will be put for good,' and good will be treated as evil." pp. 14, 15.

"The remedies of the erroneous tendencies of the human heart, are stated to be-1. The maintenance of right affections towards the great Author and Revealer of religious truth. 2. A habit of entire subjection to the authority of the Holy Scriptures. 3. The use of all proper methods of acquiring and improving the art of just reasoning. 4. Establishment in the evidence and influence of primary truths. 5. Living under the benign and purifying influence of divine truth. 6. Cautious observations of the effect of particular sentiments upon ourselves or others. 7. Keeping in mind, that what has been adopted on impartial inquiry and sufficient evidence, is not to be lightly given up on the mere occurrence of some new objection. 8. Fervent Prayer.

"The constant, serious, and affectionate practice of this great and necessary duty, will have the most happy effect in obtaining and preserv ing the rational and scriptural satisfaction of the truth of our sentiments, if they be indeed true; and, if otherwise, of leading us to the timely and beneficial discovery of our errors. Prayer elevates the soul above the mists and darkness of this revolted world, and places us under the very shining of the Everlasting Light. It tends to exterminate the greatest obstruction to the entrance of that light, the prepossessions of sin in the heart. It gives vigour and delicacy to the sanctified perceptions. It guides that holy mental sense, which is the characteristic of the real christian, to the quick discrimination, and the delighted reception of truth and goodness.

Through prayer, the hallowed medium of intercourse with heaven, the devout mind ascends to its closest enjoyment of communion with the Lord God of truth: and from him descend the returns of prayer, 'every good gift, and every perfect gift.'"-pp. 29, 30.

CHAPTER IV.

On the nature of true Religion.

ALL other questions compared with this, are trifles light as air, or but as the dust of the balance philosophy, literature, commerce, the arts and the sciences, have, it is true, a relative importance; they soften the manners, alleviate the evils, multiply the comforts of life; yet it is impossible to forget that they are the mere embellishments of a scene, which we must shortly quit; the decorations of a theatre, from which the actors and spectators must soon retire together. But religion is of infinite. and eternal moment, and then developes, most perfectly, its consequences, in that very moment when the importance of all other subjects terminates for ever. A mistake in this affair, persisted in till death, is followed by effects infinitely dreadful, and of eternal duration. You should bring to this inquiry, therefore, my children, a trembling solicitude to be led in the right way.

66

Some consider religion as a mere notional as sent to certain theological opinions, others as a bare attendance on religious ordinances, others as the performance of moral duties. They are all equally wrong: for instead of being any one of these separately and apart from the rest, it is the union of them all. Religion admits of many definitions in Scripture language. It is repentance towards God, and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ:" or it is "faith working by love:" or it is receiving "that grace which bringeth salvation, and teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly, righteously and godly, in this present evil world:" or it is "denying ourselves, taking up our cross and following after Christ:" or it is being born again of the Spirit, and sanctified by the truth or it is the supreme love of Christ, or the habitual fear of God. Each one of these phrases is a definition of true piety; but I shall now adopt another, and represent it as "A right disposition of mind towards God, implanted in our nature by the influence of the Holy Ghost, and exercising itself according to the circumstances in which we are placed.

Religion is the same in substance in all rational creatures, whether innocent or fallen. In angels, it is still a right disposition towards God; exercising itself in a way of adoration, love, gratitude, and obedience; but not of faith, hope, and repentance, because their circumstances preclude the possibility of these acts. Religion, in reference to fallen man, is a right disposition of mind; but inasmuch as he is a sinful and ruined creature, yet a creature capable of salvation through the mediation of Christ, it

must necessarily include in it, in addition to the feelings of angelic piety, all those mental exercises and habits which are suitable to a state of guilt, and a dispensation of mercy.

Let us take each part of the definition by itself.

I. God is the primary object of religion.

It is not enough that we perform our duties towards our fellow-creatures; but to be truly pious, we must perform our duty towards God. We may be exemplary and even punctilious in discharging every social obligation; we may be moral in the usual acceptation of the term― honourable, amiable, and yet may be all this, without one single spark of true piety; because in all this there may be no reference whatever to God. An atheist may be all this. Until, therefore, the mind is rightly affected towards God, there is no religion, because He is the direct and primary object of it. It is something perfectly independent, as to its essence, upon all the social relations. If a man were wrecked, like Alexander Selkirk, on an uninhabited island, where there was no room, of course, for loyalty, honesty, kindness, mercy, justice, truth, or any of the relative virtues, the claims of piety would follow him to this dreary and desolate abode; and even there, where he should never hear the sweet music of speech, nor look on the human face divine, he would still be under the obligations of piety; even there one voice would be heard breaking the silence around him, with the solemn injunction of Scripture, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God." Bear in recollection then, my children, that God, as he is revealed in his word, is the direct and primary object of

all true piety; and that the most exemplary dis'charge of the social duties can be no substitute for that reverence and love and gratitude and obedience which we owe to him.

II. Religion is a right disposition of mind towards God. It is not merely a thing of outward forms and ceremonies, but of the heart. It is more than an external action, it is a disposition; not only a performance, but a taste; not an involuntary or compulsory pursuit, but a voluntary and agreeable one. That religion must be an internal principle, an affair of the soul, is evident from the nature of its object, of whom it is said, "God is a spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth." As the heart lies all open to him, unless there be religion there, he scorns the uplifted hand and bended knee. It is evident from reason, that piety must have its seat in the breast; for what spiritual excellence can there be in an action, which is either performed from a bad motive, or from none at all. It is evident from revelation. Read such injunctions as these. "My son, give me thine heart." "Get thee a new heart." "Thy heart is not right in the sight of God." "Be renewed in the spirit of your mind." "Ye must be born again." Equally in point are all those passages which command us to love God, to fear him, to trust in him, to glorify him: duties, which of course imply the exercise, and the vigorous exercise, of the affections of the mind. Notions however clear, morality however exemplary, are not enough till the current of feeling is turned towards God. A mere cold correctness of deportment, but which leaves the heart in a state