snow melt away
before a vernal sun.  Resolutions formed in
gross ignorance, in thoughtlessness, or in vainglory, profit not. We should never resolve to
do an impossibility. Yet no man amends his
ways without forming a purpose to that effect.
A sound mind first lays its plan, and then executes it. Only madmen.live without method.




RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS.            37
The prodigal's return to duty and the home of
his youth was preceded by the resolution, "I
will arise and go to my father." The resolutions of the elder President Edwards doubtless exerted a happy influence on his subsequent life. They are remarkable for sobriety.
John Caspar Christian Lavater, an eminent
servant of Christ, died at Zurich in Switzerland, A. D. 1799.  He has left some sober and
practical resolutions, which are but little known.
They are:
"I will never, either in the morning or
evening, proceed to any business, until I have
first retired, at least for a few moments, to a
private place, and implored God for his assistance and blessing.
"I will neither do nor undertake any thing
which I would abstain from  doing if Jesus
Christ were standing visibly before me, nor
any of which I think it possible that I shall
repent in the uncertain hour of my certain
death.  I will, with the divine aid, accustom
myself to do every thing without exception in
the name of Jesus Christ, and as his disciple
- will sigh to God continually for the Holy
Ghost to preserve myself in a constant disposition for prayer.




.38         VITAL GODLINESS.
"Every day shall be distinguished by at
least one particular work of love.
"Every day I will be especially attentive
to promote the benefit and advantage of my
own family'in particular.
"I will never eat or drink so much as shall
occasion to me the least inconvenience or hinderance in my business.  Wherever I go, I
will first pray to God that I may commit no
sin there, but be the cause of some good.
"I will never lie down to sleep without
praying, nor, when I am in health, sleep longer than eight hours at most.
"I will every evening examine my conduct through the day by these rules, and faithfully note down in my journal how often I offend against them."
The Scriptures tell us of many who formed
solemn resolutions.  Joshua said, "As for me
and my house, we will serve the Lord."  The
Psalms abound with solemn purposes: " I will
love thee, 0 Lord, my strength;" "I will call
upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised;"
"I said, I will take heed to my ways, that I
sin not with my tongue;" "I will hope contin*ually, and will yet praise thee more and more;"
"I will remember thy wonders of old. I will




BELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS.            39
meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy
doings " "I will call upon him as long as I
live;" "I will keep thy statutes." If you form
resolutions, there cal be no valid objection
against writing them down.  If formed, they
should be intelligible, humble, well weighed,
well understood, practicable, and adopted with
caution, prayer, and deep' solemnity.  When
a resolution is made, it should be kept. "Vow
and pay unto the Lord."  He hath "no pleasure in fools."
But a soul, in its first drawings towards
divine things, finds it easier to resolve than to
execute.  Its resolutions seem in a great measure to fail.  One washes himself in snow-water,
but God plunges him in the ditch, and his own
clothes abhor him. He finds that an external
remedy will not cure-an internal disease.  Under the pungent preaching of the truth, his sins
appear fearfully numerous and heinous.  He
loses the boasting spirit of self-exaltation which
he once had.  His eye gives way when you
speak to him of serious matters.
Even with his kindred, his chief thoughts
relate to salvation. If any of them are pious,
he will seek an opportunity to disclose his state
of mind. If they are ungodly, he will be pained




40         VITAL GODLINESS.
by their wickedness.  His thoughts on the les-,sons of piety taught him by his parents deeply
affect him. If any of his friends have died in
faith, he thinks of their example, and would
fain follow their footsteps.
Meanwhile the world recedes from his view,
and his prospects for the future seem to be
under an eclipse.'Once all seemed gay and
dazzling before him; but now the things of
time are growing less and less. As the coast
of his native land fades from the view of the
mariner going out to sea, so the scenes, the
business, the attractions of earth are one by
one lost to the view of a soul under the growing influence of divine truth. Such a process
awakens feelings of sadness and desolation.
By night, on his bed, he is restless and uncomfortable.  His sleep is neither sound nor refreshing. Sometimes he is afraid to go to sleep,
lest he should not awake in this world. He
is troubled in visions of the night. And when
he awakes, his heart is still heavy. The subjects of sin and salvation still press upon -him
and hold his attention. At night he wishes it
were morning, and in the morning he wishes
it were night.
Sometimes he is suddenly surprised into




RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS.           41
sin, and finds that all his hopes of being already beyond the reach of evil are vain. He
is amazed at his own weakness and inability to
resist temptations.  He mends his wall and
daubs it with untempered mortar as before,
and the Lord again rends it, and makes his
soul sick at its own follies. But it is almost
impossible to cure him of the belief that he can
yet do something to purpose.
In this state of mind he wishes the pious
would converse with him on his soul's affairs,
and yet he has a dread of such a thing. He is
willing to be instructed, and yet he is reluctant to walk in the way when he knows it..
Sometimes he thinks he would give any thing
for a new heart, and yet he will not make a
full surrender.  He would, like to wear the
linen white and clean, but he will not cast
away the filthy rags of his own righteousness.
In fine, his mind seems to be in a very contradictory state. He seems greatly humbled,
but he will not take upon him Christ's yoke.
He seems much inclined to the service of God,
and yet he is led captive by sin.
If any ask what will be the result of all
these thoughts and exercises, the answer is
that they will either lead to peace with God,




42         VITAL GODLINESS.
or to deeper guilt than ever before rested on
the soul. These thoughts will either lead the
soul to Christ, or they will leave it oppressed
with unutterable criminality.  He who thus
feels will soon be a child of God, or twofold
more the child of evil than ever.  He will
soon have a broken heart, or a heart fearfully
hardened; a will sweetly submissive to God,
or fearfully perverse and obstinate. Such influences as he is now under cannot be felt and
the soul remain unaffected. They will produce
vast good or prodigious evil. 
Nor can any thing but great wickedness
prevent a sound and speedy conversion te
God.  Self-murder, self-murder will be the
awful sound that will ring for ever in the ears
of such as are moved in the manner described,
and yet shall die impenitent. "0 Israel, thou
hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thy help."
It is always safe and scriptural to urge
persons thus exercised to make direct and immediate application to the Saviour.. Let them
come, though blind and naked, vile and guilty,
helpless and miserable.  Let none wait in an
idle expectation that the terms of salvation
will be altered.  God draws all his true people, but he will drag none to heaven contrary




RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS.           43
to their wills. The- promise is, "My people
shall be willing in the day of my power." The
invitations of the gospel are to the needy, the
wretched, the lost. But let no man who is
still in his sins suppose that he is willing to
come to Christ, and that Christ is not willing
to receive him. The reverse is the truth.
Let not persons thus concerned about eternal things be scared away from the whole matter of piety if they find their own hearts desperately wicked. Every man's heart has always been more wicked than he ever thought
it to be. He who will not permit his wounds
to be probed, must expect to die.  Henry
Martyn tells us that when awakened to divine
things, he refused to read Doddridge's Rise
and Progress of Religion, because he found the
first part of it so humiliating. A discovery of
one's sinfulness will not make him sinful; but it
may lead to salvation.
Let all beginning a religious life expect
sore trials. Satan is always most busy with
those who are struggling to escape from his
dominion. Men see their own want of heart,
and Satan would persuade them that all religion is hypocrisy.
It is to be regretted that persons who




44          VITAL GODLINESS.
are seeking salvation should be brought too
much into public notice.  It is to be feared
that many talk away their religious impressions, or allow others to do it. It is when one
"sitteth alone and keepeth silence" that he is
likely to " put his mouth in the dust; if so be
there may be hope." Lam. 3: 28, 29. In the
twelfth chapter of his prophecy, verses 9-14,
Zechariah describes the effect of a general outpouring of God's Spirit as inclining all classes
to weep alone.
Let inquirers after salvation beware of bad
company.  "If sinners entice thee, consent
thou not."  "The companion of fools shall be
destroyed." Even in good company there may
be excess.  But all bad company is dangerous. To avoid all commerce with the wicked
is neither obligatory nor practicable.  But
between civil intercourse and companionship
there is a wide difference.
It would be a great thing if those who are
not Christians could be led to entertain some
just sense of the evil of sin. Oh that the wicked knew the import of those words of Francis
Spira: " Man knows the beginning of sin, but
who bounds the issues thereof?"  It is easy to
do mischief, but who can undo it?  To sin is




RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS.         45
natural; but to escape from it requires atoning
blood, and the supernatural agency of, God's
Spirit.
It is always a duty to urge men to immediate faith and repentance.  "Behold, now is
the accepted time; behold, now is the day of
salvation." Call on men to do with their might
whatever their hands find to do. In his lives
of great men, Plutarch says of Hannibal, that
when he could have taken Rome, he would not;
and when he would have taken Rome, he could
not. It is true of many, that when they can
secure a title to God's favor, they will not; and
when they wish to do it, they cannot because
they have misspent all their days of grace.




46         VITAL GODLINESS.
CHAPTER  IV.
FURTHER STRIVINGS OF THE SPIRIT.
SOME account has.been. given, of a soul
beginning to shake off its guilty slumbers, and
to turn its thoughts to the unspeakable concerns of sin and duty, immortality and glory,
salvation and perdition.  One who has had
the exercises of mind thus described is certainly under the teachings of the Holy Spirit.
Yet he may' have many such thoughts and
emotions Without knowing their origin or Author. In giving this history of the mind's operations and discoveries, it is proper to state
that ere this, a suspicion, if not a conviction,
that God's Spirit is now at work in the heart,
takes possession of the mind.  Nor is this
without foundation.  The fact is, that none
but the Holy Ghost could have brought about
this great change of views and purposes. It
is not easy to tell what a solemn awe fills the
mind when first a man is persuaded that he is
the subject of supernatural and divine influences. The soul, like the patriarch, says,
"Surely God is in this place, and I knew it




STRIVINGS OF THE SPIRIT.    4T
not."  Such a view hushes the soul into stillness. It remembers God and is troubled. He
who feels thus is inclined to silence, lest he
should do something wrong, and is afraid lest
he should be deceived, or lest by thoughtlessness he should grieve the Spirit far from him,
and relapse into former carelessness and iniquity. In this state of mind he will cry, "Cast
me not away from thy presence, and take not
thy Holy Spirit from me. Uphold me with
thy free Spirit."  He will now give a decided
preference to pious company.  He looks on
the children of God as the excellent of the
earth. Yet intercourse with them  deepens
discoveries of sinfulness in his own heart.
When they speak of joys, he longs for the
same. He feels as if he had nothing whereof
to rejoice. The review of. his past life affords
him no pleasure. It is all a dark, unillumined
retrospect.  It is gloomy, like the shades of
death. He sees how vain and empty has been
every thing which he once called happiness.
He has now found out that the world is a
cheat. His impression is that true religion
would make him a happy man, and he is right.
Sometimes his expectation of a speedy change
becomes strong. He hopes he shall soon be a




48 -       VITAL GODLINESS.
Christian.  He has an inextinguishable thirst
for something- which he has never had. To
keep him from despair, a little light sometimes
beams upon his path.
Then again, all his hopes of deliverance
seem to forsake him. His affections seem to
grow cold. Even his desires for any thing
good appear to be languid. He is a mystery
to himself.  He exceedingly doubts whether
he shall ever be a child of'God. Thus hope
and fear alternate. He is restless and unhappy. He deeply regrets that he did not long
since become a Christian, when his heart was
less depraved and his will less stubborn. It
cuts him to the heart to remember that all this
sorrow over time misspent and opportunities
lost is unavailing. He fears lest his present
call should pass away unimproved. Nor are
his apprehensions wholly without foundation,
for notwithstanding all his efforts, his sins hang
over him in all their guilt, number, and aggravations. Nay, they seem to be multiplied and
magnified. The mote has become a beam, the
molehill a mountain, the rivulet a torrent.
These things incline him to solitude, and he
goes mourning all the day.  He has no heart
for the mirth of the wicked, for he sees some



STKIVINGS OF THE SPIRIT.           49
thing of the evil of sin.   He is not a partaker
of the joys of the righteous, and therefore he
feels not as if between him and them there
was any warm or close fellowship.  Go where
he may, he feels wretched and self-condemned.
He wonders that God has not long since destroyed him.  He marvels that he does not
now cut him down.  Yet he hopes that this
drawing of the Spirit is a token for good.  He
knows that his case is hopeless only when God
totally and finally abandons him to the power
of his, sins and to the guilt of his iniquities.
Thus every motion of the Spirit in his heart is
an argument against despair.
Should his wicked companions discover or
even suspect his state of mind, some of them
will shun him, others will be alarmed, and yet
others will scoff at him.  These will raise the
old cry, "Wilt thou also be his disciple?"
Some will ask him  if he is willing to give up
all his pleasures; others will seek to allure him
into forbidden paths; others will say, He is
beside himself. But if-God intends to bring
him  to a settled and renewed state, these
things will deepen his distress and his views
of the state of sin and misery into which he is
plunged.
Vital Godliness.   3




50         VITAL GODLINESS.
At the commencement of his seriousness he
had many crude opinions. Perhaps he thought
he never would become a member of the
church, but that he would be religious in a
private way.  Now he wishes that he was fit
to be numbered among God's people. Or he
once thought that if any great change ever
came over him, it must be either very suddenly or very gradually. Now he would. be happy
to be converted in any way that the Lord
might choose. He now probably supposes his
failure is owing to the want of more system in
his plan of proceeding; and so he adopts a
rule for reading so much every day, or he determines to pray with more frequency, or with
more outward signs of humiliation. But all
proves unsatisfactory: he finds he can no
more chain his thoughts than he can bind the
wind; that he can no more bend his will than
he can grasp the sun; that he can no more
repent or believe than do the most impossible
thing, if he is wholly left to his own energies.
He is now experiencing what Paul felt: "I
*was alive without the law once; but when the
commandment came, sin revived, and I died.
And the commandment which was ordained to
life, I found to be unto death. For sin, taking




STRIVINGS OF THE SPIRIT.         51
occasion by the -commandment, deceived me,
and by it slew me."  Rom. 7: 9-11.  The
law, like a lamp brought into a dark and filthy
room, has disclosed the wretched state of the
soul. What the law requires is found to be
wanting.  What it forbids is seen to be present. Sin begins to be regarded as sinful. It
alarmingly abounds.  One thus distressed,
feeling the bitterness in his own soul, is almost
sure that others must know his sad state. He
wonders that Christians do not speak to him
of his spiritual interests.  He says, "No man
careth for my soul."  Like the prodigal, he is
ready to perish, and no man giyes unto him.
He is amazed that some professors should be
so absorbed with trifles and vanities of earth,
while things of eternal moment press on his
mind with such weight.
Should he fall in with a bigoted sectarian,
more intent on making a proselyte to a party
than on saving a soul from death, he may for
a while be perplexed; but unless God should
forsake him, he will not in the end be much
influenced by him. The necessities of a soul
thus pressed with guilt are too urgent to permit it to be absorbed with forms and names
and pomps and shadows. The fiery sectary




52         VITAL GODLINESS.
will soon be shunned.  He was asked for
bread, and he gave a stone. He was asked
for a fish, and he gave a serpent. A poor
soul, like the hunted hart on the mountain, is
thirsting for living, waters, and cares not for
the strifes of words and the disputes of proud
reasoners.  He who is dying of thirst wants
water, and nothing else. It is a glorious sight
when God's Spirit triumphs over the efforts of
bigotry and formalism  and fanaticism, and
brings a soul safely through their enticements.
One thing is now  apparent: it is that
God's word is no longer a dead letter.  It has
power and pungency.  There is a disposition
to apply the truth. Texts which once exerted
no power over the mind have a keen edge. It
seems to this man strange that he should not
long since have yielded to the force of considerations which now have so vast an influence
over him.   Preaching has great point. Indeed, it seems to him that sermons are laying
open the secrets of his heart.  Sometimes he
suspects ministers of indulging in personalities,
when they know nothing of his sore distress.
He will now seek any book that he hears
of as suited to his state of mind. But if it is
sound and discriminating, while it enlightens




STRIVINGS OF THE SPIRIT.          53
it also distresses him. He wishes he could be
exempt from worldly cares, that he might give
undivided attention to more important concerns. When he hears of others obtaining a
joyful hope in Christ, he is tempted to have
hard thoughts of God because he finds no relief. But if God intends to bring him to a
saving experience, he will show him the wickedness of all such charges against his Maker
and his Sovereign.  "Be still, and know that
I am God."  "The Lord is greatly to be
feared."
He now finds himself involved in doubt
and darkness.  He knows nothing as he ought
to know it. He longs for a guide, yet through
unbelief rejects the only infallible teacher.
He says, I am brought into darkness, and not
into light; I look for light, but there is none;
I feel after God, but I cannot find him. He
asks the watchman to direct him, but he is
still lost and bewildered.  He finds that his
case is wholly unmanageable by human skill
and efforts.  His heart, which until lately he
regarded as good, he finds to be hard, corrupt,
and stubborn. The cry of the Shunamite's
child was, "My head, my head!" but the
lament of this man is, "My heart, my heart!"




54:         VITAL GODLINESS.
He finds -it so unfeeling that he readily joins
with the poet, and says,
"Of feeling all things show some sign,
But this rebellious heart of mine."
"My heart, how very hard it is,
How heavy here it les;
Heavy and cold within my breast,
Just like a rock of ice."
To remove this hardness, he will bring before
his mind images and denunciations of God's
displeasure against the wicked. But it "shakes
not at the wrath and terrors of a God."'When
he would melt it by tender reflections on God's
love, he finds it still full of revolt; and even
the scenes of Calvary often make it the more
stout and defiant.
A sense of personal vileness may be strong
and painful, and he may cry, "Create in me a
clean heart, 0 God, and renew a right spirit
within me."  Yet oftentimes this prayer seems
to have no heart in it.  He does indeed long
for purity of nature; but perhaps it is only that
he may have something whereof to boast before
God, or some righteousness of his own-to come
before.God with a price in his hand.
The.author of these new views and emotions is the Spirit of God.  These are the
strivings of Him who was promised to convince




STRIVINGS OF THE SPIRIT.         55
the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He is now calling the soul to forsake
sin and turn to God. The fears which tormenti
his soul are the natural result of recent discoveries of God's amazing mercy and holiness,
justice and power, which have all been slighted
and contemned. Though no terrors will change
the heart, yet they may be useful in driving,
the soul out of itself and away from its false
refuges. He who is thus exercised ought to
know that the kingdom of God is come nigh
unto him; that now is his time to turn and live,
while the Spirit strives. Should he withdraw,
all is lost. Without his influences, we can no
more move heavenward than we can sail a ship
without wind.
That God's Spirit may call men to repentance, and be resisted, and take his final departure, is clear. The Scriptures say, "My
Spirit shall not.always strive with man."  Gen.
6 3.  "Ephraim is joined to idols; let him
alone."  Hos. 4:17. The word of God also
gives us cases in which men have been greatly
affected by divine things, and have had awful
and pungent distress, and yet have drawn back
to perdition. In the Old Testament, Saul and
Ahab, in the New, Herod, Simon Magus, Fe



56         VITAL GODLINESS.
lix, and Agrippa, are illustrations of the fearful abandonment of God.  Men thus left to
their own corruptions will inevitably perish.
They will work out their own damnation with
greediness.  One of the greatest points of danger is found in the fact that a man may grieve
away the Spirit without any fixed purpose of
bringing his soul into such guilt.  Obstinate
resistance, continued unbelief, and refusal to
obey the call when given, are often all that is
necessary to quench the heavenly fire within
us, and consign us to the coldness of death.
Hardly any thing is more offensive to God
than an all-absorbing engagedness in worldly
pursuits.  This often causes the Spirit of God
to forsake a man and leave him to the power
of evil.  "If any man love the world, the love
of the Father is not in him."  "They that will
be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and
into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which
drown men in destruction and perdition."
1 John 2:15, and I Tim. 6:9. If a man prefers the present to the future, earth to heaven,
riches that perish to riches which endure to
eternal life, he offers an insult to God of so aggravated a nature as itself to justify God in.
leaving him to himself for ever.




STRIVINGS OF THE SPIRIT.         57
Others indulge in a dangerous levity of
mind.' They are too frivolous to take hold of.
eternal things with any earnestness., To them
solemnity is torment. They might be religious, if they might retain. a light and trifling
state of mind. But they regard the heavy demands made on their sobriety as enormous and
unreasonable. So they lose their souls in a
laugh. They jest and make a mock of awful
things.  They trifle with Scripture.  Even
their prayers do not partake of any profound
awe.
Some men perish through a wild conceit, a
fancy of their own, a whim that they will not
surrender.  On no subject are men so full of
crotchets and quibbles as on religion. They
sport themselves with their own deceivings.
They are often better pleased with a phantom
than with a reality. Error is sweeter than
truth to the carnal mind. If men will prefer
any thing to G-od's word, they must go down
to death.
The angry passions, envy, hatred, malice,
spitefulness, resentment, are all exceedingly
offensive to God's Spirit. Pride and fretfulness are no less his abhorrence.  He who hates
his brother is a murderer. He who will not,
3*




58          VITAL GODLINESS.
forgive shall not be forgiven. The only visible shape in which the Holy Ghost ever descended was that of a dove; and a dove is the
very emblem of peace and gentleness, and flies
from strife and noise and war. Therefore Paul
says, "Grieve not the Holy Spirit of God;"
and adds, "Let all bitterness, and wrath, and
anger, and clamor, and evil-speaking be put
away from you, with all malice; and be ye
kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving
one another, even as God, for Christ's sake,
hath forgiven you."  Eph. 4: 30-32.
Too much company, and even too much
attention to the public means of grace, may be
unfriendly to the continued presence and power
of God's Spirit in the heart.  He loves to allure the soul, and bring her into the wilderness.  In solitude the Spirit often pours his
clearest light into the mind. It has been observed that meetings long protracted often exhaust the energies of the mind, and leave it in
a state of apparent callousness. Bad company
must of course be avoided. It has destroyed
many. It ruild Herod. For his oath's sake,
and for the sake of them that sat at meat with
him, he took the life of the very man whose
ministry had so deeply impressed him.




STRIVINGS OF THE SPIRIT.           59
Sins of the appetite, such as gluttony and
drunkenness, though they be not carried to the
greatest lengths,hhave a brutalizing and hardening effect on the mind.  All sensuality is
followed by-like consequences.  He whose god
is his belly cannot choose the God of heaven
for his portion.  He who-is given to the bottle
may have redness of eyes, but cannot have a
penitent spirit.  A  devotion to the carnal is
closely allied to the pursuit of the devilish.
The sensual easily break all their good resolutions.  They pamper the flesh. They grieve
the Spirit. They yield to temptation, and are
soon plunged into many dreadful sins.
It is to be feared that some allow their religious impressions to run too much in the way
of sentimentalism.  It is possible for men to
weep away all their convictions.  It is natural
for distress to pass away in floods of tears.
The Spirit strives not merely to induce men to
shed some tears, but to lead them to forsake
sinand turn to God.  Till this result is gained,
nothing is effectually accomplished.  To come
short of this, is to resist Him who calls us to a
new life, to new hopes, to salvation.
Others harden themselves in sin by refusing the means of grace.  They will not read




60         VITAL GODLINESS.
and study God's word; they will not pray;
they avoid religious conversation; they conceal
the state of their minds; they are careless or
irregular hearers of the gospel; above all, they
refuse to practise what they already know, and
so they make no progress.  They do nothing
except as they are moved by fears or remorse.
They seem  quite inclined to religion when
pangs are upon them.  They cry, and even
roar under the terrors of God; but they never
frame their doings to please him.  If God
leave such to utter hardness, it will be no
wonder.
Sometimes men seal their doom by resolving to give their chief attention to outward
things and external reformations, neglecting
the religion of the heart.  Some years ago a
wicked man, in great distress about his -soul,
said, "I have made up my mind to amend my
speech, and afterwards to attend to my heart."
It was the signal of his ruin. His seriousness
forsook him.  He lived several years a hardel ed, foul-mouthed man, and then died a violent death. The Scripture rule is, first make
the tree good, and then the fruit shall be good;
purify the fountain, and the stream shall be
sweet.. He whose main desire is to cleanse




STRIVINGS OF THE SPIRIT.          61
the outside of the platter, even if he were successful, might yet die without hope.
Continued unbelief and impenitence, under
any conceivable circumstances, may and must
cause us to be given over to blindness of mind
and hardness of heart. Many whose morals
were blameless, who fully intended to lead a
religious life but never did, who shed many
tears and bore many terrors, have at last
uttered the cry, "The harvest is past, the
summer is ended, and I am not saved."  He
who called them suddenly forsook them. Wicked men are often surprised at finding thelm-'selves deserted by their serious thoughts, and
unmoved by any tender impressions.
Against an issue so fatal there is no protection till one casts himself at the feet of Jesus.
The longer this is deferred, the worse will be
the sinner's state and the more imminent his
peril.  Already sin, like a gangrene, has
spread its roots into every vital part. Unless
there is a sovereign remedy, all is lost. Unless
that remedy be applied, it were as well for
him that it had never been provided.  Whoever is the subject of divine influences is in a
fearfully critical state. To use a figure understood by all, he has come to the forks of the




62         VITAL GODLINESS.
road. The right way is narrow, steep, and
difficult, but it leads to God and glory. The
other leads to death.
Nor does any man know whether a soul
once forsaken of God will ever be called again.
Thousands have succeeded in stifling convictions and shaking off impressions, which proved
to be the last effects of the Spirit's strivings.
There is no more fearful state than that of a
soul meditating the rejection-for what proves
to be the last time-of the blessed Spirit of
God.
As God has no other Son to give for our
salvation if we reject the Lord Jesus, so he
has no other Spirit to send into our hearts and
call us to repentance if we reject the Holy
Ghost. And if any man fails to secure illumination, regeneration, and sanctification by this
divine Agent, those mercies will never be his.
Every good thought, every right affection, and
every holy desire come from him alone.  A
ship may have ten thousand yards of sail
spread out, but that will never carry her into
port unless the wind blows.
Let none forget that the Spirit of God is
most loving and merciful. This is proven by
all Scripture and by all the Spirit's work.




STRIVINGS OF THE SPIRIT.         63
None is more kind, none is more gentle.  A
young lad had been resisting the calls of mercy.
At last he opened the door and admitted the
heavenly Stranger. His soul was so overcome
with a sense of his vileness in so long resisting
such mercy, that he said nothing had ever
seemed to him so wicked, so ungrateful.  He
was right.
Urge all inquirers to make immediate submission to Christ, immediate application to the
Saviour for mercy. Many years ago, a young
man in distress for his soul revealed the state
of his mind to an eminent minister, and then
said, "If I should die to-night, do you think I
should be saved?"  The minister replied, "I
have no sufficient reason for supposing that you
love Christ; and if you do not, then you cannot be saved."   Then," said the young man,
"I will sleep no more this night;" and he went
out and spent the whole night in prayer. As
the day began to break, he returned to the
house where the minister was, rejoicing in
hope of the glory of God, and saying, "I have
found Christ precious to my soul."' Oh that all
Inen were in good earnest in seeking their own
salvation.




64         VITAL GODLINESS.
CH-APTER V.
A SENSE OF WRETCHEDNESS.
A WFITER who flourished more than a thousand years ago reckons up two hundred and
eighty-eight opinions of the ancients respecting
the way of happiness. The fact is that man's
want of happiness results from the most powerful causes-causes not capable of being removed but by an almighty Friend. So long
as man and society remain in themselves what
they are, more or less misery is inevitable.
For wise purposes God denies us any cup of
pure, unmixed pleasure in this life.  Every
generation endures a vast amount of misery.
Poverty, disease, bereavements, commotions,
make many sigh. Many, like Job, are weary
of life. Yet mere suffering, without the grace
of God, is unprofitable. One of the most painful thoughts connected with a sight of the woes
of many is, that present sorrows are but preludes to those which shall be eternal. Most
men mourn their want of health, wealth, honor, or success. How few deplore their uncon



A SENSE OF WRETCHEDNESS,   65
verted  state and  their multiplied  offences.
But here and there one seeks deliverance from
sin, which ought to be felt as the most grievous
of all burdens.  Indeed, how few have any
deep, settled conviction of their own vileness.
While this is so, they will not cry for mercy.
But now and then we find an exception.
At first, indeed, the oppression of the spirit
may not be great; but he who has just views
of the nature of sin, will hardly stop short of
great carefulness in seeking salvation.  A
slight view of ill-desert, united with a conviction of personal depravity, may awaken the
first uneasiness.  But divine grace has a tendency to develop  clear views of spiritua
things; and he who begins with very indistinct views, will find out by degrees great
wonders in himself.  At such a time a man
easily discovers also that this world is a very
unsubstantial good. It is not a saving, but to
one rightly affected it is a profitable lesson,
that all in this world is vanity of vanities.
Men may indeed see the emptiness of earth,
and sink into despair; but.men wholly satisfied with this world will hardly seek a better
country.
Right views of one's real character and




66          VITAL GODLINESS.
standing in God's sight as a sinner must be
more or less painful and mortifying.  So God
says of Ephraim, "I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus: Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised as a bullock
unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and
I shall be turned."  Jer. 31:18.  This bemoaning one's self is the same state of mind
elsewhere described in God's word as a weariness, an oppression of the soul.  God often
subjects those whom he would save to a training and discipline none the less salutary because very grievous. They are made to smart
for their follies. They are sensible that they
are out of the right way.  They are disconsolate, and have no comforter.  Things which
lately attracted them are stripped of their bewitching splendor, andcthe heart is- emptied of
all that once charmed it.  Such will soon be
found writing bitter things against themselves.
Every one thus exercised will say, "I am
more brutish than any man, and have not
the understanding of a man.  I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the
holy."  Prov. 30: 2, 3. A sense of his own
weakness and blindness takes possession of
him. He is not hard to be persuaded that




A SENSE OF WRTETCHEDNESS.    67
others know more than himself. He has learned that so many of his views are erroneous,
that he has lost confidence in his judgments of
religious matters.  Such a discovery is to him
of the highest importance.  Had he remained
in his former self-ignorance, he would have
utterly perished in his own corruptions.
Such things are attended with a perception of his vileness and unworthiness, and like
some of old, he arises in his heaviness and falls
on his knees, and. spreads out his hands unto
the Lord, and says, "O my God, I am ashamed, and blush to lift up my face to thee; for
mine iniquities are increased ovdr my head, and
my trespass is grown up unto the heavens."
Ezra 9: 5, 6. Or he feels as David once did:
"Innumerable evils have compassed me about:
mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so
that I am not able to look up; they are more
than the hairs of my head: therefore my heart
faileth me."- Psa. 40:12. The number of his
sins is so great, that he sees it is quite beyond
his power either to subdue them oi wash them
away. Nor is he mistaken.  Unless God undertakes for him, his undoing is everlasting.
Like the publican, he stands afar off, and does
not so much as lift his eyes to heaven, but




68          VITAL GODLINESS.
smites on his breast, and says, God be merciful to me a sinner.
Nor is it only the number of his sins, but
also the evil nature of sin itself, that deeply
affects him.  He now sees that sin is a horrible evil, a deadly poison, a desperate malignity, an incurable wound, a foul leprosy. In
this state he will be sensible of his want ol
proper feelings towards God.' His efforts to
work himself up to a proper regard for his
Maker are entire failures.  His heart refuses
to do any thing which his conscience declares
obligatory.  He finds his affections all disordered.  He can love his friends, his family,
his country; but he is amazed to finid that he
cannot love God.  His heart is an iceberg for
coldness, an adamant for hardness, a cage of
unclean birds for vileness.  Sometimes his
affections seem somewhat enkindled, but they
do not go forth to his satisfaction.  When he
weeps, it is soon over.  His tears seem not to
flow from a penitent spirit.
Frequently his external circumstances perplex him.  Every thing goes wrong.  His attention is distracted by various calls. Every
thing seems to conspire against him.  To release himself is impossible.  To obtain help




A SENSE OF WRETCHEDNESS.    69
from God is his wish, but he knows not how
to find him.  In reading the Scriptures he
finds difficulties. Some things are hard to be
understood. Others, though plain, are in his
view  stern and severe.  Against some his
heart stoutly rebels.  Although this alarms
him, yet his efforts at repressing such wicked
thoughts are quite unsuccessful.  Things forbidden in God's law he lusts after. For many
things sinful- he finds in himself a longing,
which seems to himself both strange and unnatural.  Divine prohibitions seem  only to
inflame his unholy desires.  Things colmmanded he has no heart for. The mbre he tries to
control his desires, the more they torment him.
The law commands; but his nature, in spite of
him, leads him  into disobedience.  Temptations are strong, and he is weak.  He is a
helpless captive. All his efforts are in vain.
His prayers seem  to him  a mockery.  His
strength is weakness.
Now his soul is "like the troubled sea,
when it cannot rbst, whose waters cast up mire
and dirt."  He has no might to do good.  He
cannot still the agitations of his own bosom.
To peace he is a stranger.  He remembers
God, and is troubled.  He has no access to




70          VITAL GODLINESS.
the Father of spirits.  He says, "Oh that I
knew where I might find him; I would come
nigh to his seat; I would order my cause before him; I would fill my mouth with arguments."  He pleads for mercy and pity.  His
moisture is turned into the drought of summer.
His bones wax old through his roaring all the
day long. Day and night God's hand is heavy
upon him.  He forgets to take bread.  His
appetite fails him. His sleep is short and disturbed. God holds his eyes waking. At midnight he is sometimes heard sighing, or found
weeping.  Or "dry sorrow is drinking up his
blood."  His spirits and energies begin to fail.
He mourns sore like the dove, and chatters
like the swallow.  He greatly fears that he is
about to perish in his sins.  In real distress he
says, What shall I do? What shall I do to be'
saved?
"I die with hunger here, he cries;
I starve in foreign lands."
It seems to him that none pities his case, and
that God has forgotten to begracious. Yet he
chides himself for such unbelief. His impression is that his own heart defers the relief he
needs.




A SENSE OF WRETCHEDNESS.'1
"Oh, who can tell what clays.what nights he spends
Of tideless, waveless, sailless, shoreless woe!
When thus he lies,
Forlorn of heart, withered- and desolate
As leaf of autumn, which the wolfish winds
Selecting from its falling sisters, chase
Far from its native grove, to lifeless wastes,
And leave it there alone, to be forgotten eternally."
To one in this sad state the cheerfulness of
God's people but brings increase of wretchedness.  And the thoughtlessness of the wicked
but reminds him  of the heathenish or brutish
character of his former life. To exhort him to
embrace the offered grace of God but dejects
him.  He says,
"The promise meets my eye,
But does not reach my case."
Sometimes it seems to him  that he must
give up all as lost for ever; but something
holds him back from utter despair.  He is led
and upheld by  an invisible hand.   One, of
whom he has yet no saving knowledge, is dealing with his soul, and will not let him go. Yet
he sees no use in all his pains and-efforts, for
every struggle seems to sink him the deeper
in sin and misery.  He wishes his load of sin
were gone, but it presses harder and harder.
He is weary of his way, weary of heartless
efforts, weary of his own want of stability,




72         VITAL GODLINESS.
weary of his burdens, and sometimes almost
weary of existence.
Now if any one is in such a case as this,
let him turn his longing eyes to the Lamb of
God, who taketh away the sin of the world.
Let him look to Jesus, the author and finisher
of faith, the author of eternal redemption,- the
only physician who can do a sinner good. Let
sinners come to him. Come and welcome, ye
perishing. Hospitals are designed for the sick,
the lane, the mangled, the homeless. Water
is for the thirsty, bread for the hungry, and a
couch for the weary. Jesus Christ is the very
Saviour man needs, and he is exactly suited to
our wants. He is chosen of God, and precious.
He was set forth to be the -propitiation for our
sins. He is the one Mediator between God
and man. To him all the condemned and dying should resort. His mission into this world
was that he might seek and save that which
was lost. To that end he lived; to that end he
died; to that end he rose again; to that end he
intercedes above; to that end he sends the
Spirit of all grace to convince the world of sin,
of righteousness, and of judgment. Should the
Lord Jesus fail to save sinhers, he would lose
his reward; his sufferings would be without




A SENSE OF WR.ETCHEDNESS.    73
fruit; nothing would be left him but the shame,
the spitting, the cross, the spear, the crown of
thorns, and the total failure of the hope that
was set before him, when he endured the cross,
despising the shame.
WHAT IS IT TO COME TO CHRIST?
What is faith in him? How does one feel
when he lays hold of the Saviour?
"Justifying faith is a saving grace wrought
in the heart of a sinner by the Spirit and word
of God, whereby he, being convinced of his
sin and misery, and of the disability in himself
and all other creatures to recover him out of
his lost condition, not only assenteth to the
truth of the promise of the gospel, but receiveth and resteth upon Christ and his righteousness, therein held forth, for pardon of sin and
for the accepting and accounting of his person
righteous in the sight of God for salvation."
As a definition, this is full and clear. True
saving faith receives Christ, and rests on him
to the exclusion of all other ground of confidence in the matter of salvation.
It may aid some minds to have this truth
illustrated by several figures drawn from Scripture.
Vital Godlines.    4




74          VITAL GODLINESS.
A soul under a sense of its lost condition
may be compared to the dove which Noah sent
out of the ark. It feels itself unhoused, unsheltered, unsupported.  It wanders up and
down, sometimes thinking it sees before it a
spot where it may rest, but on trial its expectations are disappointed. At length, wearied almost beyond endurance, its false hopes
all disappointed, its energies enfeebled, its
spirit humbled, it resolves on seeking the ark.
It seeks and finds it; and to its great joy the
spiritual Noah puts forth his hand and takes it
in.  Then for weariness it finds rest, for a
waste of troubled waters a sure abode, and
for howling tempests settled quiet.
Or suppose one out in a vast desert. He
sees a little cloud rising. At first it gives him
no apprehensions. But it continues to spread
and to blacken.  It mutters heavy thunders;
it shoots out its forked lightnings; it seems
exceedingly angry, and wraps up every thing
in gloom. Every minute makes it more and
more manifest that exposure to its peltings
will be distressing antl dangerous. The weary
traveller looks around'for shelter. Sometimes
he thinks he descries a place of protection.
He tries it, but finds it will answer no good




A SENSE OF WRETCHEDNESS.    75
purpose.  He tries another and another; but
they are all insufficient.  Meanwhile his apprehensions of danger increase.  The storm
seems ready to rend every thing in its fury.
Now his eye is -directed to a shelter that is
near him. It seems inviting.  It is capacious.
In it is room for all that will come.  It is not
hedged about nor barred.  Jesus says, "Behold, I have set.before thee an open door."  It
is just such a refuge as he needs.  Just as he
supposes the storm is about to pour its fury
upon him, he runs into this shelter and is safe.
This newly discovered refuge is Christ. Thus
" a man "-the divine man Christ Jesus —" shall
be as a hiding-place from  the wind, and a
covert from the tempest, as rivers of water in
a dry place, as the shadow of a great rock in
a weary-land." Isa. 32: 2. The man sees this
place, and wonders. that he saw it no sooner.
It is so near, and so accessible.  "Say not in
thy heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? that
is, to bring Christ down from above; or who
shall descend into the deep? that is, to bring
up Christ again from  the dead.  But what
saith it?  The word is nigh thee, even in thy
mouth and in thy heart; that is, the word of
faith which we preach: that if thou shalt con



76         VITAL GODLINESS.
fess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt
believe in thy heart that God raised him from
the dead, thou shalt be saved." Rom. 10: 6-9
But the soul thus affected has many difficulties.
The author of "Quiet Thoughts, for Quiet
Hours. gives the following questions and answers respecting one in the state just described:
"How shall I come to God, for I am a sinful creature?
"Jesus said,'I am the way; no man cometh unto the Father but by me.' John 14: 6.
"But how can I feel sure that Jesus will
receive me?
"'Him that cometh to me I will in no wise
cast out.' John 6: 37.
"I have nothing that I can bring to him.
"'I will give unto him that is athirst of the
fountain of the water of life freely.'  Rev.
21: 6.
"But should I not first endeavor to purify
my soul from sin?
"'Who can bring a clean thing out of an
unclean? not one.' Job 14:4.' Without me
ye can do nothing.' John 15: 5.
"How then shall I come?
"'By a new and living way, which he hath




A SENSE OF WRETCHEDNESS.   77
consecrated for us through the vail, that is to
say, his flesh.' Heb. 10:20.
"Is God sure to receive me? Can he love
me?
"'I will receive you, and will be a Father
unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.' 2 Cor. 6: 18.
"What should be the object of my life?
"'Ye are bought with a price; therefore
glorify God in your body, and in your spirit,
which are God's.' I Cor. 6: 20.
"Can my unimportant actions in any way
glorify the everlasting God?
"'Herein is my Father glorified, that ye
bear much fruit.' John 15: 8.
"What do you mean by fruit?
"The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.' Gal. 5:22, 23.
"Does God then take notice of my daily
conduct?
"'I know the things that come into your
mind, every one of them.' Ezek. 11: 5.'He
that planted the ear, shall he not hear? He
that formed the eye, shall he not see?  He
that teacheth man knowledge, shall he not
know?' Psa. 44: 10.




78         VITAL GODLINESS.
"I am very ignorant; who shall instruct me?
"'Search the Scriptures.'  John 5: 39.'The holy Scriptures, which are able to make
thee wise unto -salvation, through faith which
is in Christ Jesus.' 2 Tim. 3: 15.
"But I have so many evil habits to combat; what shall I do?
"'Gird up the loins of'your mind.' 1 Pet.
1:13.'Fight the good fight of faith.' 1 Tim.
5: 12.'For he hath said, I will never leave
thee, nor forsake thee.' Heb. 13: 5.
"But there are trials and temptations in
my way which others have not.
"'There hath no temptation taken you but
such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above
that ye are able; but will with the temptation
also make a way to escape, that ye may be able
to bear it.'  1 oor. 10:13.
"I wish I had some friend who could understand all the trials of my spirit.
"' We have not a High-priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we
are, yet without sin.' Heb. 4: 15.
"It is my desire to walk uprightly, but I
feel I have no strength.




A SENSE OF WRETCHEDNESS.    79
"'He giveth power to the faint, and to them
that have no might he increaseth strength.'
Isa. 40:29.
"May I go and ask him, then?
"'If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask
of God, that giveth to all men liberally and
upbraideth not, and it shall be given him.'
Jas. 1:5.
"How will God give me wisdom?
"'I will put my Spirit within you, and
cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall
keep my judgments and do them.'  Ezek.
36:27.
"When trouble comes, what shall I do?
"'Call upon me in the day of trouble: I
will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me.'
Psa. 51:15.
"Need I not fear the hour of death?
"'When thou passest through the waters I
will be with thee.' Isa. 40: 2.
"Nor the day of judgment?
"'Who shall lay any thing to the charge
of God's elect? It is God that justifieth. Who
is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died.'
Rom. 8:33, 34.
"Oh, I will cast in my lot with God's people, for they only are happy.




80         VITAL GODLINESS.
"'We are journeying unto the place of
which the Lord said, I will give it you; come
thou with us, and we will do thee good.'
Num. 10:29.
"'The Lord bless thee, and keep thee; the
Lord make his face shine upon thee, and be
gracious unto thee; the Lord lift up his countenance.upon thee, and give thee peace.' Num.
6: 24-26."
Truly it is kind to invite men to Christ.
Let them  come boldly, in the confidence of
faith, at once, without delay. Well and wisely did Paul desire that he might "be found in
Christ, not having his own righteousness, which
is of the law, but that which is through the
faith'of Christ, the righteousness which is of
God by faith."  Phil. 3: 9. Only thus can the
soul be set at liberty.
If you will come to Christ you shall have
rest-rest to your souls, however weary, however burdened-a holy rest from the servitude
of sin and Satan-a rest from tormenting fears,
from corroding cares, from an accusing conscience. The unholy quietness of unrenewed
nature is but the precursor of wrath, as an unusual stillness precedes the earthquake. But




A SENSE OF WRETCHEDNESS.   81
the rest of the soul in Christ is like that of the
Israelites when, after their long journeyings
and wars and troubles, they were enfeoffed and
settled in Canaan.
Vespasian the Roman emperor gave a
great reward to a person who came and professed a great love for him. Come to Christ,
thus proving that you love him, and he will
give you blessings whose value can never be
adequately estimated by a finite mind. He
will receive you.  "Him that cometh unto me
I will in no wise cast out."  He will give you
an indisputable title to imperishable glory.
Let no one hesitate what choice to make.
No man can afford to sustain the loss of his
soul, the loss of the divine favor, the loss of
the smiles of Christ. Men must be saved in
him, or they will be ruined for ever.
You can but die if you come to Christ, and
you must die if you do not come. Every man
is naturally like the four leprous men spoken
of in 2 Kings 7: 3-11. Let him but arise and
go trustfully to Christ, and all will be well.




82         VITAL GODLINESS.
CHAPTER  VI.
CONVICTION- CONVERSION.
ATTENTION has been directed to the earlier
stages of religious concern-the first thoughts,
purposes, temptations, failures, relentings, burdens, sorrows, and struggles of a soul in its attempts to flee from the wrath of God. It may
be proper here to make a few general remarks,
explanatory of what is often the state of a sinner's mind immediately before conversion.
He discovers that the Bible is a revealer
of the secrets of his soul, a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of his heart. He is ready
to say, Come see a book which hath told me
all things that ever I did. At such times God's
word is as a glass, in which a man beholds his
natural face. It reflects his image, and shows
him his sad deficiencies and his great deformity. He finds his heart to be exceedingly depraved.'He is convinced that the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart are only evil
continually.  In this state of mind David compared his pains to "broken bones."  If you
have ever had a broken bone, you may have




CONVICTION-CONVERSION.    83
an idea of his meaning.. Thoughts of it occupy the mind day and night. For a moment
company may seem to create a diversion of the
thoughts, but soon they revert to the fractured
limb.  Such a one awaking at a dead hour of
the night, immediately thinks of the injured
part. All attempts to shake off reflection concerning it are fruitless. In another place David says, "My sin is ever before me."  His
mind dwelt upon his transgressions.  Like a
vast army of men, they were continually passing in solemn review. In this state of mind,
one feels that God has a right to have mercy
on whom he will have mercy, and to have com-.passion on whom  he will have compassion.
Whatever may be his theory on the subject,
his heartfelt conviction is, that without wrong
to him, God may withhold all the blessings of
salvation.  Yea, he feels that God would be
justified in condemning him for ever, and be
clear in driving him to outer darkness.  He
says,
"Should sudden vengeance seize my breath,
I must pronounce thee just in death:
And if my soul were sent to hell,
Thy righteous law approves it well."
Sometimes one in this state is greatly annoyed with wicked and even blasphemous




84         VITAL GODLINESS.
thoughts. The object of the tempter seems
to be, to banish all hope of reconciliation with
God. It sometimes happens to such a soul as
to that young man of whom we read, "And
as he was yet a coming, the devil threw him
down and tare him." Luke 9 42. When his
prey is about to be taken from him, the old
lion is greatly enraged. He cannot bear to
witness the escape of a single soul.
One thus exercised will discover that the
belief which he has hitherto had of the Bible
is unavailing. It has been merely historical,
cold, and powerless. Or it has been the faith
of devils, and has merely filled his soul with
terrors. He. now feels the need of a faith which
is "of the operation of God."  And even in
the surrender which he is about to make, there
is so much timidity and such a sense of unworthiness, that commonly the most he can say is,
"Lord, I believe;. help thou mine unbelief."
Boldness in coming to the throne of grace is
seldom enjoyed even by young converts.
One who has advanced thus far will probably be more than ever beset by the evil one.
The Hebrews never fared so hard as just before they left Egypt; and never were so hated
as after they began to march towards Canaan.




CONVICTION-CONVERSION.    85
He is sadly disappointed that the measures he
has adopted for relief have but sunk him the
deeper in misery. Like that woman in the
gospel, he has spent all his substance on physicians, and is no better, but worse. Prayer,
hearing the word, reading, conversation, and
resolutions have all been found ineffectual, and
even worse; they have brought more wrath on
the soul, because of the sin attending them.
In this state one might adopt the language
of the psalmist: "My soul is full of troubles...
I am as a man that hath no strength...  Thou
hast laid me in the lowest pit, in darkness, in
the deep. Thy wrath lieth hard upon me, and
thou hast afflicted me with all thy waves...,
I am  shut up, and I cannot come forth..,
Mine eye mourneth by reason of affliction.
Lord, why castest thou off my soul?  Why
hidest thou thy face from me?  Thy terrors
have cut me off." Psa. 88. HIe feels that God
must help him, or he must die in his sins.
Like Peter sinking, he says, "Lord, save me."
Or like Hezekiah he exclaims, "Mine eyes
fail with looking upward.  O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me." Isa. 38: 14.
Such a man will grieve because he cannot
grieve, and mourn because he cannot mourn,




86          VITAL GODLINESS.
and weep because he cannot weep.  He is
astonished at his guilt and at his hardness of
heart. He is convinced that an entire change
of heart is in his case necessary te happiness
here and hereafter. He also sees that if he
shall ever be saved, it must be by an act of
free, rich, sovereign grace.  His boasted ability is found to be nothing. His strength is
weakness.  His merits are now  not named.
He feels that he deserves no good thing. His
righteousnesses are as filthy rags. He is ready
to come before the Lord with the language of
self-condemnation.  He feels like Benhadad's
servants, when they put sackcloth on their
loins and ropes upon their heads, and went to
the king of Israel, thus confessing that their
lives were in his hands and at his mercy.
1 Kings 20: 31.
This state of mind is conviction, which involves always a sense of five things: sinfulness, guilt, ignorance, helplessness, and misery.
This conviction is of course not alike pungent
in all cases; nor is it necessarily accompanied with extreme agitations or terrors; but
it is a clear view of one's state as demanding
the remedy provided in the gospel.  If the
work of conviction should proceed, and hope




CONvICTION-CONVERlSION.    87
never come to the relief of the soul, the result
would be the impenetrable gloom of despair,
as in the case of the damned. Let a man see
his lost estate, and not see the Saviour as he is
freely offered, and he will be a desperado in
the government of God. Often the sinner desires that his convictions may proceed, because
he looks upon them as punishments for sinas punishments richly deserved. If he had his
way, he would not even now come to Christ.
If he could weep and mourn and grieve and
be melted as he wishes, he would be satisfied
without any other atonement than that which
he could thus make. At least, he would seek
no other. In all his dealings with him, God's
plan is to shut him up to the faith of Christ;
that through the law he may be dead to the
law, that he may be married to Christ.
Ask such a one if he thinks he is under
conviction, and he will probably reply in the
negative. His views on that subject are very
vague and erroneous. Indeed, he has no distinct idea of what conviction is, except that he
believes it is a step towards salvation. He
thinks he has no such feeling as in anywise
prepares him for a change. It seems to him
that he is losing instead of gaining ground.




88          VITAL GODLINESS.
The nearer he approaches to salvation, the further does he seem from it.  The darkest hour
is just before day.  It was midnight when Pharaoh dismissed Israel.  Exod. 12:.30, 31.  In
his Almost Christian, Meade' gives a salutary
warning: "Never rest in convictions till they
end in conversion. This is that wherein'most
men miscarry; they rest in their convictions,
and take them  for conversion, as if sin seen
were therefore sin forgiven; or as if a sight of
the want of grace were the truth of the work
of grace.'  Conviction, however deep or distressing, is not saving.  This brings us to consider
CONVERSION.
On this subject, let a few things be premised.
1. All conversions are not alike in their
circumstances, though they produce like results. They lead to the forsaking of sin, to
the acceptance of Christ, to holiness of life,
and finally to glory.  But the steps by which
this is done are various.  Some conversions
are extraordinary, as that of the thief on the
cross and that of Saul of Tarsus.  Even in
ordinary conversions there is a great variety.
Some are sudden, some are gradual, some are




CONVICTION-CONVERSION.    89
preceded by many terrors, some are marked
by extraordinary views of the tenderness of
God. No one therefore will here expect an
account of the peculiar exercises of any one
person, but rather such statements as may suit
most cases of ordinary experience.
2. Nor will the reader expect an account
of the manner in which the Spirit of God operates on the heart. No man has this information. Of course an attempt to give it is presumptuous. Solomon says, "Thou knowest not
the way of the Spirit." Eccl. 11:5. Paul says,
"What man knoweth the things of a man, save
the spirit of man which is in him? even so the
things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit
of God."  1 Cor. 2:11. God has not informed
us how he operates in any matter; but his
methods of proceeding are wisely and necessarily concealed from human ken. So our Saviour clearly taught, John 3: 8.
3. If what has been said be true, then in
speaking on the subject of conversion, the greatest modesty becomes us, lest we should hastily
lay down principles' which might on the one
hand discourage some of the true children of
God, or on the other, encourage false hopes in
those who are aliens from the commonwealth




90          VITAL GODLINESS.
of Israel.  To guard against both these extremes is no easy task.  Many ignorant persons are forward in such matters.  But let us
distrust ourselves where we have not a "Thus
saith the Lord" to guide us.  Let no man lay
down any thing as essential, unless in his word
God has made it so.
4. It is not uncommon for one to think,
that if he shall obtain relief, it will be in some
particular manner, such as he has devised in
his own mind, or heard of in the case of others.
One under conviction is ready to fall into superstitious imaginings.  But when the Lord
intends to grant deliverance, he will save from
fatal delusions.  Naaman had a plan of being
cured of leprosy; but his was not God's plan.
Conversion is always different from the conjectures of a carnal heart. It is well it is so.
The Scriptures fairly teach us so. Isa. 42:16.
When the soul is duly humbled in its own
eyes-when it has renounced self-will and selfrighteousness, and despaired of helping itself,
and God's Spirit is savingly at work, some
glimpses of Christ are afforded. The soul has
a desire to lay hold on him, but unbelief is too
strong for reason or for conviction'to cure.
The soul now sees, approves, and accepts some




CONVICTION-CONVERSION.             91
of the truths of the gospel in a way it never
did before. It gets some glimpses of Him who
is the way, the truth, and the life.  The clouds
begin to break, and a star of hope appears;
"It is the Spirit's rising beam."
As the natural sun does not from midnight
darkness in a moment burst upon the world,
so in most cases the Sun of righteousness rises
gradually upon the soul.  "His going forth is
prepared as the morning."  At first, he who
has been sore troubled is comforted by his new
discoveries. Hope begins to gild his path, and
he is for a time relieved of a great burden.
But often this state of mind does not last long,
and he begins to fear that his deep impressions
are leaving him.  He is alarmed to find himself becoming cheerful. He tries to recover
his painful feelings, but often fails.  Sometimes
he has his wish, and then his soul drinks in the
wormwood.  He then cries anew to the Lord
for mercy, and the light of God's countenance
begins to shine upon him more fully and clearly.
He may soon be more than ever at a loss respecting the work of grace within him. He
cannot be sad as he was, because the Lord is
making him joyful.  He is afraid to rejoice,
except with trembling, for his soul has not for



92         VITAL GODLINESS.
gotten his late experience. An interruption of
the pleasantview of divine things he had enjoyed awakens great desires for its return.
But, to regain lost comforts is not always easy.
Once gone, the soul fears lest it has offended
God by not ilore highly prizing them. But
when the light returns, it is commonly with
increased brightness.  Thus light and darkness often alternate, until at length the soul is
brought to a more settled peace. Fears no
longer prevail.  Hope is in the ascendant.
The soul sees salvation flowing from the cross
of Christ, and begins to apprehend the spiritual
import of such phrases as, "through Christ,"
"in Christ Jesus," "by Jesus Christ,. "in the
name of Christ."  The plan of redemption now
delights him, though his views are very imperfect; yet he wishes no other prophet, priest,
or king than the Lord Jesus.  He rests upon
him alone for salvation.  He trusts the whole
weight of his soul on Him who bled and died
on Calvary.
Were you to ask him whether he supposed
he was converted, he would probably say, No.
Yet he thinks he is getting into the right way.
Or perhaps he would say, "I do not know
whether I am converted or not; but one thing




CONVICTION  CONYERSION.    93
I know, that whereas I was blind,. now I see.
Behold, all things are become new."  He looks
on time and eternity, sin and holiness, truth
and error, the Bible, the Saviour, the pious,
the world, life and death, things present and
things to come, in a new light. In particular,
he is pleased with the fulnesg, freeness, power,
kindness, and glory of Christ.  He loves and
admires the Saviour for what he is, for what
he was, for what he shall be, for what he has
done, for what he is doing, and for what he
shall yet do to save perishing men.  He loves
what Christ loves, and hates what Christ hates.
He can look back a short time, when such and
such portions of Scripture were brought home
to his soul with power and sweetness.  He is
greatly surprised and mortified at a review of
his past life.  He wonders with unutterable
wonder how he could have remained in sin so
long.  And then he weeps tears of joy and
gratitude that He who made him has had mercy
on him.
The peace now found is solely in the merit
of Christ.  The soul wholly rejects all thoughts
of salvation by another. The gospel way is so
honorable to God and'so safe for the sinnerit so perfectly satisfies the demands of the law




94         VITAL GODLINESS.
for a perfect satisfaction and a perfect righteousness, that the most enlightened sinner says,
Here I end my quest; I need no other Saviour; now by faith I enter into rest.
In the same way the soul obtains purity.
God has inseparably united pardon and purity,
justification and sanctification. No man is freed
from God's displeasure without being cleansed
in his own nature also.  Only this difference
should be noted: pardon and acceptance are
perfect at. once; purification is gradual and
progressive.
When the soul is thus sheltered in Christ,
how pleasant it is to consider that this is of old
the hiding-place of the penitent; that on this
refuge, two thousand years ago, beat the awful tempest of God's wrath; but even at the
height of the storm, the dying thief here found
shelter and salvation. The soul that is thus in
Christ cannot perish. It was weary and heavyladen; it has now found rest.  It was exposed
and doomed; it is shielded and saved.
Such a soul would gladly recommend Christ
to others. He wishes that all might know him
and find refuge in him.  His spirit is tender
and benevolent.  "When the Holy Ghost descended upon the Son of God, he borrowed not




CONVICTION-CONVERSION.    95
the semblance of a bird of prey, but of the
mourning and tender dove."  And when he
now descends to "stamp his image on the heart,
the impression which he leaves is not that of
fierceness or bitterness, but of gentleness, tenderness, and good will to all men."  To.such
the Sanctifier becomes the Comforter.  "As
the dove conveyed to Noah's ark the intelligence of the subsiding of the waters, so will
the heavenly Dove convey to the soul the glad
tidings that the tempest of eternal wrath no
longer sweeps over her path."  Every soul
that comes to Christ receives the earnest of
the Spirit.  Terror has given way to heavenly peace; fear has yielded to hope; distress
has been succeeded by tranquillity; darkness
has fled before the brightness of the rising of
the Sun of righteousness.
As to the question whether a man knows
the time of his conversion, it may be stated
that some have known it. The thief on the
cross, Zaccheus, the jailer, Paul, and the three
thousand converted on the day of Pentecost,
evidently knew the time of their great change.
So in modern times men may be able to point
out the day of the happy saving change. If
so, very well. But it should be observed, that




96         VITAL GODLINESS.
many who think they know the time are mistaken. This is true of those boasting hypocrites who never were converted at all, as their
wicked lives show. It is also true that many
humble, diffident persons had met with a saving change long before they ceased to write
bitter things against themselves, or ventured
to cherish the hope that they had already
passed from death unto life.
Let not any who know not the time of their
conversion be cast down, if they now have
evidence that they do truly love the Lord Jesus, if they now keep his commandments. It
is nowhere said in the Bible, ye must know the
time of your conversion; but it is said, Ye must
be born again. The change, not the time of
its occurrence, is the essential thing. If we
pass from death unto. life by the power of God's
Spirit, it cannot endanger our salvation to be
in doubt or in ignorance of the time when that
happy event occurred.
Again, one must judge of his own state by
the fruit he bears; and fruit that is ripe in an
hour will perhaps be rotten as soon. A godly
life is the infallible evidence of conversion.
When our fruit is. unto holiness, we know that
the end shall be everlasting life. Every one




CONVICTION-CONVERSION.    97
who hopes-tlhat he is converted to God should
examine himself and prove his own work, and
then he shall have rejoicing in himself alone,
and not in another. In judging of piety, there
is no substitute for a holy life. The great
peculiarity of God's people is that they are
"zealous of good works."  In spring many a
atee is covered with beautiful blossoms, which
are not in autumn followed by any good fruit.
We are Christ's disciples if we do whatsoever
he commands us. We are the servants of the
wicked one if we do the works of the flesh.
We may boast of discoveries, of raptures, and
ecstacies, but all is in vain if a consistent life
be not the result.'So that many who say that
they know the time and place of their conversion are unquestionably deceived.
Whether a man knows the fact of his conversion is a matter that admits of similar remarks. If any knows that he is converted, let
him be humble, not proud. If God has favored himf with unusually bright evidences, let
him not despise his brethren who are in painful doubt about their state.  Humility is an
excellent virtue. There.is indeed a sense in
which a man cannot be converted without
knowing it: namely, he cannot undergo any
Vital Godliness.  5




98          VITAL GODLINESS.
change in his views and affections without being conscious of the exercises and emotions of
his mind and heart thus changed.  But surely
one may have the exercises of a new-born soul
without knowing that these are the exercises
of a renewed nature.  The miser knows what
passes in his own mind, but he does not know
these things prove him  a wretch. The self-.
conceited man is conscious of all his mental
exercises, but is far from  seeing that they
mark him out as a poor weak creature.  So
the convert cannot know that his views and
feelings prove him a child of God until he' is
correctly informed by the Bible what constitutes piety. So that a man must first search
the Scriptures to see what they require to
prove piety, and then search himself to see
whether he has what'is thus required by God's
word. The result of such examination may be
satisfactory.  If so, a good foundation is laid
for permanent peace of mind.
In corrbboration of this view, it may be
stated that with cautious minds nothing is
harder than to believe as one wishes.  With
what difficulty did the disciples believe that
Christ was risen from the dead.  Luke 24:41.
How often do we hear the saying, The news is




CONVICTION —CONVERSION.    99
too good to be believed. It was so with the
Jews released from Babylon: "When the Lord
turned again the captivity of Zion, we were
like them that dream."  Psa. 126:1. Should
any say, Is it possible for one to have his chains
taken off, the prison doors opened, himself
brought out and set free, and he not know it?
the answer is, Yes. This may be done literally.and corporeally. Peter was sleeping in
prison between two soldiers, and bound with
two chains, when the angel of the Lord smote
him on the side and awaked him. His chains
then felli off, and he girded himself, and put on
his sandals, and cast his garment about him,
and followed the angel, as he was bid to do.
And yet Peter "wist not that it was true which
was done by the angel; but thought he saw a
vision."  Nor did he come to himself, nor was
he satisfied of his deliverance until they were
past the first and second ward, until they had
passed the iron gate which led unto the city,
and which opened to them of its own accord,
and until they had passed through one street,
and the angel had departed from him. Acts
12:6-11. Here we have a man going through
the entire process of being awaked out of sleep,
of hearing the angel's words, of dropping his




100        VITA.L GODLINESS.
chains, of girding himself, of putting on his
sandals, of throwing his garment about him,
and following the angel, and yet doubting the
reality of the whole matter. The release was
so marvellous that he-could not believe it true.
Much more then may a soul be brought out of
its prison-house, have the chains of its terrible
condemnation removed, come out of darkness
into the marvellolls light of the gospel, and yet
doubt whether the change is not an illusion, a
phantom, a dream. He says, "But yesterday
I was a wretched outcast, a child of wrath,
forlorn and guilty.  Can I now be a child of
God, an heir of glory, with my sins all pardoned, and myself accepted and regenerated?
It cannot be so. The thought is too pleasant
to be indulged." He who is truly enlightened
and converted has had his eyes opened to see
the exceeding excellence and importance of
divine things, and if he is to be assured of his
interest in them, he must have solid grounds
of hope.
If any ask for the infallible signs of a saving change, a sound conversion, we must again
refer them to a godly life. But there are some
very strong points in which a genuine conversion is always distinguished from a spurious




CONVICTION —CONVERSION.   101
change. Guthrie notices-three particulars in
which all are deficient unless they are real
Christians:
"1. They are not broken in their hearts,
and emptied of their righteousness.
"2. They never took up Christ Jesus as
the only treasure and jewel that can enrich
and should satisfy, and therefore have never
cordially agreed' to God's device in the covenant, and so are not worthy of him, neither
has the kingdom of God savingly entered into
their heart:'The kingdom of heaven is like
unto a treasure hid in the field; the which
when a man hath found, he hideth, and for
joy thereof selleth all that he hath, and buyeth
that field.'
"3. They never in earnest closed with
Christ's whole yoke without exception, judging all his will just and good, holy and spiritual, and therefore no rest followed on them by
Christ:'Take my yoke upon you, and ye shall
find rest unto your souls.' "
If any thing else needs to be added, it is
that the self-deceived are as much like Christians at the first as at the last. They do not
grow in grace, for they have none. They may
increase in outward inanifestations and profes



102        VITAL GODLINESS.
sions, but never in a godlike temper.  "True
grace is a growing principle."
Where conversion is genuine, it will prove
itself more and more. Especially do the Scriptures insist much on the possession of a childlike temper and disposition. Thus a little child
is humble. The child of the king and of the beggar, left to themselves, would meet on the same
level and freely mingle together. So the true
convert has such a sense of his own vileness
that he readily esteems others better than himself. A proud Christian is a contradiction.
In like manner he is meek. So far as he
is like Christ, he is not' disposed to strive, or
cry, or lift up, or cause his voice to be heard
in the streets.  He is not boisterous nor clamorous nor contentious.  To this his previous
training has brought him. God has dealt with
him as he has, that he may remember and be
confounded, and never open his mouth any
more because of his shame, when the Lord is
pacified towards him for all that he has done.
His soul is even as a weaned child. Ezekiel
16: 23; Psa. 131:2.
So also a child is teachable. It is not inflated with self-conceit.  It claims not to be
wise in things it knows nothing of, but sits at




CONVICTION-CONVERSION.    103
the feet of teachers and learns its lessons.  So
the true convert sits at the feet of Jesus and
learns from  him the lessons of heavenly wisdom.  God's word binds his conscience, but
he calls no man master.  None is more free
from drinking in notions and forming opinions
without good cause, but on the veracity of God
he rests with entire confidence.
In the same spirit a child looks to its parent for protection, for food and raiment, and
for comfort in distress. So the child of God
casts his care upon an almighty arm, hides
himself under the shadow of the Lord's wings,
and trusts him for all. He calls upon the Lord.
"Behold, he prayeth." It is not more natural
for a living child to breathe than it is for a living Christian to pray.
Little children must also obey their father.
So all true converts sincerely and heartily do
the will of God. Neither fancy nor pleasure
nor habit nor convenience nor ease nor public opinion, but God's known will must be our
guide. After conversion it is our guide. Every true convert says, "Lord, what wilt thou
have me to do.?"
"Faith must obey her Father's will,
As well as trust his word."




