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"Thus on the Heavenly hills

The saints are bless'd above;

Where joy like morning dew distils,

And all the air is love?"

3. These observations teach us the wisdom and goodness of Christ in establishing a Church in the world.

The Church is one great family; in which all Christians are united, and enabled to walk together, and derive wisdom from each other. Here, their correspondence is intimate; and their advantages are all concentrated. Their instructions, their reproofs, their prayers, their example, are here mutually exhibited, and mutually enjoyed. Here, also, these blessings are perpetuated. Religion, here, is visible from day to day, and from age to age; and piety and beneficence shine, like the sun, with perennial beams. The Lord loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O City of God. The Lord hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell. I will abundantly bless her provision. I will satisfy her poor with bread. I will clothe her priests with salvation; and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.

In this assembly of the faithful, the word, and worship, of God, the means of eternal life, and the religion of the Gospel, have all been preserved. By the example, the labours, the prayers, and the piety, of the Church in one land, and in one age, have piety and salvation been extended, and perpetuated, through other lands, and other ages. This is the stem, from which have sprung all the blossoms, and fruits, of righteousness, which have gladdened this desolate world. Here, sinners, in millions, have seen, felt, and acknowledged, the reality and power of religion; and under its divine influence have turned from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God. Of Zion it shall be said, "this and that man was born in her." The Lord shall count, when he writeth up the people, that this man was born there.

4. We hence learn, also, how important it is, that Christians should adorn their profession with a holy life and conversation.

Considerations, very numerous and highly interesting, urge the performance of this duty. On this occasion I shall, however, omit them all, except those which have been insisted on in this discourse. These ought to be more than sufficient for a design, so strongly commended by its own inherent importance, and so necessary to peace of mind, and the final approbation of God.

If religion be not fervent in the heart, it will not be conspicuous in the life. If it be not conspicuous in the life, saints will not be edified, and sinners will not be saved.

A dull, cold, stupid heart, and its necessary consequence, a dull, cold, and stupid life, a life resembling more that of a Heathen moralist, than that of a disciple of Christ, robs a Christian of his proper usefulness; prevents the comfort which he might enjoy VOL. IV

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and overcasts his brightest hopes of future acceptance. I speak of this man as a Christian: for such Christians there are. Such there were in the Church of Sadis; on whom Christ calls to strengthen the things which remained, which were ready to die. Nay, there are Churches of this character. At Sardis there was such a church. But all persons of this character, whether churches, or individuals, are mere burdens upon the kingdom of Christ; heavy weights, under which Christianity struggles, and languishes, and faints. Their profession is so extensively contradicted by their life, as to wound every good man, and to provoke the censure, scorn, and ridicule, of every bad one. Not only is their own profession esteemed insincere, and themselves regarded as hypocrites but Christians, universally, are scandalized for their sakes; and their religion pronounced to be a farce, a pretence, a cheat. The injury done in this manner, is incalculable. Instead of improving at their side, in the enjoyment of their communion, and by means of their example; Christians learn from them only to be dull, and slothful, as they are; to languish in all their duty; and, although they have a name to live, to become the subjects of such a benumbing torpor, as is scarcely distinguishable from the chill of Death.

In the mean time, unrenewed men, discerning the mighty difference between the religion, described and required in the Gospel, and that which is displayed in the lives of such professors, not unnaturally, though very unhappily, conclude, that practical religion is no where to be found. To induce this conclusion, suca examples need not be very numerous; but, whenever they become frequent, it is drawn of course. Thus by a lukewarm life, and a profession violated by stupidity and negligence, the hearts of Christians are broken, and the salvation of sinners prevented. Vice and infidelity, in the mean time, rear their heads in triumph. The ways of Zion mourn, because few come to her solemn feasts; and the path to Heaven is trodden only by here and there a solitary traveller. He, who would not be chargeable with the guilt of effectuating these deplorable evils, must awake to righteousness; must watch, and strive, and pray, alway; must resolve to do whatever his hand findeth to do with his might; and must remember, that the day is approaching, when every man's work shall be made manifest: for that day shall declare it, because it shall be reocaled by fire.

SERMON CXLVI.

THE ORDINARY MEANS OF GRACE. RELIGIOUS MEDITATION.

PROVERBS IV. 26.—Ponder the path of thy feet; and let all thy ways be cstablished.

OUR next subject of consideration, in the order formerly proposed, is Religious Meditation.

This duty is enjoined in the text. Ponder, says David to Solo mon, the path of thy feet; and let all thy ways be established. By the path, here mentioned, is undoubtedly intended the course of life; including all the thoughts, affections, and conduct, of the man. The latter clause is rendered in the margin, And all thy ways shall be ordered aright. The consequence, therefore, of pondering our course of life is here declared to be, that all our ways shall be ordered aright. Of course, the text obviously contains this doctrine:

That habitual Religious Meditation is a direct mean of our present and eternal well-being.

