Lectures to Professing Christians
By CHARLES G. FINNEY
(1878 version)

Author of "Lectures on Revivals of Religion," "Sermons on Gospel
Themes," etc.

PUBLISHER'S NOTICE.

THESE: Lectures to Professing Christians, by President Finney, were
delivered in the City of New York during the years 1836 and 1837.

Notes of them were taken by the editor of the New York Evangelist as
they were delivered. They were afterward revised by the author and
printed in book form and many thousands sold. They were also printed
in England. The book has been out of print in this country for years
The frequent calls for it, and the hope of increasing the usefulness of
these lectures have, led me to give them anew to the public.   E. J. G.

Chapter 1

SELF DECEIVERS.

Be ye doers of the word, not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
James 1:22.

There are two extremes in religion, equally false and equally fatal. And
there are two classes of hypocrites that occupy these two extremes.
The first class make religion to consist altogether in the belief of
certain abstract doctrines, or what they call faith, and lay little or no
stress on good works. The other class make religion to consist
altogether in good works, (I mean, dead works) and lay little or no
stress on faith in Jesus Christ, but hope for salvation by their own
deeds. The Jews belonged generally to the last-mentioned class. Their
religious teachers taught them that they would be saved by obedience
to the ceremonial law. And therefore, when Paul began to preach, he
seems to have attacked more especially this error of the Jews. He was
determined to carry the main question, that men are justified by faith
in Jesus Christ, in opposition to the doctrine of the scribes and
pharisees, that salvation is by obedience to the law. And he pressed
that point so earnestly, in his preaching and in his epistles, that he
carried it, and settled the faith of the church in the great doctrine of
justification by faith. And then certain individuals in the church laid hold
of this doctrine and carried it to the opposite extreme, and maintained
that men are saved by faith altogether, irrespective of works of any
kind. They overlooked the plain principle, that genuine faith always
results in good works, and is itself a good work.

I said that these two extremes, that which makes religion to consist
altogether in outward works and that which makes it consist altogether
in faith, are equally false and equally fatal. Those who make religion
consist altogether in good works, overlook the fact that works
themselves are not acceptable to God unless they proceed from faith.
For without faith it is impossible to please him. And those who make
religion consist altogether in faith, overlook the fact that true faith
always works by love, and invariably produces the works of love.

They are equally fatal, because, on the one hand, without faith
persons cannot be pardoned or justified; and on the other, without
sanctification they cannot be fitted either to the employments or
enjoyments of heaven. Let a sinner turn from his sins altogether, and
suppose his works to be as perfect as he thinks them to be, and yet he
could not be pardoned without faith in the atonement of Jesus Christ.
And so if any one supposed that he could be justified by faith while his
works were evil, he ought to know that without sanctification his faith
is but dead, and cannot even be the instrument of his justification.

It appears that the apostle James, in this epistle, designed to put this
matter upon the right ground, and show exactly where the truth lay,
and to explain the necessity, and reason of the necessity, of both faith
and good works. This epistle is a very practical one, and it meets full
in the face all the great practical questions of the day, and decides
them.

Doctrines in religion are of two classes, those which refer to God, and
those which refer to human practice. Many confine their idea of
religious doctrines to the former class. They think nothing is properly
called doctrine but what respects God, his attributes, mode of
existence, decrees, and so on. When I gave notice that I should
commence a course of "Practical Lectures," I hope you did not
understand me to mean that the lectures would not be doctrinal, or
would have no doctrine in them. My design is to preach, if the Lord
will, a course of lectures on practical doctrines. The doctrine which I
propose to consider now, is this that professor of religion who does
not practice what he admits to be true, is self-deceived.

There are two classes of hypocrites among professors of religion,
those that deceive others and those that deceive themselves. One
class of hypocrites are those that, under a specious outside of morality
and religion, cover up the enmity of their hearts against God, and lead
others to think they are very pious people. Thus the pharisees
obtained the reputation of being remarkably pious, by their outside
show of religion, their alms and their long prayers. The other class is
that referred to in the text, who do not deceive others but themselves.

These are orthodox in sentiment, but loose in practice. They seem to
suppose religion to consist in a parcel of notions, without regard to
practice, and thus deceive themselves by thinking they are good
Christians while destitute of true holiness. They are hearers of the
word but not doers. They love orthodox preaching, and take great
pleasure in hearing the abstract doctrines of religion exhibited, and
perhaps have fights of imagination and glowing feelings in view of the
character and government of God, but they are not careful to practice
the precepts of God's word, nor are they pleased with the preaching
of those doctrines which relate to human practice.

Perhaps there are some present tonight of both these classes of
hypocrites. Now mark! I am not going to preach tonight to those of you
who, by great strictness of morals and outside show of religion,
deceive others. I address, now, those of you who do not practice what
you know to be true who are hearers and not doers. Perhaps I had
better say, to secure attention, that it is very probable there are a
number here now of this character. I do not know your names; but I
wish you to understand, that if you are that character, you are the
persons I am speaking to, just as if I called out your names. I mean
you. You hear the word, and believe it in theory, while you deny it in
practice. I say to you, that "you deceive yourselves." The text proves
it. Here you have an express "Thus saith the Lord" for it, that all such
characters are self-deceivers. I might quote a number of other
passages of scripture, that are to the point, and there leave it. But I
wish to call your attention to some other considerations beside the
direct scripture testimony. In the first place, you do not truly believe the
word. You hear it, and admit it to be true, but you do not truly believe
it. And here let me say, that persons are themselves liable to
deception on this point. Not that their consciousness deceives them,
but they do not understand what it is that consciousness testifies. 

Two things are indispensable to evangelical, or saving faith. The first
is intellectual conviction of the truth of a thing. And here I do not mean
merely the abstract truth of it, but in its bearing on you. The truth, in its
relation to you, or its bearing on your conduct, must be received
intellectually. And then true faith includes a corresponding state of the
heart. This always enters into the essence of true faith. When a man's
understanding is convinced, and he admit the truth in its relation to
himself, then there must be a hearty approbation of it in its bearing or
relation to himself. Both these states of mind are indispensable to truth
faith. Intellectual conviction of the truth is not saving faith. But
intellectual conviction, then accompanied with a corresponding state
of the affections, is saving faith Hence it follows that where there is
true saving faith, there is always corresponding conduct. The conduct
always follows the real faith. Just as certain as the will controls the
conduct, men will act as they believe. Suppose I say to a man, Do you
believe this? "Yes, I believe it." What does he mean? A mere
intellectual conviction? He may have that and yet not have faith.

A man may even feel an approbation of an abstract truth. This is what
many persons suppose to be faith the approbation which they feel
for the character and government of God, and for the plan of salvation,
when viewed abstractedly. Many persons, when they hear an eloquent
sermon on the attributes or government of God, are set all in a glow
at the excellency displayed, when they have not a particle of true faith.
I have heard of an infidel, who would be moved even to ecstasy at
such themes. The rational mind is so constituted that it naturally and
necessarily approves of truth when viewed abstractedly. 

The wickedest devils in hell love it, if they can see it without its relation
to themselves. If they could see the gospel without any relation that
interferes with their own selfishness, they would not only see it to be
true, but would heartily approve of it. All hell, if they could view God in
his absolute existence, without any relation to themselves, would
heartily approve his character. The reason why wicked men and devils
hate God is, because they see him in relation to themselves. Their
hearts rise up in rebellion, because they see him opposed to their
selfishness.

Here is the source of a grand delusion among men in regard to
religion. They see, it to be, true, and they really rejoice in
contemplating it; they do not enter into its relation to themselves, and
so they love to hear such preaching, and say they are fed by it. But
mark! They go away and do not practice. See that man! he is sick, and
his feelings are tender. In view of Christ, as a kind and tender Savior,
his heart melts and he feels strong emotions of approbation towards
Jesus Christ. Why? For the very same reasons that he would feel
strong emotions toward the hero of a romance. But he does not obey
Christ. He never practices one thing out of obedience to Christ, but
views him abstractedly, and is delighted with his glorious and lovely
character, while he himself remains in the gall of bitterness. Thus it is
apparent that your faith must be an efficient faith, such as regulates
your practice and produces good works, or it is not the faith of the
gospel, it is no real faith at all.

Again. It is further manifest that you are deceiving yourselves,
because all true religion consists in obedience. And therefore,
however much you may approve of Christianity, you have no religion
unless you obey it. In saying that all religion consists in obedience, I
do not mean outward obedience. But faith itself, true faith, work by
love, and produces corresponding action. There is no real obedience
but the obedience of the heart; love is the fulfilling of the law; and
religion consists in the obedience of the heart, with a corresponding
course of life. The man, therefore, who hears the truth, and approves
it, and does not practice it, deceiveth himself. He is like the man
beholding his natural face in a glass; for he beholdeth himself, and
goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of a man he
was.

Again. That state of mind which you mistake for religion, an intellectual
conviction of truth, and approval of it in the abstract, so far from being
evidence that you pious, is as common to the wicked as to be good,
whenever they can be brought to look at it abstractedly. This is the
reason why it is often so difficult to convince sinners that they are
opposed to God and his truth. Men are so constituted that they do
approve of virtue, and do admire the character and government of
God, and would approve and admire every truth in the Bible, if they
could view it abstractedly, and without any relation to themselves. And
when they sit under preaching that holds up the truth in such a way,
that it has not much of a practical bearing on themselves, they may sit
for years and never consider that they are opposed to God and his
government.

And I am more and more persuaded, that great multitudes are to be
found in all our congregations, where the abstract doctrines of the
gospel are much preached, who like the preaching and like to hear
about God, and all these things, and yet are unconverted. And no
doubt multitudes of them get into the churches, because they love
orthodox preaching, when, after all, it is manifest that they are not
doers of the word. And here is the difficulty; they have not had that
searching preaching that made them see the truth in its bearing on
themselves. And now they are in the church, whenever the truth is
preached in its practical relation to them, they show the enmity of their
hearts unchanged, by rising up in opposition to truth.