104        VITAL GODLINESS.
He who has met with such a change shall
not perish, but shall enter into the kingdom ot
heaven. No power in heaven will hinder him,
and no power in earth or in hell can hinder
him in achieving a final victory. Speaking of
such, Paul says, "I am persuaded that neither
death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, nor things to
come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other
creature, shall be able to separate us from the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our
Lord."  Rom. 8: 38, 39.
The change thus described is essential to
salvation. Unless we are turned from sin to
holiness, iniquity will be our ruin. We are
naturally sunk down into sin; yet "without
holiness no man shall see the Lord." It is only
by a sound conversion that we acquire any
genuine Christian virtue. This is a very solemn and weighty truth. It should alarm the
wicked. It should make all men diligent in
working out their salvation with fear and trembling.  He who is to be the final Judge of
quick and dead has said, "Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye cannot enter into the kiingdom of heaven."  Here
is something declared to be absolutely neces



CONVICTION- CONVERSION.   105
sary.  Less wealth, less public honor, less
pleasure, less -health than men now possess
may fall to their lot, and yet they attain to
the highest end of existence. A dying man
called his son to him, and said, "Hold your
finger in the blaze of that candle for. one minute."  The son refused. Then said the father,
"Do you refuse to hold your finger there for
one minute for me? and I, because I have
spent my life in heaping up riches for you,
shall endure the flames of hell for ever." Men
must be converted. Without that great change
they -are eternally undone. There is no safety
out of Christ. There is no salvation without
turning to the Lord. Personal dignity, natural amiability, official sanctity will save no
man.
5*




106        VITAL GODLINESS.
CHAPTER VII.
CASES OF RELIGIOUS DISTRESS.
IT is not uncommon for persons to have
some experience in religion which is highly
unsatisfactory to themselves.  They have distressing and prevailing apprehensions that they
have never closed in with Christ; nor has a
good hope through grace ever filled their hearts
to overflowing with joy and peace; and yet
they are not careless on the subject. At times
they are deeply exercised and sore vexed.
The case of such calls for the tenderest concern of those who care for souls, as well as the
liveliest interest on their own part.  Their
views of their lost and undone condition are
not too strong. Their hearts are as unclean,
their guilt is as great, their enemies as numerous as they have ever supposed them to be.
They are beset with difficulties. They see the
way, but are unable to walk in it. They approve but do not relish the things that are
more excellent. Their hopes are crossed; their
souls are grieved.
To meet such cases in all their variety is a




RELIGIOUS DISTRESS.           107
binding and difficult part of ministerial duty.
To state all the shades of grief and temptation
is not possible. But there are general princlples of religion which are more or less suited
to many cases. Besides, religious biography
has shed much light on this whole subject. Itis greatly'to the relief of many minds to find
that no temptations have befallen them but
such as are common to men.
Sometimes one is full of fears lest he may
have committed the unpardonable sin.  Not
unfrequently this apprehension is distressingly
impressed on the mind by means of some portion of Scripture.. Often will you hear cited
that text, "For ye know that afterward, when
he would have inherited the blessing, he was
rejected; for he found no place of repentance,
though he sought it carefully with tears."
Heb. 12:17.
As this is a very important case, and often
causes deep anguish of mind, it should not be
lightly dismissed.  Some have thought that
the unpardonable sin could not be committed
since miracles have ceased. But the Scriptures will not bear out such a statement. It is
true the sin was no doubt often committed,
vhen the truth was visibly demonstrated by




108        VITAL GODLINESS.
undeniable signs and wonders. But it may
also be committed when these miracles have
passed away.
Others have thought that, though the sin
may possibly be committed in our day, yet the
cases in which this is actually done are very
few. Whatever definition is commonly given
of this sin, this opinion seems to be without
good foundation.  Sound writers are pretty
well agreed that the unpardonable sin is an
act of one who is much enlightened and at the
same time highly malicious against God. Light
and malice are both essential to its existence.
The light here spoken of respects spiritual
things.  The malice is directed against the
person, work or offices of the Holy Ghost.
Thus by the power of the Holy Ghost, which
was given him without measure, Jesus Christ
wrought miracles. The Jews, who beheld
these wonders, knew that they could be the
product of none but divine power. But they
so hated the Lord Jesus that they ascribed his
miracles to a Satanic influence, and thus committed the sin which hath never forgiveness,
neither in this world, nor in that which is to
come. Matt. 12:22-32.
If this view be correct, it follows that no




RELIGIOUS DISTRESS.          109
reason can be given why this sin may not be
committed in this day. We may not have all
the occasions for its commission which the Jews
of Christ's day had; but we never lack occasions when we have dispositions to commit this
kind of sin. Indeed, as the present is an age
when the light of truth in many places shines
very clearly, and'as the minds of many thus
enlightened seem very bitter and malicious
against religion, it is to be feared that many
commit this sin.  Some have thought that
there never was an age when the unpardonable sin was more common. But this cannot
be proved.  Yet in wonderful displays of
grace and mercy'in revivals of religion, how.
many who witness the most affecting scenes,
and are themselves powerfully wrought upon,
do yet harden their hearts until they even
scoff at sacred things, laugh at the work of the
Spirit, and call all vital religion fanaticism and
the work of Satan. If such have the light
which in many cases they profess to have, how
does their case differ from that of the Pharisees
when they saw Christ's miracles? -In many
ways men may commit the unpardonable sin;
so that he who would not sin beyond forgiveness, must take heed how he trifles with holy




110        VITAL GODLINESS.
things. This thought should produce in men a
salutary alarm.
As to the question whether a distressed
soul has actually committed this sin, it is
proper to enter into several inquiries. Let
one thus distressed look at the state of mind in
which he did that act which he now fears was
the unpardonable sin.  Was it done wilfully,
spitefully, knowingly? Did he intend to renounce God's Spirit for ever? To explain a
little. Peter denied his Master, knowing that
he was thus uttering falsehood. But he did it
through fear of man, and not through malice
against Christ. Therefore his denial of Christ
was not the unpardonable sin. On the other
hand, Saul persecuted the church maliciously.
He breathed out threatenings and slaughter.
He was exceeding mad against all Christians.
But he did all this "ignorantly in unbelief."
He knew not what he was doing. Therefore
his zeal against Christians was not the unpardonable sin. But if Peter had, together with
his knowledge of the matter, denied his Lord
with the malice with which Saul persecuted
the church; or if Saul, with all his malice, had
persecuted-the church with the knowledge with
which Peter denied his Lord, then in either




RELIGIOUS DISTRESS.          111
case the unpardonable sin would probably have
been committed. Therefore let any one who
fears his guilt in this matter, ask himself if the
deed which brings such terror to his mind was
accompanied with this light and malice.  If
not, there is no evidence that the soul has sinned beyond repentance.
Again, let one inquire what state of mind
followed the act that creates such apprehensions. Was it "a certain fearful looking for
of judgment?"  Did the door of hope seem to
be quite closed? Did the desire of reconciliation with God fully leave the soul; or was the
dreadful act followed by utter insensibility,
stupidity, and a seared conscience? Did you
become wholly indifferent to salvation? Did
you have no wish to be made pure and holy,
humble and penitent?  Such desires are not
given to the God-forsaken. He who has committed this sin never after hungers and thirsts
after righteousness.  Such a state of mind
shows that the Holy Spirit has not finally deserted the soul. Good desires are as truly
from heaven as any other good thing ever
enjoyed.
It is proper to add, that unworthy partaking of the Lord's supper, unless done with




112         VITAL GODLINESS.
despite to the Spirit of grace and with contempt of all sacred things, cannot be proven
to be the unpardonable sin. Although unworthy communion is a sin to be repented of, yet
it may be and often has been forgiven.
It is doubtless sometimes in our power to
know when one has sinned beyond forgiveness.
This is implied in the words of John: "If any
man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto
death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life
for them that sin not unto death. There is a
sin unto death; I do not say that he shall pray
for it."  I John 5:16. Yet we should use
great caution in such a matter.   Some one
expressed the belief that Bunyan had committed this sin. This statement had an exceedingly dreadful effect on his mind for a while;
but God would not let him perish, and made
him a chosen vessel in his church. Yet cases
may occur in which good men will feel no liberty in praying for an offender. The number
of-such is larger than some suppose.
The last remark on this point is, that if you
desire salvation through the blood of Christ
and by the power of the Holy Ghost, it is clear
that God has not given you up, though your
sins may be both numerous and aggravated.




RELIGIOUS DISTRESS.           113
The air we breathe, the-water we drink, is
not more free than is gospel grace.  The cry
is, "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to
the waters, and he that hath no money, come
ye, buy and eat; yea, come, buy wine and
milk, without money and without price." Isa.
55:1.
Another state of mind, accompanied with
great depression and much difficulty, is where
one stoutly argues from his own wickedness of
heart that his salvation is impossible. A man
sometimes says, "I would go to Christ, but he
is so holy and I am. so sinful; he is spotless,
and I am all pollution and guilt." In dealing
with one thus afflicted, several things may be
said. One is, that evil imaginations are the
natural product of the carnal mind.  "Out of
the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies.  Matt. 15:19. There is no f6rm of
wickedness too strange or dreadful for an unsanctified heart.  He who now complains so
bitterly of his corrupt thoughts and affections,
is not a worse man than he was formerly, but
God is teaching him how wicked he has been.
The great difference between present and past
states of mind is this, that now the man sees




114        VITAL GODLINESS.
how vile his heart is, whereas once he took no
notice of the swarms of evil thoughts which
passed through his breast. The present is not
the only sinful state to be repented of. The
prayer should ascend, "Remember not against
me the sins of my youth; make me not to possess the iniquities of former years."  It may
also be stated that the exercises of such a one
may now be less criminal than formerly, and
this for two reasons. One is, that he now offers
a sincere though inadequate resistance to evil
thoughts, whereas formerly he welcomed them.
Another is, that from his manifest distress at
them, it is evident that they are the temptations of the wicked one. We are guilty in so
far as we entertain the suggestions of the wicked one, and not merely because we are made
to feel the annoyances of his temptations. But
grant that any man's heart is far worse than it
ever was before, or than he even now sees it
to be, this is a good reason for applying to
Christ. It is no reason for staying away from
him.  When one sees the wickedness of his
own heart, it is evident that God has not yet
delivered him up to ruin, for he is showing
him his sins. These heart troubles show that
nothing'short of a thorough, internal, powerful




RELIGIOUS DISTRESS.            115
change of nature can ever fit the soul for the
abodes of the blessed in heaven.  And this
very corruption, so much lamented, should be
a powerful argument for making speedy application to Christ for pardon and peace, for reconciliation and purification.  But from such a
state of mind to conclude that one may not
come to Christ and plead for mercy is wholly
unscriptural.  It is entirely opposed to the
gospel offer.  This very state of mind and
heart calls for the interposition of almighty
power and amazing grace; and to exercise
these is the delight of the redeeming Son.of
God. Though one be more vile than tongue
can express-though the heart be a sink of sin,
a fountain of iniquity, yet he may safely trust
his cause with Jesus Christ.  He came to set
at liberty them that are bruised, to give life to
the perishing, and salvation to the lost. Let
every soul be persuaded to come to Jesus
Christ.
He who thus complains of the wickedness
of his heart, may the next hour complain that
he has no just sense of his great sinfulness in
the sight of God. This state of mind is -not
inconsistent with that last spoken of, though
an ignorant person might so think.  One rea



116         VITAL GODLINESS.
son why many a sinner is desirous of seeing
more of his wickedness, is that he thinks there
is some merit or profit in having distressing
views of his undone condition. But this is surely a mistake. There is no more merit in a bad
man-seeing his vileness, than there is in agood
man seeing his own uprightness.  But suppose
a man should see the worst of his case, and
view his depravity.as God views it, would it
not drive him to despair?  With the clearest
views of the fulness and freeness of Christ ever
attained on earth, it.would probably be impossible to keep any man from giving up all hope
if he saw his sins in all their guilt and number,
baseness and aggravations.  God is therefore
very merciful in permitting us to see enough
of our lost condition to make the gospel offer
glad tidings to us; but he is no less merciful
in withholding such views of our sins as would
drive us to despair. And if any one would
have a clearer and more salutary view of his
own wickedness, let him repent of all the sin
he sees chargeable to him and obtain pardon
through the blood of Christ, and in due season
his wish shall begratified. No man will make
very rapid and. profitable attainments in the
knowledge of his own wickedness until he has




RELIGIOUS DISTRESS.           117
fled to Christ, and in good earnest begun the
work of "mortifying his- members which are
upon the earth."  Col. 3:5. In good earnest
begin this work, and you will soon find that
you are carnal, sold under sin, and that all
former views of your lost estate were very
defective.
Another distressing state is where there is
a continual tendency in the mind to despair.
Satan would have all men presumptuous or
desperate. In the human heart are many elements which favor his designs. The language
of perfect despair is, "There is no mercy for
me; others may be saved, but my case is peculiar; my soul is lost."  But there are various degrees of hopelessness, or of tendency
towards it. To drive away all hope, Satan
often greatly terrifies one by a view of his
sins, points him to the holiness and inflexible
justice of God, and tells him that he ought to
know that with such a God there is no mercy
for him.  He reminds him of the length of
time he has been seeking the Lord, and has
not found him. He reminds him of others who
in less time have attained a comfortable hope
and settled peace.  These and many other
things does the adversary urge, that he may




118         VITAL GODLINESS.
cut off all hope and leave the soul palsied with
despondency. Sometimes he has fatal success.
Sometimes he but harasses it for a season, and
then follows deliverance.  When he succeeds
entirely, the soul becomes stubborn, hardened,
-and fearfully rebellious; and a less degree of
the temptation of the.adversary may be highly
injurious for the time.  When the prisoner of
hope becomes the prisoner of despair, he is
gone; and when he sees things in a very
gloomy light, he may be sore vexed.
Let all who are tempted to despair well
weigh the following things: Unbelief is the
only sin by which a hearer of the gospel will
seal his own ruin, and despair is the perfection
of unbelief.  To refuse to rely upon Christ's
finished work is to reject the sinner's only
hope.  Unbelief is a great sin.  The greater
its power, the greater our guilt. As despair
is unbelief consummated, it is superlative wickedness.  If any man fears sin, let him chiefly
fear this sin. It takes hold on destruction.
No man can be justified or sanctified in whose
heart this principle of pride, darkness, and
stubbornness reigns.  There may be a voluntary humility in despair, but that is only another name for pride. Despair also goes upon




IRELIGIOUS DISTRESS.           119
the ground that men are saved either by their
own deservings, or because they have not
greatly offended, and thus it excludes the salvation of the gospel, which is for the chief of
sinners. And despair is full of stubbornness.
What is a greater sin than to refuse to trust
God when he bids us believe him; to decline
to lean upon him when he extends to us his
hand? We cannot have too low an opinion of
ourselves, or too high an opinion of Christ.
"It is the great design of the Scriptures to
teach the best to despair of being self-saved;
the worst not to despair of being saved by
Christ, and to offer to all the help they want."
The foregoing are examples of the distresses
and difficulties which often beset a soul in its
endeavors to turn to the Lord.  There are
many cases like them.  And there are others
of an extraordinary kind, which cannot be anticipated. If any man is overcome by the adversary in these matters, the fault is his own.
He has procured these things to himself.  Such
fruits never grow but in depraved hearts.  For
the direction of such as are truly desirous of
being guided in the right way, the following
suggestions may be profitable.
Beware-of a spirit of impatience towards




120        VITAL GODLINESS.
God. With yourself you cannot be too much
dissatisfied, until you believe in Christ and
cease from sin. But with God and his ways
you have no right to find fault. He is righteous altogether.  Every sentiment of impatience. towards him is highly criminal. During
long years of rebellion, God waited on you for
your return; and will you not let him judge
the fittest time to grant you the light of his
countenance and the joy of his salvation?  "I
waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined
unto me, and heard my cry.' Psa. 40:1.
God will not be dictated to.  Impatience is
both a sin and a hinderance. It speeds no deliverance. It must be laid aside,
Be not asking the advice of nmany in your
sore perplexities. One good adviser is worth a
thousand who know nothing thoroughly. And
yet the most weak are often the most ready to
proffer their services. The man of your counsel in all religious doubts and trials should be
God's precious word.  Human advisers are
apt to say, "Lo, here is Christ;" and again,
"Lo, there is Christ."  But the Bible always
speaks a uniform, consistent language.  It
always points to one star, that of Bethlehem;
to one garden, that of Gethsemane; to one




RELIGIOUS DISTRESS.           121
sacrifice, that of Calvary; to one sepulchre;
that of Joseph of Arimathea.
Believe not that your convictions are too
deep and too strong ever to leave you. They
are perhaps not stronger than.those of Felix
when he trembled, of Herod when he heard
John and did many things gladly, of Ahab
when he humbled himself, or of king Saul
when he lifted up his voice and wept.  Conviction is not a saving grace. It is itself no
pledge of salvation. It may leave one midway between carelessness and conversion, just
as Lot's wife was left between Sodom and Zoar.
If your convictions do not lead to Christ, and
that speedily, you may become familiar with
them, and their effect be lost upon you. Conviction is not conversion.  Conviction can save
no man.
Misconceive not the terms of salvation.
On this point there is much danger. Be specially guarded that you do not attempt to substitute your own distress of mind for the sufferings of Christ. Sin is neither pardoned nor
expelled by the anguish of any. sinful worm.
The more distressed men are, the stouter is
their continued rebellion. Your own sufferings, in this world or the next, cannot save you.
Vital Godliness.  6




122         VITAL GODLINESS.
No tears, no blood, no cross, no death, no intercession but those of Christ can avail for any.
Never lose sight of the blessed truth, that
salvation is wholly by grace, through faith in
Christ Jesus.
Guard against false hopes. If the adversary sees you determined not to live without
hope, he will earnestly endeavor to persuade
you to build upon the sand; to lead you into
mistakes respecting the nature of true conversion and the ground of justification.  He is the
arch deceiver.  He is full of all subtlety.  If
it were possible, he would deceive the very
elect.  A sinner under conviction is in great
danger of being more anxious to be comforted
than to be converted.  The world is full of
popular errors on this subject.  Nor can any
man be too careful in counting the cost, in
looking well to the foundations, in testing his
own exercises by Scripture.  Sometimes anxious souls are told that they must believe.
When they ask, What must we believe? they
are told that they must believe that their sins
are pardoned and their souls converted.  If
some to whom such counsels are given should
adopt them, they would believe a lie.  We
must believe the gospel; then we shall be




RELIGIOUS DISTRESS.             123
saved.  But to believe that we are interested
in the salvation of Christ is a very different
thing.  The truth to be believed is, that Christ
is able and willing to save our souls from sin
and death-not that he has already done it.
On this subject the Bible is explicit. It always holds up Christ, and not ourselves, nor
our pardon, nor our conversion, as the object
of saving faith.  "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."  Acts
16:-31.
Be not led into the discussion of dark, abstruse, and therefore useless questions; and
enter into no heated discussion of any subject.
Such an exercise is well suited to put a stumbling-block in the way to heaven.  If any endeavor to divert your mind to a matter of no
importance, or to undue interest about any
thing not essential to salvation, withdraw from
such.  Your great business is reconciliation
with God.  Whatever hinders this is hostile
to your best interests.  Stifle not convictions;
grieve not the Spirit by going eagerly after a
thing of little or no.importance.
Keep constantly in mind that no pains, no
distress, no tears, no prayers will be of any
avail, unless we are soundly converted, being




124         VITAL GODLINESS.
turned from darkness to light, from sin to holiness.
"Our nature's totally depraved,
The heart a sink of sin;
Without a change we can't be saved;
We must be born again."
How  much or how  little you may feel,
whether you have many or few  thoughts,
whether you are happy or miserable, in hope
or despair, in carelessness or under conviction, will avail nothing, if you live and die
without genuine holiness. But this cannot be
obtained without a renewal of our whole nature. Holy views, holy frames of mind, holy
tempers, holy affections, and holy purposes
must take the place of our spiritual ignorance,
our wicked prejudices, our carnal affections,
our sinful plans, or we cannot go to the Father.
Oh that men everywhere would cry mightily,
"Create in me a clean heart, 0 God, and renew a right spirit within me."
Let all men know that, until they surrender themselves into the hands of the Saviour,
they are throwing away all their opportunities. Christ is full of kindness and tenderness.
None is so pitiful as he. Look at his sorrow
as he beheld the city of his enemies and murderers.  "When he-was come near, he beheld




RELIGIOUS DISTRESS.           125the city, and wept over it."  Luke 19:41.
History tells us that Marcellus wept over Syracuse, Scipio over Carthage, and Titus over
Jerusalem some forty years after Jesus entered
it in the triumph decreed to him in prophecy.
But all these wept over those whose blood they
were about to shed. Jesus wept over those
who were about to shed his blood.  Cannot
you trust your soul with a Saviour whose compassions are so free, so large, so divine? - Behold him on the cross, lingering, bleeding, dying for the sins of men, and say if you are justified in longer resisting his claims and his
charms. John says, "We love him, because
he first loved us." 1 John 4: 19. What could
be more proper?  Surely such love as his
should beget love in us. That Jesus who
wept over Jerusalem  will surely have compassion on souls who weep for their sins, and
forsake them, and flee to atoning blood for
pardon, and to Christ's glorious righteousness
for acceptance.  Oh that men would believe
and live. Through Christ there is hope. By
him all our sins may be buried in the depths of
the sea.  By him  the darkness flees away.
Through his mediation we are brought to sing
the song of Moses and the Lamb.




126        VITAL GODLINESS.
Finally, let no man take the word of any
uninspired man as of binding force in any matter of religion. If such a course is dangerous
in doctrinal religion, it is no less so in experimental and practical piety. If any thing that
has been said shall guide or comfort any soul,
to God be all the praise and glory. Meantime,
"Out of the spoils won in battles have I dedicated these things to maintain the house of the
Lord."'1 Chron. 26: 27.




SPIRITUJAL DARKNESS.          127
CHAPTER VIII.
SPIRITUAL DARKNESS.
IN practical religion there is no greater
mistake than the persuasion that if we are
pleased with ourselves, God is also pleased
with us. Pride, vain-glory, and self-complacency blind, bewilder, and intoxicate. In no
form or degree do they make us meet for the
inheritance of the saints in light. On the other
hand., shame for our own vileness, sorrow for
our shortcomings, self-loathing for undeniable
turpitude of soul are profitable. Yea, "it is
better to go to the house of mourning than to
tie house of feasting; for by the sadness of the
countenance the heart is made better."
In this life God's people may expect much
weeping and mourning. Waters of a full cup
are wrung out to them. But the word of God
puts limits to the griefs of the godly: "Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in
the morning;' "Blessed are they that mourn;
for they shall be comforted;" "Ye now have
sorrow; but I will see you again, and your
eart shall rejoiced  Psa. 30:5; Matt. 5: 4;




128        VITAL GODLINESS.
John 16: 22. Though the righteous shall not
weep always, yet they may weep bitterly.
The bare shedding of tears is not the only
kind of weeping, nor the uttering of sighs the
only mourning. Many who shed no tears and
utter no sighs or groans, feel more deeply and
painfully than those who hold out the usual
signals of distress. There are states of mind
far beyond the power of tears to relieve, far
beyond the utterance of groans to alleviate.
There is no pain of mind like that "dry sorrow, which drinketh up the blood and spirits."
Moreover, tears are often shed and sorrow
often felt which God abhors. Tears of anger,
of jealousy, of wounded pride, of detected wickedness, are all abominable to God.  Jonah
displeased the Lord by all his grief about, his
gourd. Amaziah was grieved for the hundred
talents of silver, but God took no account of
that.
Each one can determine the character of
his sorrow, if he will but observe whether it
improves his heart and temper, a&d whether it
weans him from the world.  That sorrow of
the world which works death is always to be
repented of.
One class of evils bringing sorrow to the




SPIRITUAL DARKNESS.           129
righteous is made up of the common calamities
of life, such as sickness, poverty, the failure of
hope, the want of friends, the want of means,
the want of success, the death of friends, and
the change of friends into enemies.
Another class of evils over which good men
weep, are such as the sins of the times, ignorance, profanneess, lewdness, drunkenness, covetousness, lukewarmness, heresies, contentions,
whisperings, and revilings. When God's cause
languishes, the righteous must be sad. When
iniquity abounds, he whose love waxes not
cold must be grieved. When the foot of pride
is on the neck of the saints, there will be mourning. David cried, "Let the wickedness of the
wicked come to an end."  Psa. 7:9.  "Rivers
of waters run down mine eyes, because men
keep not thy law." Psa. 119:136. "Horror
hath taken hold upon me, because of the wicked that forsake thy law."  Psa. 119:53.  So
strong was this feeling in the mind of Paul,
that he said to the Thessalonians, "Now we
live, if ye stand fast in the Lord." I Thess.
3:8. This was equivalent to saying, If all
things go on well in the church, I shall rise
superior to all other trials; but if the church
wanders into error and folly, my heart will
6*




130        VITAL GODLINESS.
die within me.'So highly does God prize
such dispositions, that when he was about terribly to punish Israel of old, he sent an angel
with an ink-horn by his side through the midst
of the city, to set a mark upon the foreheads
of the men that did sigh and cry for all the
abominations that were done in Jerusalem.
Ezek. 9:4.
Other evils over which good men weep are
found in themselves, such as error, ignorance,
prejudice, pride, self- righteousness, worldliness, levity, uncharitable tempers and dispositions, censoriousness, envy, sinful anger, hatred, a proneness to remember wrongs, to indulge complaints, and to forget mercies. There
is no plague like the plague of an evil heart.
There is no misery like the wretchedness of
conscious vileness. There are no sighs so long
and so deep-drawn as those caused by indwelling sin. Job said, "I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."  David said, "Mine
iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I
am not able to look up; they are more than
the hairs of my head; therefore my heart faileth me."  Isaiah said, "Woe is me, for I am
undone; because I am a man of unclean lips,
and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean




SPIRITUAL DARKNESS.           131
lips."  And Paul said, "0 wretched man that
I am! who shall deliver me from the body of
this death?"
Besides these things, God's people are subject to seasons of great spiritual darkness,
which cause them  long and loud and bitter
weeping. These times of darkness and depression are more or less lasting and afflicting,
according to the wisdom of Him who knows
when, how, and how far his chosen servants
need suffering.
These seasons of darkness sometimes come
on very suddenly, but.more commonly they
are gradual in their approaches.  There is first
the little cloud. This spreads and thickens,
till the whole heavens become black and angry.
As in the natural world the elements of storm
are often gathering when we perceive them
not, so in the spiritual world, sins are often
separating between us and God, and we know
not our sad estate. Many think all is well,
until to their surprise their day is turned into
night, and their mirth into heaviness. Then to
their grief they find their enemies upon them,
and themselves shorn of the locks of their
strength.  Any sin may lead the mind to deep
depression-may shroud it in terrible darkness.




132        VITAL GODLINESS.
This.darkness consists of several things.
Commonly it is attended with a loss of comfortable evidence of personal piety.  Hope
grows dim. Marks of piety become obscured.
The troubled soul feels unable to claim  the
promises.  It has some perception of their
sweetness and faithfulness, but says they are
not for me. Then thoughts about the mercy
of God yield no comfort, for the soul says, I
have abused all his kindness. I have rendered
myself abominable by my base ingratitude.
Reflections on past seasons of joyful experience
but render the present trial the more' painful.
They show what has been lost. Or perhaps all
former comforts are counted delusions. Once
the man thought he never could question God's
love to him; but now he is ready to turn away
from all that is cheering, and look only on the
gloomy side of his religious state.
Reading the Bible rather depresses than
refreshes him; for although glorious things are
there spoken of God's people, yet he discredits
]lis claims to discipleship. Finding that in some
things he has been sadly deficient in godly sincerity, he is much inclined to pronounce himself in all things hypocritical. The view he
takes of his sins is, that they are so fearfully




SPIRITUAL DARKNESS.            133
aggravated that they cannot be forgiven, even
through the redemption that is in Christ. He
does not see how one who loves God can be
guilty of so heinous offences. Tears are his
meat day and night.  As with a sword in his
bones, his enemies reproach him; while they
say daily unto him, Where is thy God? Hope
seems ready utterly to forsake him, and terrible darkness to take its place. His soul is
cast down and'disquieted within him.  It is
with feebleness that he utters the self-exhortation, " 0 my soul,.. hope thou in God; for I
shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance."  He can no more confidently say,
"The Lord will command his loving-kindness
in the daytime, and in the night his song shall
be with me."  He is dejected, despondent, discouraged.  He needs a guide, a friend, a counsellor, a comforter.
Many fears now torment him.  He remembers God, and is troubled.  Every divine perfection is contemplated with dread.  God's
truth, and mercy, and power,. and holiness,
and justice, and majesty become sources of
terror. The King eternal, immortal, and invisible becomes the dreadful God.  The love
of Christ itself increases apprehensions lest the




134        VITAL GODLINESSo
slighting of his mercies should hasten everlasting damnation. Fears of having grieved and
vexed, and even quenched the Holy Spirit, so
that he is turned to be an enemy, have now a
sad prevalence. The threatenings of Scripture
against such as have sinned against much light
and many warnings spread dismay through
his' soul. Even the promises and invitations
of Scripture, because they have been slighted,
produce alarm rather than hope and peace.
In this state of mind, he is terrified at the
thought of coming to the Lord's supper. To
him  it is indeed "the dreadful table of the
Lord."  In'contemplating it, he sees far more
of Sinai than of Calvary. Fierce flames shoot
out where once he saw but the bright beams
of unparalleled love and mercy, truth and
faithfulness.  Even the gospel becomes to him
a dispensation of terror, a ministration of
wrath.
Singing the songs of Zion is to such a one
an unusual exercise. It brings no pleastre,
unless it is of a mournful kind.  Plaintive
hymns and tunes best suit this state of depression. Sometimes they bring the relief of tears.
And this is often considerable. Though we
may weep without having our hardness of




SPIRITUAL DARKNESS.            135
heart really cured, yet to one thus exercised
it is a luxury to be able to have any evidence
that all sense and feeling are not clean gone.
And yet connected prayer is hardly undertaken, or if attempted, is found impossible.
Instead of regular prayer to God, the heart
ventures only to express wishes, but not accompanied by much hope that they will be
gratified.  If he asks any thing of God, he
seems to himself to have little or no faith either
in God's ability or willingness to grant. his
petitions.
Satan will now probably roar like a lion
over his prey. He may suggest to the soul
that God is its irreconcilable enemy, that
Christ will surely deny it at last, and that the
Holy Ghost is fighting against it.  He says,
"Your prayers are sin, your efforts are vain,
your case is desperate, Christ has been rejected,
the day of grace is past, salvation is impossible, heaven is lost, hell must be your portion."
He thrusts a thousand fiery darts at the soul.
He labors to arouse to the utmost some unsubdued lust, or suggests blasphemous thoughts,
tempting the soul to curse God, or bid defiance to his wrath. Such thoughts are shocking; but the more they are resisted merely in




136        VITAL GODLINESS.
human strength, the more powerful they may
become.
All the while the soul is like the troubled
sea, which cannot rest, whose waters cast up
mire and dirt.  His bones wax old through
his roaring. He is consumed by the terrors
of the Almighty.  He finds no access to. the
mercy-seat, no cordial to revive his drooping
spirit. Sometimes apprehensions of certain
and speedy wrath become firm and fixed.  At
times it seems as if the pains of hell have already got hold upon him. The arrows of the
Almighty stick fast in him.  Something so
much like despair that you can hardly tell the
difference possesses him, and he will hardly
allow that he is making any effort to flee from
the wrath to come. He thinks, and perhaps
speaks familiarly, of reprobation and hell.
Sometimes the adversary pours in his horrid
temptations in an almost perpetual stream.
He suggests the great crime of self-murder,
and assigns as a reason, that longer continuance will but aggravate a condemnation already felt to be exceedingly terrible.
Sometimes one whose heart is thus smitten and withered like grass hears the gospel
preached publicly or privately, and for a sea



SPIRITUAL DARKNESS.              137
son seems relieved, at least partially; but often
this deliverance is only temporary, and the
mind is apt to sink down again into gloom and
wretchedness. To such a soul nothing is charm
ing.  Nature, in her gayest hues and dress,
seems covered with a pall of sadness.  The
blue heavens wither.  The green mountains
look hoary.  Even  the flowers look drab.
Well might he now sing,
"Sweet prospects, sweet birds, and sweet flowers,
Have lost all their sweetness with me;
The midsummer sun chines but dim,
The fields strive in vain to look gay."
Sleep departs, or is broken by frightful dreams.
He forgets to eat his bread.  Psa. 102: 3.
Probably in the midst of all this suffering,
when he most needs the sympathies of God's
people, they will seem cold and distant; or
perhaps they will judge him harshly, and regard his present distress as the fruit of some
special sin. Perhaps trumpet-tongued slander
will open wide her mouth, and proclaim falsehoods concerning him.  Or perhaps sickness,
or death, or pecuniary distress will invade his
habitation; and thus he has sorrow upon sorrow.  If God's word gives any relief in this
state of mind, it is only those parts of it which




138        VITAL GODLINESS.
describe his present state or express his present feelings.  The.complaints of Job or the
mourning prayers of David show him that others before him have been in deep water, and
so he sees that possibly he may yet escape;
but "a horror of great darkness has fallen
upon" him.  "The spirit of a man sustaineth
his infirmity; but a wounded spirit who can
bear?"  His soul sinks, and it seems as if all
was lost.  He may have days or weeks or
months of apparently tideless, waveless, shoreless, fathomless woe.
But when. God's purposes are accomplished,
then comes relief.  This may approach suddenly, but more commonly it comes gradually.
Sometimes sudden and transient joy is given to
prevent despair, before a settled calmness and
quiet of soul is obtained.  Generally the first
step towards a return of joy is an increase of
hope.  Paul directs that we should take for a
helmet the.hope of salvation.  We are saved
by hope.  Hope excites to action; and to the
no little comfort of this distressed soul, he finds
that with God's help he can do something.
He can resist the devil, and cause him to
flee.  The sword of the Spirit is God's word,
and Satan finds its edge too keen for him.




SPIRITUAL DARKNESS.           139
When this man finds he can stop the mouth of
the old lion, or discovers that he is a chained
enemy, and that there is One stronger and
mightier than the prince of the power of the
air, he is very glad, and lays about him lustily.
This encourages hope, and faith' begins
again to lay hold of the promises.  Confidence
in God-in his power, wisdom, truth, and mercy-reassures the soul. The tongue of the
dumb is loosed. The silent man begins to
pray. The mourning soul begins to sing of
mercies. Portions of Scripture begin to be
brought home to the heart with heavenly
sweetness.  His views of the Saviour become
refreshing and ravishing.  He sees God in
Christ, reconciling the world to himself.  He
glories in the cross.of Christ.  He esteems all
things but loss, for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus his Lord.  The Holy
Ghost dwells in him, takes of the things of
Christ, and shows them unto him. The Sanctifier becomes the Comforter.. He now takes
root downward, a sure pledge that he will yet
bear fruit upward.
No precept of God's word is too strict for
him.  No promise is without its sweetness.
No hours are so pleasant as those spent in de



140        VITAL GODLINESS.
votion.  He can now say in truth, "I had
rather be a door-keeper-perform  the humblest service-in the house of my God than to
dwell in the tents of wickedness."  His prejudices against men subside, his enmities are all
buried, his heart-burnings give place to a spirit
of love which embraces all mankind.  He has
a special delight in all God's people.  He now
knows that he has passed from death unto life,
because he loves the brethren.  His heart is
full of gratitude. His mouth is full of praise.
His thoughts burn within him.  They are of
salvation.  Gladly does he offer all to Him who
has brought him up out of the horrible pit and
the miry clay, and set his feet upon a rock.
Now his meditation of God is sweet. And
although sin is still at work, it no longer prevails against him.  He looks forward with
confident expectation to the period not distant,
when he shall be done with temptation for ever,
behold Christ in the fulness of his glory at
God's right hand, and take up his abode on
the banks of the river of life. He now takes
just and profitable views of the nearness of
eternity, of the shortness of time, of the worthlessness of things that perish, and of the priceless value of heavenly things.




SPIRITUAL DARKNESS.           141
And now the bent of the soul is towards
God. The believer discovers the end of the
Lord in his late trials. He sees how they were
designed to prepare him for-more abundant
supplies of grace, strength, and enjoyment.
He is therefore ready to say, "It is good for
me that I have been afflicted."  He is now
like a child weaned of his mother.  He is
filled with the peaceable fruit of righteousness.
Such a view of one's experience is instructive. It teaches many lessons.  It specially
warns us to beware of the beginnings of sin.
Neglect of duty, levity of mind, low views of
God, a fretful temper, deceit, a want of the
spirit of forgiveness, or any other sin, may
plunge us into darkness. Fear of man is a
great foe to grace.  "He has begun to be a
bad man, who fears to be a good man."  We
cannot be too vigilant over our own hearts.
We cannot too tenderly love our Master and
his people. We cannot be too zealous in the
Lord's cause.  "Sin's joys are but night
dreams.''
If at any time we shouldxbe overtaken with
darkness, let us make diligent search for the
cause. If moral, it will be found in that sin




142          VITAL GODLINESS.
which we find ourselves averse to thinking of,
or disinclined to hear faithfully reproved.
In times of darkness we should be very
diligent in reading the Scriptures.  Possibly
we may have slighted some portion of God's
word, while it contains the very truths whose
cleansing, comforting power is most needed in
our case.  Especially labor to know  the full
import of those portions of Scripture which
treat of experimental religion.  The heavens
themselves shall pass away, but God's word is
for ever stable.
"The seas shall waste, the skies in smoke decay,
Rocks fall to dust, and mountains melt away;
But fixed his word, his saving power remains,
Thy realm for ever lasts; thy own Messiah reigns."
In darkness and perplexity consult, if you
can, an experienced minister or Christian.  Do
not count them  enemies if they probe your
wounds and deal faithfully with you.  Those
who do but prophesy smooth things, will be
found unprofitable in the end.  The advice of
weak, ignorant, or partial persons is apt to be
injurious. Consult not those who are not fit
to be advisers.
Labor to obtain clear views of the freeness
~and sufficiency of the salvation that is in Christ
Jesus.  Remember how in millions of cases




SPIRITUAL DARKNESS.           143
where sin abounded, grace hath much more
abounded.  " Nothing can satisfy an offended
conscience but that which satisfies an offended
God," said Henry.  Whereupon Adam said,
"And well may that which satisfied an offended God pacify an offended conscience."  Well
did Cromwell in a letter to a friend say,'Salute your dear wife from me. Bid her beware
of a bondage spirit. Fear is the natural issue
of such a spirit; the antidote is love.  The
voice of fear is,'If I had done this, if I had
done that, how well it had been with me.'
Love argueth in this wise;'What a Christ
have I; what a Father in and through him,
what a name hath my Father,'merciful, gracious, long-suffering, abundant in goodness and
truth; forgiving iniquity, transgression, and
sin.' What a nature hath my Father. He is
love; free in it, unchangeable, infinite. What
a covenant between hinf and Christ, for all the
seed, for every one; wherein he undertakes
all, and the poor soul nothing.' The new covenant is grace, to or upon the soul to which it
is receptive." Your salvation depends not on
your comfortable or uncomfortable frames, but
on the grace and power of God. Remember
the word, the oath, the covenant of God. Fight




144         VITAL GODLINESS.
against despair. It is a great sin as well as a
great misery.
Be conscientious in the performance of every duty.  " He that loses his conscience, has
nothing left worth keeping."  It would be no
token for good to have your affliction pass
away while you are indulging in either sins of
omission or of commission.  "If you would
not have affliction visit you twice, listen at
once to what it teaches."  God will never desert one who keeps a conscience void of offence.
He may be weak as water, but God will gird
him  with strength.  Leighton says, "When
we consider how we are in ourselves, yea, the.very strongest of us, and how assaulted, we
may justly wonder that we can continue one
day in a state of grace; but when we look on
the strength by which we are guarded, the
power of God, then we see the reason of our
stability to the end; for Omnipotency supports
us, and the everlasting arms are under us." A
good old English bishop had for his motto,
"Serve God, and be cheerful."
Beware of unnecessary expressions of your
feelings in the presence of wicked men, lest
they stumble at your temptations; or in the
presence of weak brethren, lest you offend




SPIRITUAL DARKNESS.            145
against the generation of God's children. Some
men do not know that "a diamond with some
flaws is still more precious than a pebble that
has none."  David kept his mouth with a bridle while the wicked was before him. He held
his peace even from good.  Do not wound
Christ in the house of his friends by any exposure of your trials which will not be understood by others. Rather bear your sorrows in
secret.
In your darkness call to mind the years of
the right hand of the Most High, when the
candle of the Lord shone upon you. Former
joyful experiences of our Father's love are not
so to be relied on as to make us careless about
our present state. Neither are they to be forgotten.  In meeting Goliath, David encouraged himself by calling to mind God's goodness on former occasions of great peril: "The
Lord that delivered me out of the paw of the
lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will
deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine."
1 Sam. 17:37.
When your darkness begins to be removed,
do not rest satisfied with small attainments.
Some good men thiink that one of the errors of
our day is preaching a low experience. HowVital Godliness.  7




146         VITAL GODLINESS.
ever this may be, let us beware of resting in
few and small victories.    Open thy mouth
wide, and I will fill it," says God.
One of the best ways to dispel fears for our
personal safety is to labor for the salvation of
others. Professed Christians often get into a
morbid state of mind about their religious prospects. They are afraid they shall not be saved.
Perhaps they will not be. If that is their chief
anxiety, they can hardly expect comfort. It is
selfish always to be thinking of their own future happiness, and in their terrible fears they
are paying the just penalty of their low aims.
But let them go out of themselves, and try to
secure the salvation of others, and their fears
are gone.  Then they are doing God's work,
and they have no doubt of his love.
Restored to spiritual comfort, beware of
sin in every shape. Especially beware of spiritual pride and carnal security. In recounting
God's dealings with you, praise not yourself,
but glorify God.  Extol his free, sovereign
grace.
Let all God's people remember that soon
all their sorrows will be gone, and the days of
their mourning ended.
How different the character, experience,




SPIRITUAL DARKNESS.          147
and destiny of the righteous from those of the
wicked. Here the righteous mourn; but they
shall be comforted. Here the wicked have their
good things; but they shall be tormented. At
death the sorrows of the righteous end for ever,
and eternal joy begins. At death the joys of
the wicked terminate, and eternal sorrow begins. The righteous cry to God daily even in
prosperity.  The wicked commonly do not
begin to pray till God has ceased to hear.




148        VITA.L GODLTNEISS.
CHAPTER  IX.
BACKSLIDING.
"A PERSON who suspected that a minister
of his acquaintance was not truly orthodox,
went to him and said,'Sir, I am  told that
you are against the perseverance of the saints.''Not I, indeed,' answered he;'it is the perseverance of sinners. that I oppose.' The other
replied,'But that is not a satisfactory answer,
sir. Do you think that a child of God cannot
fall very low, and yet be-restored?' The minister answered,'I think it will be very dangerous to make the experiment.'"  Whether
the minister was orthodox or not, it is certain
that his sentiments, so far as expressed, were
quite consistent with the Bible.  He who is
determined to see how far he may decline in
religion and yet be restored, will lose his soul.
"The soul that doeth aught presumptuously
shall surely be cut off."  He that regards sin
with so little abhorrence as willingly to commit
it, cannot be walking in the way of life. He
who allowedly and habitually departs from




BACKSLIDING.              149
God, proves that sin reigns in his mortal body,
and'that he is the slave of corruption.
The declensions of good and bad men are
unlike in several particulars.  When the wicked depart from  God, they cry, "Peace and
safety."  When the righteous no longer maintain a close walk with God, they say, Oh that
it were with us as in months past. In their
wanderings, the wicked call themselves happy.
Having forsaken God, the righteous lose enjoyment, and are filled with sadness.  The
wicked backslide perpetually. Jer. 8:5. The
righteous err from God's ways but for a time.
The wicked are bent to backsliding.  Hosea
11:7. The -righteous are betrayed into sin.
The wicked are as the sow wallowing in the
mire. It is their nature to work iniquity. The
righteous are as the cleanly sheep. If they
are in the slough, it is their calamity.  "Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin;
for his seed remaineth in him; and he cannot
sin, because he is born of God."  The wicked
fill up their sin always.  They sleep not ex-,
cept they have done some mischief. They dig
into hell. The righteous is not so. Even when
he sleepeth, his heart waketh. When he falleth, he shall rise again. When he sitteth in




150         VITAL GODLINESS.
darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto him.
A just man falleth seven times, and riseth up
again.  All his backslidings are healed.
The danger of declension is very great.
Many think not so. Their words and lives
prove that they think it a small matter to offend
God and grieve his Spirit. They are cold and
heartless in his service.  Their fear of offending God is a weak principle. It controls them
not.  It has not the force of law.  We are always in danger when we have slight thoughts
of the evil of sin, and have not our loins girt
about. To depart from God is to seek darkness.
Let us then inquire who are backsliders.
This is a point of high importance.  Like
all matters of practical religion, it demands
candor, seriousness, and discrimination.  He
who wishes to deceive himself can commonly
do so.
It is no conclusive evidence that one is not
a backslider, that he is not himself convinced of
the fact. A truly pious man in a state of declension usually has some fears respecting himself; but many grievously depart from God
without being fully convinced of their error.
It is a sad truth, that all sin blinds the mind




BACKSLIDING.              151
and hardens the heart. It is very difficult to
convince any man of his guilt.  We have an
account of a primitive church that was in a sad
declension, neither cold nor hot, and ready to
b'e spewed out; and yet, far front having any
just sense of her state, she said, "I am rich,
and increased with goods,-and have need of
nothing;" and knew not that she was wretched,
and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.
Rev. 3:16, 17.
Many are kept from owning their backslidings, because they are mercifully restrained
from  open sins.  Had they publicly fallen
into overt iniquity, they would blush, and be
ashamed; they would bewail their wickedness
before God and men. But as yet all is secret.
They are merely backsliders in heart.  No
man knows of their spiritual wickedness. No
man can accuse them of living in coldness or
in iniquity. Hence they conclude that all is
well.  But they are mistaken.  It may all
come to the knowledge of men in a short time.
It was so with David.  To him  God said,
"Thou didst it secretly; but I will do this
thing before all Israel, and before the sun."
2 Sam. 12:12.
It should also be stated that it is easy to




152         VITAL GODLINESS.
backslide from God.  We go astray from the
womb, speaking lies. It is as natural for us
to do wrong as for the sparks to ascend.  In
our voyage heavenward, wind and tide are
both against us.  If we do nothing to overcome their action, they will carry us away.
We can go to hell without intending to do so,
without putting forth ary efforts to that effect.
But to go to heaven requires prayer, selfdenial, vigilance, violence, running, wrestling,
fighting.
All serious declension in religion begins in
negligence of closet duties. These are, meditation, self-examination, reading the Scriptures, praise, and prayer.  A close walk with
God insures regularity and alacrity in performing these duties.  But an indisposition for
them is one of the first signs that spiritual
health is failing. This symptom should produce alarm.  Sometimes it does; and then the
enemy gains no permanent advantage. But
often the soul is made quite at ease, is thrown
quite off its guard, and allows the public duties of religion to supersede the secret. A
true Christian can hardly live without any
secret prayer; but he may be in such a state
as sadly to slight the means of personal com



BACKSLIDING.             153
munion with God. Trains of pious meditation
may be few. The Scriptures may cease to be
to the soul the lively oracles, honey and the
honey-comb. Self-examination may prove a
hard task, and a revealer of unlooked-for wickedness. Praise and thanksgiving may become
strange things, and He who gave songs in the
night may leave the soul to sighings and tossings. Then prayer will be regarded rather as
an exaction to be granted than as a privilege
to be enjoyed. When piety flourished in the
soul, it was not enough to perform closet duties
statedly and formally. Without having set a
particular time for them, the soul would occasionally pursue its pious reflections, its selfexaminations, its earnest inquiries, its grateful
trains of thought. It would sing some notes
of praise. It would cry out after God, even
when removed from the usual place and circumstances of devotion. Yes, in the midst of
worldly business, devout aspirations would ascend to the Father of mercies; the events of
providence successively occurriig would be
piously contemplated; the tear of penitence
would often trickle down, and hope would
rouse the soul to great animation.
But when such a one backslides, religion
7*




154        VITAL GODLINESS.
is gradually excluded from a place in the common affairs of life. Its duties are shoved into
a corner or removed from  hourly attention.
Then one will go from his closet, quieting his
conscience with the reflection that he has spent
some time in the set observance of secret
duties, and now he feels more free to welcome
the affairs of the world.  He follows the Lord,
but not fully nor heartily. Here the sad work
of declension begins.  Sin advances apace.
Thraldom and bewilderment commence.  The
soul is already in a net. Blessed is he who
now takes the alarm, returns to duty and to
the Saviour, and is restored to peace, a good
conscience, and the light of God's countenance.
Sometimes this is done. In every case it should
be attempted. But often sin gains strength.
The backslider proceeds to greater lengths.
The next step is the neglect of family and
social religion. This may not soon be taken;
but it is well-nigh impossible to be cold and
formal in the closet, and lively and punctual
in the social duties of devotion.  Hypocrisy
may go very far, but rarely as far as this,
Men are affected by temptations to slight or
omit family worship or social prayer, according to the state of their hearts. To the lively,




BACKSLIDING.               155
growing Christian the adversary comes, but
has nothing in him. His allurements take not
effect.  But to the.neglecter of his spiritual
duties, the enemy  approaches boldly.  He
finds his reasonings vainly resisted, and finally
yielded to.  The stones of the domestic altar
begin to be loose and ready to tumble down,
and the little praying circle is quite forsaken.
How sad a state is this. How blind the mind
becomes under the power of sin. None but
God can effectually check this painful declension.
In this state, ere long one feels uneasy and
guilty.  Therefore, to quiet conscience and
keep up appearances with himself, he may for
a long time be unusually strict and punctual in
some of the public duties of religion. So his
seat will seldom be vacant in the more public
worship of God.  For like reason he will become quite zealous about some of the.externals
of religion.  Or he may insist much on the
system  of doctrine which he has embraced,,having learned the art of holding the truth in
unrighteousness.  Or he may talk- of experimental religion, deceiving himself with the belief that if he talks on the subject it is a sign
of some right feeling. He is now sadly blind




156         VITAL GODLINESS.
to his own wretchedness. If he has gone thus
far, it will probably not be long till he will be
detained from the house of God by causes that
once could have had no hindering effect. His
zeal even for forms and externals will probably
soon betray weakness, or fierceness, or a spirit
of contention. His love for truth will be substituted by a desire for controversy. Practical and experimental religion will engage but
few of his words or thoughts.  His heart has
gone after other things.  Sometimes indeed
one acquires the evil habit of speaking fluently
of things not felt nor loved.  In this case recovery is less and less to be expected. All
insincerity is unfriendly to our recovering ourselves out of the snare of the devil.
Such a soul will find duties and ordinances
unprofitable.  He will go away from prayer,
from reading, from preaching, and even from
the Lord's table, and be no more holy, no more
humble, no more watchful, no more spiritually
minded, no more able to resist temptation than
before. Sometimes he hopes that he is receiving profit; but his conduct soon shows that he
is mistaken.  His expectation deceives him.
"He looks for judgment, but there is none;
for salvation, but it is far off from him." Isa.




BACKSLIDING.              157
59:11. He says, "What profit is it that I
have kept his ordinance, and that I have
walked mournfully before the Lord?"  Mal.
3:14. It is with him even' as when a hungry
man dreameth, and behold, he eateth; but he
awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a
thirsty man dreameth, and behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and behold, he is faint,
and his soul hath appetite." Isa. 29:8. Sometimes the ordinances are like the fruit which
Milton's serpents ate. To the eye it was beautiful and inviting, but in the mouth it turned
to ashes, was bitter, and increased thirst. Or
they are like the book the prophet ate, sweet
in the mouth, but bitter afterwards.  So sin
often imbitters the most precious privileges.
Backsliders are made miserable by an approach to God. They are not prepared for it.
As piety thus dies in the soul, charity
diminishes, and censoriousness takes its place.
A backslider will be more than formerly disposed to doubt the good motives, the upright
intentions, and sincere professions of others.
He will not be slow in entertaining severe
judgments of others. Sometimes he will express harsh opinions of his fellow-men. Attaching great value to any little shreds of piety




158        VITAL GODLINESS.
still about himself, he expresses surprise that
others have not his seeming virtues. He wonders how a Christian can act so and so, while
he himself is doing worse. His heart does not
lead him instantly and spontaneously to cast a
cloak over the faults of others.  This spirit
marks also his treatment of sinners. Reproach
rather than persuasion, contempt rather than
affection, mark his conduct towards them that
are without. It cannot now be said of him
that he "thinketh no evil," and "is kind."
He shows much of the temper of those who
make a man an offender for a word.
Soon you may find him vain and trifling in
his plans and conversation. HIe prefers vain
company.  He selects unprofitable reading.
He seeks amusement, not profit.  Things must
be found to suit his taste. When lively in religion, his conversation was seasoned with salt;
but now any thing rather than religion is congenial to his feelings.  On that topic he is
cold.  On temporal things he speaks with zest
and animation.  He may not wholly forsake
the society of spiritual Christians, but he will
not always shun the fool and the scorner. Mere
works of taste or fancy will very much supersede the sound and solid treatises on religion,




BACKSLIDING.               159
which once feasted his soul.- The Bible does
not refresh his spirit as once it did.  His pious
friends are often alarmed at his state, and weep
over it in secret; yet he often thinks this is the
usual way to glory.
In this state he will often exhibit a painful
degree of indifference to the honor of Christ.
An apostasy which once would have cost him
bitter tears, hardly awakens a transient pang.
He may not grossly profane the name, the
word, or the Sabbath of the Lord, but he is
far less than formerly grieved at such sins in
others.  When he sees people sunk in sin, his
spirit is not stirred within him.  He is not
grieved for the affliction of Joseph. He does
not weep between the porch and the altar as
he once did, crying, Spare thy people, 0
Lord.
Nor does he rejoice as formerly in hearing
of the spread of truth, the conversion of sinners,
the progress of the gospel.  Once his soul was
inflamed with love and leaped for joy when he
heard of the revival of religion.  President
Edwards the elder says, that when he first obtained settled peace of conscience, he felt irrepressible desires for the salvation of the world,
and had peculiar delight in hearing of the prog



160         VITAL GODLINESS.
ress of religion in any part of the earth.  This
is common Christian experience.  A  lively
Christian unites with angels in rejoicing over
even one sinner that repenteth. But the backslider has little interest in such events.  It 1
doubtful whether he loves himself or his Saviour the most. It grieves him more to hear
himself reviled than to hear his Saviour blasphemed. It rejoices him more to hear himself
praised than to hear his Saviour commended.
Such things render it doubtful whether he ever
knew  the'Lord-whether he ever was born
again.  And it is a bad sign if they do not
shake his confidence in his own conversion.
These things lead to a great diminution of
solid religious comfort.  He has few songs of
holy joy. His heart is too cold to relish religious duties.  He looks on the past with no real
pleasure. It reminds him of time wasted, of
vows broken, of opportunities lost, of comforts
decayed, of mercies slighted. Of the future he
is much afraid.  He remembers God,-and is
troubled.  He is afraid of evil tidings.  He is
looking outfor some sore chastisement.
His old besetting sins revive with great
power. Levity takes the place of seriousness;
fretfulness expels gentleness.  Ambition be



BACKSLIDING.              161
gins to burn in the bosom where formerly dwelt
lowliness and contentment. Covetousness resumes her iron despotism; or prodigality breaks
out afresh. The heavenly racer takes up one
by one the weights which he had formerly laid
aside. He runs, but as uncertainly; he fights,
but with great feebleness.
Those who have thus departed from God are
left to see what they can do alone. God permits them to try their own power and resources. Of such the Comforter says, "I will go
and return to my place, till they acknowledge
their offence and seek my face; in their affliction they will seek me early."  Hos. 5:15.
Samson is now shorn of the locks of his strength.
It will be well if he be not forced to make
sport for the Philistines.  How long one may
remain in this state none can tell. To escape
from such error and sinfulness is no easy thing.
It pleased God at once to restore Peter after
he. had denied his Lord. But it seems to have
been months before David shed for his crimes
the tears of true repentance.  It is no easy
matter to escape from the snare of the devil
when we have once been led captive by him at
his will.
Yet to all God's people his promise stands




162        VITAL GODLINESS.
sure: "I will heal their backsliding."  Iosea
14: 4. In fulfilling his promise, God will choose
his own time. He heals when and how he
pleases. None can hasten, none can retard
his work. The good Shepherd restoreth the
soul of his servants, and does not leave them
to perish in their errors. He commonly begins the healing process by convincing the soul
of its sad departures from him.  This is done
by calling the mind to reflection on its own
evil doings.  Sometimes God sends Nathan
the prophet with a pointed message, charging
home guilt upon the transgressor.  Sometimes
he employs affliction to humble the soul at his
footstool.  "In their affliction they will seek
me early."  God is not confined to any class
of means.  The crowing of the cock brought
home to Peter Christ's words of warning with
as much power as any truth that ever reached
man's heart.  God sometimes uses the derision.and persecution of the wicked to awaken
his people out of sleep.'The word of God is,
to such, quick and powerful, and sharper than
any two-edged sword.  The Spirit reproves.
He convinces of sin; he reveals the baseness
of the heart; he makes one see his folly and
ingratitude in departing from the living God.




BACKSLIDING.              163
Now is fulfilled that scripture: "The backslider in heart shall be filled with his own ways."
Prov. 14:14.  He forsook God, the fountain
of living waters.  This was his first error.
The second was like unto it: he hewed out to
himself broken cisterns,-which could hold no
water. God may now let loose his corruptions
upon him, or send a messenger of Satan to
buffet him. He is afflicted; he is tossed with
tempest, and not comforted. He is so "ashamed that he cannot look up." He is convinced
that he deserves rejection. God often seems
to fulfil the threatening: "I will meet them as
a bear that is bereaved of her whelps."  Hos.
13: 8. Instead of comforting, he speaks words
of terror.  The afflicted soul says, "Oh that I
knew where I might find him! that I might
come even to his seat!- I would order my.
cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments....  Behold, I go forward, but he is
not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive
him: on the left hand, where he doth work,
but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on
the right hand, that I cannot see him."  Job
23:3, 4, 8, 9. Sometimes despairing thoughts
enter his mind, and he cries, "Why is my pain
perpetual, and my wound incurable, which re



164        VITAL GODLINESS.
fuseth to be healed? Wilt thou be altogether
unto me as a liar, and as waters that fail?"
Jer. 15:18.
Sometimes he cannot see any thing good
implanted in his heart by God's Spirit. He
almost concludes that no real child of God
would be left to fall so low as he has done.
The promises do not comfort him, though the
threatenings often terrify him. He feels the
force and justice of the charge God brings
against him: "Hast thou not procured this
unto thyself, in that thou hast forsaken the
Lord thy God?...  Thine own wickedness
shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall
reprove thee: know therefore and see that it
is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the Lord thy God, and that my fear is
not in thee."  Jer. 2:17, 19. He now has
continual sorrow.  He drinks wormwood and
gall. His conscience makes his soul like the
troubled sea. None can tell his griefs. "The
heart knoweth its own bitterness."  It is said
by some that David seems never to have fully
recovered his joyousness after his backsliding.
However this may be, we know how the arrows
of the Almighty stuck fast in him, and his
waves and his billows passed over him. The




BACKSLIDING.              165
pangs of a backslider's recovery often exceed
those of a first conversion.
Such views lead one to a hearty confession
of sin.  "I acknowledge my transgression, and
my sin is ever before me."  Psa. 51: 3. This
confession may be minute and particular. It
will" go back and deplore original sin.  Psa.
51: 5. It will humble itself for sins committed
before conversion: " Remember not the sins of
my youth, nor my transgressions." Psa. 25: 7.
But sins committed since a profession of religion justly seem to call for deep abasement.
They are against vows and promises, illumination and ordinances-against all that is solemn
in the public owning of Christ. The fountains
of the great deep are broken up.  Witnesses
of one's sinfulness arise on all hands. The
stone out of the wall cries, and the beam out of
the timber answers it.  Thus his confession is
not vague and general, but definite and particular.  He sees good cause in many a misdeed why God should contend against him.
Sins against man are not forgotten; but sins
against God are fearfully multiplied and aggravated.  Sometimes it seems as if the soul was
made to see all the evil that ever it did, and
then it cries, "I am undone."  "O wretched




166        VITAL GODLINESS.
man that I am."  "God be merciful to me a
sinner."  "Enter not into judgment with thy
servant; for in thy sight shall no man living
be justified." "If thou, Lord, shouldest mark
iniquities, 0 Lord, who shall stand?"  "I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."
Sometimes a soul thus convicted is turbulefit, and rages like a wild bull in the net.
And now his bones wax old through his roaring all the day long.  It is a great thing to
have the heart subdued, and the soul made
like a weaned child.  When the soul is thus
humbled, quiet, and submissive, when high
looks are brought down and high thoughts
abased, then God grants a spirit of true believing prayer and of strong crying.. He says,
"Take with you words, and turn to the Lord:
say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the
calves of our lips." Hos. 14: 2. This spirit
of prayer is sure to be followed by tokens for
good.  Itself is a blessed fruit of Christ's mediation. He that asketh receiveth.
And now the Lord appears. As the spouse
found it good to be of a quiet, patient spirit, so
does the soul; for the next thing is, "The
voice of my Beloved! behold, he cometh, leap:



BACKSLIDING.              167
ing upon the mountains, and skipping upon the
hills."  Song 2: 7.  He " cometh' out of the
wilderness like pillars of smoke, perfumed with
myrrh and frankincense."' Song 3: 6. When,
in the fulness of his love and kindness and
power and condescension  and  faithfulness,
Christ makes his appearance and shows himself gracious to the repentant soul, there is a
wonderful change. tHe comes both gently and
seasonably.  "His going forth is prepared as
the morning."  Hos. 6:3. He bids the soul
take courage. He forgives all its sins, casting
them behind his back. He gives a check to
corruption. He causes the tempter to depart.
He pours light into the mind.  He hushes the
tumultuous waves of human passion.  He
quiets the troubles of the soul.  He says,
"Peace, be still;" and suddenly there is a
great calm. Thus Jesus is "a horn of salvation for us, in the house of his servant David....  That we should be saved from our
enemies, and from  the hand of all that hate
us....  That we, being delivered out of the
hand of our enemies, might serve him without
fear, in holiness and righteousness before him,
all the days of our life."... Thus he "gives
knowledge of salvation unto his people, by the




168        VITAL GODLINESS.
remission of their sins, through the tender
mercy of our God; whereby the day-spring
from on high hath visited us, to give light to
them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of
death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."
Luke 1: 69, etc.
To a soul thus exercised, Christ in all his
offices is precious. Its language is, "Whom
have I in heaven but thee? and there is none
upon earth that I desire besides thee." "Set
me as a seal upon thy heart, as a seal upon
thine arm; for love is strong as death. Many
waters -cannot quench love, neither can the
floods drown it; if a man would give all the
substance of his house for love, it would be
utterly contemned."  Song 8:6, 7. In such a
soul the purposes of obedience are humble, but
firm. Faith gains many an important victory.
Penitence loves to shed her secret tears. Hope
looks up, and says, I shall soon be for ever
with the Lord. The spirit of adoption says,
That awful God, who shakes the heavens with
his voice, is my kind and merciful Father.
Aversion to sin is now strong. The soul says,
"What shall I render into the Lord for all
his benefits?"  Gratitude is ready to make
any offering; it withholds nothing.




BACKSLIDING.              169
In one thus dealt with by the Lord are
strikingly fulfilled these passages of Scripture:
"I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought
me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the
miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and
established my goings. And he hath put a new
song in my mouth, even praise unto our God:
many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in
the Lord."  Psa. 40:1-3..Nor is the following language of the psalmist less applicable to
his case: "I love the Lord, because he hath
heard my voice and my supplications.  Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live.
The sorrows of death compassed me, and the
pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Then called I upon the name
of the Lord; 0 Lord, I beseech thee, deliver
my soul. Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
yea, our God is merciful. The Lord preserveth the simple: I was brought low, and he
helped me. Return unto thy rest, O my soul;
for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee.
For thou hast delivered my soul from death,
mine eyes from tears, and my feet from falling.
I will walk before the Lord in the land of the
Vital Godliness.  8




170        VITAL GODLINESS.
living."  Psalm 116:1-9.  Thus experience
teaches the sense and sweetness of many a
passage of Scripture formerly read without
understanding.  Indeed it is not uncommon,for those thus recovered to think that this is
their first conversion, and that never before
did they know in their souls the joy of God's
salvation.  The change is great. The grace is
great.
When God thus heals backsliders, he kindly adds these blessings: "I will love them
freely; for mine anger is turned away from
him. I will be as the dew unto Israel." That
is, I will send daily gentle, refreshing influences upon him.  "He shall grow as the lily,
and cast forth his roots as Lebanon.  His
branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be
as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon.
They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow
as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the
wine of Lebanon. Ephraim  shall say, What
have I to do any more with idols?  I have
heard him, and observed him: I am like a
green fir-tree. From me is thy fruit found."
Hos. 14: 4-8.  All the figures in this passage
may not be intelligible to some; but plain




BACKSLIDING.              171
honest minds will not doubt that here are
promised rich supplies of free grace, securing
pardon of sin, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit,
deep-rooted vigor, increase of grace and of
fruitfulness, usefulness to those under his influence, a sweet savor of piety at all times, together with an utter renunciation of idols and
of self-dependence.
And now are you a backslider? Are you
cold, formal, or negligent in the secret duties
of religion?  Do you feel the uneasiness of
guilt?  Are you "afraid of evil tidings?" Do
you live in constant apprehension of sore calamities? Are ordinances unprofitable to you?
Are you in the constant exercise of charity, or
do you indulge in a censorious spirit?  Are
you vain, light, trifling?  Do you prefer the
society of the devout?  What books do you
select? Are you alive to the honor of Christ?
Do you enjoy religion? Let these solemn questions be asked frequently and answered honestly, as you shall give account to God.
If you have evidence that you are not a
backslider, then give God the glory, and "be
not high-minded, but fear.".Nothing but
amazing grace can have preserved you from
the snare of the fowler. But if you find that




172        VITAL GODLINESS.
the evidence shows you to be in a state of declension, then open your eyes to your real condition, judge yourself, confess your sins, and
cleave to God. Hear the kind call: "Gome,
and let us return unto the Lord."  Hos. 6:1.
If you should not return and be healed, and if
you should be called to die, how sad would be
your departure out of this world.' Your sun
would go down behind a cloud, leaving others
in doubt whether it was not gone down in eternal night.
And if your sanctification shall not advance
faster than it has done since you first believed
in Christ, how long will it be before you are
prepared unto glory? At your present rate of
growth in grace, would you be fit for heaven
in a thousand years? And yet there is no one
of us who shall live a thousand months. Many
will not live a thousand weeks, yea, not a thousand days. Possibly some will not live a thousand seconds. Indifference to eternal things
in so critical circumstances is wholly irreconcilable with wisdom.




FAITH.                173
CHAPTER X.
FAITH.
EVERYWHERE in the Scriptures great stress
is laid on faith. In scores of passages its absolute necessity is explicitly declared. With
the word of God Christian experience well
agrees. The young convert had neither hope
nor joy till he believed. His faith being weak,
he manifests great instability. But as it increases, he grows stronger until he is undaunted, and cries, "Though he slay me, yet will I
trust in him."  Old Christians speak much of
faith, and always love to have the truth concerning it clearly explained.
But what is the faith on which tihe Scriptures so much insist? This is a matter of chief
importance.  An error here will affect our
whole religious life. Faith is either human or
divine. In human faith we rely upon what
men say. This we do by the constitution of
our minds.  Thus children rest upon what
their parents tell them. Human faith is properly confined to things on which God has not
spoken. Its basis is human testimony. Di



174         VITAL GODLINESS.
vine faith rests on the testimony of Cod. It
concerns things which  are  revealed from
heaven.
A historical faith is an intellectual assent
to the truth of any thing recorded in history,
sacred or profane. Thus we believe that Caesar conquered Gaul,'and that William of Normandy conquered Britain. But this belief has
no effect in making us better or worse. Many
thus believe that Moses, David, Paul, and
Christ said and did all that is ascribed to them,
yet this faith produces no change in their
hearts.  It is purely intellectual.  Thus king
Agrippa believed the prophets, as Paul declared.  Acts 26: 27.
The faith of miracles was a belief that God
could and would work a miracle by one or for
one. This faith has long since ceased to exist.
Yet in the days of Christ and his apostles it
was quite common.   It had no saving power.
Many thus believed and  perished.  Matt.
7: 22, 23; 1 Cor. 13:2.
The faith of devils is mentioned by James
2: 19: "The devils also believe and tremble."
This is a reluctant belief.  It is forced upon
them.  It is not confined to fallen angels.
MAen often have a belief of divine things which




FAITH.                 175
makes them  very apprehensive.  Thus Felix
trembled under the terrors of conscience produced by Paul's preaching.   Thus sinners
often die in despair, choked with divine terrors;  This faith. has no love, no real penitence, no submission, no humility in it.  It
works wrath, terror, and alienation from God.
A temporary faith is a transient persuasion
that the things of revelation are true, important, and interesting.  It seizes upon the temporal benefits of the gospel, and fills the imagination with very vivid conceptions of the preciousness of godliness, at least for this life.
But it never truly engages the affections to
divine things. A little tribulation or persecution kills it outright.  Luke 8:13.  It never
changes the heart. It is not in its nature saving.
The faith of-God's people, relates to things
past, present, and to come.  It believes that
God made the world.  There is the past.  It
believes that God is.  There is the present.
It believes tlat there will be a day of judgment.  There is the future.  Nor are these
and other revealed truths believed by different kinds of faith, but all by one and the same
faith. As with the same visual organ we look




176        VITAL GODLINESS.
to the east, to the west, to the north, and to
the south, at objects far from us or near to us,
so with-the same eye of faith we look at things
thousands of years past, or thousands of years
to come, or things now existing in the unseen
world. Of old for thousands of years the pious
believed in a- Saviour to come.  In the days
of his'flesh, his disciples believed in a Saviour
then come.  For nearly two thousand years
God's people have believed in a Saviour that
has come. In all these cases the faith was the
same in principle and in its effects also.
The Westminster Confession says, "The
grace of faith, whereby the elect are enabled
to believe to the saving of their souls, is the
work of the Spirit of Christ in their hearts, and
is ordinarily wrought by the ministry of the
word, by which also, and by the administration of the sacraments, and prayer, it is increased and strengthened.  By this faith a
Christian believeth to be true whatsoever is
revealed in the word for the authority of God
himself speaking therein, and acteth differently upon that which each particular passage
thereof containeth; yielding obedience to the
commands, trembling at the threatenings, and
embracing the promises of God for this life




FAITH.                177
and that which is to come. But the principal
acts of saving faith are accepting, receiving,
and resting upon Christ for justification, sanctification, and eternal life, by virtue of the
covenant of grace.  This faith is different in
degrees, weak or strong; may be often and
many ways assailed and weakened, but gets
the victory; growing up in many to the attainment of a full assurance through Christ, who is
both the author and finisher of our faith."
A  little consideration of this account of
faith will show how full, complete, and scriptural it is. The first thing asserted is that
saving faith is not of earthly, but of heavenly
origin; that it is not of man, but of God.
Faith is the gift of God. It is expressly called
a "faith of the operation of God."'  "Unto you
it is given on the behalf of Christ to believe on
him."   "God hath dealt to every man the
measure of faith."  When "Peter said, Thou
art Christ, the Son of the living God, Jesus
answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou,
Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood hath not
revealed it -unto thee, but my Father which is
in heaven." This faith is particularly ascribed
to the Holy Ghost as its author. He produces
it in the heart.  So say the Scriptures. "The
8*




178        VITAL GODLINESS.
fruit of the Spirit is faith."  "To another is
given faith by the same Spirit."  "We having
the same Spirit of faith, also believe."  The
reason why saving faith endures, is because it
is the incorruptible seed of God.
It is next said that in working this faith in
us, God puts honor upon his word as the ordinary instrument.  With this also the Scriptures well agree.  "How shall they believe in
him of whom they have not heard? and how
shall they hear without a preacher?...  So
then, faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by
the word of God."  "It pleased God by the
foolishness of preaching to save them that believe." This is the foundation of all our encouragement in proclaiming the gospel. That
which is sown in the weakness of man is raised
in the mighty energy of the Holy Ghost. No
wonder that such happy results flow from proclaiming the gospel whenever God's Spirit attends it. It is thus the power of God unto
salvation to every one that believeth. "God's
gracious biddings are effectual enablings."
In like manner this faith is chiefly nourished by the ministry of the word and other
ordinances, and by prayer.  "Lord, increase
our faith."  The baptism of water is effectual




FAITH.                 179
when accompanied by the baptism of the Holy
Ghost.  The breaking of bread and drinking
of wine are means of nourishment to all those
who drink spiritually of the Rock which follows them, even Christ, and who by faith eat
the true bread which cometh down from heaven, even the Son of God.  All the saints desire the sincere milk of the word, that they may
grow thereby.
True faith respects all God's word.  It receives narratives, promises, threatenings, doctrines, precepts, warnings, encouragements, all
as they were designed for its use. It obeys
God's commands.  They were given for that
purpose.  It is afraid of his threatenings.  It
trembles at his word. It relies upon the promises, both as they respect this life and the next.
It takes warning from many parts of Scripture.
It rejoices in solid scriptural encouragement.
It relies upon God's word as testimony that is
infallible.  Whatever God speaks, faith believes. It receives all he has said. The word
of God liveth and abideth for ever.  So faith
receives it as his word, and not as the word of
man.  His authority is perfect.
But saving faith has special reference to
Christ. So the Scriptures often teach. "Who




180         VITAL GODLINESS.
is he that overcometh the world, but he that
believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?"  " If
we receive the witness of men, the witness of
God is greater; for this, is the witness of God,
which he hath testified of his Son. He that
believeth on the Son of God hath the witness
in himself: he that believeth not God hath
made him a liar, because he believeth not the
record that God gave of his Son. And this is
the record, that God hath given to us eternal
life; and this life is in his Son."  "Believe in
the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved."
"He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life."  "He that believeth on him is not
condemned."  In God's word the great theme
is Christ Jesus.  "To him give all the prophets witness."  "The testimony of Jesus is the
spirit of prophecy." If to deny the Father is
fatal, so is it also to deny the Son. If to do
despite to the Spirit of grace involves the loss
of the soul, to reject Christ as the Saviour
makes destruction inevitable.  But to receive
Christ, to rest upon him, to look to him, to
come to him, to flee to him for refuge, to take
him as our Sacrifice, as our Prophet, Priest,
and King, and to do this heartily, is the great
office of saving faith.




