the way of real faith; that it tempts with pleasures which indispose to piety, and are adverse to the love of God. Into these dangers the mind will infallibly be led, and swerve towards these objects, unless it is habitually referred to an example more spiritual, and a standard more exalted, than the general practice of mankind exhibits.

With this view, let the preacher lay before his congregation the practical parts of the Epistles. What the letter of the law may have left unrevealed, its spirit will supply. It will soon appear that the presiding faith, the fervent love of God and of heavenly things, the simple and humble mind which the Apostles demand, are incompatible with the tumult of much intercourse with general society, and with the vanity and bustle of worldly pleasures. It will appear that the habitual relaxation of a Christian is not to be sought in amusements that weary where they ought to refresh, that ruffle the temper which they are intended to compose, and disturb those better affections

of the heart, which it is most important to cherish; but in the quiet charms of friendship, in the indulgence of domestic tenderness, in the pursuit of those elegant charms of literature and the arts, which are not only harmless and unimpeachable, but chasten and adorn the mind.

It has been truly observed by one to whom the present age owes the highest obligations, that “rich and multiplied are the springs of innocent relaxation. The Christian relaxes in the temperate use of all the gifts of Providence. Imagination, and taste, and genius, and the beauties of creation, and the works of art, lie open to him. He relaxes in the feast of reason, in the sweets of friendship, in the endearments of love, in the exercise of hope, of confidence, of joy, of gratitude, of universal good-will, of all the benevolent and generous affections, which by the gracious ordination of our Creator, while they disinterestedly intend only happiness to others, are most surely productive to ourselves of complacency and

X

peace. Little do they know of the true measure of enjoyment, who can compare these delightful complacencies with the frivolous pleasures of dissipation, or the coarse gratifications of sensuality."*

The great business of the preacher is to bring over his congregation to a practical feeling of this incontrovertible truth; an object which he is more likely to accomplish by setting before them the pure and exalted nature of their religion, their situation on earth as strangers and pilgrims, and the better country which is the prize of their high calling, than by questionable assertions concerning intercourse with the world, or general invectives against those who hold it to be lawful. St Paul has summed

up

in a single passage, the considerations which ought to weigh with persons placed in a transitory, perilous, and responsible state: "My "brethren, whatsoever things are true, what"soever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, what

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*Wilberforce's Prac. Christ. chap. vii. § 1.

soever things are lovely, whatsoever things "are of good report: if there be any virtue, "and if there be any praise, think of these

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things." According to this text let the wavering opinions of society be tried, and the limits of a Christian's compliance with the practice of the world will be decided.

* Phil. iv. 8.

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CHAPTER IX.

CONCLUSION.

I AM well aware, that, among the subjects which I have brought under discussion, in this attempt to examine the preaching of St. Paul, there are some concerning which speculative differences may exist, as they always have existed, between Christians equally honest, pious, and humble. Those who consider it as unworthy of a divine revelation, that any of its doctrines, or any branches of its doctrines, should admit of possible error, or dispute, or latitude of interpretation, proceed upon a wrong estimate of the disposition and nature of man, which requires to be excited by curiosity and stimulated by difficulty. It is probable, that if the points to be believed were so distinctly enunciated, as to leave no room for question or discussion, they would remain a dead letter on the records, without any practical effect upon the heart. On the other hand, difficulties pro