They took it for granted that they were Christians, and so joined the
church, because they could hear sound doctrinal preaching and
approve of it, or because they read the Bible and approved of it.

If their faith be not so practical as to influence their conduct, if they do
not view the truth in its relation to their own practice, their faith does
not affect them so much as the FAITH OF THE DEVIL.

REMARKS

1. Great injury has been done by false representations regarding the
wickedness of real Christians.

A celebrated preacher, not long since, is said to have given this
definition of a Christian "A little grace and a great deal of devil." I
utterly deny this definition. It is false and ruinous. A great deal is said
that makes an impression that real Christians are the wickedest beings
of the face of the earth. It is true that when they do sin, they incur
great guilt. For a Christian to sin is highly criminal. And it is also true
that enlightened Christians see in their sins great wickedness. When
they compare their obligations with their lives, they are greatly
humbled, and express their humility in very strong language. But it is
not true that they are as bad as the devil, or anywhere in the
neighborhood of it. This is perfectly demonstrable. When they do sin,
their sins have great aggravation, and appear extremely wicked in the
sight of God. But to suppose that men are real Christians while they
live in the service of the devil, and have little of even the appearance
of religion, is a sentiment that is not only false but of very dangerous
tendency. It is calculated to encourage all that class of hypocrites who
are Antinomians, and to encourage backsliders, as well as to do a
great injury to the cause of Christ in the estimation of scorners. The
truth is those who do not obey God are not Christian. The contrary
doctrine is ruinous to the churches, by filling them up with multitudes
whose claim to piety depends on their adoption of certain notions,
while they never heartily intended to obey the requirements of the
gospel in their lives.

2. Those who are so much more zealous for doctrines than for
practice, and who lay much more stress on that class of doctrines
which relate to God than on that class which relate to their own
conduct, are Antinomians.

There are many who will receive that class of the doctrines of the Bible
that relate to God and approve and love them, who have not a particle
of religion. Those who are never "fed," as they call it, on any preaching
but that of certain abstract points of doctrine, are Antinomians. They
are the very persons against whom the apostle James wrote this
epistle. They make religion to consist in a set of notions, while they do
not lead holy lives.

3. That class of professors of religion who never like to hear about
God or his attributes, or mode of existence, the Trinity, decrees,
election, and the like, but lay all stress in religious practice to the
exclusion of religious doctrine, are pharisees.

They make great pretensions to outward piety, and perhaps to inward
flights of emotion of a certain poetical cast, while they will not receive
the great truths that relate to God, but deny the fundamental doctrines
of the gospel.

4. The proper end and tendency of all right doctrine, when truly
believed, is to produce correct practice.

Wherever you find a man's practice heretical, you may be sure his
belief is heretical too. The faith that he holds in his heart is just as
heretical as his life. He may not be heretical in his notions and
theories. He may be right there, even on the very points where he is
heretical in practice. But he does not really believe it.

For illustration: See that careless sinner there, grasping wealth, and
rushing headlong in the search for riches. Does that man truly believe
he is ever going to die? Perhaps you will say, he knows he must die.
But I say, while he is in this attitude, he does not actually believe he is
ever going to die. The subject is one which is not before his thoughts
at all. And thus it is, therefore, impossible that he should believe it in
his utter thoughtlessness. To ask him if he expect ever to die, and he
will reply, "O yes, I know I must die; all men are mortal." As soon as he
turns his thoughts to it, he assents to the truth. And if you could fasten
the conviction on his mind till he is really and permanently impressed
with it, he would infallibly change his conduct, and live for another
world instead of this. It is just so in religion; whatever a man really
believes is just as certain to control his practice as that the will governs
the conduct.

5. The church has for a long time acted too much on the Antinomial
policy. 

She has been sticklish for the more abstract doctrines, and left the
more practical too much out of view. She has laid greater stress on
orthodoxy in those doctrines that are not practical, than in those that
are practical. Look at the creeds of the church, and see how they all
lay the main stress on those doctrines that have little relation to our
practice. A man may be the greatest heretic on points of practice,
provided he is not openly profane and vicious, and yet maintain a good
standing in the church, whether his life corresponds with the gospel or
not. Is not this monstrous? And hence we see that when it is
attempted to purify the church in regard to practical errors, she cannot
bear it. Why else is it that so much excitement is produced by
attempting to clear the church from participation in sins of
intemperance, and Sabbath-breaking, and slavery? Why is it so
difficult to induce the church to do anything effectual for the conversion
of the world? Oh, when shall the church be purified, or the world
converted? Not till it is a settled point, that heresy in practice is the
proof of heresy in belief. Not while a man may deny the whole gospel
in his practice every day, and yet maintain his standing in the church
as a good Christian.

6. See how a minister may be deceived in regard to the state of his
congregation.

He preaches a good deal on the abstract doctrines, that do not
immediately relate to practice, and his people say they are fed, and
rejoice in it, and he thinks they are growing in grace, when in fact it is
no certain sign that there is any religion among them. It is manifest
that this is not certain evidence. But if when he preaches practical
doctrines, his people show that they love the truth in relation to
themselves, and show it by practicing it, then they give evidence of
real love to the truth.

If a minister find that his people love abstract doctrinal preaching, but
that when he comes to press the practical doctrines they rebel, he may
be sure that if they have any religion, it is in a low state; and if he find,
on fair trial, that he cannot bring them up to it, so as to receive
practical doctrine, he may be satisfied they have not a particle of
religion, but are a mere company of Antinomians, who think they can
go to heaven on a dead faith in abstract orthodoxy.

7. See what a vast multitude of professors of religion there are who
are deceiving themselves.

Many suppose they are Christians from the emotions they feel in view
of the truth, when in fact what they receive is truth presented to their
minds in such a way that they do not see its bearing on themselves.
If you bring the truth so to bear on them, as to destroy their pride and
cut them off from their worldliness, such professors resist it. Look
abroad upon the church. See what a multitude of orthodox churches
and orthodox Christians live and feed upon the abstract doctrines of
religion from year to year. 

Then look farther at their lives, and see how little influence their
professed belief has upon their practice. Have they saving faith? It
cannot be. I do not mean to say that none of these church members
are pious, but I do say that those who do not adopt in practice what
they admit in theory who are hearers of the word but not doers  
deceive themselves.

Inquire now how many of you really believe the truths you hear
preached. I have proposed to preach a course of "practical" lectures.
I do not mean that I shall preach lectures that have no doctrine in
them. That is not preaching at all. But what I desire is, to see whether
you will, as a church, do what you believe to be true. If I do not
succeed in convincing you that any doctrine I may maintain is really
true, that is another affair. That is reason enough why you should not
do it. But if I do succeed in proving from the scriptures, and convincing
your understanding, that it is true, and yet you do not practice it, I shall
then have the evidence before my own eyes what your character is,
and no longer deceive myself with the idea that this is a Christian
church.

Are you conscious that the gospel is producing a practical effect upon
you, according to your advancement in knowledge? Is it weaning you
from the world? Do you find this to be your experience, that when you
receive any practical truth into your minds you love it, and love to feel
its application to yourself, and take pleasure in practicing it? If you are
not growing in grace, becoming more and more holy, yielding
yourselves up to the influence of the gospel, you are deceiving
yourselves. How is it now with you who are elders of this church? How
is it with you who are heads of families all of you? When you hear
a sermon, do you seize hold of it and take it home to you, and practice
it? Or do you receive it into your minds, and approve of it, and never
practice it? Woe to that man who admits the truth, and yet turns away
and does not practice it, like the man beholding his natural face in a
glass turning away and forgetting what manner of man he was.

Chapter 2.

FALSE PROFESSORS.

They feared the Lord, and served their own gods.   2 Kings 17:33.

When the ten tribes of Israel were carried away captive by the king
of Assyria, their places were supplied with strangers of different
idolatrous nations, who knew nothing of the religion of the Jews. Very
soon the wild beasts increased in the country, and the lions destroyed
multitudes of the people, and they thought it was because they did not
know the god of the country, and had therefore ignorantly
transgressed his religion, and offended him, and he had sent the lions
among them as a punishment. So they applied to the king, who told
them to get one of the priests of the Israelites to teach them the
manner of the god of the land. They took this advice, and obtained
one of the priests to come to Bethel and teach them the religious
ceremonies and modes of worship that had been practiced there. And
he taught them to fear Jehovah, as the God of that country. But still
they did not receive him as the only God. They feared him; that is, they
feared his anger and his judgments, and to avert these, they
performed the prescribed rites. But they "served" their own gods. They
kept up their idolatrous worship, and this was what they loved and
preferred, though they felt obliged to pay some reverence to Jehovah,
as the God of that country. There are still multitudes of persons,
professing to fear God, and perhaps possessing a certain kind of the
fear of the Lord, who, nevertheless, serve their own gods they have
other things to which their hearts are supremely devoted, and other
objects in which they mainly put their trust.

There are, as you know, two kinds of fear. There is that fear of the
Lord which is the beginning of wisdom, which is founded in love. There
is also a slavish fear, which is a mere dread of evil, and is purely
selfish. This is the kind of fear which is possessed by those people
spoken of in the text. They were afraid Jehovah would send his
judgments upon them, if they did not perform certain rites and this was
the motive they had for paying him worship. Those who have this fear
are supremely selfish, and while they profess to reverence Jehovah,
have other gods whom they love and serve.

There are several classes of persons to whom this is applicable, and
my object tonight is to describe some of them, in such a way, that
those of you here, who possess this character, may know yourselves,
and may see how it is that your neighbors know you and understand
your real characters.

To serve a person is to be obedient to the will and devoted to the
interests of that individual. It is not properly called serving where only
certain acts are performed, without entering into the service of the
person; but to serve, is to make it a business to do the will and
promote the interest of the person. To serve God is to make religion
the main business of life. It is to devote one's self, heart, life, powers,
time, influence, and all, to promote the interests of God, to build up the
kingdom of God, and to advance the glory of God. Who are they who,
while they profess to fear the Lord, serve their own gods?