FAITH.                 181
This faith is not of equal strength in all
believers, nor in the same believer at all times.
We read of "him  that is weak in faith," of
"little faith," and of "great faith."  Faith
grows by the divine blessing.  The faith of
some grows "exceedingly."  Every true disciple says, "Lord, I believe; help thou my
unbelief."  It finally gains every needful victory.  In some cases it is matured into full
assurance.  This is all through Christ, who
begins, carries on, and perfects the work of
faith in us by his Spirit and grace.
This whole view of faith is consistent with
itself and with all the Scriptures. It explains
many things which otherwise would seem to us
enigmatical.
First, we see why faith always was and
always will be necessary.  "By faith Abel
offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice
than Cain."  This was the religion of those
early times.  "When the Son of man cometh,
shall he find faith on the earth?"  This will
be the religion of the latest times.  The reason why no man was ever able or shall ever
be able to please God without faith, is, that
unbelief at every step sets aside all that God
has said and done for man's salvation.  He




182        VITAL GODLINESS.
who would be saved in unbelief, would put
perpetual contempt on all the arrangements of
heaven for the recovery of lost men.
We also see how reasonable it is that faith
should be required of us.  "Have faith in
God."  "Believe in the Lord your God, so
shall ye be established."  "This is the work
of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath
sent."  "Be not faithless, but believing."
These are but specimens of the authoritative
tones in which God speaks to us on this subject. He could not say less if he sought our
good. To permit us to live in unbelief would
be to license all sin.
We can also now understand why the minds
of truly religious people are so ready to take
up with God's offers of grace and mercy. Believing all God says, they of course receive a/s
true all that he has alleged concerning their
fallen and depraved condition. In other words,
they find out that they are sinners, lost, guilty,
vile, and helpless. To such the gospel is always
good news. It is indeed life from the dead to
a poor convinced sinner, to see the door of
mercy wide open, and Christ standing ready
to receive all that come to him.
It is also clear that our friends can do for




FAITH.                 183
us nothing more kind than earnestly to pray
that our faith may abound.  As Paul says,
"We pray always for you that our God would
count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all
the good pleasure of his goodness, and the
work of faith with power."  Nor should we
cease to implore the same blessing for ourselves.  He who has right views in this matter will never lean on himself, nor trust in his
own goodness, or wisdom, or power.  Boston
well says, "Faith goes out of itself for all its
wants." Its trust in Another is at war with all
self-reliance.
Thus faith always begets humility.  It
brings down the haughty to a sense of dependence.  It takes away vain-glorious notions
and boastings.  Venn says, "Faith, though it
be weak and imperfect, instead of exalting
itself against the justice of God, and standing
before him in the confidence of a lie, puts all
from itself, and gives the whole glory of our
salvation where it is due,' So that as faith
goes abroad in quest of supplies, so it goes
forth of itself to bestow its honors.  Its unceasing language is, "Not unto us, not unto us,
but to thy name give glory."
We can also see the difference between im



184         VITAL GODLINESS.
plicit and explicit faith. The former takes God
at his word, obeys, and is at peace. The latter would have every thing explained, and all
difficulties removed, before it would trust the
promise or obey the command. Implicit faith
first relies, then proves. Explicit faith would
first prove, then trust.  This made Bishop
Hall say, "With men it is a good rule to try
first, and then to trust; but with respect to
God it is otherwise.  I will first trust him as
most wise, omnipotent, and merciful, and try
him afterwards. It is as impossible for him to
deceive me as not to be."  "The school of God
and nature require two contrary manners of
proceeding.. In the school of nature we must
conceive, and then believe; in the school of
God we must first believe, and then we shall
conceive.  He that believes no more than he
conceives, can never be a Christian; nor he a
philosopher that assents without reason.  In
nature's school we are taught to elicit the truth
by logical discourse; but God cannot endure a
logician.  In his school, he is the best scholar
that reasons least and assents most. In divine
things, I will conceive what I can; the rest I
will believe and admire. Not a- curious head,
but a believing and plain heart is accepted




FAITH.                185
with God."  The same is strongly expressed
in other words by Goodwin: "Of all acts of
faith, this of pure trust doth honor God most,
and hath indeed more of faith in it.: the purer
the trust is, the greater the trust is; and the
greater the trust is, the greater the faith is;
and the greater the faith, the more honor comes
to God."  Mason also says, "Men would first
see, and then believe; but they must first believe, and then see." Our Saviour said, "'Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen,
and yet have believed."  Of course, implicit
faith in man, or in any system  of doctrines
taught by men, is great folly. There we have
a right to demand explanation, reasons, proof.
But when God says a thing is so, the more
simply, promptly, and firmly we believe what
he says the better. It is the height of wisdom
to receive every word of God as pure and true,
asking no questions expressive of doubt or
distrust.
And yet faith, even the simplest and strongest, is not irrational, nor foolish.  No man
acts so wisely as he who implicitly believes
God.  Abraham never showed that his faculties were so well regulated and orderly as when




186        VITAL GODLINESS.
he went straight forward at God's bidding to
sacrifice Isaac. He asked no reasons, he stated no difficulties; he simply did as he had been
commanded, and staggered not through unbelief. The reason why faith is so wise is, because it reposes confidence in God, who cannot
lie, cannot change, cannot fail, cannot be deceived, thwarted, or even perplexed; who
sees the end from the beginning, who loves
beyond all names of love known to mortals, or
even to angels; a God and Saviour who never
trampled on a broken heart, who never despised the cry of the humble, who never left
the penitent to perish in their sins, and who
will infallibly bring to eternal glory all who
take refuge in atoning blood. Implicit faith
in.each Person and in all the teachings of the
Godhead is the height of wisdom and virtue
among men, though implicit faith in any other,
even in an angel from heaven, would be folly.
Jer. 17:5; Gal. 1:8.
The view already given of faith harmonizes
well with the definitions given of it by all
sound writers.
The following is a good definition: "Justifying faith is a saving grace wrought in the
heart of a sinner by the Spirit and word of




FAITH.                 187
God, whereby he, being convinced of his sin
and misery, and of the disability in himself and
all other creatures to recover him out of his
lost condition, not only assenteth to the truth
of the promise of the gospel, but receiveth and
resteth upon Christ and his righteousness therein held forth for the pardon of sin, and for the
accepting and accounting his person righteous
in the sight of God for salvation."
Haldane says, "Justifying faith is the belief of the testimony of Christ, and trust in him
who is the subject of that testimony.  It is
believing with the heart."
Mason says, "Reliance is the essence of
faith. Christ is the object, the word is the
food, and obedience the proof; so that true
faith is a depending on Christ for salvation, in
a way of obedience, as he is offered in the gospel."
Dr. Archibald Alexander says, "A  full
persuasion of the truth revealed is faith in
every case; but when the truth believed is a
divine promise, this persuasion is of the nature
of trust or confidence."
Dwight says, "The faith of the gospel is
that emotion of the mind which is called trust
or confidence, exercised towards the moral




188         VITAL GODLINESS.
character of God, and particularly of the Saviour."
Charnock says, "Faith is a receiving the
testimony of Christ in the certainty of it and
in the extent of it-the testimony of God's
promises to encourage -us, of his precepts to
direct us, of his threatenings to awe us and
make us adhere faster to him; a resting in this
testimony as certain, as the centre of our souls,
the only foundation of our hopes.  God is the
ultimate object of faith, Christ the immediate
object of faith.  Christ gives the testimony;
God is the subject of that testimony. When
the witness Christ gives of the things he hath
seen and heard, is received to-be rested in as
the ground of our hope and the rule of our
walk, this is faith.'
Dr. Hodge says, "Faith is not the mere
assent of the mind to the truth of certain propositions. It is a cordial persuasion of the truth,
founded on the experience of its power, or the
spiritual perception of its nature, and on the
divine testimony.  Faith is therefore a moral
exercise.  Men believe with the heart in the
ordinary scriptural meaning of that word; and
no faith which does not proceed from the heart
is connected with justification."




FAITH.                189
John Owen, speaking of the way of life by
Christ Jesus, says, "That faith which works
in the soul a gracious persuasion of the excellency of this way, by a sight of the glory, wisdom, power, grace, love, and goodness of God
in it, so as to be satisfied with it as the best,
the only way of coming unto God, with a renunciation of all other ways and means unto
that end, will at all times evidence its nature
and sincerity."
Without further comparing formal definitions on this subject, it may be said that sound
writers fully agree with the Scriptures in representing faith as a simple act of the mind, in
which both the understanding and will are
united; that the light of knowledge goes before
it so far as to reveal the nfind of God, and so
it is not blind and credulous, but sober, watchful, and intelligent; and that it is the fruit of
warm affections, and so is not cold, speculative,
and without practical effect. Dr. A. Alexander
says, "Faith is one simple exercise of the mind,
including, however, both the understanding
and will."  John Calvin says, "The seat of
faith is not in the brain, but in the heart; not
that I wish to enter into any dispute concerning the part of the body which is the seat of




190         VITAL GODLINESS.
faith, but since the word heart generally means
a serious, sincere, ardent affection, I am desirous to show the confideice of faith to be a firm,
efficacious, and operative principle in all the
emotions and feelings of the soul, not a mere
naked notion of the head."
Nearly all sound and lucid writers are careful to express in so many words their view of
faith, as being more than mere assent of the
mind.to the truth-proposed.  "With the heart
man believeth unto righteousness, and with
the mouth confession is made unto salvation."
Rom. 10:10.  Mason says, "Assurance sets
the notion of faith too high, assent too low."
John Newton says, "Assent may be the act of
our natural reason; faith is the effect of immediate almighty power.  Assent is often given
where it has little or no influence upon the
conduct. Faith is always efficacious."
The effects of saving faith are many and of
great value.  Indeed they are so important,
that without them salvation in any of its benefits is impossible.
1. True faith is the instrument of a sinner's
justification before God.  So the Scriptures
abundantly teach.  "The just shall live by
faith."  "Abraham believed God, and it was




FA ITH.               191
counted to-him  for righteousness.' "Being
justified by faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ."  "Therefore
we conclude that a man is justified by faith
without the deeds of the law."   If righteousness come by the law, then is Christ dead in
vain." Here is a grand result. Sin is forgiven
and the sinner is accepted simply by believing
on Him who is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. This is indeed a mystery and an offence to many. "Justification by sanctification is man's way to
heaven, and he will make a little serve the
turn.  Sanctification by justification is God's,
and he fills the soul with his own fulness.'
God's way is as mighty as it is wise.  There is
great historical verity in the statement of Sir
James Mackintosh, that "the Calvinistic people of Scotland, Switzerland, and New England
have been more moral than the same classes
among other nations.  Those who preached
faith, or in other words, a pure mind, have always produced more popular virtue than those
who preached good acts, or the mere regulation
of outward works." Justification by faith alone
is a doctrine highly promotive of holiness.
2. Adoption is also by faith. "To as many




192        VITAL GODLINESS.
as received him, to them gave he power to
become the sons of God, even to as many as
believed on his name."  "Ye are all the sons
of God by faith in Jesus Christ."  What a
wonderful effect is this: a child of the devil
becomes a child of God, an heir of perdition is
changed into an heir of glory, and all by reliance on the word of God, and by confidence
in the person and merits of Jesus Christ. No
wonder believers have ever celebrated the
wonders of faith.
3. Besides obtaining justification and adoption, we also by faith are made partakers of
the Holy Spirit to all the ends of illumination,
sanctification, and encouragement in the Lord.
Christ says, "He that believeth on me, out of
him shall flow rivers of living water. This
spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe
on him should receive."  There is no success,
progress, or comfort in religion, but through
this blessed Spirit. To receive him in his fulness of grace, is to secure the earnest of all
good things, the pledge of heaven itself.  "If
any man have not -the Spirit of Christ, he is
none of his."  But if a man have the Spirit of
Christ, nothing can prove him a castaway, a
reprobate, an enemy.




FAITH.                  193
4. Saving faith is an infallible sign of regeneration.  None ever thus believed but those
who "were born, not of blood, nor of the will
of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ,
is born of God."  Genuine faith being ours,
our regeneration is no longer doubtful.  Charnock says, "Faith is of absolute necessity to
regeneration... Faith is a radical, vital grace;
as blood in the veins is to the body, so is faith
to the soul.  No regeneration  without the
Spirit; and faith is the first grace the Spirit
infuseth. 
5. The powerful effect of true faith in purifying the:heart is among its transcendent blessings.' This chiefly makes the difference between it and the faith of devils.  It awakens
intense hatred of sin, eager longings after holiness, blessed hopes of attaining complete conformity to God, and a purpose to do right,
whatever may be the result.  There is no
effectual purifying of the heart but by faithby faith laying hold of Christ, and obeying the
truth.  Hooker well says, "To make a wicked
and sinful man most holy through his believing, is more than to create a world of nothing."
6. Another effect of true faith is, to enkinVital Godalinea.   9




194         VITAL GODLINESS.
die the affections.  "It works by love."  It
draws out the heart intensely after Christ.
"To you that believe he is precious;" or, as it
might be rendered, "preciousness."  It indeed
causes a wholesome fear of God; but its reigning power is not that of terror, but of love.
This sways every thing, counts no sacrifice for
Christ too great, and gladly yields all to him.
"The love of Christ constraineth us."
7. Another effect of faith is, that it overcomes the world, and so is unlike every kind
of dead faith.  1 John 5:4.  To gain a victory
over the' world is more than philosophy ever
did, more than unaided nature ever made a
tolerable show of doing, morethan,ever was
done but by one who had the faith of Jesus.
The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and
the pride of life are too strong for any but the
power of God working by the Spirit in the
hearts of believers.  Therefore, God saves no
man but by working this faith in him.  Thus
we read, "As many as were ordained to eternal life believed."  If God designs any saving
good to you, the first infallible evidence of it
will be, that he will work faith in you.
8. Faith is the great foster-parent of all
that belongs to scriptural piety.  It begets




FAITH.                 195
true worship, godly fear, devout thanksgiving,
genuine humility, Christian boldness, holy joy,
evangelical repentance, enlarged  liberality,
fervent love, a pure conscience, a holy life,
and final victory.  Arrowsmith says, "Faith
can support when nature shrinks; faith can
call God Father when he frowns, and make
some discovery of a sun through the darkest
cloud."  I had rather be able to walk in darkness, and have no light, and yet trust in the
Lord, than to work miracles and subdue kingdoms. There are no offerings like those of
faith.  It makes no conditions.  It makes no
reserves.  It cavils not.  It falters not.  It
gazes upon the cross till the course of the new
nature is set on fire with heavenly love.  It
best of all promotes its own interest by utterly
forgetting itself, and so realizes what a class
of writers have asserted, that "true greatness is
unconscious."  Like the aeronaut, the believer
rises by throwing over all that could weigh
him  down to earth.  And as faith is selfrenouncing, so it goes forth to glorify God.
John Owen says, "It is the proper nature of
faith to issue itself in the admiration of that
which is infinite."  It consents to be as nothing, that God may be all and in all.  It ex



196        TRITAL GODLINESS.
eludes boasting. Rom. 3:27.  It is as jealous
for Gods honor as it is for personal salvation.
Like the sun in nature, so faith in the new nature serves and warms all around it and under
its influence.  It begets repentance.  Jonah
3: 5.  It kindles love to an unseen Saviour.
1 Pet. 1: 8. It begets forgiveness to enemies.
Luke 17: 3-5.  It is the great means by which
the God of hope fills his people with all joy
and peace. -Rom. 15:13. It gives all the
stability we have. Roun. 11:20. It nourishes
other graces, as did Joseph his brethren in
Egypt.  It ever claims and clings to a fulness
in Christ.  It makes the soul willing to wait a
thousand years for an explanation of an act of
providence.  It is ever laying its crown at the
feet of Immanuel, and giving God the glory.
It puts things in their proper place. It abases
the sinner in the dust.  It sets God on the
throne of universal dominion, and Christ upon
the mercy-seat.  It pronounces all God's ways
just and equal. It consents to the law that it
is holy, just, and good. It receives the gospel
as glad tidings of great joy, and cries, "How
beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of
him that bringetlh good tidings, that publisheth
peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that




FAITH.                 197
publisheth salvation, that saith unto Zion, Thy
God reigneth."  It welcomes, and does not
pervert, the doctrine of a gratuitous salvation.
It says of the Saviour, "Thou art the Christ,
the Son of the living God."  It cries, "God
forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of
our Lord Jesus Christ."  Yea, it counts all
things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of God's dear Son,
No marvel that inspired writers so much
celebrate a grace that brings such good to man
and such glory to God. They call it "precious
faith."  They say it is common to all the people of God.  They. declare a man blessed who
has even the least unfeigned faith.  They say,
"Faith is the substance of things hoped for,
and the evidence of things not seen."  That is,
"it gives the object hoped for at some future
period a present subsistence in the soul, as if
already possessed."  "Faith is also the evidence, the internal conviction, the demonstra-.
tion of all unseen things." A believer acts as
really upon the existence of things invisible,
future, eternal, and hoped for, as he does upon
his past experience or his intuitive perceptions.
Even "the trial of your faith" is said to be
"much more precious than of gold that perish



198        VITAL. GODLINESS.
eth, though it be tried with fire;" and shall
"be found unto praise, and honor, and glory,
at the appearing of Jesus Christ."   When
inspiration would hold up God's sovereignty
to the admiration of all right-minded men, it
says, "Hearken, my beloved brethren, hath
not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in
faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath
promised to them that love him?"  In short, a
scheme of religion without faith would be as
futile and powerless as a scheme of mercy
without a Saviour.
It is indeed true that faith shall not, like
love, last and flourish for ever; but like hope,
it shall give place to a new state.  Faith shall
be changed into sight, and hope into enjoyment. In this sense, love is greater than either
of these graces.  1 Cor. 13:13.  But this is
not to their discredit.  In -this life, they do
what no other graces can accomplish. In particular, faith unites to Christ, lays hold of salvation, conquers every foe, brings every blessing-into the soul, pronounces death abolished,
crying, "Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where
is thy victory?  The sting of death is sin, and
the strength of sin is the law; but thanks be




FAITH.                199
to God, which giveth us the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ."  Oh it is worth a lifetime of toil, suffering, and self-denial, to be
able in the end to say with Paul, "I know
whom  I have believed; and am  persuaded
that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him against that day;" or, "I am
now ready to be offered, and the time of my
departure is at hand. I have fought a good
fight, I have finished my course, I have kept
the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me a
crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the
righteous Judge, shall give me at that day;
and not to me only, but also unto all them
that love his appearing."  One of Halybur-,
ton's dying sayings was, "The little acquaintance I have had with God within these two
days, has more than ten thousand times repaid
the pains I have in all my life taken with religion.  It is good to have God to go to when
we are turning our'face to the wall.''He is
known for a refuge in the palaces of Zion; a
very present help in trouble.'"
In applying this discussion to practical use,
observe,
1. The life of a Christian is one of war.
The powers of darkness and the powers of




200        VITAL GODLINESS.
light make his soul the arena of deadly strife,
the battle-field where their legions contend for
victory.  There is nothing good but it has its
opposite.  Arrayed against God is Satan.  If
God has given his law, Satan also issues his
precepts.
Many, very wicked, and false are the great
principles, the common maxims of Satan's kingdom, endorsed by the lives of wicked men, and
pleasing to the natural heart. Who can resist
their power? No one who is left to his own
strength.  Without lively faith in God, every
man will but serve the wicked one.  Without
faith in Christ, the love of sin cannot be overcome. In this war we shall utterly fail without
faith in God, without the help that comes from
God by faith in Christ Jesus. Bridge well says,
"True, saving, justifying faith carries the soul
through all difficulties, discouragements, and
natural impossibilities, to Jesus Christ." Be
not cast down because the war lasts long, or
because the conflict is terrible.  Fight on.
Entangle not yourself with the things of this
world.  Be of good courage.  Quit you) like
men.  Be strong.
2. We see from this subject the wisdom of
submitting all our sentiments and practices to




FAITH.               201
God's word in the spirit of docility.  "Do not
teach the Bible, but let the Bible teach you."
Come not to the study of God's word as a judge
or a critic, but as a child, a scholar, a criminal.
The world is full of mournful cases of persons:
who believed what was agreeable and rejected
all else.  The result has always been sad.
Many examples might be given.  An authoress somewhat celebrated, who had declared
her preference for the god of Thomson's Seasons or of Hutchinson's Ethics over the God
revealed to the patriarchs, in her old age thus
wrote:
"What does life offer past eighty?  For
my own part, I only find that many things I
knew, I have forgotten; many things I thought
I. knew, I find I knew nothing about; some
things I know, I have found not worth knowing; and some things I would give-Oh, what
would not one give?-to know, are beyond the
reach of human ken.  The powers of man
strive-how  vainly! —to penetrate the veil,
to pierce the thick darkness which covers the
future. Life seems of no value but for what
lies beyond; and yet our views of the future
are perhaps cheerful or gloomy, according to
the weather or our nerves."  Lo, this is the




202        VITAL GODLINESS.
woman who preferred the God of nature to the
God of grace; whose imagination ruled her
creed; whose fancy governed'her faith.
How strong is the contrast between- such
faith and such dark views of life and those of
that eminent servant of God, Mrs. Hannah
More, who at eighty says, "When and whither
belong to him who governs both worlds.  I
have nothing to do but to trust. I bless God
I enjoy great tranquillity of mind, and am willing to depart and be with Christ when it is his
will; but I leave it in His hands who does all
things well." Still later in life she exclaimed,
" God of life and light, whom have I in heaven
but thee?  Happy, happy are those who are
expecting to meet in a better world. The
thought of that world lifts the mind above itself.
0 glorious grace!  It is a glorious thing to
die."
If you wish a useful life, a pleasant old age,
a comfortable death, or a blissful immortality,
believe God, trust to his grace, rely on his Son.
Mingle not human and divine helps and hopes.
Rely on God alone as your Father, on Christ
alone as your Redeemer, on the Holy Ghost
alone as your Comforter. Charnock says, "He
that hath many things to trust to, is in sus



FAITH.                203
pense which he should take hold of; but when
there is but one left, with what greediness will
he clasp about that.  God cuts down worldly
props, that we might make him  our stay."
John Newton says, "Grace and faith can
make the lowest state of life supportable, and
make a dismission from the highest desirable."
Yield your understanding to be taught of God;
yield your heart to be purified and educated
for God; yield your life a sacrifice to God.
All this is your reasonable service. To do less
is to rob God. Remember that nothing will
stand the test of experience but that which
will endure the trial of a fair comparison with
Scripture.  Always believe just what God has
revealed for your salvation.  If some things
are not pleasant at first, they may still be useful through life, and in the end a fountain of
joy.
3. It may be proper here to say that assurance, or freedom from all doubt, is not of the
essence of. faith. "There is as much difference
between faith and assurance, as there is between the root and the fruit," says Mason. He
who says that one without assurance has no
faith, might as well say that an infant-is not a
human being. The greatest source of unhap



204         VITAL GODLINESS.
piness to the pious is the weakness of their
faith. It. was sad to hear Jacob crying out,
"All these things are against me." They were
in fact all for him and for his family. Assurance may be lost. Genuine faith cannot. David lost his assurance, but he did not cease to
be a believer. Assurance is a flower that opens
with the sun and shuts at night., But faith
grows and flourishes in cloudy weather, in the
shade, and even in total darkness. Assurance
indeed is the faith of God's people matured,
full-grown, perfected.  It is every way desirable and vastly consolatory, and certainly attainable.  We should all seek it, pray and
labor for it; and if we attain it, take good heed
that we lose it not. We should never forget
that assurance is as purely the gift of God as
the least degree of faith. It is greatly to be
lamented that the faith of so many seems sickly. Strong faith is one of the best gifts. Yet
let none forget that little faith, when genuine,
is pleasing to God, and unites to Christ. "Assuredly the least exercise of true faith in Christ
constitutes a man his disciple," says Dr. Scott.
To be able to come trembling and touch the
hem of Christ's garment, as surely proves us in
the covenant as to have a faith that will re



FAITH.                205
move mountains. This view is the more important, as true believers are always modest,
and have a low opinion of their own attainments in all respects. There is many a man
who cannot deny that he has some faith, who
yet regards himself as the least of all saints,
the most faltering of all the true friends of God.
This may be the case with the most eminent
saints.  Let us never teach nor embrace a
doctrine which would fill such with sadness.
4. The great guilt and misery of the unconverted are found in their want of faith.
Unbelief is their great sin.  "This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world,
and men have loved darkness rather than
light."  The Spirit convinces the world of sin
chiefly in this, because men believe not in
Christ. The unhappiness of a state of unbelief
is also fearful. It leaves the soul without any
resource in trouble, without God in the world.
Unbelief is the great parent and patron of
other forms of wickedness. It fills the mind
with wicked and violent prejudices, as in the
case of the unbelieving Jews in the time of our
Saviour, as in the case of unbelievers in our
own day.  It begets and nourishes a strong
voluntary preference for the things of time




206         VITAL GODLINESS.
above those of eternity, for the riches of earth
above the unsearchable riches of Christ, for
the honor that cometh from  man above the
honor that cometh fr.om  God only, for the
pleasures of sin for a season above the -pleasures for evermore at God's right hand.  It
nourishes above all things else pride of intellect, of family, of learning, of spirit, of manliness, of personal virtue.  It begets sloth, dulness of apprehension, want of inquiry. It generates stubborn perversity.  It makes men
walk contrary to their strong convictions, their
avowed principles.  It mars or renounces all
the duties of spiritual religion. It is revengeful, and will not forgive injuries. It is selfwilled, and refuses to bow to the authority of
God.  It begets all feelings of disloyalty to
God.  It prevents all true spiritual worship.
It annihilates the promises and abrogates the
covenant of God in the case of all in whose
hearts it has sway.  It makes the death of
Christ of none effect. It scornfully rejects the
remedy provided for us in our ruined condition.  It is no wonder that God has said, "He
that believeth not shall be damned."
For men to profess to be peculiarly philosophical when they say that they believe what




FAITH.                207
they see and no more, is very absurd. Apply
this rule to the things of this world, and who
can properly believe that there is or ever was
any man, city, island, or country, except those
which he has seen?  When God testifies, unbelief is as unphilosophical as it is wicked.
How absurd for a creature to make a point
with the Creator; for a worm of the dust to
revise the decisions of infinite wisdom; for a
sinner to reject the Saviour because there are
in the plan of salvation some things too deep
to be sounded by the line of created intellect.
In human nature there can be nothing
blacker than unbelief.  It impeaches God's
wisdom, power, goodness, justice, mercy, truth,
and faithfulness.  It holds up the God of truth
as unworthy of credit.  It makes him a liar.
It charges him with perjury.  It derides all
his goodness and despises all his mercy. It
makes light of the bloody sweat and dying agonies of his dear Son.  It is a sin against the
law, against the gospel, against the divine
attributes, against every Person in the Godhead, against the highest testimonies, against
our own best interests, against the only way of
life and salvation. Without faith it is impossible to please God.




208         VITAL GODLINESS.
5. Let all labor for an increase of faith.
Let them resort to all lawful endeavors for the
growth of this principle.  Venn says, "Solitude is a great cherisher of faith; were we
more alone to pray and look back upon ourselves, not to find any good, but to observe
more of the amazing blindness of heart, unbelief, selfishness, and vile idolatry, which so
benumb our feelings of the love of Christ;
were we to be more alone for these purposes,
we should enjoy more of the presence and joy
of God."  The reading of good religious biography, and in particular of the sufferings of the
martyrs, does, with the divine blessing, mightily
strengthen the faith of God's people. For the
same reason we should rejoice in all tribulation, because under God it strengthens the
faith of all his people.  Blessed is the man
who by faith lays up a good foundation against
the time to come.
6. We should especially so live and labor
that we may die in faith.  How blessed is he
who is permitted to close his earthly existence
in the confidence of that holy belief which disarms death of all stings and terrors.  But this
is not to be expected after a life of carelessness. Good old Willison gives " these advices"




FAITH.                  209
to all who would be so happy as to die in faith:
"1. Be careful to get faith beforehand; for
death is a time to use faith, not to get it. They
were foolish virgins who had their oil to buy
when the bridegroom was close at hand.  2.
Study to live every day in the exercise of
faith, and be still improving, and making use
of Christ in all his offices, and for all those ends
and uses for which God hath given them to
believers.  3. Frequently clear up your evidences for heaven, and beware of letting sin
blot them. to you.  4. Record and lay up the
experiences of God's dealings with you, and be
often reflecting upon them, that you may have
them  ready at hand in the hour of death.
Lastly, meditate much on those promises which
have been sweet and comfortable to you in the
time of trials, and beg that the Lord may bring
them to your remembrance when you come to
die."
In short, a life of faith is the only sure
pledge of a death of faith, and a death without
faith is a death without hope.
"Faith lights us through the dark to Deity;
Faith builds a bridge across the gulf of death,
To break the shock that nature cannot shun,
And lands thought smoothly on the further shore."




210         VITAL GODLINESS.
CHAPTER XI.
REPENTANCE.
REPENTANCE belongs exclusively to the
religion of sinners.  It has no place in the
exercises of unfallen creatures.  He who has
never done a sinful act, nor had a sinful nature,
needs neither forgiveness, conversion, nor repentance.  Holy angels never repent. They.
have nothing to repent of. This is so clear
that it is needless to argue the matter. But
sinners need all these blessings.  To them
they are indispensable. The wickedness of the
human heart makes it necessary.  Under all
dispensations, since our first parents were expelled the garden of Eden, God has insisted on
repentance.  Among the patriarchs, Job said,
"I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes."
Under the law David wrote the thirty-second
and fifty-first psalms.  John the Baptist cried,
"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand."
Christ's account of himself is that he "came to
call sinners to repentance." Just before his
ascension, Christ commanded "that repentance




nEPENTANCE.              211
and remission of sins should be preached in his
name, among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."  And the apostles taught the same doctrine, "testifying both to the Jews, and also to
the Greeks, repentance towards God, and faith
towards our Lord Jesus Christ."  So that any
system of religion among men which should not
include repentance, would upon its very face
be false. Matthew Henry says, "If the heart
of man had continued upright and unstained,
divine consolations might have been received,
without this painful operation preceding; but
being sinful, it must first be.pained before it
can be laid at ease, must labor before it can be
at rest. The sore must be searched, or it cannot be cured."  "The doctrine of repentance
is right gospel doctrine. Not only the austere
Baptist, who was looked upon as a melancholy,
morose man, but the sweet and gracious Jesus,
whose lips dropped aS a honey-comb, preached
repentance; for it is an unspeakable privilege
that room is left for repentance."  This doctrine will not be amiss while the world stands.
Though repentance is an obvious and oftcommanded duty, yet it cannot be truly and
acceptably performed except by the grace of
God. It is a gift from heaven. Paul directs




212        VITAL GODLINESS.
Timothy in meekness to instruct those that
oppose themselves,. "if God peradventure will
give them repentance to the acknowledging of
the truth."  Christ is exalted a Prince and a
Saviour "to give repentance."  So when the
heathen were brought in, the church glorified
God, saying, "Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life."  All this
is according to the tenor of the Old Testament
promises.  There God says he will do this
work for us and in us. Listen to. his gracious
words: "A new heart also will I give you, and
a new spirit will I put within you; and I will
take away the stony heart out of your flesh,
and I will give you a heart of flesh. And I
will put my Spirit within you, and cause you
to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my
judgments, and do them."  So that true repentance is a special mercy from God.  lIe
gives it. It comes from none other. It is impossible for poor fallen nature so far to recover
herself by her own strength as truly to repent.
The heart is wedded to its own ways, and justifies its own sinful courses with incurable obstinacy, until divine grace makes the change.
No motives to good are strong enough to overcome depravity in the natural heart of man.




REPENTANCE.              213
If ever we attain this grace, it must be through
the great love ofGod to perishing men.
Yet repentance is most reasonable.  No
man acts wisely till he repents.  When the
prodigal came to himself, he went straightway
to his father. It is so obviously proper that
he who has done wrong should be heartily
sorry for it, and never do so any more, that
some infidels have asserted that repentance
was sufficiently taught by natural religion
without the Bible. But this is a mistake. The
true doctrine of repentance is understood nowhere but in Christian countries, and not even
there by infidels. Besides, that which is required of us may be very reasonable, and yet
be very repugnant to men's hearts. When
called to duties which we are reluctant to perform, we are easily persuaded that they are
unreasonably exacted of us. It is therefore
always helpful to us to have a command of
God binding our consciences in any case. It
is truly benevolent in God to speak to us so
authoritatively in this matter.  " God now
commandeth all men everywhere to repent."
The ground of the command is that all men
everywhere are sinners. Our blessed Saviour
was without sin, and of course he could not




214        VITAL GODLINESS.
repent. With that solitary exception, since
the fall there has not been found any just person who needed no repentance.. And none are
more to be pitied than those poor deluded men
who see in their hearts and lives nothing to
repent of.
But what is true repentance?  This is a
question of the highest importance.  It deserves our closest attention. The following is
probably as good a definition as has yet been
given.  "Repentance unto life is an evangelical grace, whereby a sinner, out of the sight
and sense not only of the danger, but also of
the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, as contrary to the holy nature and righteous law of
God, and upon the apprehension of his mercy
in Christ to such as are penitent, so grieves for
and hates his sins as to turn from them all unto
God, purposing and endeavoring to walk with
him  in all the ways of his commandments."
That this definition is sound and scriptural will
appear more and more clearly the more thoroughly it is examined.  True repentance is
sorrow for sin, ending in reformation. Mere
regret is not repentance, neither is mere outward reformation.  It is not an imitation of
virtue, it is virtue itself.  Hooker says, "Is




REPENTANCE.                 215
it not clear that as an inordinate delight did
first begin sin, so repentance must begin with
a just sorrow, a sorrow of heart, and such a
sorrow as rendeth the heart; neither a feigned
nor a slight sorrow: not feigned, lest it increase sin; nor slight, lest the pleasures of sin
overmatch it."
He who truly repents, is chiefly sorry for
his sins. He whose repentance is spurious, is
chiefly concerned for their consequences.  The
former chiefly regrets that he has done evil;
the latter that he has incurred evil. One sorely
laments that he deserves punishment; the other
that he must suffer punishment. One approves
of the law  which condemns him; the other
thinks he is hardly treated, and that the law
is rigorous. To the sincere penitent sin appears exceeding sinful.  To him who sorrows
after a worldly sort, sin, in some form, appears
pleasant. He regrets that it is forbidden. One
says it is an evil and bitter thing to sin against
God, even if no punishment followed.  The
other sees little evil in transgression if there
were no painful consequences sure to follow.
If there were no hell, the one would still wish
to be delivered from  sin.  If there were no
retribution, the other would sin with increased




216         VITAL GODLINESS.
greediness. The true penitent is chiefly averse
to sin as it is an offence against God. This
embraces all sins of every description. But it
has often been observed that two classes of
sins seem to rest with great weight on the coniscience of those whose repentance is of a godly
sort.  These are secret sins, and sins of omission. On the other hand, in a spurious repentance the mind is much inclined to dwell on
open sins, and on sins of commission.  The
true penitent knows the plague of an evil heart
and a fruitless life. The spurious penitent is
not much troubled about the real state of heart,
but grieves that appearances are so much
against him.
David says, "Against thee, thee only have
I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight."
Whether we interpret these words to mean that
he had sinned secretly as to men, but in plain
view of God, or as expressing that God had
been chiefly dishonored by his sins, will not in
the end make any practical difference.  Both
are true.  Horne and some others incline to
the former view.  But the majority of good
writers seem to favor the latter interpretation.
Bishop Hall says, "It is thy prohibition, 0
God, that can make a sin.  I have sinned




REPENTANCE.               217
against men, but it is.thy law that I have violated; in that is my offence."  Bishop Patrick's paraphrase is, "Not because I stand in
fear of punishment from  men, who have no
power over me, but because I am so obnoxious
to thee, whose judgments I ought to dread the
more the less I am liable to give an account of
my actions unto others." Scott says, "David's
crimes had deeply injured Bathsheba, Uriah,
Joab, and the other accessaries to his murder.... Yet the chief malignity of his conduct consisted in this, that it was a complication of most daring rebellions against the great
and glorious Governor of the world; contempt
of his majesty, excellency, and righteous law....
This view seems to have possessed and overwhelmed his mind to such a degree as to make
every other consideration appear comparatively as nothing."  Matthew Jlenry adopts both
views: "To God the affront is given, and he
is the party wronged. It is his truth that by
wilful sin we deny, his conduct that we despise, his command that we disobey, his promise that we distrust, his name that we. dishonor, and it is with him that we deal deceitfully
and disingenuously."  But he adds, "That it
was committed in God's sight. This not only
Vital Godliness.  10




218        VITAL GODLINESS.
proves it upon me, but renders it'exceeding
sinful."' The greater the being sinned against,
the greater is the sin. That in a very special
and strong sense all sin is directed against
God the Lawgiver, is clear from the nature of
things, and from  other parts of Scripture.
Thus when murder is committed in a state, it
is not chiefly the man who was killed nor his
family, but the commonwealth, whose peace
and dignity were infracted.  Thus also the
bloody persecutions against God's people are
expressly said to have been against God. "He
that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his
eye." "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou ME?"
It is indeed true that oftentimes some one
sin is very prominent in the thoughts of the
genuine penitent. Peter wept bitterly for having denied his Lord. David says of the matter of Uriah, "My sin is ever before me." On
these words Luther says, "That is, my sin
plagues me, gives me no rest, no peace; whether I eat or drink, sleep or wake, I am always
in terror of God's wrath and judgment." And
how often and penitently does Paul refer to the
great sin of his life, the murder of the saints.
Biddulph says, "He singled it out as the grand
evidence of the natural malignity of his heart.




IEPENTANCE.               219
Though pardoned, accepted, renewed, and joyful in the salvation of his Lord and Saviour, he
carried to the block of martyrdom the remembrance of this sin."  But though one sin may
be'first or most deeply impressed on the mind,
yet in true repentance the mind does not rest
there. The Samaritan woman was first convicted of living with a man who was not her
husband.'But soon she says that Christ had
told her all things that ever'she did.  On the
day of Pentecost, Peter labored to convict his
hearers of the guilt of Christ's death. He was
successful to a great extent. The result was
their repentance for all sin, and their conversion unto God.  "He that repents of sin as
sin, does implicitly repent of all sin." So soon
and so clearly as he discovers the sinful nature
of any thing, he abhors it. A wicked thought,
no less than a vile word or evil deed, is for a
loathing to the true penitent.  The promise
runs, "They shall loathe themselves for the
evils which they have committed in all their
abominations."  So that if there were no beings in the universe but God and the true penitent, he would have very much the same emotions of sorrow and humiliation that he has now.
And if instead of countless offences he was




220        VITAL GODLINESS.
conscious of comparatively few, the nature of
his mental exercises would be the same as now.
It is therefore true that he who ingenuously
repents of sin, repents of all sin. To change
one sin for another, even though it be less
gross or more secret, is but disowning one enemy of God to form an alliance with another.
Nor is a true penitent afraid of humbling
himself too much.  He does not measure the
degrees of his self-abasement before God. He
would take the lowest place.  He says, "Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee?"
"0 God, thou knowest my foolishness, and
my sins are not hid from  thee."  "All our
righteousnesses are as filthy rags."  "If thou,
Lord, shouldest mark iniquity, 0 Lord, who
shall stand?" " Have mercy upon me, 0 God,
according to thy loving-kindness; according
unto the multitude of thy tender mercies, blot
but-rmy transgressions." It is not of the nature
of genuine lowliness of heart before God to be
nice and careful not to get too prostrate in the
dust. Its great fear is, that it will after all be
proud and self-sufficient.
The question is sometimes asked, whether
every true penitent regards himself as the chief
of sinners.  If the question were of crimes




REPENTANCE.              221
against person or property, most penitents
could easily find, in history or in the world,
some who had excelled them in flagrant enormities.  Nor is it possible for any but God
absolutely and infallibly to say who is the
greatest sinner that ever lived.' But is it not
true that every sinner who has truly repented,
has seen more evil in his own heart and life
than he ever saw  in' another?  Comparing
himself.with the law, in its extent, holiness,
and spirituality, taking a candid view of all
that enters into ajust estimate of his case, how
can he but put his hand upon his mouth, and
his mouth in the dust?  Indeed, nothing but
great self-ignorance enables any man to have
a good opinion of himself. It is with good
cause that God says, "Know every man the
plague of his own heart."  "Commune with
your own heart upon your bed, and be still."
As soon as David properly thought on his
ways, he turned his feet unto God's testimonies. 0 come, ye proud ones, and cast yourselves at.the footstool of God's mercy.  "To
be low, is the safest and comeliest posture for
sinful creatures."  True repentance has in it
much profound humility.
True repentance has in it also much shame.




222        VITAL GODLINESS.
This relates not only to open and disreputable
crimes, but also to secret sins, to vain thoughts
and evil imaginations.  "I blush to lift up my
face to thee, my God."  "Show the house of
Israel that they may be ashamed for their iniquities."  He who does not blush for his sins,
has never been truly ashamed of them; has
never really and heartily forsaken them. "The
blush equally as the tear becomes every sinner.
To look back on the past with shame, no less
than with sorrow, becomes him. If he has no
cause to be ashamed before men, yet he has
great cause to be ashamed before God. If we
need not blush for our treatment of our fellowcreatures, yet ought we not to blush for our
treatment of our God and Saviour? All true
penitents do blush as well as weep. They are
ashamed as well as grieved for the things they
have done."  Nor does this shame cease with
the hope of pardon, but is rather thereby increased. So God says, "I will establish unto
thee an everlasting covenant. Then thou shalt
remember thy ways, and be ashamed... And
I will establish my covenant with thee; and
thou shalt know that I am the Lord; that thou
mayest remember, and be confounded, and
never open thy mouth any more because of




-R EPENTANCE.             223
thy shame, when I am pacified towards thee
for all that thou hast done, saith the Lord God."
On this point, universal Christian experience
fully accords with God's word.  Paul never
forgave himself for his cruel persecutions. Peter never ceased to be ashamed of his cowardly
denial of his Lord.  David never ceased to be
ashamed of his base conduct.
This sorrow, humility, and shame are not
merely for a wicked life, but for a sinful nature; not only for actual, but also for original
sin.  This point seems to be clearly settled in
the case of David, who; having confessed his
guiltiness.for personal misconduct, traces all
up to the fountain of native depravity. Listen
to his words of anguish: " Behold, I was shapen
in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive
me."  Not a spot is placed by inspired history
on the character of David's father.  He himself records more than once-*the excellency of
his mother.  He cannot therefore here intend
to allege any thing against their moral character, except as all who are descended from our
first parents are corrupt.  Bishop Horne says,
"No more can be intended here, than that a
creature begotten by a sinner, and formed in
the womb of a sinner, cannot be without that




224         VITAL GODLINESS.
*taint which is hereditary to every son and
daughter of Adam and Eve."  In fact, David
in this psalm is occupied with his own case, and
only as he saw truth suited to make him sorry,
humble, and ashamed, had he any occasion even
to allude to others. President Davies, treating of the nature of repentance, says, "David's
repentance reached his heart. Hence, in his
penitential psalm, he not only confesses his being guilty of the blood of Uriah, but that he
was shapen in iniquity and conceived in sin,
and earnestly prays, Create in me a clean heart,
0 God, and renew a right spirit within me."
Luther well says, "It is a great part of wisdom for one to know that there is nothing good
in us, but vain sin-that we do not think and
speak so triflingly of sin as those who say that
it is nothing else than the thoughts, words, and
deeds which are contrary to the law of God.
But if thou wilt:rightly point out, according
to this psalm, what sin is, thou must say that 
all is sin which is born of father and mother,
even before the time that man is of age to
know what to do, speak, or think."  Calvin
also says, "Now David does not confess himself guilty merely of some. one or more sins, as
formerly, but he rises higher, that from his




REPENTANCE.              225
mother's womb he has brought forth nothing
but sin, and by nature is wholly corrupt, and
as it were immersed in sin. And certainly
we have no solid convictions of sin, unless we
are led to accuse our whole nature of corruption.  Nay, each single transgression ought to
lead us to this general knowledge, that nothing
but corruption reigns in all parts of our soul."
If these views are correct, then it is vain for
men to pretend to genuine repentance who renounce the doctrine of native depravity, or
original sin. This doctrine holds an important
place in all true religious experience. "Though
we cannot wash in original innocency, we must
wash in ingenuous penitency."  Rev. David
Dickson therefore well says, "As original sin
is common to all men by natural propagation,
so is it not abolished out of the most holy in
this life; and as it is found to show itself in the
children of God by actual transgressions, so
must the evil thereof be acknowledged by
them; and that not to extenuate, but to aggravate their sin, as David showeth here."
A: true penitent also reforms. A holy life
is the invariable fruit of genuine repentance.
"If I have done iniquity, I will do no more."
Augustine says, " He truly repents of the sins
10 *




226        VITAL GODLINESS.
he has committed who does not commit the
sins he has repented of."  When Ephraim sincerely repented, he utterly renounced idolatry,
saying, "What have I to do any more with
idols?" He does not really confess sin who
does not forsake it. He who hates sin turns
from it. It was not the habit of David's life to
commit murder and adultery, though he once
did both; nor of Peter to deny his Lord, and
curse and swear, though he was once guilty of
both these. A true penitent is not willing to
be always sinning and repenting.  We often
read of "fruits meet for repentance," or "fruits
worthy of repentance." Paul, having said that
"godly sorrow worketh repentance not to be
repented of; but the sorrow of the world worketh death," gives a very lively account of the
effects of true repentance: "For behold this
self-same thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly
sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea,
what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement
desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge."
Richard Baxter says, "True repentance is the
very conversion of the soul from sin to God,
and leaveth not any man in the power of sin.
It is not for a man, when he hath had all the




REPENTANCE.               227
pleasure that sin will yield him, to -wish then
that he had not committed it, which he may
do then at an easy rate, and yet to keep the
rest that are still pleasant and profitable to his
fesh.  Like a man that casts away the bottle
which he hath drunk empty, but keeps that
which is full...  If thou have true repentance,
it hath so far turned thy heart from sin, that
thou wouldst-not commit it if it were to do
again, though thou hadst all the same temptations; and it hath so far turned thy heart to
God and holiness, that thou wouldest live a holy
life if it were all to do again, though thou hadst
the same temptations as afore."  Mason says,
"Repentance begins in the humiliation of the
heart, and ends in the reformation of the life."
All repentance is to be repented of, until it
leads to holiness.
"Repentance is the heart's sorrow,
And a clear life ensuing."
Genuine repentance also draws its chief
motives from the milder aspects of the divine
character and the sweet influences of the cross.
It is not the severity so much as the mercy of
God that melts the heart.  "The goodness of
God leadeth thee to repentance." Rom. 2:14.
It melts the heart when it sees God's kindness




228        VITAL GODLINESS.
and its own baseness. None but a soul not
touched by the finger of God can-agree to be
bad because God is good, or consent to a career of folly' because the Lord is merciful.
Repentance unto life invariably looks not
merely at the goodness of God in creation and
providence, but has a special regard to the
work of redemption.  "They shall look on
Him whom they have pierced, and mourn and
be in bitterness."  This is specially stated to
have been the ground of the repentance of the
three thousand on the day of Pentecost. It is
so still. Nothing breaks the heart like a sight
of Christ crucified. This is obtained by faith
only. There can be no evangelical repentance
without saving faith. Indeed, "the true tears
of repentance flow from the eye of faith." To
"repent and believe the gospel" are-not separate, though they are distinct duties.  He
who sincerely does one never omits the other.
He who lacks one of these graces never attains
the other. So that true repentance is always
also connected with love.  "Godly sorrow is
the sorrow of love, the melting of the heart;
love is the pain and pleasure of a melting heart."
Right views of Christ and real love to him will
make every man determine on the death of all




REPENTANCE.              229
his sins, and bring him in deep sorrow of heart
to the feet of the Saviour. Such motives are
of the right kind.  They appeal to the higher
principles of our renewed nature. If they are
not effectual, nothing will melt us.  Terror
and wrath are in vain, if love move us not.
It is all a delusion which supposes that strange
and startling events are better suited to affect
the human mind than the things of love. Yet
this delusion in many is strong. It follows
some to a death-bed, and even into hell. The
rich man said, "If one went unto them from
the dead, they will repent."
The kind of repentance above described is
a saving grace. He who exercises it shall not
perish.  It produces joy, as in the case of the
prodigal, and of the' converts in Jerusalem and
Samaria.  "The same Jesus who turned the
water into wine turns the waters of repentance
into the wine of consolation."  So that it is
most true of godly sorrow, that "sorrow is better than laughter."  "Blessed are they that
mourn; for they shall be comforted."  Thus
saith the Lord, "I dwell with him that is of a
contrite and humble spirit; to revive the spirit
of the humble, and to revive the heart of the
contrite ones."




230        VITAL GODLINESS.
The Scriptures speak of two kinds of repentance. Indeed,,there are two very different words in the Greek Testament which are
translated repentance.  One means a change
of mind thorough and entire, a turning away
of the soul from sin and vanity to God and
holiness.  It is called "repentance to salvation."  Elsewhere it is called "repentance
unto life." This is the word used by John the
Baptist, Matt. 3:2, and by Christ, Matt. 4:17,
when they preached saying, " Repent, for'he
kingdom of heaven is at hand."  They would
have us make thorough work of it. This is the
kind of repentance which is said to awaken joy
in heaven.  This is that repentance which
Christ is exalted at the right hand of God to
grant. unto Israel. Indeed, generally where
repentance in the New Testament is spoken
of, either as a duty or as a saving grace, the
word in the original is that the sense of which
is given above.
The other word translated repentance means
simply regret, or change of purpose. In this
sense Herod repented, when he found that
his rash and wicked'oath would end in the
beheading of John.  He was sorry, but not
after a godly sort. Yea, he was "very sorry,"




REPENTANCE.              231
but his sorrow worked death both to John and
himself: temporal death to the former, spiritual death to the latter.  This word is found in
some 6f its forms five times in the New Testament: Matt. 21:29, 32, and 27:3; 2 Cor..
7:8; Heb. 7:21.  One of them  is where
Paul says, "Though I made you sorry with a
letter, I do not repent, though I did repent;"
that is, I do not regret it, though I did regret
it. In Hebrews we read, "The Lord sware,
and will not repent"-will not change his purpose-"Thou art a priest for ever after the
order of Melchizedek."  It is found in Matthew
three times. It is said of the first son in the
parable, that "afterwards he repented," changed his purpose, "and went."  Chap. 21: 29.
So in the same chapter, verse 32: "The publicans and harlots believed John; and ye, when
ye had seen it, repented not"-changed not
your purpose, did not even regret the course
you had taken- "that ye might believe Him."
The other case is in Matt. 27:3-5: "Then
Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw
that he was condemned, repented himself " —or
simply repented, the word himsef not being
in the original-" and brought again the thirty
pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders,




232         VITAL GODLINESS.
saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed
innocent blood.  And they said, What is that
to us?  See thou to that. And he cast down
the piec'es of silver in the temple, and departed,
and went and hanged himself."  Here it is
stated that Judas regretted his conduct, had
the sorrow which works death; but this was all.
As this case of Judas is very instructive
in the nature of a spurious repentance, let us
dwell on it a little. His regret was unfeigned.
Higher proof of his being really sorry that he
had betrayed Christ he could not give.  Mere
sincerity is not all that is required in religion
generally, or in repentance in particular. There
must be a change of heart as well as of purpose, a turning to God as well as sorrow. Nor
is the strength of our emotions any test of their
genuineness.  It is no proof that your sorrow
for sins is of a godly sort, that it is violent, and
fills your soul with anguish.  It is not probable that any man was ever more distressed
than Judas.  Quality rather than amount of
feeling is to be sought. Nor is conviction of
guilt proof that our repentance is genuine.
Not only Judas, but Saul and many others
have had as deep and distressing convictions
as perhaps ever wrung the human heart; yet




REPENTANCE.              233
they still loved sin, and turned not to the Lord.
Nor is a full, frank, and public statement of our
wickedness in a particular affair any proof that
we repent unto salvation. Judas went before
the very men who had hired him to treason,
and without any inducement from men, told
them  the whole matter and its wickedness.
As to his confessing his offence before God, we
have no information. The presumption is that
he did not attempt it. There are deeds which
drive the soul far from the mercy-seat, and
destroy all heart for prayer. Yet Judas did
all he could to prove to man that he condemned
his act of treachery. To that deed two strong
passions are commonly supposed to have contributed: first, covetousness. His conscience
so far gained the victory over this vice, that
he not only offered to pay back the money,
but when it was refused, he threw it down in
the temple and left it there. The second passion supposed by many to have led to Christ's
betrayal by Judas was revenge, settled malice
for what he felt to be a painful exposure of his
character. Those who thus interpret his conduct found their opinion upon John 13:26-30.'But Judas so far gave up his malice as publicly to declare that it had no justification.




234        VITAL GODLINESS.
"I have sinned in that I have betrayed the
innocent blood."  And to show how earnest
he was in all this, how terrible his compunctious visitings were, and how  fearfully he
dreaded the longer contemplation of his sin,
he actually took his own life, and rushed unbidden into the presence of God. Men may
give their bodies to be burned, yet all will not
avail without love to God, faith in Christ, and
godly sorrow for sin. That Judas' repentance
was not genuine is certain; for Christ said,
"It had been good for that man if he had not
been born."
The great defects of his repentance were
these: 1. It seems to have been confined to
thoughts about one or two sins, and did not
extend to the sins of his life and heart, especially the wickedness of his nature.  2. Like
Saul and others he said, "I have sinned;" but
not like David, "I have sinned against the
Lord." He seems to have had no great thoughts
of God.  3. All the sorrow which lie felt was
upon. principles of human nature common to all
wicked men, and liable to be brought into operation at any time. He had not the Spirit.
There was no spiritual discernment in all hiss
exercises. 4. His repentance was without hope.




REPENTANCE.              235
It had in it the sullenness of despair. The
more he repented, the more wicked he was,
until to his other offences he added the guilt
of the worst kind of murder, even suicide.
5. So that his sorrow did not lead him towards
God. He had no confidence in atoning blood,
no reliance upon the mercy of God in Christ
Jesus, none of that faith which led the -dying
thief to look to Christ and live.  6. It had no
genuine humility in it. Judas died as proud
as he had lived.  7. Like all cases of spurious
repentance, this did not end in a reformation.
It produced no fruits meet for repentance. It
made the guilty man worse and worse at every
step, until he " went to his own place." Were
this case of Judas duly considered, wicked men
would not with so much security and quiet of
mind live on in their sins. There is something
very fearful in the thought, that much which
among men is highly esteemed is abomination
in the sight of God, and that a repentance
which goes no further than that of Judas but
prepares a man for the prison of the damned.
Having spoken of confession of sin before
men, it may be proper to preclude the possibility of mistake, by observing that those sins
which are known to men, and thus injure the




236        VITAL GODLINESS.
cause of God because they do a public harm,
are to be publicly repented of and renounced.;
but of those which are private, Chrysostom
lays down the true rule: "I wish thee not to
bewray thyself publicly, nor accuse thyself before others. I wish thee to obey the prophet
who saith, Disclose thy way unto the Lord;
confess thy sins before him; tell thy sins to
him, that he may blot them out. If thou be
abashed to tell unto any other wherein thou
hast offended, rehearse them every day between thee and thy soul. I wish thee not to
confess them to thy fellow-servant, who may
upbraid'thee with them; tell them to God, who
will cure them; there is no need for thee in
the presence of witnesses to acknowledge them;
let God alone see thee at thy confession. I
pray and beseech-you that you would more
often than you do confess to God eternal, and
reckoning up your trespasses, desire his pardon. I carry you not into a theatre or open
court of many of your fellow-servants; I seek
not to detect your crimes before men; disclose
your conscience before God,. unfold yourselves
to him; lay open your wounds before him, the
very best Physician, and seek of him salve for
them."




IEPENTANCE.               237
Whether in those sins which injure men,
and so admit of reparation, we are bound to
make restitution, there seems to be no doubt.
Lev.. 6:2-5; Luke 19:1-10.  The same is
clear from Paul's epistle to Philemon.
Therefore be warned in time as to the following things:
1. See that your repentance is not that of
the hypocrite or worldling.  See that it goes
beyond the repentance of fallen angels. Many
repent of all their good resolutions and reformations so soon as the temptation offers. He
that stole, and repented after his way, steals
again.  He that lied, and was caught in untruth, and so was ashamed, repeats the offence,
but more cautiously than before. Let not your
repentance be of this kind. It is a very important truth, that every spurious kind of repentance is soon known by the lack of fruits produced in the life. It is also true that there is
much sorrow for sin that is not'ingenuous and
hearty.  Many look upon repentance as an
evil, necessary indeed, but still an evil. Such
repentance as they have is probably of that
kind. It does them no good. It works death.
Beware especially of superficial views and experiences.  Some seem  to think themselves




238         VITAL GODLINESS.
well occupied in trying to prove that sin is not
a very great evil, that the heart of man is not
very far wrong.  If such should succeed, they
will but lay a foundation for the most serious
mistakes in personal experience.  "They that
are whole need not a physician, but they that
are sick." Avoid all men and books that make
the impression that there is no need of a thorough change of principles and affections, or that
it is'easy for him that is accustomed to do evil
to learn to do well.  Never rely op a repentance that is partial —for some, but not for all
sins; or a repentance that is temporary, and
produces no permanent change of heart or
life; a repentance that refuses to confess or
repair a wrong done to man; a repentance that
regards God's law as too strict, or seems reluctant to take a low place before God; a repentance that is offended with the exact rules of
Scripture, or with proper'distinctions and discriminations in judging of piety. Rest assured
that such a state of mind will be of no avail.
It is peculiarly strange that men will hold fast
the price of iniquity, and yet hope that they
have gracious affections. Ahab humbled himself mightily, he covered himself with sackcloth, but he was careful not to restore; indeed




REPENTANCE.               239
he seems never to have thought of restoring.
Naboth's vineyard; while  Zaccheus seems
never to have thought of any thing less than
full restitution from  the time that he first
turned to the Lord.
The greatest defect, however, in the religious experience of many, is the want of proper
tenderness of heart and of conscience based
upon clear evangelical views.  Repentance
without any regard to the cross of Christ is as
worthless as a faith that knows not the Saviour. If you would have a vital warmth in
your repentance, it must be obtained from
Christ crucified. In every sense he is our life.
See to it, as. you value the favor of God, that
you often visit Gethsemane and Calvary, the
cross and, the sepulchre of Jesus.
2. Be careful not to deny the grace of God
shown you in softening your heart, and cherish
all those sentiments which either belong to true
repentance or may lead to it. Especially labor
to acquire clear views of the number and aggravations of your sins against God.  Be not
deterred from comparing your heart with the
divine law. It is a great mercy when God
grants us so much repentance as to lead us to
acknowledge that we are sinners and need his




240        VITAL GODLINESS.
mercy. The prodigal had really made some
progress towards recovery when he was heartily willing to say, " Father, I. have sinned
against heaven and before thee, and am no
more worthy to be called thy son. Make me
as one of thy hired servants." A small degree
of genuine repentance may lead to more, and
so to life. Remember of whom it was said,
"A bruised reed shall he not break, and the
smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall
bring forth judgment unto truth." If the Saviour seems to be passing in the way near you,
be encouraged to cry to him to undertake your
case. Readily give up all-for his favor. It is
better than life. Forsake all that you have,
and. be his disciple. "Strive to enter in at the
strait gate; for many shall seek to enter in,
and- shall not be able."  "If thy right hand
offend thee, cut it off; for it is profitable for
thee to enter into life maimed or halt, rather"
than with all thy members "to be cast into
hell-fire."  Rest assured that God will favor-ably regard even the beginnings. of genuine
godly sorrow.  " He looketh upon men, and if
any say, I have sinned, I have perverted that
which is right, and it profiteth me not; he shall
deliver his soul from going down into the pit,




nEPENTANCE.              241
and his life shall see the light."  "He that
covereth his sins shall not prosper; but he that
confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall find
mercy."  Oh that all would turn to the Lord
Jesus, and with many tears give all to him.
He came to bind up the broken-hearted, to comfort all that mourn, to give unto them beauty
for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, and the
garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.
One genuine tear of penitence avails more in
salvation than all the costly gifts that ever
were made. Take heed that you fall not under
any delusion of the wicked one, whereby you
would be rendered dull and sluggish in this
work. Labor for the meat that endureth unto
life eternal.  Work out your salvation with
fear and trembling. Often and solemnly review your life. Compare your ways with the
rules by which you will be judged in the last
day.  Get a clear insight into the nature of
sin, into the multitude of your own offences,
and into the blessed scheme of mercy by which
the vilest may be saved. If there be a spark
of good within you, it is a token of more good.
Be careful not to extinguish it. Rather raise
it into a flame. Neglect no means of deepening your serious impressions. Judge not your
Vital Godliness.  1




242        VITAL GODLINESS.
self unworthy of everlasting life by slighting
the calls of mercy. Think of your own guilt
and misery; think of God's love and mercy,
especially in the gift of his dear Son, and lift
up your voice and. cry mightily to the Lord,
till he come near and bid the waters of true
repentance to flow  in abundance.  Of one
thing we may be assured, and that is, our repentance willnever be too deep.  We cannot
hate sin too much.  We cannot turn from it
too determinately or too speedily.
3. There is no substitute for repentance.
It is the best offering a sinner can make.
"Rend your hearts, and not your garments."
"The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a
broken and a contrite heart, 0 God, thou wilt
not despise."  Nothing will do but this, and
this will do well. The only alternative is repentance or perdition.  "Except ye repent,
ye shall all likewise perish."  "Repent and
turn from all your transgressions; so iniquity
shall not be your ruin."  "Next to innocence,
repentance is the greatest honor."  Although
repentance is no satisfaction for sin, yet it is
so necessary that we look in vain for salvation
without it.  "Repent and be converted, that
your sins may be blotted out." And "as there




REPENTANCE.               243
is no sin so small but it deserves damnation,
so," blessed be the name of the Lord, "there
is no sin so great that it can bring damnation
upon those who truly repent." Listen to God's
voice addressed to men far, very far gone in
sin: "Wash you, make you clean: put away
the evil of your doings from before mine eyes;
cease to do evil; learn to do well: seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let
us reason together, saith the Lord: though
your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white
as snow; though they be red like crimson, they
shall be as wool."  "Let the wicked forsake
his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts:
and let him return unto the Lord, and he will
have mercy upon him, and to our God, for he
will abundantly pardon." More gracious words
were never uttered.  Nothing can be kinder
than God's urgent calls to repent. The Lord
has very graciously spared you to this hour.
This shows his readiness to save.  Peter says
that we greatly err when we ascribe God's patience and forbearance to any slackness in his
character, any feebleness in his purposes. But
he is "long-suffering to us-ward., not willing
that any should perish, but that all should




244        VITAL GODLINESS.
come to repentance."  According to God's
word, an impenitent heart is a sign of all that
is evil.  Yes, wicked man, "after thy hardness and impenitent heart," thou "treasurest
up wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God."  Indeed, the great complaint of God against men
is that they remain unaffected: "I hearkened
and heard, but they spake not aright: no man
repented him of his wickedness, saying, What
have I done? every man turned to his course,
as the horse rusheth into the battle. Yea, the
stork in the heavens knoweth her appointed
times; and the turtle, and the crane, and the
swallow, observe the time of their coming; but
my people know not the judgment of the Lord."
Jer. 8: 6, 7. And whenever a sinner truly
repents, how surely and how speedily is he
forgiven. "I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest
the iniquity of my sin."  There is no lack of
mercy with our God. His arms are wide open,
and his heart is full of tenderness to all who
will return unto him. Every offer of mercy,
every call of the gospel, every affliction of life,
every reproof of conscience, every sermon, and
every sacrament are so many loud and earnest




REPENTANCE.              245
calls to repentance.  God may not require of
you to be a preacher, but upon pain of damnation he demands that you be a penitent. Nothing is more presumptuous or vain than a- hope
of salvation in impenitency.  God has given
solemn warning, "lest there should be among
you a root that beareth gall and wormwood;
and it come to pass, when he heareth the words
of this curse, that he bless himself in his heart,
saying, I shall have peace, though I walk in the
imagination of my heart, to add drunkenness
to thirst: the Lord will not spare him, but then
the anger of the Lord and his jealousy shall
smoke against that man, and all the curses that
are-written in this book shall lie upon him."
Deut. 29: 18-20.
4. But when shall I repent?  After all,
here is the point where failure is most common. Multitudes would be greatly offended if
told that they.will die without repentance, and
yet they persist in neglecting it. As to the
time of repentance, no wise man will dare to
say a word different from  the truths of the
Bible. There God says, "To-day if ye will
hear his voice, harden not your heart."  "Behold, now is the accepted time'; behold, now
is the day of salvation."  Genuine repentance




246        VITAL GODLINESS.
cannot be too soon. "God has made promises
to late repentance; but where has he made a
promise of late repentance?"  Saving repentance is always well-timed; it is not put off till
the fixedness of an eternal destiny has made
sorrow hopeless. True repentance commonly
begins its work early in life  always in time.
Eternity is for retribution, not for turning to
God. None but the presumptuous defer this
work till the last.  "The repentance of a dying man often dies with him," says Augustine.
"If we put off our repentance to another day,
we have a day more to repent of, and a day
less to repent in." Ambrose, speaking of a
death-bed repentance, says, "I will counsel no
man to trust to it, because I am loath to deceive any man, seeing I know not what to
think of it. Shall I judge such a one a castaway? Neither will I declare him safe. All I
am able to say is, let his state be left to the
will and pleasure of Almighty God. Wilt thou
therefore be delivered of all doubt?  Repent
while yet thou art healthy and strong. If thou
defer it till time give no longer possibility of
sinning, thou canst not be thought to have quit
sin, but sin has rather quit thee." Oh that
men were wise!  Oh that they would consid



REPENTANCE.              247
er!  Oh that they would lay to heart the
things which belong to their peace, before they
are for ever hid from their eyes! "You cannot repent too soon. There is no day like today. Yesterday is gone; to-morrow is God's,
not yours. Oh think how sad it will be to have
your evidences to seek when your cause is to
be tried; to have your oil to buy when you
should need it to burn."  If ever there was a
wise rule, it is this: "Whatsoever thy hand
findeth to do, do it with thy might." Perhaps
you think that repentance is in your own power.
without God's help, and that you can turn to
the Lord at any time.  But do not deceive
yourself. It was Christ who said, "Without
me ye can do nothing." Repentance is the gift
of God; and are you taking the right course
to secure his gift when you are wilfully abusing his mercies and his grace? It is a solemn
thought too, that we have the best reason for
believing that of all those called to repentance,
but few at any time obey and turn to God.
Besides, none but a madman would willingly
pursue a course which he knows.must end in
misery temporal or eternal. To expect that
the pains or terrors of death will beget true
repentance in your case is superlative folly.




248        VITAL GODLINESS.
They never have had that effect in any case.
The sorrows of the damned are still more terrible, but even they are neither purifying nor
atoning. Many in every age are much troubled with fears and terrors, especially in sickness; but do you not see how, upon recovery,
they return like the dog to his vomit, or the
sow that was washed to her wallowing in the
mire? If you cannot be won by kindness, the
terrors of the Lord will never make a good
man of you.
-One of the most afflicting thoughts respecting a death-bed repentance, is that it is impossible for any man to prove- that it was genuine,
and the soul enters eternity, to say the least,
with an untried preparation. Beware lest by
trifling with your soul's affairs, you at last die
in utter despair.  I have read of a sick man
who was exhorted to repent. He said he would
not yet; for, if he should recover, his companions would make merry at his expense.  But
growing worse, his friends again urged him to
repent. His reply was, "It is too late, for
now I am judged and condemned."  Oh turn
to the Lord.  "Wilt thou not be made clean?
When shall it once be?"




