schemes, and complicated projects, as to in its construction, and eternal in its oblileave no time and no thought, and gradu-gation.

ally no inclination for that reference which This sacred institute he will consult, not should be the ultimate end of all human de- occasionally, but daily. Unreminded of gesigns. neral duty, unfurnished with some leading It can never be too often repeated, how-hint for the particular demand, he will not ever writers tire with saying, and readers venture to rush into the bustle, trial, and with hearing it, that it is scarcely more ne- temptation of the day. Of this aid he will cessary to address serious suggestions to possess himself with more ease, and less loss men sunk in gross pursuits, than to that of time, as he will not have to ransack a large, and important, and valuable class, multiplicity of folios for a detached case, or whose danger lies in the very credit, and an individual intricacy; for, though he may dignity, and usefulness of their engage-not find in the Bible specific instances, yet ments. A thousand dissertations have been he will discover in every page some governwritten, and yet the theme is not exhausted, ing truth, some rule of universal application, on that hackneyed but neglected truth, that the spirit of which may be brought to bear we are undone by lawful things, by excess on almost every circumstance; some princiin things right in themselves, and which on-ple suited to every purpose, and competent ly become wrong by being inordinately pur-to the solution of every moral difficulty. sued pursued to the neglect of things more Scripture does not, indeed, pretend to inessential; when what is even laudable is ex- clude technical or professional peculiarities, clusively sought, to the forgetfulness of what but it exhibits the temper and the conduct is indispensable. Things may not only be which may be made applicable to the special comparatively, but positively, good, and yet concerns of every man, whatever be his ocnot be things which accompany salvation.'cupation. He will find in it the right direcThey may not only be intended to be instru- tion to the right pursuit, the straight road to mental, but actually be so, both in advan- the proper end; the duty of a pure intencing the prosperity, and in restraining the disorders of this world, and so far be highly valuable, and yet the act may be substituted for that principle which should be its inspiring motive. The fault, however, is not in the thing, but in the mind, when useful actions are not done with a reference to the highest end. Of this reference a Christian will aim never to lose sight. He will, before he engage in the concerns of the day, prepare his mind by fervent devotion; not only imploring direction in the common course of action, and the expected occurrences of the day, but strength to meet those unknown occasions and unsuspected events, which, in human life, and especially in a life of business, so frequently occur. Without this panoply, he will not venture to engage with the world; but the armour which he put on in solitude, he will not lay aside in the field of battle; it was for that warfare he had buckled it on.

tion; and the prohibition of false measures to attain even a laudable object. No hurry or engagement will ever make him lose sight of that sacred aphorism so pointedly addressed to men of business, He that maketh haste to be rich shall hardly be innocent.' The cautionary texts he admired in his closet, he will not treasure up as classical mottos to amuse his fancy, or embellish his discourse, but will adopt as rules of conduct, and bring them into every worldly transaction, whether commercial, forensic, medical, military, or whatever else be his professed object. He will not adjust his scale of duty by the false standard of the world, nor by any measure of his own devising; he has but one standard of judging, but one measure of conduct-the infallible word of God. This rule he will take as he finds it, he will use as he is commanded; he will not bend it to his own convenience, he will not accommodate it to his own views, his own passions, his own emolument, his own reputation.

As the lawyer has his compendium of cases and precedents, the legislator his statutes, the soldier his book of tactics, and eve- Here it may be asked, Why is not Scripry other professor his vade mecum to con- ture more explicit in description, more misult in difficulties, the Christian to which-nute in detail? We find our self-love perever of the professions he may belong, will petually furnishing subterfuges for evading take his morning lecture from a more infal- duties, and multiplying exceptions to rules. lible directory, comprehending not only ca- God, who knows all hearts, and foresaw ses and precedents, but abounding also with their captiousness, might, it may be said, those seminal principles which contain the have guarded against it by more enlarged inessence of all actual duty, from which all structions. The holy Spirit, however, did practical excellence is deducible. The spi- not see fit to descend to such minutie, but, rit of laws differ from all legal institutes, having given the principle, left man to the some of which, from that imperfection in-exercise of his reason, in the application of separable from the best human things, have the general law to his particular case; for if been found unintelligible, some impractica- he is left to the use of his judgment, it is not ble, and some have become obsolete. The that he may pervert truth, but apply it. His divine law is subject to no such disadvan- understanding and rectitude are perpetually tages. It is perfect in its nature, intelligible called into joint exercise, for that which is

immediately the duty of one man, another may not be called to perform.

