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86

SELF DECEPTION.

MARCH 19.

The heart is deceitful above all things.

WHEN man came from the hand of his Creator, his bosom was fair as the face of nature around him, and honest as the light which shone upon him. Upon his tongue there was no guile, for there was nothing in his heart which he wished to hide. But when innocence is lost, the heart proves deceitful.-There are many instances of self-deception, one only of which will now be noticed; and that is,

The sophistry which men use to reason away that religious truth, which lays a restraint upon their immoral practices.-What the heart of man wishes to be true, it easily persuades the head to believe. Whatever reason may have to say in opposition to it, in vain she rises up within, while the judgment, bribed and biased by the passions, decides the cause in their favour. The mind merely grants to the arguments on the opposite side, the form of a trial and ceremony of an audience; it slumbers over them; pays them no attention, and consequently perceives in them no weight. In support, on the other hand, of the delightful errour with which it is in love, it listens with eagerness to all that can be urged. In consequence of this partiality to its side, the pleasing falsehood is soon pronounced to be right sentiment. This giving the hue of truth to destructive errour, makes the conformity to inclination seem conformity to reason.-Nevertheless, the moral sophist cannot entirely escape from religion's restraints. 'The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good;' is a truth which will haunt and disquiet his guilty breast, however sheltered in the bowers of pleasure. In order, however, to go astray without the rough molestations of conscience, he employs all his ingenuity to prove those mistaken, whose pure faith when admitted, proves him to be mad. Terrified by the frowning face of truth, he flies to that falsehood, which smiles upon his guilt.-A young man of warm passions, loosened from the bonds of parental authority, receiving the portion of goods which falleth to him, enters the world with a bounding heart and a reckless courage. He says to himself, 'Away with morality's trammels-away with religion's shackles, I will be a man of spirit.' A bold resolution! The sons of licentiousness applaud him for his fire. He plunges into the abyss of sensuality. If his thoughts trouble him, he replies "There is no judgment.' Thus with a shameful perversion of his understanding, he seeks for falsehood as for silver, and for arguments in favour of it, as for hidden treasure. He drinks the delicious doctrine of sophistry, as dew distilling on his thirst for evil; and is prompt to believe in the infidel's presumption, and to repeat the wit's sarcasm. There is more infidelity of the heart than of the head, in this world. Some professors of christianity, too, have endeavoured to persuade themselves, that unreserved faith will atone for loose morals. They thus ascribe to God an immoral mercy, an unrighteous goodness. They wofully deceive themselves. Having eyes they see not, because they will not see.

The God of truth, the guardian of virtue, grant that we may keep our hearts with all diligence, while we remember, that sin must ally us to destruction.

RIGHT UNDERSTANDING OF RELIGION IN THE LOWER CLASSES. 87

MARCH 20.

Get wisdom, get understanding-she shall give to thine head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory shall she deliver unto thee.

BESIDES his particular calling for the support and comfort of this life, every one has a concern in a future life, which he is bound to regard. The delight which the mind takes in things divine, is an internal proof of its own divinity. This natural connexion with another life, engages the soul in religion; and it is incumbent upon it to understand and reason rightly. Men therefore cannot be excused from understanding the words, and framing the general notions relating to religion, rightly. One day of seven, besides other days of rest, allows in the christian world time enough for this, if they would make use of these vacancies from their daily avocations, and apply themselves to an improvement of knowledge, with as much diligence as they often do to things frivolous and corrupting. The poor are capable of equal religious elevation with the rich, and it only requires that they use the abundant opportunities which our country so cheerfully supplies. There are instances of very indigent persons raising their minds to an elevated apprehension of truth and duty. This is sufficient to clear that condition of life from a necessity of gross ignorance, and to show that more might be brought to a saving sense of religion. Some of the peasantry in our seaboard towns, with all the pressures of want and labour, understand christianity better, it is feared, than far higher conditions elsewhere.There has been an impression among some, that the lower ranks must give themselves to a brutish stupidity in matters of politics and religion. If this takes place, the first fault is that of the poor themselves; and the second that of the opulent around them. What greater service can a rich and intelligent man yield to society, than educating, exalting and purifying the indigent and unguided?-On whom do we look with greater reverence, than on the munificent patron of education? He shews a largeness of mind, a benevolence, yes, a piety, which hallows him in our estimation. The rich who refuse to become fellow workers with God in meliorAlmoating the condition of humanity, are traitors to their trust. ners of the divine bounty, they neglect the great duties of their appointment. There should be established in every neighborhood, social libraries for the poor; circulating libraries-and there might be instituted travelling libraries in every county. Seasons for reading, hearing lectures and mutual instruction, should be set apart. Sabbath and evening schools should be instituted, and every motive agreeable to the nature and dignity of the human mind should be brought to bear on the poor, in order to rescue them from slavish ignorance, brutal intemperance and lawless audacity.