I answer, first, all those of you who have not heartily and practically
renounced the ownership of your possessions, and given them up to
God.

It is self-evident that if you have not done this, you are not serving
God. Suppose a gentleman were to employ a clerk to take care of his
store, and suppose the clerk were to continue to attend to his own
business, and when asked to do what is necessary for his employer,
who pays him his wages, he should reply, 

"I really have so much business of my own to attend to, that I have no
time to do these things;" would not everybody cry out against such a
servant, and say he was not serving his employer at all, his time is not
his own, it is paid for, and he but served himself? So where a man has
not renounced the ownership of himself, not only in thought, but
practically, he has not taken the first lesson in religion. He is not
serving the Lord, but serving his own gods.

2. That man who does not make the business in which he is engaged
a part of his religion, does not serve God.

You hear a man say, sometimes, I am so much engaged all day in the
world, or in worldly business, that I have not time to serve God. He
thinks he serves God a little while in the morning, and then attends to
his worldly business. That man, you may rely on it, left his religion
where he said his prayers. He is willing, perhaps, to give God the time
before breakfast, before he gets ready to go to his own business; but
as soon as that is over, away he goes to his own work. He fears the
Lord enough, perhaps, to go through his prayers night and morning,
but he serves his own gods. That man's religion is the laughing stock
of hell! He prays very devoutly, and then, instead of engaging in his
business for God, he is serving himself. No doubt the idols are well
satisfied with the arrangement, but God is wholly displeased.

3. But again: Those of you are serving your own gods, who devote to
Jehovah that which costs you little or nothing.

There are many who make religion consist in certain acts of piety that
do not interfere with their selfishness. You pray in the morning in your
family, because you can do it then very conveniently, but do not suffer
the service of Jehovah to interfere with the service of your gods, or to
stand in the way of your getting rich, or enjoying the world. The gods
you serve make no complaint of being slighted or neglected for the
service of Jehovah.

4. All that class are serving their own gods, who suppose that the six
days of the week belong to themselves, and that the Sabbath only is
God's day.

There are multitudes who suppose that the week is man's time, and
the Sabbath only God's, and that they have a right to do their own
work during the week, and to serve themselves, and promote their
own interests, if they will only keep the Sabbath strictly, and serve God
on the Sabbath. For instance: a celebrated preacher, in illustrating the
wickedness of breaking the Sabbath, used this illustration "Suppose
a man, having seven dollars in his pocket, should meet a beggar in
great distress, and give him six dollars, keeping only one for himself;
and the beggar, seeing that he retained one dollar, should return and
rob him of that; would not every heart despise his baseness?" You see
it embodies this idea that it is very ungrateful to break the Sabbath
since God has given to men six days for their own, to serve
themselves, and only reserved the Sabbath to himself, and to rob God
of the seventh day is base ingratitude.

You that do this do not serve God at all. If you are selfish during the
week, you are selfish altogether. To suppose you had any real piety
would imply that you were converted every Sabbath and unconverted
every Monday. If a man would serve himself all the week and really
posses religion on the Sabbath, he requires to be converted for it. But
is this the idea of the Sabbath, that it is a day to serve God in
exclusive of other days? Is God in need of your services on the
Sabbath to keep his work on?

God requires all your services as much on the six days as on the
Sabbath, only he has appropriated the Sabbath to peculiar duties, and
required its observance as a day of rest from bodily toil and from those
fatiguing cares and labors that concern the present world. But because
God uses means in accomplishing his purposes, and men have bodies
as well as souls, and the gospel is to be spread and sustained by the
things of this world, therefore God requires you to work all the six days
at your secular employments. But it is all for his service, as much as
the worship of the Sabbath. The Sabbath is no more given for the
service of God than Monday. You have no more right to serve
yourselves on Monday than you have on the Sabbath. If any of you
have thus considered the matter, and imagined that the six days of the
week were your own time, it shows that you are supremely selfish. I
beg of you not to consider that in prayer and on the Sabbath you are
serving God at all, if the rest of the time you are considered as serving
yourself. You have never known the radical principle of serving the
Lord.

5. Those are serving themselves, or their own gods, who will not make
any sacrifices of personal ease and comfort in religion.

For instance, there are multitudes who object to free churches on this
ground, that they require a sacrifice of personal gratification. They talk
like this: "We wish to sit with our families;" or, "We want our seats
cushioned," or "We always like to sit in the same place." They admit
that free churches are necessary, in order to make the gospel
accessible to the thousands that are going to hell in this city. But they
cannot make these little sacrifices, to throw open the doors of God's
house to this mass of impenitent sinners.

These little things often indicate most clearly the state of men's hearts.
Suppose your servant were to say, "I cannot do this," or "I cannot do
that," because it interferes with his personal ease and comfort. He
cannot do this because he likes to sit on a cushion and work. Or he
cannot do that because it would separate him from his family an hour
and a half. What! is that doing service? When a man enters into
service he gives up his ease and comfort for the interest and at the will
of his employer. Is it true that any man is supremely devoted to the
service of God, when he shows that his own ease and comfort are
dearer than the kingdom of Jesus Christ, and that he would sooner
sacrifice the salvation of sinners than sit on a hard seat, or be
separated from his family an hour or two?

6. Those are serving their own gods, who give their time and money,
when they do give, grudgingly, by constraint, and not of a ready mind,
and with a cheerful heart.

What would you think of your servant, if you had to dun or drive him all
the time, to do anything for your interest? Would you not say he was
an eye-servant? How many people there are, who when they do
anything on account of religion, do it grudgingly. If they do anything,
it comes hard. If you go to one of these characters, and want his time
or his money for any religious object it is difficult to get him engaged.
It seems to go across the grain and is not easy or natural. It is plain he
does not consider the interests of Christ's kingdom the same with his
own. He may make a show of fearing the Lord, but he "serves" some
other gods of his own.

7. Those who are always ready to ask how little they may do for
religion rather than how much they may do, are serving their own
gods.

There are multitudes of persons who seem always to ask how little
they can get along with in what they do for God. 

You hear such a man making up his accounts of profit and loss "So
much made this year then so much it costs for charity so much
obliged to give for religion." (OBLIGED to give for the interests of
religion!) "and so much lost by fire, and so much by bad debts," and
so on is that man serving God? It is a simple matter of fact that you
have never set your hearts on the object of promoting religion in the
world. If you had, you would ask, How much can I do for this object
and for that? Cannot I do so much or so much or so much?

8. They who are laying up wealth for their families, to elevate and
aggrandize them, are serving gods of their own, and not Jehovah.

Those who are thus aiming to elevate their own families into a different
sphere, by laying up wealth for them, show that they have some other
object to live for than bringing this world under the authority of Jesus
Christ. They have other gods to serve. They may pretend to fear the
Lord, but they "serve" their own gods.

9. Those who are making it their object to accumulate so much
property that they can retire from business and live at ease, are
serving their own gods.

There are many persons who profess to be the servants of God, but
are eagerly engaged in gathering property, and calculating to retire to
their country seat by-and-by, and live at their ease. What do you
mean? Has God given you a right to a perpetual Sabbath, as soon as
you have made so much money? Did God tell you, when you
professed to enter his service, to work hard so many years, and then
you might have a perpetual holiday? Did he promise to excuse you
after that from making the most of your time and talents, and let you
live at ease the rest of your days? If your thoughts are set upon this
notion, I tell you, you are not serving God but your own selfishness
and sloth.

10. Those persons are serving their own gods who would sooner
gratify their appetites than deny themselves things that are
unnecessary, or even hurtful, for the sake of doing good.

You find persons that greatly love things that do them no good, and
others even form an artificial appetite for the thing positively
loathsome, and after it they will go, and no arguments will prevail upon
them to abandon it for the sake of doing good. Are such persons
absorbed in the service of God? Certainly not. Will they sacrifice their
lives for the kingdom of God? Why you cannot make them even give
up a quid of tobacco! a weed that is injurious to health and loathsome
to society; they cannot give it up, were it to save a soul from death!

Who does not see that selfishness predominates in such persons? It
shows the astonishing strength of selfishness. You often see the
strength of selfishness showing itself in some such little thing more
than in things that are greater. The real state of a man's mind stands
out, that self-gratification is the law of his life, so strongly, that it
will not give place, even in a trifle, to those great interests, for which
he ought to be willing to lay down his life.

11. Those persons who are most readily moved to action by appeals
to their own selfish interests, show that they are serving their own
gods.

You see what motive influences such a man. Suppose I wish to get
him to subscribe for building a church, what must I urge? Why, I must
show how it will improve the value of his property, or advance his
party, or gratify his selfishness in some other way. If he is more
excited by these motives, than he is by a desire to save perishing
souls and advance the kingdom of Christ, you see that he has never
given himself up to serve the Lord. He is still serving himself. 
He is more influenced by his selfish interests than by all those
benevolent principles on which all religion turns. The character of a
true servant of God is right opposite to this.

Take the case of two servants, one devoted to his master's interests,
and the other having no conscience or concern but to secure his
wages. Go to one, and he throws into the shade all personal
considerations, and enlists with heart and soul in achieving the object.
The other will not act unless you present some selfish motive; unless
you say, "Do so, and I will raise your wages or set you up in business,"
or the like. Is there not a radical difference between these two
servants? Is not this an illustration of what actually takes place in our
churches? Propose a plan of doing good that will cost nothing, and
they will all go for it. But propose a plan which is going to affect their
personal interest   to cost money, or take up time in a busy season,
and you will see they begin to divide. Some hesitate; some doubt;
some raise objections; and some resolutely refuse. Some enlist at
once, because they see it will do great good. Others stand back till you
devise some means to excite their selfishness in its favor. What
causes the difference? Some of them are serving their own gods.