ver gives any practical intimation that there is another. But how much more pungent Not to distress the mind, therefore, with will be his sorrow, when he observes lofty unnecessary scruples, nor to perplex it by a and sagacious spirits neglecting to make the multiplicity of circumstances, some things most even of this brief state of being;— are left indefinite. An incumbered body of when he sees men who might have made the institutes would have been too vast and com- world a better thing than they found it, had plicated for general use; that time would be they employed their superior powers of intaken up in selecting them, which is better tellect in studying how they might please employed in acting upon them. Even were God, by promoting the best interests of his every particular of every duty, in all its creatures; when he sees such understandbearings, circumstantially ramified, it wouldings clouded by intemperance, such minds not so much direct the conduct, as furnish absorbed in studying the qualities of a race new pretences for neglecting it. Then, as horse, or calculating the chances of a gaming now, it would be seen rather that the will is table! perverse, than the understanding unsatisfied. In another and a more estimable class of More amplification would not have lessened characters, he is struck with mingled admiobjections. Those who complain now, that ration and concern, in observing what good the rule is not explicit, would complain then, and resembling imitations of religion are that it was tedious. A fuller exposition made by honour, sense, and spirit; how rewould neither have cleared doubts nor pre-spectably moral honesty, kindness, and gevented disputes. It would then have been nerosity may, to superficial observers, percharged with redundancy, as it is now with sonate Christianity, may even execute the defectiveness. act of piety with an utter destitution of the If the world carries contamination to the principle. He sees in certain minds some heart, it carries also to the right-minded a masterly strokes of natural beauty, which at preservative; as the viper's blood is said to once dignify and embellish them, so as, on be an antidote for its bite. The living world some occasions, to tempt him to forget that is to such persons an improving exemplifica- they are not religious. But these brilliant tion of the moral lessons of history. If we qualities are not infused into the entire chaapply to our own improvement the recorded racter, the excellence is limited to a few shiexcellences or errors of which we read; ning points, and the hollows are proportionif we are struck with the successes or de-ed to the heights. Rich in some splendid virfeats of ambition; the pursuits or disappoint-tue, there is no uniformity in the principle; ments of vanity; the sordid accumulations there is perhaps some allowed sin in the of avarice, or the wasting ravages of prodi-practice; while in the character of the real gality; if we are moved with instances of Christian, though there may be much infirvice and virtue in men of whom we know mity, there is a desire of consistency-there nothing but what the historian is pleased to is no deliberate transgression-there is even tell us, and of whom he perhaps knew not no unrepented error. much more; if we read with interest of the violence of parties, of which both the leaders and the followers have been long laid in the dust; if we are affected, as every intelligent mind cannot but be affected, with these pictures of things, how much benefit may a well-directed mind derive from seeing them realized from seeing the old scenes acted over again by living performers; from living himself among the dramatis persona as one of the actors; from taking a personal interest in a repetition of things which he condemned or applauded when only coldly presented to his understanding, and at which his principles revolted or rejoiced, even in the dead letter of narrative. He now sees the same sentiments embodied, the same passions brought into action, similar opinions operating upon actual conduct.

These living lessons the pious observer will turn to account. The impression thus made on his heart, from actual observation, will sink deeper, and be more durable, than the instruction to be obtained by a mere intellectual view of mankind, from information collected from writers, who are obliged to pick up facts, not from having witnessed them, but as they find them in preceding writers; men who know little of the causes of which they describe the effects, or the motives of the actions they record. History paints men, acute observation anatomizes them.

If he regret that his necessary duties in the world trench on the time he would gladly devote to religious pursuits, let him take comfort that these regrets, if sincere, are an earnest of his safety. The very corruptions If he is deeply touched when history pre- to which he is witness, will experimentally sents to his view the errors of high and he- convince him of the truth of a doctrine roic minds, when it exhibits the aberrations which is no where more completely learned of superior genius, how much more lively than in the bustle of life. The perception of will be his regret, when he sees, among his this evil in others, makes him watch against own acquaintance, the ardour of a noble and similar tendencies within; tendencies which ingenuous mind exclusively consumed on only the grace daily invoked by him preobjects, which might indeed be accounted vents from breaking out into action. This great, if this world were all, but which ne-deep conviction of man's corruption, instead