What can be more gracious than God's care for the instruction of the poor? When the messengers of John received the Saviour's reply to their queries, it was in this impressive climax-"Go tell John what things ye have heard and seen,-the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached unto them."

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The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath.-Mercy is better than sacrifice.

TRUTH is abused when christians rest in the performance of religious rites. Superstition attaches mysterious influences to acts of devotion. Divine worship and the ritual forms of christianity, are means, not ends. Piety, love, justice and holiness are ends. God requires our homage not for his own, but our sake. If we worship him in our families and closets; trust in him ; submit to him ; serve and love him, we thereby promote not his, but our own advantage. God wants not our aid, but, by devotion, our ideas of him are defined, renewed, impressed and hallowed. This is the ultimate view of all religious worship, all rites and all exercises. They acquire their whole value from the moral influence they carry to our motives, conduct and happiness. It is therefore gross, flagrant superstition, if we think any outward observances can atone for former sins, or licence us to transgress afresh.-It follows then, from moral duties taking precedence of religious means, that we are well pleasing to God just in proportion as the means of religion produce the fruits of religion.

How important, then, is the faithful, constant use of all the ininstrumental duties of christianity. What food is to the body, devotion is to the soul. What the sun, atmosphere and rain are to to the progress of vegetation, religious exercises are to the due growth of piety and holiness. The end is not reached without the means. Our knowledge, faith, hope, peace and activity would be weakened, shaken and obscured, did not the exercises of public worship give them new life and vigour. It is necessary that we often think of God's providence, government and final scrutiny. Let us never, therefore, blindly abandon ourselves to what is called divine worship, as though in that consisted the chief concern of man. Let us often think this; that we cannot more worthily worship God, than by regulating our whole temper and carriage by his will; than by leading a thoroughly active, beneficent and useful life; by spreading instruction and happiness about us, through the punctual discharge of our obligations. He who serves his neighbour with a kind and cheerful heart, serves God—he who makes rational creatures contented and pious, benevolent and persevering, glorifies their Creator. This should always be to us an ascertained principle, directing and determining our own choice, whenever we have to select between religious services and the obligations of justice and humanity, the observance whereof cannot be superseded without injury.

May these remarks incite us to renewed diligence in using every means for fortifying our christian principles. To adore and trust God; to cherish and benefit man, are our great duties; and the more sedulously we use the appointed means, the earlier and more completely shall we attain the end.

If love to God, and love to men

Be absent; all my hopes are vain ;
Nor tongues, nor gifts, nor fiery zeal,
The work of love can e'er fulfil.

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Who will render to every man according to his deeds.-But I obtained mercy, because I did it ignorantly in unbelief.

TRUTH is abused, when sincere inquirers are blamed for errours of faith they could not prevent. God does not punish errour, but vice. Man never errs by design. He may honestly err, but this excludes him not from the charity of God. Our religious ideas depend oft times on contingent circumstances, over which we can have no controul. Our first impressions, our first instructions, the books we read and the impressions while reading them, the company we keep, the business we transact, the knowledge we acquire, the temper we possess, the trials we sustain, all these give their colouring to our religious views. Now do these circumstances depend on our choice? and will the author of our condition blame us for effects resulting from his own appointed causes? No-If we love truth and sincerely seek it, we are acceptable to God, though we should not possess an angel's power of separating in every case the light from the darkness.