12. Those are of this character, who are more interested in other
subjects than in religion.

If you find them more ready to talk on other subjects; more easily
excited by them, more awake to learn the news, they are serving their
own gods. What multitudes are more excited by the bank question, or
the question about war, or about the fire, or anything of a worldly
nature, than about revivals, missions, or anything connected with the
interests of religion. You find them all engaged about politics or
speculation; but if you bring up the subject of religion, ah, they are
afraid of excitement! and talk about animal feeling! Showing that
religion is not the subject that is nearest their hearts. A man is always
most easily excited on that subject that lies nearest his heart. Bring
that up, and he is interested. When you can talk early and late about
the news and other worldly topics, and when you cannot possibly be
interested in the subject of religion, you know that your heart is not in
it; and if you pretend to be a servant of God, you are a hypocrite.

13. When persons are more jealous for their own fame than for God's
glory, it shows that they live for themselves, and serve their own gods.

You see a man more vexed or grieved by what is said against him
than against God; whom does he serve   who is his God, himself or
Jehovah? There is a minister thrown into a fever because somebody
has said a word derogatory to his scholarship, or his dignity, or his
infallibility, while he is as cool as ice at all the indignities thrown upon
the blessed God. Is that man a follower of Paul, willing to be
considered a fool for the cause of Christ? Did that man ever take the
first lesson in religion? If he had, he would rejoice to have his name
cast out as evil for the cause of religion. No, he is not serving God; he
is serving his own gods.

14. Those are serving their own gods, who are not make salvation of
souls the great and leading object of their lives.

The end of all religious institutions, that which gives value to them all,
is the salvation of sinners. The end for which Christ lives, and for
which he has left his church in the world, is the salvation of sinners.
This is the business which God sets his servants about, and if any
man be not doing this, as his business as the leading and main
object of his life, he is not serving Jehovah, he is serving his own
gods.

15. Those who are doing but little for God, or who bring but little to
pass for God, cannot properly be said to serve him.

Suppose you ask a professed servant of God. "What are you doing for
God? Are you bringing anything to pass? Are you instrumental in the
conversion of any sinners? 

Are you making impressions in favor of religion, or helping forward the
cause of Christ? "He replies," Why I do not know have a hope; I
sometimes think I do love God; but I do not know that I am doing any
thing in particular at present." Is that man serving God! Or is he
serving his own gods? "I talk to sinners some times," he says, "but
they do not seem to feel much." Then YOU do not feel. If your heart
be not in it, no wonder you cannot make sinners feel. Whereas, if you
do your duty, with your heart in the work, sinners cannot help feeling.

16. Those who seek for happiness in religion, rather than for
usefulness, are serving their own gods.

Their religion is entirely selfish. They want to enjoy religion, and are all
the while inquiring how they can get happy frames of mind, and how
they can be pleasurably excited in religious exercises. And they will go
only to such meetings, and sit only under such preaching, as will make
them happy; never asking the question whether that is the way to do
the most good or not. Now, suppose your servant should do so, and
be constantly contriving how to enjoy himself, and if he thought he
could be most happy in the parlor, stretched on the sofa, with a pillow
of down under his head, and another servant to fan him, refusing to do
the work which you set him about, and which your interest urgently
requires; instead of manifesting a desire to work for you, and a
solicitude for your interest, and a willingness to lay himself out with all
his powers in your service, he wants only to be happy! It is just so with
those professed servants of Jehovah, who want to do nothing but sit
on their handsome cushion, and have their minister feed them. Instead
of seeking how to do good, they are only seeking to be happy. Their
daily prayer is not, like that of the converted Saul of Tarsus, "Lord what
wilt thou have me to do?" but, "Lord, tell me how I can be happy." Is
that the spirit of Jesus Christ? No, he said, "I delight to do thy will. O
God." Is that the spirit of the apostle Paul? No, he threw of his upper
garments at once, and made his arms bare foot the field of labor.

17. Those who make their own salvation their supreme object in
religion, are serving their own gods.

There are multitudes in the church, who show by their conduct, and
even avow in their language, that their leading object is to secure their
own salvation, and their grand determination is to get their own souls
planted on the firm battlements of the heavenly Jerusalem, and walk
the golden fields of Canaan above. If the Bible is not in error all such
characters will go to hell. Their religion is pure selfishness. And "he
that will save his life shall lose it, and he that will lose his life for my
sake, shall save it."

REMARKS

1. See why so little is accomplished in the world for Jesus Christ.

It is because there are so few that do anything for it. It is because
Jesus Christ has so few real servants in the world. How many
professors do you suppose there are in this church, or in your whole
acquaintance, that are really at work for God, and making a business
of religion, and laying themselves out to advance the kingdom of
Christ? The reason why religion advances no faster is, that there are
so few to advance it, and so many to hinder it. You see a parcel of
people at a fire, trying to get out the goods of a store.

Some are determined to get out the goods, but the rest are not
engaged about it, and they divert their attention by talking about other
things, or positively hinder them by finding fault with their way of doing
it, or by holding them back. So it is in the church. Those who are
desirous of doing the work are greatly hindered by the backwardness,
the cavils, and the positive resistance of the rest.

2. See why so few Christians have the spirit of prayer. How can they
have the spirit of prayer? What should God give them the spirit of
prayer for? Suppose a man engaged in his worldly schemes, and that
God should give that man the spirit of prayer. Of course he would pray
for that which lies nearest his heart; that is, for success in his worldly
schemes, to serve his own gods with. Will God give him the spirit of
prayer for such purpose? Never. Let him go to his own gods for a
spirit of prayer, out let him not expect Jehovah to bestow the spirit of
prayer, while he is serving his own gods.

3. You see that there are a multitude of professors, of religion that
have not begun to be religious yet.

Said a man to one of them, Do you feel that your property and your
business are all God's, and do you hold and manage them for God?
"O, no," said he, "I have not got so far as that yet." Not got so far as
that! That man had been a professor of religion for years, and yet had
not got so far as to consider his property, and business, and all that he
had, as belonging to God! No doubt he was serving his own gods. For
I insist upon it, that this is the very beginning of religion. What is
conversion, but turning from the service of the world to the service of
God? And yet this man had not found out that he was God's servant.
And he seemed to think he was getting a great way in religion, to feel
that all he had was the Lord's.

4. It is great dishonesty for persons to profess to serve the Lord, and
yet in reality serve themselves.

You who are performing religious duties from selfish motives are in
reality trying to make God your servant. If your own interest be the
supreme object, all your religious services are only desires to induce
God to promote your interests. Why do you pray, or keep the Sabbath,
or give your property for religious objects? You answer, "For the sake
of promoting my own salvation." Indeed! Not to glorify God, but to get
to heaven! Do not you think the devil would do all that, if he thought he
could gain his end by it and be a devil still? The highest style of
selfishness must be to get God with all his attributes, enlisted in the
service of your mighty self.

And now, my hearers, where are you all? Are you serving Jehovah, or
are you serving your own gods? How have you been doing these six
months that I have been absent? Have you done anything for God?
Have you been living as servants of God? Is Satan's kingdom
weakened by what you have done? Could you say now, "Come with
me, and I will show you this and that sinner converted, or this and that
backslider reclaimed, or this and that weak saint strengthened and
aided?" Could you bring living witnesses of what you have done in the
service of God? Or would your answer be, "I have been to meeting
regularly on the Sabbath, and heard a great deal of good preaching,
and I have generally attended the prayer meetings, and we had some
precious meetings, and I have prayed in my family, and twice or thrice
a day in my closet, and read the Bible." And in all that you have been
merely passive, as to anything done for God. You have feared the
Lord, and served your own gods.

"Yes, but I have sold so many goods, and made so much money, of
which I intend to give a tenth to the missionary cause." Who hath
required this at your hand, instead of saving souls? Going to send the
gospel to the heathen, and letting sinners right under your own eyes
go down to hell! Be not deceived. If you loved souls, in you were
engaged to serve God, you would think of souls here, and do the work
of God here. What should we think of a missionary going to the
heathen, who had never said a word to sinners around him at home?
Does he love souls? There is burlesque in the idea of sending such a
man to the heathen. 

The man that will do nothing at home is not fit to go to the heathen.
And he that pretends to be getting money for missions while he will not
try to save sinners here, is an outrageous hypocrite.

Chapter 3.

DOUBTFUL ACTIONS ARE SINFUL.

He that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith;
he whatsoever is not of faith is sin.   Romans 14:28.

It was a custom among the idolatrous heathen to offer the bodies of
slain beasts in sacrifice. A part of every beast that was offered
belonged to the priest. The priests used to send their portion to market
to sell, and it was sold in the shambles as any other meat. The
Christian Jews that were scattered everywhere were very particular as
to what meats they ate, so as not even to run the least danger of
violating the Mosaic law, and they raised doubts, and created disputes
and difficulties among the churches. This was one of the subjects
about which the church of Corinth was divided and agitated, until they
finally wrote to the apostle Paul for directions. A part of the First
Epistle to the Corinthians was doubtless written as a reply to such
inquiries. It seems there were some who carried their scruples so far
that they thought it not proper to eat any meat; for if they went to
market for it, they were continually in danger of buying that which was
offered to idols. Others thought it made no difference; they had a right
to eat meat, and they would buy it in the market as they found it, and
give themselves no trouble about the matter. To quell the dispute, they
wrote to Paul, and in chapter six, he takes up the subject and
discusses it in full.

"Now, as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have
knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man
think that he knoweth anything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to
know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him. As
concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in
sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and
that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are
called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many,
and lords many,) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom
are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are
all things, and we by him. Howbeit there is not in every man that
knowledge; for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it
as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is
defiled.

"His conscience is defiled," that is, he regards it as a meat offered to
an idol, and is really practicing idolatry The eating of meat is a matter
of total indifference, in itself.

"But meat commendeth us not to God; for neither if we eat are we the
better; neither if we eat not, are we the worse. But take heed lest by
any means this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to them that
are weak. For if any man see thee, which hast knowledge, sit at meat
in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be
emboldened to eat those things offered to idols; and through thy
knowledge shall the weak brother perish for whom Christ died?"