HUMILITY..               249
CHAPTER XII.
HUMILITY.
We rise in glory as we sink in pride;
Where boasting ends, there dignity begins.
THE word translated humility in the New
Testament occurs seven times. It is once rendered lowliness, once lowliness of mind, once
humbleness of mind, and twice by the simple
word humility.  In Col. 2:18, 23, it is used
either for a feigned humility or for a.degrading subjection of mind, such as.,all will-worship
begets and fosters.  The heathen, not having
any virtue corresponding to Christian humility,
had no word to express such a quality of the
mind; and when the New Testament writers
gave us their thoughts, they adopted the language of the age, and so use in a good sense
words which among the heathen often had a
very  different sense.   "The  philosophers
thought humility to be the opposite of magnanimity."  It is one of the peculiar glories of
Christianity that it teaches unfeigned humility,
and yet so as to elevate and dignify all who
practise it.
11*




250        VITAL GODLINESS.
Humility is lowliness of mind, the opposite
of pride and arrogance.  It belongs to the
essence of experimental religion. Bates calls
it " the peculiar grace of Christians, the parent
and nurse of other graces, that preserves in us
the light of faith and the'heat of love; that
procures modesty in prosperity and patience
in adversity; that is the root of gratitude and
obedience, and is so lovely in God's eyes, that
he'giveth grace to the humble.'"  A lowly
spirit is the opposite of a lofty one. True humility is an inward grace based on a view of
our own guilt, weakness, vileness, ignorance.
and poverty, as compared with the infinite
excellence and glory of God. It is one of the
most lovely of all the traits of a child of God..
It is opposed to all ostentation. Itnot only
hides the other graces of the Christian from
the gaze of self-admiration, but it hides itself
also. Its aim is not to be thought humble, but
to be humble. The good man loves to lie low,
and cares not to have it known. In the eyes
of others this virtue is willing to take a low
place, but claims no merit on that account.
The Bible says, "Be clothed with humility."
Have no secret or single way of display. Be
not humble merely respecting some things, and




HUMILITY.                251
proud or self-conceited about others.  Let the
robe of lowliness of mind, like the ample folds
of a cloak, cover up all else; and be not afraid
of thus suffering loss.  Humility will not disfigure, but adorn you.  As Rebecca was not
the less lovely, but the more so, when she took
a veil and covered her beauty and all her jewels; so the child of God is peculiarly beautified
when arrayed in humbleness of mind.  Of the
wicked it is said, "Pride compasseth them
about as a chain," Psa. 73: 6; but the righteous are "clothed with humility."  Rowland
Hill says, "I could say a thousand things'concerning this rrext to celestial valley of humiliation.  The air is so salubrious, the ground is
so fertile, the fruit so wholesome; while from
the branches of every tree the voice of prayer
and praise are heard in delightful concert with
each other.  While living in this valley, no
weapon that is formed against us shall prosper,
as all the fiery darts of the devil are sure to
pass over our heads, since the enemy of souls
cannot shoot low enough to reach us to our
hurt."
To prevent mistake, it is right to say that
humility has a sacred regard to truth.  Its
judgments are formed on that sure foundation




252         VITAL GODLINESS.
and by that unerring standard.  God requires
of us not meanness, but humility; not degradation, but a judgment and sense of ourselves
according to truth.  We are not at liberty to
think of ourselves more lowly or more highly
than the truth requires.  We are required to
think soberly of ourselves.  It is certain that
all sober thoughts of ourselves'will give us a
very low place.  A high estimate of ourselves
is never according to truth.
Neither does humility consist in decrying
pride in general, nor in speaking against the
haughtiness of some of our neighbors, nor in
seeking intercourse with low people for selfish
ends, nor in covering one's self with rags or
rough garments, nor in affecting unusual manners, nor in those self-restraints which are
intended to win the good opinion of others
respecting our humility, nor in confessing sins
which we do not forsake, nor in a servile disposition or manner towards men, nor in proudly maintaining the humbling doctrines of the
gospel.
Even the semblance of humility is often
thought advantageous by designing men. Lord
Bacon says, "Envy, which is the canker of
honor, is best extinguished by declaring a




HUMILITY.                253
man's self in his ends rather to seek merit
than fame; and by an ttributing a man's successes rather to divine providence and felicity,
than to his own virtue or policy." The cunning know that the best way to secure is to
seem to shun applause.
Where the mind is assured that the humility of another is unfeigned, it easily confides,
and loves to show affection.  We love to express admiration where we suppose we are not
flattering. Virtuous minds love not to give
unreasonable commendation, though they delight in uttering salutary encouragement. This,
is so true that, even where the grace of God
has not renewed the heart, but there is merely
a natural diffidence, we esteem it amiable. It
is with pleasure we read that Saul, when he
heard of his being chosen king, went and hid
himself among the stuff. Our f6elings towards
him  entirely change when he becomes ambitious and cruel and self-confident by the use
of power, and by dazzling prospects for himself and his family.  No small part of the
enthusiasm of the people in regard to some
public men is chiefly owing to the belief that
they will not be spoiled by public attention.
The charm of their character is in their mod



254         VITAL GODLINESS.
esty. Honors are often lavished on such, and
as often withheld from  men of an opposite
character.  Mankind meet not the demands of
the bailiff or tax-gatherer with-more surliness
than they do the claims of men to distinction.
To be proud and to be popular is not given to
men.  In any virtue, the reality is better than
the semblance. It is so in humility. Nature
is commonly stronger than art, and will finally
show itself. In one sense, it is easier to be
good than to seem to be good. It is less trouble to act out an ingenuous nature than it is to
conceal an evil nature under any disguise.
The commendations bestowed on this virtue are high and numerous.  Our Saviour
said, "Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be
abased; and he that shall humble himself shall
be exalted."  Matt. 23: 12. In a note on this
passage, Dr. Doddridge says, "Christ seems,
by the frequent repetition of this maxim, to
intimate that he intended it not only for those
who were to be teachers of others, but for all
his disciples without exception. And it is well
worthy of our observation that no one sentence
of our Lord's is so frequently repeated as this,
which occurs at least ten times in the evangelists."  He then refers to Matt. 18: 4; 20:-26,




HUMILITY.               255
27; 23:10, 11; Mark 9:35; 10: 43, 44; Luke
14:11; 18:14; 22:26; John 13:14.
When we examine other parts of God's
word, we find they speak the same language.
This will appear more fully presently. Soon
after the death of the last apostle, we find
Christian writers dwelling with great urgency upon this virtue.  Jerome says, "With
God nothing stands higher than humility."
Augustine, speaking of pride, says, "That
which first overcame man is the last thing
which man overcomes."  When Demosthenes
was asked what was the first thing in a good
orator, he said, Delivery; and the second,
he replied, Delivery; and the third, he still
answered, Delivery.  So says Chrysostom,
"If I be asked what is the first thing that
makes a Christian, I answer, Htumility; and
the second, Humility; and the third, Humility."
Later writers of eminence speak the same
language.  Venn says, "As soon as pride is
humbled enough not to enter into controversy
with God about the justice'of his own declarations, every man confesses himself a guilty
sinner, in danger of eternal ruin."
Manton says, "The nettle mounteth on




256         VITAL GODLINESS.
high, while the violet shrouds itself under its
own leaves, and is chiefly found out by its fragrancy. Let Christians be satisfied with the
honor that. cometh from God only."
Bates says, " Humility is the most precious
ornament in God's sight; and to be approved
by the divine mind and accepted by the divine
will is the highest honor, the most worthy of
our ambition.  Humility is like the precious
balm that, mixed with other liquors, sinks to
the bottom; but then it is visible and most
amiable in the sight of God."
Evans says, "Those who are destitute of
humility, whatever profession they have made
of Christianity, have in truth the rudiments of
it yet to learn.  If they have been soaring
upward to heaven itself in the sublimest speculations, if th'ey have built up their hopes to
the greatest height on other grounds, without
laying this at the foundation, they must be
content to come down again to learn this lesson, which enters into the elements of Christ's
religion.  A proud Christian is a contradictory
character; as much so as it would' be to say, a
wicked saint.  The whole gospel, in its precepts, its great example, its glorious prospects,
tends to humble the pride of man; and there



HUMILITY.                257
fore, whoever will come after Christ must in
this respect deny himself."
Dr. Gill says, " Generally speaking, those
that have the most grace and the greatest gifts,
and are of the greatest usefulness, are the most
humble, and think the most meanly of themselves. So those boughs and branches of trees
which are most richly laden with fruit bend
downwards and hang lowest."
Dr. Watts says, "Saints increase in humility as they draw nearer to heaven.' Unworthy to. be called an apostle,' said Paul concerning himself some years after'his conversion.
As he advanced still further in years, he cried
out,'Less than the least of all saints.' A little
before his martyrdom, his cry is,'the chief of
sinners. "
Mason says, " God had rather see his children humble for sin than proud of grace...
Neither all the devils in hell nor all the temptations of the world can hurt that man who
keeps  himself humble  and  depending  on
Christ...  As the first step heavenward is
humility, so the first step hellward is pride."
The Persian proverb is, "A  man passes
for a sage when he seeks for wisdom; but if he
thinks he has found it, he is a fool."




258        VITAL GODLINESS.
John Angell James says, "Humility is thecertain fruit of a heart wherein true religion
is duly cultivated, and is most conspicuous in
those whose lives are adorned with the most
exemplary piety."
As nothing so well explains and enforces
one's meaning as examples, a few are here
given to hold forth bQth the nature and beauty
of humility.  The first is that of President Edwards the elder. On receiving information of
his election to the presidency of Princeton
college, he thus wrote to the trustees: "I am
not a little surprised on receiving the unexpected notice of your having made choice of
me to succeed the late President Burr as the
head of Nassau Hall. I am much in doubt
whether I am called to undertake the business
which you have done me the unmerited honor
to choose me for...  The chief difficulties in
my mind in the way of accepting this important and arduous office are, first, my own defects unfitting me for such. an undertaking,
many of which are generally known, besides
others of which my own heart is conscious. I
have a constitution in many respects unhappy,
attended with flaccid solids, vapid, sizy, and
scarce fluids, and a low tide of spirits, often




HUMILITY.                259
occasioning a kind of childish weakness and
contemptibleness of speech, presence, and demeanor, with a disagreeable dulness and stiffness much unfitting me for conversation, but
more especially for the government of the college. This makes me shrink at the thought of
taking upon me in the decline of life such a
new and great business, attended with such a
multiplicity of cares, and requiring such a degree of activity, alertness, and spirit of government, especially as succeeding one so remarkably well qualified in these respects, giving
occasion to every one to remark the difference.  I am also deficient in some parts of
learning, particularly in algebra and the higher
parts of mathematics, and in the Greek classics, my Greek learning having been chiefly in
the New Testament."  Thus spoke the greatest divine of New England and the greatest
metaphysician of his.. century.  How  many
with a hundredth part of his attainments in
any respect would never have had- nor have
suggested the slightest difficulty.
Hear too the Rev. Samuel Davies, who,
as he was recovering from a dangerous illness,
wrote, "I am rising up with a desire to recomiend Christ better to my fellow-sinners




260        VITAL GODLINESS.
than I have done; but alas, I hardly hope to
accomplish it. He has done a great deal more
by me already than I ever expected, and infinitely more than I deserved.  But he never
intended me for great things.  He has beings
both of my own and of superior orders, that
can perform him more worthy service.  Oh,
if I might but untie the latchet of his shoes, or
draw water for the service of his sanctuary,
it is enough for me."
Take another-case. The' Rev. John Livingston was one of the wonderful men of Scotland, and the ancestor of the family of the
same name so widely and so favorably known
in America.  When a licentiate, he preached
June 21, 1630, on a Monday after a communion, in the churchyard of the kirk of
Schotts, with an effect so remarkable as to'
have been celebrated ever since.  John Brown
of Haddington says, that under this one sermon
"five hundred were converted to Christ."
Many others have pointed to that day as
closely resembling the day of Pentecost. Li.v
ingston's own account of it is simple and modest. He says, "The night before, I had been
with some Christians who spent the night in
prayer and conference.  When I was alone in




HUMILITY.               261
the fields about eight or nine o'clock in the
morning, before we were to go to sermon, there
came such a misgiving spirit upon me, considering my unworthiness and weakness, and the
expectation of the people, that I was consulting with myself to have stolen away somewhere, and declined that day's preaching; but
then I thought I durst not so far distrust God,
and so went to sermon, and got good assistance about an hour and a half upon the points
which I had meditated on, Ezek. 36:25, 26.
And in the end, offering to close with some
words of exhortation, I was led on about an
hour's time in a strain of exhortation and warning with such liberty and melting of heart as I
never had the like in public in all my lifetime."
Such is the humble statement of the great man
who preached the most remarkable sermon
which has been delivered for perhaps fifteen
hundred years.
When Moses came down from the mount,
"he wist not that his face shone." I once
heard a man boasting that he and his coadjutors were Smithfield men.  He forgot that the
Smithfield men of a former century never knew
that they were such until they went home to
God.  They were humble men, and greatly




262         VITAL GODLINESS.
distrusted themselves to the last.  They had
contemporaries who thought themselves ready
to die in the cause of Christ; but as prison and
death stared them in the face, they turned Papists.
In the New Testament we have several
pleasing examples of humility. Thus in the
gospel which bears his name, Matthew does
not tell us that he was rich and made a great
feast for Christ.  We learn that fact from
another evangelist.  Matthew simply tells us
what occurred when Jesus sat at meat, without
hinting who gave the entertainment.  When
the apostolic authority of Paul was questioned,
and for the truth's sake he was compelled to
defend it, he seems really pained by being led
to speak of himself so much, and calls it folly,
but says it was necessary.  True humility is
opposed both to egotism and ostentation. It
is also opposed to all self-conceit before God
or man. Look too at the woman of Canaan.
How illustriously did she prove that true humility is not easily offended.
Humility, when genuine, runs through all
the deportment.  It is an ingredient of the
character. It influences both public and private behavior.  But there are special occa



HUMILITY.                263
sions when it displays itself in a very unmistakable manner.  One of these is, when reproof is administered. Its language ever is,
"Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a
kindness; and let him  reprove me; it shall
be an excellent oil, which shall not break my
head."  Psa. 141:5.  When reproved, the
truly humble do not fall into a rage, nor hate
the man who has shown fidelity in warning
them of their fault or danger. Again, some
of the duties of life are honorable.  Offices are
to be filled, courtesies are to be shown, deference is to be manifested. The truly humble
man is not at a loss at such times. Paul directs that in such cases we should "in honor
prefer one another."  Rom. 12: 10.  Elsewhere he says, "Let nothing be done through
strife or vain-glory; but in lowliness of mind
let each esteem other better than themselves."
Phil. 2:3. The humble man is not offended
with such rules.  The apostle Peter in like
manner says, "Likewise, ye younger, submit
yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be
subject one to another, and be clothed with
humility; for God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble."
Nor is the humble man pleased with flat



264        VITAL GODLINESS.
tery. It may be adroitly administered; but
he knows that any lifting up of his soul is not
for his good.  He is not one of those silly
ones who relies upon the praises of men.  He
cares not to have them. Nor is he much affected by their slanderous accusations. With
him it is a rule, "by well-doing to put to silence the ignorance of foolish men,' and so to
live that he who " is of the contrary part may
be ashamed, having no evil thing to say" of
him.  An humble walk is the best defence
against the charge of pride.
The conduct of the humble man in times of
sore judgments is also noticeable. Instead of
resorting to- doubtful expedients, he casts his
care upon the Lord.  Of this we have two
noted examples in the history of David. When
driven from Jerusalem, and cursed by Shimei,
he refused to avenge the insult offered him, or
to permit Abishai to do it. He left it all to
God. So when for numbering the people God
was angry, and sent Gad to David, and Gad
said, "Shall seven years of famine come unto
thee in thy land? or wilt thou flee three months
before thine enemies, while they pursue thee?
or that there be three days' pestilence in thy
land?  Now advise, and see what answer I




HUMILITY.                265
shall return to him that sent me. And David
said unto Gad, I am in a great strait; let us
now fall into the hand of the Lord; for his
mercies are great; and let me not fall into the
hand of man."  How wise this choice.  Humility loves to depend on God, even when his
fatherly displeasure is expressed against us.
Famine and war make men brutal to those
around them.  When the palmer-worm and
the locust and the caterpillar and the cankerworm, strong and without number, waste the
pleasant fields; when the heavens glow like
heated brass, and the earth is like iron, and
drought cuts off "the meat before our eyes,
and the seed is-rotten under the clods, and
the garners are laid desolate, and the beasts
groan, and the herds of cattle are perplexed
because they find no pasture, and the rivers
are dried up, and fire devours the pasture in
the wilderness," then oftentimes fathers have
no pity and mothers become monsters.  War
too is full of brutal outrages, committed especially by the cowardly. It is full of spectacles'
of misery and slaughter, and carries with it
awful terror. "Every battle is with confused
noise, and garments rolled in blood." Isaiah
9:5. Then at least
Vital GOodUlineQ.  12




266        VITAL GODLINESS.
"There is no flesh in man's obdurate heart;
It does not feel for man."
The humble prefers the hand of God to that
of his enemies. He falls into Jehovah's arms.
He humbles himself under God's mighty hand.
His strength is to sit still. Instead of saying, What have I ever done to deserve such
strokes? he rather says, What have I not
done?
The humble also abase themselves much
when God grants them  great prosperity in
their plans. His mercy humbles them. Thus
David was greatly affected at his success in
collecting treasure for building the temple,
and said, "Who am I, and what is my people,
that we should be- able to offer so willingly
after this sort? for all things come of thee, and
of thine own have we given thee." I Chron.
29:14. So Paul, being led to say in a necessary defence, "I labored more abundantly than
they all," instead of being lifted up by it, immediately adds, "Yet not I, but the grace of
God that was in me."
In like manner the humble carry themselves softly and lowly when God comes down
in anger to afflict their enemies or the foes of
his church. They know the meaning of that




HUMILITY.               267
injunction, "Rejoice not when thine enemy
falleth, and let not thy heart be glad when he
stumbleth; lest the Lord see it, and it displease him, and he turn away his wrath from
him. Fret not thyself because of evil men,
neither be thou envious at the wicked." Prov.
24: 17-19. 
The ordinances of God's house, the emblems of his love, the light of his countenance,
the presence of his Spirit, all have a blessed
effect on the humble in making him bow in
deeper lowliness before God.
On three very different classes of matters
we are called to humility.
" 1. The first comprehends our beauty,
strength, rank, success, power, wealth. For
these things we are indebted to God. He is
their author. His mercy, not our wisdom, secured them to us. His kindness granted us
comeliness, health, activity, reputable parentage, and all these things. Yet how many are
swollen with pride br the possession of even
one of these things. Nay, fine clothing and
costly jewels puff up many. How seasonable
is the warning of God: "Let not the wise man
glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty
man glory in his might, let not the rich man




268        VITAL GODLINESS.
glory in his riches: but let him that glorieth,
glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord, which exercise
loving-kindness, judgment, and righteousness
in the earth."  Jer. 9:23, 24.  Others have
toiled as hard, studied as carefully, risen as
early, sat up as late, eaten only the bread of
carefulness, and yet have not gained our measure of success. Oh that men would remember
that "promotion cometh neither from the east,
nor from the west, nor from the south; but
God is Judge of all. He raiseth up one and
putteth down another."  Between men's best
and last efforts and success, there is always a
chasm which none but God can bridge over.
So that the honor of all is due to him. No
man is the more base for being poor, nor is
any one more noble for being rich. No man
deserves well because he has been successful.
"The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to
the strong."
2. A  second class of matters respecting
which we should be humble, comprehends
mental qualities, such as memory, imagination,
judgment, wit, logical power, learning, and
skill as writers or speakers. In a free government the tenor of public sentiment opposes the




HUMILITY.               269
coarser displays of pride on account of birth,
rank, or fortune;. but then intellectual superiority has unwonted power. Intellect is indeed
never to be despised. It is right that mental
strength should have more influence than mental imbecility.  Nor does God's word encourage feebleness of intellect.  On the contrary,
wherever it goes, it says, "In understanding
be ye men." But it does forbid us to be proud
of any mind we have. It also warns us not to
boast ourselves of a false gift, lest we be like
clouds and wind without rain. How amazingly
contented are the masses of men with their
quantum of intellect.  Some indeed complain
of bad memory, but very few of bad judgment.
In a world full of ignorance we have swarms
of teachers and few scholars; hosts of instructors and but few learners, few readers, few inquirers.  This is positive proof that there is
great lack of sobriety in the estimates men
form of themselves.
It is a universal law that genuine modesty
and humility are essential to any great mental
attainments.  Lord Bacon says, "The access
to the kingdom of man, which is founded on
the sciences, resembles that to the kingdom of
heaven, where no admission is conceded ex



270        VITAL GODLINESS.
cept to children."  Sir Isaac Newton said of
himself nothing more flattering than this: "He
who comes after me may by diligence know
something." Near the close of his life he said,
"I stand on the shore of the ocean of knowledge, and all I have been able to do was to
pick up a few pebbles."  This was in human
science. In the history of the church, Paul
was preeminent for gigantic powers and depth
of knowledge; yet how lowly was he. Listen
to him: "Now we see through a glass darkly;"
"Now we know in part;" "Not as though I
had already attained, either were already perfect;... forgetting those things which are behind, I press towards the mark for the prize
of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
In studying God's word, how little humility is there, and consequently how little success. John Newton says, "Those who seek
not assistance from God, can find it nowhere
else: for'every good gift and every perfect
gift is from above, and cometh down from the
Father of lights,' who hath said,'If any man
lack wisdom, let him ask of God.' A critical
knowledge of the original languages, a skill in
the customs and manners of the ancients, an acquaintance with the Greek and Roman classics,




HUMILITY.               271
a perusal of councils, fathers, scholiasts, and
commentators, a readiness in the' subtleties of
logical disputation-these, in their proper place
and subserviency, may be of considerable use
to clear, illustrate, or enforce the doctrines of
Scripture; but unless they are governed by a
temper of humility and prayer; unless the
man that possesses them accounts them altogether as nothing, without the assistance of the
Spirit of God, which is promised to guide believers into all truth; unless he seeks and prays
for this guidance.no less earnestly than those
who understand nothing but their mother
tongue; I make no scruple to affirm, that all
his apparatus of knowledge only tends to lead
him so much the further astray; and that a
plain, honest ploughman, who reads no book
but his Bible, and has no teacher but the God
to whom he prays in secret, stands abundantly
fairer for the attainment of true skill in divinity."
Charnock says, "If grace be given to the
humble, the grace of the best knowledge is not
excluded fr.om God's liberality. We gain it
sooner by an humble contemplation than by
proud wranglings.  As to obey God we must
deny our wills, so to know him we must deny




272         VITAL GODLINESS.
our reasonings; will must submit to precept, and
reason to revelation. Agur acknowledged him.self brutish, who came behind none of his age,
unless Solomon, in understanding. Prov. 30: 2.
The humble person will soon be a scholar in
this learning, when a Pharisee shall remain as
ignorant as he is proud. God reveals himself
to babes. Matt. 11: 25. The meek will he teach
his way. Psa. 25: 9. As God knows the proud
afar off, Psa. 138:6, so doth the proud man
know God afar off.... A proud scholar and
a dove-like teacher can never accord."
In full agreement with these sentiments,
the Scriptures declare, "If any man think that
he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet
as he ought to know."  How timely are such
warnings as these: " Be not wise in thine own
eyes;" "Be ye not wise in your own conceits;" "Seest thou a man wise in his own
conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of
him; "Woe unto them that are wise in their
own eyes, and prudent in their own conceit."
Yet to how many might the irony of Job be
applied: "No doubt but ye are.the people,
and wisdom will die with you."  How many
profess to see into things which they have
never studied.  "The sluggard is wiser in his




HUMILITY.               273
own conceit than seven mern that can render a
reason."  Very few men are willing to know
their own ignorance. But for their self-conceit, armed with malignity, the learned scribes
and doctors of our Saviour's day might have
become apostles in knowledge.  One has said
that "hell may be full of learned scribes and
subtile disputers, of eloquent orators and profound philosophers, who, when they knew God,
glorified him not as God, but became vain in
their imaginations, and their foolish heart was
darkened." "The world by wisdom knew not
God." The human heart perverts unsanctified
knowledge to the blinding of the mind in the
things of God. Hence astronomers and anatomists have not unfrequently been materialists
and atheists.  Some wonder that two sciences
of so elevated and instructive a character
should lead to such results. They do not thus
affect the humble. But the proud pervert every thing. Accordingly it is as true of some
moderns as of some ancients, that "seeking to
become wise, they became fools."  This selfconceit makes men averse to receiving counsel
from men or reproof from God. It makes them
violent and dogged in their temper. It makes
them rash, reckless, officious, insolent, and cen12*




274        VITAL GODLINESS.
sorious.  The Bible doctrine is,' If any'man
among you seemeth to be wise in this world,
let him become a fool, that he may be wise."
Here God clearly teaches that humility is an
ingredient of docility.  To sit at the *feet of
Jesus is essential to our solid learning. Will
you thus humble yourself? Is any duty more
reasonable?
3. In all ages, true piety has borne the
same marks.  In like manner sin exhibits the
same tempers and tendencies from age to age.
Self-esteem and self-justification belong to the
unregenerate heart. This is its habitual and
prevailing state.  Some go so far as to claim
absolute exemption from all sin.  They have
sometimes been so left to themselves and given
up to believe a lie as to declare that for many
months, and even years, they have not been
chargeable with one sinful thought, word, or
deed.  The language of Scripture to such persons is very direct and pungent: "If we say
that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and
the truth is not in us." A conscience not seared
as with a hot iron must feel the force of such a
declaration.  The Old Testament speaks the
same language: "There is not a just man upon
earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not." Eccl.




HUMILITY.               275
7: 20. Though-you may be far from asserting
Lhat you are perfect, yet if you have never
been taught of God, nor humbled at the foot
of the cross, you have an extravagantly good
opinion of yourself.  The Bible says, "There
is a generation that are pure in their own eyes,
yet is not washed from'their filthiness."  Judaical pharisaism, with its broad phylacteries
and street-corner devotions and idle ceremonies, you may not practise; but are you not in
spirit a Pharisee? Is not the earth full of
those who "trust in themselves that they are
righteous, and despise others?" of those who
say, "Stand by thyself, come not near me, I
am holier than thou?"  How little is thought
of the precious blood and righteousness of Jesus
Christ! Traill says, "All zealous, devout people in a natural religion are enemies to the gospel. By natural religion, I mean that which is
the product of the remnant of God's image in
fallen man, a little improved by'the light of
God's word.  All such cannot endure to hear
that God's law must be perfectly fulfilled in
every tittle of it, or no man can be saved by
doing: that they must all perish for ever who
have not the righteousness of a Man who never
sinned; who is also'God over all, blessed for




276        VITAL GODLINESS.
ever,' to shelter and cover them from the anger of a holy God, and to renderthem accepted
of him: that his righteousness is put on by the
grace of God, and a man must take himself to
it, and receive it as a naked, blushing sinner:
that no man can do any thing that is good till
gospel grace renew him, and make him first a
good man. This they never will receive; but do
still think a man may grow good by doing good."
Alas for men! Few of them feel themselves
so dreadfully diseased and ruined by sin as to
betake themselves to that fountain of which
the pool of Bethesda was but a type. Honesty, truth, and love require every messenger
of God to declare to his hearers that they are
transgressors of the best, the wisest, the most
benevolent code of laws ever enacted.  By
this code, all are sinners, shut up to guilt and
wrath, prisoners to eternal justice. No man
can answer for one of a thousand of his transgressions. It is solely of God's mercies that
we are not all consumed. We have all sinned
and come short of the glory of God. If we
had any sense, we should each cry, "Enter
not into judgment with thy servant, for in thy
sight shall no man living be justified."
Surely no room  is left us for boasting.




HUMILITY.               277
"We are unprofitable servants."  "Who can
say, I have made my heart clean; I am pure'from my sin?"  The best men that this world
has ever seen have cried out like Paul, "I am
carnal, sold under sin;" or like Josiah, "Woe
is me, for I am a man of unclean lips;" or like
the publican, " God be merciful to me a sinner."  How then dare any of us lift up our
heads in arrogance, and like those in whose
skirts blood was found say, "I am innocent?"
Jer. 2:35; or like the woman of infamy, "who
wipeth her mouth and saith, I have done no
wickedness?" Prov. 30: 20; or like fraudulent
Ephraim, with the balances of deceit in his
hands, " In all -my labors they shall find none
iniquity in me that were sin?" Hos. 12: 8.
He who lacks humility on the score of his
personal sinfulness, precludes the possibility of
improvement in his spiritual state.  "Before
honor is humility."  " God resisteth the proud,
but giveth grace unto the humble."  Men must
either part with their pride and good opinion
of themselves, or they must part with hope and
a blessed eternity. Will you cast yourself at
the feet of sovereign mercy? You must either
take your place in the dust before God, or be
cast down to hell.




278         VITAL GODLINESS.
Nor does any grace carry with it richer
advantages than humility. It is above most
things a means and a guaranty of a peaceful
and peaceable' life.  "Only by pride cometh
contention."  Prov. 13:10.. "He that is of a
proud heart stirreth up strife."  Prov. 28:25.
Humility casts its care upon the Lord, knowing that he careth for us, 1 Pet. 5:7; and so
leaves in his hands those things which disquiet
the lives of so many.  It is also the great
means and guaranty of avoiding self-deception.
If ever men are puffed up with delusive notions respecting their virtues or powers, the
Scripture gives the reason: " The pride of thy
heart hath deceived thee."  Obad. 3. Humility is also the great means and pledge of a
tender- heart. The way that Nebuchadnezzar
became such a monster of wickedness was, that
his " heart was lifted up and hardened in pride."
Dan. 5: 20. By humility men avoid much and
terrible mortification, and final ruin; for "when
pride cometh, then cometh shame." Prov. 11:2"Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spiritbefore a fall." Prov. 16:18. "Before
destruction, the heart of man is haughty." Prov.
18:12.  Newton says, "A spirit of humiliation
is both the strength and beauty of our profes



HUMILITY.               279
sion. A. broken and contrite spirit is pleasing
to the Lord; he has promised to dwell with
those who have it; and experience shows that
the exercise of all our graces is in proportion
to the humbling sense we have of the depravity of our nature...  If we could receive and
habitually maintain a right judgment of ourselves by what is plainly maintained in Scripture, it would probably save us many a mournful hour; but experience is the Lord's school,
and they who are taught by him usually learn
that they have no wisdom by the mistakes they
make, and that they have no strength by the
slips and falls they meet with."
John Owen says, "In humility, alone there
is safety.'His soul, which is lifted up, is not
upright in him,' Hab. 2:4; for he draws back
from God, and God hath no pleasure in him, as
the apostle expounds thesewords. Heb. 10:38."
Everywhere the Scriptures represent humility as the road to honor. This is the doctrine of both Testaments.  "Before honor is
humility."  Prov. 15: 33, and 18: 12.  "By
humility and the fear of the Lord are riches,'
and honor, and life."  Prov. 22:4.  "IHe that
humbleth himself shall be exalted."  Luke
14:11. Not only does honor come after hu



280        VITAL GODLINESS.
mility, but, ultimately it is in proportion to it.
Thus it was with Joseph. Thus it was with
JESUS, of whom Joseph was but a'type. Humility is also the best evidence of piety. Without it all other evidences are useless. A good
writer says, "The Christian's temper Godward is evidenced by humility.  He has received from Gethsemane and Golgotha such a
sense of the evil of sin and of the holiness of
God, combined with his matchless love to sinners, as has deeply penetrated his heart."
Here too is the great secret of improvement.
Would you gain strength? know your weakness.  Would you gain wisdom? know your
folly. Seneca said, "I suppose many would
attain to wisdom, if they did not suppose they
had already attained to it."  If you would be
more like God, know how little you are yet
like him.
Humility is also the way to communion
with God.  "Thus' saith the high and lofty
One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is
Holy: I dwell in the high and holy place, with
him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit,
to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones." Isaiah
57:15. And so it appears that humility is




HUMILITY.              281
essential to salvation. The Scriptures not only
teach this incidentally, but explicitly. "When
men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There
is lifting up-;' and he shall save the humble
person."  Job 22:29.  "Though the Lord be
high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly; but
the proud he knoweth afar off." Psa. 138:6.
If you would cultivate humility, you must
acquire self-knowledge; you must practise selfinspection; you must be willing to know the
worst of your own case; you must settle it in
your heart that humility is a great good; you
must compare yourself with those who have
been brighter examples of virtue than yourself, and especially with our great exemplar
Jesus Christ; you must think much of your indebtedness to God's grace-for what hast thou
that thou hast not received?-you must reflect
on the odiousness of a religious character which
is destitute of this essential qualification; you
must get clear views of the law, its extent,
spirituality, and strictness; you must get clear
views of God. This was what brought Job
into the dust: "I have heard of thee by the
hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth
thee; wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in
dust and ashes."  Job 42: 5, 6.




282        VITAL GODLINESS.
Would you obtain humility?  Ask for it.
Never adopt the belief that you can work this
or any other grace in your heart without the
helpof God's Spirit. It was a good prayer of
a saint of former days: "0 thou who only
knowest what I would do if I had health, ease,
and abundance, do thou in thy wisdom and
mercy so proportion thy gifts and restraints as
thou knowest best for my soul. If I be not
humbled enough, let me wait; and so order all
my condition that I may want any thing save
thyself."  Pray for humility, and when the
answer comes,.be not angry that God has
abased you, but trust him with all your heart.
Take root downwards, and then you shall
bear fruit upwards. If there be no deepness
of earth, things will not grow. If the foundation be laid on the surface, the house will not
stand.  With the lowly is wisdom.  Their
peace is settled. Their salvation is certain.
This discussion leads to these observations:
1. No man is ultimately the loser by any
virtue whatever. Nothing is so self-renouncing as humility, yet nothing in the end leads
to such riches and honors and glories.  A
grace may provoke the contempt, the envy, or
the rage of men; yet what of that?  The con



HUMILITY.               283
tempt of man is not to be compared with the
derision of God. And the worst that malice
can inflict is to torture and kill the body. It
is not-position, but worth, that deserves esteem.
"A diamond fallen into a dunghill is not the
less precious; and the dust, raised by high
winds to heaven, is not the less vile."  It is
always wise, it is always profitable to practise
every Christian virtue. If present loss comes
to us in the path of duty, the end will be eternal gain.
2. The truly godly need not fear that their
pious labors and sufferings will be overlooked.
They shall all be found unto praise and honor
and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ..
Their humility may very properly lead them
to put a low estimate upon all they do. But
God will not forget their labors of love. "The
good works of some are manifest beforehand;
and they that are otherwise cannot be hid."
3. The praise that cometh from man is Ms
nothing compared with the praise that cometh
from God only. The barbarous people who
without evidence pronounced Paul a murderer,
as suddenly and blindly declared him to be a
god. If you could get all men to praise you
to-day, they would probably execrate you to



284        VITAL GODLINESS.
morrow. But when God pronounces a man
blessed, there is permanency, there is durability in it.  "The gifts. and calling of God are
without repentance."
4. This subject furnishes a good test of doctrinal statements. Does a doctrine flatter, or
does it stain the pride and glory of man? The
answer to this question, fairly made, will be a
safe guide to a decision on any views in religion which we may have. If in the science of
astronomy the earth be considered as the centre, and the sun be made to revolve around it,
we have one system, a system full of error.
At every succeeding step and with every growing conception, we get further and further from
the truth. So in religion. If one feels himself
to be the centre of worth and importance, and
looks on others as ministering to him, then we
have one form of religion, one code of practice
which fully coincide with the' sentiments and
dcemeanor of Pharisees and fallen angels. But
if a man in his mind and heart puts Jehovah
on the throne, and himself in the dust, then we
have another and a very different system of
religious belief and practice. In all this is
order, concord, the right of divine law, and a
solid basis for peace and obedience. This is




HUMILITY.               285
one ingredient of heavenly bliss. There the
will of the King, eternal, immortal, and invisible, is received with shouts of joy. It was an
attempt to introduce a different state of things
that constituted the rebellion which broke out
in heaven, and led the Eternal to build his
prison-house Tophet, that was ordained of old.
Reject all teachings that flatter the pride of
man. A doctrine which makes you greater
than the least of God's mercies is not from
heaven.
5. This subject affords a guide in the performance of religious duties. As far as their
nature will allow, they should be modest and
retiring.  "Take heed that ye do not your
alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which
is in heaven.  Therefore, when thou doest
thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee,
as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues, and in
the streets, that they may have glory of men.
Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But when thou doest thine alms, let
not thy left hand know what thy right hand
doeth; that thine alms may be in secret: and
thy Father which seeth in secret; himself shall
reward thee openly. And when thou prayest,




286        VITAL GODLINESS.
thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for
they love to pray standing in the synagogues,
and in the corners of the streets, that they may
be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They
have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and. when thou hast
shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in
secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret
shall reward thee. openly."   Matt. 6:1-6.
Here are the very words of the Son of God,
delivered in his first set discourse to his disciples. Let them never be forgotten.




THE FEAR OF GOD.            287
CHAPTER XIII.
THE FEAR OF GOD.
GoD's word clearly teaches that there is a
fear connate with true religion.  Once the
Scriptures assert that "the fear of the Lord is
the beginning of knowledge," Prov. 1: 7; and
twice they say that "the fear of the Lord is
the beginning of wisdom."  Psa. 111:10, and
Prov. 9: 10. There is no higher wisdom than
to fear God, as there is no true wisdom till he
is feared. This is both alpha and omega in
wisdom.  "The very first, and indeed the
principal thing, to be instilled into all men's
minds, is a religious sense of the divine Majesty, and an awful regard towards him.'" With
the foregoing well agrees the prophet Isaiah:
"The fear of the Lord.is his treasure." Isa.
33: 6.
It is the more important todwell upon this
grace, as it seems not to be much spoken of.
Very seldom is it a subject of pulpit discourse;
rarely do we find it treated of at length in
modern books; yet the Bible is full of it. Not
only the Old Testament, but the New also,




288         VITAL GODLINESS.
insists upon reverence and godly fear as essential ingredients of Christian character. Perhaps one reason why so little is said of it is,
that many minds are confused respecting its
qualities.  It will therefore be wise to seek to
understand its nature, and the difference between it and all those kinds of fear which are
spurious.
Godly fear does not at all consist in servility and guilty dismay, nor in mere dread
and terror. This kind of fear is neither holy
nor useful. Indeed it sadly perverts men, and
fits them for a life of sin.  "Fear, if it have
not the light of a true understanding concerning God wherewith to be moderated, breedeth
superstition," says Hooker.
Godly fear consists with love.  This is so
true, that the more we fear God, the more we
love him; and the more we love him, the more
do we fear him. It is not.a destroyer, but a
regulator of other graces.  Without it faith
might become presumptuous, hope might lose
its sobriety, love might degenerate into fondness or familiarity, and joy might become
giddy.  But where the heart is full of godly
fear, all these unhappy results are avoided.
So far from agitating, it calms and quiets the




THE FEAR OF GOD.            289
mind. It seems to give both gravity and
cheerfulness.  It moderates without depressing; it animates without intoxicating.  It is
good ballasts to the ship in her passage through
tempestuous seas.
This fear is a fruit of God's bounty. It is
gracious.  "Let us have grace, whereby we
may serve God acceptably, with reverence
and godly fear."  Without an interest in God's
favor, we can never make so excellent an
attainment. It is a saving grace. It is declared to be a part of true religion in all dispensations.  "They shall fear thee as long as
the sun and moon endure, throughout all generations."  Psa. 72:5. So that religion without love is not more spurious than religionwithout fear.  One of the most striking features of synagogue worship for centuries past
has been an evident want of profound reverence for God in the entire manner of conducting the religious services of the Jews.
The basis of this fear is found in the nature, word, and works of God. Jehovah is
"the great and dreadful God." We must gain
a knowledge of him.  "As the justice of God
and his anger must be apprehended before he
can be feared slavishly, so the majesty of God
Vitnl Godliness.  13




290        VITAL GODLINESS.
and his goodness must be understood before
he can be feared filially. Who can stand in
awe of a majesty he is ignorant of?  Men,
knowing not God's nature, have often presumed so much upon his mercy, that they have
been destroyed by his justice."  Any right
thoughts of God's amazing purity of nature
will surely beget a pious fear of him. Because he is "glorious in holiness," he is'fearful in praises.'"   As the approach of a grave
and serious man makes children hasten their
trifles out of the way; so would the consideration of this attribute make us cast away our
idols, and our ridiculous thoughts and designs."
And not only God's majesty and holiness, but
also his love and mercy beget a great fear of
him. So says the Psalmist, "There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared."
Psa. 130:4.  So says Paul, "We receiving a
kingdom, let us have grace, whereby we may
serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear."  Heb. 12:28. The same is true of
God's power and government.  "Thou art
great, and thy name is great in might; who
would not fear thee, O King of nations?" Jer.
10: 6, 7. Jesus Christ told us to fear him who
had power to cast into hell. Luke 12:5.




THE FEAR OF GOD.            291
In like manner, to fear and tremble at
God's word is an effect produced on the heart
of all the pious. So the Scriptures teach; so
God's people experience. And how often does
God awaken sentiments of fear, not only by
exhibitions of his wrath and displays of his
power, but by marvellous acts of his grace and
mercy towards the rebellious and perishing.
Psa. 40:3; Acts 2:43.
There are some remarkable examples of
the fear of God recorded in Scripture.  One
is that of Moses, mentioned in Heb. 12:21,
where it is said that the giving of the law on
mount Sinai produced the deepest awe and
even terror.  "So terrible was the sight, that
Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake."
A similar record is made by Isaiah: "In thd
year that king Uzziah died, I saw also the
Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up,
and his train filled the temple. Above it stood
the seraphim: each one had six wings; with
twain he covered his face, and with twain he
covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.
And one cried unto another, and said, Holy,
holy, holy is the Lord of hosts: the whole
earth is full of his glory.  And the posts of
the door moved at the voice of him that cried,




292        VITAL GODLINESS.
and the house was filled with smoke. Then
said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because
I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the
midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine
eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts."
Isa. 6: 1-5.
A still more remarkable effect, if possible,
was produced on the prophet Habakkuk by
an unusual display of God's glory. The song
reads thus: "God came from Teman, and the
Holy One from mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full of his
praise. And his brightness was as the light;
he had horns coming out of his hand: and there
was the hiding of his power. Before him went
the pestilence, and burning coals went forth at
his feet.  He stood, and measured the earth:
he beheld, and drove asunder the nations; and
the everlasting mountains were scattered, the
perpetual hills did bow: his ways are everlasting. I saw the tents of Cushan in affliction: and the curtains of the land of Midian did
tremble. Was'the Lord' displeased against the
rivers? was thine anger against the rivers?
was thy wrath against the sea, that thou didst
ride upon thy horses, and thy chariots of salvation? Thy bow was made quite naked, ac



THE FEAR OF GOD.            293
cording to the oaths of the tribes, even thy
word. Thou didst cleave the earth with rivers.. The mountains saw thee, and they trembled: the overflowing of the water passed by:
the deep uttered his voice, and lifted up hib
hands on high. The sun and moon stood still
in their habitation: at the light of thine arrows
they went, and at the-shining of thy glittering
spear. Thou didst march through the land in
indignation, thou didst thresh the heathen in
anger. Thou wentest forth for the salvation
of thy people, even for salvation with thine
anointed; thou woundedst the head out of the
house of the wicked, by discovering the foundation unto the neck. Thou didst strike through
with his staves the head of his villages: they
came out as a whirlwind to scatter me: their
rejoicing was as to devour the poor secretly.
Thou didst walk through the sea with thy
horses, through the heap of great waters.
When I heard, my belly trembled; my lips
quivered at the.voice: rottenness entered into
my bones, and I trembled in myself, that I
might rest in the day of trouble."  Habakkuk
3: 3-16.
A reason given by Paul for serving God
with reverence and godly fear is, that he "is a




294         VITAL GODLINESS.
consuming fire."  Heb. 12:28, 29. A very
high degree of holy fear is therefore well founded. There is cause for adoring reverence for
the heavenly Majesty.
Although there is not much said in modern
writers respecting the fear of God, yet it is
different with those.who lived long ago. *Thus
says Bishop Hall, "There is a fear without
diffidence, and a trembling that may consist
with joy.  Trembling is an effect of fear, but
the fear which we must cherish is reverential,
not slavish, not distrustful...   I will so distrust myself, that I may be'steadfastly confident in the God of my salvation.  I will so
tremble before the glorious majesty of my God,
that I may not abate aught of the joy of his
never-failing mercy." So also Bishop Hopkins
on the first commandment says,. "Certainly we
cannot have the Lord for our God unless we
supremely fear and reverence him.  Yea, as
the love, so the fear-of God is made the sum of
all the commandments, and indeed the substance of all religion; for, although it be but
one particular branch and member of that worship and service which we owe to God, yet
it is such a remarkable one, and hath such a
mighty influence upon all the rest, that often



THE FEAR OF GOD.             295
times in Scripture it is put for the whole."
How clearly too does John Bunyan describe
this virtue in his account of Mr. Fearing. As
he says, "No fears, no grace. Though there
is not always grace where there is the fear of
hell, yet to be sure there is no grace where
there is no fear of God."
Where this fear of God is genuine, it is not
an occasional exercise, but an abiding principle.  "Be thou in the fear of the Lord all the
day long."  Prov. 23:17.  "Happy is the
man that feareth always."  Prov. 28:14.
"Rejoice with trembling." Psa. 2:11. "Pass
the time of your sojourning here in fear."
I Pet. 1:17.  We are to "perfect holiness in
the fear of God."  2 Cor. 7:1.  We are to
work out our "salvation with fear and trembling."  Phil. 2:12.  When the Holy Spirit
rested on Christ, it "made him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord."  Isa. 11:2, 3.
So that it is clear that there is, there can be
no genuine piety without the fear of God.
Some one may ask how these views agree
with the statement of John, that "there is no
fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear,
because fear hath torment.  He that feareth
is not made perfect in love."  1 John 4:18.




296        VITAL GODLINESS.
The proper answer is, that John is here speaking of servile fear, which,, as he says, "hath
torment;" whereas we are speaking of a fear
which has no torment.  John Newton says,
"The Lord bids me'fear not;' and at the
same time he says,'Happy is the man- that
feareth always.' How to fear and not to fear
at the same time is, I believe, one branch of'that secret of the Lord which none can understand but by the teaching of his Spirit. When
I think of my heart, of the world, of the powers of darkness, what cause of continual fear!
I am on an enemy's ground, and cannot.move
a step but some snare is spread for my feet.
But when I think of the person, grace, power,
care, and faithfulness of my Saviour, why may
I not say, I will trust and not be afraid, for
the Lord of hosts is with us, the God of Jacob
is our refuge. I wish to be delivered from
anxious and unbelieving fear, which weakens
the hands and disquiets the heart.  I wish to
increase in a humble jealousy and distrust of
myself and of every thing about me."  Charnock says, "Men are apt to fear a just recompense for an injury done to another, that he
will do him one ill turn for another; and fear
is the mother of hatred.   God being man's




THE FEAR OF GOD.             297
superior, and wronged by him, there follows
necessarily a slavish fear of him and his power;
and such a fear makes wrathful and imbittered
thoughts of God, while he considers God armed
with an unconquerable and irresistible power
to punish him." But the fear which arises from
just views of the whole of God's character produces very different effects, and is in fact very
different in its nature.
The benefits of godly fear are many and
of great value. It is the best preservative
against sinful and dangerous alliances with the
wicked. " Sayye not, A confederacy, to all them
to whom this people shall say, A confederacy;
neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of hosts himself; and let him be
your fear, and let him be your dread." Isa.
8:12, 13. How many wicked alliances are
formed; and for no other reason than that men
are led into them through a want of sterling
religious principle. The consequence is, misery for ever.  From  how many distressing
entanglements men would be rescued by the
fear of the Lord.
It also drives away that fear of man which
bringeth a snare. Christ says, "Be not afraid
of them that kill the body, and after that have
13*




298        VITAL GODLINESS.
no more that they can do.  But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear Him, which,
after he hath killed, hath power to cast into
hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him." Luke
12: 4, 5. Christ himself proposes the fear of
God as the great remedy for the fear of man.
Nor is there any other that is found adequate.
But this is enough.  How justly does God rebuke that fear of man:' Who art thou, that.thou
shouldest be afraid of a man that shall die, and
of the son of man which shall be made as grass;
and forgettest the Lord thy Maker, that hath
stretched forth the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth; and hast feared continually
every day because of the fury of the oppressor?"  Isa. 51:12, 13.  It is not possible for
us to fear God too much, or man too little.
And so surely as we have just conceptions of
the eternal power and majesty of God, we
shall have no tormenting fear of the puny arm
of mortals.
The fear of the Lord inspires confidence and
boldness in a righteous cause. That this is experienced by all God's people, has been illustrated in a thousand striking cases in history,
and is clearly declared in Scripture.  "In the
fear of the Lord is strong confidence, and his




THE FEAR OF. GOD.           299
children shall have a place of refuge."  Prov.
14:26.
The fear of God is the great preservative
against sin.  Than this, nothing could be more
important.  "Keep thyself out of sin, and fear
nothing."  If we can resist all temptations to
sin, and be pure from iniquity, nothing can
harm us. This may be done by a proper fear
of God.  "The fear of the Lord is a fountain
of life, to depart from the snares of death."
Prov. 14: 27. The care of good men in all
ages has been against sin. And as their spiritual enemies are very many and insidious,
they have learned to be much afraid of that
which in others awakens no apprehension.
They are cautious about little sins, and their
cry is, "Take us the foxes, the little foxes that
spoil the vines; for our vines have tender
grapes."  Song 2:15. In ancient vineyards
a tower was erected, and a watch set there for
birds, foxes, and thieves, the three great enemies of the vintage. Birds always, and thieves
sometimes, approached vineyards in the daytime; but foxes commonly came at night.
Larger foxes preyed much on poultry and on
smaller animals, but the young foxes that ventured abroad resorted much to the vineyards.




300        VITAL GODLINESS.
This they did both day and night. They were
numerous, cunning, greedy, and destructive.
If there were many of them, they ruined the
vintage. They did their work slyly.  Great
vigilance was therefore requisite. Some suppose that in the passage just quoted, "tender
grapes" represent young converts. The truth
is that all Christians, and especially those who
have but little knowledge of the deceitfulness
of sin and of the doctrines of Scripture, should
be ever on their guard.
But why should we give good heed to little
things in the Christian life? It is a fair question; let it be answered. Many things which
seem to us little are followed by the greatest
consequences.  One spark of fire has kindled
a flame that burnt a city. A word has often
shaped the course of an empire, or determined
the destiny of a soul. Till we see the end of
a thing, we cannot tell whether it is to be great
or small in its effects.  On earth we see the
end of nothing in moral causes. They are
mighty. They take hold on eternity.  Their
sweep is everlasting. Their effects are much
more certain than those of natural causes.
They work incessantly. Our greatest rivers
have their rise in little springs whose streams




THE FEAR OF GOD.            301
are often buried under leaves and shrubs. The
causes now at work in forming men's character seem contemptible to many.  But a leak,
though not larger than a rye straw, will sooner
or later sink a ship. The smallest opening
made by a mole in the bank of a canal will of
itself grow to a waste of all its waters.  One
weak link in a chain-cable causes the vessel to
drift on the rocks. One of the most heroic
deeds ever performed was suggested by the
perseverance of the ant. A little white powder or a drop of some poisons is fatal to human
life.  A scratch has brought on inflammation
that ended in death. A glance of the eye has
led to crimes that will not be forgotten while
eternity endures. A sentence has subverted
the labors and schemes of a lifetime.
The greater part of human life is made up
of acts that do not seem great in themselves,
but the whole series completes the character.
What is lighter than a word? Yet for every
idle word that men shall speak they shall give
account to God. What is quicker than thought?
Yet as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he.
As "sands form  the mountains and minutes
make the year," and as syllables compose the
web of the greatest speeches, so many compar



302        VITAL GODLINESS.
atively trivial acts determine the character.
One harsh word now, another an hour hence,
and so on, will prove a man a churl. A few
irreverent words scattered along through a
day mark a man as profane.  One stealthy
act of pilfering proves a man a thief. He who
would not be convicted of grand larceny, must
avoid petty larceny.  He who would not defile
his soul with perjury, must eschew lying. He
who would not be found a liar, must beware
of equivocation.  The sum of human character
is made up of many apparently small things.
Every great stream  is fed by many lesser
ones.
But what are the "little foxes?"  One
says they are worldly thoughts. This is true.
Another says they are wrong opinions. This
is as true. Another, no less wisely, says they
are our-hidden corruptions, our sinful appetites and.passions, that destroy our graces and
comforts, quash good motions, and crush good
beginnings.  When men fear not little sins,
they will soon fall into presumptuous iniquities. When they are not conscientious about
minor duties, they will soon fail in weightier
matters.  He who cannot walk well, cannot
run well.  Envy is the forerunner of murder,




THE FEAR OF GOD.              303
and naturally leads to it. Covetousness is the
fountain of all theft.  As a grain of sand will
fret a sound eye and make it weep, so the least
sin perceived will tenderly affect a good conscience.  We must take and destroy these little foxes by a right use of the word of God.
It is "clear. It is pure. By it are all God's
servants warned.  We must watch day and
night.- We must pray frequently and fervently. We must have the Holy Ghost dwelling in. us.  We must make constant application to the blood of cleansing. Above all, we
must be in the fear of the Lord all the day long.
Blessed is the man who avoids little sins and
minds little duties; in the great steps of life he
shall not be covered with dishonor.  His heart
is right.  God is with him.  Christ will never
forsake him.  "The fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring for ever."
Another benefit flowing from  the fear of
the Lord is freedom  from  worldly anxiety.
In the passage quoted from Habakkuk we saw
how wonderfully the fear of God took posses6ion of the prophet. In the words immediately
following he gives us, that triumphant song:
"Although the fig-tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the




304         VITAL GODLINESS.
olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no
meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold,
and there shall be no herd in the stalls: yet I
will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God
of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength,
and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and
he will make me to walk upon my high places."
Hab. 3:17-19.  Thus the greatest degree of
holy trembling was followed by the highest
degree of freedom  from  carking care about
temporal affairs.  All this is according to the
promise, "The fear of the Lord -tendeth to
life: and he that hath it shall abide satisfied;
he shall not be visited with evil."   Prov.
19:'23.
The fear of God also quiets the afflicted
soul, and hushes all its agitations on the bosom
of the Eternal. Thus David speaks: "O God,
thou hast cast us off, thou hast scattered us,
thou hast been displeased; O turn thyself to
us again.  Thou hast made the earth to tremble; thou hast broken it: heal the breaches
thereof; for it shaketh.  Thou hast showed
thy people hard' things: thou hast made us to
drink the wine of astonishment." In the midst
of all this distress and perplexity, what shall
be done?  Who has courage and strength?




THE FEAR OF GOD.            305
The very next words are, "Thou hast given
a banner to them that fear thee, that it may be
displayed because of the truth." Psa. 60:1-4.
The fear of the Lord also leads to communion with God. This is abundantly taught
in Scripture. "The secret of the Lord is with
them-that fear him; and he will show them his
covenant."  Psa. 25: 14. Again, "The Lord
taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those
that hope in his mercy." Psa. 147: 11.
The cultivation of the fear of the Lord is
the best means we can use to promote and
retain revivals of genuine religion. Thus Luke,
describing the state of the early church, says,
"Then had the churches rest throughout all
Judea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and
in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied." Acts 9: 31.
On the other hand, if religion be not revived, if the love of many wax cold, and wickedness abound, here is the way to avoid guilt
and to please God.  The prophet Malachi
lived in times of unusual and dreadful apostasy
and sin, when men called the proud happy,
when they that wrought wickedness were set
up, when they that tempted God were even




306         VITAL GODLINESS.
delivered.  Yet he says, "Then they that
feared the Lord spake often one to another;
and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a
book of remembrance was written before him
for them that feared the Lord, and that thought
upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith
the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up
my jewels; and I will spare them as a man
spareth his own son that serveth him." Mal.
3:16, 17.
In fine, without the fear of the Lord no
service is acceptable, however decent, however costly, however painful. But with the
fear of God, any commanded service is pleasing to God, however poor our offering may
otherwise be.  "Let us hear the conclusion
of the whole matter: Fear God and keep his
commandments, for this is the whole duty of
man."  Eccl. 12: 13.




HOPE.                 307
CHAPTER XIV.
HOPE.
WITH some it is common to speak slightingly of.hope.  Surely such do not draw their
views from the word of God, nor from the experience of his people. These well agree in
giving it a high place, among the Christian
graces, and in declaring its excellence and
usefulness.  "We are saved by hope."  We
are rescued from the fell influences of despair,
we are aroused and animated in our whole
course, and are finally made victorious by the
power of hope. This is one of the great bands
which holds together the church of God. As
"there is one body and one Spirit,..one
Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all," so also "ye are called in one hope
of your calling."
Hope consists of desire and expectation.
It is the opposite of fear, which is composed of
aversion and expectation.  Richard Baxter
says, "Hope is nothing but a desirous expectation."  It is also the opposite of despair,
which, though it desires, does not expect.




308        VITAL GODLINESS.
When we regard any thing as impossible, we
cannot hope for it, although we may greatly
wish for it.  As to the general nature of hope
there is no dispute.
The hope of the Christian is a longing expectation of all good things both for this and
the next world. It embraces all the mercy,
truth, love, and faithfulness promised in Scripture. It lays hold of the perfections and government of God as the sure foundation of its
expectations. It has special reference to the
person, offices, and exaltation of the Lord Jesus Christ. In Scripture the word not only
means the sentiment already described, but
sometimes it is used for the thing hoped for.
Thus Paul speaks to the Colossians of "the
hope which was laid up for" them in heaven,
where he plainly designates the good things
hoped for. The hope of a Christian relates to
the whole of what is promised in God's word.
There grace is promised. And on every child
of God comes the blessing: "Behold, the eye
of the Lord is upon them that fear him, upon
them  that hope in his mercy."  In like manner hope finds aliment in all the divine perfections. -It looks for them to be continually
exercised for its good. Thus it expects bread




HOPE.                 309
and water, raiment and shelter, guidance and
protection during life, with a blessed victory
in death. It goes further. Each Christian can
say as Paul, "I have hope towards God....
that there shall be a resurrection of the dead,
both of the just and of the unjust.' Yea, more,
he is always "looking for that blessed hope,
and the glorious appearing of our God and
Saviour Jesus Christ."  Yea, more, the souls
of believers are sustained "in hope of eternal
life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began."
The living agent, who is at once the author
and object of pious-hope, is God himself. Accordingly pious men cry out, "Why art thou
cast down, O my soul? and why art thou disquieted within me? hope thou in God: for I
shall yet praise him for the help of his countenance."  One of the dearest names by which
God is known to his people is that of "The
Hope of Israel, the Saviour thereof in the time
of trouble."  To the end of time "the Lord
will be the hope of his people, and the strength
of the" true Israel. There is none like him.
He is "the God of hope."
All genuine Christian hope is a fruit of the
mercy of God to sinners. It comes from heav



310        VITAL GODLINESS.
en, and not from men. Vain, carnal hopes
spring up spontaneously in the human soul.
But truly pious hopes have a heavenly origin.
Therefore when Paul would have the Romans
abound in this grace, he prayed, "Now the
God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in
believing, that ye may abound in hope, through
the power of the Holy Ghost.".Rom. 15:13..God " hath given us everlasting consolation
and good hope through grace." 2 Thess. 2:16.
This is the first great difference between a true
and a false hope in religion. The former is
from above; the latter is from beneath.  One
is God-inspired; the other has Satan for its
author.
The second mark of true religious hope is,
that i4t is no vain persuasion, no idle dream,
but a sure expectation. It rests upon an immovable foundation, God's unchanging word
and oath and covenant.  "We through the
Spirit wait for the hope, of righteousness by
faith."  We shall not be disappointed. This
"hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both
sure and steadfast, and which entereth into
that within the veil."  His word is pledged in
every form.  "I will be a God to thee;;" "I
will never leave thee, nor forsake thee;" "Be



HOPE.                 311
cause I live, ye shall live also;" "Them that
sleep in Jesus will God bring'with him."
These are but samples of his word. To these
he has added his oath: "I have sworn that I
would not be wroth with thee: for the mountains
shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my
kindness shall not depart from thee, neither
shall the covenant of my peace be removed,
saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." Isa.
54:9, 10. Here we have his covenant as well
as his oath. Indeed it is a covenant established upon promises and oaths. Elsewhere
God says, "I will make a new covenant with
the house of Israel; riot according to the covenant I made with their fathers, which my
covenant they brake, although I was a husband unto them." Jer. 31:31, 32. Behold here
are the sure mercies of David.  God bids us
rest our all on him, and take his veracity for
the basis of all our hopes. The wicked have
no such foundation for their delusive expectations. Their hopes are all like a dream when
one awaketh. They vanish before the realities
of life, before any right test of truth. But the
hope of the righteous endureth. It is the anchor, the sheet-anchor. It holds all steady,
and enables the soul to outride the storms of




312        VITAL GODLINESS.
sorrow which God permits to beat upon it.
Behold here the excellent use of Scripture.
"For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we
through patience and comfort of the Scriptures
might have hope." Rom. 15: 4. Therefore a
favorite form of prayer is that of pleading the
promises: "Remember the word unto thy servant, upon which thou hast caused me to hope."
Psa. 119: 49. This blessed hope, more than
most things, makes Christians helpers of each
other's faith and joy.  "They that fear thee
will be glad when they see me; because I have
hoped in thy word."  Psa. 119: 74.
A third difference between a true and false
hope is, that the former is the fruit of the mediation of Christ, and has special regard to him
as a Redeemer; while the latter quite neglects
his finished work. Many hope for impunity,
and yet despise. gospel grace,  But a truly
good hope always has a chief reliance upon
Christ. Therefore Paul says of our Lord Jesus
Christ, that he "is our hope."  I Tim. 1:1.
If you ever have a genuine "hope of glory," it
must spring from "Christ in you." Col. 1: 27.
Legal hope is just the opposite of evangelical.
The former springs from  supposed personal




HOPE                  313
obedience to the law; the latter relies upon
Christ's obedience unto death. These two cannot agree. You must look to Christ exclusively, or not at all. If this be so, some may ask,
What is the difference between faith and hope?
To this question the answer is, that though
they are distinct, yet they are cognate exercises of the mind.  Haldane says, "By faith
we believe the promises made to us by God;
by hope we expect to receive the good things
which God has promised; so that faith hath
properly for its object the promise, and hope
hath- for its object the things promised and the
execution of the promise.  Faith regards its
object as present, but hope regards it as future.
Faith precedes hope, and is its foundation.
We hope for eternal life, because we believe
the promises which God has made respecting
it; and if we believe these promises, we must
expect their effect." Leighton says, "The difference of these two graces, faith and hope, is
so small, that the one is often taken for the
other in Scripture; it is but a different aspect
of the same confidence, faith apprehending the
infallible truth of those divine promises of
which hope doth assuredly expect the accolnplishment, and that is their truth; so that this
Vital Oodliness.  14




314        VITAL GODLINESS.
immediately results from the other.  This is
the anchor fixed within the veil which keeps
the soul firm against all the tossings on these
swelling seas, and the winds and tempests that
arise upon them.  The firmest thing in this
inferior world is a believing soul."  But like
faith, hope admits of degrees, varying from a
faint expectation, Psa. 42: 5, to a "full assurance."   Heb. 6:11.  Like faith, it always
keeps Christ in view.  Like faith, also, it will
last until death, and then give place to enjoyment; "for what a man hath, why doth he yet
hope for?"  Let us therefore "hold fast the
confidence, and the rejoicing of the hope firm
unto the end."  Heb. 3: 6.  "Wherefore gird
up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope
to the end for the grace that is to be brought
unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
1 Pet. 1:13.
A  fourth difference between a true and
false hope in religion is, that the former is operative, and produces powerful, happy effects;
while the latter is inoperative and dead. The
hope of the Christian is expressly said to be
"lively." 1 Pet. 1: 3. It has life in itself,
and communicates animation to the soul. It
arouses, awakens, and gives vigor to the mind.




HOIPE.                315
It produces the grandest effects, making the
people of God triumphant over all their foes
and fears, and bearing them  up when all appearances are discouraging. But a dead hope
is without any abiding effect. It does no good
in the day of trial.
A  fifth difference between a true and a
false hope is, that the former leads to holiness,
while the latter begets carelessness. Of genuine Christian hope it is said, that "every man
that hath this hope in him purifieth himself,
even as Christ is pure."  I John 3: 3. The
stronger it is, the greater is the soul's aversion
to evil. But the hope of the deluded makes
him reckless.  To him sin is a trifle, and holiness a thing of naught. This indeed is the
great difference between all genuine and all
spurious hopes. If any of our religious affections or mental exercises do not tend to holiness, we may surely know that they are not of
God.
A sixth difference is, that a spurious hope
gives no support when we most need help; but
a genuine hope bears uv our souls above all
our foes. Leighton says, "Hope is the great
stock of believers.  It is that which upholds
them  under all the faintings and sorrows of




316        VITAL GODLINESS.
their mind in this life, and in their going'through the valley and shadow  of death.'
It is the'helmet of their salvation,' which,
while they are looking over to eternity, beyond this present time, covers and keeps men
head-safe amid all the darts that fly around
them."
According to God's word, genuine Christian hope has many and important uses. It
does great things for the soul.
1. It makes us patient in tribulation.  "If
we hope for that we see not, then do we with
patience wait for it."  Accordingly Paul alike
commends in the Thessalonians "the work of
faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope
in our Lord Jesus Christ."  1 Thess. 1:3. To
this happy effect of this grace Jeremiah refers
when he says, "It is good that a man should
both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of
the Lord. It is good for a man that he bear
the yoke in his youth. He sitteth alone, and
keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon
him. He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so
be there may be hop."'  Lam. 3:26-29.  All
Scripture and all experi'nce show, that through
much tribulation we must enter the kingdom
of God. We can purchase no exemption. Pa



HOPE.                 317
tience must have her perfect. work. Patience
is fed by hope. It is thus we are supported
in trials.  What but this can give strength in
the day of trouble? The church of God has
often waded through rivers of blood; she has
often been bound in affliction and iron; the
fiercest onsets ever made upon her have often
threatened something still worse; yet hope has
begotten patience, a patience that could not be
worn out. Despondency is unquiet, dissatisfied, and full of pain; but hope cries, "Be
thou faithful unto death, and Christ will give
thee a crown of life."
2. Hope also gives courage in facing danger, and fortitude in enduring pain.  "Hope
maketh not ashamed; because the love of God
is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost
which is.given unto us."  Brom. 5: 5. Unless
we have " for a helmet, the hope of salvation,"
1 Thess. 5 8, we shall but play the coward in
the day of battle. Here is the great difference
between the real child of God and the selfdeceiver. The former has an expectation of
future glory which makes present ignominy to
be esteemed as nothing. The latter has perhaps some vague hope of future good, but he
has never relinquished his hold of present




318        VITAL GODLINESS.
good. So when he finds he must let go either
the present or the future, he always cleaves to
the present, vainly purposing hereafter to seize
upon the things to come.  Every man who
knows any thing atall of his own heart, is painfully convinced of his sad timidity and wicked
shame as to all that is good, until God by his
grace gives him the hope f the gospel. Indeed, such is the fearful sway of shame over
many minds, that some persons have seemed
to think that almost the only hinderance to
men's salvation.  Our blessed Saviour was
not beating the air nor giving a vain warning
when he said, "Whosoever therefore shall be
ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall
the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh
in the glory of his Father, with the holy angels."  Mark 8:38. You will never be able
to overcome your natural shame of religion
but by a "good hope through grace."
3. The great animating principle in labor
is hope. This encourages the mariner, the husbandman, and every industrial class. This is
no less the animating principle in labors for the
spread of the gospel, the good of men, and the
glory of God. Thus Paul argued: "It is writ



HOPE.                319
ten in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle
the mouth of the ox, that treadeth out the corn.
Doth God care for oxen?  Or saith he it altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt,
this is written: that he that plougheth should
plough in hope; and that he that thresheth in
hope should be partaker of his hope."  I Cor.
9:9, 10. What would the apostles have effected
but for a hope that entered within the veil?
They had regard to the recompense of the reward in a future life. God never puts and
keeps his people at work for him without adequate motives, without influences suited to their
nature as men.
4. Christian hope is the great-nourisher of
Christian joy.  "We rejoice in hope of the
glory of God."  Rom. 5: 2. Our present circumstances have in them much to make us sad
and desponding.  But hope looks to the future,
when the glory of God shall be revealed in us.
So steadfastly does hope take hold on what is
future, that both Haldane and Hodge propose
to read the first clause of Rom. 8:24, "We
are saved in hope;" meaning thereby that we
are saved in prospect, in expectation.  No
Christian in this life is in full possession of all
the blessings of salvation.  He has indeed




320        VITAL. GODLINESS.
foretastes, earnests, pledges of good things to
come, but not the very things themselves. Yet
his title to eternal life is good, is perfect. Nothing could be more so.  In due time deliverance
shall come in all its fulness. As "rejoicing in
hope" is a duty, Rom. 12:12, so it is a great
privilege.  Charn'ock says, "Desired happiness affects the soul; much more expected happiness.  Joy is the natural issue of a wellgrounded hope.  A tottering expectation will
engender but a tottering delight; such a delight will madmen have, which is rather to be
pitied than desired.  But if an imaginary hope
can affect the heart with some real joy, much
more a hope settled upon a sure bottom, and
raised upon a good foundation; there may be
joy in a title as well as in possession."
5. It is Christian hope that makes death
easy and comfortable.  God's people know
that their flesh shall rest in hope. They know
who it is that has said, " Thy dead men shall
live; together with my dead body shall they
arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust:
for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the
earth shall cast out the dead."  Isa. 26:19.
Job disarmed death of all his terrors by being
able to lay hold on this very truth.  So did




HOPE.                 321
Paul also, and so have thousands of the humble
people of God.
In short, we may well unite with Owen in
saying that "hope is a glorious grace, whereunto blessed effects are ascribed in the Scripture, and an effectual operation unto the supportment and consolation of believers. By it
we are purified, sanctified, and saved.....
Where Christ evidenceth his presence with us,
he gives us an infallible hope of glory; he gives
us an assured pledge of it, and works our souls
into an expectation of it.  Hope in general is
but an uncertain expectation of a future good
which we desire.  But as it is a gospel grace,
all uncertainty is removed from it which would
hinder us of the advantage intended in it. It
is an earnest expectation proceeding from faith,
trust, and confidence, accompanied with longing desires of enjoyment....  The height of
the actings of all grace issues in a well-grounded hope; nor can it rise any higher."  Rom.
5:4,5.
So that if what has been said be true, there
is no force whatever in the infidel objection
respecting the want of certainty as to eternal
things.  They are as certain as the existence
and perfections of God-as certain as eternal
14*




322        VITAL GODLINESS.
truth and justice can make them. If our hope
is weak, it is yet sure. What there is of it will
never be disappointed. Nay, its largest expectations will be infinitely more than realized.
God will do exceeding abundantly above all
that we ask or think.  Our hope is uncertain
in no other sense than that it lays but feeble
hold of things which it ought to seize with the
utmost tenacity.  Therefore to say that the
Christian's hope is full of uncertainty is an untruth, unless men simply mean to say that the
virtuous principle, even in good men, is weak.
This all good men confess and bewail.
Nor do wicked angels and men offer us any
thing worth our attention when they invite us
to forego spiritual for carnal hopes, to give up
the next world and lay fast hold of this. For
what is this mortal life without the hope of the
gospel? Is any thing more uncertain? What
is more delusive than worldly hopes?  The
conqueror of yesterday is the prisoner of today; the rich man of to-day is the beggar of
to-morrow.  Pleasures bring pains; honors
provoke envy; and what is more malicious or
mischievous than that?  Riches vex us while
we have them, and may leave us any moment.
He who forsakes heavenly for earthly hopes,




HOPE.                323
prefers the chaff to the wheat; he snuffs the
wind, and delivers himself over to vanity.
Christians should therefore labor to be rid
of all sinful despondency.  True, our frames
change, but God's nature and counsels are immutable. - Our salvation is made sure, not by
our strength, but by the strength of God; not
by our goodness, but by the merits of the Redeemer; not by our wisdom, but by the wisdom of God. God sometimes withdraws, that
we may learn our utter helplessness.  John
Newton says, "If I may speak my own experience, I find that to keep my eye simply
upon Christ as my peace and my life, is by far
the hardest part of my calling. Through mercy he enables me to avoid what is wrong in the
sight of men; but it seems easier to deny self
in a thousand instances of outward conduct
than in its ceaseless endeavors to act as a
principle of righteousness and power." Yet to
yield in this point is ultimately to sink into
despondency. All good and lively and enduring hope springs from the cross alone.  "Let
Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord
there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption."  Psa. 130: 7.
And how rich an inheritance have all the




324        VITAL GODLINESS.
saints in God. IIe is their hope and their
portion, their refuge and the rock of their inheritance.  Bishop Hall said, "O my God, I
shall not be worthy of my eyes if I think I can
employ them better than in looking up to thy
heaven; and I shall not be worthy to look up
to heaven if I suffer my eyes to rest there, and
not look through heaven to thee, the almighty
Maker and Ruler of it, who dwellest there in
all glory and majesty; and if, seeing thee, I do
not always adore thee, and find my soul taken
up with awful and admiring thoughts concerning thee....  While others look at the motions, let me look at the Mover, and adore that
infinite power and wisdom  which preserve
those numberless and immense bodies in such
perfect regularity." While others grow wiser,
let us grow more holy.  While they trust in
the creature, and make flesh their arm, let us
set our faith and hope in'God. Let us. think
upon his name. If we are really his, we shall
ever be with him. You cannot dwell too much
on future glory. Nor can you overestimate
the value of your future inheritance. It is
worth ten thousand worlds.  It is worth a
thousand times more than any man ever endured for it. Men of the world often congrat



HOPE.                  325
ulate each other on their prospects. But Christians may well give each other joy in view of
their bright future, their sure and certain
hopes.  "Hope, like a star in the firmament,
shines the brighter as the shadows of sorrow
darken.  A new view opens to us.  We live
in the prospect of another and a happier
world," says Dr. John James.  A  poet well
describes this grace when he says,
"Hope, like a cordial, innocent though strong,
Man's heart at once inspirits and serenes,
Nor makes him pay his wisdom for his joys."
How dismal are the prospects of the poor
guilty sinner! Scripture describes such as
"without Christ, being aliens from the commonWealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without
God in the world."  Eph. 2:12.  Could more
dreadful destitution exist? The question has
sometimes been raised, What will be the ingredients of future misery?  No man may be
able to give a full answer. But it is certain
that a poor soul, as destitute as sinners are
here, and then shut out from all that now renders existence tolerable, must be dreadfully
and eternally undofie. "The day cometh"Oh how soon it will be here!-which "shall




326        VITAL GODLINESS.
burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and
all that do wickedly, shall be stubble, and the
day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the
Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither
root nor branch."  And as the wicked die
without hope, without Christ, without God, so
shall they continue without them for ever.
Unconverted sinner, ask thy soul a few
questions of great weight.
1. What shall it profit a man, if he gain the
whole world and lose his own soul?
2. Did ever any harden himself against the
Lord, and prosper?
3. Can thy hands be strong, or thy heart
endure, when he shall deal with thee?
4. What wilt thou answer when he shall
punish thee?
5. How can you escape, if you neglect so
great salvation?




