and that their enemies were destroyed, he and all Israel sang unto the Lord a song of deliverance. This was a reasonable and fully adequate recompence of reward. He now beheld nearly three millions of people, who were but a few hours before abject slaves, free and independent. Can we, without doing violence to our own understandings, pretend that this reward was not a compensation fully adequate to the sacrifices which Moses had made in refusing to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, and for the afflictions which he suffered with the people of God? Is there a real patriot in the world who would not do as much for his country for such a reward ?

Such, my brethren, are the examples which a divinely inspired Apostle has presented us, as patterns for our imitation. And now, let us carefully and with due attention look unto Abraham, let us look unto Moses, and, above all, let us look unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Did those ancient worthies, did this perfect directory set us an example? Shall we then contend that the motives and rewards which were sufficient to produce such examples of faith, of piety, of patience, of labour, of sufferings, and of every virtue honourable to God and profitable to man, are insufficient to produce in us an humble imitation of such examples? Shall we turn from such incitements, and seek in the wisdom of this world for an eternal, unmerciful penalty, on which to form a system of terror, contrived by priestcraft to make us religious and moral? Shall we persuade ourselves and our children to build faith and all the duties of religion on the fear of endless misery? Shall we support the dishonourable idea, that religion and morality are not worthy our attention, unless endless misery threaten on the one hand, and immortality is promised on the other? Have those who have built their religion and morality on this foundation, been able to set us a better example than the patterns quoted by the Apostle

in our context? If we examine the history of this system of religious terror, shall we not be presented with a persecuting priesthood and hierarchy, and a dissoluteness in morals, which would disgrace the darkest age of heathenism?

What is the reason that a religion which promises its votaries immortality and eternal life for obedience, and threatens delinquents with the unspeakable woes of endless misery, after all produces so little vital religion or pure morality? The reason of this is found in the very nature of man, and in the order of things. Give to men an irksome task to perform, threaten them with excruciating tortures in case of disobedience or failure, and their calculations will be to do as little of the hated work as possible, and avoid the penalty. Their constant study will be to find out inventions to clip and scant the work. Whoever calculates on human nature differently will be disappointed. But give to men an employment which reason and common sense will justify, and which is naturally productive of their advantage, and let them understand, that in the very nature of things, their faithfulness will procure them a reasonable and ample reward; give them to understand the whole of their duty is planned in the wisest and best manner for their present happiness, and that no interest is to be served by their exertions exclusive of their own; the selfishness natural to men will induce them to be faithful. Present to men a religion whose services are all calculated to promote their rational enjoyment, which takes nothing from them without returning more than its value, and whose increase of duty is an increase of happiness, and there is but little danger but they will eagerly accept it, and practice its precepts this world is full of labour, toil and traffic, and the whole is carried on by the power of this principle. There is nothing that a man will not part with if he can obtain that in exchange which he values higher than that which he lets go. And

if we absurdly calculate on engaging men on any other principle, we shall have the mortification of looking for them where they are not. If from promises or threatenings, or both together, people are brought to engage in a religion whose services are irksome, they will most assuredly be neglected.

Let us then enquire. what will make the duties of religion pleasureable. The Redeemer says, "my yoke is easy and my burden is light." What makes it so?. Not because we may indulge in all manner of sin; not because there are not arduous labours to be performed; not because great sacrifices and sufferings are not to be endured, but because the duties of the religion of Jesus can never be performed but from a principle of love; and love makes the labour and the burden easy and light.

What is here contended for may be seen in the government of a family of children. If the parent calculates on the principles of terror, and expects to have his children faithful and obedient for fear of an unmerciful punishment, it is true the children may be, for a season, filled with dread and horror, but all this can never induce them to attend with a cheerfulness and pleasure to the commandments enjoined. And even when under the most fearful apprehensions, they will be scrupulous about the extent of their duty. They will invent a thousand ways to hold up the appearance of faithfulness where they have studied to come short. idea may be extended still further, and the disobedient children may be exercised with punishments of cruel severity, such as can be seen to have no mercy or compassion mingled with them, and all this shall serve to alienate their hearts from the parent, to fix a settled hatred in their minds against every requirement; and instead of softening, harden their hearts, in room of inclining them to filial duties, turn their faces and affections directly the other way. But that kind of discipline,

The

whose pungent severity is in the manifestations of parental love, compassion and tenderness is the most sure of its object. This is "that wisdom which dwells with prudence, and finds out knowledge by witty inventions." It so contrives the administration of chastisement, as to convince the understanding of those who are exercised by it, that reformation is the object aimed at. It invents a thousand rewards as encouragements to obedience, and is always prompt in causing the meritorious to enjoy the fruits of their labours.

Duty itself is supreme delight when love is the inducement and the labour. By such a government the ignorant are enlightened, the hard hearted are softened, the disobedient reformed, and the faithful encouraged.

In viewing this general subject, and in applying it to the christian profession, duties and rewards, is it not most evident, that the penalty of eternal punishment on the one hand for our neglect, and the reward of immortality and eternal life for obedience on the other, may both of them be laid out of the question entirely? Is it not evident that we rate our christian virtues infinitely too high, when we presume to expect an immortal state of divine and glorious felicity as their reward? What proportion is there between the labour in this case and the reward expected? Surely there is none. Nor is there any more proportion between the demerits of unbelief and sin, and the endless punishment which has been held up as its just recompense. And as it is most unreasonable to expect the everlasting inheritance of eternal life for our good works, so it is equally unscriptural. "This

is the record, that God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his son." Why should we insist on labouring for that which God has been graciously pleased to give us in Christ? Was there ever a conclusion more unreasonable than to contend, that if our heavenly Father has, in his infinite mercy, given us eternal life in Jesus the Lord

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from Heaven, and if we cannot merit this treasure, which is above all price, we will therefore turn our backs on all the commandments of our God, will blaspheme his holy name, will treat the orders of his house, his sanctuary and worship with contempt, will practice every abomination, and will teach our children to do the same! This is not "laying aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us, it is not running the race which is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down on the right hand of the throne of God." .

How can we be the disciples of Jesus, unless we are furnished with his spirit of wisdom and love? Can we walk in his steps, do the will of our father in Heaven, patiently suffer for righteousness sake, love our enemies, and pray for them, from a different principle from that which actuated him? If he was not induced by a principle of terror, is it not erroneous to depend on such a principle? In room of facilitating the christian race, does not this principle retard it? If the principle of fear were a sufficient incentive to move us in the duties of the christian profession, is it not plain that that love which "casteth out fear" would be of dangerous tendency?" He that feareth is not made perfect in love." "If ye love me," says the blessed Jesus, "keep my commandments."

To conclude: It seems a proper enquiry, in settling the mind on our general subject, whether there be, or be not, in the natural qualities of the christian profession and duties, a value, in relation to the happiness of its votary, sufficient to amount to a reasonable inducement to attend to all its requirements?

'If, on careful and due examination it be found, that the duties required by the religion of Jesus, do not contain in themselves, such qualities as will afford a reasonable compensation to the faithful ia