Although they might have a sufficient knowledge on the subject to
know that an idol is nothing, and cannot make any change in the meat
itself, yet if they should be seen eating meat that was known to have
been offered to an idol, those who were weak might be emboldened
by it to eat the sacrifices as such, or as an act of worship to the idol,
supposing all the while that they were but following the example of
their more enlightened brethren.

But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak
conscience, ye sin against Christ. "Wherefore, if meat make my
brother to offend, I will eat no more flesh while the world standeth, lest
I make my brother to offend."

This is his benevolent conclusion, that he would rather forego the use
of flesh altogether than be the occasion of drawing a weak brother
away into idolatry. For, in fact, to sin so against a weak brother is to
sin against Christ. 

In writing to the Romans he takes up the same subject the same
dispute had existed there. After laying down some general maxims
and principles, he gives this rule:

"Him that is weak in faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputation.
For one believeth that he may eat all things; another who is weak,
eateth herbs."

There were some among them who chose to live entirely on
vegetables, rather than run the risk of buying in the shambles flesh
which had been offered in sacrifice to idols. Others ate their flesh as
usual, buying what was offered in market, asking no questions for
conscience' sake. Those who lived on vegetables charged the other
with idolatry. And those that ate flesh accused the others of
superstition and weakness. This was wrong.

"Let not him that eateth, despise him that eateth not; and let not him
which eateth not, judge him that eateth; for God hath received him.
Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master
he standeth or falleth; yea, he shall be holden up; for God is able to
make him stand."

There was also a controversy about observing the Jewish festival days
and holy days. A part supposed that God required this, and therefore
they observed them. The others neglected them because they
supposed God did not require the observance.

"One man esteemeth one day above another; another esteemeth
every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He
that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that
regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth,
eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not,
to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth
to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live
unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we
live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's. For to this end Christ both
died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead
and living. But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set
at naught thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment-seat
of Christ. For as it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall
bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God. So then every one
of us shall give account of himself to God. Let us not therefore, judge
one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a
stumbling-block, or an occasion to fall in his brother's way."

Now mark what he says.

"But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not
charitably: destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died."

That is, I know that the distinction of meats into clean and unclean, is
not binding under Christ, but to him that believes in the distinction, it
is a crime to eat indiscriminately, because he does what he believes
to be contrary to the commands of God. "All things indeed are pure,
but it is evil to him that eateth with offense." Every man should be
persuaded in his own mind, that what he is doing is right. If a man eat
of meats called unclean, not being clear in his mind that it is right, he
offends God.

"It is good neither to eat flesh, nor to drink wine, nor any thing whereby
thy brother stumbleth, or is offended, or is made weak."

This is a very useful hint to those wine-bibbers and beer guzzlers, who
think the cause of temperance is going to be ruined by giving up wine
and beer, when it is notorious, to every person of the least
observation, that these things are the greatest hindrance to the cause
all over the country.

"Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that
condemneth not himself in THAT thing which he alloweth. And he that
doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith; for
whatsoever is not of faith is sin."

The word rendered damned means condemned, or adjudged guilty of
breaking the law of God. If a man doubts whether it is lawful to do a
thing, and while in that state of doubt, he does it, he displeases God,
he breaks the law and is condemned whether the thing be in itself right
or wrong. I have been thus particular in explaining the text in its
connection with the context, because I wished fully to satisfy your
minds of the correctness of the principle laid down that if a man
does that of which he doubts the lawfulness, he sins, and is
condemned for it in the sight of God.

Whether it is lawful itself, is not the question. If he doubts its
lawfulness, it is wrong in him.

There is one exception which ought to be noticed here, and that is,
where a man as honestly and fully doubts the lawfulness of omitting
to do it as he does the lawfulness of doing it. President Edwards
meets this exactly in his 39th resolution:

"Resolved, never to do any thing that I so much question the
lawfulness of, as that I intend, at the same time, to consider and
examine afterwards, whether it be lawful or not: except I as much
question the lawfulness of the omission."

A man may have equal doubts whether he is bound to do a thing or
not to do it. Then all that can be said is, that he must act according to
the best light he can get. But where he doubts the lawfulness of the
act, but has no cause to doubt the lawfulness of the omission, and yet
does it, he sins and is condemned before God, and must repent or be
damned. In further examination of the subject, I propose,

I. To show some reasons why a man is criminals for doing that of
which he doubts the lawfulness. II. To show its application to a number
of specific cases. III. Offer a few inferences and remarks, as time may
allow.

I. I am to show some reasons for the correctness of the principle laid
down in the text that if a man does that of which he doubts the
lawfulness, he is condemned.

1. One reason why an individual is condemned if he does that of which
he doubts the lawfulness, is that if God so far enlightens his mind
as to make him doubt the lawfulness of an act, he is bound to stop
there and examine the question and settle it to his satisfaction.

To illustrate this: suppose your child is desirous of doing a certain
thing, or suppose he is invited by his companions to go somewhere,
and he doubts whether you would be willing, do you not see that it is
his duty to ask you? If one of his schoolmates invites him home, and
he doubts whether you would like it, and yet goes, is not this palpably
wrong?

Or suppose a man cast away on a desolate island, where he finds no
human being, and he takes up his abode in a solitary cave,
considering himself as all alone and destitute of friends, or relief, or
hope; but every morning he finds a supply of nutritious and wholesome
food prepared for him, and set by the mouth of his cave, sufficient for
his wants that day. What is his duty? Do you say, he does not know
that there is a being on the island, and therefore he is not under
obligations to any one? Does not gratitude, on the other hand, require
him to search and find out his unseen friend, and thank him for his
kindness? He cannot say, "I doubt whether there is any being here,
and therefore will do nothing but eat my allowance and take my ease,
and care for nothing." His not searching for his benefactor would of
itself convict him of as desperate wickedness of heart, as if he knew
who it was, and refused to return thanks for the favors received.

Or suppose an Atheist opens his eyes on this blessed light of heaven,
and breathes this air, sending health and vigor through his frame.
Here is evidence enough of the being of God to set him on the inquiry
after that Great Being who provides all these means of life and
happiness. And if he does not inquire for farther light, if he does not
care, if he sets his heart against God, he shows that he has the heart
as well as the intellect of an Atheist. He has, to say the least, evidence
that there MAY BE a God. What then is his business? Plainly, it is to
set himself honestly, and with a most child-like and reverent spirit, to
inquire after him and pay him reverence. If, when he has so much light
as to doubt whether there may not be a God, he still goes around as
if there were none, and does not inquire for truth and obey it, he
shows that his heart is wrong, and that it says let there be no God.

There is a Deist, and here a book claiming to be a revelation from
God. Many good men have believed it to be so. The evidences are
such as to have perfectly satisfied the most acute and upright minds
of its truth. The evidences, both external and internal are of great
weight. To say there are NO evidences is itself enough to bring any
man's soundness of mind into question, or his honesty. There is, to lay
the least that can be said, sufficient evidence to create a doubt
whether it is a fable and an imposture. This is in fact but a small part,
but we will take it on this ground. Now is it his duty to reject it? No
Deist pretends that he can be so fully persuaded in his own mind, as
to be free from all doubt. All he dares to attempt is to raise cavils and
create doubts on the other side. Here, then, it is his duty to stop, and
not oppose the Bible, until he can prove without a doubt, that it is not
from God.

So with the Unitarian. Granting (what is by no means true) that the
evidence in the Bible is not sufficient to remove all doubts that Jesus
Christ is God; yet it afford evidence enough to raise a doubt on the
other side, and he has no right to reject the doctrine as untrue, but is
bound humbly to search the scriptures and satisfy himself. Now no
intelligent and honest man can say that the scripture afford "no
evidence" of the divinity of Christ. They do afford evidence which has
convinced and fully satisfied thousands of the acutest minds, and who
have before been opposed to the doctrine. No man can reject the
doctrine without a doubt, because here is evidence that it may be true.
And if it may be true, and there is reason to doubt if it is not true, then
he rejects it at his peril.

Then the Universalist. Where is one who can say he has not so much
as a doubt whether there is not a hell, where sinners go after death
into endless torment. He is bound to stop and inquire, and search the
scriptures. It is not enough for him to say he does not believe in a hell.
It may be there is, and if he rejects it, and goes on reckless of the truth
whether there is or not, that itself makes him a rebel against God. He
doubts whether there is not a hell which he ought to avoid, and yet he
acts as if he was certain and had no doubts. He is condemned. I once
knew a physician who was a Universalist, and who has gone to
eternity to try the reality of his speculations.

He once told me that he had strong doubts of the truth of
Universalism, and had mentioned his doubts to a minister, who
confessed that he, too, doubted its truth, and he did not believe there
was a Universalist in the world who did not.

2. For a man to do a thing when he doubts whether it is lawful shows
that he is selfish, and has other objects besides doing the will of God.

It shows that he wants to do it to gratify himself. He doubts whether
God will approve of it, and yet he does it. Is he not a rebel? If he
honestly wished to serve God, when he doubted he would stop and
inquire and examine until he was satisfied. But to go forward while he
is in; doubt, shows that he is selfish and wicked, and is willing to do it
whether God is pleased or not, and that he wants to do it, whether it
is right or wrong. He does it because he wants to do it, and not
because it is right.

3. To act thus is an impeachment of the divine goodness.

He assumes it as uncertain whether God has given a sufficient
revelation of his will, so that he might know his duty if he would. He
virtually says that the path of duty is left so doubtful that he must
decide at a venture.

4. It indicates slothfulness and stupidity of mind.

It shows that he had rather act wrong than use the necessary diligence
to learn and know the path of duty. It shows that he is either negligent
or dishonest in his inquiries.

