The institutions of God

in comparison with those which are. we are bound by infinite authority to observe: the appointments of men we may observe or not, as our judgment shall direct; effectual care being taken, however, that we do not neglect them from sloth, avarice, pleasure, or other guilty inducements. Yet I do not remember a man of this character who did not discover far more solicitude about those religious services which are not, than about those which are, of divine institution.

Zeal, which is not according to knowledge, is always censorious. Such persons are hardly willing to allow those to be Christians, who do not meet when and where they meet, think as they think, talk as they talk, and act as they act. Mild and self-governed Christianity, though far more correct, more productive of good fruit, more amiable, more evangelical, more heavenly, and incomparably less deserving of blame than their own character, passes with them for little or nothing. A great part of their business is to judge others; and it is to be feared, that they rarely remember that they themselves are to be judged.

Sixthly, Another class of the persons under consideration, is formed of those who place their hope in a faith which is without works.

"As the body without the spirit is dead," saith St. James, "so faith without works is dead also." This is a melancholy declaration to all those who wish for a cheap religion, and intend to go to heaven without self-denial. Probably not a few of them have secretly wished that this text, and the chapter in which it is contained, had never been embodied in the Scriptures. It is a pleasant thing to persuade ourselves, that we may love the world, and yet the love of the Father be in us; that the kingdom of God does consist in meat and drink, in amassing wealth, acquiring personal consequence, and in enjoying pleasure; and not in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. It would gratify our feelings not a little, if there were no cross to be taken up; no violence to be done to our passions and appetites; no sacrifice to be made of our time, our labours, our property, our sensual enjoyment, to God. He,

however, has determined otherwise; and we must obtain heaven in his way, or not at all. Those who will inherit the kingdom of our heavenly Father, are such as have done kind offices to the brethren of Christ, and through them to Christ himself. The fast, which God has chosen, is, that we deal our bread to the hungry; that we bring the poor, who are cast out, into our houses; when we see the naked, that we cover him; and that we hide not ourselves from our own flesh. The faith by which alone we shall be justified, is the faith which worketh by love. No mention will be made, in the final day, of the dead faith spoken of by St. James, and exhibited by him as a carcase without a soul to animate it; and, on the ground of such a faith, no child of Adam will be accepted.

II. Other persons, whom these expected to see shut out, will be accepted.

Of this number there will be, First, A multitude of such as, in this world, have lived in humble and despised circumstances. Pride always leads us to imagine ourselves better than we are, and better particularly than others. Them it depresses below, ourselves it elevates above the standard of truth. Nor does this deceitful passion employ itself less on our moral character than on our wealth, learning, office, or reputation. "God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are," is the language of immense multitudes who would disdain to be called Pharisees. The hypocrite says, with great self-complacency, to the open sinner, "Stand by thyself, for I am "holier than thou." The open sinner desires to be thankful that he is no hyprocrite. The enthusiast pities the cold, rational man, because he is not distinguished by the peculiar tokens of divine favour which himself enjoys. The rational man blesses himself that he is not bewildered by the delirious vagaries of the enthusiast.

When we compare ourselves with those who are greatly beneath us in external advantages, we give ourselves more credit, and them less than we otherwise could do. A poor man is apt to be considered as more beneath us in moral worth than we should imagine, if he were rich; an ignorant man,

than if he were learned; an humble man, than if he were in an elevated station. Hence we naturally suppose, that such men are not regarded by God with the same favour which we claim to ourselves; much less can we believe them to be objects of divine favour, and ourselves objects of wrath and indignation.

Multitudes of such men are, however, sincere followers of Christ, and genuine children of God. All these, at the final day, the Judge will summon to his right hand; and their appearance in that enviable place will excite not a little astonishment in those by whom they have been despised in the present world. To see the man of rags and wretchedness clothed in fine linen, white and clean; exalted from a dunghill to a throne; translated from insignificance and contempt, to glory, honour, and immortality; and from ignorance and weakness, elevated to superior knowledge and divine wisdom; while we, in our own conceit, already wise, and great, and good, are given over to shame and abhorrence, will seem to us a wonderful dispensation.