LOVE TO GOD.             327
CHAPTER XV.
LOVE TO GOD.
THAT love to God is a pressing duty is
manifest from all the Scriptures. By Moses
God said, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God
with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and
with all thy might." Deut. 6: 5. "And now,
Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of
thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in
all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the
Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all
thy soul?"  Deut. 10: 12.  "Thou shalt love
the Lord thy God, and keep his charge, and
his statutes, and his judgments, and his commandments, alway."  Deut. 11: 1. "It shall
come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto
my commandments which I command you this
day; to love the Lord your God, and to serve
him with all your heart and with all your soul,
that I will give you the rain of your land in his
due season."  Deut. 11:13.  "If ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I
command you, to do them, to love the Lord
your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave




328        VITAL GODLINESS.
unto him; then will the Lord drive out all
these nations from before you." Dent. 11: 22.
"If thou shalt keep all these commandments
to do them, which I command thee this day, to
love the Lord thy God, and to walk ever in his
ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for
thee." Deut. 19:9. "The Lord thy God will
circumcise thy heart, and the heart of thy seed,
tor love the Lord thy God with all thy heart,
and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live."
Deut. 30:6. Again, "Know therefore that
the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God,
which keepeth covenant and mercy with them
that love him and keep his commandments to
a thousand generations."  Deut. 7:9.  The
same duty is clearly and repeatedly urged in
other parts of the same book.
Thus it appears that in his early revelations, love to God was greatly insisted on as a
high duty; that its nature was well explained;
that men were taught that it well agreed with
fear; that it always produced the fruit of obedience; that great blessings, temporal and spiritual, were connected with it; and that it was
one of the promises of the covenant that God
would implant this grace in the hearts of his
people.




LOVE TO GOD.              329
When our Saviour came, he dwelt much on
the love of God, declared it the greatest and
first duty of men, essential to true religion, and
incapable of being substituted by outward observances. His apostles taught the same doctrine.
It may be well to observe that love to God
includes the three Persons of the Trinity.
Love to the Father is not different from love
to the Son or to the Holy Spirit. In each
case it is the same. He who loves him that
begat, also loves him that was begotten of him.
He who loves the Son loves the Father, for he
and the Father are one.  One person of the
Trinity is no less lovely than another. All
the persons of the Godhead are the same in
substance and in attributes, though having different offices in man's salvation. Love to either
person is love to God. Love to God is love
to all the, persons of the Godhead. Let this
view be retained in mind. It will prevent
many painful and perplexing doubts respecting our duty. He who honors the Son, honors
the Father and the Spirit. He who loves the
Spirit is sure to love the Father and the Son.
It should be stated that love to God is
sometimes spoken of in Scripture as properly




330         VITAL GODLINESS.
expressive of an affection of the mind, and
sometimes it is used figuratively as a fit term
to designate the whole of religion, or all the
fruits of genuine love to God. In most cases
there is little difficulty in learning the precise
sense in which it is to be taken. Nor is this
variation in the sense of a term confined to the
word love, nor to. the modes of speaking adopted by the inspired writers.  Several of the
Christian graces are spoken of in the same
way in Scripture.  And in all the best writers of our language a part is often put for the
whole.
It is also proper to say that the phrase, the
love of. od, as used in Scripture, has two
senses. Sometimes it expresses our love to
God.  Thus our Saviour said, "Woe unto
you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and
all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment
and the love of God."'Lukell: 42. Again,
"I know you, that ye have not the love of God
in you."  John 5: 42. In like manner Paul
says, " Hope maketh not ashamed; because the
love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by
the Holy Ghost which is given.unto us." Rom.
5: 5. John also says, "This is the love of God,
that we keep his commandments." 1 John 5: 3.




LOVE TO GOD.              331
In like manner Jude says, "Keep yourselves
in the love of God."  Jude 21. In all these
and many other places, by "the love of God,"
is to be understood love to God.
But in the following texts, "the love of
God" means God's love to us.  "Nor height,
nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be
able to separate us from  the love of God,
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Romn.
8:39.  "God commendeth his love towCard
us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ
died for us." -Rom. 5:8. The same sense
attaches to the phrase elsewhere.  But this
variation produces no confusion. The import
in any one passage of Scripture is clear. We
have just the same form of speech when we
discourse of the love of a father or mother,
where we may either intend the love of a parent to a child, or that of a child to a parent.
Love to God is commonly spoken of under
three distinctions.
1. There is the love of gratitude.  As ingratitude is one of the basest vices, embracing
almost all others, so gratitude is one of the
noblest virtues, and is never found but with
many others in its train.  The judgment of
mankind fully sustains this view.  A  cele



332         VITAL GODLINESS.
brated writer says, "He that calls a man ungrateful, sums up all the evil that a man can
be guilty of."  Yet how common is this vice.
Seneca says, "If it were actionable, there
would not be courts enough in the whole world
to try the cases in." On the other hand, gratitude is a noble virtue.  It carries much that
is just and amiable with it.  A deaf mute is
said to have defined it to be " the memory of
thelheart."  It is wonderful that some refining philosophers and divines, who have been
thought very fond of distinctions, even where
there was no difference, have not been able to
discriminate between love to the gift and love
to the giver, and so have made gratitude a
sordid affection. This is the more marvellous
in theologians, as the Bible always speaks well
of gratitude to God. If this be not so, we have
no safe rule for interpreting such texts as the
following: "We love him, because he first
loved us."  "I love the Lord because he hath
heard my voice and my supplications.  Because he hath inclined his ear unto me, therefore will I call upon him as long as I live."
"Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for
she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven,
the same loveth little." He who loves God as




LOVE TO GOD.              333
David, Mary, and John, has the genuine affection demanded by the word of God. There is
on earth no love to God without warm and
lively gratitude.  The unconverted rejoice in
the gifts of God, and often pervert them to
their carnal gratifications. Such have no genuine holy gratitude. They even despise his
chief gifts, his unspeakable gift, his Son, and
his precious gift of the Spirit. Holy gratitude
would never leave men to such daring wickedness.  It would mightily draw them to God.
Alas for us: " We inscribe our afflictions upon
a rock, and the characters remain; we write
our mercies in the sand of the sea-shore, and
the first wave of trouble washes them out."'
2. There is the love of complacency. This
consists in delight in the character of him whom
we love. The entire nature and perfections of
God are amiable and admirable. Mere power,
separated from wisdom and goodness, is not
amiable, though it may be wonderful. But we
never separate God's attributes, though we distinguish between them. Infinite power, guided
by infinite love and infinite skill, is a rock of
delight. That was a great revelation to the
patriarch, "I am the Almighty God."  In it
* Jay.




334        VITAL GODLINESS.
the saints have ever since rejoiced.  To a
wicked man the omniscience of God is a source
of terror and aversion.  To him who loves
God it is a fountain of delight. He heartily
invokes the scrutiny of him who knows all
hearts.  He cries, "Search me, O God, and
know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts,
and see if there be any wicked way in me."
So that those who love God delight even in
his natural attributes.  Without these he
would be no God to them. Yet the moral
perfections of God are special objects of direct
complacency. All the saints delight in that
proclamation which Jehovah made of himself
to Moses: "The Lord, the Lord God, merciful
and gracious, long-suffering and abundant in
goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and
sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty."  No regenerate person would think the
character here drawn improved by the omission of a single trait. All is lovely. This love
of complacency in God is mighty in its power.
Show me a child of God, and I will show you
one who loves to sing, "Whom have I in
heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth
that I desire besides thee." The highest point




LOVE TO GOD.               335
of holy delight in the character of God is
reached when his glorious attributes are seen
harmoniously uniting in the production of some
vast and'happy result. This is a chief part-of
our pleasure in contemplating the plan of salvation. There mercy and truth, righteousness
and peace, wisdom  and power, goodness and
severity, wrath and love, strangely and illustriously meet and embrace each other.  They
unitedly produce glory to God in the highest,
and at the same time peace on earth, good-will
to men.  This scheme will form a perpetual
study to men and angels. I am not surprised
that angels desire to look into it. I wonder
not that heaven is filled with thundering hallelujahs to God and the Lamb for ever and ever.
In this plan of mercy, as in a lens, all the rays
of the divine glory-meet. Yet their brightness
may be endured. The.flesh of the Son of God
is a veil which hinders the radiance from being intolerable.  Yet on earth he was seen
"full of grace and truth." "The fulness of the
Godhead" dwelt in him  bodily.  The great
attraction of the moral law is, that it is a copy
of God's character.  The great source of pious
delight in Scripture is, that it is the word of
God.  Creation and providence are never so




336        VITAL GODLINESS.
exalted themes of delightful contemplation as
when we most fully regard them as the results
of God's matchless excellence. Redemption'gets all its glories here.
3. There is also the love of good-will. It
manifests itself in pity to the miserable, in
forgiveness to the injurious, in compassion to
the weak, in pleasure at the good estate of'those whom we love.  God is infinitely above
us, and never needs our compassion. Even
Jesus Christ, the sufferings of whose human
nature once held the inanimate creation in
strange sympathy, sufers no more. He has
overcome, and is set down on his throne. He
was dead, but he is alive for evermore. God
is holy, and has done us no wrong. We may
in our pride complain of him, and dream of
forgiving him; but the Judge of all the earth
makes no mistakes, and is never unkind or unjust.  Neither is Jehovah accountable to us.
We cannot without presumption revise his decisions, or find fault with his judgments. Though
we greatly need forgiveness from him, he has
no need of ours.  Nor can we be profitable
unto God,.as he that is wise may be profitable
unto himself, or as he that is kind may be
advantageous to his friend. It is no gain to




LOVE TO GOD.             337
the Almighty that we cleanse our ways. But
we can evince our good-will to those who are
quite beyond the need of our aid. Towards
Godwe can manifest it in many ways. We
can show benevolence to his people, especially
those of them who are greatly afflicted. Indeed, he has constituted them the receivers of
our bounty in his place. Whatsoever is done
to them is done to him. We can show our
good-will towards God by honoring him, by
rejoicing in the worship which others render
to him, and by delighting in the advancement
of his glory. This love is the great animating
principle in heartily praying, "Hallowed be
thy name: thy kingdom  come; thy will be
done in earth as it is done in heaven." This
love is wonderful, passing the love of woman.
It fills the heart with all gladness when God
is glorified and his name exalted.
Though we thus distinguish the acts of
love, yet they are all performed by the same
person. They all proceed from the same pious
affection. In many respects they all agree.
They all strengthen a gracious character. All
love to God has for its object.the same Being,
the Three in One, Him who is infinite, eternal,
unchangeable in his wisdom, power, holiness,
Vital Godliness.  15




338          VITAL GODLINESS.
justice, goodness, and truth.  All the exercises
of love are refreshing. They awaken not painful emotions. All the kindly affections produce pleasant effects.  Whoever enjoys the
luxury of having his heart drawn out to God
in gratitude, complacency, or good-will, would
fain continue in that state always.
It is not of the nature of true love to God
to count the cost, or to make much of its services.  Even as Jacob served seven years for
Rachel, and they seemed to him  but a few
days for the love he had to her; so the true
friend of God is sustained through a life of trial
and sorrow by his love to God.
"While duty portions out the debt it owes
With scrupulous precision and nice justice,
Love never measures, but profusely gives;
Gives, like a thoughtless prodigal, its all,
And trembles then, lest it has done too little."
True love is not selfish, cold, and calculating. "Charity seeketh not her own."  "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay
down his life for his friends."  Here was the
soul of martyrdom. The labors of love would
be impossible, if they sprang from any other
principle.  Because they are the fruit of love,
they are esteemed as nothing.
Where the love of complacency exists, there




LOYE TO GOD.               339
will be a desire to be like the object beloved.
No praise is so great as that which we render
by imitating another.  Therefore all who delight in God do hunger and thirst after righteousness, and are wholly pleased with God's
law, and are deeply pained when they find
their hearts inclined to corruption. They never will be satisfied till they awake in God's likeness. To be like him is their highest aim.
Those who love desire also to please God.
This is very natural.  Above all things, the
righteous wish to please God. His will is their
law. His favor is their life.'His smile is their
joy.
Love to God is a powerful principle.  It
becomes the master-passion.  It is " strong as
death."  "Many waters cannot quench love,
neither can the floods drown it: if a man would
give all the substance of his house for love, it
would utterly be contemned."  Love roused
and sustained Paul in all his toils and sufferings.  It made the confessors take joyfully the
spoiling of their goods. It has made heroes of
babes, and martyrs of the most timid.  No
principle of human action is more efficient.
It is indeed not always of the same strength.
Some love so little that they are constantly




340        VITAL GODLINESS.
kept in doubt about their state, and are uncertain whether they love at all. In some, love
is but a spark with some smoke. In others it
is a strong, steady flame. If genuine, it will
finally gain the victory over all opposing influences. It grows, so that in due time it sways
every power of the mind, every inclination of
the heart.
Love to God promotes the happiness of all
whose hearts it rules. Believers know what
Paul means by "the comfort of love."  "He
that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God
in him."  Solomon says, "Better is a dinner
of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox, and
hatred therewith."  This he speaks of love in
a family. But how much more true is it of the
love of God. It turns all bitter into sweet, converts all sorrow into joy.  "All things work
together for good to them that love God." Nor
is our love to God a well-spring of life merely
to the living: it wonderfully cheers and animates the dying, and keeps the best of them in
a delightful strait. It makes them triumph over
death. It goes still further: "Herein," says
John, "is our love made perfect, that we may
have boldness in the day of judgment."  Of
all things promised by God, nothing has sur



LOVE TO GOD.              341
prised me more than this. Oh wonderful, wonderful love, to give "boldness in the day of
judgment."
True love seeks union and communion.
" How can we expect to live with God in heaven, if we love not to live with him on earth?"
Aversion puts away its object, or withdraws
from it; but love draws near its object, and
rejoices to know and be known. Those who
love God are looking for and hasting unto the
coming of the day of God. They wait for him
as the watchmen wait for the morning; as the
thirsty land waits for the rain. He is their
life. His coming will be their coronation-day.
After that they shall be for ever with the Lord.
Christ is the loadstone that lifts up their hearts
to God. To be with him and to behold his
glory will be the grand reward. But even in
this life, the soul, by means of faith in God's
word and through the ageicy of the blessed
Spirit, has sweet communion with God.  In
this it greatly joys.
Paul offered a very benevolent prayer when
lie asked that his brethren at Philippi might
"abound in love more and more."  Love is a
chief fruit of the Spirit. It is greater than
faith or hope. It shall last and increase for




342        VITAL GODLINESS.
ever.  No wonder Jude, in the warmth of his
affection for God's children, cried, "Keep
yourselves in the love of God."  This is the
great business of the Christian.  He who does
this acts well his part.  He who keeps himself
in the love of God needs to know no other
secret of happiness.
The qualities of the love which God requires are,
1. That it be sincere, not feigned, not in
pretence.  Here is the point where sad deficiency is found in the love of many. It is not
hearty. Its professions are mere pretences.
2. Genuine love to God is supreme.  It
puts him before and above all others. It admits of no rivals in the heart.  It does not
hesitate to prefer him to every other object.
Others may be means of good to us, but God
is the portion of his people, the lot of their inheritance.
3. True love to God regards all his character, laws, and judgments. It does not find
fault with his justice. It does not cavil at
the strictness of his law. It approves of the
purity of his ordinances, of the simplicity of
his worship, and of the sovereignty of his authority.




LOVE TO GOD.             343
4. There is in genuine love to God stability. It is not fitful. It loves always; not indeed with equal vigor, but yet with constancy.
It is both an affection and a principle. Like
other affections, it is liable to ebb and flow;
but as a principle, nothing can change it while
God upholds it.
We may know that we love God by our
cheerful, earnest obedience to his will. " Now
are ye my disciples, if ye do whatsoever I
command you."  "Love is the fulfilling of the
law."
We may also prove our love to God by
our love to his people.  "We know that we
have passed from death unto life, because we
love the brethren."
We also evince our love to God by our
possession of a childlike temper towards him.
The Spirit of adoption always goes with love
to God; so that all believers may say, "We
have not received the spirit of bondage again
to fear."
This love to God is essential to Christian
character. None can be admitted to the heavenly mansions without it. We may be saved
without science, without literature, without
wealth, without genius, without renown, with



344        VITAL GODLINESS.
out family, without health, without the favor
of man. But there is no admission to heaven
without love.  "We must be baptized in the
fire of love, or burned "in the fire of hell."
"Though I speak with the tongues of men and
of angels, and have not charity, I am become
as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal. And
though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge; and
though I have all faith, so that I. could remove
mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
And though I bestow all my goods to feed the
poor, and though I give my body to.be burned,
and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."
John Angell James says, "Let the love we bear
to God pervade and influence every thought
and word and action.  We shall then abhor
that which he abhors, and depart from evil.
We shall subdue our own will, and find our
best happiness in doing his."
The importance of this love to God is seen
at every step in the Christian life. Without
it men are continually perplexed concerning
their duty and their liberty. It is a remark ol
John Newton, that "love is the clearest and
most persuasive casuist; and when our love to
the Lord is in lively exercise, and the rule of




LOVE TO GOD.              345
his word is in. our eye, we seldom make great
mistakes." Cold reason can never safely settle
questions which must chiefly be determined by
the heart. Logic is a poor substitute for love.
Right affections are often a better guide than
all the rules of reasoning. This is so with the
mother, in her sleepless care of her babe. It
is so with the devoted husband, in his ceaseless watch over his helpless wife. It is so when
filial piety sits down to watch the last flickerings of life in a venerable parent. It is eminently so in the love of a child of God to his
Father which is in heaven.
He who finds his heart warmed with love
to God need not trouble himself respecting his
election. Leighton well says, " He that loves
may be sure that he was loved first; and he
that chooses God for his delight and portion
may conclude confidently that God hath chosen
him to be one of those that shall enjoy him, and
be happy with him for ever; for that our love
and electing of him is but the return and repercussion of the beams of his love shining
among us."  "Love begets love."  This is
most true of God's love to us. All our love
to him is engendered by his love to us. And
so if we choose him, we may know that he has
15*




346        VITAL GODLINESS.
chosen us, and ordained us, that we should bear
much fruit to his glory.
He who thus loves God will surely be provided for. His temporal wants shall not be
forgotten before God. Chrysostom says, "If
thou have a concern for the things which are
God's, he will also be careful of thee and thine."
"Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things shall be
added unto you."  Matt. 6:33. Nor are the
blessings of love confined to our bodily wants.
"God is love; and he that dwelleth in love
dwelleth in God, and God in him."  It may
not be given to mortals to know all that is thus
promised; but surely such language implies
very much. To all who love him, God is a
rest and a refuge, a strong tower and a hidingplace, a portion and an eternal all.




LOVE TO CHRIST.          347
CHAPTER XVI.
LOVE TO CHRIST.
IN  addressing  the strangers scattered
abroad throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, the apostle Peter admits that they had never personally seen Jesus
Christ. He himself had often seen the Lord.
He had seen him walking by the sea of Galilee.' He had seen him walking on it. He had
been with him on the holy mount, in the judgment-hall, and on the top of Olivet, when he
ascended to glory. He had been his companion for years, had tasted of his mercy, had
beheld his miracles, had been an eye-witness
of his agony, of his betrayal, of his trial, of his
resurrection, of his ascension, and of his glory
and majesty. He'had seen him in the depths
of his humiliation. He had seen him in the
first and second stages of his exaltation. Yet
the apostle does not assert that those who had
not been so highly favored as himself were
destitute of right affections to the Redeemer,
but says, "Whom having not seen, ye love."




348         VITAL GODLINESS.
1 Pet. 1: 8. What a rich provision of mercy
is that which so far puts all God's people on a
level as to permit the saint of these latter days
to love the Lord Jesus as fervently and as acceptably as if he had seen his blessed person
and spoken with him face to face.
Though love to Christ is not different from
love to God, yet it is worthy of distinct consideration. It is much spoken of in Scripture.
It enters very fully into the experience of all
saints.  It is one of the strongest of all affections, and one of the most powerful principles.
If the time shall ever come when such a theme
shall be distasteful to professing Christians,
then indeed the glory will have departed from
the visible church. Yet the theme is always
unpleasant to carnal men. Some satisfy themselves with not caring for these things; but others rail at the whole doctrine of love to the
Son of God. The efforts of such are commonly
directed to the denial of the reality of every
thing vital in religion. Accordingly they make
light of sin, they speak of human guilt as a
trifle, they think a depraved nature a theological invention, they look upon heaven as a picture and hell as a dream. They deny all Christian graces, and in particular they regard all




LOVE TO CHRIST.            349
love to Christ as romance, confined to the weak
and ignorant.
But the word of God rebukes all such wickedness. If God does not teach us the reality
of love to Christ in all his people, he teaches
us nothing. Else what shall we do with such
scriptures as these? "Let him kiss me with
the kisses of his mouth- for his love is better
than wine. Thy name is as ointment poured
forth, therefore the virgins love thee.  We
will remember thy love more than wine: the
upright love thee. Behold, thou art fair, my
beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.
A bundle of myrrh is my beloved unto me; he
shall lie all night betwixt my breasts. I sat
down under his shadow with great delight, and
his fruit was sweet to my taste. He brought
me to the banqueting-house, and his banner
over me was love. Stay me with flagons, comfort me with apples: for I am sick of love.
His left hand is under my head, and his right
hand doth embrace me. My beloved is mine,
and I am his. I am my beloved's, and his
desiire is towards me. I found him whom my
soul loveth; I held him, and would not let him
go, until I had brought him into my mother's
house. Set me as a seal upon thy heart, as a




350        VITAL GODLINESS.
seal on thine arm. I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, if ye find my beloved, that
ye tell him I am sick of love. Come, my beloved, let us go up early to the vineyards, let
us see if the vines flourish. There will I give
thee my loves. Make haste, my beloved, and
be thou like to a roe, or to a young hart on the
mountains of spices."
Such is some of the language of one of the
short books of the Bible, which abounds indeed
in imagery borrowed from the East, but which
also abounds in the richest stores of Christian
experience. Other portions of Scripture fully
accord with the proofs already quoted. Christ
himself said, "He that loveth me shall beloved
of my Father, and I will love him, and manifest myself to him. If any man love me, he
will keep my words, and my Father will love
him, and we will come unto him, and make
our abode with him. As the Father hath loved
me, so have I loved you; continue ye in my
love."  Other portions of God's word are of
like import. It is then undeniable that God's
word calls for love to Christ as an essential
proof of Christian character. Downright infidelity teaches nothing more dangerous than
that we -can have pious affections, pleasing to




LOVE TO CHRIST.            351
God, without any love to the Lord Jesus
Christ.
And God's people have the best ground of
love to Christ. He is " the chiefest among ten
thousand, and altogether lovely." He is perfect God and perfect man in two distinct natures and one person for ever.  He is the
author of eternal redemption, the Saviour of
the world. To him we owe both our being
and our well-being. His grace is rich, free,
and unchangeable.  His love to us has in it
heights and depths, lengths and breadths,
which can never be measured.  It passeth
knowledge.  None ever loved us as Christ,
who gave himself for us. Well do Solomon
and Paul unite in calling him The Beloved.
All the righteous do the same.  We owe him
all gratitude, all good-will, all complacency.
The first essential quality of love to Christ
is that it be unfeigned. In it there can be admitted no double-mindedness. Paul closes one
of his epistles with the solemn words, "Grace
bet with all them  that love our Lord Jesus
Christ in sincerity. Amen." Eph. 6: 24. Insincerity'spoils any profession; but a profession of love, not founded in the depths of the
heart, is exceedingly hateful to God and man.




352        VITAL GODLINESS.
When even the worst of men see deception and
guile in matters of friendship, their abhorrence
is awakened. Let every man see to it that his
love is real and genuine.
Love to Christ is a pure and holy affection.
It is the reigning principle among the redeemed in glory. It is the bond of union among
believers on earth. Love to Christ has for its
object his glorious person. And yet it is not
at all like the admiration and fondness we have
for the comely appearance of men upon earth.
There is nothing carnal or gross in the affections of a creature towards the Lord of life and
glory. When upon earth, his pious followers
loved him, although "his visage was so marred
more than any man, and his form more than
the sons of men."  And it is so still. After
his resurrection and' before his ascension, he
said to Mary, " Touch me not; for I am not yet
ascended to my Father; but go to my brethren,
and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father
and your Father, and to my God and your
God.' John 20:17. Some think our Lord
thus intended to remind Mary that it was not
by touching his body, but by believing on him;
not by handling him, but by spiritually laying
hold on him, that he would have her approach




LOVE TO CHRIST.             353
him.  Whether this passage bears such a construction or not, there is no doubt of the fact
that thousands saw him, heard him, and touched him with their bodily faculties, and were
never a whit the better for it all.  Paul says,
"Though we have known Christ after the flesh,
yet now henceforth know we him no more."
2 Cor. 5:16. To his disciples no less than to
his enemies Jesus said, "Ye shall seek me;
and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go ye
cannot come, so now I say to you."  John
13:33; compare John 8:21.  "He is a Jew,
which is one inwardly; and circumcision is
that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the
letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God."
Rom. 2:29.
True love to Christ is always grieved at
having  its  sincerity  seriously  questioned.
"Jealousy is cruel as the grave; the coals
thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most
vehement flame."  Song 8:6.  "Peter was
grieved because Jesus said unto him the third
time, Lovest thou me?"  John 21: 17. That
question is never earnestly brought home to
the bosom of any genuine follower of the Saviour without awakening the deepest concern;
and until it can be satisfactorily answered, the




354        VITAL GODLINESS.
soul is in deep waters. This must ever be the
case. It is not possible for any to love the
Lord Jesus without seeing something of his
infinite excellency, without at the same time
wishing to love him more, or without seeing
that want of love to him would be the eternal
undoing of the soul.
It should also be noted that there may be
much imperfection even in genuine love to the
Saviour. To deny this is to cut off the whole
Christian world from  a participation in the
favor of Christ. If no man loves the Saviour,
except he loves perfectly, then none but the
redeemed above have any evidence that they
are his. How sadly imperfect even genuine
love may be, is seen in the case of David and
Peter and many other Bible saints. At times
their conduct was sadly opposed to the belief
that they were good men. So now all the best
men in this world are among the foremost to
cry out, "In many things we all offend;" "Iniquities prevail against us;" " We abhor ourselves, and repent in dust and ashes;" "Unto
us belong shame and confusion of faces."
Yet true love to Christ is not fitful. It is
constant, not periodical. Like the fire of old
kept burning on the altar, which at some times




LOVE TO CHRIST.            355
was much brighter than at others, yet at no
time was entirely extinct, so the love of Christ
never totally vanishes from the heart of a good
man, although it is not always glowing.  A
gold dollar may be as genuine metal as a gold
eagle. A live coal is as truly fire as the bowels of a glowing furnace.  The new-born infant is as truly a human being as the full-grown
man. Let us beware how we grieve whom
God doth not grieve by denying them  the
rights and privileges of the sons of God. He
who can give power to the faint, and increase
might to him that hath no strength; he who
can hold up the weak brother, and make the
feeble among his people like David, will not
forget his covenant nor quench the smoking
flax.
It is a good sign when we can humbly and
reverently appeal to Omniscience for the sincerity of our love.  Appearances are sometimes against men, very good men. When
this is so, they are deeply abased; but they
will not therefore let go their hold on the divine mercy, nor deny their allegiance to Christ.
This was the case with Peter.  He had denied
his Lord, and brought great reproach on the
cause of God, and had deeply bewailed his




356        VITAL GODLINESS.
wickedness; yet when. thrice interrogated by
Christ, his answers were, "Yea, Lord: thou
knowest that I love thee;" "Yea, Lord: thou
knowest that I love thee;" "Lord,- thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee."
Every true child of God can sincerely pray,
"Lord, if I am deceived, do thou undeceive
me."  To our Master in heaven we stand or
fall; and when we can truly say, "Lord, to
whom shall we go but unto thee? thou hast the
words of eternal life," we have a right to rejoice and be glad.
Genuine love to Christ does not regard any
service it can render, or any sacrifice it can
make, as too great for the honor of Christ.
True love to the Saviour, so far from being a
dormant principle, is wonderfully active, and
delights in paying the largest tribute it can
possibly render. It is not of the nature of supreme love to begrudge any thing. Under the
sway of such affection for Christ, Paul said of
bonds and afflictions, " None of these things
move me, neither count I my life dear unto
myself, so that I might finish my course with
joy, and the ministry which I have received of
the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the
grace of God."  Acts 20: 24. Again he says,




LOVE TO CHRIST.             357
What things were gain to me, those I counted
loss for Christ.  Yea doubtless, and I count all
things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I
have suffered the loss of all things, and do
count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
and be found in him, not having mine own
righteousness, which is of the law, but that
which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith." Phil. 3: -9.
It was the same mighty principle of love to
Christ that sustained the martyrs of all ages,
made them rejoice in the spoiling.of their goods,
and in all tribulation, and finally caused them
to triumph over death in its most horrible
forms.
True love to Christ is supreme.  "If any
man come to me, and hate not his father, and
mother, and wife, and children, and brethren,
and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple."  Luke 14: 26.  That is,
if a man does not put Christ above all these,
and love them less.than him, he is not a true
Christian.  Gregory Nazianzen said, "If I
have any possessions, health, credit, learning,
this is all the contentment I have of them, that
I have somewhat I may despise for Christ,,who




358        VITAL GODLINESS'
is the all-desirable and. the every thing desirable."  Augustine said, "How sweet  i is to
deny these sinful sweets."
It is worthy of special notice that the exercise of love to Christ is not only pleasant, but
is so in a high degree. The same may indeed
be said of other pious affections, but this is so
peculiarly true of love to the Saviour, that it
deserves special consideration. The very first
motions of this grace are so delightful, that
even young converts regard a day of holy exercises of mind as worth more than years of
sinful pleasure.  They greatly wonder that
they never had a just estimate of these things
before.  To love Christ is the very height of
wisdom.  Every Christian has the demonstration of this truth in his own blessed experience.  The natural language of the. renewed
soul is, Who would not love Jesus? The wicked passions of our nature commonly bring with
them  great pain.  Under their influence men
grow pale, tremble in their whole frame, lose
their appetite, become wakeful and restless,
and often pine away.  But the love of Christ
produces none of these miseries.  It'opens
fountains of joy before sealed up, and makes
rivers to break forth in the wilderness.




LOVE TO CHRIST.             359
In love to Christ, nothing is more pleasing
than to witness its increasing strength and mellowness. At first, in all its feebleness it may
yet manifest some rather fiery qualities; but
when it becomes strong it acquires much of the
gentleness of Christ. Our first love is often
like new wine.  Our matured love is like wine
on the lees well refined.  The former may
burst even new bottles; the latter would riot
injure old ones. This matter may be well illustrated by the difference between a loving young
groom and bride and the same persons after
they have been partakers of each other's joys
and sorrows for half a century.  When young,
there is a peculiar ardor and fondness not at
all diminished by the novelty of the affection;
but in old age, the heart and life of each are
bound up in the other. If one of those young
persons had died, the survivor would have
been filled with grief, and perhaps have fallen
into paroxysms; but in a few years at most,
all would have seemed to pass away. But let
one of those loving old people die, and the survivor, however strong and healthy at the time,
will soon show signs of decay, and in a short
time will sink into the grave.  The young
couple, with all their affection, were sometimes




360        VITAL GODLINESS.
a little irritable, perhaps jealous or moody;
but the old ones had a confidence,in each other,
and a natural tenderness which nothing could
disturb.  So the young disciple, though he
loves sincerely, has but little stability compared with what he will have, if he shall serve
God till he has a large experience.
There is also in true love to Christ a genuine modesty, which grows with all other right
affections.  This modesty leads even the babe
in Christ to be dissatisfied with the amount of
his devotion to the Saviour. More experience
leads to yet more profound self-renunciation.
Every fall into sin followed by recovery but
deepens self-distrust. And although the child
of God may not be ready to renounce his integrity nor deny his love, yet he is very willing to speak of himself and his love to Christ
in the most unpretending manner.
It is also true, that he who loves Christ delights in commending and honoring him, and
in seeing others do the same. It is impossible
to love that which is not excellent or beautiful
in our eyes.  And so surely as any thing seems
so to us, we wish others to unite with us in
admiring it.  Could therefore a converted man
be found who was indifferent whether others




LOVE TO CHRIST.             361
were brought to love Christ or not, he would
be such a monster in the-spiritual world as has
never yet made his appearance.
True love to Christ is to his whole person,
to his human and his divine natures. He who
hates or rejects either his divinity or his humanity hates and rejects him.. Chrysostom
says, "When thou hearest of Christ, do not
think him God only or man only, but both together.  For I know Christ was hungry, and
I know that with five loaves he fed five thousand men, besides women and children.  I
know Christ was thirsty, and I know Christ
turned water into wine.  I know Christ was
carried'in a ship, and I know Christ walked
on the waters.  I know Christ died, and I
know Christ raised the dead. I know Christ
was set before Pilate, and I know Christ sits
with the Father. I know Christ was worshipped
by the angels, and I know Christ was stoned
by the Jews. And truly some of these I ascribe to the human, others to the divine nature;
for by reason of this he is said to be both together."
Of course he who loves Christ loves his
Sabbaths, his worship, his truth, his laws, his
people, and all that brings him to mind. To
Vital Godliness.   16




362        VITAL GODLINESS.
such the Sabbath is a delight, the holy of the
Lord, and honorable. There is no uncharitableness in supposing that he who hates holy
time hates a holy God and a holy Saviour.
And if any man loves not the worship of Christ
on earth, surely he cannot love the temper of
the redeemed above; for nothing is more clearly revealed thain that Christ receives the highest adorations of heaven.  The same man,
when he finds the words of Christ, will keep
them and rejoice in them.  They are to his
soul meat and drink. They are to him a fountain of life, a well-spring of salvation. Even
Christ's laws, with all their binding force, are
the rejoicing of his heart. And to him God's
people are the excellent of the earth, in whom
is all his delight. Whoso loves God's image
anywhere, will love it in his people. He who
loves not his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love his Saviour, whom he has not seen.
One of the miseries of man is that he is
apt to set his affection on unworthy objects.
The more he loves such things, the igore unhappy he is. But in loving Christ we know
that the object is worthy of our supreme regard. Yes, he is worthy. Lady Huntington
expressed common Christian experience when




LOVE TO CHRIST.            363
she said, "I am nothing; Christ is all: I disclaim as well as disdain any righteousness but
his. I not only rejoice that there is no wisdom
for his people but that from above, but reject
every pretension to any but what comes from
himself. I want no holiness he does not give
me; I would not accept a heaven he did not
prepare for me. I can wish for no liberty but
what he likes for me, and I am satisfied with
every misery that he does not redeem  me
from; that in all things I may feel that without him I can do nothing."  Either Christ will
be all our salvation, or he will leave us to perish. The righteous consent that it shall be so.
Would you have fervent love, labor for
lively faith.  Ardent love is sure to accompany strong believing.  An old writer says,
"Believe, and you shall love; believe much,
and you shall love much; labor for strong and
deep persuasions of the glorious things which
are spoken of Christ, and this will command
love. Certainly, did men believe his worth, they
would accordingly love him; for the reasonable mind cannot but love that which it firmly
believes to be worthiest of affection.  Oh, this
mischievous unbelief is that which makes the
heart cold and dead towards God. Seek then




364          VITAL GODLINESS.
to believe Christ's excellency in himself, and
his love to us, and our interest in him, and this
will kindle such a fire in the heart as will make
it ascend in a sacrifice of love to him."
Love to Christ is sure to be requited by
the love of the Father, of the Son, and of the
Spirit.  Christ himself said, "He that loveth
me shall be loved of my Father, and I will
love him and manifest myself to him."  And
the Spirit is as' loving as the Father and
the Son.  And although that expression used
by Paul, the love of the Spirit, is by many understood to mean "the love of which the Holy
Spirit is the author," yet even that shows his
loving nature perhaps no less than if thereby
we understood his direct love to his people.
Love to Christ is a mighty principle.  Let
it control us, and we shall be able to meet all
the storms of life with firmness, and do all the
duties of life with alacrity. It will bear us
up and on and through.  John Newton says,
"The love of Christ was the apostle's chief
motive; it constrained him; bore him along
like a torrent, in defiance of labor, hardship,
and opposition." As for us, what are we without it but reeds shaken with the wind? But
with it we become heroes, pillars, martyrs, vic



LOVE TO CHRIST.             365
tors, yea, more than conquerors. This is true
at all times.  On one occasion Dr. Doddridge
interested himself in behalf of a condemned
criminal, and at length obtained his pardon.
On entering the cell of the condemned man,
the pardoned man fell at his feet, and with
streaming eyes exclaimed, "Oh sir, every drop
of my blood thanks you, for you have had
mercy on every drop of it.  Wherever you
go, I will be yours."  How natural was all
this. And how surely will one who feels that
his soul is saved from wrath by the blood of
the Lamb, beready to give all, all to him. It
is this love to Christ that makes God's people
so dissatisfied with all their present attainments, and so long to depart and be with
Christ. That eminent servant of God, Samuel
Davies, on recovering from a dangerous illness, wrote to a friend, "Formerly I have
wished to live longer, that I might be better
prepared for heaven; but this consideration
had but very little weight with me, and that
for a very unusual reason, which was this:
after a long trial, I found this world is a place
so unfriendly to the growth of every thing
divine and heavenly, that I was afraid if I
should live longer, I should be no better fitted




366        VITAL GODLINESS.
for heaven than I am. Indeed, I have hardly
any hopes of ever making any great attainments in holiness while I live, though I should
be doomed to stay in it as long as Methuselah.
I see other Christians around me making progress; but when I consider I set out about
twelve years old, and what sanguine hopes I
then had of my future progress, and yet that I
have been almost at a stand ever since, I am
quite discouraged.  Oh my good and gracious
Master, if I may dare to call thee so, I am
afraid I shall never serve thee much better on
this side the region of perfection. The thought
grieves me; it breaks my heart; but I can
hardly hope better. But if I have the least
spark of true piety in my breast, I shall not
always labor under this complaint. No, my
Lord, I shall yet serve thee, serve thee through
an immortal duration, with the activity, the
fervor, the perfection of the seraph that adores
and burns. I very much doubt this desponding view of matters is wrong, and I do not
mention it with approbation, but only relate it
as an unusual reason for my willingness to die,
which I never felt before, and which I could
not suppress."  The only thing very remarkable in this extract is that its learned and ex



LOVE TO CHRIST.            367
perienced author should have supposed that
some strange thing had happened to him. All
God's people long for perfect deliverance from
sin; nor does their experience lead them to
expect it here. They would be made perfect
in love to Christ.
Child of sorrow, come and welcome to Jesus
Christ. He will give you rest. His peace shall
rule your heart. Blunt says, "Are you travailing with sorrow?  Are you heavy-laden
with the burden of oppression or wod? Christ
will give you rest. Doubtless the heavy-laden
with the burden of sin are first invited, but
they exclude no other sufferers. There is no
exception of age or rank or clime, the extent
of the.travail, or the weight of the burden; the
childish sorrows of the weeping school-boy are
as much the subject of the Saviour's sympathy
as the matured wretchedness of the aged man;
all come within the Saviour's invitation."  Oh
that all would receive him. How soon should
the waters of bitterness be changed into fountains of joy, and the mournful dirge be given
up for the song of triumph.
We can now see something of the force of
that solemn declaration of Paul, "If any man
love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be




368        VITAL GODLINESS.
anathema, Maran-atha."  The world hurls its
anathemas after those who despise its follies
and denounce its vices. The Council of Trent
cry anathema on the man "whoever shall affirm
that a true and proper sacrifice is not offered
to God in the mass," or "whoever shall affirm
that matrimony is not truly and properly a sacrament." But Paul says, "If any man love not
the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be anathema,
Maran-atha;" that is, let him be accursed when
the Lord cometh.




LOVE TO OUR NEIGHBOR,    369
CH-APTER XVII.
LOVE TO OUR NEIGHBOR,
WE need line upon line and precept upon
precept. Although one clear and undeniable
revelation of God's will binds the conscience
and moulds the character of a child of God,
yet it is with peculiar pleasure that the pious
mind finds a duty inculcated in various forms,
at different times, and by different men. This
remark applies to the whole matter of love to
our neighbor. In Leviticus 19:18, Jehovah
says, "Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any
grudge against the children of thy people; but
thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am
the Lord."  And in the thirty-fourth verse of
the same chapter he says, "The stranger that
dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one
born among you, and thou shalt love him as
thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of
Egypt: I am the Lord your God." The evangelists Matthew, Mark, and Luke, inform us
that Jesus Christ repeatedly called attention
to the command, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," and pronounced it the great
16*




370        VITAL GODLINESS.
pillar of morals. See Matt. 19:19; 22:39;
Mark 12:31-34; Luke 10:27-37.  In his
epistles to the Romans and to the Galatians,
Paul also quotes with high commendation the
same law. Rom. 13: 9, and Gal. 5:14.  The
apostle James does the same.  Jas. 2: 8.  So
that there is no room left for any doubt as to
the importance and obligation of the duty enjoined. That great prophet Moses, Jesus the
Son of God, Paul the great apostle to the Gentiles, and James the son of Alpheus, the brother
of Jude and the near relative of our Lord, all
in the name of Jehovah give us this command..
It is distinctly repeated nine times in God's
word.
Such a command is far from being unnecessary. A man who had lived much in society,
said that his acquaintance would fill a cathedral, but a pulpit would hold all his friends.
We are naturally slow to open our hearts in a
comprehensive good-will. We are all by nature prone to narrow-mindedness. Carnal men
are never in a mood to be pleased with a widely diffusive. benevolence. They may admire
its fruits as exercised by others, but its practice is irksome to the unrenewed mind. We
love like snails to crawl into our little shells




LOVE TO OUR NEIGHBOR.    371
and there abide. The plan of God is to call
us out and make us banish these contracted
views. All the noble sentiments of the human
heart are, like the widow's oil, increased by
pouring out.  God is as kind as he is holy in
so ordaining that no man shall be strongly selfish and truly happy. If God gives you bread
enough and to spare, and then brings to your
knowledge the case of the poor and needy, he
does you a great kindness; and you will be a
better and happier man for having your soul
drawn out to the hungry.
The Biblt says, " Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." And here we are met with the
old question, "Who is my neighbor?"  When
a carping lawyer, who wished to justify himself, asked this question, Jesus Christ answered
him thus: "A certain man went down from
Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves,
which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.
And by chance there came down a certain
priest that way; and when he saw him he
passed by on the other side. And likewise a
Levite, when he was at the place, came and
looked on him, and passed by on the other
side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journey



372        VITAL GODLINESS.
ed, came where he was: and when he saw him,
he had compassion on him, and went to him,
and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and
wine, and set him  on his own beast, and
brought him to an inn, and took care of him.
And on the morrow when he departed, he took
out two pence, and gave them to the host, and
said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again I
will repay thee. Which now of these three,
thinkest thou, was neighbor unto him that fell
among thieves? And he said, He that showed
mercy on him.  Then said Jesus unto him,
Go and do thou likewise."  Without dwelling
on the striking incidents here brought out in
detail, the great truth clearly taught is that
any man is our neighbor to whom we can show
A kindness. Although D. Kimchi, in remarking on Psalm 15: 3, says, "A neighbor is every
one with whom we have any dealing or conversation;" yet in the days of our Saviour the
Jews regarded themselves as bound to love
none except-their own people. Their rule was,
"Thou shalt love thy neighbor, and hate thine
enemy." Between Jews and Samarita.ns there
was no intercourse that could possibly be
avoided.  Yet Christ teaches that they are




LOVE TO OUR NEIGHBOR.    373
neighbors in the eye of God's law. No man
who admits that God gave the command to
love our neighbor, will deny that it obliges us
to love our friends, our kindred, and our countrymen. Even the scribes and Pharisees always admitted thus much. Yet this is a very
low standard of virtue.  Christ said, "If ye
love them which love you, what reward have
ye? do not even the publicans the same? And
if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye
more than others? do not even the publicans
so?  While he whose love goes hot beyond
his own little sphere, has but little deserving
of the name of right affections; he who goes
not thus far, is a monster of wickedness, and
without natural affection.
It is also evident from Scripture that even
our enemies are to receive the tokens of our
good-will. Jesus Christ said, "Love your enemies; bless them that curse you; do good to
them that hate you; and pray for them which
despitefully use you and persecute you; that
ye may be the children of your Father which
is in heaven." Matt. 5:44, 45. Again, "Love
ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall
be great, and ye shall be the children of the




374        VITAL GODLINESS.
Highest."  Luke 6: 35.  Paul and Solomon
teach the same doctrine:'If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for
in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his
head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome
evil with good."  Rom. 12: 20, 21; Prov..25: 21, 22. With these agree all the inspired
writers. Now all consent that we should love
our friends, and the Scriptures teach that we
should love our enemies; and these two classes
comprehend the whole human race with whom
we have intercourse or dealings. Besides the
foregoing explanations, it may be stated that
the love of gratitude is confessedly binding on
all the human race.  There is no man so depraved as not to see gross iniquity in a flagrant
act of injustice. It is a truth no less commonly
confessed, that if men have great moral excellence, they ought to be loved on that account.
But when we enforce the obligations of a pure
and high benevolence to all the race, there is
apt to be a withholding of the hearty consent
of the mind. Yet from Scripture nothing is
clearer than that such good-will is due to all
as we have knowledge of them and opportunity
to do then good.
This leads us to consider what are the




LOVE TO OUR NEIGIBOR.            375
proper proofs and uniform fruits of such love
to our neighbor as is enjoined in Scripture. In
the nineteenth chapter of Leviticus there are
many things specified as duties to our fellowmen, all of which are so fitly joined with love
to our neighbor, that they may be properly
mentioned here.  One was this: "When ye
reap the harvest of your land, thou shalt not
wholly reap the corners of thy field, neither
shalt thou gather the gleanings of thy harvest."
Verse 9. Another was like unto it: "Thou
shalt not glean thy vineyard, neither shalt thou
gather every grape of thy vineyard; thou shalt
leave them for the poor and stranger." Verse
10.  Another was in these words: " Ye shall
not steal, neither deal falsely, neither lie one
to another."  Verse 11.  Again, "Thou shalt
not defraud thy neighbor, neither rob him: the
wages of him that is hired shall not abide with
thee all night till the morning."  Verse 13.
One still more striking was, "Thou shalt not
curse the deaf, nor put a stumbling-block before the blind."  Verse 14. In other words,
you shall take no advantage of the afflictions
and powerlessness of men.  Another precept
was, "Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment; thou shalt not respect the person of'the




376        VITAL GODLINESS.
poor, nor honor the person of the mighty: but
in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbor."  Verse 15. Another rule of great importance was, "Thou shalt not go up and down
as a talebearer among thy people." Verse 16.
Nothing could be more inconsistent with love
to our neighbor than such a practice.  Another precept forbade any man to give false
testimony, or to refuse to give true testimony.
Verse 16.  Another was in these words:
"Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart:
thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor,
and not suffer sin upon him." Verse 18. Then
immediately comes the command, "Thou shalt
love thy neighbor as thyself."  From all this
it is evident that love to our neighbor is the
same in its fruits as the fulfilment of the second table of the law. And we have the authority of Christ for saying that on love to
God and to our neighbor hang the law and the
prophets.  Matt. 22:40.  Paul teaches the
same when he says, "He that loveth another
hath fulfilled the law. For this, Thou shalt not
commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt
not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness,
Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any
other commandment, it is briefly comprehend



LOVE TO OUR NEIGHBOR.    377
ed. in this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as
thyself. Love worketh no ill to his neighbor:
therefore love is the fulfilling of the law."
Rom. 13: 8-10.
The fruits of love to our neighbor are, first,
benevolent wishes concerning him and his affairs. Hearty good wishes are far from being
vain either in the sight of God or of good men.
Oftentimes good wishes are the best, the only
proof we can give of our good-will. Only let
us see to it that they be sincere.
Again, we can express kind thoughts and
charitable judgments of men and their conduct, and so prove that we love them.  Towards ourselves we are at liberty to practise
severity of judgment; but to others there must
be lenity.  "Judge not, that ye be not judged.
For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be
judged; and with what measure ye mete, it
shall be measured to you again."  Matt. 7:1, 2.
Some express contempt for kind words; but
they really mean such as are hypocritical, or
they know not what they say.  Words of genuine kindness are of the highest value. Without them society is a source of constant misery.
When our love leads us to the throne of
grace, and we are drawn out in fervent prayer




378        VITAL GODLINESS.
for men, then the fruit of love is very pleasing.
"Bless them that curse you, and pray for them
that despitefully use you and persecute you."
So says Paul, "I exhort therefore, that, first of
all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and
giving of thanks, be made for all men: for
kings, and for all that are in authority; that
we may lead a quiet and peaceable life, in all
godliness and honesty."  1 Tim. 2:1, 2. What
mode of expressing good-will could be more
appropriate than that commended in Psalm
20:1-5: "The Lord hear thee in the day of
trouble; the name of the God of Jacob defend
thee; send thee help from the sanctuary, and
strengthen thee out of Zion; remember all
thy offerings, and accept thy burnt sacrifice;
grant thee according to thine own heart, and
fulfil all thy counsel...  The Lord fulfil all
thy petitions." Let us often search and try our
ways, and see if by our prayers we prove that
we love our fellow-men.
True love to men will of course lead us to
forgive those who have injured us. This is a,
point on which our blessed Saviour laid the
greatest stress. There is no dispensing with
it.  "If ye forgive not men their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive your tres



LOVE TO OUR NEIGHBOR.           379
passes."  Matt. 6:15.  "Forgive, and ye shall
be forgiven."  Luke 6:37. Perhaps there is
no better evidence of a renewed heart than a
cordial forgiveness of injuries, nor a surer sign
that we are yet in our sins, than carrying old
grudges about with us. He that will not forgive, must soon have his heart filled with hatred; and he that hateth his brother is a murderer; and ye know that no murderer hath
eternal life abiding in him. Of all the holy
arts possessed by- Christians, none is more admirable than that whereby they turn injuries
to their own profit and to the divine glory.
Mather says, "The injuries of life, if rightly
improved, will be to us as the strokes of the
statuary on his marble, forming us to a more
beautiful shape, and making us fitter to adorn
the heavenly temple."  Genuine love to man
will not only seem to forgive, but it will do
that very thing. "It is the glory of a man
to pass over a transgression."  Prov. 19:11.
Merely to pretend to such a thing, and not to
do it, is but miserably to mimic goodness, while
we are filled with all uncleanness. There are
upon earth no worse and no more unhappy
men than those who carry about old grudges,
and retain a lively memory of wrongs long




380         VITAL GODLINESS.
since committed against themselves. The Persians have a pleasing proverb: " The man who
returns good for evil is as a tree which renders
its shade and its fruit to those who cast stones
at it." South says, "Love is never so blind
as when it is to spy faults. It is like the painter who, being to draw the picture of a friend
having a blemish in one eye, would picture
only the other side of his face."
"Love ye your enemies."  "This is the
most sublime precept ever delivered to man.
A false religion durst not give a precept of this
nature, because, without supernatural influence, it must be for ever impracticable."
Another good fruit of love to man is mercifulness.  "The righteous is ever merciful."
Psa. 37:26.  "Blessed are the merciful; for
they shall obtain mercy."  Matt. 5:7.  "Be
ye merciful, as your Father also is merciful."
Luke 6:36.  An habitual unrestrained inclination to harshness, cruelty, and oppression is
one of the worst signs in the character of any
man.  On the other hand, an enlarged prevailing disposition to pity men's sorrows, alleviate
their miseries, and promote their happiness is
one of the best signs in the character of any
man.  There is in some men a fitful and vari



LOVE TO OUR NEIGHBOR.            381
able tenderness to others, which seems to be a
mere instinct. It sometimes burns with great
heat, and soon subsides into indifference or
aversion; but genuine love forms habits of
kindness in the heart, and brings them forth
in the life.  The dispositions we display to the
helpless, the guilty, the forsaken, are often the
best tests of our real character.  Nor is there
any surer prelude of wrath than cruel dispositions. " He shall have judgment without mercy
that hath showed no mercy."  James 2:13.
Tyrants, in any sphere of life, are hateful not
only to all virtuous men, but also to God himself.
Love to man will always produce kindness
to the poor and needy, the friendless and afflicted.  "Blessed is he that considereth the
poor: the Lord will deliver him  in time of
trouble.  The Lord will preserve him, and
keep him alive: and he shall be blessed upon
the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto
the will of his enemies. The Lord will strengthen him on the bed of languishing.  Thou wilt
make all his bed in his sickness." Psa. 41:1-3.
"Pure religion and undefiled before God and
the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and
widows in their affliction, and to keep himself




382        VITAL GODLINESS.
unspotted from the world." James 1:27. " Remembei the words of the Lord Jesus, how he
said, It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Acts 20:35. These portions of Scripture form
a basis broad enough for any sober scheme of
genuine charity that has ever been devised.
The word of God uniformly lays the greatest
stress upon kindness to the poor and afflicted,
as evidence of a heartfelt charity.  "Whoso
hath this world's good, and seeth his brother
have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the.love of God
in him?"  1 John 3:17. So that the Scriptures deny the genuineness of all love which
is without good fruits. Nor is any act of our
lives more sure of reward than kindness to
the needy.  "He that hath pity on the poor
lendeth unto the Lord; and that which he
hath given will he pay him  again."  Prov.
19:17.
But love is never at a loss for some way to
evince itself. If it can do no more, it will
cheer with a smile, it will rejoice or weep with
those it loves, it will soften a pillow or smooth
a bed, it will watch with those to whom nights
of vanity are appointed, it will whisper. encouragement to the faint, it will in some way make




LOVE TO OUR NEIGHBOR.    383
itself felt for good. A preacher once said, " If
you know any thing that will make a brother's
heart glad, run quick and tell it; but if it is
something that will only cause a sigh, bottle it
up, bottle it up."
God's word requires that thou shouldest
" love thy neighbor as thyself."  The measure
of love due to our neighbor is a matter of chief
importance.  Very few persons in a Christian
country will deny that it is our duty to bear
some good-will to those around us. But many
deny the extent of the obligation. Some respectable writers have expressed great difficulties on the subject. But surely it is no presumption to prefer the plain teachings of God's
word above those of any mortal.  Here is a
command repeated in Hebrew and Greek by
Moses, Christ, Paul, and James, in all nine
times, without any variation, and in very plain
terms. Nor is it pretended that there is any
philological difficulty in the case. The translation is correct. There is no room for doubt in
this respect.  What right therefore has any
man to say that the command so often repeated means no more than that we should love
our neighbor generally and indefinitely as ourselves? To clear the matter, the following re.




384:        VITAL GODLINESS.
marks are offered, with confidence in their entire justice:
1. It is evidently the design of th6 inspired
writers to fix the degree in which we are bound
to love our neighbor.  They distinctly require
us to love God supremely, above all others,
admitting no rivals, no comparisons.  They as
distinctly say that we should love our neighbor as ourselves. There is no reason why inspired men should so often have added the
words "as thyself," unless they thus designed
to determine how far we should love others.
2. In alluding to our love of self, the inspired writers did not refer to such love of
ourselves as is inordinate, and. therefore properly selfish and sinful. All inordinate affection, whether towards. ourselves or others, is
contrary to God's word and will; and its excesses in one case cannot justify its excesses in
another. Besides, it is simply impossible, in
the nature of things, that the human mind
should love God supremely, and at the same
time go out inordinately.both towards one's
self and one's neighbor.
3. There is a difference between selfishness and self-love.  The former is the excess
and outlawry of the latter.  The former is




LOVE TO OUR NEIGHBOR.            385
wicked, and consists in a persistent looking on
our own things and a constant caring for ourselves, let others do as they may.  The latter
is an enlightened and lawful regard to our own
welfare, and is the standard and measure approved of God for regulating our affections towards others.  "Thou shalt love thy neighbor
as thyself."
4. It is not denied that in a sense we may
care and act more for the immediate good of
ourselves and families than of others more remotely connected with us.  We are urged by
the instinct of self-preservation to protect from
harm our own bodies more than those of others.  But the commandment relates not to instincts, but to moral affections.  So also by
natural affection the mother is led to forget the
rest of the world for a season, that she may
watch her own languishing babe. But the law
we are now considering does not relate to natural affection, which is more or less discoverable even in brute animals.  It is a moral law,
given to moral agents.  And so there is no
violation of its spirit in a man's providing for
his own, and especially for those of his own
household.  Not to do so would prove him
"worse than an infidel."
Vital Godlines.   17




386        VITAL GODLINESS.
5. There is nothing in this law which requires us to do a natural impossibility.  Thus
it is commonly in our power to do much more
for ourselves and families than for others.
Most persons are commonly not within our
reach. They are out of our sight and beyond
the compass of our voice. But we can reprove,
exhort, warn, and encourage ourselves when
we will.  We can often do the same to those
near us. But this does not prove that we may
love ourselves and families more than all others. The mother may not lawfully love the
child at her side more than she may love his
little brother captured by savages and carried
into the wilderness.  Yet a man would not be
esteemed sane who should assert that this same
mother was bound to do as many acts of daily
kindness for one child as for the other.  It
would be literally impossible.
6. The law of love to our neighbor has an
excellent practical exposition in what has long
been called the golden rule, which is in these
words: "All things whatsoever ye would that
men should do to you, do ye even so to them:
for this is the law and the prophets." None
can deny that this law binds us to all the acts
of love to our neighbor which we mav lawfully




LOVE TO OUR NEIGHBOR.    387
desire him to perform towards ourselves. If
therefore we are bound to yield the fruits of
love to others as we seek -them fr6m others,
why should we not love our neighbor as we do
ourselves? Where is any flaw in this reasoning? This golden rule affords an excellent test
by which to judge both of our selfish and of our
benevolent feelings. When we wish others to
do something for us, let us ask first whether,
in an exchange of circumstances, we should be
ready to do the same for them.
7. The Scriptures do commend a very high
degree of love to men.  They say that "peradventure for a good man some would even
dare to die."  Rom. 5: 8. This is evidently
spoken not in censure, but in praise of the selfsacrificing man.  John is yet more explicit, and
says that in certain cases "we ought to lay
down our lives for the brethren."  1 John
3 16. Paul furnishes us with an example of
what John here teaches when he says to the
Philippians, " If I be offered upon the sacrifice
and service of your faith, I joy and rejoice with
you all."  Phil. 2 17. Now Paul did not love
others more than the law requires; yet he was
willing to suffer martyrdom, if thereby he could
be most useful to his fellow-men. Surely this




388          VITAL GODLINESS.
is loving our neighbor as ourselves. The thing
is therefore not impracticable. Greater love
than this is not required.
8. We do most effectually promote our own
happiness when we cultivate the most benevolent affections towards our neighbor.  Nor is
there any limit to this remark.  Who that
ever hoarded up wealth was as happy as John
Howard?   What lazy, selfish minister ever
enjoyed life like Paul, who rejoiced even in
tribulation? Home says,
"The truly generous,is truly wise;
And he who loves not others lives unblest."
I have never known an unhappy philanthropist. I have never had a doleful letter from a
foreign missionary. It is on the selfish that
ennui and satiety and discontent and anguish
prey.  Wilcox says,
" Wouldst thou from sorrow find a sweet relief?
Or is thy heart oppressed with woes untold?
Balm wouldst thou gather for corroding grief?
Pour blessings round thee like a shower of gold."
Thus it is clear that we ought to love our
neighbor as much as we love ourselves; we
ought to be as ready to give as to receive justice, kindness, truth, pity, and bounty; in our
dealings with others, we should be as careful
to fulfil to all men the duties required, and to




LOVE TO OJUR NEIGHBOR.    389
avoid the sins forbidden in the second table of
the law, as we are free to regard them bound
to do and to avoid the same. In some things,
we may even give others the advantage.  "In
honor preferring one another;" and, "Let each
esteem other better than themselves," are forms
of speech which show that where there seems
to be a conflict between our love to ourselves
and our love to our neighbor, there are cases
where he is to have the benefit of the doubt,
and to take the precedence. This love will
make us put a proper estimate upon the worth
of our neighbor, construe all his conduct in as
charitable a-manner as truth will permit, proffer assistance whenever it is required and we
can afford it, be careful to say nothing contrary to "the royal law," take pleasure in the
welfare of others, and especially with diligence
seek their spiritual and eternal good. The highest charity is that which aims at men's salvation.  " He that winneth souls is wise."
It remains that a few words be said in
presenting motives for the performance of this
duty. The motive twice presented in the nineteenth chapter of Leviticus, is the awful authority of God: "I am the Lord;" "I am the Lord
your God."  A  due consideration of God's




390        VITAL GODLIiESS.
-authority, and a due regard to it, are sufficient
to command the assent and the consent of all
who have the love of God in them;. But this
saying, I am the Lord, may mean more than
this. It may call us to a large benevolence,
corresponding in our measure to the love manifested by God himself. Thus Paul says, "Be
ye followers," imitators, "of God, as dear children; walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us,
and hath given himself for us."  Eph. 5.: 1, 2.
God " maketh his sun to shine on the evil and
on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and
on the unjust."  Matt. 5: 45. Even where
whole nations have forsaken God, practised
idolatry, and walked in their own ways, "he
left not himself without witness, in that he did
good, and gave them rain from heaven, filling
their hearts with food and gladness."  The
Lord's mercies are "new  every morning."
Lam. 3:23.  "Herein is love, not that we
loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his
Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to
love one another."  I John 4:10, 11.
The example of our blessed Saviour is often
presented as a powerful motive to this very
duty. He went about doing good. We should




LOVE.TO OUR NEIGHBOR.          391
walk as he walked. He has set us an example, that we should follow his steps. Ye know
the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though
he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor,
that we through his poverty might be made
rich.
In this way we can also best commend our
religion toothers, and put to silence the ignorance of foolish men, and win those who are of
a contrary part.
Nothing more fatally hinders our prayers
than the want of.love to men.  All correct
moral feelings are shocked at prayer mingled
with malice. Who ever heard of a happy or
thriving church where the spirit of love was
not? Leighton says, "To pray together, hearts
must be consorted and tuned together; otherwise, how can they sound the same suits harmoniously? Hovw unpleasant in the exquisite
ear of God, who made the ear, are the jarring,
disunited hearts that often seem to join in the
same prayer, and yet are not set together in
love!  And when thou prayest alone, while
thy heart is imbittered and disaffected to thy
brother, although upon an offence done to thee,
it is as a mistuned instrument; the strings are
not accorded, are not in tune among themselves,




392         VITAL GODLINESS.
and so the sound is harsh and offensive.  Try
it well thyself, and thou wilt perceive it; how
much more He to whom thou prayest  When
thou art stirred and in passion against thy
brother, or not lovingly affected towards him,
what broken, disordered, unfastened stuff are
thy-requests! Therefore the Lord will have this
done first-thy heart tuned.  "Go thy way,"
says he; "leave thy gift, and be reconciled to
thy brother; then come and offer thy gift."
Every enlightened conscience must approve
this method. No other consists with sincerity
or holiness.
One of the great excellences of love to our
neighbor is, that it is an immortal principle.
"Charity never faileth."  "It will survive the
wreck of worlds," says Dr, John James, "outtime time itself, and be for ever the work of
the servants of God."




LOVE TO THE BRETHREN.    393
CHAPTER XVIII.
LOVE TO THE BRETHREN.
JUST before he laid down his life, our Lord
Jesus Christ said to his disciples, "A new commandment I give unto you,, That ye love one
another; even as I have loved you, that ye
also love one another." John 13: 34. In explaining this passage, critics have found difficulty from the use of the word new. They say
that love to God's people as such is no new
thing under the gospel. This is certainly trte.
Saints have always esteemed each other the
excellent of the earth, in whom was all their
delight.  Psa. 16: 3. David says, "I am a
companion of all them that fear thee, and of
them that keep thy precepts;" and " mine eyes
shall be upon the faithful of the land, that they
may dwell with me."  Psa. 119:63; 101: 6.
Solomon says, "He that walketh with wise
men shall be wise: but the companion of fools
shall be destroyed."  Psa. 13:20. So in the
days of Malachi, "they that feared the Lord
spake often one to another."  Mal. 3:16. It
is impossible for two children of God to know
17*




394        VITAL GODLINESS.
and not to love each other.  This was as true
three thousand years ago as it is now. Many
regard the friendship between David and Jonathan as based in this love. If this be-correct,
we have a very strong case of brotherly love
furnished under the old dispensation.  The
word new is not then to be taken in the sense
of novel or unheard of. Christ does not intend to say, "I give you an additional commandment."  Some have thought that the difficulty might be removed by supposing that
the word new here signifies superior, better, or
excellent. Now although the word might have
tlis sense, and in some cases has it, yet this
command is not better than that which binds
us to love God with all the heart, and our neighbor as ourselves; and so this sense cannot be
here admitted.
Sometimes the word new seems to mean
strange, and so some would read it, "I give
you a strange commandment," meaning thereby a precept that will seem strange to the
masses of men, being so unusual in human history. But this is hardly the sense of the word
here. We are not driven by any necessity to
such a construction.  The meaning is not that
the duty of love to man' or to good men is now




LOVE TO THE BRETHREN.           395
first taught, but that we are called to love good
men as Christ's disciples, and because they are
such, and that in a previously unknown degree
and for an unusual motive, namely, Christ's
love to all his people. We are to love Christians as Christians. We are to love them after
the pattern of Christ's love to us. And we are
to love them because he thus loved us. In
these senses and in no others is this commandment new or novel. In these senses it was new
until Christ came.
Fifty-seven years after Christ uttered these
words, John wrote respecting this commandment of love to Christian brethren, "Not as
though I wrote a new commandment unto you,
but that which we had from  the beginning,
that we love one another."  Dr. John Brown
of Edinburgh thus paraphrases these words:
"Though the commandment to love one another cannot now be called a new one, as if
just issued forth-for fromthe beginning of the
gospel it was announced as the distinctive command of our one Lawgiver-yet it may well be
called new so far as he is concerned, for no
one gave it till he did it; anid so far as you are
concerned, for it was a law to which you were
strangers till you assumed his easy yoke and




396        VITAL GODLINESS.
light burden."  Jesus Christ differed from all
the philosophers and teachers among the ancients, because he inculcated love among his
disciples, and so in the sense explained he
gave them  a new commandment concerning
love to their brethren.
It is worthy of notice that other portions
of Scripture urge the same duty. Thus Christ
says, "This is my commandment, That ye love
one another, as I have loved you." John 15:12.
Paul says, "Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love."  Romans 12:10.
Again, " The Lord make you to increase and
abound in love one toward another." 1 Thess.
3: 12. Again, "We are bound to thank God
always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because
that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the
charity of every one of you all toward each
other aboundeth." 2 Thess. 1: 3. Peter says,
"Be. ye all of one mind, having compassion
one of another; love as brethren, be pitiful, be
courteous."  Again, "Above all things have
fervent charity among yourselves." 1 Peter
3: 8, and 4: 8. John says, " This is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we
should love one another." 1 John 3:11. The
same is taught in many other places.




LOVE TO THE BRETHREN.    397
The first essential quality of this love is that
it should be real, not feigned. Thus John says,
"My little children, let us not love in word,
neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth."
1 John 3:18. So also Peter speaks of "unfeigned love of the brethren."  I Pet. 1 22.
Every Christian grace may be counterfeited.
Even all love to the people of God is not what
the Scripture requires.  John Newton well
says, "There is a natural love to the brethren.
People may sincerely love their relations,
friends, and benefactors who are of the brethren, and yet be utter strangers to the scriptural love the apostle speaks of. So Orpah had
a great affection for Naomi, though it was not
strong enough to make her willing with Ruth
to leave her native country and her idol-gods.
Natural affection can go no further than to a
personal attachment; and they who thus love
the brethren, and upon no better grounds, are
often disgusted with those things in them for
which the real-brethren, chiefly love one another.
"There is likewise a love of convenience. The
Lord's people are gentle, peaceful, benevolent,
swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.
They are desirous of adorning the doctrine of




398        VITAL GODLINESS.
God their Saviour, and approving themselves
followers of him who pleased not himself, but
spent his life in doing good to others. Upon
this account they who are full of themselves,
and love to have their own way, may like their
company because they find more compliances
and less opposition from them than from such
as themselves.  For a while Laban loved Jacob: he found him diligent and trustworthy,
and perceived that the Lord prospered him on
Jacob's account; but when he saw that Jacob
flourished, and apprehended he was likely to
do without him, his love was soon at an end;
for it was only founded in self-interest.
"A party-love is also common. The objects
of this are those who are of the same sentiment,
worship in the same way, or are attached to
the same minister.  They who are united in
such narrow  and separate associations, may
express warm  affections without giving any
proof of true Christian love; for upon such
grounds as these not only professed Christians,
but Jews and Turks may be said to love one
another: though it must be allowed that believers being renewed but in part, the love
which they bear to the brethren is too often
debased and alloyed by a mixture of selfish




LOVETO THE BRETHREN.    399
affections."  It is a great matter when love
unfeigned tg God's people fairly gets possession of the man.
Again, our love to the brethren should be
lasting, and not occasional or temporary. "Let
brotherly love continue."  Hteb. 13:1.  The
reasons which should lead us to brotherly love
at one time are of perpetual force, nor can we
innocently deny their power or refuse their
control.  All affections which seem  to be of
good quality,, but are temporary in duration,
are spurious.  This is as true of temporary
faith or sorrow for sin, as of love. True grace
is not like Jonah's gourd, which "came up in
a night and perished in a night."
Our love to the brethren should also be
fervent.  Well did Peter say, "See that ye
love one another with a pure heart fervently."
I Pet. 1: 22. Love wholly without fervor cannot exist. There is no such thing. But love
without considerable fervor will make many ol
our duties to. our brethren irksome, Besides,
we are naturally timid. Pride might embolden
us, but pride is officious and offensive. On the
other hand, love is as humble as it is diligent,
and begets a sweet and obliging disposition,
and prepares us to do good on a large scale.