of imparting his benevolence, will improve it. week. He anticipates it as a rest here, and It will teach him not to expect too much as a foretaste of eternal rest. He enlarges from so imperfect a being, as well as to bear his pious exercises with the more satisfacwith the errors which his belief of the doc- tion, as he is clearly assured that he is not on trine had led him to expect. This, together this day in danger of trenching on his prowith his intercourse with the world, will fessional duties; and, from this reflection his cure him of that mistake so common to per- heart more warmly expands in gratitude to sons who have not lived in it, that of expect- Him whose day it more immediately is. He ing no faults in those which a fond imagina- feels that, if it were barely a season ordaintion, on a first acquaintance, had led them to ed by some public act, a royal proclamation believe perfect, and who, on the inevitable enjoining it as a necessary interval between discovery, become too strongly disgusted the labours which close one week, and those with errors and imperfections, on which they which began another, a contrivance of ease, ought to have reckoned. He will never use a measure of political prudence or personal his full conviction of the truth of which we tenderness to prevent the bodily machine have been speaking to the purposes of un- and the overlaboured mind from wearing worthy distrust, or base suspicion. On the out, he would be grateful for its institution: contrary, though he will exercise his dis- but to him the day comes fraught with benecernment in the knowledge of men, and his fits and blessings of a still higher kind. It discretion as to the confidence to be placed is an appointment of God; that entitles it to in them, he will not be ever on the look out his reverence; it is an institution of spiritual to detect, much less to expose their errors.mercy; it is the stated season for recruiting Though he loves not the world' in the his mental vigour; for inspecting his acScripture sense of the term, he loves the in-counts with his Maker; for taking a more dividuals of whom it is composed, with the exact survey of the state of his heart; for affection of sympathy. He will put a large examining into his faults; for enumerating and liberal construction on their actions, but his mercies; for laying in, by prayer, fresh he will not stretch that latitude to the vindi- stores of faith and holiness; for repairing cation of any thing that is corrupt in princi- what both may have lost in the turmoil of ple, or criminal in conduct. Nor will he be the week. His heated passions have leisure always on the defensive in his intercourse to cool; his hurried mind to regain its tranwith them he will not act with the narrow quil tone; his whole internal state to be reselfishness of the sordid trader, who is jealous gulated; his mistakes to be reviewed; his of every man with whom he has business to temper to be new set; his piety to be braced transact, on no higher ground than lest he up to the pitch from which it may have been should lose money by him; while he tole-sunk in the atmosphere he had been breathrates in his character every vice which will ing. The pious man of business relishes his not interfere with his pecuniary transactions. family society and fireside enjoyments with It is his aim to reconcile that charity a keenness not often felt by others. If 'the which believeth all things with that discri- harp, and the tabret, and the viol,' are not mination of character which shows us, not always heard in his feasts, he does what only so many who are bad, but so much im- those who listen to them do not always reperfection, we may say, so much evil, in the member to do, for he considers the works of comparatively good. To love and serve the Lord, and regards the operations of his those in whom we at the same time perceive hands. It is not enough for the devoted no little moral defect, is turning our spiritual Christian that his life is dedicated to him discernment to a practical account. This who gave it, his spirit is, as it were, exhaled principle, while it serves to preserve us in his service.* from an undue admiration of others, will teach us to suspect these, or other defects, in ourselves.

To

CHAP. XXIV.

Difficulties and advantages of the Christian
in the world.

THERE are two things of which a wise
It is to be regretted, that the members of a learned

cannot clash with any public courts or sittings on that

The Christian in the world, anxious to improve his scanty leisure, will rescue from mere diversion those hours which cannot prudently be subtracted from business. a man thus circumstanced, the Sunday is felt to be indeed a blessing; to him it is empha- and honourable profession, and which has produced so tically delight. Instead of appropriating many exemplary characters, should appoint their conit as a day of premeditated conviviality, he sultations on Sundays. It is urged in excuse, that they converts it into a stated season of enjoyment of another kind. He hardly needs the in- day. The leading men, by this custom, foree some of junction to remember' to keep it holy, their duty, against which their consciences perhaps rethough he is not unmindful, that, of the ten volt. Might not one of these two sacrifices obviate the commandments, it is the only one prefaced necessity which is pleaded in its vindication? Might with that admonition. He considers the ob- they not either reject such a superfluity of business as servance as almost more his privilege than induces it-or, if that be too much to expect, might they his duty. The expectation of its return not subtract the time from their social and convivial cheers him under the perplexities of the hours? VOL. II.