5. It manifests a reckless spirit.

It shows a want of conscience, an indifference to right, a setting aside
of the authority of God, a disposition not to do God's will, and not to
care whether He is pleased or displeased, a desperate recklessness
and headlong temper, that is the height of wickedness.

The principle then, which is so clearly laid down, in the text and
contest, and also in the chapter which I read from Corinthians, is fully
sustained by examination that for a man to do a thing, when he
doubts the lawfulness of it, is sin, for which he is condemned before
God, and must repent or be damned.

II. I am now to show the application of this principle to a variety of
particular cases in human life. But,

First I will mention some cases where a person may be equally in
doubt with respect to the lawfulness of a thing, whether he is bound to
do it or not to do it.

Take the subject of Wine at the Communion Table.

Since the temperance reformation has brought up the question about
the use of wine, and various wines have been analyzed and the
quantity of alcohol they contain has been disclosed, and the difficulty
shown of getting wines in this country that are not highly alcoholic, it
has been seriously doubted by some whether it is right to use such
wines as we can get here in celebrating the Lord's supper. Some are
strong in the belief that wine is an essential part of the ordinance, and
that we ought to use the best wine we can get, and there leave the
matter. Others say that we ought not to use alcoholic or intoxicating
wine at all; and that as wine is not, in their view, essential to the
ordinance, it is better to use some other drink. 

Both these classes are undoubtedly equally conscientious, and
desirous to do what they have most reason to believe is agreeable to
the will of God. And others, again, are in doubt on the matter. I can
easily conceive that some conscientious persons may be very
seriously in doubt which way to act. They are doubtful whether it is
right to use alcoholic wine, and are doubtful whether it is right to use
any other drink in the sacrament. Here is a case that comes under
President Edwards' rule, "where it is doubtful in my mind, whether I
ought to do it or not to do it," and which men must decide according to
the best light they can get, honestly, and with a single desire to know
and do what is most pleasing to God.

I do not intend to discuss this question, of the use of wine at the
communion, nor is this the proper place for a full examination of the
subject. I introduced it now merely for the purpose of illustration. But
since it is before us, I will make two or three remarks.

(1.) I have never apprehended so much evil as some do, from the use
of common wine at the communion. I have not felt alarmed at the
danger or evil of taking a sip of wine, a teaspoonful or so, once a
month, or once in two months, or three months. I do not believe that
the disease of intemperance (and intemperance, you know, is in reality
a disease of the body) will be either created or continued by so slight
a cause. Nor do I believe it is going to injure the temperance cause so
much as some have supposed. And therefore, where a person uses
wine as we have been accustomed to do, and is fully persuaded in his
own mind, he does not sin.

(2.) On the other hand, I do not think that the use of wine is any way
essential to the ordinance. Very much has been said and written and
printed on the subject, which has darkened counsel by words without
knowledge. To my mind there are stronger reasons than I have
anywhere seen exhibited, for supposing that wine is not essential to
this ordinance. Great pains have been taken to prove that our Savior
used wine that was unfermented, when he instituted the supper, and
which therefore contained no alcohol. Indeed, this has been the point
chiefly in debate, But in fact it seems just as irrelevant as it would to
discuss the question, whether he used wheat or oaten bread, or
whether it was leavened or unleavened. Why do we not hear this
question vehemently discussed? Because all regard it as unessential.
In order to settle this question about the wine, we should ask what is
the meaning of the ordinance of the supper. What did our Savior
design to do? It was to take the two staple articles for the support of
life, food and drink, and use them to represent the necessity and virtue
of the atonement.

It is plain that Christ had that view of it, for it corresponds with what he
says, "My flesh is meat indeed, and thy blood is drink indeed." So he
poured out water in the temple, and said, "If any man thirst, let him
come unto me and drink." He is called the "Bread of life." Thus it was
customary to show the value of Christ's sufferings by food and drink.
Why did he take bread instead of some other article of food? Those
who know the history and usages of that country will see that he chose
that article of food which was in most common use among the people.
When I was in Malta, it seemed as if a great part of the people lived on
bread alone. They would go in crowds to the market place, and buy
each a piece of coarse bread, and stand and eat it. Thus the most
common and the most universally wholesome article of diet is chosen
by Christ to represent his flesh. Then why did he take wine to drink?
For the same reason; wine is the common drink of the people,
especially at their meals, in all those countries. It is sold there for
about a cent a bottle, wine being cheaper than small beer is here.

In Sicily I was informed that wine was sold for five cents a gallon, and
I do not know but it was about as cheap as water. And you will observe
that the Lord's supper was first observed at the close of the feast of
the passover, at which the Jews always used wine. The meaning of
the Savior in this ordinance, then, is this: As food and drink are
essential to the life of the body, so his body and blood, or his
atonement, are essential to the life of the soul.

For myself, I am fully convinced that wine is not essential to the
communion, and I should not hesitate to give water to any individual
who conscientiously preferred it. Let it be the common food and drink
of the country, the support of life to the body, and it answers the end
of the institution. If I was a missionary among the Esquimaux Indians,
where they live on dried seal's flesh and snow-water, I would
administrate the supper in those substances. It would convey to their
minds the idea that they cannot live without Christ. I say, then, that if
an individual is fully persuaded in his own mind, he does not sin in
giving up the use of wine. Let this church be fully persuaded in their
own minds, and I shall have no scruple to do either way, if they will
substitute any other wholesome drink, that is in common use, instead
of the wine. And at the same time, I have no objection myself against
going on in the old way.

Now, do not lose sight of the great principle that is under discussion.
It is this: where a man doubts honestly, whether it is lawful to do a
thing, and doubts equally, on the other hand whether it is lawful to omit
doing it, he must pray over the matter, and search the scriptures, and
get the best light he can on the subject, and then act. And when he
does this, he is by no means to be judged or censured by others for
the course he takes. "Who art thou that judgest another man's
servant?" And no man is authorized to make his own conscience the
rule of his neighbor's conduct.

A similar case is where a minister is so situated that it is necessary for
him to go a distance on the Sabbath to preach, as where he preaches
to two congregations, and the like. Here he may honestly doubt what
is his duty, on both hands. If he goes he appears to strangers to
disregard the Sabbath. If he does not go, the people will have no
preaching. The direction is, let him search the scriptures, and get the
best light he can, make it a subject of prayer, weigh it thoroughly, and
act according to his best judgment.

So in the case of a Sabbath-school teacher. He may live at a distance
from the school, and be obliged to travel to it on the Sabbath, or they
will have no school. And he may honestly doubt which is his duty, to
remain in his own church on the Sabbath, or to travel there, five, eight,
or ten miles, to a destitute neighborhood, to keep up the Sabbath
school. Here he must decide for himself, according to the best light he
can get. And let no man set himself up to judge over a humble and
conscientious disciple of the Lord Jesus.

You see that in all these cases it is understood and is plain that the
design is to honor God, and the sole ground of doubt is, which course
will really honor him. Paul says, in reference to all laws of this kind,
"He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that
regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it." The design
is to do right, and the doubt is as to the means of doing it in the best
manner.

Secondly I will mention some cases, where the DESIGN is wrong,
where the object is to gratify self, and the individual has doubts
whether he may do it lawfully. I shall refer to cases concerning which
there is a difference of opinion to acts of which the least that can be
said is that a man must have doubts of their being lawful.

1. Take, for instance, the making and vending of alcoholic drinks.

After all that has been said on this subject, and all the light that has
been thrown upon the question, is there a man living in this land who
can say he sees no reason to doubt the lawfulness of this business.
To say the least that can be said, there can be no honest mind but
must be brought to doubt it. We suppose, indeed, that there is no
honest mind but must know it is unlawful and criminal. But take the
most charitable supposition possible for the distiller or the vender, and
suppose he is not fully convinced of its unlawfulness.

We say he must, at least, DOUBT its lawfulness. What is he to do
then? Is he to shut his eyes to the light, and go on, regardless of truth,
so long as he can keep from seeing it? No. He may cavil and raise
objections as much as he pleases, but he knows that he has doubts
about the lawfulness of his business; and if he doubts, and still
persists in doing it, without taking the trouble to examine and see what
is right, he is just as sure to be damned as if he went on in the face of
knowledge. You hear these men say, "Why, I am not fully persuaded
in my own mind that the Bible forbids making or vending ardent
spirits." Well, suppose you are not fully convinced, suppose all your
possible and conceivable objections and cavils are not removed, what
then? You know you have doubts about its lawfulness. And it is not
necessary to take such ground to convict you of doing wrong. If you
doubt its lawfulness, and yet persist in doing it, you are in the way to
hell.

2. So where an individual is engaged in an employment that requires
him to break the Sabbath.

As for instance, attending on a post-office that is opened on the
Sabbath, or a turnpike gate, or in a steam-boat, or any other
employment that is not work of necessity. There are always some
things that must be done on the Sabbath, they are works of absolute
necessity or of mercy.

But suppose a case in which the labor is not necessary, as in the
transportation of the mail on the Sabbath, or the like. The least that
can be said, the lowest ground that can be taken by charity itself,
without turning fool, is, that the lawfulness of such employment is
doubtful. And if they persist in doing it, they sin, and are on the way to
hell. God has sent out the penalty of his law against them, and if they
do not repent they must be damned.

3. Owning stocks in steamboat and railroad companies, in stages,
canal boats, etc., that break the Sabbath.

Can any such owner truly say he does not doubt the lawfulness of
such an investment of capital? Can charity stoop lower than to say,
that man must strongly doubt whether such labor is a work of
necessity or mercy? It is not necessary in the case to demonstrate that
it is unlawful though that can be done fully, but only to show so
much light as to create a doubt of its lawfulness. Then if he persist in
doing it, with that doubt unsatisfied, he is condemned and lost.

4. The same remarks will apply to all sorts of lottery gambling. He
doubts.

5. Take the case of those indulgences of appetite which are subject of
controversy, and which, to say the least, are of doubtful right.

