resolution and his vigilance; how would the friendly monitor's endeavour be redoubled, so to possess his pupil's mind with the worth and dignity of the undertaking, that there should be no opening for the entrance of any inferior consideration!" Weigh "well (he would say) the value of the object for " which you are about to contend, and contemplate "and study its various excellencies, till your whole "soul be on fire for its acquisition. Consider too, “that if you fail, misery and infamy are united in "the alternative which awaits you. Let not the "mistaken notion of its being a safe and easy ser❝vice, for a moment beguile you into the discon*tinuance or remission of your efforts. Be aware "of your imminent danger, and at the same time "know your true security. It is a service of labour "and peril; but one wherein the powers which you

possess, strenuously and perseveringly exerted, "cannot but crown you with victory. Accustom "yourself to look first to the dreadful consequences "of failure; then fix your eye on the glorious price "which is before you; and when your strength "begins to fail, and your spirits are well nigh ex

hausted, let the animating view rekindle your "resolution, and call forth in renewed vigour the "fainting energies of your soul.'

It was the remark of an unerring observer, "The children of this world are wiser in their generation "than the children of light." And it is indisputably true, that in religion we have to argue and plead with men for principles of action, the wisdom and expediency of which are universally acknowledged in matters of worldly concern. So it is in the instance before us. The case which has been just described, is an exact, but a faint representation of our condition in this life. Frail and "infirm of purpose," we have a business to execute of supreme and indispensable necessity. Solicitations to neglect it every where abound: the difficulties and dangers are numerous and urgent; and the night of death cometh,

how

how soon we know not," when no man can work." All this is granted. It seems to be a state of things wherein one should look out with solicitude for some powerful stimulants. Mere knowledge is confessedly too weak. The affections alone remain to supply the deficiency. They precisely meet the occasion, and suit the purposes intended. Yet, when we propose to fit ourselves for our great undertaking, by calling them in to our help, we are to be told that we are acting contrary to reason. Is this reasonable, to strip us first of our armour of proof, and then to send us to the sharpest of encounters? To summon us to the severest labours, but first to rob us of the precious cordials which should brace our sinews and recruit our strength? Let these pretended advocates

for reason at length then confess their folly, and do justice to the superior wisdom as well as goodness of our heavenly Instructor, who better understanding our true condition, and knowing our frowardness and inadvertency, has most reasonably as well as kindly pointed out and enjoined on us the use of those aids which

may counteract our infirmities; who commanding the effect, has commanded also the means whereby it may be accomplished.

And now, if the use of the affections in religion, in general, be at length shewn to be conformable

to reason, it will not require many words just object of to prove that our blessed Saviour is the

proper object of them. We know that affections.

love, gratitude, joy, hope, trust, have all their appropriate objects. Now it must be at once conceded, that if these appropriate objects be not exhibited, it is perfectly unreasonable to expect that the correspondent passions should be excited. If we ask for love, in the case of an object which has no excellence or desirableness; for gratitude, where no obligation has been conferred; for joy, where there is no just cause of self-con

gratulation;

Christ the

our warm

gratulation; for hope, where nothing is expected ; for trust, where there exists no ground of reliance; then, indeed, we must kiss the rod, and patiently submit to, correction. This would be indeed Egyptian bondage to demand the effects without the means of producing them.

Is the case then so ? Are we ready to adopt the language of the avowed enemies of our adorable Saviour; and again to say of him “ in whom dwelleth all the fullness “ of the Godhead bodily," that “ he hath no form “ nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there “ is no beauty that we should desire him *?” Is it no obligation, that he who “ thought it not rob“bery to be equal with God," should yet for our sakes“ make himself of no reputation, and take

upon him the form of a servant, and be made in “ the likeness of men; and humble himself, and “- become obedient unto death, even the death of " the cross +?” Is it no cause of “ joy, that to us is " born a Saviour,” by whom we may “ be deli• livered from the power of darkness; and be made 6 meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the " saints in light 8?” Can there be a “hope com

$ parable to that of our calling ||”- -“ Which is “ Christ in us, the hope of glory | ?” Can there be a trust to be preferred to the reliance on “ Christ

Jesus; who is the same yesterday, to-day, and for

ever **?” Surely, if our Opponent be not dead to every generous emotion, he cannot look his own objection in the face, without a blush of shame and indignation.

But forced at last to retreat from his favourite position, and compelled to acknowledge The Affecthat the religious affections towards our tions denied blessed Saviour are not unreasonable; the to be possible Objector still maintains the combat, sug- invisible gesting that by the very constitution of Being.

a

Our

our nature, we are not susceptible of them towards an invisible Being; with regard to whom, it is added, we are shut out from all those means of communication and intercourse, which knit and cement the ónión between man and man.

Position dis.

We mean not to deny that there is something in this objection. It might even seem to plead the The above authority of Scripture in its favours “ Mine

eye

affecteth mine heart *;" and cussed, and still more-“He that loveth not his brother answered.

" whom he hath seen, how can he love “ God whom he hath not seen +?” It was indeed no new remark in Horace's days,

Segnius irritant animos demissa per aures,

Quam quæ sunt oculis subjecta fidelibus. We receive impressions more readily from visible objects, we feel them more strongly, we retain them more durably. But though it must be granted that this circumstance makes it a more difficult task to preserve the affections in question in a healthful and vigorous state ; is it thereby rendered impossible? This were indeed a most precipitate conclusion; and any one who should be disposed to admit the truth of it, might be at least induced to hesitate, when he should reflect that the argument applies equally against the possibility of the love of God, a duty of which the most cursory reader of Scripture, if he admit its divine authority, cannot but acknowledge the indispensable obligation. But we need only look back to the Scripture proofs which have been already adduced, to be convinced that the religious affections are therein inculcated on us as a matter of high and serious obligation. Hence we may be assured that the impossibility stated by our opponent does not exist. ". Let us scrutinize this matter, however, a little more minutely, and we shall be compelled to ac

knowledge, that the objection vanishes when we fairly and accurately investigate the circumstances of the case. With this view, let us look a little into the nature of the affections of the human mind, and endeavour to ascertain whence it is that they derive their nutriment, and are found from experience to increase in strength.

The state of man is such, that his feelings are not the obedient servants of his reason, prompt at once to follow its dictates, as to their direction and their measure. Excellence is the just object of love: good in expectancy, of hope; evil to be apprehended, of fear; the misfortunes and sufferings of our fellow-creatures, constitute the just objects of pity. Each of these passions, it might be thought, would be excited, in proportion to what our reason should inform us were the magnitude and consequent claims of its corresponding object. But this is by no means the case. Take first for a proof the instance of pity. We read of slaughtered thousands with less emotion, than we hear the particulars of a shocking accident which has happened in the next street; the distresses of a novel, which at the same time we know to be fictitious, affect us more than the dry narrative of a battle. We become so much interested by these incidents of the imagination, that we cannot speedily banish them from our thoughts, nor recover the tone of our minds; and often, we scarcely bring ourselves to lay down our book at the. call of real misfortune, of which perhaps we go to the relief, on a principle of duty, but with little sense of interest or emotion of tenderness. It were easy to show that it is much the same in the case of the other affections. Whatever be the cause of this disproportion, which, as metaphysics fall not within our province, we shall not stop to examine, the fact is undeniable. There appears naturally to be a cer. tain strangeness between the passion and its object, which familiarity and the power of habit must gradually overcome. You must contrive to bring them