29

those whose practice is less established into a breach of

man will be scrupulously careful, his con- lesson of forbearance to learn, when he is science and his credit. Happily they are called upon to practice it: because he has almost inseparable concomitants; they are not indulged himself in those habits, and as commonly kept or lost together; the same little as may be in those societies which lay things which wound the one, usually gives a a man open to the consequences of which unblow to the other: yet, it must be confessed, governed appetites are the source: because that conscience and a mere worldly credit he has always considered pride and passion are not, in all instances, allowed to subsist as the possible seeds of murder; an impure together. God and our hearts-we speak of glance as the first approach to that crime hearts which are looked into and examined which is the ordinary source of duelling-the -always condemn us for the same things- combined violation of these two commandthings, perhaps, for which we do not suffer ments, being as closely connected, in pracin the opinion of the world: the world, in re- tice, as is their position in the Decalogue. turn, not seldom condemns us for actions, It is observable, that while the shifts and for which we have the approbation of God stratagems to which a man is commonly and our consciences. Is it right to put the verdict of such opposite judges on an equality, nay to abide by that which will be less than nothing when his sentence, whose favour is eternal life, shall be finally pronounced?

Between a wounded conscience and a wounded credit there is the same difference as between a crime and a calamity. Of two inevitable evils, religion instructs us to submit to that which is inferior and involuntary. As much as reputation exceeds every worldly good, so much, and far more, is conscience to be consulted before credit-if credit that can be called, which is derived from the acclamations of a mob, whether composed of 'the great vulgar or the small.'

driven by illicit connexions, so often lead to duelling, yet that the charge of that crime itself, or of any other equally atrocious, far more rarely provokes a challenge, than the charge of the lic, to which the crime has compelled him to resort. Can there be a more striking instance of the false estimate of character and virtue, than that the offence is not made to consist in the falsehood itself, but in the accusation of it.

The man of mere worldly principles keeps himself in the broad way, which, should events occur, and temptations arise to irritate him, may at any time lead to such a termination. His habits of life, Ais choice of associates, his systematic resolution to revenge every insult, makes his common path Yet are we not perpetually seeing, that to a path of danger. His pride is always ready secure this worthless fame, peace and con- primed; he carries the inflammable matter science are sacrificed? For to what but a in his habit, and the first spark may cause an miserably false estimate of the relative value explosion; while the man of principle, in of these two blessings; what but the prefer- addition to all the other guards before enuence of character to duty-in support, too, merated, wants, indeed, but this single conof a rotten part of it-is it, that the wretched sideration to deter him from the spirit of system of duelling not only maintains its duelling; that it is the act of all others ground, but is increasing with a frightful ra- which stands in the most determined oppopidity? If we have, perhaps, never heard of sition to the law of God, and the spirit of the a truly religious man engaged in a duel, it Gospel; that it is a studied, deliberate, preis not that, with all his caution, he is not lia-meditated subversion of one of the most imble to provocations and insults, as well as perious duties of Christianity, by making it other nien; nor that he has no quick sense infamous to forgive injuries. of injuries, no spirit to repel attacks, and no courage to defend himself. He who bears insults is made of like passions with him who revenges them; his pride longs to break out if it dared; for even a good man, as the prelate quoted in the last chapter observes, has more to do with this one viper, than with all his other corruptions.'

And even if a man be more correct in his habits, still if the maxims of the world, and not those of Christianity, govern him, he loses sight of the great principles which would restrain excesses in temper, as well as in conduct. He first loses sight of these, perhaps by negligence in private devotion, possibly by a careless attendance on public But, among other causes, his safety lies in worship. Thus freeing himself from these this, that he has always endeavoured to keep observances, he loses sight of the obligations clear of those initiatory offences which lead of religion, and losing this strongest muzzle to this catastrophe; it is because he has been of restraint,' it is the less wonder that a small habitually governed by principles of a di- provocation tempts him to offer bloody sarectly contrary tendency, and has not the crifices to that fantastic but cruel idol, world• Lord Herbert of Cherbury, the first of our deistically honour. It is the less wonder that a newriters, and the last hero of our ancient chivalry, with glected, even where there is not a perverted that fantastic combination of devotion and gallantry principle, should end in the murder of a which characterized the profession of knighthood, tells friend, and the destruction of his own soul; us, in the memoirs of his own life, that he strictly main-for of a merely convivial friendship, a duel is tained the religious observance of the Sabbath, except no very uncommon termination. when called out to fight a duel for a point of honour, which he seemed to have thought a paramount duty.

