It is very affecting to the serious mind to reflect on the supercilious disdain, with which men in general treat such enquiries, and those who are engaged in them. The natural philosopher, with an air of selfimportance, considers his experiments on the properties of material substances, as an employment of superior excellency and after having spent many months in most exact and minute investigations, he will smile, with mingled pity and contempt, at the folly of his neighbour, who hath occupied a few weeks in studying the way of eternal salvation! Metaphysicians frequently deride all those, as discarding the use of their reason, who decide such questions according to the sure testimony of God! Cold formalists obviate allenquiry by saying, that a good life is every thing in "religion' and even men of business and pleasure suspend their eager pursuits to join the ridicule, to which those humble penitents are exposed, who seriously attend to this disregarded subject! Yet surely it is most reasonable for a condemned criminal to

enquire in the first place, how he may obtain a pardon: and who can doubt, but that person will be most secure from the danger of a fatal mistake, who learns the way of approach and success from the Sovereign himself?

The subjects, that have been considerd, directly make way for the right understanding of evangelical truth: the man, whose views have been described, will perceive that the gospel exactly suits his case, and is worthy of his most cordial reception. He will not object to the truths of Christianity because

VALUE AND USE OF THEM TO THE HUMBLED SINNER. 34

they are mysterious; he will neither despise them, under pretence of attending exclusively to practice, nor abuse the mercy of God as an encouragement to sin: he will perceive the connection and harmony of evangelical doctrines with the whole system of revelation; and will seek the promised blessings in the appointed way: his repentance and works meet for repentance will connect with the life of faith in the Son of God; while his faith will work by love, and love will sweetly constrain him to live to the glory of

him, who died for him and rose again." These truths will be the nutriment of his faith and hope; he will meditate on them from day to day; thence he will derive all his strength, motives, and encouragement for obedience: nor would his knowledge of the rule of duty suffice even for practical purposes, were he not influenced by the principles of the gospel.

These are some of the most important subjects to which we may suppose, that the exhortation of the text calls our peculiar attention, and did time permit many others might be adduced. But we must proceed,

II. To explain and illustrate the exhortation itself, and suggest the most effectual methods of reducing it to practice.

These things must be in our own hearts, before we can properly teach them to others, or make them the subject of our frequent conversation. We should therefore apply ourselves, with persevering assiduity, to obtain a comprehensive acquaintance with the doctrines of revelation; that we may understand them

32

EXHORTATIONS TO SEARCH THE SCRIPTURES.

[SERM.

according to their connection, harmony, proportion, and practical tendency. Our memories should be stored with the precepts, examples, warnings, and promises of the Bible. "Let the word of Christ dwell "in you richly." This cannot be done, unless we carefully attend to our Lord's exhortation. "Search "the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal. "life." "The hand of the diligent maketh_rich :” and the man, whose " delight is in the law of the "Lord, and who meditates in his law day and night,. "shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of waters, "that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf "also shall not wither, and whatsoever he doeth "shall prosper." This man shall be blessed, and shall be a blessing to others.

Labour then, my brethren, to get thoroughly acquainted with the oracles of God: let your judgment be formed according to them: proportion your approbation of characters and actions by this divine standard. In this manner judge of your acquaintance, connections, and friends; and above all, judge thus of yourselves. Try by this rule every pursuit, attainment, or distinction among men: let your fears, hopes, deșires, joys and sorrows be regulated according to it; that all the affections of your souls may be excited and influenced by the pure and animating principles of our holy religion. Thus, when fatigued with business or disgusted with the world, you will have a never failing source of refreshment, and a most salutary relaxation, to invigorate your weary powers, and recruit your exhausted spirits.

When the word of God is thus treasured up and

II.] METHODS OF DIFFUSING RELIGIOUS KNOWLEDGE. 33

engrafted in our hearts, we shall be disposed and qualified to teach his truths and precepts to our relations, to speak of them among our friends, and to diffuse the knowledge of them in the circle of our acquaintance. This is strenuously enforced by the exhortation of our text. "Thou shalt teach them.

diligently to thy children; and thou shalt talk of "them when thou sittest in thy house, and when "thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest. "down, and when thou risest up." In reducing these rules to practice much will be found to depend on various external circumstances. When the Christian possesses wealth, or influence, and hath extensive connections, he ought to attempt great things: while a little may be done in a more obscure situation, by edifying discourse, letters, or the distribution of books; provided opportunities be watched and diligently improved. We allow, indeed, that conceited disputatious talkers, whose conduct does not consist with their principles, or who grossly violate the proprieties of relative life, are often a disgrace to religion; but when divine truth occupies the heart and influences the conduct, a man's ordinary conversation may be rendered very useful, in diffusing religious knowledge, and making others wise unto salvation.

They, however, who are placed at the head of families, should deem themselves peculiarly called upon to teach their children or servants. The examples of scripture are in this respect very encouraging and instructive.-The Lord had given promises of special blessings to the posterity of Abraham, and he was made a principal instrument in preparing the way

D

THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY INSTUCTION,

34

for their accomplishment.

[SERM.

"I know him," saith

God," that he will command his children and his "houshold after him; and they shall keep the way of "the Lord to do judgment and justice, that the Lord. may bring upon Abraham the thing that he hath spoken to him of1." "As for me, and my house," says pious Joshua, "we will serve the Lord." Cornelius the centurion, who feared God with all his "house," and who had pious domestics and even soldiers around him, though doubtless most of them had been educated pagans, may be considered as a remarkable instance of the blessing attending this kind of religious instruction: while the awful doom of Eli and his family, through a neglect of this duty, may serve as a salutary caution to all who are tempted to indolence or timidity in this important concern.

The ancient method of rendering the truths and precepts of religion familiar to the minds of men, especially of children and servants, is described in the text: "Thou shalt talk of them when thou sittest in "thine house, and when thou walkest by the way,

and when thou liest down, and when thou risest

up." And why should the same method be less effectual at present, if it were properly employed? Did we daily instruct our housholds, by reading and explaining the scriptures to them, along with family worship; and then frequently converse with seriousness on edifying subjects; did we take occasion from common occurrences, to direct the attention of those around us to the over-ruling providence of God, the fatal effects of sin, the lamentable evidences of human

* Gen. xviii. 19.