Secondly, In this number will be found great multitudes, who have been our own friends, companions, and equals in the present world.

Nothing seems more natural than the belief, that those who have lived together as husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, friends and neighbours, companions and equals; on the same level, with the same reputation, in the same pursuits, and with the same testimonies of esteem and affection from those around them; are of the same moral character, and destined to the same allotments beyond the grave. Yet some of these are totally unlike others. Some are Christians in deed and in truth, others in name only. Some are children of God, others children of the devil. Some are heirs of endless life, and others of endless death. As unlike as are their moral characters here, will be their destiny hereafter. When the final separation is made, those who are summoned to the left hand of the Judge, will with deep amazement see their companions and equals placed on the right.

Thirdly, In this number will be included also a multitude

of persons who, in this world, appear to be religious, and are, on that account, despised by others.

Most men easily believe, that others despise those who are despised by themselves; and that they are deservedly objects of contempt, and can hardly believe, therefore, that they are entitled to the favour of God. Yet this is true of every really religious man; and every such man is found among those who appear to be religious. However contemned, then, such persons may be, and however hated such persons are in the present world, they will be remembered by God in the day when he maketh up his jewels, and he will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him.

Fourthly, Of this number also will be found those, whose acknowledged characters and opinions have, in many respects, been different from ours.

Difference in religious opinions is extremely apt to alienate men from each other, and to generate uncharitableness, censure, hatred, and obloquy. Ardent and rash men, on the ground of this difference, at times pronounce each other to be heretics, and deny to each other the character of Christians. Especially, when open debates have arisen, and the spirit of controversy has become warm; when the theme of contention has become public, and the doctrines in question have acquired peculiar importance from the zeal with which they have been disputed, we are prone to forget the question of St. Paul, "Who art "thou, that judgest another man's servant ?" The dislike of Luther and his followers to those who denied his favourite doctrine of consubstantiation, was little less than to the Romanists; and his censures of them were scarcely less severe. The same feelings, and the same conduct, produced by similar causes, have been predicable of men in every Christian age and country. Multitudes of persons, who have been guilty of this unchristian conduct, will hereafter see the very objects of their hatred and obloquy heirs of the everlasting favour of God. It is true, that many of those who have been guilty of this censoriousness, afterwards regret it, as Luther did, in the decline of life. With others, there is reason to fear, it descends to the grave, and enters eternity. These will probably find,

that while the opinions, of which they judged so hardly, do not prevent the objects of their severity from being admitted into heaven, themselves will be precluded by their own antichristian dispositions. Happily for us, "it is a small thing to be "judged by man's judgment." Happily for us, Christ alone can finally condemn.

In the same manner, different churches and sects are prone to regard each other with alienation and animosity; and to speak of each other in the language of enemies, and not of Christians. Those which are numerous always feel strong in their numbers; and, constituting the tribunals which confer reputation and stamp disgrace, become assured that they, and those who think with them, are founded on truth, and that salvation is encircled by their own pale. The smaller, humbler, and less reputable sects of Christians they place, of course, without the limits of the Gospel, and the reach of divine favour. In both respects they will be greatly disappointed in the great day of account. No questions will be asked by Him, who is no respecter of persons, concerning the name which an individual has borne in this world, or concerning the church or the sect to which he belonged. He who worketh righteousness in this world, will, in the world to come, be accepted by whatever title he may have been distinguished here. The conventicle or the barn will probably send many of its worshippers to heaven; while, by the splendid church, many outside devotees will be yielded up to shame, and everlasting contempt.

On the other hand, small sects exercise exactly the same spirit towards those which are larger, and, in the eye of the world, more honourable. Under its influence they adopt the same hostile conduct, and are equally uncharitable, censorious, and bitter. But hereafter they will see, and undoubtedly will be astonished to see, in very many instances, those who have been members of established, and, as they are pleased to style them, formal and state churches, sitting down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and themselves thrust out.

When we look at the sect or church of which ourselves are members, we are but too ready to cry, "The temple of the "Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are