400        VITAL GODLINESS.
Nor can differences of nationality hinder this.
I have heard of a Hindoo and a New Zealander
who met upon the deck of a missionary ship
They had been converted from their heathenism, and were brothers in Christ, but they
could not speak to each other. They pointed
to their Bibles, shook hands, smiled in one
another's faces, but that was all. At last a
happy thought occurred to the Hindoo. With
a sudden joy he exclaimed, "Hallelujah!" the
New Zealander, in delight, cried out, "Amen!"
Those two words, not found in their own heathen tongues, but given them by the gospel,
were to them the beginning again of "one language and one speech."
The true basis of love to God's people is
not merely the gratitude we may owe them for
their kindness, or the good-will we bear to them
in common with others, but it is especially the
image of God that is in them. We love them
in the Lord. It is loving them because they
are disciples.  One Christian loves another
chiefly because he has a likeness to Christ, and
lives for the glory of Christ.
Nothing can damp the ardor of true love.
For a while Joseph of Arimathea was a disciple secretly, for fear of the Jews; yet at the




LOVE TO THE BRETHREN.    401
crucifixion he goes and begs the body of Jesus.
The terrible persecution which broke out three
or four years after Christ's resurrection, could
not so intimidate the church but that "devout
men carried Stephen to his burial, and made
great lamentation over him." Acts 8: 2. Trying occasions do commonly draw out this pious
affection in a surprising manner.  My brother
in sorrow is still my brother, and the heavier
his grief, the more fitness is there in my loving him and refusing to let him go unnoticed.
Charnock says, "At the last day, the trial of
men is by their acts towards God's people in
time of their persecutions."  And in proof, he
refers to Christ's account of the final judgment
as given in Matthew 25. He is right.  If we
are ashamed of the bonds of God's people, it is
idle for us to pretend to love them after a
godly sort when they are in prosperity.
In the early history of the Christian religion, nothing was more remarkable than the
love which one disciple bore to another. This
was noticed by friends and foes. Lucian scoffingly says of the Christians of his time, "Their
Lawgiver has persuaded them that they are all
brethren."  Another heathen says, "Christians
do love one another before they are acquaint



402        VITAL GODLINESS.
ed, if they but know that they are Christians."
Indeed it was often said among the heathen,
"See how these Christians love one another,
and how ready they are to die for each other."
Ter.tullian says, "This surprised them beyond
measure, since they are accustomed to hate
one another-that one man should be ready to
die for another."
The proper proofs of our love to the brethren are found in our making common cause
with them in all their sufferings for righteousness' sake, in being very slow to take offence
at their conduct, in abhorring all bigotry and
haughty exclusiveness, in embracing all the
friends of God of every rank and condition, of
every name and nation, and especially in loving most fervently those who give the highest
proof of having been born again; for this
brotherly love supposes that our brethren have
their hearts drawn out to us just in proportion
as they see us wear the image and manifest the
spirit of Jesus Christ.
True love to our brother will make no man
a bigot.. John Foster thus describes a bigot:
"He sees religion not as a sphere, but a line,
and it is a line in which he is moving.  He is
like an African buffalo-sees right forward,




LOVE TO THE BRETHREN.    403
but nothing on the right or left. He would
not perceive a legion of angels or devils at the
distance of ten yards on the one side or on the
other."
This love to Christ's people is among the
best evidences of a renewed state.  "We
know that we have passed from death unto
life, because we love the brethren.  He that
loveth not his brother, abideth in death."
I John 3:14. "The more believers love God,
the more they will love one another; as lines,
the nearer they are to the centre, the nearer
they are to one another."'
Perhaps there is no method of teaching the
true nature of any grace so well as by example.  Take then for your consideration and
imitation the case of John, the disciple whom
Jesus loved. Respectable historians say that,
after the'ascension of our Lord, he remained
in Judea fifteen or twenty years, and was present at the Council at Jerusalem. After that he
spent most of his time in Asia Minor, and particularly at Ephesus.  He survived all the
other apostles, and lived to be a hundred years
old. He has been celebrated for two thousand
years as a very loving brother.  Yet his love
* Charnock.




404        VITAL GODLINESS.
was not blind and fond.  It did not make him
pretend brotherly love to those enemies of
righteousness who had crept into the church
under false pretences.  "Charity rejoiceth in
the truth."  "It rejoiceth not in iniquity."
When John lived at Ephesus, he went to bathe,
and seeing in the bath a celebrated heretic,
who had denied the divinity of our Lord, he
hastily retired, saying, "Let us flee, lest the
bath should fall while this enemy of the truth
is within."  This story is given by Irenaeus,
who had it from those to whom Polycarp; the
disciple of John, had told it.  John was now
the only living apostle.  Cerinthus and Ebion
were industriously spreading the contagion of
their false doctrines, denying the Lor.d that
bought them.  John loved his Lord, he loved
the souls of men, he loved his Christian brethren too well to favor or seem to favor heresy,
by voluntarily companying with the enemies
of his Lord and Master in any way that seemed
to sanction their errors. John practised as he
taught. In his second epistle he says to the
elect lady, "If there come any unto you, and
bring not this doctrine, receive him not into
your house, neither bid him God-speed; for he
that biddeth him God-speed is partaker of his




LOVE TO THE BBETHREN.    405
evil deeds." 2 John 10, 11. John would have
us cease from the instruction that causeth to
err.  His threatening  language concerning
Diotrephes, in his third epistle, verses 9, 10,
shows that he never regarded it as proof of
brotherly love to permit bad men to destroy
or even disturb the flock of Christ.
It is stated that in a tour through the
churches he became much interested in a
young man, who was soon brought into the
Christian church. Very soon the young man
fell into temptation, was much in evil company;
became idle, intemperate, and dishonest, finally heading a band of robbers. John, hearing
of the sad change, went near his haunts, and
allowed himself to be' taken by the robbers.
" Bring me," says he, " to your captain."  As
soon as the leader saw John coming, and knew
who he was, he was filled with shame, and fled.
The apostle pursued him, crying, "My son,
why fleest thou from  thy old and unarmed
father? Fear not; even yet there is hope of
salvation. Believe me, Christ has sent me."
The young man stopped, trembled, and wept
bitterly.  The apostle prevailed on him  to
forsake his sins, brought him back to the society of the Christians, and had the pleasure of




406         VITAL GODLINESS.
seeing him leading a pious and blameless life.
"Brethren, if any of you do err from  the
truth, and one convert him; let him know, that
he which converteth the sinner from the error
of his way shall save a soul from death, and~
shall hide a multitude of sins."  James 5: 20.
Brotherly love never willingly leaves one to
perish in his ignorance, errors, or vices.  It
goes after the lost sheep. It pities the wanderer.
When John was very old, and unable even
to walk to the places of public worship, he was
still carried to the Christian assemblies, where,
when he could not say much, he at least cried
out, "Children, love one another."  "Being
asked why he told them but one thing, he answered that nothing else was needed."  The
truth of this narrative is, I think, generally
admitted. And surely it presents to the mind
one of the most lovely examples and lessons of
brotherly kindness that we have on record.
Who can refrain from expressing his admiration of so exalted worth?  The Lord grant
that we all may love as John loved.
In this subject there is furnished us very
great help in the work of self-examination.
Love to the brethren is -as essential a mark of




LOVE TO THE BRETHIEN.    407
true piety as is faith. So teaches God's word.
"This is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and
love one another, as he gave us commandment."  1 John 3: 23. It is not easy for us
to press this matter too much on our own attention. Do we love the -disciples of Christ because they learn of him and are taught of God?
Do we study to promote their usefulness, comfort, and honor out of a special delight in their
character?  When we see a brother or a sister naked and destitute of daily food, do we
say, Depart in peace; be ye warmed and filled;
and yet decline to give them those things which
are needful to the body?  Do we put away
from us all bitterness and wrath and anger
~and clamor and evil-speaking, with all malice?
Are we kind one to another, tender-hearted,
forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's
sake hath forgiven us? Do we walk in love?
Do we sympathize with John Wesley in his
prayer, "Lord, if I must dispute, let it be
with the children of the devil; let me be at
peace with thy children?"  Do we limit our
warm charities to those of our own communion; or do we fervently love all who love our
Lord Jesus Christ?




408        VITAL GODLINESS.
The motives presented in Scripture for
Christians loving one another are such as these:
1. In the world they have tribulation.
They weep and lament and are sorrowful.
John 16:20.  To him that is afflicted, pity
should be shown. To him who is persecuted by
the enemies of God, great friendship should be
manifested by the friends of God, lest his sorrows should overwhelm him.
2. The world hates God's people, and nothing but the love of the brethren can compensate for so much  malignancy from  others.
Christ said, "If the world hate you, ye know
that it hated me before it hated you. If ye
were of the world, the world would love his
own; but because ye are not of the world, but
I have chosen you out of the world, therefore
the world hateth you." John 15: 18, 19. All
this is spoken by Christ to enforce brotherly
love.
3. Love to the brethren is to the world a
powerful proof of the divinity of the Christian
religion. Jesus says, "By this shall all men
know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love
one to another."  John 13: 35.  No other
founder of a sect or religion ever made love a
test and mark of belonging to him. And it is




LOVE TO THE BRETHREN.           409
a fact fully sustained by church history, that
whenever the gospel has unusual power over
men's minds, it is always preceded or accompanied by much love to the brethren.
4. We are urged to brotherly love by the
sweet and awful authority of Jesus Christ: "A
new COMMANDMENT give I unto you, that ye
love one another." Even advice from Christ
we should be bound to follow; but his command none may innocently forget.  "These
things I connzmand you, that ye love one another."  John 15: 17.  To rebel against such
authority must be truly perilous.
5. The love of Christ towards us should
constrain us to love our brethren.  Christ
himself urged this consideration: "As I have
loved you, even so do ye love one another."
Let' us love our brethren, not for our own
sakes, nor chiefly for their own sakes, but for
Christ's sake. This consideration binds, and
is felt to be powerful by all who love our Lord
Jesus Christ.  "LET BROTHERLY LOVE CONTINUE."  Heb. 13: 1.
In this and the three preceding chapters,
the subject of love has been brought before
the attention of the reader. A more heavenly
theme could not be found. God is love; heavVital Godliness.  18




410        VITAL GODLINESS.
en is love. Christ is love incarnate; religion
is love in exercise. Nothing is of more importance to any one's happiness, usefulness, or
salvation than that he be filled with love.
True, men are not saved for their love, but
they cannot be saved without it.  Nor can
any mortal utter a kinder wish for all to whom
he wishes well, than to say with Paul, "This
I pray, that your love may abound yet more
and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
that ye may approve things that are excellent;
that ye may be sincere and without offence till
the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits
of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ,
unto the glory and praise of God."  Phil.
1:9-11.




PEACE.               411
CHAPTER XIX.
PEACE.
PEACE is the opposite of war, persecution,
temptation, condemnation, alarm, tumult, strife,
contention, controversy, quarrelling.
In the Scriptures, the word peace relates to
several different things. By nature we are all
enemies to God, and by wicked works we evince
and strengthen our aversion to God and holiness. But "being justified by faith, we have
peace with God, through  our Lord Jesus
Christ." Rom. 5:1. By this peace with God
we are freed from condemnation. We are no
longer hostile to God, nor he to us. We no
more contend with the Almighty, nor he with
us. Christ is our Surety, our Sacrifice, our
Peace.  "Thorns grow everywhere, and from
all things below; and from a soul transplanted
out of itself into the root of Jesse, peace grows
everywhere too from Him who is called Our
Peace, and whom we still find the more to be
so the more entirely we live in him, being dead
to the world and self and all things besides




412         VITAL GODLINESS.
him."  The repose of the soul in its God and
Saviour is wonderful.  "Thou wilt keep him
in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee;
because he trusteth in thee." Isa. 26: 3. This
"peace of God passeth all understanding."
Phil. 4 7. In its basis and in its effects no
mortal has adequate conceptions of its richness
as a blessing from God.  "When he giveth
quietness, who then can make trouble?" said
Job, chap. 34: 29.  And Jesus Christ himself
said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I
give unto you: not as the world giveth give I
unto you." John 14: 27. Nothing can finally
destroy this peace. "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is
risen again, who is even at the right hand of
God, who also maketh intercession for us."
Rorn. 8: 34.
This is one of God's richest blessings.  It
is the sum and beginning of all mercies. - It is
a pledge that we shall never perish.  This
counsel of peace is between God and every
soul that flees to Jesus. "The chastisement
of our peace was upon him."  Isa. 53: 5. By
Him we have access to God. We are entitled
to call him our Father and our God.  God is
in Christ reconciling the world unto himself,




PEACE.                413
not imputing  their trespasses unto  them.
When God thus pardons and accepts us, every
creature in the universe, whose friendship can
do us permanent good, is made to be on our
side.  The angels become ministering spirits
to aid and befriend us as God shall commission them.  The stars in their courses no longer fight against us. He has even made a covenant for his chosen "with the beasts of the
field, and with the fowls of heaven, and with
the creeping things of the ground." Hos. 2:18.
We may therefore speak boldly to all who
have made peace with God by Jesus Christ,
and say, "All things are yours; whether Paul,
or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or
death, or things present, or things to come: all
are yours; and ye are Christ's, and Christ is
God's."  1 Cor. 3: 21-23.  Paul seven times
uses a phrase nowhere else found in Scripture.
It is this, "The God of peace." And surely a
more striking delineation of the blessed character of God could not be given in so few
words, unless we except those words of John,
"God is love."  Let every man "acquaint
himself with God, and be at peace."  Job
22: 21.  So also our Saviour is "The Prince
of peace." In him we have reconciliation with




414        VITAL GODLINESS.
God and all other good things. He was sent
" to guide our feet into the way of peace." Luke
1: 79. His " kingdom is not meat and drink;
but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the
Holy Ghost." Rom. 14: 17. So "to be spiritually-minded is life and peace.".Rom. 8: 6.
And so also no greater blessing could be asked
on others than this: " Grace be unto you, and
peace, from him which is, and which was, and
which is to come; and from the seven spirits
which are before his throne; and from Jesus
Christ, who. is the faithful Witness, and the
First-begotten of the dead, and the Prince of
the kings of the earth."  Rev. 1: 4, 5.
From peace with God through Christ naturally flows peace of conscience. This is a
vast treasure. Nothing can compensate the
want of it. Nothing can make us happy without it. In the angels above, peace of conscience is the fruit of innocence. In man it is
the purchase of a Saviour's blood. We must
have our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, else the sting will remain and rankle
for ever. Heb. 10: 22. Yea, we must have
our consciences purged from dead works, or
we never can acceptably serve the living God.
Heb. 9:14. If we are ever to be made per



PEACE.                415
feet as pertaining to the conscience, it cannot
be "without blood." Heb. 9:7, 9. The blood
of Christ "turns our fears into hopes, and our
sorrows into songs;.it settles the agitations of
our spirits; it silences troubles in usj it is a
ground of peace to us. That which hath been
a sweet savor to pacify God, wants not a savor
to appease our consciences.' The great misery of the wicked is that to them " there is no
peace."  Isa. 48: 22, and 57: 21.  "The way
of peace they know not."  Isa. 59: 8; Rom.
3:17. Conscience of sin remaining, no man
can be otherwise than a poor trembling, selfcondemned creature.  Nor can he by hardening his heart erect any strong bulwarks against
the sudden invasion of extreme terrors.
This peace of conscience is often interrupted by our sins and follies. When worldliness
takes the place of a tender walk; when principle is impinged on; when practice is made
to conform  to temptation; when time seems
more important than eternity; then we may
know that sooner or later there will be an uproar in our consciences. But "great peace have
they which love thy law." Psa. 119: 165. It
is in vain for any one to hope for a blessing
when he is saying, "I shall have peace, though




416        VITAL GODLINESS.
I walk in the imagination of my heart." Ieut.
29:19.
A third kind of peace is when God disposes
our fellow-men to regard us with so much favo.r
as to let us alone, not to tease, torment, persecute, or malke war upon us, but to think, speak
and act in a friendly way towards us. This is
a great blessing, and when it is made sure to
us we ought to give hearty thanks to God for
it, for he is its author.  "When a man's ways
please the Lord, he maketh even his enemies
to be at peace with him."  Prov. 16: 7. Thus
for a long time Solomon "had peace on all
sides round about him."  1 Kings 4: 24.
It is true that this peace is not, like the
others, essential to our piety or our happiness.
Jesus Christ said, "Think not that I am come to
send peace on earth: I came not to send peace,
but a sword." - Matt. 10: 34.  And the effect
of true piety under all dispensations has been
to provoke the malice of wicked men, though
oftentimes it is restrained by the good providence of God.  He turns men's hearts whithersoever he will.
But the word peace is also' applied to our
habits, pursuits, and dispositions towards others.  "Follow peace with all men."  Each of




PEACE.                417
the other kinds of peace is a rich- blessing.
This is a weighty duty.  On this point the
Scriptures are very clear and full. Thus even
to Nabal David sent this message: "Peace be
both to thee, and peace be to thy house, and
peace. be unto all that thou hast."  1 Sam.
25:6. So Jeremiah sent a letter to all his
brethren, captives in Babylon, saying, " Build
ye houses, and dwell in them; and plant gardens, and eat the fruit of them;...and seek
the peace of the city whither I have caused
you to-be carried away captive, and pray unto
the Lord for it: for in the peace thereof shall
ye have peace." Jer. 29:5, 7. The circumstances of the people to whom this message was
sent were such that, if any thing in the shape
of wrong could have justified revenge, they
surely would have been at liberty to seek the
ruin of the city that had dealt so proudly and
cruelly with them. But God, by the mouth of
his prophet, condemns all such proceedings,
and requires a line of conduct quite the-opposite. The prophet delivers his message in an
extreme case, and yet with the utmost clearness and consistency with other parts of God's
word. Paul also says, "Let us follow after the
things which make for peace." Rom. 14: 19.
18*




418         VITAL GODLINESS.
" God hath called us to peace."  1 Cor. 7:15.
"The fruit of the Spirit is peace."  Gal. 5:22.
"Live in peace."  2 Cor. 13:11. "Endeavor
to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of
peace."  Eph. 4: 3. He also commands us to
pray for our rulers, " that we may lead a quiet
and peaceable life, in all godliness and honesty."
I Tim. 2:2. The apostle James also says, "The
wisdom that is from above is first pure, then
peaceable;" and, "the fruit of righteousness
is sown in peace of them that make peace."
James 3: 17, 18.  Our blessed Saviour also
said to his disciples, "Have peace one with
another;"  Mark 9: 50.  So that there is not
left the shadow of a doubt respecting the binding obligation upon all men to have and to
manifest peaceable dispositions at all times.
Nor should we ever forget that the duty is
enjoined with great frequency and solemnity.
We should therefore address ourselves to this
with much seriousness and earnestness.  Nor
are we at liberty to limit our endeavors after
peace to friendly relations.  We must "follow
peace with all men."  We are not at liberty
to confine our efforts in this behalf to a few,
and those of our own circle or party.'We
must let our endeavors extend to all with whom




PEACE.                 419
we have dealings.  "If a stranger sojourn with
you in your land, ye shall not vex him." Lev.
19:33.
What then is enjoined on us in maintaining peace with our fellow-men?  The answer
is, that first, of all we are bound to entertain
peaceable and friendly thoughts respecting all
men.  In the heart is the seat of every virtue.
"As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he."
If men be not in their temper and disposition
peaceable, it is certain that they do in their
hearts violate the whole spirit of the gospel.
Nor will' it be possible for such to make their
outward conduct conform  to the scriptural
standard.  " It is hard to act a part long; for
where truth is not at the bottom, nature will
always be endeavoring to return, and will peep
out and betray herself one time or other."
Another thing to be done in fulfilment of
our duty is, to speak peaceably.  The peace
of neighborhoods is often destroyed by words.
"Grievous words stir up anger." Prov. 15:1.
"Where no wood is, the fire goeth out; so
where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.'  Prov. 26:20.  "The words of a talebearer are as wounds."  Prov. 18:8. "Render not railing for railing."  1 Pet. 3:9.  Paul




420         VITAL GODLINESS.
warns us against "strifes of words."  1 Tim.
6:5; 2 Tim. 2:14. Rash words may have as
ill an effect as those which are the fruit of a
truly malignant design in destroying the peace
of families and of neighborhoods.  "A- whisperer separateth chief friends," Prov. 16: 28;
and "an angry man stirreth up strife." Prov.
29: 22. We cannot therefore be too guarded
in our speech.  "Death and life are in the
power of the tongue."  Prov. 18:21. And
every prudent man will pray, "Set a watch,
O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of
my lips." Psa. 141: 3. A good man has said,
"Before we allow ourselves to find fault with
any person behind his back, we should ask
ourselves three questions: 1. Is it true? 2. Is
it kind? 3. Is it necessary?"  A little heartsearching, even a little reflection before a hard
speech, would effectually prevent much misery.
John Newton says, "In mixed conversation, it is a good rule to say nothing, without
a just cause, to the disadvantage of others."
Again, "I was once in a large company, where
very severe things were spoken of Mr. W,
when one person seasonably observed, that
though the Lord was pleased to effect conversion and edification by a variety of means, he




PEACE.                421
had never known anybody convinced of error
by what was said of him behind his back. This
was about thirteen years ago, and it has been
on my mind a useful hint ever since."
Another matter required. of us is, to act
peaceably.  "A man that hath friends must
show himself friendly." Prov. 18: 24. And
here the Scriptures furnish us both with rules
and with examples. Take the case of Abram
and Lot, the uncle and the nephew.  These
two great men had each many flocks and herds
and tents. "And the land was not able to bear
them, that they might dwell together: for their
substance was great, so that they could not
dwell together. And there was a strife between the herdmen of Abram's cattle and the
herdmen of Lot's cattle...  And Abram said
unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee, and between my herdmen
and thy herdmen; for we be brethren.  Is not
the whole land before thee? Separate thyself,
I pray thee, -from. me: if thou wilt take the
left hand, then I will go to the right; or if
thou depart to the right hand, then I will go to
the left." Gen. 13: 6-9. Strife can hardly
subsist where such a temper is manifested.
There is no fuel to keep the fire burning. The




422         VITAL GODLINESS.
wisdom of, the course adopted by Abram was
conspicuous in these things: 1. In keeping
separate interests from clashing. It is a great
trial when good men are so situated that they
cannot avoid collision of interests.  Here is an
example.  Let them follow it.  2. Abram refused to listen to the stories of his servants.
They seem to have been men ready for strife.
It is hard, but it is wise, to avoid mingling
ourselves with the quarrels into which our servants get with others.  3. Abram showed his
wisdom by leaving all his interests in the hands
of God.  If we will mind his glory, he will
mind our welfare.
The last generation was adorned by one
who, in some respects, and especially in faith
and peaceableness, particularly in his latter
days, was a child of Abraham.  I refer to the
pious Simeon of Cambridge, England, who said,
"The longer I live, the more I feel the importance of adhering to the rules which I have laid
down for myself in relation to the following
subjects:
1. "To hear as little as possible what is to
the prejudice of others.
2. "To believe nothing of the kind till I
am absolutely forced to it.




PEACE.                423
3. "Never to drink into the spirit of one
who circulates an ill report.
4. " Always to moderate as far as I can the
unkindness which is expressed towards others.
5. "Always to believe that, if the other
side were heard, a very different account would
be given of the matter.
" I consider love as wealth; and as I would
resist a man who should come to rob my house,
so would I a man who would weaken my regard for any human being.  I consider too,
that persons are cast in different moulds; and
that to ask myself, What should I do in that
person's situation? is not a just mode of judging. I must not expect a man that is naturally
cold and reserved to act as one that is naturally
warm and affectionate; and I think it a great
evil that people do not make more allowances
for each other in this particular. I think religious people are too little attentive to these considerations."
It is hardly possible that a man honestly
holding and practising such views should fail
to be esteemed a good man, and in a time of
freedom from legal persecution, should fail to
enjoy general quietness of life and the respect
of all good men who know him.




424         VITAL GODLINESS.
One of the most serious hinderances to the
peace of many men and many communities is
found in occasional outbursts of bad temper.
Some men are constitutionally moody. They
are not, and without a miracle they could not
be, uniform.  Their feelings vary with the
wind, with the state of their stomachs, and
with other mutable things. Others are nervous, and are easily provoked to tears or to
passion. Some are naturally choleric and excitable. Many from early infancy have had bad
precepts and worse examples held up before
them. Some are fretted and crossed in childhood and youth, until they are- like the trained
whelps of the tiger. All this is to be greatly
deplored; for "a wrathful man stirreth up
strife."  Proverbs 15:18.  Indeed, the first
bursts of passion are often like coals thrown
among shavings. There is no telling what will
be the end of the mischief done.
It would vastly conduce to peace if men
could be induced to guard against all causes,
occasions, and beginnings of discord.  "The
beginning of strife is as when one letteth out
water: therefore leave off contention, before it
be meddled with."  Prov. 17: 14.  "Nip the
evil in the bud," is one of the best rules.




PEACE.                425
Nor do we follow peace when we allow ourselves to be made parties to contests which do
not concern us.  "He that passeth by,. and
meddleth with a strife not belonging to him, is
like one that taketh a dog by the ears."- Prov.
26: 17.
One of the greatest disturbers of peace is
pride.  It is sure to be insolent.  It struts,
andsboasts, and vapors, and provokes others.
"He that is of a proud heart stirreth up strife."
Prov. 28: 25.  " Only by pride cometh contention."  Prov. 13: 10. There is a "wrath
of pride."  Prov. 21: 24.
Ambition also begets many contests. There
never was a more unhappy state of feeling in
the family of our Saviour than when "there
was a strife among them which of them should
be greatest."  Luke 22:24.
It would greatly conduce to the advancement of peace, if men could be induced to put
a just estimate on its value. In the eyes of a
wise and good man, it is always of great price.
In Scripture it is mentioned side by side with
the most excellent things. By one prophet
God says, "Love the truth and peace."  Zech.
8: 19. By one apostle he says, "Follow peace
with all men, and holiness, without which no




426         VITAL GODLINESS.
man shall see the Lord."  Heb. 12:14.  So
that if truth and holiness are of great price in
the eyes of God and good men, so is peace.
In his old age John Newton wrote, "Peace
and holiness are the peculiar characteristics of
a disciple of Jesus; they are the richest part
of the enjoyments of heaven;... and they are
more inseparably connected between themselves than some of us are aware of. The longer I live, the more I see of the vanity and
sinfulness of our unchristian disputes; they
eat up the very vitals of religion."
Our great guaranty against a disturbed,
distracted existence is to be found in God
alone.  He is our refuge as well as our
strength.  Thus says David, "Thou shalt hide
them in the secret of thy presence from the
pride of men; thou shalt keep them secretly in
a pavilion from the strife of tongues." Psa.
31: 20.
Nor can we easily overestimate the evils
that flow from a state of carnal strife between
man and man, or between the sections of a
community.  "Where envying and strife is,
there is contention and every evil work."
Jas. 3:16.  See also Gal. 5:15.
Yet so inveterate is this spirit-of conten



PEACE.                427
tion, and so dreadfully does it blind the mind,
that it is with great difficulty men of strife can
be brought to believe that they are injuring
and degrading themselves by all their malice.
"It is an honor for a man to cease from strife;
but every fool will be meddling."  Prov.
20: 3. Such a sentence is either not heeded
by them, or it strikes terror into their consciences. Other portions of God's word are
no less explicit. Paul puts wrath and strife
in a list of vices of the most hateful character.
Gal. 5: 19-21. James says, "If ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory
not, and lie not against the truth." Jas. 3: 14.
Nothing should more arouse us to this
duty than the example of our blessed Lord, of
whom it was foretold that "he shall not strive
nor cry; neither shall any man hear his voice
in the streets."  Matt. 12:19.  "When he
was reviled, he reviled not again; when he
suffered, he threatened not."
We can now see why our blessed Saviour
spoke as he did concerning those who, with a
good will, seek to promote peace around them.
"Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall
be called the children of God."
And can any imagine a more interesting




428        VITAL GODLINESS.
sight than a community regulated by such
principles as the gospel enjoins on this subject,
where would be nothing to hurt or destroy in
all God's holy mountain?
But the question arises, How far are we to
bear and forbear; how much must we yield for
peace? Is it possible for us to control other
people's minds and acts in this matter? And
here it is pleasant to be able to say that the
Bible prescribes no impossible tasks. Its language is, "If it be possible, as much as lieth
in you, live peaceably with all men." Rom.
12:18. How plain and how safe is this rule.
Up to the measure of our ability we must
go, but the law extends'no further.  Nay,
the Scriptures tell us of one great and good
man whose lament was, "My soul hath long
dwelt with him that hateth peace. I am for
peace; but when I speak, they are for war."
Psa. 120:6, 7. They go further, and tell us
of some who "preach Christ even of envy and
strife."  Phil. I: 15, 16. There is no limit to
the contentious propensities of some. They
introduce virulence even into their most solemn public acts in religion. Some do all this,
and yet add all the time great professions of
love. Thus in the days of Micah, God speaks




PEACE.                429
of "prophets that make my people err, that
bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he
that putteth not into their mouths, they even
prepare war against him."  Micah 3:5.
We are then not at liberty to forsake God
or deny his truth, in order to promote peace.
On the contrary, we must obey God rather
than man. We must contend earnestly for the
faith once delivered to the saints.  We must
never make shipwreck of faith.  We must
never part with a good conscience. "Buy the
truth, and sell it not"-sell it not even for
peace.  The world asks too dear a price for
its smiles or its favor, when it asks us to renounce the faith of God's people, or purity of
mind.
Nor is it necessarily proof of a wrong spirit
in us to refuse to surrender our just and legal
rights merely because others choose to attempt to take them from us. Paul exclaimed,
"I am a Roman citizen." "I appeal to Caesar."
Nor can any sober man deny that his retention of his rights in these cases was every way
justifiable.  This will suggest our right course
respecting lawsuits. We should not engage in
these from ambition or a love of contention.
We should not be litigious.  Oftentimes "a




430        VITAL GODLINESS.
bad settlement is better than a good lawsuit."
Those who love to resort to courts seldom
thrive. As the wolf spends all his strength in
escaping from the dogs and the hunters, although he eats many sheep, so the enormous
expenses of the practised litigant, even when
successful, very much exhaust his means, and
keep him poor.




COURAGE.               431
CHAPTER XX.
COURAGE.
I ONCE asked a great general what proportion of men might be regarded as naturally
brave without discipline? He said it was inpossible to answer the question with precision,
but that the number was very small. If the
inquiry had related to the tempers of men in
the performance of their moral and religious
duties, the number of the naturally courageous
might have been stated as still less. Sin has
made cowards of us all. Without the grace of
God no man has heroism enough left to enable
him to do his duty to God or man. We are
not only averse to holiness, but we have a very
peculiar dread of those things which by the
wicked are inflicted on the conscientious. We
have need of constant support and encouragement in the path of rectitude. Accordingly
no small part of all good writings, inspired and
uninspired, are designed to give boldness in
the profession and practice of that which is
right. Thus in Psa. 27: 14 we read, "Be of
good courage, and he shall strengthen thy




432         VITAL GODLINESS.
heart;" and in Psa. 31: 24, " Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye
that hope in the Lord."  When Joshua sent
away the- spies, his chief exhortation to them
was to "be of good courage."  Num. 13: 20.
Among the dying counsels of Moses to Israel,
in view of the conquest of Canaan, was this:
"Be strong and of a good courage, fear not,
nor be afraid of them: for the Lord thy God,
he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail
thee, nor forsake thee."  Deut. 31:6.  The
same exhortation is given by God himself
through Joshua.  Josh. 1: 6, 9; 10:25.  A
part of David's dying advice to Solomon was,
"Be strong and of good courage; dread not,
nor be dismayed."  1 Chron. 22: 13.  Again,
"Be strong and of good courage, and do it; fear
not, nor be dismayed, for the Lord God, even
my God, will be with thee; he will not fail
thee, nor forsake thee."   1 Chron. 28:20.
Words of similar import have often been addressed to armies about to.engage in battle.
2 Sam. 10:12; 1 Chron. 19:13.  Indeed, so
surely as the spirit of piety revives among any
people, there will be a great revival of courage. See Ezra 10: 4, and many other places,
especially Acts 4: 13, 29, 31. In like manner




COURAGE.                433
Paul exhorts the Corinthians: "Watch ye,
stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be
strong.'  Of like import are those numerous
exhortations in both Testaments to "be strong,"
to "be strong in the Lord," etc. In fact the
Scriptures often speak in tones of high commendation of doing things courageously, and
greatly censure such as are nqt valiant for the
truth. Indeed, when sin is impudent and brazen-faced, it is not right that piety should be
timid and sneaking. Accordingly the genuine
people of God have in all ages manifested
more or less intrepidity in the cause of truth.
And as inspired men, so also uninspired men,
who have gained a just influence in the church
of God, have always commended this virtue.
Indeed what can be done without it? A timid,
discouraged, despondent, cowardly person is
ill prepared to meet the rough assaults of the
enemies of virtue. He will yield the citadel
of truth, and flee as one ashamed. He will
betray the best interests of his cause.- le will
defend nothing, and uphold nothing good. He
will be a poor help and a poor reliance in the
day of trouble.
But what is the courage which the Scriptures commend?  This is a question of great
Vital Godliness.  19




434        VITAL GODLINESS.
importance. There are in our language four
words which' are often used confusedly. These
are, bravery, courage, valor, andfortitude. Bravery belongs to the animal part of our nature;
gourage to the mental. The former depends
on physical temperament; the latter on the
reason. Bravery is an instinct; courage is a
virtue.  One niay be brave without thought.
He cannot be courageous unless he calmly reflects. Bravery is often headlong and headstrong; courage is cool and reasonable. The
former acts upon an impulse; the latter upon
conviction.  By delay bravery dies away;- by
delay courage gains strength.  Bravery is
blind and furious; courage is far-seeing and
prudent. Men are brave in common with the
war-horse; they have courage in common with
the great patriots and bleeding martyrs of all
ages. A man may be brave without courage,
and courageous without bravery.  He may be
unmoved because he has no sense of danger.
Or his nerves may be upset by apprehensions
of peril, and his constancy of mind be wholly
unshaken.
Valor is supposed to have all the best qualities of both bravery and courage. It glories
in risking all upon a just occasion. It looks




COURAGE.                435
far ahead and is wise.  But its counsels would
be madness in the timid. Men are never valiant except as they are moved by the higher
aims and.passions of our nature. No man can
be valiant for a trifle or a sordid end.  The
love of country, the love of truth, the love of
God, or something high and noble must always
actuate the valiant man.
There is also, in strict propriety of language, a difference between courage and fortitude.  Courage faces and resists danger; fortitude endures pain. Courage is sometimes used
in a bad sense; fortitude never.  Courage is
for action; fortitude for suffering.  In this
sense fortitude differs little from constancy and
patience.  Yet by many good writers these
words are used. interchangeably.  Indeed all
these words are at-times used in a good sense
and synonymously.  In this chapter the word
courage will be used, and in a good sense only.
There is a Christian grace of that name. It
is of great value. It is the quality Peter points
out when he says, "-Add to faith virtue."  So
highly did the ancient Greeks and Latins esteem- courage, that often in their classics the
word by which they express it is the word by
which they express the idea of virtue gener



436         VITAL GODLINESS.
ally; as if they would assert that it was either
the sum  or the index of all virtue.  In the
sense of courage, it is by many held that Peter
uses it in the words just quoted. Merely to
believe is not the whole of our work.  To our
faith we must add courage.  We have great
need of this grace. But like all other Christian virtues,'courage has its counterfeits. It
is therefore very important for us soundly to
discriminate. True courage is wise and calculates.  It thinks soberly, and
*  Is not the appetite
Of formidable things, nor inconsult
Rashness; but virtue fighting for a truth."
It has that prudence which foreseeth the evil,
and hideth itself. It looks well to its ways.
It chooses the best ends and the best methods
of attaining them. It never cries, "There is no
danger," but is suspicious of mere appearances.
It admits the real difficulties in its way, and
provides for their removal.  It is full of wisdom and forethought. In this it wholly differs
from fanaticism, which is blind and furious,
and commonly blind in proportion to its fury.
The Bible everywhere commends "a sound
mind." It is as truly at warwith folly as with
sin.  Would you have a courage quite daunt



COURAGE.                 437
less?  Choose such a course of life as God unquestionably approves, such a course as you
know you will yourself approve when standing
before God in judgment.  Thus you will always be supported by your own understanding and conscience.  Having no mental misgivings, you will not grow pale at the shaking
of a leaf or of a spear. This true courage seeks
worthy objects and noble aims, and
"Is seen in great exploits
That justice warrants, and that wisdom guides;
All else is towering frenzy and distraction."
It is not low and mean in its aims and plans.
It is expansive in its desires. It lives for
God's glory and man's happiness.
True Christian courage is also humble. It
vaunteth not itself, and is not puffed up. It
greatly boasteth in God, but not at all in the
flesh. It emptieth itself, but finds its fulness
in God.  Just so surely as one trusteth in
himself that he is strong and can do exploits,
just so surely is he a poor, weak, cowardly
thing. Look at Peter. He cries out, "Though
all men forsake thee, yet will not I." It is but
a few hours till he denies his Lord with oaths.
Boasters are like clouds and wind without rain.
When we lay hold on God, we are girded with




438        VITAL GODLINESS.
omnipotence; but when we are left to ourselves we are as weak as water.
Evans says, "Courage in general is a temper which disposes a man to do brave and
commendable actions without being daunted
at the appearance of dangers and difficulties in
the way."
Buck says, "Courage is active fortitude,
that meets dangers and attempts to repel
them."
Seneca, whose mind was unenlightened by
Christianity, yet says, "Courage is properly
the contempt of hazards according to reason;
but that to run into danger from mere passion,
is rather a daring and brutal fierceness than
an honorable courage."
Cicero, in some respects the greatest of the
heathen philosophers, says, "That sort of courage which disregards the rules of justice, and
is' displayed not for the public good, but for
private selfish ends, is altogether blamable;
and so far from being.a part of true virtue, it
is a piece of the most barbarous inhumanity."
Plato says, "As' that sort of knowledge
which is not directed by the'rules.of justice,
ought rather to have the name of design and
subtlety than wisdom and prudence; just so




COURAGE.                439
that bold and adventurous mind which is hurried on by the stream of its own passions, and
not for the good of the public, should rather
have the name fool-hardy and daring, than valiant and courageous."
The Duke of Sully says, "That which arms
us against our friends and countrymen, in contempt of all laws, as well divine as human, is
but a brutal fierceness, madness, and real pusillanirity."
Another says, "Thathardyrashness which
many account valor is the companion of ignorance; and of all rashness, boldness to sin is
the most witless and foolish."
Addison says, "Courage that grows from
constitution very often forsakes -a man when
he has occasion for it; and when it is only a
kind of instinct in the soul, it breaks out on all
occasions without judgment or discretion; but
that courage which arises from a sense of duty
and from a fear of offending Him that made
us, always acts in a uniform manner and according to the dictates of right reason.". He
also says courage "is that heroic spirit inspired
by the conviction of our cause being just, and
that God will not forsake us."
Mr. Burke says, "The only real courage is




440           VITAL GODLINESS.
generated by the fear of God.   He who fears
God fears nothing else.'  Indeed  the Scriptures justify the remark that no man has true
courage except so far as he is a good -man.
"The righteous are as bold as a lion; but the
wicked flee when no man pursueth."
"Stand but your ground, your ghostly foes will fly:
Hell trembles at a heaven-directed eye.
Choose rather to defend than to assail;
Self-confidence will in the conflict fail.
When you are challenged, you may dangers meetTrue courage is a fixed, not sudden heat;
Is always humble, lives in self-distrust,
And will itself into no danger thrust.
Devote yourself to God, and you will find
God fights the battles of a will resigned.
Love Jesus. Love will no base fear endure.
Love Jesus, and of conquest rest secure."  Bp. Ken.
Collier says, "True courage is the result of
reasoning.  A  brave mind is always impregnable.  Resolution lies more in the head than
in the veins, and a just sense of honor and of
infamy, of duty and of religion, will carry us
further than all the force of mechanism."
From  all this it appears that true courage
is calm, rational, firm, controlled by a sense of
justice, free from  raving and madness, from
hatred and malignity. It is truth, justice, and
honor sitting on a throne of virtue. Because
it fears God, it has not that fear of man which




COURAGE.               441
bringeth a snare. Trials do but evince and
evoke it.  "True courage never exerts itself
so much as when it is most pressed; and it is
then we most enjoy the feast of a good conscience when we stand in the greatest need of
its support.'"
Dymgnd well says, "The courage which
Christianity requires, is to bravery what fortitude is to daring-an effort of the mental principles rather than of the spirits.. It is a calm,
steady determinateness of purpose, that will
not be diverted by solicitation', or awed by
fear." And he very properly cites as an illustration of his meaning those immortal words of
Paul: "Behold, I go bound in the spirit unto
Jerusalem, not knowing the things that shall
befall me there; save that the Holy Ghost
witnesseth in every city,. saying that bonds
and afflictions abide me. But none of these
things move me, neither count I my life dear
urnto myself."
So much for the general. nature of courage.
It may be either active or passive. Active
courage leads to bold deeds; passive courage
is not moved by fears in times of peril and
suffering.  By active courage'Jonathan and
his armor-bearer captured the strong-hold of
19*




442         VITAL GODLINESS.
the Philistines; by passive courage Joseph
sustained himself in the dungeons'of Egypt.
By the former David performed the great exploits of killing the lion, the bear, and the
giant of Gath; by the latter he endured the
contumely of Shimei as-he was retreating from
the holy city.  Daniel was passively courageous when in the lions' den; he was actively
courageous when, in unfaltering tone and with
awful solemnity, he pronounced sentence of
death on Belshazzar. Active courage bestirs
itself, and' uses all its resources to. avert, remove, or diminish evils; passive courage defies
the worst evils that can come, and preserves
equanimity in the midst of convulsions, disasters, revolutions, and death'in all its frightful
forms.  The principle of all courage is the
same.  He. who is possessed of the genuine
virtue in one set of circumstances, will not
want it when circumstances change.
Perhaps no historical book of equal length
gives more instruction as to the nature and obligation of active courage than' that.'of Nehemiah.  It contains an account of one of the
greatest and most difficult enterprises ever accomplished.  There was peril at every step;
yet Nehemiah was never daunted.  "Shall




COURAGE.                   443
such a man as I flee?' was the short but stern
reply he gave to those who would tempt him
to cowardice.  But one must read the whole
book with care in order to understand the heroism  of that great governor.  Verily he obtained a good report, and on the-best grounds.
Leighton well says, "It is the battle tries the
soldier, and the storm the pilot. How would
it appear that Christians can be not only patient but cheerful in poverty, in disgrace and
temptations and persecutions, if it were not
often their lot to meet with them?"  It is a
great thing for us when we know our calling,
and understand why we are made to suffer
severely.
One of our capital errors is, that we often
fall into a dreamy state, and forget that life is
full of severe realities.
"I slept, and dreamed that life was beauty;
I woke, and found that life was duty.
Was then thy dream a shadowy lie?
Toil on, sad heart, courageously,
And thou shalt find thy dream to be
A noonday light and truth to thee."
Let every man say with Romaine, "My
time is short; I must be up and doing; I must
go briskly on with my work, leaving it to my
Lord to find me strength for it and success in




444        VITAL GODLINESS.
it. His blessing I expect here and for ever;
not for any thing I have done; and yet I would
labor as hard as if heaven was to be the reward of my labors." True Christian courage is
loudly demanded in our day. Every duty may
bring it to the test.
It is not possible for us to be too entirely
and intrepidly devoted to the service of God.
Yet we cannot be too guarded as to our motives
in undertaking any service for Christ. Let us
not seek our own ease, our own honor or advantage; let us not be moved by any unholy
bitterness, nor by party-spirit; let us not follow blind impulses, nor indulge in temporary
excitements; let us not neglect the duties of
the closet for those of the platform; but still
let us boldly and earnestly serve the Lord day
and night.
Important as is a stirring, active courage,
a passive courage is no less so. This we commonly need in all our Christian course. The
world is never pleased with the people of God.
The son of the bond-woman still strives with
the son of the free-woman. Opposition to all
that is good is stern, instant, and determined.
Nothing but divine grace can ever enable a
child of God to endure the fearful hostility of




COURAGE.               445
the enemy.  Our Saviour's word is still fulfilled: "I am come to set a man at variance
against his father, and the daughter against
her mother, and the daughter-in-law against
her mother-in-law; and a man's foes shall be
they of his own household."  The offence of
the cross has not ceased. It never can cease
but by the conversion of the soul to God.  "If
ye were of the world, the world would love his
own; but because I have chosen you out of the
world, therefore the world hateth you." Men
of the world have no better temper towards
Christianity than when they crucified its Author, and cast his followers to the wild beasts.
He who would be a Christian must be so at the
risk of all he counts dear in this life. The
world will heap odium upon him, will vex his
righteous soul from day to.day, and if possible,
turn him away from his tender walk with God.
Of three devices the enemies of the saints are
very fond: one is seduction; another is scorning; the third is bloody persecution.  The
first is used at all times. To seduce God's
people from the path of rectitude is the business of thousands. Whether they really design it or not, their principles and their practices are alike evil and corrupting. They are




446        VITAL GODLINESS.
always spreading snares for the feet of the unwary. They use every blandishing art. They
allure by means of. winning manners. They
use cunning craftiness.  They profess great
friendship for the very objects of their arts;
but they regard Christian principle as unnecessarily strict and severe. They glory in not
being bound by the unbending laws of God's
people; yet their example makes them uneasy.
Besides, having no love to God and holiness,
they cannot endure the exemplary life of consistent Christians.  Yet they are not prepared
to show all the venom of the adversary, and
so they satisfy themselves with attempts to
seduce God's servants.
Others go further, break friendship with
consistent professors, affect to esteem them
fanatics, and vent upon them the utmost virulence'of their scorn.  They. practise those' cruel mockings " of which Paul speaks; cruel
mockings, than which no.thing is harder to be
borne with an unruffled spirit.  Many take
delight in subjecting to all manner of mortification those whose minds seem made up to
walk in the paths of scriptural piety. In every
age, the world has exhausted its vocabulary of
abuse against the people of God.  Nazarene,




COURAGE.                447
Galilean, obstinate, precisian, Puritan, Loilard,
enthusiast, fanatic, are but a few of the terms
of reproach used by the world towards consistent -Christians.  I have known a man told
to his face that he was a fanatic, because he
would not go with a man of the world to view
his earthly possessions on the Lord's-day, and
he professing a warm friendship all the time.
There is cruelty in the scorning of the scorners.  They. delight in their trade.  They love
to afflict the heritage of God.  They shoot out
the lip.
When seductions and scornings fail, the
world will, as it can, try more formal persecutions.  For three centuries together, at the
first preaching of Christianity, the blood of the
martyrs hardly ceased to flow.  Although the
laws of some countries, and the public sentiment of the world, do much oppose bloody persecutions in our day, yet even to this present
time dungeons and death are the portion of
some of God's people. It is but a short time
since in one year eight thousand persons were
by edict doomed to death on the island of Madagascar, because they professed to love the
Lord Jesus Christ.  The Inquisition still has
its dungeons and its tortures and secret deaths




448        VITAL GODLINESS.
and burials. A large body of men in the nominally Christian world are by profession trained
to regard themselves as doing God service
when they violate all the laws of charity towards those who differ from them in religious
doctrine and practice.  Whether much of the
blood of the saints is likely again to be shed
on the earth, is a point on which good men differ.  But prophecy does seem to foretell days
of great trial yet to come on the church, and
that before her final triumph and universal
dominion. Should that day of trial come, who
is prepared? who is full of courage? who is
ready to be offered upon the sacrifice and service of the church's faith? Such a day will
demand the faith and fortitude of martyrs.
That many cherish the principles of persecutors is evident, by the malice they show in
many forms, and by their open, bold avowals.
The Shepherd of the Valley, a Roman-catholic
paper in our country, says, " If the Catholics
ever gain, as they will do, though at a distant
day, an immense majority, religious freedom
is at an end."  It also says, "Heresy and unbelief are crimes; that is the whole of the matter; and in Christian countries, as Italy and
Spain for instance, where all the people are




COURAGE.               449
Catholic, and where the Catholic religion is an
essential part of the public law of the land,
they will be punished as other crimes."
This is but the echo of the dogmas of Romish doctrines for centuries past. Let not the
supine wrap themselves up in the cloak of indifference, and say that there is no danger. Every bishop and archbishop in that apostate
communion is a sworn persecutor to the utmost
of his power. Ungodly men everywhere may
suddenly have all restraints removed, and then
they will be wild beasts in the heritage of
God.
If any would have examples of high Christian courage both in doing and suffering the
will of G(od, let them  study the history of
the church in all ages. Moses, Joshua, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, Ehud, Stephen, Paul, Peter, and John, in inspired history, with scores.and hundreds in later ages,
stand forth as bright patterns of the grace
here commended. They "subdued kingdoms,
wrought righteousness, obtained  promises,
stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword,
out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the




450        YITAL GODLINESS.
aliens.  Women received their dead to life
again: and others were tortured, not accepting
deliverance; that they might obtain.a better
resurrection: and others had trial of cruel
mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover, of
bonds and imprisonment: they were stoned,
they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were
slain with the sword: they wandered about in
sheep-skins and goat-skins; being destitute,
afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world was
not worthy:) they wandered in deserts and in
mountains, and in dens and caves of the
earth."
Nor were examples of great courage confined to the days of inspiration.  The pious
Flavel has collected several pleasing.instances
of this grace.  When Valens the emperor in
a great rage threatened Basil the Great with
banishment. and torture, he replied, "As to
the first, I little. regard it, for the earth is the
Lord's and the fulness thereof; as for tortures,
what can they do upon such a poor thin body
as mine, nothing but skin and bone?" Luther
had such a. courage in the cause of truth, that
in his last sickness he expressed sorrow that
"he must carry his blood to the grave," and
so not be permitted to die a martyr's death.




COURAGE.                451
Tertullian testifies of the Christians of his day,
"Our women and children-not to speak of
men-overcome their tormentors, and the fire
cannot fetch so much as a sigh from them."
In conclusion, take the following principles
and observations for guidance in this duty.
The Scriptures enforce courage both by
precepts and examples.
Our circumstances urgently demand that
we should possess and practise this grace.
It is not probable that we shall have courage in any high degree unless we set a high
value upon it.
Mere natural courage is of no use in enabling us to resist spiritual foes and fears. We
must therefore seek true courage by faith in
Christ Jesus.  He who is readily discouraged
cannot rise to great eminence in any thing,
surely not in the divine life.
Scriptural modes of arguing are the best
to inspire courage. They are such as these:
"Because I live, ye shall live also;" "As thy
days, so shall thy strength be;" "I will never
leave thee, nor forsale thee;' "If God be for
us, who can be -against us?
All true spiritual heroism is based in the
precious blood and righteousness of Jesus




452         VITAL GODLINESS.
Christ. "Time will neither wear out the guilt
of sin, nor blot out the records of conscience."
But the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin.
It speaks better things than the blood of Abel.
His righteousness is enough for us all..
Nor' should we hesitate to look at any.
thing in the most serious and solemn manner.' Those who cannot bear to hear their duty, may
prepare soon to hear their doom.." Those who
will not permit their thoughts to travel beyond
the bounds of time, will be, must be greatly
surprised by eternal things. The thoughtless
and frivolous must expect eternity to flash
damnation in their consciences. It is mournful that in a world like ours it should be said
of but.one here and there, "He is a thoughtful
man." It is as shocking as it is dangerous
for those who possess - the powers and responsibilities of men to aim.at no higher end than
is attained by the brutes that perish. Those
who would grow wiser and better, must not
turn away their minds from any subject simply because it excites painful emotions. The
thoughtless die as soon as others —not as safely.
Would you have dauntless courage in all
coming duration, die unto sin, hold fast the
covenant and oath of God, and let Christ be




COURAGE.               453
all in all to you. He that would not be filled
with shame, must first count the cost of all he
undertakes.
God's word and Spirit are always on the
side of truth and duty, and may be infallibly
relied on.
The enemy has no arts nor devices that
have not been thwarted a thousand times. He
can be beaten. He has been vanquished.
Never do evil that good may come. Choose
your weapons. Maintain a good conscience.
Pray to know the depths of Satan and the
cunning sleight of men, whereby they lie in
wait to deceive.  If it -were possible, they
would deceive the very elect.
Divine desertion will make cowards of the
braJvest, fools of the wisest. As soon as the
Spirit of the Lord deserted Saul, an evil spirit
rested on him.
Leave character as well as soul and body
in the hands of God.  Clamor and falsehood
cannot harm you if truth is your buckler and
God your refuge.
Set your face as a flint. Trust in the Lord,
and do good.  "Nothing but cowardice ever
finally lost the victory in the cause of God."




454        VITAL GODLINESS.
CHAPTER XXI.
CONTENTMENT.
OUR libraries abound with treatises on contentment.  Some of them  are written with
great ability.  Nor has there ever been much
formal disputation among writers on morals
respecting the obligation and excellence of this
attainment. It produces results so happy, and
is enforced by so many urgent reasons, that a
man must be particularly blinded before he
can regard discontent as either lawful or slightly criminal.  The difficulty therefore is not so
much in the want of good rules and strong reasons for guiding us into a state of contentment,
as in the deep-rooted aversion of our hearts to
a duty which requires our submission to the
will of God.  We know better than we do.
Seeing the right, we pursue the wrong.  We
smile at the folly, or frown at the wickedness
of discontent in others, and then follow their
example.
But what is contentment; and how may it
be known from evil states of mind somewhat
resembling it?  Contentment is not careless



CONTENTMENT.               455
ness or prodigality.  It is not obtuseness of
sensibility. It is a disposition of mind in
which we rest satisfied with the will of God
respecting our temporal affairs, without hard
thoughts or hard speeches concerning his
allotments, and without any sinful desire for a
change.  It submissively receives what is
given.  It thankfully enjoys present mercies.
It leaves the future in the hand of unerring
wisdom. Nor is there any thing in true contentment to make men satisfied with the world
as a portion or as a permanent abode.  The
most contented person may long for the day
when Christ shall call him home.  He may,
like Paul, be in a strait betwixt two, not
knowing whether to desire to abide in the
flesh for the sake of others, or to depart-and
be with. Christ, which is far better. God never
required any man to be willing to live here
for ever.  Nor is there any thing stoical in
contentment.  It is not bluntness of feeling.
True religion does not make men dream that
*a'prison is a palace, nor make them reckless
of their own happiness.  Refined sensibility'is
promoted by true religion.
We may form some correct idea of contentment by, considering its opposites.  Of




456        VITAL GODLINESS.
these, one of the most prominent is envy, than
which there is not a more vile, nor a more
violent passion. It is full of deadly malice.
When a man's heart grows sick at the superior
worldly success of others, and hates them on
that account, he is not far from ruin.  Evans
says, "Envy is an infallible mark of discontent..Duty to God, and charity to our neighbor, would induce us to take pleasure in the
welfare of others, whether we immediately
share in it or not."  If thine eye is evil towards thy neighbor because God is good to him,
it is proof that thou quarrelest with Providence. This is the more inexcusable, because
God has expressly informed us that men of the
world have their portion in this life.  He has
provided for his friends a portion better than
was ever enjoyed on earth by any man, even
by Adam before his fall. And if God should
give to one of his children more than he gives
to you, has he not a right to do what he will
with his own?
Contentment is also opposed to corroding
care about our worldly condition. The command of the New Testament is, "Be careful
for nothing; but in every thing by prayer
and supplication with thanksgiving let your




CONTENTMENT.               457
requests be made known unto God."  Phil.
4: 6. Similar to this is the exhortation, "Cast
all your care upon him, for he careth for you."
1 Pet. 5: 7. To the same purport spoke our
Lord: "Take no thought for your life, what ye
shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for
your body, what ye shall put on.  Is not the
life more than meat, and the body than raiment?"  Matt. 6:25.  It is of the greatest
importance to our peace and usefulness, that
we settle it in our minds that all fretting care
about the things of this life is both a sin and a
folly. It is to these immoderate cares that
our Lord refers when he says, "Take heed to
yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be
overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness,
and cares of this life, and so that day come
upon you unawares."  Luke 21: 34.  Seest
thou a man eager after the things of time, behold one in great peril-peril heightened by
his success. Our hearts are very deceitful. Jonah may be too much taken up with his gourd,
as well as Solomon with his vast public works.
Contentment is opposed to covetousness.
"There are two words in the Greek Testament
which may be rendered covetousness.  The
one literally signifies the love of money; the
Vital Godliness.  20




458        VITAL GODLINESS.
other a desire of more, in Eph. 4: 19 rendered greediness. These two senses are coincident, for no man desires more of that which
he does not love; and as he that loveth silver
cannot be satisfied with the silver which he
already possesses, he will of course desire
more.  To both of these contentment is the
opposite. It loves not inordinately what it
has, nor is greedy for more.  So says the
Scripture: "Let your conversation," your life,
your behavior, "be without covetousness, and
be content with such things as ye have." ieb.
15: 5.  "Having food and raiment, let us be
therewith content."  1 Tim. 6: 8.  What a
man parched with the thirst of dropsy needs
is not more water, but more health.  It is as
impossible to remove the restlessness of a covetous mind by heaping wealth upon it, as to
extinguish fire by pouring oil upon it. It is a
great thing to learn that "a man's life's consisteth not in the abundance of the things which
he possesseth."  Luke 12:15.  So that "if a
man is not content in that state he is in, he
will not be content in any state he would be
in."  Evans says, "We see people arriving
at one enjoyment after another, which once
seemed the top of their ambition; and yet so




CONTENTMENT.              459
far from contentment, that their desires grow
faster than their substance, and they are as
eager to improve a good estate when they are
become masters of it, as if they were still
drudging for food and raiment." "Beware of
covetousness."
Contentment is also the opposite of pride.
"Humility is the mother of contentment."
"They that deserve nothing should be content
with any thing."  When we become lifted up
with pride, and think we deserve something
good at God's hands, it is impossible to satisfy
us. Biut with the lowly is wisdom, quietness,
gentleness, contentment.  He who expects
nothing, because he deserves nothing, is sure
to be satisfied with the treatment he receives
at God's hands. So that "a little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of
many wicked;" for "the wicked, through the
pride of his countenance, will not seek after
God."  The proud is like a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke. He is turbulent and fiery.
He alienates friends; he makes enemies.  He
has much trouble and sorrow where the humble pass quietly along. Pride and contentment do not go together.
Neither do contentment and ambition at




460        VITAL GODLINESS.
all agree. "Seekest thou great things for thyself? I say unto thee, Seek them not."  Our
actual wants are not many; but the ambitious
create a thousand demands, which it is hard,
if not impossible to meet. If men are bent on
gratifying the strong desires of a wicked ambition, it will require more resources than any
mortal possesses to meet the half of them. If
a wise man cannot bring his condition to his
mind, he will lonestly endeavor to bring his
mind to his condition. But this the ambitious
will not do.  He will be content with nothing
gained, because each elevation widens his horizon, and gives him a view of something else
which he greatly longs for, and so he is tossed
from  vanity to vanity, a stranger to solid
peace.  Art thou ambitious? then thou art
thine own tormentor.
Contentment is opposed to murmurings and
repinings against God's providence, and dwells
with her sisters gratitude, submission, resignation. Like Hezekiah, she exclaims concerning all God's orderings, "Good is the word of
the Lord."  Isa. 39: 8. This is a great point.
If you can say nothing clearly to the glory of
God, it is wise to be dumb and not open your
mouth. Psa. 38:13; 39:2.




CONTENTMENT.               461
Contentment is also opposed to distrust of
God, and to despondency respecting the orderings of his providence.  Instead of waiting on
the Lord, and relying on him for strength of
heart, how  many forebode ill from  all that
occurs to them,' or is anticipated by them.
They have little if any cheerfulness.  Their
souls are never as mount Zion, which cannot
be removed, but abideth for ever. Apprehension takes the place of confidence. True contentment will break up this state of things. It
will settle, confirm, and establish the soul.
The proper fruits of contentment are many,
pleasant, and easily discerned.
1. It begets cheerfulness and thankfulness
of speech.  He who is always singing dirges,
and has no songs of praise; he who is perpetually filling the ear of friendship with his complaints, and has nothing to say of loving-kindness, is not blessed with true contentment. It
tells a different tale.  It does not charge God
foolishly. If it sings of judgment, it sings also
of mercy.
2. True contentment makes men conscientious and exact in religiously performing their
duties to all around them.  They trust in the
Lord, and do good. They do good to all men,




462        VITAL GODLINESS.
especially to the household of faith. If G-od
takes away one friend, they will endeavor more
meekly and assiduously to render all that is
due to those who remain. If he takes half
one's worldly goods, the residue is more than
ever conscientiously employed for his glory.
If such cannot do as they wish, they will do as
Providence permits.
3. The truly contented will not resort to
wicked or to doubtful expedients for relieving
their own wants and distresses.  They had
rather suffer wrong than do wrong. To them
want is not so bad as ill-gotten wealth. They
prefer to endure a hard lot rather than to drive
a hard bargain. Stealing, cheating, wild speculation, or any fraud, is to them worse than
poverty.  They go not down to Egypt nor
over to Assyria for help, when they have been
told to trust in Jehovah alone. They are willing to be rid of want or straits, but not at the
expense of a good conscience.
4. If the truly contented have been disobliged by men, they are not malignant, but
benevolent towards them.  They look upon
their enemies as God's hand and God's sword,
the rod of his anger, the scourge of his people.
Their enemies may be violent and unreason



-CONTENTMENT.              463
able, and so wholly culpable, but they do not
forget who has said, "Vengeance is mine; I
will repay."  All is committed to unerring
wisdom and eternal love.
The matters of discontent are chiefly such
as relate to wealth, honor, or pleasure. These
are the objects of both lawful and unlawful
care and desire. It is quite reasonable that
we should be contented in regard to each of
them.
1. As to wealth.  The judgment of the
sober, and especially of the wise and good of
all ages, might reasonably be expected to have
some influence over us to check our discontent
on this point. Sages and saints, teachers from
earth and teachers sent from God have united
in bearing a solemn testimony against the love
of money, and. in favor of contentment with
our lot.  Hear their words:
Socrates: " Content is natural wealth."
Democritus: "If thou dost not desire much,
a little will seem to thee an abundance."
Horace: " Care and thirst for more attend
a growing fortune."
Woolstoncraft: "The middle rank contains
most virtue and abilities."
Clarkson: "There is no greater calamity




464         VITAL GODLINESS.
than that of leaving children an affluent independence."
Dymond: "The most rational, the wisest,
the best portion of mankind, belong to the class
who possess neither poverty nor riches."
Wilberforce: "A much looser code of morals commonly prevails among the rich than in
the lower and middling orders of society;"
Lord Bacon: " Certainly great riches have
sold more men than they have bought out. As
baggage is to an army, so are riches to virtue.
It hindereth the march, yea, and the care of it
sometimes loseth or disturbeth the victory."
Mrs. Hannah More: "It is to be feared
that the general tendency of rank, and especially of riches, is to withdraw the heart from
spiritual exercises."
Mason: "To have a portion in the world is
a mercy; but to have the world for a portion
is a misery."  "We must answer for our riches; but our riches cannot answer for us."  "If
the world be our portion here, hell will be our
portion hereafter'.
Johnson:
"Wealth heaped on wealth nor truth nor safety buys,
The dangers gather as the treasures rise."
When his vast estates were confiscated for




CONTENTMENT.                    465
his adherence to God's truth, the Marquis of
Vico said,' Their gold and silver perish with
them  who count all the wealth of the world
worth one hour's communion with Christ."
Pollok:
" Gold many hunted, sweat and bled for gold;
Wasted all night, and labored all the day.
And what was this allurement, dost thou ask?
A dust dug from the bowels of the earth,
Which, being cast into the fire, came out
A shining thing, that fools admired, and called
A god; and in devout and humble plight
Before it kneeled, the greater to the less;
And on its altar sacrificed ease, peace,
Truth, faith,'integrity, good conscience, friends,
Love, charity, benevolence."
Bunyan:  "Nothing  more hinders a soul
from coming to Christ than a vain love of the
world; and till a soul is freed from  it, it can
never have a true love for God."
Beveridge: "There is one piece of folly
which all mankind are naturally guilty of, and
that is desire of riches, whereby men love and
long for fine houses and lands, and silver and
gold, and such like things.  Just as we may
have sometimes seen an idiot pleasing himself
with having his pocket full of stones or dirt; or
rather, as distracted persons desire swords or
such like weapons, whereby to destroy them20*




466         VITAL GODLINESS.
selves; so others that have lost their senses
and the right use of their reason, nothing will
serve them but a great deal of wealth, howsoever they come by it, and therefore they go
through a thousand temptations and dangers
to get it; and when they have got it, what then?
Then they are in a thousand times worse condition than they were before."
Richard Baxter shows the malignity of the
sin of worldliness in several particulars. "1. It
is a sin of deliberation. 2. It is a sin of choice
set up against our chief interest. 3. It is idolatry.  4. It is contempt of heaven, when it
must be neglected and a miserable world preferred. 5. It shows that unbelief prevails in
the heart. 6. It is a debasing of the soul of
man. 7. It is a perverting of the very drift
of a man's life. 8. It is a perverting of God's
creatures to an end and use clean contrary to
that which they were made and given for."
Owen: " Learn to be contented with your
lot. He is wise also who took a view of it and
measured it and found it just commensurate to
your good: had he known that a foot's breadth
more had been needful, you would have had
it."
Thomas Scott: "Reliance on increasing




CONTENTMENT.              467
riches, however obtained, is idolatry, and. totally inconsistent with the life of faith."
Arndt: "Riches are like a stream, which
soon flows to a person, and may also soon flow
away."
Home: " Of all things here below, wealth
is that on which poor deluded man is chiefly
tempted, even to the loss of life, to place his
confidence; and when'riches increase,' it
proves a hard task for the human heart to
keep its affections sufficiently detached from
them."
Such are the views of some of the wits,
poets, philosophers, statesmen, nobles, and divines who have warned us of the folly of loving gain. These men spoke from their natural
sense, or were guided by religious principle;
but they were all uninspired.  When we open
the oracles of God, they speak in a manner
still more clear and solemn.
King David, who had personally tried both
humble life and great wealth, said, "A little
that a righteous man hath, is better than the
treasures of many wicked."  "If riches increase, set not your heart upon them." Like
unto his is the testimony of his son.
Solomon says, " He that is greedy of gain,




468        VITAL GODLINESS.
troubleth his own house."  "Riches profit not
in the day of wrath."  "He that trusteth in
his riches shall fall."  "There is that maketh
himself rich, yet hath nothing: there is that
maketh himself poor, yet hath great riches."
"A  good name is rather to be chosen than
great riches."  "Labor not to be rich: for
riches certainly make themselves wings; they
fly away as an eagle towards heaven."  "He
that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent."
Ezekiel says, "Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of
bread, and abundance of idleness was in her
and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy."
Agur: "Two things have I required of
thee; deny me them not before I die: Remove
far from me vanity and lies; give me neither
poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me; lest I be full, and deny thee,
and say, Who is the Lord? or lest I be poor
and steal, and take the name of my God in
vain."
John: "Love not the world, neither the
things that are in the world. If any man love
the world, the love of the Father is not in him."




CONTENTMENT.              469
James: "Go to now, ye rich men, weep
and howl for your miseries that shall come
upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and
your garments are moth-eaten.  Your gold
and silver is cankered; and the rust of them
shall be a witness against you, and shall eat
your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped
treasure together for the last days."
Paul: "They that will be rich fall into
temptation and a snare, and into many foolish
and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is
the root of all evil; which while some coveted
after, they have pierced themselves through
with many sorrows."  "Charge them that are
rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the
living God, who giveth us richly all things to
enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in
good works, ready to distribute, willing to
communicate; laying up for themselves a good
foundation against the time to come, that they
may lay hold on eternal life."
But of all the teachers ever sent by God to
men, his dear Son spoke the most fully and
clearly respecting riches. Jesus Christ said,
"It is more blessed to give than to receive."




470        VITAL GODLINESS.
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon
earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and
where thieves break through and steal; but
lay up for yourselves'treasures in heaven,
where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and
where thieves do not break through nor steal:
for where your treasure is, there will your
heart be also."  "Ye cannot serve God and
mammon."  "Seek ye first the kingdom  of
God and his righteousness, and all these things
shall be added unto you."  "Take heed, and
beware of covetousness."  "Seek ye not what
ye' shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be
ye of doubtful mind. For all these things do
the Gentiles seek after; and your Father knowest that ye have need of these things."  "It
is easier for a camel to go through a needle's
eye than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom. of God."  "Make to yourselves friends
of the mammon of unrighteousness; that when
ye fail they may receive you into everlasting
habitations. If ye have not been faithful in
the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to
you the true riches?"  "The cares of this
world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the
word."  "Blessed be ye poor; for yours is
the kingdom  of God.  Blessed are ye that




CONTENTMENT.              -471
hunger now; for ye shall be filled. Blessed
are ye that weep now; for ye shall laugh.
But woe unto you that are rich; for ye have
received your consolation.  Woe unto you
that are full; for ye shall hunger. Woe unto
you that laugh now; for ye shall mourn and
weep."
Thus spoke the Messiah, the one Mediator
between God and man. Shall not we be wiser
for all these instructions? The Author of our
religion was- the only sinless being ever born
of woman.  He lived and died in poverty.
He knows, and he has felt, the humiliation of
dependence..God has greatly honored virtuous poverty
in every age, as the history of science, of literature, of philosophy, of poetry, and of piety in
every country shows. He takes the poor from
the dunghill, and sets him  among princes.
Though poverty is no virtue, yet most of the
striking examples of virtue have been from humble life. Poverty brought on by indolence or
waste is a disgrace, because it is a punishment;
but wealth is the great corrupter of all who
have it, and have not with it unusual grace.
A few of our race live and labor, that they
may have the means of doing good to others.