But does it follow thence, that it is indifferent what ideas we form of the doctrines of religion? May we adopt without examination all we have heard, been taught, or read; taking no pains to elucidate, to correct and to compare? Shall we give errour the vantage ground, which truth possesses?-Certainly not. What treachery to truth would this prove! What! because errour will not affix guilt upon him who loves and seeks truth, does therefore no guilt attach to him to whom truth and errour are indifferent objects, and who never gives himself any concern about apprehending the one and avoiding the other? What! because errour in some cases is harmless, has truth therefore no value, no preeminence ? He who neglects to guard himself against errour, is as culpable as he would be who should neglect to reckon figures accurately, because no pains can protect against all mistakes.

Let these considerations induce us to seek for truth as for hidden treasure. Let its attainableness inspirit our industry, and its value guard us against accepting its counterfeits. We are to avoid both rashness and timidity. We are not to afflict ourselves, during a sincere and anxious search after truth, that our stumbling upon doubts will be imputed to us as sin. God, who knows our disposi tions and opportunities, will never confound them in his judgments. The stream cannot be blamed for its colour received from the bed over which it passes.

Truth is the aliment of the mind. Revere it; keep it; for it is your life. Increase and rectify your knowledge. Make every art science and incident become serviceable auxiliaries; never doubting but that God will lead you into all truth, i. e. into all the fruth which it is necessary for you here to know.

Religion consists in piety and benevolence; and there is one errour truly destructive and awfully fatal—a wicked life.

If wrong, correct; accept if right,
Whilst faithful we obey our light;
And censuring none, are zealous still
To follow, as to learn, thy will,

90

RIGHTEOUS OF EVERY NATION SAVED.

MARCH 23.

Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons; but, in every nation he that feareth him and worketh righteousness is accepted with him.

GOD as a moral judge, will reward or punish all according to the measure of their capacities, the extent of their knowledge and the peculiarity of their means. Justice will regard only what they have been able to be and do. Those who have but the light of nature, will be accountable only for the improvement of that light. It is an elevating, humane and genial sentiment, that all the wise, just, and beneficent throughout the globe will meet in blessedness. Most degrading to christians and derogatory to the Father of all, is our dooming the heathen to future wo. Yet this has been raised to the dignity of an article of faith. Is God's tender mercy over all his works, and yet is he partial, arbitrary and capricious ?-How small the number of christians compared with the other inhabitants of the earth! and the present occupants compared with unnumbered generations who lived and died before christianity! These were all children of our God, and will he condemn them to punishment for not improving what they did not possess? Will he withhold the terms of christianity, and then judge them by those terms? Noit is impossible that God, whom all nature and revelation proclaim as a just and tender Parent, should forget moral distinctions, and cast aside the virtue, integrity, temperance, usefulness and beneficence, which a heathen has cherished from a conviction of their reasonableness and utility. The Author of our frame has formed all men for happiness, and has instituted different modes of education and discipline. All are his work; and does he intend the means he imparts shall, in any case, lead to folly and punishment ? Never has he left himself unwitnessed. He gave to the Israelites, Moses and the prophets; to christians, Jesus Christ; and to other nations, the light of nature-a Confucius and a Socrates. God's plans are vast; his judgments impartial, his doings benevolent, and his faithfulness everlasting.

man.

What abuse of this doctrine would it be to say, all religions are equally good. Christianity is the last and richest gift of God to It has lifted up human nature to the seats of the angels, and told man that he is twin brother with the celestial host. Can it, then, be renounced or neglected with impunity? Surely not. Let us beware of this abuse, which is the basest ingratitude.Let us also refrain from all presumptuous severity towards the heathen. God does not condemn them, and shall we? Rather let us embrace them as children of the same Father, praying him to extend to them that brighter light by which we are illumined. indeed will it be with us at last, if our superiour elevation has taught us only to condemn those beneath us.

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God grant that we may show ourselves christians by having the spirit of Christ, who was pious and charitable, just and humane.

Varied alike, thy moral ray

Here sheds a full, there fainter day:

The God of all, unkind to none,

To all the path of life has shown.

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