believe a proposition in science, for which we are neither the better, nor the worse, but a belief of things so great, that no man who can think, and chuse, who can desire, and act towards a definite object that can possibly neglect them; this faith, which justifies the faithful, confirms the just, and crowns the martyr; this faith it is which, placing us above the temptations of the world, will make heaven the end of our desires; God, the object of our worship; the scriptures, the rule of our actions; and the holy spirit, our mighty counsellor, and ássistant. Faith in Christ, such as I have described it to be, is, above all things, likely to afford to us the comfort of general rules; to give to the inward mind the benefit of good laws, firmly administered, the comfort of planning a wise system, and pursuing it steadily, for the misery of yielding incessantly to temptation is, that we live upon no plan, and to no certainty; we do not advance to a point, but wander to and fro, ignorant to day, whether we are to be good, or bad to-morrow; whether we are, to crawl in the dust of this world, or to act with the purity of an angel; but is it not mean, and degrading to say, I shall spend this day rationally, and piously, if I am spared by all the lusts of the flesh; but if I am tempted by any appetite, or goaded by any passion, my piety will be dissipated, and my reason destroyed; whether I am the servant of righteousness, or the child of sin, depends upon the accidents of the hour, upon whom I see, and what I hear, and upon all that comes in contact with me: I take from every passing event those inward principles, though I ought, with my inward principles, to impart their character, and complexion to all the events of life. The general rule which guards us against temptation, must be laid down, and in time it will come to be regarded on its own account; many things, in themselves innocent, will be avoided on account of their influence upon the rule; many things which might be omitted, will be done for its preservation; what we love long for its utility, we love at last for itself; the rule which has often guarded us from sin, which has saved us from the shame of inconsistency, and relapse, becomes at last sanctified, and enshrined in our minds; we guard it with jealousies, we encompass it about with nice feelings, we watch it with lively apprehensions, we remove from it all distant harm, and contingent inconvenience; we love it, and glory in it, and preserve it, as the chil-. dren of Israel preserved the Ark, and the Seraphim kept the gates of Paradise. But above all things, however often we may be tempted, and however we may yield to temptation, we must beware of despair; we must never cease to resist, never believe that God has made. the appetites of the body irresistible, and swim down at once in the full torrent of sin, from a conviction that it cannot be stemmed: For every temptation with which we can be tempted in this world, in whatever shape of allurement it may, come, there is a power within, given to us by Almighty God, greater, and mightier than the temptation; we have reason to discern between evil, and good; we can look forward, and discern that good, and evil, in remote periods of time; we have freedom to resolve; we have revelation to teach us what to resolve; we have laudable pride to animate us in guarding that resolve; we have shame to prevent us from its infringement, and we have the grace of God, and his protecting spirit, to sanctify all the good that we intend. Therefore, we will begin; the terror of sin will be lessened, its triumphs deadened, and its strength withered away; success will be remembered; one victory will ensure another; we shall meet temptation, accustomed to overcome it, with the full,. and certain conviction, that the Saviour of mankind never deserts the humble, and contrite spirit, that, in the hour of peril, pours forth his fervent prayer to him.` |