472        VITAL GODLINESS.
This is scriptural: "Let him that stole steal
no more; but rather let him labor, working
with his own hands the thing that is good, that
he may have to give to him that needeth."
Eph. 4 * 28. One of the calmest and profoundest writers on political economy some years
ago' said, "I suppose the British and Foreign
Bible Society, during the twenty or thirty
years that it has existed, has done more direct
good in the world-has had a greater effect in
meliorating the condition of the. human species-than all the measures which have been
directed to the same ends by all the prime
ministers of Europe during a century."  Oh
that men everywhere were moved by-that "insatiable benevolence which, not contented with
reigning in the dispensation of happiness during
the contracted term of human life," or on the
narrow theatre of its own vicinage, "strains with
all the graspings and reachings of a vivacious
mind to extend the dominion of its bounty beyond the limits " of one country or of one gen-.eration. Were such the temper of all men, we
should have no need of preaching sermons to
check the rapacity or moderate the desires of
each succeeding generation, and bring human
wishes within the limits of a holy contentment.




CONTENTMENT.              473
People devoted to doing good are commonly a
cheerful and happy class of persons.
2. As to honor, rank, standing in the world,
much needs not be said to make a wise man
more contented with his lot. Fdr what is more
fickle than popular favor?  The man whose
name is to-day mingled with shouts of welcome, is to-morrow met with hisses and hootings. The very crowd that spread branches
in the way, and cried, " Hosanna, blessed is he
that cometh in the name of the Lord," as Jesus
entered Jerusalem in the triumph which prophecy had decreed to him, did in three days
vociferate, "Not this man, but Barabbas,"
"Away with this fellow," "Crucify him, crucify him."  The very city that murdered the
prophets also built their sepulchres. It is the
habit of popular opinion to shift incessantly.
Men are constant only in fickleness. But if
popular favor was perfectly settled, what is it
but a puff of wind? What good can it do any
man? If the praise of others is undeserved, it
is but flattery, and may lure us to self-conceit
and ruin. If it is merited and just, we are apt
to know our own virtues soon enough, without
having them trumpeted by others.
Besides, the best men that ever lived have




474        VITAL GODLINESS.
had their names cast out as evil-have been far
more frequently under the ban than under the
smile of their generation, and in many cases
have died amid the execrations of their contemporaries.'He has the best name who gets
the "white stone, and in the stone a new name
written, which no man knoweth saving he that
receiveth it."  How often men are warned not
to seek the favor of the world. In one of the
great contests in England for a seat in parliament, one of the candidates was suddenly called
out of time. Burke, the survivor, on that occasion uttered a sentence which has become
like one of our proverbs: " What shadows we
are, and what shadows we pursue."
3. But some are not content because they
have so few worldly pleasures. Do they not
know that all pleasure but that which springs
from lawful sources leaves a sting behind?
Communion with God has its pleasures that
do not cloy the appetite.  "She that liveth in
pleasure is dead while she liveth."  Commonly
the more worldly pleasure the less happiness
there is.  The more pleasure, the more sin
also. The more pleasure, the more dreadful
the last account. Bunyan says, "The epicure,
that delighteth in the dainties of this world,




CONTENTMENT.              475
little thinketh that these very creatures will
one cay witness against him." The pleasures
of sin are but for a season, and that season so
short. The pleasures of the table are in the
end followed by dreadful forms of disease and
anguish. The pleasures of sense are wholly insufficient to give permanent enjoyment. "The
eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear
with hearing."
Contentment is a most reasonable duty.
It is best that your will should not control
your affairs. Your health, ease, success, wealth,
reputation, and enjoyment deeply concern you;
but are you fit to direct respecting them? If
God should give you your way, how much
would satisfy you? Would not your desires
soon be drowned in cares and crimes and sorrows? Is it best for you to have uninterrupted
health? Without some bodily pain, you might
forget that you were mortal. It would be more
-painful to a truly pious man to say when, how
long, and how severely he should be sick, than
it would be to be sick all his life. A greater
name than you now have might be your downfall. More ease might subject you to dreadful
diseases. Make not your lot worse by sinful
repinings.




476        VITAL GODLINESS.
You have not shown wisdom sufficient to
direct any of your own affairs. It is a mercy
to us all that "it is not in man that walketh to
direct his steps."  Human knowledge is ignorance, human prudence folly, human strength
weakness, human virtue a slender reed. God
may cross you without doing you any injustice.
Your will is the will of a sinner. Sometimes
God has tried you by gratifying your desires
for something new, something different.  The
result has not generally been favorable.  "He
gave them a king in his anger, and took him
away in his wrath."  You have often done
worse when-full than when empty.  "Jeshurun waxed fat and kicked."  Good Hezekiah
greatly desired life, and God gave him fifteen
years more; but in that time he greatly
erred, and left a sad blot on his name. A
man may live too long for his own peace,
or honor, or usefulness.  Your wishes are
not always wise.  A  child was sick.  His
mother was almost frantic. She fasted, she
fainted, she wept, she screamed.  God restored her boy to health, and at manhood he
committed felony, was arrested, imprisoned,
convicted, executed, and broke her heart.
How much less would she have suffered had




CONTENTMENT.              477
he died in childhood. Your views. are liable
to be full of error.
But God is fit to govern you and all things.
IHe knows what is best for you, how much you
can bear, and when a smile or a stroke will do
you most good. His grace is great, and so are
his truth, and power, and wisdom. If he shall
direct, all things will go right. He is never
deceived nor outwitted.  He is gentle and
kind.  "He knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust."  His will is holy,
just, and good. He keepeth mercy for thousands. His faithfulness is unto all generations.
You should be glad that Jehovah governs the
universe, that he governs you. If wise, thou
wilt "trust in the Lord and do good, and verily thou shalt be fed;" for he hath said, "I
will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." What
a promise! what a promise!
Learn, in whatever state you are, therewith to be content.  "You are the borrower,
not the owner of created comfort."  Suppress
the first risings of ambition, covetousness, selfwill, restlessness, and the spirit of murmuring.
Rest quietly in God. The future will bring a
full explanation of the present. Treasure up
in your heart the blessed promises of God.




478         VITAL GODLINESS.
Incessantly ask the Lord to increase your faith.
Diligently perform all known duties, especially
relative duties. Be of good courage, and he
shall strengthen your heart.  Say not, God
hath forgotten, or is as a stranger that tarrieth
for a night.  Resist all unworthy thoughts of
your Saviour and heavenly Father. Stand in
your lot, and leave results with him who governs all things after the counsel of his own
will. So shall you walk safely, and light shall
be your burden, and soon the Almighty shall
call you to himself, and "the days of thy
mourning shall be ended." But till that day
of joy shall come, rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him, remembering that "we brought
nothing into this world, and it is certain we
can carry nothing out."  It was one of the
greatest attainments ever made, when Paul was
able to say, "I know both how to be abased,
and I know how to abound; everywhere, and
in all things, I am instructed both to be full
and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer
need."
Bishop Hall says, "If a man would be rich,
honorable, or aged, he should not strive so
much to add to his wealth, reputation, or years,
as to detract from his desires. For certainly




CONTENTMENT.              479
in these things he hath the most that desireth
least. A poor man that hath little and desires
no more, is in truth richer than the greatest
monarch who thinks he hath not what he
should or what he might, or who grieves that
there is no more to have.  It is not necessity
but ambition that sets men's hearts on the
rack."
There are three considerations which should
quite reconcile us to be without much of what
mankind are generally so greedy after.
The first is, that God generally gives the
great amount of the wealth, honors, and pleasures of this world to-his foes. How seldom do
the potentates of earth fear God.  How few
very rich men love prayer.  The sons of
pleasure are never the sons of God. No wise
man should care much for that which God
habitually bestows on those who have no share
in his saving mercy, and shall never see his
face in peace.
The second consideration is, that the arts
by which these things may be, and often are
gained, are of the lowest kind. It requires
neither much sense nor much virtue to. build
up a great fortune, to have many praising you,
or to be called a man of pleasure. One great




480         VITAL GODLINESS.
secret in the lives of many who rise to eminence in these things is, that first of all. they
deny God,, and give themselves over to irreligion.  They part with a good conscience.
They may speak much of honor, but often
there is no honor there.  If a man will but
agree to flatter and cozen, lie and defraud,
oppress and banter; if he will allow his selfishness to reign supreme; if he will harden
his heart against the demands of justice, the
dictates of equity, and the urgencies of charity; if he will hold fast all he gets, and get all
he can, he may be rich; and if he can once
acquire wealth, there are always some that
will sound his praise; and so he may by
money and flattery buy his way to power and
notoriety.  It is the deliberate judgment of
many close observers, that the mass of the
successful in worldly schemes do not possess
the average of intellect, and are below the
average in want of good feeling and good conduct.  This may seem strange to some, but let
every man look over the list of his acquaintance, and see if it is not so. The butt of many
a family dies worth more than all the rest of
his father's children.  "Godliness with contentment is great gain."




CONTENTMENT.                481
The third consideration is, that nothing can
make us happy if our minds are restless and
grasping; but that contentment is itself riches,
honors, and pleasures.  "The sleep of the laboring man is sweet, whether he eat much or
little; but the abundance of the rich will not
suffer him to sleep." The Persians have this
proverb: "Ten poor men can sleep tranquilly
upon a mat; but two kings are not able to live
at peace in a quarter of the world."  And one
of our own poets has said,
"Contentment gives a crown
Where fortune hath denied it."
Vital Godliness.   21




482        VITAL GODLINESS.
CHAPTER XXII.
PATIENCE,
IN the Greek Testament are two words
which we translate patience. One of these is
rendered by Robinson longanimity, long-suffering, forbearance, patient endurance, patience. In
Scripture it is used to express the forbearance
or patience of God towards sinners in delaying their just punishment. Rom. 2: 4; 9: 22;
2 Pet. 3 15.  It also expresses human forbearance, or the patience of one man towards
another.  Matt. 18: 26, 29; Eph. 4: 2.  The
verb from which it is derived is used to express the delay of God to deliver his persecuted people. Luke 18:7. And another signification is, that of man's quietly and confidently awaiting blessings from God, as Gal.
5: 22.- In general this patience is opposed to
all hastiness of spirit towards God or man.
The other word in the Greek Testament
rendered patience is perhaps of still more frequent use, and signifies endurance, constancy,
patience. It often occurs in te epistles of the
New Testament. In many cases it clearly con



PATIENCE.                483
veys the idea of perseverance in duty at all
risks and hazards with hope towards God.
Buck defines patience to be "that calm
and unruffled temper with which a good man
bears the evils of life."
Barrow  says, "Patience is  that virtue
which qualifieth us to bear all conditions and
all events, by God's disposal incident to us,
with such apprehensions and persuasions of
mind, such dispositions and affections of heart,
such external deportments and practices of life,
as God requireth and good reason directeth."
Evans says, "Christian patience is a disposition that keeps us calm  and composed in
our frame, and steady in the practice of our
duty under the sense of our afflictions or in the
delay of our hopes."
Charnock says, "In regard of God, patience
is a submission to his sovereignty."...  "To
be patient because we cannot avoid or resist
it, is a violent, not a loyal patience; but to
submit because it is the will of God to inflict
it, to be silent because the sovereignty of God
doth order it, is a patience of a true complexion."
Mason says, "Christian patience is not a
careless indolence, a stupid insensibility, me



484         VITAL GODLINESS.
chanical bravery, constitutional fortitude, a
daring stoutness of spirit, resulting from fatalism, philosophy, or pride: it is derived from a
divine agency, nourished by heavenly truth,
and guided by scriptural rules."
Bates says, "The insensibility of God's
hand inflicting evils is as different fron Christian patience' and constancy, as a mortal lethargy is from  the quiet, soft sleep of health:
nothing kindles his anger more than neglecting it; it is equally provoking with the despising of his love; it is a symptom of a wretched
state of soul: if there proceed no sighs and
groans, no signs of grief from  the sense of
God's displeasure, it is a sad evidence there is
no spiritual life. Indolence under the effects
of God's anger is like the stillness of the Dead
sea, whose calm is a curse."
Dilwyn says, "A  phlegmatic insensibility
is as different from patience as a pool is from
a harbor. Into the one indolence naturally
sinks us; but if we arrive at the other, it is by.encountering many an adverse wind and rough
wave, with a more skilful pilot at the helm
than self, and a company under better command than the passions."
From  what has been said it appears that




PATIENCE.                485
patience has various objects. Towards God it
is resigned, and says, "I will bear the indignation of the Lord."  Towards Christian men,
who justly reprove us, it is meek, and says,
"Let the righteous smite me." Towards wicked and unreasonable men, who love to see others afflicted, it says, "Rejoice not against me,
0  mine enemy.'   Towards the ills under
which we are called to suffer, it is not violent
and imperious, but rather gives them a kind
entertainment. Under provocation it is gentle
and not resentful.  It blesses and curses not.
It bears insults and injuries without malice. It
is "patient toward all men."  Under affliction
it is quiet and submissive. It will use no wicked measures to relieve even great distresses.
It is "patient in tribulation,." in the extremest
sufferings.  Under delays it is still, constant.
It loves to leave every thing in the hands of
the Father. To this Paul refers when he says,
"Ye have need of patience, that, after ye have
done the will of God, ye might receive the
promise. For yet a little while, and he that
shall come will come, and will not tarry."
Heb. 10: 36, 37.
The duty of patience is illustrated in the
Scriptures by several different similes.  The




486        VITAL GODLINESS.
first is that of the farmer. "Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord.
Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience
for it, until he receive the early and latter
rain."  Jas. 5: 7. The precious seed is often
sown in autumn. For moisture it is dependent
on dews and rains, over which the farmer has
no control. Nor can he either send or withhold the snow for its protection against the
rigors of winter. Nor can he defend it against
blight and mildew and the caterpillar and the
army-worm. Nor can he reap his harvest for
months after the seed-time.  So that "long
patience" is required.  At last the precious
fruits come, and all his toils are rewarded and
all his hopes realized.
Another mode of representing patience is
by the life and habits of a city watchman.
Thus the psalmist says, "I wait for the Lord,
my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they
that watch for the morning: I say, more than
they that watch for the morning."  Psalm
130: 5, 6.  The night may be dark and long
and stormy, but the longest night has its morning, the darkest night has the day-spring com



PATIENCE.              487
ing after it, and the most stormy weather is
followed by calm and sunshine. The weatherbeaten watchman knows that he will be allowed to cease his rounds and at last rest in his
bed. He rejoices in hope of sure release. He
longs for the time to come.  Yet he frets not
because it seems to tarry. He knows he cannot hasten it. If he could do away with night
altogether, it would but spoil his business. If
he could materially abbreviate it, he would
but diminish his gains. So he enters upon his
beat and its duties with firmness and constancy.
A third mode of representing this patience
is by the duties and habits of a servant. "Behold, as the eyes of servants look unto the
hand of their masters, and as the eyes of a
maiden unto the hand of her mistress; so our
eyes wait upon the Lord our God, until that
he have mercy upon us."  Psa. 123:2. The
context shows that the state of mind here described had special reference to the state of the
righteous as called to endure the contempt and
scorning of the proud.
A quiet patient spirit is also set forth in
God's word by the behavior of a weaned child.
David says, "Surely I have behaved and qui



488         VITAL GODLINESS.
eted myself as a child that is weaned of his
mother: my soul is even as a weaned child."
Psa. 131:2. This process, when first commenced, produces wakefulness, restlessness,
fretfulness; but when completed, it produces
quietness and submission. An illustration so
familiar to all parents needs no further explanation.
Job uses another simile to set forth the
same thing, that of a hireling, who watched the
lengthening shadows of the evening, and longed
for his reward. He had too much principle to
desert his work or to attempt to defraud his
employer. But at the going down of the sun
he looked for release.  This seems to be a
favorite mode of expressing the views of life
entertained by Job in the time of his great and
sore afflictions. Job 7:1, 2; 14: 6.
When examples of patience are demanded,
we can be at no loss. James says, " Take, my
brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the
name of the Lord, for an example of suffering
affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count
them happy which endure. Ye have heard of
the patience of Job, and have seen the end of
the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of
tender mercy."




PATIENCE.               489
Time would fail us to tell of Isaiah royally
descended, who for his fidelity is said to have
been nailed up in a box and sawn asunder; of
Jeremiah and all his suffering in the slimy pit
and elsewhere; of Daniel in the lions' den; of
the faithful Hebrews in the fiery furnace; and
of all those great sufferers for the truth and
honor of God in ancient times. Look also at
our forefathers in Scotland, England, Ireland,
France, Holland, and Germany.
But the apostle James selects Job'as a
special example. And indeed he was the most
patient of all merely human sufferers.  What
did he not lose without one sinful word? Seven
thousand sheep, three thousand camels, five
hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred she-asses,
a great retinue of servants, seven sons and
three daughters, and bodily health Were all
taken, yet in all this his patience seems not
once to have failed. His grief was heavier
than the sand of the sea.  The arrows of the
Almighty.were within him, and their poison
was drinking up his spirits.  Yea, the terrors
of God set themselves against him. Yet more
than fifteen hundred years afterwards James
points to him as the brightest example ofpatience among the ancient servants of God.
21*




490         VITAL GODLINESS.
The most illustrious sufferer and the best
pattern of patience was Jesus Christ. None
suffered so greatly, none suffered so patiently.
He endured mockery, contradiction, scourging, and death at the hand of man. IHe also
bore the wrath of God. The violence of men
and the wrath of God, treachery and desertion
by his disciples, and the hiding of his Father's
face, all came on him at once. Yet he bore it
all in a blameless manner.  "When reviled,
he reviled not again; when he suffered, he
threatened not, but committed himself to him
that judgeth righteously."  "For this cause,"
says he, "came I to this hour." " Not my will,
but thine be done." None can be at a loss for
a safe guide, if he will but turn his eyes to
Christ. There all is constancy, forbearance,
quiet, unmurmuring endurance, unflinching
obedience; nature indeed lifting up both hands
in terror and amazement, but principle and
piety triumphing over all temptations. Blessed be God, our Guide and Pattern has left us
a perfect example.
This patience is the fruit of God's Spirit.
Paul prayed that his Colossian converts "might
walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing,
being fruitful in every good work, and increas



PATIENCE.                491
ing in the knowledge of God; strengthened
with all might, according to his glorious power,
unto all patience and long-suffering, with joyfulness."  Col. 1:10, 11.  Every good gift
comes from heaven. Nature is impatient, selfwilled, restless, turbulent. Men must be taught
of God, or they never will know any thing to
purpose.  Used as men are to some kinds or
degrees of inconvenience, conscious as they
ought to be that they deserve far worse than
ever befalls them, yet all this is to no purpose
until God by his Spirit gives them  affections
and principles which are quite above the measure and strength of nature.
That this grace enters into the essentials of
Christian character, is certain from the fact
that it is twice so catalogued. In 1 Tim. 6:11,
Paul exhorts Timothy to "follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness."  And in Galatians 5: 22, 23, he says the
fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering," or patience, "gentleness, goodness,
faith, meekness, temperance."  He who dares
erase from  either catalogue a single word,
takes; great liberties with sacred things, and
brings his soul into jeopardy. It is also obvious from the very nature of holiness, and from




492        VITAL GODLINESS.
the nature of heavenly things.  Would not a
fiery, impatient spirit be every way as unlovely and as unfit for the society above as the
spirit of revenge, of pride, or of covetousness?
If we have an impatient temper, occasions
and temptations will not be wanting to elicit it.
The world is full of evil-doers and evil-doings,
of evil-speakers and evil-speeches, of evil-surmisers and evil-surmisings. "Fret not thyself
because of evil-doers, neither be thou envious
against the workers of iniquity.  For they
shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb...   Fret not thyself in
any wise to do evil." Psa. 37: 1, 2, 8. Sometimes the power of wicked men is fearful, and
wielded in the most wanton and oppressive
manner. The beast which rose out of the sea,
having seven heads and ten horns, and upon
his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the
name of blasphemy, has always had a mouth
speaking great things and blasphemies; and
has often had power to make war with the
saints, and to overcome them; and all whose
names are not written, in the book of life of the
Lamb slain from the foundation of the world,
do at times worship him. And he carries
God's people into captivity, and he slays them




PATIENCE.               493
with the sword.  In such a state of things as
this, we see "the patience and the faith of the
saints."  Rev. 13:10.  As a roaring lion, Satan goeth about seeking whom he may devour.
Doubtless there is a just anger, a righteous
indignation against wrongs and wrong-doers.
It is based on a sense of justice.  But anger
which results from our evil tempers, which is
violent or perpetuated, does no good. It torments him  who exercises it.  It grieves his
best friends; it terrifies his dependents.  It
makes intercourse with him a source of misery.
It is commonly followed by dreadful reproaches of conscience.  It drives away many who
would otherwise delight to do one a service.
It mends no mistakes, relieves no pains, repairs no losses.  And it is infectious, and in
turn communicated to those around us.
A  time of sickness generally tries one's
patience.  There is always much sickness in
the world. No man can entirely escape it but
by a sudden death, which in a moment'calls
him into eternity.  Some sicknesses waste the
frame without beclouding the mind.  Others
beget stupor, which destroys sensibility to
pain. But generally sickness renders men less
capable of reasoning soundly and feeling kind



494        VITAL GODLINESS.
ly than before.  To him who is of a patient
spirit, sickness may, without a miracle, be a
means of great enjoyment. It enables a good
man to test his principles.  The severer the
sickness in such cases, the richer the blessings
following.  Probably the happiest person in
many a large city in Christian lands is some
child of God, whose bodily health makes him
a stranger to sound sleep, and a stranger also
to the house of God. There is still living a
man who says he flas seen four very happy
days.  One was the day of his conversion;
another was the day of his marriage; the other
two were days spent in a sick-bed far from
home.
The church has had few brighter ornaments
than the celebrated Andrew Rivet. As a student, a writer, a preacher, a professor, he was
full of life and energy; yet he said he "had
learned more divinity in ten days' sickness
than in fifty years' study."
The pious Halyburton, in a state of great
weakness and pain, said, "Verily there is a
reality in religion. The little acquaintance I
have had with God within these two days, has
been better than ten thousand times the pains
I have all my life been at about religion.




PATIENCE.               495
These fourteen or fifteen years I have been
studying the promises; but I have seen more
of the book of God this night than in all that
time.  If I had my students about me now, I
would give them a lesson of divinity."In 1826, one of my class-mates was taken
sick.  His illness became extreme.  His life
was in great peril.  At times his pains were
excruciating. He was not at ease one moment.
Yet all who visited him were witnesses of his
patience and joy. Their report led others to
his sick-bed.  Many a fellow-student dropped
his books every day, and said, "I will now
turn aside and see this great sight."  This
good man died not then, but lived to proclaim
for several years the unsearchable riches of
Christ. He bore with patience many trials,
and carried with him through life a sweet savour of Christ, and has now fallen asleep. This
happy sufferer was the Rev. Jacob Beecher,
afterwards of Winchester, Va. Every pastor
sees cases of this kind. Every evangelical
church furnishes them. If God so blesses us
in sickness, we need not dread its sharpestpangs. They prepare us for sweet mercies.
Even if we have no transports, we may yet
have quietness. Though we may not exult,




496        VITAL GODLINESS.
we may endure. God may appoint to us
wearisome nights and days of vanity, scaring
us in visions, or holding our eyes waking. Our
bed may not comfort us, nor our couch ease
our complaints.  For a time God may hide
his face from us, or our consolations may be
small. Yet it is a great attainment to lie passive in God's hands, and know no will but his.
Some are impatient respecting the future.
Their faith is perhaps weak, their nerves are
not strong, their circumstances not easy, and
they have great disquiet. Indeed most men
have alternate hopes and fears concerning
coming days.  It would greatly tend to check
such thoughts if we would remember that the
future, which we so much dread, may never
come to us. There is nothing more certain
than death, and nothing more uncertain than
the time when death may overtake us. The
human mind easily grows weary when prying
into the future.  A wise man can do nothing
better than look up to God, and say, My times
are with thee. I cannot see far; I am very
blind. But God sees the end from the beginning.  He.is wise and" mighty.  Issues are
with him; duty is mine. If I can do what God
requires, I need not fear results. Times may




PATIENCE.               497
change; revolution may swiftly follow  revolution; friends and scenes and seasons may
change; I myself may undergo many changes;
but God, his word and plans and counsels never
change. They are all holy and' perfect.
To do one's duty and leave results with
God is scriptural.  "Trust in the Lord, and do
good."  " Offer the sacrifices of righteousness,
and put your trust in the Lord."  What better can a man do? What else can he do, unless he fret and sin? A great means of curing
impatience is a close attention to present duties,
some of which are always instant and urgent.
One of these is the maintenance of a devout
spirit. He who has no heart to pray and praise,
to read God's word, to meditate on divine
things, and to, try his own ways, has not begun
to do his duty, and lays himself open to the
assaults of impatience.  Whatever is unfriendly to a spirit of devotion is dangerous. We
all need fire, fire from  heaven, to consume
our sacrifices.  The love of Christ must-be
shed abroad within us. If prayer were always
"the key of the day and the lock of the evening," we should have far fewer impatient
speeches. The man who finds God's words
and eats them, who meditates on divine things




498         VITAL GODLINESS.
in the night-watches, who searches his heart as
with candles, who is in the fear of the Lord all
the day long, who praises the Lord seven times
a day, cannot be under the sway of impatience.
Let a manw also set himself to the imitation
of Christ, whose example is perfect and lovely;
let him follow'the Lamb whithersoever he leadeth; let him walk in the footsteps of his great
Forerunner; let him be careful to do this with
exactness and alertness, and impatience shall
not be his master.
Let him delight in the law of God after the
inward man, let him  esteem  God's precepts
concerning all things to be right, let him love
the law which reproves his sins, let him take it
as a rule for all his thoughts, words, and deeds,
and he will have so much to do that he will
find impatience yielding before a hearty performance of duty.
Let him watch his own heart, let him see
to it that he be not merely "converted from
the sins of men to the sins of devils," as from
drunkenness, gluttony, and lewdness to envy,
malice, and spiritual pride; but let him see to
it that he is turned from sin to holiness, from
Satan unto God, and he will by degrees gain
a sure victory over impatience.




PATIENCE.                 499
Let him  die unto the world, let him  die
daily; let it be his rule, "I will lend, but not
give myself to worldly matters;" let him quit
the world before it quits him; let him learn
that.it is a cheat and a liar, not by always
seeking -to it, but by obeying the lessons of
past experience and the teachings of God's
word, and his impatience concerning the future
will give way.  Let him  learn to avoid the
habit of complaining, let him  labor to take
cheerful views of things, so far as this can in
truth be done.
"The wise in secrel'always hide their pain;
And only when redress is sure, complain."
Or if the sorrow of the mind be great, let him
go chiefly to God with it.  A man may complain to God, but let him never complain of God.
Let him never tire in his Master's service, always making Christ's righteousness his righteousness, God's will his'will, God's Son his
bright and morning star; let him  consent to
be nothing, that God may be all and in all;
let him live by faith, and walk by faith; let
him diligently run the race that is set before
him, and he will find sinful impatience leaving him more and more, till at last it shall be
a vanquished foe, and he shall rise to dwell




500        VITAL GODLINESS.
with God. Above all things, look to God himself.
Perhaps old age has begun to come upon
you, and you find there comes with it a certain
spirit of impatience. It is sometimes said that
the old are liable to peevishness. Great changes have taken place in the world since their
habits were formed.  Such conduct is often
exhibited before them  as makes them  feel
that others wish their place or their property.
They see but little reverence for grey hairs.
They have many infirmities. They are often
kept from the house of Go4d. Disappointment
sometimes sorely tries their temper.  They
often see mean advantages taken of their age
or weakness. Sometimes they have no means
of occupying their time. They cannot see to
read, or they did not form the habit of reading when young, and so cannot now enjoy it.
Early in life Bishop Hall wrote, "There is
nothing more odious than fruitless old age.
And as no tree bears fruit in autumn, unless
it blossoms in the spring, so that my age may
be profitable, and laden with fruit, I will endeavor that my youth may be studious, and
flowered- with the blossoms of learning and observation." It is a great thing for old people




PATIENCE.               501
to love reading. If the Bible alone is their
companion and joy, they will surely find "solitude sweetened."  It is a great matter for
any, and especially for the aged, to learn to
control. their tongue and temper; to be economical without stinginess, liberal without
prodigality, cheerful without levity, humble
without meanness, strict without bigotry, devout without fanaticism, and obliging without
laxity of principle. The angry passions by all
men, especially by the aged, should be kept
under strict control.
EarneStly cry to God for guidance, support, and comfort in old age. No wit, no learning, no renown in early life can of themselves
preserve one from contempt in old age.  Dean
Swift was a great student, scholar, and wit;
in old age he became stupid, helpless, senseless.  He was fed like a child, and was actually exhibited by his servants for reward as a
show to visitors. No man ever made a deeper
impression on England than the duke of Marlborough.  At court his sway was above that
of all but the queen.  In France his name was
a solemn caution to men to live peaceably.
All Europe resounded with the fame of his
deeds. Yet his last days were full of misery.




502        VITAL GODLINESS.
He was an idiot.  God alone and God only
can protect the aged from all harm. Look to
him.  "Trust in the Lord, and do good; so
shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou
shalt be fed. Delight thyself also in the Lord,
and he shall give thee the desires of thy heart.
Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in
him, and he shall bring it to pass; and he shall
bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and
thy judgment as the noonday.  Rest in the
Lord, and wait patiently for him."  He can
cause that the hoary head being found in the
way of righteousness shall be a crown of glory.
If you are old, remember that as long as
you live, one of your most solemn duties is to
set an example of cheerfulness and patience;
that as memory fails, it needs to be often refreshed by the perusal of God's word; that as
your time on earth is short, you should be
careful that none of it run to waste; that your
sufferings on earth will not last long; and that
God's promises to pious old age are very full
and gracious. Listen to his words: "Thine
age shall be clearer than the noon-day: thou
shalt shine forth; thou shalt be as the morning."  Job 11:17.  "They shall still bring
forth fruit in old age; they shall be fat and




PATIENCE.               503
flourishing; to show that the Lord is upright:
he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him."  Psa. 92:14.  Again he says,
"Even to your old age I am he, and even to
hoar hairs Will I carry you: I have made, and
I will hear; even I will carry, and will deliver
you." Isa. 46:4. Surely with such promises
we may safely trust an unseen God even in the
midst of the trials and weaknesses of age. How
memorable that saying of an eminent servant
of God, "I have had six children, and I bless
God that they are either with Christ or in
Christ, and my mind is at rest concerning
them. My desire was that they should have
served Christ on earth; but if God will rather
choose to have them serve him in heaven, I
have nothing to object to it."
Are you a teacher of the young? Are you
endeavoring to form the minds of others to virtue and knowledge? Be patient.  Rule your
own spirit; teach the same lesson over and
over again; upbraid not others for their dulness. Persevere.  Be pleasant.
Are you laboring for the conversion of others, and do they seem very dull and obstinate?
Be patient with them. As long as God spares
them  there is hope.  Who can tell but the




504        VITAL GODLINESS.
Lord will be gracious in the last extremity?
Hope and plead with them. Hope and pray
to God. Never cease your endeavors till life
is extinct.
Are you slandered? Be not revengeful.
Jesus Christ was more reviled and misrepresented than you have ever been. Make him
your pattern.  It is better to be slandered
than to be a slanderer. It will do you more
harm to lose your self-control and fall into sin,
than to have all manner of evil spoken against
you falsely.
Are you poor? Jesus Christ was more so.
Be patient under trials. Christ passed through
those that are worse. If men despise you for
your poverty, it may drive you to the mercyseat; and will not that be good for you?
Have you bodily pain? Learn to distinguish between those effects which show sinful
impatience and those which are purely physical. A man may indulge very sinful impatience towards God, and yet not utter a sigh
or a groan. Another may be in a state of
mind highly pleasing to God, and yet every
breath may be a groan or a sigh. It is not
sinful for men to give natural expression to
their sense of pain.




PATIENCE,               505
The motives which may properly be urged
upon us to exercise patience are many and
strong.
1. The impatient man is unhappy, and
nothing can hinder his being so but a change
of temper. He doubles all his sorrows. Those
around him are apt to imitate him, and their
impatience reacts on him. In prosperity and
adversity, he is alike destitute of solid peace
of mind.
2. The impatient brings on himself every
sort of evil, and especially great guilt in the
sight of God.    He that hath no rule over his
own spirit is like a city that is broken down
and without walls."  Prov. 25:28. That is,
he lies open to the invasion of all evils; he
is protected against none of them.  In a thousand respects, "the patient in spirit is better
than the proud in spirit." Ecel. 7: 8.
3. However sharp our pains and great our
sufferings may be, they will not last always.
The apostle says,. " Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord
draweth nigh."
4. Patience is one link in the golden chain
which holds us safe on earth in the midst of
enemies and perils.  Nor is there a brighter
Vital Godlinos.   22




506        VITAL GODLINESS.
link in that chain. Paul says, "We glory in
tribulations also, knowing that tribulation
worketh patience; and patience, experience;
and experience, hope; and hope maketh not
ashamed; because the love of God is shed
abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which
is given unto us." Rom. 5: 3-5. James also
says, "The trying of your faith worketh
patience. But let patience have her perfect
work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.'  Chap. 1:3, 4. It was a noble
exclamation in Fenelon when his library was
on fire, "God be praised that it is not the
dwelling of some poor man."
5. God has mercifully condescended to instruct us on this whole subject by divine example. To his enemies how amazingly patient is
God. How he bears with sinners, and forbears
to punish them. Indeed, ungodly men in all
ages have hardened themselves in sin because
God was so good. They have long and blasphemously cried, " Where is the promise of his
coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all
things continue as they were."  How long did
the patience of God wait in the daysof Noah.
How many: thousands of offences, even open
and daring sins, do multitudes commit, and yet




PATIENCE.               507
God spares them, giving them time for repentance. -Even the worst criminals are commonly
permitted to live long enough to repent, if they
have a heart to do so. Shall God show patience under such fearful provocations, and
shall we be impatient under any wrongs committed against us?  Oh let us "be followers,"
imitators, "of God, as dear children."
6. Especially has our Lord Jesus Christ
left us an illustrious example of forbearance,
meekness, and patience: " He was brought as
a lamb to the slaughter; and as a sheep before
her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his
mouth."  His forbearance towards his enemies
when on earth was amazing. Legions of angels
would have fought his battles with men, if he
had bid them do so. But his hands and his
heart were both full of blessings, not curses.
He bore all, he endured all, he murmured not,
he fretted not, he said no hard things, he felt
no unkindness, he was all gentleness and love.
In all this he left us an example, that we should
follow his steps.  "If we suffer with him, we
shall also reign with him."
7. " Finally,'be ye all of one mind, having
compassion one of another; love as brethren,
be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for




508        VITAL GODLINESS.
evil, or railing for railing; but contrariwise
blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called,
that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that
will love life, and see good days, let him refrain
his tongue from  evil, and his lips that they
speak no guile: let him eschew evil, and do
good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.  For
the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous,
and his ears are open unto their prayers: but
the face of the Lord is against them that do
evil. And who is he that will harm you, if ye
be followers of that which is good?  But and
if ye suffer for righteousness' sake, happy are
ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither
be troubled."  1 Pet. 3:8-14. "If when ye do
well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is
acceptable with God."  1 Pet. 2:20. "For itis
better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for
well-doing than for evil-doing." 1 Pet. 3: 17.
Every wise man has found trial good for him.
Lord Campbell, Chief-justice of England,
says, "Little do we know what is for our permanent good.  Had Bunyan been discharged,
and allowed to enjoy his liberty, he no doubt
would have returned, filling up his intervals of
leisure with field preaching; his name would
not have survived his own generation, and he




PATIENCE.               509
would have done little for the religious improvement of mankind. The prison doors were
shut upon him for twelve years. Being cut off
from the external world, he communed with
his own soul, and inspired by Him who touched Isaiah's hallowed lips with fire, he composed
the noblest allegory, the merit of which was
first discovered by the lowly, but which is now
lauded by the most refined critics; and which
has done more to awaken piety ard to enforce
the precepts of Christian morality, than all the
sermons that have been published by all the
prelates of the Anglican church."
In God's plan, to descend is first; to ascend comes afterwards.  We must sink that
we may rise. Good old Berridge says, "Afflictions, desertions, and temptations are as needful as consolations.  Jonah's whale will teach
a good lesson as well as Pisgah's top; and a
man may sometimes learn as much from being
a night or a day in the deep, as from being
forty days in the mount. I see Jonah come
out of a whale cured of rebellion.  I see Moses go up into the mount with meekness, and
come down in a huff and break the tables.
Further, I see three picked disciples attending
their Master into the mount, and falling asleep




510        VITAL GODLINESS.
there. It is well for you to be clothed in sackcloth while you tarry in the wilderness. Look
upward, and press forward. Heaven's eternal
hills are before you, and Jesus stands with
arms wide open to receive you. One hour's
sight and enjoyment of the Bridegroom in his
palace above will make you forget all your
troubles on the way."
Three remarks are offered in conclusion:
1. We sue the unspeakable value of religious truth.  It is a stay and a joy when all
comforts and resources of earth fail.  Even
wicked men have often confessed its power.
Before his own mind was influenced by religious hopes or principles, Richard Cecil made
the following observations:
"I see two unquestionable facts. 1. My
mother is greatly afflicted in circumstances,
body, and mind, and yet she cheerfully bears
up under all by the support she derives from
constantly retiring to her closet and to her
Bible. 2. My mother has a secret spring of
comfort of which I know nothing; while I, who
give an unbounded loose to my appetites, and
seek pleasure by every means, seldorh or never
find it.  If, however, there is any such secret
in religion, why may I not attain to it as well




PATIENCE.               511
as my mother?  I will immediately seek it
from God."
Indeed, so cold, so barren is infidelity, so
destitute of consolatory power, that many have
borne a testimony like that of Cecil, and these
notmerely the weak, but also the strong. The
prince among German historians was Niebuhr.
He was not merely a great sceptic, he was an
infidel.  He was a rationalist, and received
nothing as true in revelation except what he
chose. This man had a son, whose happiness
lay near his heart.  Did he wish him to be
educated an infidel?  Had he found his own
system full of consolation? No. He says that
he intends his boy "shall believe in the letter
of the Old and New Testaments, and I shall
nurture in him from his infancy a firm faith in
all that I have lost or feel uncertain about.'
2. Of course it is very-important to study
God's word.  Would that we had once more
a race of great Bible readers. There have
been such, and they have been fat and flourishing.  Jerome seems to have had the whole
Scripture stored in his memory. Erasmus
says of him, "Who ever learned by heart the
whole Scriptures, or imbibed or meditated on
them as he did?"




512        VITAL GODLINESS.
After his conversion, Tertullian was occupied day and night in reading God's word.
He committed much of it to memory.
That great divine Witsius was able without
a concordance to recite almost any passage of
Scripture in the original words, and tell the
book, chapter, and verse.
A few years since I had an acquaintance
on the bench of the Supreme court of his own
state, who quoted Scripture with readiness and
accuracy, which showed that the word of Godl
dwelt in him richly. In fact, eminent Christians the world over are characterized by constant and profound meditation on God's word.
Oh that men would be persuaded to make
God's testimonies their constant delight! Locke
says, "If any man will obtain a true knowledge
of the Christian religion, let him study the holy
Scriptures, especially in the New Testament.
Therein are contained the words of eternal life.
It has God for its author, salvation for its end,
and truth, without any mixture of error, for its
matter."
3. Let us follow Christ. Let us be content
to live and suffer with him. Robertson of Dublin says, "We hear in these days a great deal
respecting rights-the rights of private judg



PATIENCE.                513
ment, the rights of labor, the rights of property, and the rights of man. Rights are grand
things, divine things in this world of God's;
but the way in which we expound those rights,
alas, seems to me to be the very incarnation of
selfishness.  I can see nothing noble in a man
who is for ever going about calling for his own
rights. Alas, alas for the man who feels nothing more grand in this wondrous, divine world
than his own rights. Two thousand years ago,
there was One here on this earth who lived the
grandest life that ever has been lived yet-a
life that every thinking man, with deeper or
shallower meaning, has agreed to call divine.
I read little respecting his rights, or of his
claims of rights; but I have read a great deal
respecting his duties.  Every act'he did he
called a duty.  I read a very little in that life
respecting his rights; but I hear a vast deal
respecting his wrongs —wrongs infinite-wrongs
borne with a majestic, godlike silence.  His
reward?  His reward was the reward that
God gives to all his true and noble ones-to
be cast out in his day and generation, and a
life conferring death at last-those were his
rights!"
22*




514         VITAL GODLINESS.
CHAPTER XXIII.
JOY.
JoY is delight at something esteemed good
in possession or in. prospect. It is one of the
most powerful affections of the mind, and under the various names of satisfaction, cheerfulness, gladness, mirth, triumph, exultation, and
glorying, enters in various degrees into the
experience of mankind.  Accordingly there
are different words in the original Scriptures,
as in our English text, signifying different degrees of joy.
The Scriptures draw a wide distinction between lawful and unlawful joy. This should
always be maintained. The hypocrite, no less
than the true servant of God-the stony-ground
hearers, no less than those who received the
word into good and honest hearts, had joy.
This was very different in the two classes, but
real in both. Unlawful joys are such as are
not.warranted by God's word or providence;
such as spring from a thing of naught; such as
have their basis in our wicked feelings; or
such as have some iniquity as their exciting




JOY.                 515
cause. They always'prove men depraved, and
always make men worse.
Lawful joys are of various kinds, some of
which are common to mankind in all ages,
such as the joy of mothers in beholding their
smiling infants, the joy of the husbandman in
harvest time, the joy of full health and vigor,
inclining us to leap and run.  There are also
lawful joys in the exercise of our intellects, in
solving difficulties, in achieving mental triumphs, in finding out hidden causes and dark
sayings. True friendship has its joys. The
soul, enlightened, comforted, transported- by
the power of God's Spirit, has great joy.  It
cannot be otherwise. The joy which we have
in things temporal is inferior to that in things
eternal. Things of sense cannot give such delight as the things of religion.  It would be a
calamity if any thing on earth was equal to the
joys above.
One of the oldest and most mischievous
slanders against religion is that it is unfriendly
to enjoyment.  Some admit that it makes ample provision for future blessedness, but contend that in -this life it makes no proper return
for the pleasures from which it cuts us off.
This objection assumes many shapes, and is




516        VITAL GODLINESS.
urged with various degrees of. zeal and subtlety. More men feel its power than are ready
to confess it. Particular answers may properly be given to particular forms of it.  But
some general remarks meet the objection in its
leading principles.
1. Suppose it were a fact that God's people lose all joy on earth, and in this life have
only sorrow and mortification, but a sure hope
of being eternally saved; who is wise, the man
that weeps for a day and rejoices for ever, or
the man who is merry for a day and mourns
for ever?  No wise man doubts what answer
should be given to that interrogatory. It is
better to endure even a great evil for a moment
than to have a comparatively small evil inflicted for a long time. It is agreeable to reason
that great enjoyments are not to be sought if
they will be followed by long-continued evils.
To burn down a house to avoid the chilliness
of a night, to take a powerful narcotic to relieve a slight pain, cannot be justified at the
bar of reason. Can any temporal evil compare
with everlasting sorrow?   Can any earthly
good compare with an eternity of bliss? What
is an hour of joy to ages of woe? What is a
day of weeping to ages of bliss? Even if in this




JoY.                517
life piety gave nothing in lieu of what it takes
away, and yet secured eternal life, it would be
the height of wisdom to fear God and keep his
commandments.
2. It is a suspicious circumstance that this
objection is never made by the people of God,
but only by those who know not whereof they
affirm. No enemy of God has any experience
by which he could possibly be qualified to
judge whether the exercises of piety are conducive to enjoyment. What does an unconverted man know of faith, penitence, hope,
peace, or the comfort of love? No more than
a blind man knows of the colors of a rainbow;
no more than the dead man knows of the joyousness of life. The unrelenting sinner knows
nothing of the beauties of holiness, nothing, of
joy in the Holy Ghost, nothing of the attractions of Christ. To all' such our Saviour is as
a root out of a dry ground. To them his name
has no music, nor is it as ointment poured
forth. They are in darkness. They are blind.
To those who cannot see, one painting has as
few attractions as another.'What do the deaf
know of harmony? To them thunder and the
flute, the roar of the lion and the song of the
nightingale are the same.




518        VITAL GODLINESS.
Here is a miser. His joy is in heaping up
gold, counting it over, increasing it, and beholding it with his eyes. A very sordid joy
this is, but still it is a joy.. Next neighbor to
him lives the man who loves to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, bless his race, and make
the widow's heart to sing for joy. See his
eagerness and alacrity in doing good.  His
face beams with pleasure as he makes others
glad. His dreams are of deeds of mercy.  le
rests not well unless he has done his best to
make men happy, wise, and good. Then he
sleeps as if he had nothing else to do. Is that
miser a fit man to sit in judgment on this philanthropist?  Can he weigh his deeds in the
scale of sober truth, and tell the sum of all the
joy! that spring from a life of love?  No more
can a sinner tell what joys a saint may have.
3. This is the more certain as the joys of
salvation consist of things invisible to the eye
and unappreciable by any natural man. "The
secret of the Lord is with them that fear him,
and he will show them his covenant.'  Communion with God is wholly secret. Even one
Christian knows not except on testimony when
the richest blessings descend upon his brother.
The child of God says,




JOY,                 519
In secret silence of the mind,
BMy heaven, and there my God I find.
Not. so the wicked. When they have much
joy, they kindle bonfires, they fire cannon,
they get up processions, and march about with
music. They mingle in the dance with the
sound of the viol. How can he whose mirth
finds scope in noise and revelry, be a judge of
him whose joys make him love his closet and
lead him to "be still?"  Will mankind never
learn the truth that true religion exposes not
all to the gaze of uncircumcised men?  Cecil
says,' The joy of-religion is an exorcist to the
mind; it expels the demons of carnal mirth
and madness."  All Christians may adopt the
language of one of the ancients  "We change,
but do not lose real delights." Carnal men can
never understand that saying of Augustine,
"How sweet it is to want your sinful sweets."
4. Moreover the joys of God's people are
sober things. Even Seneca said, "True joy is
a serene and sober motion; and they are miserably out that take laughing for rejoicing."
All our best joys are somewhat sober.  The
purer and greater they are, the more will they
partake of seriousness.  The husbandman who
sees his abundant harvests secured; the mer



520         VITAL GODLINESS.
chant whose risks in honorable trade have
returned him  many fold; the father whose
child surpasses all his fond expectations; the
teacher whose pupil is winning golden opinions from his generation-all have joys, but
they are not to be expressed by laughter.
Never does a noble father feel less like noisy
merriment than when for the first timQ he hears
the strains of a commanding eloquence poured
forth from the lips of his darling son. So the
joys of the saints are sober things. They are
more: they are solemn; they are the joys
of the Lord. They spring from forgiveness of
sins, from peace with God, from glorious views
of the great and dreadful God, from fellowship
with the Father and the Son, through the
Holy Ghost.
5. In true and great joy there is a calmness and stillness which men of the world do
not understand.  A little drop of joy in a human mind will agitate it.  But when the fulness of divine comforts is poured upon the
heart, it is quiet. It sits, admires, adores,
walks softly, and is afraid of losing its hold on
God. Reverence abounds in proportion to its
joys. If a little joy makes one giddy, much
will make him quiet; it may even overwhelm




JOY.                 521
him.  For joy the disciples at first believed
not the resurrection of Christ.
6. Besides, the joy of a wicked man is
either in sin or in God's changing creatures.
But the joy of the pious is chiefly in things the
most pure,.permanent, and powerful. So that
they "rejoice evermore;" they even "rejoice
in tribulation."  If they have beyond most a
keen sense and a sad experience of the ills of
life, they have also a sovereign antidote.  To
them, as to others, affliction is not joyous, but
grievous; nevertheless God reigns, Jesus lives,
the covenant is ordered in all things and sure,
and floods break forth to them in a dry and
thirsty land where no water is, and thus they
are made glad.  It was not the unwashed
stripes, nor the stocks, nor the innermost prison, nor midnight darkness, nor the gratuitous
cruelty of the Philippian jailer, that made Paul
and Silas sing praises unto God.  These were
all evils, and some of them very great grievances, but they could not drown the joys these
holy men had in God through the hope of
glory, and by the power of the eternal Spirit.
When the Sun of righteousness arises in the
soul with healing in his wings, midnight becomes noon, prisons are transformed into pal



522         VITAL GODLINESS.
aces, and rills of sorrow are transmuted into
rivers of delight. Did the martyrs die like
abjects? Do real Christians weep and howl
like the wicked -when in trouble?
7. Add to this that all of us, even wicked
men, have seen cases where joy expressed itself by tears.  It is often so when one returns
home after long absence or great perils.  It is
often so when enmities are buried, and a reconciliation is effected between old friends who
had been sundered by strife and feuds.  Why
should it not be so when reconciliation with
God through Jesus Christ is effected? Those
tears of penitence which are shed by the child
of God'at the foot of the cross, are so sweet
that he would fain weep them  always.  His
gratitude often melts him down.  Is thankfulness in its highest exercises painful to the virtuous mind?  God's people may weep much
without proving them unhappy.
8. It is also true that the pious often weep
over the wicked who are deriding them as miserable. They mourn to see men rushing headlong to ruin. For twenty years that pious,
delicate, refined lady has wept for the sins
and follies of her son, father, or husband.
Tears have been her meat day and night, while




JOY.                 523
he for whom they are shed seems more than
ever bent on wickedness. She knows that unless he is speedily and thoroughly changed,
she must soon bid him an eternal farewell. In
God she is happy; by grace she is upheld.
But rivers of water run down her.eyes as she
sees him sell himself to do evil. Long has she
hoped for a change in his character; but hope
deferred makes her heart sick.  Her spirit
almost dies within her.  She weeps in secret
places. IHe surprises her in tears, and charges
all her sadness to religion. His vileness and
impenitence are the cause of the sorrows he
sees.' Were all men seeking the Lord and
walking in his ways, the righteous would not
have half the griefs that now afflict them. Is
it fair, is it just, by our wickedness to cover
with sadness our best friends, and-then to accuse their piety as the cause of their sadness?
9. God's people have also cause of grief in
their own hearts. They are but partially sanctified.  They have a world of trouble, not with
their personal holiness, but with their want of
more entire conformity to God.  It is not the
new man, but the old man; not the image of
Christ, but the body of death that casts them
down.




524        VITAL GODLINESS.
10. Finally, "out of the mouth of two or
three witnesses shall every word be established."  The witnesses in any matter must be
both competent and credible.' In the matter
before us, God's people are capable of giving
testimony. They have tried a life of sin, and
found it vanity. They have tasted and seen
that the Lord is gracious. They know both
sides by experience. They can tell the truth
if they will. And they are credible witnesses.
The testimony of any two or three of millions
of them would bring any man to prison or the
gallows.  What do these persons say?  Without a dissenting voice in any age or country,
they declare that "the ways of wisdom are
ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are
peace;" that they choose "to suffer affliction
with the people of God, rather than enjoy the
pleasures of sin for a season;" that Christ is a
good Master, and his service freedom and joy.
They all sing, "Blessed are they that dwell in
thy house; they will be still praising thee."
The Bible is full of such testimonies.  God
would never command his people to "rejoice
evermore," if they had no cause for joy. TJninspired writers of all classes of God's people
speak the same language with those who spoke




JoY.                 525
asthey were moved by the Holy Ghost. Scripture and Christian experience alike declare,
"True religion is joyful."
Haldane, on Rom. 5:2, says, "The Christian should speak nothing boastingly so far as
concerns himself, but he has no reason to conceal his sense of his high destination as a son
of God and an heir of glory.  In this he ought
to exult, in this he ought to glory, and in obedience to his Lord's command, to rejoice because his name is written in heaven. The hope
of eternal salvation through the grace of our
Lord Jesus Christ cannot but produce joy; for
as there can be no true joy without such a hope,
so it carries with it the very essence of joy."
Matthew  Henry said, "You have been
used to take notice of the sayings of dying
men; this is mine, That a life spent in the service of God and communion with him, is the
most comfortable and pleasant life that any one
can live in this world."
His distinguished sister Mrs. Savage, dying, said, "I here leave the testimony of my
experience, that Christ's yoke is easy, and his
burden light."
In his commentary on the Galatians, Luther
says, "Where Christ is truly seen, there must




526         VITAL GODLINESS.
needs be full and perfect joy in the Lord, with
peace of conscience."
Joseph Alleine said to his wife, "I live a
voluptuous life; but it is upon spiritual dainties, such as the world- knows not and tastes
not of."
John Newton says, "I am  sure the real
Christian, who has peace with God and in his
own conscience, has both the best title to joy
and the best disposition for it."
Evans says, " It is the habitual and fixed
judgment of every sincere Christian's mind,
that Christ and his benefits are more to be
rejoiced in than all worldly good."
Dr. Barrow says, " It is a scandalous misprision, vulgarly admitted, concerning religion,
that it is altogether sullen and sour, requiring
a dull, lumpish, morose kind of life, barring all
delight, all mirth, all good-humor; whereas,
on the contrary, it alone is the never-failing
source of true, pure, steady joy, such as is
deep-rooted in the heart, immovably founded
in the reason of things, permanent like the immortal spirit wherein it dwelleth and like the
eternal objects whereon it is fixed, which is not
apt to fade or cloy, and is not subject to any
impressions apt to corrupt or impair it.'




JOY.                527
It is a very noticeable fact, that true piety
promotes joyfulness just in proportion as it is
fervent, constant, and full of devout meditation.
Bishop Horne having finished his commentary
on the Psalms, and calling to mind the sweet
thoughts he had had of God, says,." And now,,could the author flatter himself that any one
would.take half the pleasure in reading the following exposition which he hath taken in writing it, he w-ould not fear the loss of his labor.
The employment detached him from the bustle
and hurry of life, the din ofpolitics, and the
noise of.folly; vanity and vexation flew away
for a season, care and disquietude came not
near his dwelling. He arose fresh as the morning to his task; the silence of the night invited
him to pursue it; and he can truly say that
food and rest were not preferred before it.
Every psalm improved infinitely upon his acquaintance with it, and no one gave him uneasiness but the last; for then he grieved that his
work was done. Happier hours than those
which have been spent in these meditations on
the songs of Zion he never expects to see in this
world. Very pleasantly did they pass, and
moved smoothly and swiftly along; for when
thus engaged, he counted no time. They are




528        VITAL GODLINESS.
gone, but have left a relish and a fragrance
upon the mind, and the remembrance of them
is sweet."  In his commentary on the Romans,
Dr. Chalmers quotes the above as "an actual
specimen of heaven upon earth as enjoyed for
a season of devotional contemplation on the
word of God."
When such sentiments are rehearsed in the
audience of God's people, they win their hearty
and unanimous approbation. Are not all these
witnesses to be believed?  Who knows the
truth, if they do not?  Why do they thus
agree, if they speak not the truth.? What motive have they for giving false testimony?
All these views are heightened by a just
comparison of the joys of the wicked and of the
righteous, so far as they are different. For the
righteous are not cut off from lawful delights
even here; and the joys of all the wicked are
strongly mixed with pains.  "Many sorrows
shall-be to the wicked," says God. And although for a long time the enemies of God may
seem joyful, may have great outward prosperity, may be very skilful in concealing their
wounds, yet it is still true that "the wicked"
have " many sorrows."
Their consciences are ill at ease. This is




JOY.                529
true of all God's enemies. In the checks and
clamors and forebodings of the monitor within
are found present sorrows and infallible tokens
of coming wrath. A man had better quarrel
with his generation than with his conscience
and lis God. The righteous have peace with
God, and their consciences are purged from
dead works.
The wicked are sources of sorrow to each
other.  There are many aspirants for every
post of honor, many rivals for preeminence in
every profession, and many haughty despisers
of the unfortunate and unsuccessful.  Both in
this life and the next, the wicked often torment each other. The righteous have pleasure
in each other.
No amount of worldly success can ever satisfy the demands of wicked men. Their ambition, pride, covetousness, revenge, and envy
burn the more vehemently the more they are
gratified. To indulge them is to give them
new power. They kindle a terrific, tormenting flame in every bosom, which is never extinguished but by the grace of God.  "In all
worldly joys there is a secret wound."  But
sin has lost its dominion over God's people.
The truth has made them free. The Son of
Vltal Godliness  23




530         VITAL GODLINESS.
God has wrought their deliverance. The very
truths of religion, which gladden the hearts of
believers, are sources of sorrow to the wicked.
It is pleasing to the righteous, but dismal to
the wicked, that this life will soon be over.
It rejoices the humble, but afflicts the haughty,
to know that God resisteth the proud and will
surely abase them.  The resurrection of the
dead and the'general judgment, two events
quite essential to the completeness of Christian
joy, are among the most gloomy of all topics
of reflection to the wicked.  The Lord reigns,
says God's word, and the righteous shouts for
joy; while the wicked says, " If that be so, my
doom is sealed, and my damnation certain."
The wicked are not secured, but plagued
by the covenant, promises, and perfections of
God.  Is God almighty? then he can destroy
them.  Is he righteous? then he will mark iniquity.  Is he kind? they have provoked his
displeasure by despising his mercy.  Is he
faithful and true? his threatenings will as certainly be executed as his promises.
Then the wicked are against themselves.
They are self-destroyers. They hate life, and
refuse good. They give their souls the wounds
they feel. They stand in their own light. They




JOY.                 531
fasten their own chains upon themselves. They
willfor ever do what many of them often do
here; that is, curse their own folly.
And all nature is against them.  The stars
in their courses fight against them. Yea, "the
stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam
out of the timber shall answer it."  The fowls
of the mountain, the beasts of the field, the
serpents in the wall, and all the elements are
ready at any moment to break out against the
wicked, whenever God shall give them permission.
And their best joys are so short-lived.
"As the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is
the laughter of the fool."  Eccl. 7: 6.  " The
time is short. It remaineth that both they that
have wives be as though they had none, and
they that rejoice as though they rejoiced not."
1 Cor. 7:29, 30. And the end of their joys
is sorrow, and the end of their sorrow is wailing and howling. So that always, in all worlds,
"their-vine is of the vine of Sodom and of the
fields of Gomorrah; their grapes are grapes of
gall, their clusters are bitter; their wine is the
poison of dragons and the cruel venom of asps.
Is not this laid up in store" for them?  The
joys of the righteous, on the other hand, are




532         VITAL GODLINESS.
pure.  They never cloy the appetite.  They
are salutary, and do good as a medicine. They
last.  They outlast the sun.  Where the joy
of the saints begins to be absolutely perfect,
there the joy of sinners ends for ever.
"See their short course of vain delight
Closing in everlasting night."
O the impenetrable gloom of despair! 0 that
night which will have no morning!
The objects of Christian joy are clearly set
forth in Scripture. The chief of these is God
himself. So says David, "I will go unto the
altar of God, unto God my exceeding joy."
Psa. 43: 3. Paul says, "And not only so, but
we joy in God."  Rom. 5: 11. Again, "Rejoice in the Lord always; and again I say,
rejoice."  Phil. 4:4.  Isaiah says, "I will
greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall be
joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with
the garments of salvation; he hath covered me
with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom
decketh himself with ornaments, and as'a bride
adorneth herself with her jewels." Isa. 61:10.
In Psalm 5:11, we read, "Let all those that
put their trust in thee rejoice; let them ever
shout for joy, because thou d'efendest them;
let them also that love thy name be joyful in




JOY.                533
thee."  So also in many other places we are
exhorted and commanded to rejoice in the
Lord.  Above all, Godis fitted to be an object of unfailing joy, because he is God, infinite, eternal, and unchangeable in all conceivable perfections.  The fulness that is in him
meets all our wants.  The pious delight in
God; so that prayer, which would otherwise
be a task, and praise, which would otherwise
be..a mockery, are refreshing to the soul as it
cries, "Abba, Father," and "Hallelujah."  In
like manner all the duties of the Christian life
become pleasant by our joy in God.  Our
Rock is perfect. In him is no darkness at all.
He is an ocean of love, an infinitude of matchless loveliness.  When he speaks peace, none
can give trouble.  When he makes glad, none
can give sorrow. The mind of the child of
God has no more fears that the resources
which are in God will ever fail, than the mariner hag that the sea will go dry. There is
none like Jehovah, none before him, none with
him, none to be compared to him, none besides
him.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is a special object of
joy.  "Whom, having not seen, ye love; in
whom, though now ye see him not, yet believ



534        VITAL GODLINESS.
ing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full
of glory."  1 Pet. 1: 8.  None like him gives
"the oil of joy for mourning, and the garment
of praise for the spirit of heaviness."  Isa.
61: 3. This joy, of which Christ is the object,
is founded upon his person, his design in coming into the world, the perfection of his obedience, the completeness of his sufferings, the
excellence of his doctrine, the virtue of his
blood-shedding, the spotlessness and amplitude
of his righteousness, the glory of his intercession, the perpetuity of his kingdom, the blessed
provisions of the covenant of which he is the
surety, the justification, adoption, sanctification, peace with God, access to the mercy-seat,
communion with the Father, growth in grace,
and final victory accomplished through our
blessed Saviour.  Truly "this is life eternal,
to know God, and Jesus Christ whom he has
sent."  "Christ was set for a light to the Gentiles, that he should be for salvation to the
ends of the earth."  Acts 13:.47. Would you
avail yourself of all the fulness and fatness
that are here?  "Consider the apostle and
high-priest of your profession, Christ Jesus."
Set your faith steadfastly in him.  Say with
Peter, "We believe and are sure that thou art




JOY.                 535
that Christ, the Son of the living God." John
6: 9. Your joy in Christ will ever be proportioned to your faith in him.  Christ is
never truly revealed to the soul of a believer,
but he is made more or less joyful in him. It
is so in the first dawn of a good hope; it is so
in fuller manifestations of his glory; it is so in
the day when Christ leads the soul into his
banqueting-house, and his banner over it is
love.  Then its language is, "Stay me with
flagons, comfort me with apples; for I am sick
of love."
In like manner the third person of the Godhead is an object of joy.  So Paul declares
that " the kingdom of God is not meat and drink,
but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the
Holy Ghost."  Rom. 14: 17. Joy in the Holy
Ghost may chiefly signify joy by the power
and grace of the Spirit. But even then this
language would not be used in a case where
one despised that blessed person. No man has
joy worth having without the Spirit; and no
man has the Spirit who holds him in contempt.
The Spirit gives holy delight in holy things.
Christians also rejoice in God's providence.
"The Lord reigneth, let the earth rejoice; let
the multitude of the isles be glad thereof."




536        VITAL GODLINESS.
They also delight in the house of God, and cry,
"How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of
hosts."  In the associated people of God, his
church, they also rejoice, saying, "If I forget
thee, O Jerusalem, let my right hand forget
her cunning; if i do not remember thee, let
my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I
prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.:' Psa.
137:5, 6. In his word too they have great
joy. David said, "Thy testimonies are the
rejoicing of my heart."  "How sweet are thy
words to my taste; yea, sweeter than honey
to my mouth." Psa. 119:103. So God's people rejoice in all that pertains to God, all that
is pleasing to him, all that makes them like
him.
If these views be correct, then it follows,
1. That the knowledge of divine things is
very necessary to the existence and completion
of a true Christian character.  Charnock says,
"Who can delight in God that hath no sense
of the goodness of his nature and the happiness
of fruition? Who can delight in his ways who
does not understand him as good and indulgent
in his precepts as he is sweet and bountiful
in his promises?  If we did know him, we
should be as easily drawn to rejoice in him, as




JOY.                537
by ignorance we are induced to run from him.
Such charms would be transmitted to our hearts
as would constrain a joy in them in spite of all
other delights in perishing pleasures. Knowledge of God is a necessary preface to spiritual
joy in him.'My meditation of him shall be
sweet; I will be glad in the Lord.' Psalm
104:34.... What pleasure can a man, ignorant of God's nature and delightful perfections,
and that represents him through some mistaken gloss which imprints unworthy notions
of God in his mind-what pleasure can such a
man take in approaching to God, or what greater freedom can he have in coming to him, than
a malefactor in being brought before a judge?"
Let the knowledge of God therefore dwell in
you richly in all wisdom and spiritual understanding. If you would be more joyful, know
more of divine things.  "Acquaint thyself
with God, and be at peace."  "Search the
Scriptures."
2. Our joy need not be feeble and sickly,
but provision is made that it may be ample.
Even when sorrowful, we may be always rejoicing.  2 Cor. 6:10. Men may persecute
and defame us; but this is our rejoicing, the
testimony of our consciences.  2 Cor. 1: 12.
23*




538        VITAL GODLINESS.
We may be exceedingly glad in the duties of
religion, and find it good to draw near to God.
If kept from uniting with his people in public
worship, he himself can be to us for a little
sanctuary.  When the springs of earthly comfort go dry, then to the believer "the parched
ground shall become a pool, and the thirsty
land springs of water." Isa. 35: 7. When we
are denied the things of the world, we may
rejoice in the assurance of a better and more
enduring substance. When every thing looks
dark and discouraging for the interests of
religion, then We may rejoice in knowing that
Jesus Christ loves the church better than we
do, and that she is graven on the palms of his
hands.  Our joy may go so far as to make us
glory in tribulation. It can keep us from regretting that we have undertaken the service
of Christ; so that the more we are tried, the.more it will be manifest that we cleave to him
with purpose of heart; and though we may be
weary in his service, we are not weary of his
service.
3. True holy joy is one of the most operative of all the gifts of the Spirit. Nothing will
more certainly or thoroughly arouse men to
do their utmost for the cause of God. Paul




JoY.                 539
testifies of the church of Macedonia, that "in
a great trial of affliction, the abundance of their
joy and their deep poverty abounded unto the
riches of their liberality." 2 Cor. 8: 2. Yea,
he declares that their joy made them willing
to do more than it was in their power to do.
This holy joy is the animating principle of true
obedience.  Thus "David and the elders of
Israel, and the captains over thousands, went
to bring up the ark of the covenant of the
Lord out of the house of Obed-edom with joy."
I Chron. 15:25. Thus in the days of Ezra
holy men "kept the dedication of the house of
God with joy."  Ezra 6: 16. So says Isaiah,
"The meek shall increase their joy in the
Lord, and the poor among men shall rejoice
in the Holy One of Israel." Isa. 29: 19.
Indeed the human mird is so constituted
as to be easily and powerfully moved by all
the class of pleasing affections, of which none
is more powerful than joy.  And so we uniformly find men to be happy whose lives are
given up to labor for the good of others. Their
holy delight in deeds of mercy leads them to
lives of self-denial, and this exercise of their
loving dispositions strengthens them. Among
the many thousands of letters I have received,




540        VITAL GODLINESS.
not a few have been from missionaries in frontier settlements and in heathen lands; and
although some of them have detailed painful
scenes, yet I do not remember one that was in
a despondent mood.  So wherever you find
one animated by the spirit of Howard or of
Elizabeth Fry, you invariably find them of a
happy temper.
Their converts were to the apostles a joy
and a crown.  Paul says to some, "Now we
live, if ye stand fast."  Even stripes and prisons and chains could not repress the ardor of
holy men of old. They were not sent a warfare at their own charges. God was with them.
4. This subject explains to us how the people of God are brought to bear so well the
losses, sorrows, bereavements, and disappointments of life.
"Joy never feasts so high
As when the first course is of misery."
The highest joy to the Christian almost always
comes through suffering. "No flower can bloom
in paradise which is not transplanted from
Gethsemane. No one can taste of the fruit of
the tree of life that has not tasted of the fruits
of the tree of Calvary."  God's people know
this.  If tears are their meat day and night,




JOY.                541
their sadness drives them to God, and with joy
they draw water out of the wells of salvation.
Isa. 12:3. The crops may fail, but the cove —
nant stands sure.  We and all nature may
change, but God is the same.  To those who
put their trust in him, he is without intermission Father, Friend, God, Redeemer, Saviour,
Comforter, Portion, and eternal All; and so he
will continue for ever.  He who has God for
his God, ought not to be cast down because the
world casts him out. He who has such joys,
ought not to be humbly begging the world for
its favor, nor seeking a slice from the loaf of
ungodly men.  He who cares not for eternal
things, may busy himself to be in fashion here;
but when the joy of the Lord is our strength,
we ought not to grieve at little things. Thus
saith the Lord, "Strengthen ye the weak hands,
and confirm the feeble knees. Say to them
that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not:
behold, your God will come. with vengeance,
even God with a recompense; he will come
and save you." Isa. 35: 3, 4. In all the righteous is more or less fulfilled the prophecy:
"The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and
come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy
upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and




542        VITAL GODLINESS.
gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee
away." Isa. 35:10.
Nor are they glad for nothing. There are
no comforts, no cordials, no delights like those
which God gives to his well-beloved. To the
blind world all religious joys may seem like
enthusiasm; but the human mind is never more
sound, its operations are never more safe than
when in holy triumph the people of God take
joyfully the spoiling of their goods, or are filled
with ecstasy at the suffering of reproach for the
name of Christ. The hosannas and hallelujahs
of the house of God on earth are as seasonable
and as reasonable as those of the temple not
made with hands. It is an apostolic direction,
"Is any merry, let him  sing psalms."  We
have apostolic example also for singing praises
to God in the most trying circumstances. Paul
says, " We faint not; but though our outward
man perish, yet the inward man is renewed
day by day. For our light affliction, which is
but for a. moment, worketh for us a far more
exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while
we look not at the things which are temporal,
but at the things which are eternal." 2 Cor.
4: 16-I8.  It has long since been determined
in the church that it is better to suffer for




JOY,                 543
Christ, if he will give strength and joy, than
to live in ease and quiet. The hotter the battle,
the more renowned the victory.  The harder
the labor, the sweeter the rest.  The darker
the night, the more joyous the morning.
5. It is wise to be religious, to be strictly,
earnestly, scripturally religious. All the doctrines of revealed religion are true, safe for
man, honorable to God. All the duties of true
religion are reasonable and ennobling. Christ
is no hard Master; he requires nothing degrading. In the progress of revolution, Napoleon Buonaparte judged it necessary to divorce
the wife of his youth.  In accomplishing this
object he required her son to act a part, and
publicly declare his approbation of the -measure while all the time his heart was burning
with rage at the atrocity perpetrated against
his mother.  Here was real degradation.  Jesus Christ has sometimes called his people to
die for him, but he never asked one of his servants to do a mean thing, a thing which made
him gnaw his tongue for resentment, and yet
to profess that all-was necessary. No; he imposes no duties but those which will elevate
our character for ever.
The prospects opened before the truly pious




544        VITAL GODLINESS.
are no less pleasing than their duties.  It is
not denied that there are conflicts and sharp
sorrows in the service of God; but even they
end in the greater joys. An old writer says,
"Give me a man that, after many secret stings
and hard conflicts in his breast, upon a serious
penitence and sense of reconciliation with his
God, hath attained to a quiet heart and is walking humbly and closely with God; I shall bless
and emulate him as a subject' of true joy; for
spiritually there never is a perfect calm but
after a tempest.... Set me at full variance
with myself, that I may be at peace with thee,
O God."  Nothing but a true and powerful
religious principle could have made Paul, in
the depths of his sufferings, say, "I am filled
with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our
tribulation."  2 Cor. 74.
6. It is the duty of all God's people so to
live that they may enjoy religion. Much has
been done for them; they ought to make
much of it.. Many and great things have been
granted them; many and great thanks should
be rendered by them.  Unless our religion
makes us to some extent joyful, it quite fails
of its object. From  this remark we should
except cases of deep melancholy. Poor Cow



JoY.                545
per exclaimed, "I arise in the morning like an
infernal frog out of.Acheron, covered with the
ooze and mud of melancholy." Again, "Could
I be translated to Paradise, unless I could
leave my body behind me, my melancholy
would cleave to me there."  Although tempests, earthquakes, and shattered nerves are
not under'the absolute control of either reason
or religion, yet blessed be God that he has
spoken many kind things to the timid, the feeble-minded, and the sorrowing; so that if disease allows the mind any fair play, the pious
have at least seasons of sunshine.
Jesus Christ said that his teachings were
designed to make his people happy.  "These
things have I spoken unto you, that my joy
niight remain in you, and that your joy might
be full." Again, "These things I speak in the
world, that they might have my joy fulfilled
in themselves."  John 15 11; 17: 3.  John
says the same: "These things write we unto
you, that your joy may be full."  1 John 1: 4.
So that if we have no religious enjoyment, it
is either because we have no religion or but
little religion, or because we are sadly afflicted
and diseased. True piety is as sure to have
joy, as it is to have penitence or faith in it.




