"and fo become melancholy mopes, and die of the " vapours." But no; entertain not a thought fo derogatory from the honour of Chrift and his gofpel: for Christianity does at once tend to promote chearfulness and to improve Society; and the bleffed Author of it, fo far from countenancing a monkish feclufion from our fellow-creatures, is represented as going about doing good (d), that we who bear his name Should fo walk even as he walked (e); and St Paul commends his beloved Timothy, for having made a good profeffion before many witnesses (f); now whether those who attend BALLS, PLAYS, &c. are thereby going about doing good, or making a good profeffion before many witneffes, I apprehend needs no long time to determine; but permit me to say, that those perfons are utter ftrangers to true religion, who look upon it as a melancholy service, or destructive of any focial duty whatever. Certain it is, that every real Chriftian must be serious and thoughtful, must often seek retirement, and be frequent in prayer, felf-examination, and all the exercises of godliness: but then he will not look upon the time that is thus fpent as tedious, but as by far the most happy hours of his life. And the reason why fo few find any real happiness in religion is, because they have only juft enough to deceive themselves, and to make it a burden to them; whereas would they cordially, and without reserve, give up their hearts to God, they would then experience (d) Acts x. 38. (e) John ii. 6. perience that peace which passeth all understanding (g), and foon be convinced that the pleasures of the world are as empty and delufive, as those which we derive from God are true and substantial. If fuch a thing as perfect felicity is attainable in this world, must it not consist in having all those paffions and tempers allayed, which are not only hurtful to our own peace, but to the good of fociety in having our natures raised to the highest degree of perfection they are capable of in our prefent embodied state; in the enjoyment of fweet communion with God, as our reconciled friend and father? in the fense of our adoption as heirs with Chrift (b)? and in the anticipation of thofe pleasures which are at God's right-hand (i), and of which the true believer is to be made partaker through all the boundless ages of eternity? And are these things likely to promote melancholy! Is this a ftate fo much to be dreaded! If indeed by fociety be meant thofe companies wherein God is forgotten, or what is worse, wherein he is difhonoured; I readily grant that no Chriftian will voluntarily mix himself with fuch, except it be with that nobleft of all views, a defire of benefiting their fouls, and spreading a favour of religious knowledge amongst them. Again, if by relaxations be meant BALLS, PLAYS, and other diverfions of the like nature, it is certain that with whatever eagerness thefe may be pursued by fuch as are strangers to more exalted joys, yet they are as incapable (g) Phil. iv. 7. (4) Rom. viii. 17: incapable of fatisfying one who has received the grace of God in truth (k), as a philofopher is incahpable of being pleased with the toys and rattles of a baby. Nay more, so far would these things be from affording matter of amusement to an humble follower of the crucified Jefus, that it would be inflicting a severe punishment upon him, and must needs strike a damp into his affectionate heart, to oblige him to be present at them; and that with much more reason than it would affect him to fee a condemned criminal, inftead of bestowing a thought upon his wretched state or accepting the pardon that was freely offered him, fpend the whole night in rattling his fetters for his own and the diverfion of his fellow-prifoners, not knowing but the next morning he might be dragged to the place of execution. I leave the difcerning reader to make what application of this he thinks proper, and proceed to the fourth Section, concluding the prefent with the words of that great genius and divine poet Doctor Young. "We need not buy our ruin with our crime, "And give Eternity to murder Time.” SECTION THE FOURTH. Hristianity confifts not in any form of duties, but in a temper and spirit of growing conformity to Jefus Chrift. It is, as our Lord himself affures. (*) Col. i. 6. affures us, the kingdom of God within us (1), even that Kingdom which is righteousness, and joy, and peace in the holy Ghost (m). It is no external, pompous, thing. It cometh not by obfervation, (μsta wagaingnσews) with outward fhew, but it is an inward change wrought in the foul by the Spirit of God, a change whereby we who are by nature children of wrath (n), do become the children of grace, and are made partakers of the divine nature (o). A change whereby we become one with Chrift, and Chrift with us, whereby Christ doth dwell in us, and we in him, according to the prayer which he himfelf offered up to the Father for all that should believe in his name, with that faith which is the gift and operation of God (p). It is fuch an Union with Chrift our head, as there is between a vine and the branches (q); between the busband and wife (r); between a building and every stone of that building (s); between a body and every member of that body (t). In fhort, it confifts in having Chrift formed in us, and living in us (u): or, as the fame Apoftle fays in another place, it is Chrift in us the hope of glory (x). This great change is further reprefented to us in Scripture under the ftrong images of a new creation (y), of a dead man being raised to life (z), of a (/) Luke xvii. 20, 21. (p) John xvii. 21, 22, 23. man (m) Rom. xiv. 17. (0) 2 Pet. i. 4. (9) John xv. 4, 5(s) Eph. ii. 19, 20, 21, 22. 1 Pet. ii. 4, 5. (x) Col. i. 27. (x) Eph. ii. 1. 1 Pet. iv. 6. man being awakened out of a deep fleep (a). It is also set forth under the figure of being brought out darkness into a marvellous light (c); and being tranflated into that fpiritual kingdom which Christ erects in the hearts of all his people, to make them meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the faints in light (d). It is fuch a change, that from being aliens and enemies, we become real heirs and friends (e). It is a crucifixion of that corrupt nature which we have from Adam, called in Scripture the old man (f), and a putting on a new nature, which we derive from Chrift the fecond Adam, called in contradiftinction, the new man (g), whereby thofe holy difpofitions and tempers which we loft by the fall are in great measure restored, and the foul is renewed after the image of him that created him (b). Old things are past away, behold! all things are become new (i). And now the man thus created anew, and begotten again to a lively hope (k), is looked upon as dead, and rifen again in another sense. As before he was alive to the world, and dead to the things of God, fo now he is dead to the world, and alive to the things of God; conformed to Chrift in the likeness of his death, by a death unto fin; and in the likeness of (a) Eph. v. 14. (c) 1 Pet. ii. 9. E (e) Eph. ii. 12,13. Col. i.21. '(g) Eph. iv. 22, 24. |