LECTURE VI.

JAMES iii. 17.

But the wisdom that is from above is firft pure, then peaceable, gentle, and eafy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrify.

WHILE the present generation, in common

with all that have preceded it, is too prolific of infidelity; while there are many who will not labour to study the principles of Christianity; while others treat it with open contempt, or cold indifference; a description of character abounds diametrically oppofite. As fome are disposed to believe nothing, these latter profess implicitly to receive every thing, and are believers by intuition. They ask for no evidence; they reject reason as useless, and even profane; and trust only to certain inward and equivocal feelings. They pretend not to be as other men are, but to have received affurance of justification. They act only from an internal, though imaginary impulse, while the

Holy Spirit is fuppofed partially to defcend with irrefiftible influence on their minds. Thus wrapt in vifionary poffeffion, they conceive themselves raised above ordinary men, and to require none of thofe aids which are indifpenfable to common mortals. Such irresistible influence would indeed render not only evidence and argument fuperfluous, but even religious practice. For of what avail are ordinances, if men can be faved by inftantaneous converfion? But fhould this be a mistake, is not their delufion dangerous to themselves? To the rest of mankind such sentiments are pernicious; and it becomes the friends of rational religion to combat and expose such unfounded prefumption. A wild fpirit of enthusiasm is no where encouraged by the doctrines and the example of the meek and submiffive Redeemer; neither by the conduct or the writings of his Evangelifts or Apoftles; nor fanctioned by the

articles of our Church.

Having therefore endeavoured to fhew the regular consistency of all the fchemes of providence, and the demonftrative probability of the truth of the Christian religion; we must now fhew the unhappy tendency of pretenfions, which would destroy all confiftence, and render religion contrary to what God has evi

dently designed it to be; making it, instead of a fyftem of practical piety and goodness, a vifionary illufion. It is highly probable that thefe opinions originate from the fame ftrong and restless paffions of the mind which influence other men to deviate into the extreme of infidelity. These extremes of error fpring from the fame evil root. The fame principle of ambition is obfervable in both. If the infidel is gratified by affuming the folemnity of doubt, of suspicion and scorn, and in thus defying the armies of the living God; the pride of the enthusiast is equally flattered by the idea of his being the chofen favourite of Heaven.

The difputer prefumes to exalt reafon on the ruins of religion, and to give laws to Omnifcience. The enthufiaft, while he alfo dictates to man, afpires to familiar intercourse with the Sovereign of the universe. The one, in the vain consciousness of his own strength, contemns a Saviour: the other, in the fame fpirit of prefumption, claims falvation as his right; fince he imagines it to have been his inheritance before the world began. In this parallel the claims of the infidel fink into comparative infignificance. He afferts preemi nence only over the prefent world. But the

imaginary favourite of Heaven claims a prefent and an anticipated diftinction, and confiders himself to have been a chofen veffel before worlds were created, or falvation proclaimed. Fanaticism is the offspring of mental gloom; but pride is the fpark which kindles it into flame, and produces the peftilential difperfion of the noxious vapour. It is obfervable that the fanatic always defcribes his converfion as originating from dejection of spirit. He is oppreffed by unaccountable horror, and overwhelmed with inexpreffible fear. He finks under the weight of real or imaginary apprehenfion, till on a fudden he perceives or fancies illumination and elevation of mind. feelings are now of a contrary nature. Doubt is converted into arrogance, despair into certainty of falvation and are not these evident extremes? The firft is natural. To feel diftrefs of mind from a fenfe of mifconduct is the effect of an awakened confcience: but inftantaneous exultation is not natural, but an extravagant tranfition from a state of the lowest dejection; from the dread of reprobation to the certainty of forgiveness; from the bondage of Satan to the inheritance of heaven. In all this it is remarkable, that this fenfe of guilt,

His

while it is confidered a call to election, is rather an encouragement to presumption than productive of humility, which is the genuine fruit of the Spirit. May we not then truly attribute this inftantaneous confidence to that potent principle of vanity which keeps the temper of man perpetually buoyant, and to that ambition which is ever aiming at fuperiority, whether it be fpiritual or carnal? But against this spiritual pride the Scriptures themfelves conftantly inveigh, and by fevere condemnation reveal to us plainly, that the Omniscient knows the force by which it prevails, and the empire which it obtains over the mind. But if fpiritual pride be odious to God, it is also disgusting to men. However elated the fanatic may feel, however fatisfied with himself in general, there is no character lefs amiable. Where is the gentle spirit, the engaging charity, which characterizes the true Chriftian, and which was fo eminently apparent in the whole deportment of our bleffed Mafter? The whole character of spiritual pride is diametrically oppofite; for a man of this temper looks on all the world as beneath him. The elevation of mind which he poffeffes is decidedly not that fpirit or wifdom which we are taught to expect from above, and which