This subject I shall discuss under two heads:

I. Religious Meditation, generally considered;
II. Self-Examination.

Of the former of these I observe,

1. That it alone enables us to make religious Truths a part of our own system of thought.

Knowledge is never of very serious use to man, until it has become a part of his customary course of thinking. This is accomplished, when by familiar acquaintance we are enabled to call it up to view at pleasure; to arrange the parts so, as easily to comprehend the whole; to perceive readily their mutual connexion. and dependence; to discern the evidence, by which each is supported; to refer each to its proper place; and to judge concerning the whole with correctness, and expedition. In this manner every man of common sense thinks concerning every subject, with which he is well acquainted: and the power of thinking in this manner, he gains only by meditation. Whatever information we may possess, it is of no serious use to us, until it is thus made our own. The knowledge, which barely passes through the mind, resembles that which is gained of a country by a traveller, who is whirled through it in a stage; or by a bird, flitting over it in his passage to another.

No interesting subject is examined by the mind in this cursory way. Every such subject it instinctively turns over and over; and never desists, until it has gained a familiar, and comprehen

sive, knowledge of the whole. In this situation, we may be said to understand a subject, so as to constitute it a part of our system of thought, and to make it a directory of our opinions, and conduct.

This truth is at least as applicable to religious subjects, as to others. Whatever knowledge we derive, either from the Bible, or from other sources of instruction, is thus made our own, only by meditation.

2. Meditation enables us to feel religious subjects with Strength and Efficacy.

Every person, who has attended to the state of his own mind, must have discovered, that there is a wide difference between perceiving, and feeling; and that of two things, equally understood. one has passed lightly over his mind; while the other has left deep impression. A religious man, particularly, will easily remember, that the truths of the Gospel have, at times, barely swept the surface of his mind; and, at others, have powerfully affected his heart. He will easily remember, that the same things, whether arguments, images, or motives, have affected him in these widely different manners. If he will bestow a little pains on this subject, he will further remember, that he has often been astonished at this fact; and has looked back, to find what mysterious cause prevented him from realizing, at one time, what he so deeply felt at another.

That, and that only, which we feel, moves us to useful action. What is merely perceived, or understood, scarcely moves us at all. The pipe must be relished, before the dancing will begin. The mourning must be felt, before we shall unite in the lamentation. A great proportion of mankind, in Christian countries, believe loosely, and generally, the divine origin, and the genuine doctrines, of the Scriptures. But while they thus believe, they live, and feel, and act, just as if there was no Scriptures. Almost all men believe the existence and government of God. Still they live, as if there were no God; or as if he exercised no government over the world, or over themselves. Multitudes believe, that Christ is the Saviour of men and yet never think of applying to him for their own salvation.

Religious Meditation is the only method, in which men learn to feel the concerns of religion. In this method, the doctrines, precepts and motives, presented to us in the Scriptures, which are quietly and carelessly admitted by most men, in Christian countries, and which thus neither amend the life, nor affect the heart, are, when often and deeply pondered, brought home to the soul; set strongly before its view; applied to itself; and felt to be of real and momentous import. In this way, we begin to fear and hope, to mourn and rejoice, to desire and loathe; and to seek and shun them according to their respective natures. In this way only do we regard the things of religion with profit to ourselves, and consider them, with an efficacious attention. In every other

situation of mind, we are settled upon our lees, and instinctively say, The Lord will not do good, neither will the Lord do evil.

3. Religious Meditation renders the thoughts and affections, thus gained, Habitual.

Nothing in the moral concerns of man is of much importance to him, until it is formed into a habit. Every opinion, and every impression, which is transiently entertained, is entertained to little purpose. If it produce any consequences; they are momentary, and useless. In the mean time, other things, of an unhappy tendency, having already become habitual, and possessing the controlling power of habit, return with speed and violence, and drive away the feeble and short-lived influence of such opinions, and impressions. Thus that, which, if continued, might become the glory and beauty of man, is as the flower of the grass. The grass withereth, and the flower thereof falleth away.

Habits are formed only by Repetition. That which is often repeated, becomes, by the mere tendency of nature, more and more interesting and necessary; and acquires, therefore, a daily increasing power over man. After it has continued for a season, and gained a certain degree of strength, it becomes in a sense immoveable; acquires a decisive control over the conduct; and is rarely, and not without extreme difficulty, overcome.

This influence of habit seems to be inwrought, as a primary characteristic, in the very nature of Intelligent beings. No other consideration will explain, at least in many situations, the permanent continuance of either virtue or vice. Under this influence only, does the drunkard resist all motives, and adhere immoveably to his cups; the idler to his sloth; the swearer to his profaneness; the spendthrift to his prodigality; the thief to his stealing; and all other sinners to their respective iniquities. Under this influence, the mature Christian overcomes the most powerful temptations; and advances firmly to the rack, or the faggot. Under the same influence, will the inhabitants of Hell persist in their rebellion, in spite of all the motives, which so powerfully persuade them to cease from sin. Finally, the Church of the first-born, and the innumerable company of Angels, will, under the same influence also, persevere in their obedience, whatever temptations may solicit

them to revolt from God.

Moral Habits, their strength, and their consequences, are all produced by a repetition of those things, of which they are constituted, in the mind. In other words, they are produced by frequent meditation on the several subjects, out of which they are formed, together with a repeated indulgence of the emotions, which such meditation creates. Ultimately, therefore, they grow out of Religious Meditation.

Of self-examination, proposed as the second head of discourse, I observe,

1. That it alone makes us acquainted with Ourselves.

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