546        VITAL GODLINESS.
"The fruit of the Spirit is joy."  G'al. 5: 22.
"They that sow in tears, shall," sooner or later,
"reap in joy." Psa. 126:5. Satan may tempt,
providences may look dark, friends may grow
cold, faith may be weak, disease may enfeeble
and for a time bury the mind in a cloud, but
whenever reason reascends the throne and
grace resumes her sway, there will be joy.
Christians, labor to be happy. Strive to comhiend your religion by being well "anointed
with the oil of gladness."
7. This subject specially irvites our attention to heavenly things. G9d's people have
real satisfaction here, but in his immediate
"presence is fulness of joy; at his right hand
are pleasures for evermore."  Psa. 16: 11.
God's people through life long to be clothed
upon with their house which is from heaven.
And so "when desire cometh, it is a tree of.life."  Prov. 13:12. In that blessed world
sin, temptation, sorrow, sickness,'and death
have no place. Faith is swallowed up in sight,
and hope in enjoyment. Ignorance gives place
to perfect knowledge. Here the soul had long
said of God, "Whom have I in heaven but
thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee." There it sees his full glories




JOY.                 547
revealed in the person of Jesus Christ, and is
satisfied to all eternity in the visions of uncreated splendors.  One of the ancients said,
"Praise the sweetness of honey as much as
thou canst, he who has never tasted it cannot
understand the matter."  The same is true of
holy joys on earth, and much more of the perfect joys of heaven.  Of the latter God gives
his people a foretaste in the comforts of the
Holy Ghost, which he dispenses here. It is
true they are but as a few clusters from the
vintage of Canaan, but they are enough to
whet our appetite for the abundant and unmingled blessings of the spirits of just men made
perfect.
Leighton says, "When we shall receive
that rich and pure and abiding inheritance,
that salvation which shall be revealed in the
last time, and when time itself shall cease to
be, then there shall be no more reckoning of
our joys by days and hours, but they shall run
parallel with eternity.  Then all our love,
that is now parcelled out upon the vanities
among which we are here, shall be united and
gathered into one and fixed upon God, and the
soul shall be filled with the delight of his presence."




548        VITAL GODLINESS.
One of Bunyan's dying sayings was, "Oh,
who is able to conceive the inexpressible and
inconceivable joys that are in heaven? None
but they who have tasted of them.. Lord, help
us to put such a value upon them here, that in
order to prepare ourselves for them, we may
be willing to forego the loss of all deluding
pleasures here." Another was, "If you would
be better satisfied what the beatifical vision
means, my request is that you would live holily and go and see."  Bishop Hall says, "My
soul, while it is thus clogged and confined, is
too strait to conceive of those incomprehensible and spiritual delights which thou, 0 Godl,
hast provided for thy chosen ones who triumph
with thee in heaven. Oh teach me then to
wonder at that which I cannot attain to know,
and to long for that happiness which I there
hope to enjoy with thee for ever,"
Meikle thus contrasts the present and the
future life. -~ H~says, " In this life I may have
at times a mortal health; but in that I shall
have always eternal vigor. In this life I may
have some tainted pleasures; but in that I shall
have always pure delights and holy raptures.
In this life I may have at times a few friends
for a few days; but in that I shall have always




JOY.                 549
all my friends about me for ever.  In this life
I mayhave at times some acres of ground; but
in that I shall have always an unbounded inheritance in the heavenly/Canaan.  Here fine
clothing of wool; there robes of righteousness
and garments of glory. Here a house pair ted
with vermilion; there'a house not made with
hands.' Here bread to eat and water to drink;
there the hidden manna and the river of life.
Here a portion of the good, things of time;
there the glorious treasures of eternity.
"As to spiritual good things, in this life I
may have communications of grace; but in that
life I shall have eternal glory.  Here freedom
from the reign of sin; there deliverance from
the'being of sin.  Here glances of faith; there
immediate vision.  Here God in his ordinances; there uninterrupted communion. Here
~manifestations of love; there all the transports
of eternal assurance and  everlasting bliss.
Here access to the throne of grace; there uninterrupted attendance at the throne of glory.
Here I often sin against God; there I shall
never offend the eyes of his glory.  Here I go
mourning without the sun; there my sun shall
go down no more."
And so he carries the contrast entirely




550       VITAL GODLINESS.
through. Whatever evil you have here, you
shall have the opposite good in heaven. Whatever good thing you have here, you shall have
the same in perfection, or something far better, at God's right hand. To go to heaven'is
to " enter into the joy of thy Lord."




ZEAL.                 551
CHIAPTER XXIV.
ZEAL.
" Zeal is the fire of love,
Active for duty, burning as it flies."
ZEAL is ardor, and is good or bad according to the principles from which it flows and
the end to which it is directed. It is the life
of every cause dependent on human exertions.
The habits and tempers of men control its
modes of operation.  In religion its importance is very great, and its nature should be
well understood.  The Scriptures give precepts and examples, motives and encouragements on the whole subject.
So soon as the word zeal is pronounced,
some seem alarmed.  Men of the world and
formalists speak much and feel more against
all ardor in religion.  "The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God."
Some say, I'f the Christian religion is true,
why do its avowed friends manifest so little
zeal in maintaining and propagating it?" This
solemn inquiry admits of but one solution,
namely, The best of men are but half awake.




552        VITAL GODLINESS.
Imperfection mars all human virtue here below. In all things we come short. Yet the
very men who start such questions will, upon
a turn, put the brand of fanaticism on all who
manifest a lively interest in the salvation of
men. Cecil says, "The world will allow a
vehemence approaching to ecstasy on almost
every subject but religion, which above all
others will justify it."  The real temper of
wicked men is unchanged from generation to
generation.  As in the days of John the Baptist and of Christ, they are still like the children in the market-place.  If we pipe, they
will not dance. If we mourn, they will not
lament. We must look elsewhere than to the
world for rules of pious living, for guides to
holiness. Even the visible church of God falls
far below the true standard of holy fervency
demanded in religion.
It is readily conceded that there is false
zeal manifested for religion. The word of God
so teaches.  "They zealously affect you, but
Inot well."  Gal. 4':17. Of old Jehovah said,
"Ephraim hath mixed himself among the people; Ephraim is a cake not turned."  Here
God admits that in some things his servant
was strict and zealous. In others no less im



ZEAL.                 553
portant, he was lax and cold. His zeal was
partial, and so was deficient. In our Saviour's
day, many showed much ardor in tithing mint,
anise, and cummin; they passed over faith,
justice, mercy, and the love of God. They
strained at a gnat, and swallowed a camel.
They made much ado about light things, but
had no zeal for weighty things. What they
did was in itself right, but what they left undone was indispensable.  The religion of hypocrites is never symmetrical. 1U despises divine rules. its code of laws is eclectic.  It
never submits to the whole will of Heaven.
All zeal which has for its object any thing
forbidden in the oracles of God, as all willworship and uncommanded austerities, is a
false zeal.  Something of this nature often enters largely into false religions. Human inventions in religion are multiform, and always dangerous.  Admit one as any part of true piety,
and there is no end to error and man's devices.
God's word condemns a superstitious zeal.
Before his  conversion, Paul was "more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of his fathers" than "many his equals" in other respects.  The world has always been and still
is overstocked with a blind veneration for
Vital Godliness.  24




554        VITAL GODLINESS.
much that has been devised by man.  The
more of this kind of zeal any one has, the worse
man is he. The priests of Baal " cried aloud,
and cut themselves after their manner with
knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out
upon them."  They were very zealous, and yet
abominably wicked. Many a man is the worse
citizen, neighbor, husband, father, brother, and
friend, because his spurious zeal has perverted
even the generous instincts of his nature.
The Scriptures condemn all blind zeal.
They require every man to be fully persuaded
in his own mind. Hooker says, "Zeal needeth a sober guide."  He who has no "reason
of the hope that is in him" is self-deceived.
The terrible rebuke of Christ to the Samaritans, "Ye worship ye know not what," should
alarm fiery zealots. Ignorance was a radical
fault in the ardor of the Jews in apostolic-times.
Paul gives witness to their zeal for God, but
adds that it was not according to knowledge.
"For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own
righteousness, have not submitted themselves
to the righteousness of God."  They put the
law where they should place the gospel. They
ignored the merits of Christ.




ZEAL.                555
Sometimes zeal is contentious, and so betrays its spurious nature.  Some build churches, endow  asylums, defend the truth, yea,
"preach Christ of contention, but not sincerely."  Good to man and glory to God may
be brought out of their labors; but they shall
have no divine reward. Their works shall be
burned up, and they shall suffer loss. Alas,
how many forget that the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. The greatest error of Paul before his conversion was,
that "touching zeal, he persecuted the church."
No darker sign can attend a religious profession than a cruel, supercilious, denunciatory
spirit. "Bless, and curse not." "As we have
opportunity, let us do good unto all men."  "In
meekness instructing those that oppose themselves."
Sometimes zeal is ostensibly for religion,
but really for selfish ends. It will serve itself
or a party, but not Christ.  Men have compassed sea and land to make one proselyte,
who, when made, was worse than before. His
conversion was not to God, to duty, to holiness, to obedience. Those who plied him with
means and arguments never desired his sanctification; they wanted his name and influ




556        VITAL GODLINESS.
ence. In every age are found some professors
of religion who rejoice more at making a proselyte than a convert; who are more pleased
at seducing an unstable soul out of another into
their own communion, than in plucking a brand
from the everlasting burnings. This is indeed
sad. Let such learn what manner of spirit
they are of.
Zeal is often boastful and ostentatious.
Jehu said, " Come with me, and see my zeal
for the Lord of hosts."  The old Pharisees
sounded a trumpet before them when they were
about to give alms; and for a pretence, they
made long prayers. Even in pious men there
is often a mixture of motives; and vanity comes
in to mar their good works.
Sometimes zeal which otherwise appears
well is but temporary, and so proves its spurious nature. At one time the GOalatians would,
if possible, have given their eyes to the man
who was the means of their conversion. They
seemed to' begin in the spirit, but they ended
in the flesh. They were soon turned aside.
Their zeal did not last.  They did run well
for a time, but by and by they were hindered.
They counted as an enemy the man who told
them the truth. With their ardor they lost




ZEAL.                 557
also their comfort in religion, so that Paul
says to them, "Where is the blessedness ye
spake of?"
In some cases zeal betrays its spurious
character by the self-righteousness which it
engenders.  Christ taught his disciples, saying,
"When ye have done all these things which
are commanded you, say, We are unprofitable
servants; we have done that which it was our
duty to do."  But some come away from the
most solemn acts of devotion puffed up with
pride, and ready to say to others, "Stand by
thyself, come not near to me; for I am holier
than thou."  Of such God says, "These are a
smoke in my nose, a fire -that burneth all the
day.  I will recompense into their bosom."
Isa. 65:5.  "What hast thou that thou hast
not received?"  "Not unto us, not unto us,
but to thy name give glory."  "From me is
thy. fruit found."
But there is a true and scriptural zeal. All
fervor in religion is not rash, blind, boastful,
contentious, superstitious, temporary, or selfrighteous. Genuine zeal is " the wisdom that
is from above," and^" is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy
and good fruits, without partiality, and without




558           VITAL GODLINESS.
hypocrisy."  Jas. 3:17.  True zeal has no byends.  Its principle and its aim  are holiness.
It leads to purity.  For peace it will give up
every thing but truth and a good conscience.
It wars not after the flesh. It rejects carnal
weapons.  It is full of courtesy, candor, and
kindness. It forbears. It forgives. It pities.
It yields to reasonable arguments and suggestions.  It is not obstinate.  It hates malice.  It
loves mercy.  Its fruits are wholesome and
healthful.  It pours blessings both'on its objects and its subjects, on its friends and its foes.
It cares not for vain distinctions which men of
the world regard; but without partiality, without respect of persons, it does good to all men,
especially to the household of faith.  It is ununfeigned. It feels all it professes, and more.
It dotes not "about questions and strifes of
words whereof cometh envy, strife, railings,
evil-surmisings, and perverse disputings."  Its
zeal is for the simple truth.  True zeal is not
light without heat; yet it is modest. If God
be glorified and his cause advanced, it is willing to remain unnoticed.  It is ready to contend earnestly, but not bitterly, for the truth.
If it falls into error, it is not incorrigible. It
is moved with alacrity, but not hurried by




ZEAL.                 559
impetuosity.  It leaves a sweet savor on the
minds of all the pious. It seeks not its own.
Its glory is to glorify God.  Its happiness is
to make others blessed.  It loves rich and
poor, and delights in blessing the bond and the
free.  It weeps over human wickedness.  It
rejoices in all truth, in all goodness.
Though mild and meek, it is not timid and
cringing.  When the enemy comes in like a
flood, the Lord lifts up a standard against him
in the person of his humble people. Then "the
righteous are as bold as a lion." The servant
of God is firm, not by his natural strength,
but through the grace that is given unto him.
This zeal lasts; it is not fickle.  It is a fire
fed by the oil poured into the heart by the
Holy Ghost.  It loves its toils, and even its
sufferings for Christ and his people.  Its meat
and its drink is to do and to suffer the will of
God.  It is different from any principle which
governs the men of the world.  It is enlightened; it is "wisdom." It hates vainglory. It
is strongest when self is most out of view.  It
finds its aliment in a lively faith in the lively
oracles.  It hopes against hope.  Because it
springs from love to Christ, it fears not selfdenial. In no case is it indeed perfect. This




660        VITAL GODLINESS.
keeps the most zealous good men in an humble
frame. There. is probably more true zeal in
the church of God than is sometimes supposed
to exist; yet there is far less than the miseries
of men, the love of Christ, and the glory of
God imperatively demand.
The ways in which a genuine zeal may
exert itself are many. It does not forget its
own immortal interests.  He whose heart is
warmed with fire from heaven, does not neglect his own soul, but keeps his heart with all
diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.
Like Henry Martyn, he says, "My first great
business on earth is the sanctification of my
own soul." The first step towards doing good
is to be good.  It is a sad spectacle when we
see men busy here and there, but caring not
to make their own calling and election sure.
It is mournful when a man is constrained to
take up the lamentation, " They made me the
keeper of the vineyards, but mine own vineyard have I not kept."  We are never more
mistaken than when we imagine ourselves
called upon to do some duty which interferes
with the cultivation of personal piety.  Our
blessed Saviour has set us a good example in
this respect. Though he was charged with the




ZEAL.                 561
business of redeeming a world, and though he
knew that his personal.ministry on earth would
be very short, yet he never neglected communion with God.  He spent whole nights in devotion.  The zeal of God's house consumed
him. None walked with God so closely as he.
Indeed his personal devotedness to God was
the aliment of all his holy fervor. Be wise for
thyself.
But true charity looks not'only on its own
things, but also on the things of others. It
takes the beam out of its own eye, but it is
then ready to take the mote out of its neighbor's eye. It first weeps for its own sins; it
then mourns for the iniquities of others. Thus
Jeremiah said to his nation, "If ye will not
hear it, my soul shall weep in secret places
over your pride, and mine eye shall weep sore
and run down with tears."  Ezekiel also tells
us that when God was about to send his messengers to destroy the land and to waste its
people, he sent before them an angel with an
inkhorn, to "set a mark upon the foreheads of
the men that sighed and cried for all the abominations that were done."  Often all that the
righteous can do is to weep in secret, and cry,
"Oh that the wickedness of the wicked were
24*




562        VITAL GODLINESS.
come to an end!" Matthew Henry says, "The
sight of sin either makes a man sad or guilty.
If we see it, and are not sorrowful, we are
guilty."  Blessed is the man who weeps foi the
wickedness of men, and as he has opportunity
testifies against it, and warns men of coming
judgments.
Another proper field for pious zeal is the
sanctuary.  There it makes-and there it performs many holy vows. There it swells the
voice of joy and praise.  There it beholds the
King in his beauty. There it is delighted with
memories of past mercies, and ravished with
visions of future glories. The prayers appropriate to the sanctuary are sure to meet with a
hearty response from all who have heavenly
zeal. The anthems of praise belonging to the
courts of the Lord's house animate the humble
soul, and awaken longings for heavenly glories.
True zeal also delights in sustaining sober,
practical, and benevolent institutions, whose
aim is to enlighten mankind, elevate public
sentiment, and bring sinners to Christ. Nor
will a true zeal forget the family. A zeal
which is warm and active abroad, but cold and
formal at home, is not of the genuine kind.
He who lets the fire die out on the domestic




ZEAL.                  563
altar cannot be a useful member of the church
of Christ.  Could we once see a generation
of the friends of Christ duly attentive to the
duties of piety at home, it would be a better
sign of the approach of the latter dav's glory
than has yet appeared.  Oh that God would
now turn the hearts of the parents to the children; -and the hearts of the children to the
parents.
Another fit work for true zeal is found in
direct personal efforts for the salvation of impenitent men around us.  Genuine religious
ardor watches for souls.  Above all things, it
delights to win souls,  It seeks, yea, it makes
occasions to speak a word for God. It is ingenious in devices to, do good. It will try a
thousand ways and a thousand times. It sows
its seed in the morning; in the evening it withholds not its hand.  If successful, it greatly
rejoices, and gives God all the glory.
In our age and country there is special
need of unquenchable zeal in religion. Now
and here every thing is active.  Evil grows
apace; iniquity comes in like a flood. The
wicked sleep not except they have done some
mischief. Population and wealth grow as by
magic:'Enterprise is unparalleled.  While




564        VITA'L GODLINESS.
good men sleep the enemy is sowing tares.
Error is rife and restless. Nothing but mighty
efforts, owned and blessed of God, can save
millions of our people from a worldly spirit,
which will, if it prevail, drown them in destruction and perdition.  Lord, increase our
faith. If a man could say but one sentence to
his generation in the assured hope that it would
be heard and heeded,- he could hardly say any
thing better than this: " It is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing."
The interests of society in its present state
call for our best efforts. The earth is filled
with violence and with the habitations of cruelty. To this remark there is no exception
beyond the pale of the church of God and the
sphere of her influence.  Jewish prejudice,
Mohammedan delusion, Popish superstition,
Pagan idolatry, and baptized infidelity are
crushing alike the best feelings and the brightest hopes of men.  General happiness in nations ruled by maxims of wickedness and by
men of impiety never has been and never can
be secured. The little knowledge and liberty
and virtue now cn earth are the fruit of the
tears and toils and blood of men of whom the
world was not worthy.




ZEAL.                 565
From the temporal miseries of men who are
without God in the world, we readily pass in
thought to a death without comfort, a judgment
without mercy, an immortality without the life
everlasting, an eternity without light, without
hope, and without change but from  bad to
worse.  There is indeed something dreadful
even here in
"That clo.ud of mind
Which cannot, dares not see the light;"
in those dark and gloomy apprehensions and
contemplations which fill the minds of the
guilty and superstitious.  But it is still more
true that bones of iron and sinews of brass will
not be able to endure the weight of that sore
displeasure which will fall on the wicked in a
future world. There is something glorious in
the peace and joy of a pardoned sinner on
earth; but something ineffably grand and ravishing in the thought of a soul saved, disenthralled, perfected in heaven. Eye hath not
seen, ear hath not heard, the heart of man hath
not conceived the good things which God hath
prepared for them that love him, nor the evil
things which he hath treasured up for them
that hate him. Infinite joys and infinite woes,
fathomless mercy and fathomless misery, heav



566        VITAL GODLINESS.
enly bliss and eternal wrath depend on the
course men's souls pursue in time. That course
is often determined by means of things whicj
at the time seem trivial.' Behold how great
a matter a little fire kindleth." Surely every
act of human life may draw after it consequences so vast as to defy all powers of computation, and even of conception.  A word may
subvert an empire.  A word may save a soul.
"A word fitly spoken, how good is it."  It is
like apples of gold in a network of silver.
Nor is any thing in religion more conducive to our happiness than liveliness in the
cause of God.  Holy ardor is as oil to machinery; it makes every thing work smoothly.
God meets him  that rejoiceth and worketh
righteousness. His most arduous duties refresh
his spirit. He comes to them and from them
not as a hireling, but as a child who delights
in the law of God after the inner man.
Nor should we ever forget that God abhors
all services in religion where the heart is wanting. A  religion without zeal is offensive to
God.  Duly considered, it is monstrous to all
right-minded men. The insincere will God
smite, and there shall be no healing.
A wise man said, " It is better to do a little




ZEAL.                 567
good than a great deal of mischief."  Very
few will attempt a logical refutation of this
aphorism.  It is better to inspire one man
with the love of truth than to bring a whole
generation under the power of error and delusion.  It is better to convert one sinneri from
the error of his ways than to make all Israel
to sin.  It is better to fill one heart with joy at
an act of idve than to fill every valley with
wailing by deeds of malignity.
Besides, it is the plan of God that great
results should follow apparently small beginnings.  That mighty oak whose trunk has become the keel of the enormous ship was once a
small plant, which the tread of a lamb or kid
or fawn might have crushed.  To plant an
acorn is better than wantonly to slay a forest.
The necessity of doing even a little good, when
we can do no more, arises from the fact that so
many and so mighty evil influences are abroad,
and from the further fact that life is made up
of deeds the effect of any one of which may be
apparently trivial.  The enemy is always at
work; therefore should we be ever diligent.
If the friends of truth are inactive., the world
will soon be ruined. Destruction wastes at
noon-day.  Publicity is not to be sought, but




568         VITAL GODLINESS.
neither is it to be shunned,, by the friends of
God, if he calls them before kings and courts
and crowds.  And as wickedness distils its
influences secretly, so let wholesome truths be
taught privately.
The enemy has some advantages.  One is,
that it is easier to pull down than to build up,
to destroy than to create, to corrupt than to
purify, to kill than to make alive.  The foes of
God are also lively.  Their industry is worthy
of a better cause. It is high time that all rightminded men should awake. For though they
are few and feeble, God is on their side. Nothing is too hard for him. None can resist him.
None can deceive him.  He can bind the strong
man, and then spoil his. goods.  "If God be
for us, who can be against us?"  If he make
bare his arm, all nations shall tremble before
him.
Let none of the friends of God forget that
a little done every day will in the end amount
to much.
Sands form the mountains;
Minutes make the year.
This is the secret of a life of usefulness.  He
who is faithful in the least, is the man whose
virtue will not fail him on great occasions.




ZEAL.                569
Christians should endeavor to do good in
the least exceptionable way.  "Let not your
good be evil spoken of."  "A  good action
indiscreetly performed is little better than a
prudent piece of mischief."  The carnal mind
sufficiently opposes holiness without our needlessly irritating it.  Cunning is indeed odious
and wicked; but prudence is a duty. Trick is
despicable.  Address is obligatory.  Paul's
life affords many admirable examples of consummate wisdom  in allaying prejudices, in
quelling storms of human passion.  "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy
might."' No man liveth to himself.'
What a blessing to thousands it would be
if all who can would lend or give good books
to those who will read them.  Milton well
says that "books are not absolutely dead
things; but do contain a progeny of life in
them  to be as active as that soul was whose
progeny they are; nay, they do preserve as a
vial the purest efficacy and extraction of -that
living intellect that bred them....   As good
almost kill a man as kill a good book: who
kills a man, kills a reasonable creature; but
he who destroys a good book, kills reason itself....'      good book is the precious life



570        VITAL GODLINESS,
blood of a master-spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life."  I
had rather be the author of Poor Joseph, a
little tract, than of Homer's Iliad; or of the
Swearer's Prayer, another little tract, than of
Vattel's Law of Nations. To spread the knowledge of God by good books has long been a
favorite method of doing good.
Another excellent method of usefulness is
giving good advice. Almost all the practical
good in this world is the result of good counsel, no small part of which is offered without
solicitation, but' on a proper occasion and in a
right spirit. In giving advice, beware of dogmatizing and of all superciliousness.
In all plans of usefulness, pay due attention to the young. They are alike the hope of
the church and of the state. Their habits are
not yet inveterate; their sensibilities are not
yet blunted. By kindness you may win their
confidence.  By perseverance you may make
an impression on their minds and hearts.
Abound in prayer. Many a time it has
opened heaven. Many a time it has opened
prisons, opened doors of usefulness, opened the
hand of parsimony and the heart of severity.
It has'both opened and shut the mouth of the




ZEAL.                571
grave. By it the cause of righteousness has
success and stability. By it the feeble gain
the victory and the slow win the race. "What
we win by prayer we wear with comfort." Do
all you can to stir up a spirit of zeal in your
own heart. Get the strongest conceptions you
can of the value of eternal things, especially
by visiting dying beds and deserted souls, and
then flee to your closet and cry mightily to
God for his blessing on the perishing.  "He
who has God's heart shall not want his arm."
God has closely united our duty and our
happiness in a thousand ways. In the' fall of
18-7 a young man was spending a vacation
with a friend. He found in his mansion elegance, hospitality, and piety. The grounds
were large, and the family was more than commonly agreeable. He could ride or read, or
engage in fishing or hunting. For a few days
he greatly enjoyed the change. His health
needed recruiting, and he felt better.  But
soon uneasiness followed. He lacked full employmnent. He was not sure that he could give
a good account of his mode of spending time.
He began to feel guilty. Killing birds-and catching fish, not so much for food as for pastime,
seemed to him of doubtful propriety. To ride




572        VITAL GODLINESS.
without an object was uninteresting. In short,
he was in danger of becoming melancholy.
At this time he heard of a lot of Bibles in
the neighborhood for distribution among the
poor. He determined to walk and scatter this
good seed.  He went from house to house,
meeting with various kinds of reception, all of
them civil and some of them cheering.
At length he came to a plain house, and
was welcomed by a plain woman at the door.
He entered, and saw seated around the fire
five of her children, not one of whom could
walk 6r utter an articulate sound.  As he
entered they raised a hideous noise. Their
mother said it expressed pleasure at seeing
him. Seldom has one beheld a more painful
sight. Besides these five was a son of sound
mind, but deformed and crippled in his lower
limbs. He was a shoemaker. There was also
a daughter well-grown and strong, but of a
feeble mind and violent temper.
The mother of these children.was a poor
widow. The visitor introduced the subject of
religion, which he found a theme welcome to
her. The Bible was there. It looked as if it
was well read. When this woman spoke, it
was chiefly of the goodness of God. He in



ZEAL.                573
quired of her difficulties. She admitted that
she had trials, but told him how well the Lord
supplied her wants. He found it good to be
there. He prayed with them all, spoke a few
words of encouragement especially to the widow, and bade them farewell. IHe has never
seen a mother more contented and thankful.
He left the house rebuked for his melancholy, which had in it perhaps much ingratitude. He could not but admire the power of
divine grace in this poor woman. He did not
inquire to what church she belonged.  She
gave evidence of belonging to the invisible
company of faithful ones who love our Lord
Jesus Christ. Soon after he left the house he
sought a place for prayer and praise. His sadness left him.  That poor woman's behavior
and conversation were better to him than many
sermons. He then found out that a secret of
happiness was to engage in hearty self-denying labors for the good of men, and especially
of the poor'and afflicted.
The highest motive which can be presented
to a pious mind in favor of a life of zeal and
devotedness is, that thus we do what we can
to glorify our God and Saviour. To be allowed to honor the Father of our mercies, the God




574        VITAL GODLINESS.
of all grace, and the Saviour of sinners, is one
of the highest privileges ever bestowed on mortals.  So the righteous have always esteemed
it. Tire wants, the woes, the weal of mankind
may properly be thought of as'motives to a
life of labor and usefulness. But they are as
nothing compared with the glory of Him who
hath made all things for himself, who is before
all, above all, over all, through all, and in us
all. That his name may be hallowed, his kingdom come, and his will be done, are three of
the seven petitions in the Lord's prayer; and
they are the first three. Before all things we
should endeavor to honor God.




CONCLUDING OBSERVIATIONS.  575
CHAPTER XXV.
CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.
IN closing this work, attention is asked to
a few general observations. These may aid in
rightly understanding and applying the weighty
truths already considered.
I. THE SYMMETRY OF CHRISTIAN CHARACTER.
Whoever has one Christian grace is sure
to have others. In the genuine child of God,
all the elements of piety are united. He who
has strong hope, and no fear of God, will soon
become presumptuous.  He who has strong
fears, but no hope in God, will be desperate.
Without reverence, love degenerates into fondness; and without love, dread degenerates into
aversion. Faith that is not humble can never
lay hold of the most precious truths of the gospel; and humility that does not rely on God'is but abjectness. Joy that is not chastened
with mourning for sin becomes giddy and trifling; while sorrow for sin that joys not in God
works death.  Peace which, when called to
contend for the faith, refuses to stand up for
the truth, would betray the cause of Christ;




576        VITAL GODLINESS.
while he who loves contention and hates peace,
is carnal and odious. Meekness without courage is but childishness;-and courage without
meekness is forwardness and brutality.
There is a consanguinity between all the
qualities that form  the Christian character.
The elements of one good trait contain the
germ of others. Paul speaks of Christian character as a unit: "Thle fruit of the Spirit is love,
joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness,
faith, meekness, temperance."  John says the
same: "He that loveth him that begat, loveth
him also that is begotten of him." No man
can love the Father without loving the Son,
who was sent by him.  He who loves the
image of God in the Son, loves the image of
God whenever discerned in the humblest Christian. It cannot be otherwise. Any thing contrary to this makes hypocrisy and formalism as
precious as true piety.
The great defect in all who make a spurious. profession of religion is, not that they have
not some things about them that look well, but
all is out of proportion.  They have zeal, but
not gentleness; they have boldness, but not
meekness. They pretend to more than they
feel. With all their ardor they display vain



CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.  577
glory and self-sufficiency.  Sometimes they
excuse iniquity-and smile at'sin.  Their charity does not "bear all things."  They- incline
to censoriousness. To some they are rude; to
others they will not speak a civil word; to
others they have real hatred.
In the beatitudes Jesus Christ described
but one character. -Where poverty of spirit,
mourning for sin, meekness, hungering and
thirsting for righteousness, mercifulness, purity
of heart, and love of peace are genuine, they
are found together.  Circumstances will call
one grace into more vigdrous exercise than
another.  But if we have truly passed from
death unto life, God will enable us in due
time to exhibit every Christian temper.  Human features out of all proportion are hideous.
The same is true of any character called religious.
II. A HOLY LIFE ALONE PROVES PIETY GENUINE.
Words are cheap.  Edwards.
Actions speak louder than words, Proverb.
Practice is the life of piety.  T. Watson.
Even a child is known by his doings. Solomon.
Every one that doeth righteousness is born
of him. John.
Vital Godlineas.  25




578        VITAL GODLINESS.
As the body without the spirit is dead, so
faith without works is dead also.  James.
If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Jesus Christ.
1. That no man is better than his life
proves him to be, seems to be the judgment of
all mankind.  Even a little child cannot be
won by mere words, though it may understand
them.  The best part of mankind are slow in
making professions, because they know how
hard it is to perform what we promise.  The
last to engage is often the first to fulfil.  The
very existence of such words as truth, candor,
honesty, integrity, faithfulness, and their opposites, falsehood, deception, fraud, and faithlessness, shows that the judgment of mankind on
these points is harmonious.  All men know
that words are breath, and deeds only are
realities.  Profession is not principle.  Practice is the best expounder of the heart.
2. God seldom  reproves -men for being
slow to engage, while he constantly guards'them against the sin of not performing their
promises.  Joshua warned the Israelites on
this subject  Josh. 24:16, 19. Indeed in so
many words Solomon says, "Be not rash with
thy mouth, and let not thylheart be hasty to




CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.  579
utter any thing before God."  Eccles. 5: 2.
See context.  Compare Matt. 7: 21-27, and
1 John 3: 18, 19.
3. As holiness is not natural to man, the
Scriptures say explicitly that whosoever doeth
righteousness is born of God.  1 John 2: 29.
He has a new nature, obtained in regeneration.
He has the life of God in his soul. Only that
which is born of the Spirit is spirit. When
we see a man working righteousness, warring
against sin, and heartily doing the will of God,
we know that an almighty power has changed
his nature.  He is a new creature.
4. Whatever does not lead to a holy life
is worthless in the sight of God.  Man looks
at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks
at the heart.  David walked before God in
truth and righteousness, and in uprightness of
heart.  All religious profession which ends in
show is at the best Pharisaism dressed up in
evangelical attire. If the heart is not swayed
by it, the heart is unchanged.  "He that doeth righteousness is righteous; he that committeth sin is of the devil."  All pretences to
piety which end not in a godly life are utterly
vain. Men obey not, because they love not.
They hearken not, because their ears are un



F8^0        VITAL GODLINESS.
circumcised. There is no folly greater than
double-dealing with God.  "A  hypocrite is
hated of the world for seeming a Christian,
and hated of God for not being one."  All
outward religious acts may be performed without a spark of love to Christ.  "Two attendances upon public worship is a form complied
with by thousands who never kept a Sabbath
in their lives."  How few heartily. engage in
the work of mortifying sin.  When men are
this moment devout, and the next carnal;
when to-day they are all zeal for God, and tomorrow all zeal for politics; when they have
not respect unto all God's commandments, but
seek laxity; when their religious raptures are
followed by fleshly frolics, then their religion
is vain.
Men should therefore be very careful lest
they deceive themselves respecting both the
reality and the strength of their own piety.
The daily business of a Christian is to resist
the devil, deny himself, overcome the world,
crucify the flesh with the affections and lusts,
imitate Christ, walk with God, and strive to
enter in at the strait gate.  It is the heartless
who, like the "children of Israel, being armed
and carrying bows, turned back in the day of




CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.  581
battle."  "The Christian  gains no victories
without combat."
On the other hand, he whose jife is holy
has the fabric of his peace built upon a rock.
God cannot deny him, for that would be denying his own work and signet.  Although we
do not enter heaven for our good works, yet
we do not enter heaven without our good
works.
III. TRUE CHRISTIANS ARE GREATLY BLESSED.
As the greatest curses are spiritual, so the
greatest blessings are also spiritual. Our great
wants must be supplied out of God's treasury,
or we must suffer eternal loss and undoing.
Paul uses no better designation of the privileges of believers than when he speaks pf spiritual blessings. God's mercies to his children
are sometimes catalogued. In the 103d Psalm
David puts forgiveness of sins as the first.  It
is entitled to that place.  Without pardon we
are under an awful curse. God never bestows
saving good on souls left in the chains of condemnation. In more than one place Paul seems
to favor the same arrangement.
With forgiveness is always connected acceptance in the Beloved.  Eph. 1: 6. So that
believers are no more aliens, strangers, for



582        VITAL GODLINESS.
eigners, but sons, heirs, fellow-citizens. We
are brought nigh by the blood and righteousness of Christ, and so "have right to the tree
of life."  Rev. 22: 14.
From  our justification flows peace with
God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom
also we have access into all needed grace, joy,
hope, triumph in tribulation, patience, experience, boldness, the love of God, the indwelling
of the Holy Ghost, and salvation full and complete. Peter gives a catalogue in which he
mentions "faith, virtue,' or courage, "knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness, charity."  Well does he add,
""If these things be in you and abound, they
make you that ye shall neither be barren nor
unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus
Christ."  Blessed treasury of spiritual good
things!  Who can tell its value?  It is the
proof of a godlike temper and a godlike destiny.
Sure of spiritual blessings, men may be
poor, yet they make many rich. They may
have nothing, yet they possess all things. They
may be sorrowful, yet they are always rejoicing. They may be dying daily, yet behold,
they live. They may be chastened, but they




CONCLUDING. OBSERVATIONS.   583
are not killed.  Their affections are set on
things which do not perish in the using.  Their
crown is not the less bright or imperishable
because it is seen by faith alone.  They are
sure of wearing it in due season, if they faint
not.
Any spiritual blessing is worth more than the
most costly temporal good.  A devout thought,
a pious desire, a holy purpose, is better than a
great estate or an earthly kingdom. In eternity
it. will amount to more to have given a cup of
cold water with right motives to a humble servant of God, than to have been flattered by a
whole generation. God gives the common bounties of providence to saints and sinners.  Often
most largely to the latter. Spiritual blessings
are put into elect vessels only.  God's people
share the good things of this world with the
wicked; but the world has no lot nor part in
spiritual good things.  The sinner has never
been pardoned, renewed, sanctified, or savingly taught of God.
The good things of time will soon be gone
forever.  The very memory of them will imbitter the future existence of all who die in
their sins.  But spiritual blessings will last
eternally. Though faith will give way to vis



584        VITAL GODLINESS.
ion, and hope to fruition, yet fruition and vision are the legitimate consequences of hope
and faith.
Temporal blessings come in the channel of
nature; but spiritual blessings in the channel
of grace. The former are of the earth, earthy;
the latter are from heaven.  God bestows temporal blessings on those who hate him all their
days; but spiritual blessings come to believers
only, through our Lord Jesus Christ.  They
cost his life, his toil, his sweat, his agony.
We may form some estimate of the value
of spiritual blessings by the promises of the
covenant which secures them.  Long after his
ascension to heaven, JAdus Christ promised to
him that overcometh thathe should eat of the
tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God; that he should be clothed in white
raiment; that he should be a pillar in the temple of God, and go no more out; that he should
sit with him in his throne; that he should eat
of the hidden manna; that He should give him
a white stone.  How soon our faculties are
overcome.by attempting to comprehend the
fulness of such promises.  Let us dwell a moment on the last, "I will give him  a white
stone."  Blunt thus explains it: "It is gen



CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.  585
erally thought by commentators that this refers
to an ancient judicial custom of dropping a
black stone into an urn when it is intended to
condemn, and a white stone when the prisoner
is to be acquitted; but this is an act so distinct
from that described,'I will give thee a white
stone,' that we are disposed to agree with those
who think it refers rather to a custom of a very
different kind, and not unknown to the classical reader, according with beautiful propriety to the case before us. In primitive times,
when travelling was rendered difficult from
want of places of public entertainment, hospitality was exercised by private individuals to
a very great extent; of which indeed we find
frequent traces in all history, and in none more
than the Old Testament.  Persons who partook of this hospitality and those who practised it, frequently contracted habits of friendship and regard for each other; and it became
a well-established custom  among the Greeks
and Romans to provide their guests with some
particular mark, which was handed down from
father to son, and insured hospitality and kind
treatment whenever it was presented.  This
mark was usually a small stone or pebble cut
in half, and upon the halves of which the host
25*




586        VITAL GODLIINESS.
and the guest mutually inscribed their names,
and then interchanged them with each other.
The production of this tessera was quite enough
to insure friendship for themselves or descendants whenever they travelled again in the same
direction; while it is evident that these stones
required to be privately kept, and the names
written upon them  carefully concealed, lest
others should obtain the privileges instead of
the persons for whom  they were intended.
How natural then the allusion to this custom
in the words,'I will give him to eat of the
hidden manna!' and'having done so-having
make himself partaker of my hospitality, having recognized him as my guest, my friend, I
will present him with the white stone, and in
the stone a new name written, which no man
knoweth saving he who receiveth it. I will
give him a pledge of my friendship sacred and
inviolable, known only to himself."
IV. SINNERS ARE POOR INDEED.
It is a dreadful thing to want bread. Yet
man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of
God. It is sad to see a human being withdut
reason. Yet some good people have become
insane, and never waked up in their right mind




CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.  587
till they were in the presence of the Lamb.
But in his unregenerate state, man's case is far
more pitiable. Of all such, Paul says they are
without Christ.  They have no Saviour, no
infallible Teacher, no atoning High-priest, no
Advocate with God, no King ruling in righteousness over them and their enemies.  Without Christ, sinners are nothing. He is all and
in all. Well did an ancient say, "I had rather
fall with Christ than reign with Caesar." Nonexistence is not so dreadful as a Christless
state.  "Captives, we cannot be delivered
without the redemption which is in Christ Jesus. Fools as we all are, we cannot be instructed without wisdom, and all the treasures of
wisdom  are hid in Christ Jesus.  All plans
and hopes not built on him must fall, for there
is none other foundation.  All working without him is in the fire, where it will be consumed. Without him, all riches make themselves wings and fly away.  A  dungeon with
Christ is a throne; and a throne without Christ,
hell."  He is life and light, and the delights of
the sons of men.  Yet sinners are without him.
They are also aliens from the commonwealth
of Israel. They have no lot in Jacob. Christ's
cause may advance, but it brings no joy to




588       YVIIAL GODLINESS.
them. His kingdom may be set up in a whole
nation, but they care not for that. His honor
maybe great, but they have no share in it.
His praise may be.sung in high anthems and
hallelujahs, but to them it is as the voice of
strange minstrels.  Prayer may be offered for
him, but they never heartily join in it. They
are not at home in secret devotion, in public
worship, or in the celebration of the ordinances. They would be even less at home in the
adorations of heaven. They have no inheritance in the church. They are outcasts, castaways, reprobate silver.' They are not sons.
They are not heirs. Their prospects for eternity are no better than if God had no church
at all.
And so they are strangers from  the covenants of promise. They have nothing to rely
upon for time, nothing for eternity; nothing
for this life, nothing for that which is to come.
Their heavens are never spanned by the bow
of a rich variety of promises, divinely girt together by the faithful word and unimpeachable
oath of Him who cannot lie. One of the most
gifted among them, even while living in a gospel land, said, "The present is a fleeting moment, the past is no more, and our prospect of




CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.  589
futurity is dark and doubtful." Such men are
lost. They have no heavenly guide, no safe
rules of conduct, no sure word abiding for ever.
Of course they are without hope.  They
may have dreams of future good, but these
will all vanish like the mist. Their -delusive
expectations are constantly failing. They indulge them only to awake to a keen sense of
agonizing misery. They are like the vine of
Sodom and the fruit of Gomorrah. To hope,
as an anchor to the soul; sure and steadfast; to
hope, as entering within the veil; to hope, that 
does not mock our miseries; to hope, that shall
not perish, they are utter strangers.  One half
hour's exercise of such hope as animates the
believer would bring more that deserves the
name of happiness than all the poor sinner has
ever enjoyed. Now without hope, at any moment he may be in total and absolute despair.
Such are also without God in the world. A
godless man is an undone man, and has a rueful eternity before him, whether he is a godless tyrant, a godless slave, or a godless freeman; whether he glitters in gold or crawls in
debasement.  He has no communion with his
Maker, no confidence in Jehovah, no blessing
from the Lord, and no righteousness from the




590        VITAL GODLINESS.
God of salvation.  When nature is falling
headlong, or is smitten with wrath, the believer exults, and shouts, "My Lord and my
God."  The poor sinner cannot do this. He
has no God; he knows no God; he loves no
God; he trusts in no God; he has no hope in
God.
How poor and wretched and miserable and
lost is an unconverted sinner!
How rich and free and undeserved is the
mercy that saves sinners!
How loud is the call and how great is the
obligation to do all we can to save dying sinners'!
How inconceivably, dreadful it will be to
go to eternity an unrenewed sinner!
How infinite is the debt we owe to Him
who has given us access to God by his own
most precious blood!
Were there ever such wants among mortals as the wants of a perishing soul? Oh, sinner, turn and live.
V. Is THERE NOT A LOW STATE OF PIETY?
Many answer the question in the. affirmative. Some may do so through uncharitableness. But it cannot fairly be called a distorted
view of things to say that piety is in a low




CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.  591
state generally, and that in many places truth
is fallen in the streets. Among the causes of
this state of things, we may notice,
1. The commotions  among the nations.
"Wars and rumors of wars" mightily distract
public attention from all the concerns of eternity.  Piety must have time for contemplation.  We cannot profitably wait upon God
unless we can do so without distraction. Turmoil may be around us and yet but slightly
affect us. When such is the case, grace reigns
mightily.
2. Politics. Andrew Fuller says that many
"have fallen sacrifices to taking an eager and
deep interest in political disputes."  He speaks
of some whose "whole heart has been engaged
in this pursuit. It has been their meat and
their drink; and this being the case, it is not
surprising that they have become indifferent
to religion; for these things cannot consist
with each other."  This is sound speech that
cannot be condemned.
3. Love of money. This root has struck
very deep into many hearts.  Nor are its ill
consequences even yet fully seen. The worst
is probably yet to come.  Without checking
any sober, lawful endeavor to secure compe



592         VITAL GODLINESS.
tence and independence, it must yet be said
that a people eagerly pursuing wealth cannot
be a very religious people. "If any man love
the world, the love of the Father is not in
him."  "Ye. cannot serve God and mammon."
4. Fanaticisn.  Nothing is more opposed
to true piety than a wild, heated, ignorant,
and furious zeal.  It has brought vast discredit on true religion, and has driven many
into infidelity and practical atheism.  It is
like a flame driven by fierce winds through a
forest. It consumes whatever it meets.  Its
unhappy effects are seen and felt for half a
century. It brings pure revivals of religion
into disrepute. It awakens distrust of experimental piety.  It clothes with suspicion every
extraordinary endeavor to promote the knowledge and love of God.  It creates a necessity
for most painful acts of church discipline, and
its whole tendency is to disorder and irreligion. To be zealously affected always in a good
thing is a great attainment; but a fanatical,
fiery, bitter zeal is always followed by ill consequences.
5. The attention of pastors and churches has
been unduly withdraun from  their chief work.
Pastors are often overworked.  Consequently




CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.  593
they come not to their work with joyous elasticity of mind. And churches sometimes meddle with things quite out of their line; so that
a minister who labors in word and doctrine,
who gives  himself entirely to prayer and the
ministry of the word, is regarded as not up to
the times.
6. A  low standard of evidence of Christian
character.  It is our duty to "feed the lambs"
and to " comfort the feeble-minded."  But the.
lambs should grow to be sheep.  A word to
the weary is excellent, if it be in season; but
the church should never be so \addressed as to
make her rest satisfied with low attainments.
If the babes are fed on milk all their days and
never get a taste of strong meat, they will
never be strong men, full of vigor. Scriptural
marks of a change of heart should be clearly
stated.
7. The neglect of social prayer and conference.  Have not Christians too much forsaken
the assembling of themselves together, that they
might speak often one to another?
8. But our greatest lack is in the article of
fervent, importunate, united prayer.  Oh for a
spirit of strong crying unto God! Would the
heavens in so many places be as brass if they




594        VITAL GODLINESS.
were pierced by the hearty cries of God's people.? There is no substitute for fervent prayer.
Let that cease and religion must decline.
VI. TIME AND ETERNITY.
Formerly it was customary at public executions to bring an hour-glass to the scaffold
with the sand all at one end, and when the
prisoner had taken his position, to set the glass
before him inverted, and the sands of the last
hour of his life began to run.  Sometimes the
executioner and sometimes the minister of religion would say to the unhappy man, "Your
sands are almost run."  From this the phrase
was transferred to the pulpit, and men were
exhorted to speedy repentance because their
sands -were almost run.  Oh that men would
candidly look at the nearness of death and lay
hold on eternal life while it is called to-day.
An old writer says, " I stopped in Clerkenwell churchyard to see a grave-digger at work.
He had dug pretty deep, and was come to an
old coffin which was quite rotten.  In clearing
away the mouldering wood, the grave-digger
found an hour-glass close to the left side of the
skull, with the sand in it."  This was telling
the dead that to them  time was no longer.
How much more fit to put the hour-glass be



CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.   595
fore the living, and remind them  that their
hours will soon all be gone.  Why will not
men be warned?  Why will not the living lay
to heart the things which belong to their peace?
Between the longest human life and eternity
there is no proportion whatever.
"I have lost a day" is a dreadful sound in
the ears of one who has a tender conscience.
Nothing but a slighted Saviour seems to press
so heavily on dying sinners as murdered time.
"Remorseless Time,
Fierce spirit of the glass and scythe, what power
Can stay him in his silent course, or melt
His iron heart to pity? On, still on
He presses, and for ever. The proud bird,
The condor of the Andes, that can soar
Through heaven's unfathomable depths, or brave
The fury of the northern hurricane,
And bathe his plumage in the thunder's home,
Furls his broad wings at nightfall, and sinks down
To rest upon his mountain crag; but Time
Knows not the weight of sleep or weariness,
And night's deep darkness has no chain to bind
His rushing pinion. Revolutions sweep
O'er earth like troubled visions o'er the breast
Of dreaming sorrow; cities rise and sink
Like bubbles on the water; fiery isles
Spring blazing from tlie ocean, and go back
To their mysterious caverns;. mountains rear
To heaven their bald and blackened cliffs, and bow
Their tall heads to the plain; new empires rise,
Gathering the strength of hoary centuries,
And rush down like the Alpine avalanche,
Startling the nations; and the very stars,




590         ~JVITAL GODLINESS.
Yon bright and burning blazonry of God,
Glitter a while in their eternal depths,
And like the Pleiad, loveliest of their train,
Shoot from their glorious spheres, and pass away
To darkle in their trackless void: yet Time,
Time, the tomb-builder, holds his fierce career,
Dark, stern, all pitiless, and pauses not
Amid the mighty wrecks that strew his path,
To sit and muse, like other conquerors,
Upon the fearful ruin he has wrought."
God of mercy, give us grace to improve each
hour, so to number our days as to apply our
hearts unto wisdom, and to be always doing
some good.  Let madness no  longer reign
within us.  THE NIGHT COMETH WHEN NO MAN
CAN WORK.
VII. HEAVEN.
All the souls that God has made are in
heaven, earth, or hell. We who are in earth
know  something about it.  Oh that we may
never know  by experience the nature of the
woes of the pit!  If we would be saved, we
must learn as we can something of heaven,
must breathe something of its spirit, must long
for its blessings.
Heaven is a place. Jesus so calls it. It
is a city.  It is a heavenly country.  It is a
better country than any known on earth. It
has locality.  Of its position in relation to the




CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.  597
sun, moon, and planets, we have no information; and we need none; but heaven exists in
reality, not merely in imagination.
Heaven is also a state, exceedingly pure,
holy, excellent. Angels themselves have never
attained to a better state.  The spirits of just
men made perfect can rise no higher.
The inhabitants of heaven have large measures of clear and certain knowledge of the most
excellent things.  They see God. They see
Jesus.  They know as they are known. They
do not see through a glass darkly, but face to
face. They are not liable to errors, mistakes,
or misapprehensions. The Lamb himself feeds
them, and leads them  to fountains of living
waters.
The inhabitants of heaven  are happy.
They are full of joy.  They never sin, and
they never sigh; they never pity one another,
nor envy one another, nor grieve at one another, nor are mortified by each other's follies
or weaknesses. Their warfare is ended, their
turmoils are over, and their conflicts past.
They weep no more.  Jesus wipes tears from
cff all faces of his redeemed, and the holy angels never did weep.
Heaven is full of variety. It is not all one




598         VITAL GODLINESS.
house; there are many mansions and many
holy characters there. The dwellers therein
praise much, they exult much, they admire
much. They have rest; they go no more out;
they serve God day and night.
In heaven society is perfect, though constantly receiving new and desirable accessions.
All unite in loving the Lamb that was slain.
Yet there is a great variety in the history and
character of its inhabitants. There are angels,
who have great power and wisdom and experience.  There are patriarchs and prophets
and apostles and martyrs and confessors and
reformers and kings and shepherds and feebleminded folk and little children. There the
choirs of those redeemed by atoning blood are
arrayed in linen white and clean.  Among
them are infants who knew not that there was
a heaven till they saw its pearly gates and
golden streets. They knew not that there was
a Saviour till they saw him  in his glory.
Choice  spirits are constantly joining  this
throng above. Let a few words be said of
two who have lately passed from earth.
One was a dear, talented little creature.
Before her departure she said,
"I am not afraid to die.  I have commit



CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.  599
ted all to Christ.  There is in the Bible no
phrase so precious to me as,'THE LORD OUR
RIGHTEOUSNESS.' lMy pastor is partial to me.
Let him not praise me at my burial; let him
exalt the Lord's righteousness.  When I committed myself to Christ, I did it wholly and
unreservedly. I never doubted him since. I
may be self-deceived, but of Christ I have no
doubt. When I appear at the judgment-bar of
God, if I should hear the word,'Depart,' I
should turn with astonishment to Christ, and
say,'Dear Saviour, there must be a mistake
here.  Did I not commit all to thee?'   Again
she said, "Come, Lord Jesus, come quickly."
Her last words were, "While I have voice
and memory left, I wish to say, THE LORD OUR
RIGHTEOUSNESS. It is sufficient for you all.
It is all you need."
She was soon followed by another of like
spirit. In the year 1839, a family was made
glad by the birth of a little daughter. Father,
mother, two elder sisters, and a large circle of
friends rejoiced together.  The babe was a
bud, promising beauty and fragrance. Early
in life, by her ingenuousness and warmth of
affection, she attached many to her. In her
teens, her schoolmates saw her worth, admired




600        VITAL GODLINESS.
and imitated.  Her education at school being
finished, she noiselessly began to move in the
best circles of pious and refined society. Here
she attracted the love of aged men and women,
and of those pressed with the cares of middle
life, no less than of the young.  Without a
dash of forwardness, she was often the companion of people thrice her age.  Ere long
divine grace began its blessed work, and on
this lovely stock engrafted the Rose of Sharon.
Still artless and natural, the work of God's
Spirit heightened in her all that was previously charming, and sweetly chastened the exultant joyousness of her youth. Elder sisters
married and left the paternal roof.  She remained greatly to honor father and mother,
and light up the boyhood of a younger brother.
On a visit to a friend was laid the foundation
of the ailment that removed her from earth.
Her constitution being good, she buffeted disease for a while; but at last she was shut within doors. Her kind and skilful medical attendant for a season thought the danger slight;
but God's will was to take her to himself.
Alarming symptoms appeared, and about eight
o'clock in the morning of a blessed Sabbathday her good physician found her sinking, and




CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.  601
in the sweet-est manner told her that she was
entering upon her eternal rest. Surprised, but
not terrified, she calmly inquired when the
change had taken place. At once the work of
life rose before her mind. She thought of the
Industrial school and of the Sabbath-school.
She said, "I have so much work to do; but
God knows best."  To her brother, who has
since followed her, she made the kindest little
address. Then turning to her father, she said,
"It is sad for you all."  On his assenting, and
saying, "Yes, my child, but I feel I shall soon
meet you in heaven," she said in a clear, audible voice, "I hope so," and gently fell asleep
as the Sabbath bells began to ring. One of
her pastors says, "This coincidence reminds us
of Bunyan's expression respecting what followed the entrance of Christian and Hopeful
into the heavenly Jerusalem:'Then I heard
in my dream that all the bells in the city rang
again for joy, and that it was said unto them,
Enter ye into the joy of your Lord.'  The
last earthly sound which echoed in the ear of
this dying believer was that of the churchgoing bell; the first which met her ransomed
spirit on high was the peal of welcome from
the blood-washed throng before the throne."
Vital Godliness.  2 




602        VITAL GODLINESS.
Dear child, till the heavens be no more, we
shall not again see thy charming face; but thou
shalt see the face of Jesus. Our hearts were
knit together. I love thy memory. I love thy
sincerity. I love the paths marked by thy footsteps.  "I heard a voice from heaven saying
unto me,Write, Blessed are the dead which die in
the Lord from henceforth: Yea, saith the Spirit,
that they may rest from their labors; and their
works do follow them."  The names of these
young heroes of the cross need not be given.
"They are written in the Lamb's book of life.
Into the lips of a glorified spirit in heaven
Matthew Henry puts these words: "Would
you know where I am? I am at home in my
Father's house, in the mansion prepared for me
there. I am where I would be, where I have
long and often desired to be; no longer on a
stormy sea, but in a safe and quiet harbor.
My work in time is done, I am resting; my
sowing time is done, I am reaping; my joy is
as the joy of harvest. Would you know how
it is with me?  I am made perfect in holiness;
grace is swallowed up in glory; the top-stone
of the building is brought forth. Would you
know what I am doing? I see God; I see him
as he is; not as through a glass darkly, but




CONCLUDING OBSERVATIONS.   603
face to face; and the sight is transforming; it
makes mejlike him. I am in the sweet employment of my blessed Redeemer, my Head
and my Husband, whonm my soul loved, and
for whose sake I was willing to part'with all.
I am here bathing myself at the spring-head of
the heavenly pleasure, and joy unutterable;
and therefore weep not for me. I am here
keeping a perpetual Sabbath; what that is,
judge by your short Sabbath.  I am here
singing hallelujahs incessantly to him who sits
upon the throne, and I rest not day or night
from praising him.  Would you know what
company I have?  Blessed company, better
than the best on earth. Here are holy angels
and the spirits of just men made perfect. I
am set down with Abraham and Isaac and
Jacob in the kingdom of God, with blessed
Paul and Peter and James and John and all
the saints; and here I meet with many of my
old acquaintances that I fasted and prayed
with, who got before me hither. And lastly,
would you consider how long this is to continue? It is a garland that never withers; a
crown of glory that fades not away; after millions of millions of ages it will be as fresh as it
is now; and therefore weep not for me."




604       VITAL GODLINESS.
Grace is glory begun; but glory is grace
matured, completed, crowned with the fulness
of beatific vision.
Now UNTO THE KING ETERNAL, IMMORTAL,
INVISIBLE, THE ONLY WISE GOD, BE HONOR AND
GLORY FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN.




GENERAL INDEX.
A.                               C.
Acts, peaceable, 421.            Campbell, Lord, on Bunyan, 508.
Adoption by faith, 191.          Carefulness in seeking salvation,
Advice, good, 570.                 65.
Advisers, religious, 120, 142.    Character, right views of our
Age, this, superficial, 13.        own, 65.
Anecdote of young man, 30.       Charity and censoriousness, 157.
another young man, 63.       Christian  has- a life of war,
another young man, 571.        199.
Newton, 420.                 Christians, true, greatly blessed,
a mother, 476.                 581.
Anger not always sinful, 493.    Closet duties neglected, 152.
Appetites not to be excessively Comfort declining, 160.
indulged, 59.                  Commandment, new,.393.
Assurance, not of the essence of Companions, wicked, 49.
faith, 203.                    Company, sometimes injurious,
Awakening, 21.                     44, 58.
how effected, 22.            Confession of sin, 165, 225.
sometimes  unaccountable, Confidence in Goc, 139.
26.                        Contentment, 454.
not carelessness, 454.
B.                     opposed to envy, 456.
corroding care, 456.
Backsliding, 148.  covetousness, 457,
dangerous,. 148, 150.                 pride, 459.
of good and bad men, 149.            murmuring, 460.
without open sin, 151.                distrust, 461.
easy, 151.                       fruits of, 461.
attended by sense of guilt,    reasonable, 475.
155.                           reasons for, 479.
recovery from, 162, 166.         how to obtain, 477.
blessed, 170.           Contrast, a, 201.
sorrow for, 164,             Conversion,
Bible Society, 472.                  not what we expect, 90.
Bigot, a, 402.                       how far gradual, 91.
Biography, religious, valuable,       early stages of, 92.
13.                                the  time of, not always
Books, good, 569.                       known, 95.
Bravery, 434.                        proven by a holy life, 96.
2C6A




606                GENERAL INDEX.
Conversion, the fact of, not al- Experience, religious, necessary,
ways known, 97.             8, 17.
four signs of, 100.              testimonies to, 8.
begets humility, meekness,       not often handled, 12.
docility, confidence, obe-    difficulties of, 12.
dience, 102.'conversation on, 15.
essential, 104.                 uniformity in, 16.
Conversions, how far alike, 88.      advantages of, 19.
Converts commend Christ, 94.         abuses of, 19.
Conviction, 82.                      a low, 145.
in itself painful, 82.      Experiences, former, how to be
of five things, 86.           used, 145.
rest not in, 88.
Convictions may leave us, 121.                 F.
Courage, a rare quality, 431.    Faith,3.
often enjoined, 431.        Faith, 173r
historical, 174.
what it is, 433, 435, 440.       of miracle, 174.
is humble, 437.                  of dirls, 174.
explained, 438.                  temporary, 174.
if genuine, cannot be exces-     defit relates to, 1 75.
- sive, 444.
need of 445.                     explained, 177, 187.
examples of, 441, 442, 450.      respects all Scripture, 179.
directions for obtaining, 451.   especially respects Christ,
sometimes weak, 181.
D.                    necessary, 181.
-Darkness, spiritual, 127.           reasonable, 182.
how it comes on, 131.            needs increase, 183.
in what it consists, 132.        implicit and explicit, 184.
attended by fears, 133.          rational, 185.
cannot sing songs, 134.         justifying, 186.
deliverance from, 138.           how it justifies, 190.
find the cause of, 141.          proves regeneration, 193.
Death of a young saint, 598.         purifies the heart, 193.
another young saint, 599.        works by love, 194.
Desertion, spiritual, 161.           overcomes the world, 194.
Despair, tendency to, 117, 136.      is the foster-parent of all
Desponding mind, 323.                  graces, 194.
danger of, 84.                  precious, 197.
Distraction ofmind, 68.              changed to sight, 198.
Distress, great, 69.                labor to increase, 208.
not saving, 121, 123.            must be wrought by God, 84.
religious, 106.             Fear of God, 287.
Duty, do your, 144.                  what it is and is not, 288.
Dying in faith, 208.                 a grace, 289.
arises from just views of
~E.    ~            God, 289.
-^~E.    ~       examples of, 291.
Evils of the heart deplored, 130.    reasons for, 294.
Example of Jacob Beecher, 495.       much  commended by old
Experience, religious, a test, 7.      writers, 294.




GENERAL INDEX.                             607
Fear of God, a principle, 295.   Humility leads to communion
benefits of,'297.              with God,280.
Feeling, religious, not to  be        how acquired, 281.
needlessly exposed, 144.            profitable, 282.
shallow, 7.                       shall be rewarded, 283.
Fbrbearance, how far obligatory,      a test of doctrine, 284.
428-                                    in duties, 285.
Fortitude, 435.                   Hypocrites prate, 8.
Foxes, the little, 302.
G.                Ignorance, sense of, 53.
G.                Illumination of the Spirit, 192.
God is just, 83, 86.              Impatience, spirit of, 119.
God's word.  See Scriptures.          respecting the future, 496.
lively, 52.                  Impressions, religious, early, 21.
alone, 126.                  Infidelity rebuked, 510.
Gospel, free, 113.                Inquiry, religious, 34.
good news to believers, 182.      must be sincere, 35.
H.                                J.
Hardness of heart, sense of, 115. Jesus Christ, all we need, 72.
Heart, the, very wicked, 43.          what it is to come to, 73
hardth 53.   wce,4.              precious, 93, 143, 168.
Heaven, 596.                          must accept, 124.
Hope and fear alternate, 48.          weeping overJerusalem,124.
what it is, 307.                  clear views of, necessary,
its author, 309.                    12.
benefits of, 316.                 concern for his honor, 159.
Hopes, true and false, 309.           lovely, 351.
false, guard against, 122.    Joy, lawful and unlawful, 514.
Humility, 249.          n             religion not unfriendly to,
what it is, 250.                    515.
hunfeigned, 250.                  testimonies respecting, 525.
regards truth, 251.               how promoted, 527.
semblance of, 252.                objects of, 532.
begets confidence, 253.           may be strong, 537.
often commended, 254.-            i operative, 538.
examples of, 258.                 in sorrow, 540.
influential, 262.                 heaven full of, 546.
hates flattery, 263.
trusts God, 264, 
in prosperity, 266.      Knowledge of divine things, 536
in adversity, 266.
respects worldly things, 267.                L.
mental qualities; 268.   Lawsuits, 429.
spiritual gifts, 274.    Levity, dangers of, 57.
necessary to students, 269.  Life, the present and future conopposed to boasting, 276.      trasted, 548.
want of, hinders salvation, Life, holy, alone proves piety
277.                         genuine, 577.
~leads to peace, 278.         Love, its excellence,'409
honor, 279.                  of gratitude, 331.




608                GENERAL INDEX.
Love of complacency, 333.                        N.
of good-will, 336.           Neighbor, who is our? 371.
CLove to God, 327.                    good wishes for, 377.
always necessary, 328, 343.       kind thoughts fo ds our,
the  phrase  used  in  two        kind thoughts towards our,
the  phrase  used  in  two          377.
is genses, 338.                   prayer for, 377.
is generous, 338.                 forgiveness towards, 378.
seeks to please, 339.             how much must we love our?
strong, 339.                        383.
makes happy, 340.
its qualities, 342.
proves election, 345.                        O.
Love to Christ, 347.              Old age, 500.
much dwelt on, 348.               miserable, 501.
qualities of, 351.                promises to, 502.
may be imperfect, 354.       Opinions, crude, 50.
lightly  esteems sacrifices, Ordinances unprofitable, 156.
356.
grows, 359.                                  P.
is modest, 360.              Pardon and purity united, 94.
commends Christ, 360.        Passions, malignant, dangerous,
makes us blessed, 362.          57.
is constraining, 364.        Patience, 482.
essential, 365.                   what it is, 483.
Love to our neighbor, 369.            various objects of, 485.
often enjoined, 369.              how illustrated in Scripture,
to enemies, 373.                    485.
fruits of, 375.                   examples of, 488.
will show itself, 382.            fruit of the Spirit, 490.
motives to, 389.                  essential to Christian char.
want of, hinders prayer, 391.       acter, 491.
Love to the brethren, 393.            trials of, 492.
often enjoined, 396.              how to promote it, 497.
when spurious, 397.               motives to, 505.
should be real, 397.         Peace, 411.
lasting, 399.                its opposites, 411.
fervent, 399.                different kinds of, 411.
remarkable in early times,        we are bound to, 416.
401.                                called to, 417.
proofs of, 402.                   hinderances to, 424.
a sign of renewal, 403, 406.      of gret price, 425.
bright instance of, 403.          Christ, the pattern of, 427.
motives to, 408.             Persecution, 447.
Piety, low state of, 590.
M.                     causes of, 591.
Pity to the poor, 381.
Means of grace must not be neg- Pleasures, worldly, 474.
lected, 59.                    Poverty, 504.
Meditation sweet, 140.                virtuous, 471.
Mercifulness, 380.                Prayer commended, 570.
Mockings, cruel, 446.             Preaching, its power, 31.
Modesty, not dogmatism, 89.    Pride, all, dangerous, 127.




GENERAL INDEX.                             609
Q.                I.
Question: Can one believe as he Saint and siner contrasted, 146.
wishes? 98.                     Sanctification, is yours advanoQuestions, hard, avoid, 123.        iug? 172.
solemn, 326.          Satan holds fast his prey, 84.
Quibbles, 57.                         roaring, 135.
resisted,; 138. 
Saying of Rivet, 494.
R.                     of Halyburton, 494.
Scriptures, precious, 170.
Rank in life, 473.                    search the, 142, 511.
Reasonings, false, answered, 76.      the true test, 200.
Reflection necessary, 27.         Sectarian, a bigoted, 51.
liable to interruption, 28.   Self-complacency, no good sign,
effect of, 29.                  150.
Reformation, external, not sav- Sentimentalism, 59.
ing, 60.                        " Shepherd of the Valley," quotReligion in common affairs of   ed, 448.
life, 154.                      Sickness, trying, 493.
family neglected, 154.       Sin, very evil, 44, 51.
we should enjoy it, 544.          horrible, 68.
Repentance, 210.                      beginnings of, 141.
proper for sinners only, 210.     how against God, 216.
a gift, 211, 239.            Sins of the times lamented, 129.
reasonable, 213.                  reviving, 160.
defined, 214.                Sinners should come at once to
for sin, 218.                   Christ, 42, 45, 61, 63.
humbles, 220.                     invited to Christ; 80.
has shame, 221.                   the greatest may be saved,
regards original sin, 223.          113.'works reformation, 225.           chief of, 220.
excited by God's goodness,        poor indeed, 586.
227.                       Skepticism, 31.
saving, 229.                 Slander, how to treat it, 504.
more than regret, 230.       Sorrow, worldly, 128.
of Judas, 231.               Soul, the, cannot purify itself, 39.
of the hypocrite, 237.       Soul-troubles, 85.
leads to restitution, 237.    Spirit, Holy, may be resisted, 55.
looks to Christ, 239.             need of, 15.
a fit sacrifice, 242.             his strivings, 46, 54.
an immediate duty, 245.           we must not grieve, 47, 62.
death-bed, 248.                   very loving, 62.
Resolutions good, 35.                 works we know not how, 89.
made in human strength, 36. Spirit, a wounded, 138.
Lavater's, 37.                    a glorified, 602.
David's, 38.                 State of mind, contradictory, 41,
Simeon's, 422.                 69.
Restitution, 237, 238.            Stone, a white, 584.
Rights, when we may assert our, Strife, evils of, 426.
429.                            Symmetry of Christian characRights and wrongs, 512,             ter, 575.
"Roaring," 166.                  Sympathy, want of, 137.




610               GENEIRAL INDEX.
T.                Wisdom of piety, 543.
Teachers, 503.   -Words, peaceable, 419.
Temptations, expect them, 43.  Work, do the Lord's, 146.
Thoughts, sceptical, 31.         World receding, 40.
peaceable, 419.             Worldliness, dangers of, 56.
Time and eternity, 594.          Wretchedness, a sense of, 64.
U.                               Z.
Unbelief, 61.                    Zeal, what it is, 551.
a~great sin, 118, 205.           sometimes false, 552.
Unpardonable sin, 107.               in will-worship, 553.
may be committed now, 108.       blind, 554.
what it is, and is not, 110.     contentious, 555.
who has, and who has not         selfish, 555.
committed it, 111.            boastful, 556.
temporary, 556.
V.         _          self-righteous, 557.
Valor, 434.                          true, 557.
Vanity of mind, 158.                 not timid, 559.
Vileness, sense of, 54, 67.          not fickle, 559.
fields for its exercise, 560.
W.                 -  need of, 563.
Wealth, warnings against, 463.       motives to, 566.
Wicked, the, unhappy, and why,       should  not be  offensive,
528.                                 569.