(A.) The drinking of wine, and beer, and other fermented intoxicating
liquors. In the present aspect of the temperance cause, is it not
questionable at least, whether making use of these drinks is not
transgressing the rule laid down by the apostle, "It is good neither to
eat flesh nor drink wine, nor anything whereby thy brother stumbleth,
or is offended, or made weak." No man can make me believe he has
no doubts of the lawfulness of doing it. There is no certain proof; of its
lawfulness, and there is strong proof of its unlawfulness, and every
man who does it while he doubts the lawfulness, is condemned, and
if he persists, is damned.

If there is any sophistry in all this, I should like to know it, for I do not
wish to deceive others nor to be deceived myself. But I am entirely
deceived if this is not a simple, direct, and necessary inference, from
the sentiment of the text.

(B.) Tobacco. Can any man pretend that he has no doubt that it is
agreeable to the will of God for him to use tobacco? No man can
pretend that he doubts the lawfulness of his OMISSION of these
things. Does any man living think that he is bound in duty to make use
of wine, or strong beer, or tobacco, as a luxury? No. The doubt is all
on one side. What shall we say then, of that man who doubts the
lawfulness of it, and still fills his face with the poisonous weed? He is
condemned.

(C.) I might refer to tea and coffee. It is known generally, that these
substances are not nutritious at all, and that nearly eight millions of
dollars are spent annually for them in this country. Now, will any man
pretend that he does not doubt the lawfulness of spending all this
money for that which is of no use, and which are well known to all who
have examined the subject, to be positively injurious, intolerable to
weak stomachs, and as much as the strongest can dispose of? And
all this while the various benevolent societies of the age are loudly
calling for help to send the gospel abroad and save a world from hell?
To think of the church alone spending millions upon their tea tables  
is there no doubt here?

6. Apply this principle to various amusements.

(A.) The theater. There are vast multitudes of professors of religion
who attend the theater. And they contend that the Bible no where
forbids it. Now mark. What Christian professor ever went to a
theater and did not doubt whether he was doing what was lawful. I by
no means admit that it is a point which is only doubtful. I suppose it is
a very plain case, and can be shown to be, that it is unlawful. But I am
now only meeting those of you, if there are any here, who go to the
theater, and are trying to cover up yourselves in the refuge that the
Bible nowhere expressly forbids it.

(B.) Parties of pleasure, where they go and eat and drink to surfeiting.
Is there no reason to doubt whether that is such a use of time and
money as God requires? Look at the starving poor, and consider the
effect of this gaiety and extravagance, and see if you will ever go to
another such party or make one, without doubting its lawfulness.
Where can you find a man, or a woman, that will go so far as to say
they have no doubt? Probably there is not one honest mind who will
say this. And if you doubt, and still do it, you are condemned.

You see that this principle touches a whole class of things, about
which there is a controversy, and where people attempt to parry off by
saying it is not worse than to do so and so, and thus get away from the
condemning sentence of God's law. But in fact, if there is a doubt, it is
their duty to abstain.

(C.) Take the case of balls, of novel reading, and other methods of
wasting time. Is this God's way to spend your lives? Can you say you
have no doubt of it?

7. Making calls on the Sabbath. People will make a call, and then
make an apology about it. "I did not know that it was quite right, but I
thought I would venture it." He is a Sabbath-breaker in heart, at all
events, because he doubts.

8. Compliance with worldly customs at new-year's day. Then the ladies
are all at home, and the gentlemen are running all about town to call
on them, and the ladies make their great preparations, and treat them
with their cake, and their wine, and punch, enough to poison them
almost to death, and all together are bowing down to the goddess of
fashion. Is there a lady here that does not doubt the lawfulness of all
this? I say it can be demonstrated to be wicked, but I only ask the
ladies of this city, Is it not doubtful whether this is all lawful?

I should call in question the sanity of the man or woman that had no
doubt of the lawfulness of such a custom, in the midst of such
prevailing intemperance as exists in this day. Who among you will
practice it again? Practice it if you dare at the peril of your soul! If
you do that which is merely doubtful, God frowns and condemns; and
HIS voice must be regarded.

I know people try to excuse the matter, and say it is well to have a day
appropriated to such calls, when every lady is at home and every
gentleman freed from business, and all that. And all that is very well.
But when it is seen to be so abused and to produce so much evil, I ask
every Christian here, if you can help doubting its lawfulness? And if it
be doubtful, it comes under the rule: "If meat make my brother to
offend." If keeping new-years leads to so much gluttony, and
drunkenness, and wickedness, does it not bring the lawfulness of it
into doubt? Yes, that is the least that can be said, and they who doubt
and yet do it, sin against God.

9. Compliance with the extravagant fashions of the day.

Christian lady! have you never doubted, do you not now doubt,
whether it be lawful for you to copy these fashions, brought from
foreign countries, and from places which it were a shame even to
name in this assembly? Have you no doubt about it? And if you doubt
and do it, you are condemned, and must repent of your sin, or you will
be lost forever!

10. Intermarriages of Christians with impenitent sinners.

This answer always comes up. "But after all you say, it is not certain
that these marriages are not lawful." Supposing it be so, yet does not
the Bible and the nature of the case make it at least doubtful whether
they are right? It can be demonstrated, indeed, to be unlawful But
suppose it could not be reduced to demonstration; what Christian ever
did it and did not doubt whether it was lawful? And he that doubteth is
condemned. See that Christian man or woman that is about forming
such a connection doubting all the way whether it is right: trying to
pray down conscience under pretext of praying for light: praying all
around your duty, and yet pressing on. Take Care! You know you
doubt the lawfulness of what you propose, and remember that "he that
doubteth is damned."

Thus you see, my hearers, that here is a principle that will stand by
you when you attempt to rebuke sin, if the power of society be
employed to face you down, or put you on the defensive, and demand
absolute proof of the sinfulness of a cherished practice. Remember
the burden of proof does not lie on you, to show beyond a doubt the
absolute unlawfulness of the thing. If you can show sufficient reason
to question its lawfulness, and to create a valid doubt whether it is
according to the will of God, you shift the burden of proof to the other
side. And unless they can remove the doubt, and show that there is no
room for doubt, they have no right to continue in the doubtful practice,
and if they do, they sin against God.

REMARKS

1. The knowledge of duty is not indispensable to moral obligation, but
the possession of the means of knowledge is sufficient to make a
person responsible.

If a man has the means of knowing whether it is right or wrong he is
bound to use the means, and is bound to inquire and ascertain at his
peril.

2. If those are condemned, and adjudged worthy of damnation, who
do that of which they doubt the lawfulness, what shall we say of the
multitudes who are doing continually that which they know and
confess to be wrong?

Woe to that man who practices that which he condemns. And "happy
is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth."

3. Hypocrites often attempt to shelter themselves behind their doubts
to get clear of their duty.

The hypocrite is unwilling to be enlightened, he does not wish to know
the truth, because he does not wish to obey the Lord, and so he hides
behind his doubts, and turns away his eye from the light, and will not
look or examine to see what his duty is, and in this way he tries to
shield himself from responsibility. But God will drag them out from
behind this refuge of lies, by the principle laid down m the test, that
their very doubts condemn them.

Many will not be enlightened on the subject of temperance, and still
persist in drinking or selling rum, because they are not fully convinced
it is wrong. And they will not read a tract or a paper, nor attend a
temperance meeting, for fear they shall be convinced. Many are
resolved to indulge in the use of wine and strong beer, and they will
not listen to anything calculated to convince them of the wrong. It
shows that they are determined to indulge in sin, and they hope to
hide behind their doubts. What better evidence could they give that
they are hypocrites?

Who, in all these United States, can say, that he has no doubt of the
lawfulness of slavery? Yet the great body of the people will not hear
anything on the subject, and they go into a passion if you name it, and
it is even seriously proposed, both at the north and at the south, to
pass laws forbidding inquiry and discussion on the subject. Now
suppose these laws should be passed, for the purpose of enabling the
nation to shelter itself behind its doubts whether slavery is a sin, that
ought to be abolished immediately   will that help the matter? Not at
all. If they continue to hold their fellow men as property, in slavery,
while they doubt its lawfulness, they are condemned before God, and
we may be sure their sin will send them out, and God will let them
know how He regards it.

It is amazing to see the foolishness of people on this subject; as if by
refusing to get clear of their doubts, they could get clear of their sin.
Think of the people of the south: Christians, and even ministers,
refusing to read a paper on the subject of slavery, and perhaps
sending it back with abusive or threatening words. Threatening! for
what? For reasoning with them about their duty? It can be
demonstrated absolutely, that slavery is unlawful, and ought to be
repented of, and given up, like any other sin. But suppose they only
doubt the lawfulness of slavery, and do not mean to be enlightened,
they are condemned of God. Let them know that they cannot put this
thing down, they cannot clear themselves of it. So long as they doubt
its lawfulness, they cannot hold men in slavery without sin; and that
they do doubt its lawfulness is demonstrated by this opposition to
discussion.

We may suppose a case, and perhaps there may be some such in the
southern country, where a man doubts the lawfulness of holding
slaves, and equally doubts the lawfulness of emancipating them in
their present state of ignorance and dependence. In that case he
comes under Pres. Edward's rule, and it is his duty not to fly in a
passion with those who would call his attention to it, not to send back
newspapers and refuse to read, but to inquire on all hands for light,
and examine the question honestly in the light of the word of God, till
his doubts are cleared up. The least he can do is to set himself with all
his power to educate them and train them to take care of themselves
as fast and as thoroughly as possible, and to put them in a state where
they can be set at liberty.

4. It is manifest there is but very little conscience in the church.

See what multitudes are persisting to do what they strongly doubt the
lawfulness of.

5. There is still less love to God than there is conscience.

It cannot be pretended that love to God is the cause of all this
following of fashions, this practicing indulgences, and other things of
which people doubt the lawfulness. They do not persist in these things
because they love God so well. No, no, but they persist in it because
they wish to do it, to gratify themselves, and they had rather run the
risk of doing wrong than to have their doubts cleared up. It is because
they have so little love for God, so little care for the honor of God.

