LECTURE XV.

EARNESTNESS IN RELIGION ENFORCED.

REVELATION iii. 15.

"I would thou wert cold or hot."

IN a preceding discourse, this short passage was taken for the use of enforcing an exhortation even still more general and common, though still less particular and specific than that which would fairly arise from the import and connexion of the words. Its most proper application had been to insist on the criminality, the peculiarly absurd inconsistency, and the consequences of indifference in the professed servants of Christ; its dishonour to their profession; its offensiveness to their Lord; its danger to themselves;a reference to their profession being constantly made.

But we were content to go on the wide general ground, where all men may be met with, the plain, serious admonition of the absolute necessity of being in earnest about their highest concerns. Our time was chiefly employed in attempting to distinguish and exemplify a number of things which contribute to render inefficacious this constantly repeated general inculcation of so plain a matter;—and not only inefficacious, but even dull and uninteresting, insomuch that mere attention is with difficulty gained for it, except by aid of some special and subsidiary topic.

But still it would be strange, very strange, if this plain consideration, or fact, of the absolute necessity of EARNEST NESS IN RELIGION, even in the most general and accustomed form in which it can present itself, should be reduced to take its rank with the things which have been repeated till

we mind them no longer! It would be very strange if the renewed mention of such a matter should be exactly that which may be made with the fullest assurance of not disturbing the soul into thought or emotion; so that you may mention one thing and another, and you will rouse the spirit;-mention this, and it will sleep! Very strange again, if the compelled attention to the fact that I am indifferent and careless, should be quite unavailing to disturb and alarm that indifference! A strong application of the terms that charge and reprove indifference will sometimes force a man to verify his own consciousness that he is indifferent, that it is not a vague reproach which may perhaps strike there or yonder; but that here-at home— in his own soul, is the very thing which the oracles of Heaven pronounce to be so fatal. And yet even this shall not break but for a moment, the dull tranquillity! So that neither the things themselves that should excite to earnestness can avail,-nor the solemn charge and consciousness that they do not. But what a depth of depravity, that can thus receive and swallow up such masses of alarming truth and fact, and then be as if all this were nothing! How sad, that for men to be awfully wrong, and to be admonished, and to be aware that they are so, should leave them still at ease!

It is not that men are constituted creatures without feeling. No; they are warm through their whole being with affections and passions; and an infinite multiplicity of objects acting on them. Think of the movements of the heart, in the inhabitants of a great city, during a single day,loving, desiring, hoping, hating, fearing, regretting! What an infinity of emotions! What a stupendous measure of active vitality! Now consider, to these souls are presented, among the other objects of interest, the things most important, desirable, and terrible in the universe; these things

are placed before them, and pressed on them, as evidently and as closely and palpably, as reason and revelation can. We know what should be the effect of these. We can think what it should be on any individual whom the eye happens to fix upon, known or a stranger. We can look on the passing train, or the collected crowd, and think what it should be on each, and all. (What a measure therefore this would be of a good spirit in such an assemblage!) What is the effect on the far greater number? There are abundant indications to inform you what it is, or rather what it is not. And if the case be so, and that in an enlightened and Christian community, what is MAN!

"What is MAN!" might be the compassionate sentiment of an angelic beholder, or of a saint in heaven, supposing him in view of this object on earth;-observing a rational and immortal being, involved in a relation the most perfect, vital, and inseparable with all that is most important; the reality of that relation manifested to him, enforced upon him ;-and yet, he generally as insensible to it almost as a statue of stone is to the objects surrounding it! But might not the compassion become mingled with indignation when it should be observed how unlike an insensible figure he is toward other objects with which his relation is separable and transient ? Nevertheless the great interest is still the same;-bears all the importance of eternity upon it ;-remains as that sky above us, with its luminaries, and its solemn and infinite depth, whether we look at it or not. And the effects must be continually renewed for breaking up this wretched and pernicious indifference, both in others and in ourselves. And the considerations applicable to this purpose are innumerable, and have been all repeated, times without number. But we may do well to give some moments once more to a few of the most obvious of them.

A more proper admonition cannot be suggested in the first place than,-to beware that the indifference of the feelings does not infect and pervert the judgment. In conjunction with such a state of the heart, it is in great danger of losing its firmness and correctness. How much

more ready the judgment is to take its character from the feelings, than they theirs from it! Without any approach to anything like a formal denial of the supreme importance of the spiritual and future interests, there may be an influence insidiously stealing through the estimates of the judgment, so that they shall be modified insensiblyless decisively marked-less positively pronounced. This may be by a gradual effect, without special thoughts and reasonings. Or, with the occasional intervention of thoughts such as this:-"Surely man is not placed in a scene that he beholds, for the purpose chiefly of looking toward one that he cannot see. Can it be that I am sent into this busy and interesting world that my main business may be to think about going out of it. What! am I here to make nothing of all this? Under a reversed economy, have I most to do with what is furthest off ?—And also there is so much that I must attend to here;-must, in duty, occupy my thoughts, cares, and time with, that it were hard there should be another great exaction and burden continually upon me. I acknowledge the great importance of that other concern; but may I not hope that the merciful Creator will take care of that for me? And so the judgment may be partly perverted to excuse the indifference. Let us beware of this seduction. As far as the judgment falls into conformity with wrong feelings, it is in vain to appeal to conscience; it retires under the protection of the judgment. And thus the soul is left deserted to the power of its perverse and irreligious dispositions.

But let there be a settled conviction on the mind (not

equivocated with, though unhappily too dormant and inoperative), that the spiritual and immortal interests really do demand earnest attention, and then a train of remonstrances against indifference and carelessness may be urged on that mind. It may be urged on such a man,—Will you not, can you not resolve to converse with your own spirit sometimes? You can speak freely, and hear patiently, there. If it be a mortifying converse, there is none to over-hear it, but ONE! and your self-love will be sure to survive unhurt. You can say to yourself, "It is really thus and thus that I firmly believe, and shall believe, in life, death, and to all eternity. But then here in my soul is the most astonishing inconsistency and contradiction-not a more dreadful one in the creation;-dreadful, for it is a practical one, in the very highest concern of a created being. The consequences of its continuance are plain before me, inevitable and terrible. And am I quietly to go on thus, thinking as little as I can about it? Do I coolly consent that it shall be so, for the present at least, and for I know not how long?"

Let him consider, and say-" There they stand before me, not in a deceptive vision, but in absolute reality, the most important things that can be in the view of any being on this globe, or that has left it-the Redeemer of man -salvation-perdition-death-judgment-eternity! They stand confronting me, that there may be in me something corresponding to them. And it is in the presence of GOD that I thus stand with these most awful objects before me; it is by his light that I see them; it is his authority, in its utmost fulness, that insists on their demand of a corresponding state of my mind; it is his voice that pronounces me lost, if that answerable state be not here. And yet, is it the fact, that I am indifferent still? Here is the soul that can acknowledge all this, and still not tremble, nor care, nor strive, nor pray! can be at liberty for any pursuit,