But to return.-In the ordinary pursuits of life, the good man differs but little from

seeks to arm himself against the fear of death.

others, in the keenness with which he embarks in enterprize, or in the diligence with which he prosecutes it; but he carries it on The unequal distribution of the good things in another spirit; he is not less solicitous in of this life, the inferior success of men of the pursuit, but there is less perturbation in more virtue, higher talent, and a better outhis solicitude; he makes no undue sacrifices set, than others of his acquaintance, whose to attain his object. He seeks the divine beginning was low, and whose deserts equiblessing, not that he may slacken his own vocal, remind him that prosperity is no sure exertions, but that he may be directed in test of merit, and that the favour of heaven them, supported under them. Sanguine, is not to he estimated by success. God, he perhaps, by nature, he yet takes into the ac- recollects, has made no special promise of count the probabilities of disappointment: prosperity to his children. When given, it this, when it occurs, he bears as one, who, is to be esteemed no certain mark of his apthough careful of the motive and mode of his probation; when withdrawn, it is often in conduct, had put the affair into the hands of mercy; when withheld, it is because God the Master of events. His failure does not has higher designs for his less prosperous serdiscourage him from fresh exertions, when vants. As to himself, the events of every Occasions equally right present themselves. day teach him, that he had expected more He is grateful for success, but not intoxica- from human life than it had to bestow, and ted by it. Under defeat he is resigned, but that his disappointments arise not less from not desponding. He measures the intrinsic his own sanguine temper, than from the devalue of an object by asking his own mind, ceits of that world which it had overrated. though he thinks so highly of its importance The world, especially, we may here renow, what he shall probably think of it when mark, the commercial world, particularly in his ardour is cooled, and especially, what he these awful times, is calculated to teach forshall think of it when all things shall be bearance far more than sequestred life, bebrought into judgment. This question set-causé men often suffer so severely in their tled, either moderates or augments the inte- fortune and credit by the errors or misforrest he takes in it. tunes of others. If the good man suffer by Knowing that whatever he proposes in the his own fault, he will find a fresh motive for way of public good, is liable to be suspected humility; if by the fault of another, for paof imprndence, or mistaken zeal, he turns tience; if more directly from the hand of this exposure to suspicion to his own advan- God, for submission. Whatever be the fluctage. It leads him to examine his project tuations of his fortune, his faith will gain stamore accurately to spy out its weak side, if bility, for he will discern an invisible hand it have any; and to anticipate, by the ope- directing all events for his ultimate good. If rations of a well exercised judgment, the ob- he is placed in a state of peculiar agitation, jections which his opponents are likely to God intends to lead him by it to seek his rest make. Foreseeing the points which may where only it can be found. If in a state of create opposition, he guards against it, either singular difficulty, it is to show him his own by altering his plan, if defective, or prepar- weakness, and his immediate dependance on ing to defend it, if sound. One of his great him, who gives strength to the weak. This difficulties, and yet it is his only security, principle admitted, will furnish new motives will be his custom of refering all matters in to watchfulness and prayer, without any didebate, to the law and to the testimony.' minution of activity or spirit. This will lead him constantly to oppose prin- His observations on the gradual process, ciples to expediency. Of this incommodious by which the love of money monopolizes the integrity, he must abide the censure and the hearts of others, teach him to guard his own consequences. He will have no share in the against its encroachments. He sees that the crooked arts and intrigues by which some first designs of men are commonly moderate. men rise so fast, and become so popular. He Few take in at one view all the length they will detest craft almost as much as fraud, and go afterwards. They look not beyond a certhe pitiful shifts of a narrow policy, as much tain eminence. On this they fix as the sumas he will love the light and open path of mit of their desires. But what appeared truth and honesty.-He doth not slacken in high at a distance sinks when approached; his undeviating strictness, though he is is nothing when attained;- Alps rise on aware, that this is the quality which pecu- Alps;'-a further distance presents a further liarly exposes him to misrepresentation. height; this, they are sure, will bound their Exertion, struggle, conflict, these are desires: this attained, they are resolved to the trials for which he prepares himself. retire and dedicate their lives and their richThankful for tranquillity when it can be es to the end for which, they persuade themhonestly obtained, enjoying repose when selves, they have been toiling. But, with he has fairly earned it; he yet knows that the acquisition, the desire increases; wants this is not the world in which they are grow out of riches. The moderate man is to be looked for with any certainty, or en- become insatiable. The principle thrives joyed with any continuance; and this con- with the attainment of its object. Though viction of its instability and fluctuation is hope is exchanged for possession, yet the one of the many-arguments with which he restless principle continues to work, and will