ON THE

OCCASIONS OF ENMITY

AGAINST CHRISTIANITY.

THE cause of enmity against real Christianity is in the heart. The angel Gabriel might exhibit the truth, but the heart would rise in enmity. To suppose that there is any way of preaching the Cross so as not to offend the world, is to know nothing of the subject.

There are many occasions, however, of calling forth this enmity. Any man, who should bleed me, would put me to pain; but he would greatly aggravate my pain, if he rudely tore my skin. Occasions may render the reception of that truth morally impossible, which, under the most favourable circumstances, is received with difficulty.

IGNORANCE, in Ministers, is an occasion of exciting enmity against Christianity. A man may betray ignorance on almost every subject, except the way of salvation. But if others see him to be a fool off his own ground, they will think him a fool on that ground. It is a great error to rail against Human Learning, so as to imply an undervaluing of Knowledge. A man may have little of what is called learning, but he must have knowledge. Bunyan was such

a man.

Religious profession was, at first, a CONFLICT-a SACRIFICE now it is become a TRADE. The world sees this spirit pervade many men: and it is a great occasion of enmity. Men of learning and character have confirmed this impression: they have brought

out this mischief, and exhibited it to the world. Let any man look into Warburton's "Doctrine of Grace," and he may sit down and wonder that God should suffer such occasions of enmity to arise.

FANATICAL TIMES furnish another occasion. The days of Cromwell, for instance. The great enemy of godliness will never want instruments to make the best of such subjects of ridicule. As long as such a book as Butler's Hudibras is in the world, it will supply occasions of enmity against real religion.

An UNHOLY, INSOLENT PROFESSOR OF RELIGION occasions enmity. He scorns and insults mankind. His spirit is such as to give them occasion of contemning the truth which he professes. The world will allow some men to call it to account: they will feel a weight of character in a holy and just man.

ECCENTRICITY, in religious men, is another occasion of enmity. Ask an eccentric man a question : he will stare in your face and look very spiritual. I knew one of these men who called out to a farmer as he was passing, "Farmer! what do you know of Jesus Christ ?"" Much spiritual pride lurks under this conduct. There is want of breeding and goodsense. The world is led to form wrong associations by such characters : Religion makes a man a fool, or mad: therefore I will not become religious.”

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INJUDICIOUS PREACHING increases the offence of the Cross. Strange interpretations of Scriptureludicrous comparisons-silly stories-talking without thinking:-these are occasions of enmity.

The LOOSE AND INDISCREET CONDUCT of Professing Christians, particularly of Ministers, is another occasion. The world looks at ministers, out of the pulpit, to know what they mean when in it.

An OSTENTATIOUS SPIRIT in a professor of religion does great injury-that giving out that he is some great one. Even a child will often detect this spirit, when we think no one discovers it.

DEVOTIONAL

The MANNER OF CONDUCTING THE PART OF PUBLIC SERVICE is sometimes offensive. It is as much as to say, "We mean nothing by this. service*. Have patience, and you shall hear me !".

SLIGHTING THE OFFENCE OF IRREGULARITY has done much harm. It was a wise reply of a Spanish Minister to his King; "Omit this affair: it is but a Ceremony!"" A Ceremony! Why the King is a Ceremony !"

Good men have given occasion of offence by MAINTAINING SUSPICIOUS CONNECTIONS. There is a wide difference between my not harassing and exposing a doubtful character, and my endorsing and authenticating him.

CONTEMPT OF MEN'S PREJUDICES OF EDUCATION will offend. It was not thus with St. Paul: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save

some.

A WANT OF THE SPIRIT OF THE CROSS IN ITS PROFESSORS increases the offence of the cross-that humility, patience, and love to souls, which animated Christ when he offered himself on the Cross for the sins of the world.

These are some of the stumbling-blocks in the way of the world. And wo unto the world, says our Lord, because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come, but wo unto him by whom the offence cometh! Every man, who is zealous for the diffusion of true religion, should keep his eye on all occasions of offence, since religion, of itself and in its own native beauty, has to encounter the natural enmity of the degenerate heart.

Exod. xii, 26.

ON

RELIGIOUS RETIREMENT.

It is difficult to speak on the subject of RELIGIOUS RETIREMENT. I am fully persuaded that most religious tradesmen are defective in this duty, those espe-. cially in this great city. I tell every one of them so with whom I am intimately acquainted, and they all contest the point with me.

Yet there are some considerations, which, in my own private judgment concerning the thing, lead me to think that the religion of a great city is to be viewed in an aspect of its own. I say not this to those men whom I see endangered by the spirit of such a place. Give them an inch, and they will take an ell. But I learn from it to aim at possibilities, and not to bend the bow till it breaks.

I say, every where and to all-“ You must hold intercourse with God, or your soul will die. You must walk with God, or Satan will walk with you. You must grow in gracé, or you will lose it: and you cannot do this, but by appropriating to this object a due portion of your time, and diligently employing suitable means." But, having said this, I leave it. I cannot limit and define to such men the exact way in which they must apply these principles, but the principles themselves i insist on. What I ought to do myself under my circumstances, I know; and what I ought to do were I in trade, I seem now to know : but what I really should do were I in trade, I know not; and, because I know it not, I am afraid, in telling another man precisely how he ought to apply this principle,

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that I should act hypocritically and pharisaically. Stated seasons of retirement ought to be appointed and religiously observed, but the time and the measure of this retirement must be left to a man's own judgment and conscience.

I am restrained from dogmatizing on this subject, by reflecting on the sort of religion which seems in fact to be best suited to human nature itself; and especially to human nature harassed, worried, loaded, and urged as it is in this great city.

But I am restrained also by another consideration. -Difference of character seems to stamp a holy variety on the operation of religious principle. Some men live in a spirit of prayer; who are scarcely able to fix themselves steadily to the solemn act of prayer. Our characters are so much our own, that if a man were to come into my family in order to form himself on my model, and to imitate me for a month, it might seriously injure him. I have a favourite walk of twenty steps in my study and chamber: that walk is my oratory: but if another man were obliged to walk as he prayed, it is very probable he could not pray at all.

In defining the operation of religious principle, I am afraid of becoming an Albert Durer. Albert Durer gave rules for forming the perfect figure of a man. He marked and defined all the relations and proportions. Albert Durer's man became the model of perfection in every Academy in Europe ; and now every Academy in Europe has abandoned it, because no such figure was ever found in nature. I am afraid of reducing the variety, which, to a certain degree, may be of God's own forming, to my notion of perfection. “You must maintain and cultivate a spirit of devotion”—I say to all : “but be ye judges, as conscientious men, of the particular means suited to your

circumstances."