6. Do not say, in your prayers, "O Lord, if I have sinned in this thing,
O Lord, forgive me the sin."

If you have done that of which you doubted the lawfulness, you have
sinned, whether the thing itself be right or wrong. And you must
repent, and ask forgiveness.

And now, let me ask you all who are here present, are you convinced
that to do what you doubt the lawfulness of, is sin? If you are, I have
one more question to ask you. Will you from this time relinquish every
thing of which you doubt the lawfulness? Every amusement, every
indulgence, every practice, every pursuit? Will you do it, or will you
stand before the solemn judgment seat of Jesus Christ, condemned?
If you will not relinquish these things, you show that you are an
impenitent sinner, and do not INTEND to obey God, and if you do not
repent you bring down upon your head God's condemnation and
wrath, for ever.

Chapter 4

REPROOF A CHRISTIAN DUTY.

Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon
him.   Leviticus 19:17.

The whole verse reads thus: "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy
heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin
upon him." In the margin, as those of you who have Bibles with
marginal notes can see, the last words of the verse are rendered, "that
thou bear not sin for him." And this, I am satisfied, is the correct
translation. The idea is this that men are bound to reprove their
neighbors for sin, lest they become partakers with them, or accessory
to their sin.

In speaking from these words, I design to pursue the following order:


I. To show the reasons for the rule laid down by and in the test. II.
Show to whom the rule is applicable. III. Mention several exceptions
which God has made to the rule, or classes of persons who are not to
be reproved for their sins. IV. The manner of performing this duty. V.
Several specific applications of the principles established.

I. I am to show the reasons for the rule.

1. Love to God plainly requires this.

If we really love God, we shall of course feel bound to reprove those
that hate and abuse him and break his commands. If I love the
government of the country, should I not reprove and rebuke a man
who should abuse or revile the government! If a child loves his parents
will he not of course reprove a man that abuses his parents in his
hearing?

2. Love to the universe will lead to the same thing.

If a man love the universe, if he be actuated by universal benevolence,
he knows that sin is inconsistent with the highest good of the universe,
and that it is calculate to injure and ruin the whole if not counteracted;
that its direct tendency is to overthrow the order and destroy the
happiness of the universe. And therefore, if he see this doing, his
benevolence will lead him to reprove and oppose it.

3. Love to the community in which you live, is another reason.

Not only love to the universe at large, but love to the particular people
with which you are connected, should lead you to reprove sin. Sin is
a reproach to any people, and whoever commits it goes to produce a
state of society that is injurious to every thing good. His example has
a tendency to corrupt society, to destroy its peace, and to introduce
disorder and ruin, and it is the duty of every one who loves the
community to resist and reprove it.

4. Love to your neighbor demands it.

Neighbor, here, means any body that sins within the reach of your
influence; not only in your presence, but in your neighborhood, if your
influence can reach him, or in your nation, or in the world. If he sins he
injures himself, and therefore if we love him we shall reprove his sins.
Love to the intemperate induces us to warn him of the consequences
of his course. Suppose we see our neighbor exposed to a temporal
calamity, say his house on fire. 

True love will induce us to warn him and not to leave him to perish in
the flames, especially if we saw him inclined to persist in his course,
and stay in the burning house, we should expostulate earnestly with
him, and not suffer him to destroy himself, if we could possibly prevent
it. Much more should we warn him of the consequences of sin, and
reprove him, and strive to turn him, before he destroys himself.

5. It is cruel to omit it.

If you see your neighbor sin, and you pass by and neglect to reprove
him, it is just as cruel as if you should see his house on fire, and pass
by and not warn him of it. Why not? If he is in the house, and the
house burns, he will lose his life. If he sins and remains in sin, he will
go to hell. Is it not cruel to let him go unwarned to hell? Some seem to
consider it not cruel to let a neighbor go on in sin till the wrath of God
comes on him to the uttermost. Their feelings are so tender that they
cannot wound him by telling him of his sin and his danger. No doubt,
the tender mercies of the wicked are cruel. Instead of warning their
neighbor of the consequences of sin, they actually encourage him in
it.

6. To refuse to do it is rebellion against God.

For any one to see rebellion and not to reprove it or lift his hand to
oppose it, is itself rebellion. It would be counted rebellion by the laws
of the land. The man who should know of a treasonable plot, and did
not disclose it or endeavor to defeat it, would be held an accessory,
and condemned as such by law. So if a man sees rebellion breaking
out against God, and does not oppose it, or make efforts to suppress
it, he is himself a rebel.

7. If you do not reprove your neighbors for their sin, you are
chargeable with their death.

God holds us chargeable with the death of those whom we suffer to go
on in sin without reproof, and it is right he should. If we see them sin,
and make no opposition, and give no reproof, we consent to it, and
countenance them in it. If you see a man preparing to kill his neighbor,
and stand still and do nothing to prevent it, you consent, and are justly
chargeable as accessory; in the eye of God and the eye of law, you
are justly chargeable with the same sin. So if you see a man
committing any iniquity, and do nothing to resist it, you are guilty with
him. His blood will be upon his own head, but at whose hand will God
require it? What says God respecting a watchman? "Son of man, I
have set thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore thou
shalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them from me. When I say
unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not
speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in
his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thy hand." This is true of all
men. If you suffer a neighbor, who is within reach of your influence, to
pass on in sin unwarned, he will die in his iniquity, but his blood shall
be required at your hand.

8. Your silence encourages him in sin.

He is authorized to infer from your silence that you approve his sin, or,
at least, that you do not care for it. Especially if he knows you are a
professor of religion. It is an old maxim that silence is consent. Sinners
do regard your silence as a virtual sanction of what they do.

9. By reproving your neighbor who sins, you may save him.

What multitudes have been reformed by timely reproof. Most of those
who are saved, are saved by somebody's rebuking them for their sins
and urging them to repentance you may be instrumental in saving any
man, if you speak to him, and reprove him, and pray for him, as you
ought. How many instances there are, where a single reproof has
been to the transgressor like the barbed arrow in his soul, that rankled,
and rankled, the poison whereof done up his spirits, until he submitted
to God. I have known instances where even a look of reproof has done
the work.

10. If you do not save the individual reproved, your reproof may save
somebody else that may be acquainted with the fact.

Such cases have often occurred, where the transgressor has not been
reclaimed, but others have been deterred from following his example
by the rebukes directed to him. Who can doubt that, if professors of
religion were faithful in this duty, men would fear encountering their
reproofs, and that fear would deter them from such conduct, and
multitudes who now go on unblushing and unawed, would pause and
think, and be reclaimed and saved? Will you, with such an argument
for faithfulness before you, let sinners go on unrebuked till they
stumble into hell?

11. God expressly requires it.

The language of the text is, in the original, exceedingly strong. The
word is repeated, which is the way in which the Hebrew expresses a
superlative, so as to leave no doubt on the mind, not the least
uncertainty as to the duty, nor any excuse for not doing it. There is not
a stronger command of God in the Bible than this. God has given it the
greatest strength of language that he can. "Thou shalt in any wise
rebuke him," that is, without any excuse, "and not bear his sin," not be
accessory to his ruin. It is a maxim of law, that if a man knows of a
murder about to be committed and does not use means to prevent it,
he shall be held accessory before the fact. If he knows of murder
which has been done, and does not endeavor to bring the criminal to
justice, he is accessory after the fact. So by the law of God, if you do
not endeavor to bring a known transgressor to repentance, you are
implicated in the guilt of his crime, and are held responsible at the
throne of God.

12. If you do it in a right manner, you will keep a conscience void of
offense in regard to your neighbor, whatever may be his end.

And you cannot do this without being faithful in the reproof of sin. A
man does not live conscientiously, towards God or man, unless he is
in the habit of reproving transgressors who are within his influence.
This is one grand reason why there is so little conscience in the
church. In what respect are professors of religion so much in the habit
of resisting their consciences, as in regard to the duty of reproving sin?
Here is one of the strongest commands in the Bible, and yet
multitudes do not pay any attention to it at all. Can they have a clear
conscience? They may just as well pretend to have a clear
conscience, and get drunk every day. No man keeps the law of God,
or keeps his conscience clear, who sees sin and does not reprove it.
He has additional guilt, who knows of sin and does not reprove it. He
breaks two commandments. First, he becomes accessory to the
transgression of his neighbor, and then he disobeys an express
requirement by refusing to reprove his neighbor.

13. Unless you reprove men for their sins, you are not prepared to
meet them in judgment.

Are you prepared to meet your children in the judgment, if you have
not reproved nor chastised them, nor watched over their morals?
"Certainly not," you say. But why? 

"Because God has made it my duty to do this, and he holds me
responsible for it." Very well. Then take the case of any other man that
sins under your eye, or within reach of your influence, and goes down
to hell, and you have never reproved him. Are you not responsible?
Oh, how many are now groaning in hell, that you have seen commit
sin, and have never reproved, and now they are pouring curses on
your head because you never waned them. And how can you meet
them in judgment?

14. Unless you do this, you are not prepared to meet God.

How many there are who profess to love God, and yet never so much
as pretend to obey this command. Are such people prepared to meet
God? When he says, "Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor,"  
that is, without any excuse.

II. To whom is this command addressed?

Manifestly, to all men that have neighbors. It was addressed to all the
people of Israel, and through them to all who are under the
government of God   to high and low, rich and poor, young and old,
male and female, and every individual who is under the government
of God, or bound to obey his commands.

III. Some exceptions to the universal application of this law.

He that made the law has a right to admit of exceptions. And the rule
is binding in all cases, unless they come within the exceptions. There
are some exceptions to the rule before us, laid down in the Bible.

l. God says, "Rebuke not a scorned, lest he hate thee."

There is a state of mind, where a person is known to be a scorner, a
despiser of religion, a hater of God, and has no regard to his law, and
is not to be influenced by any fear or care for God, why should you
reprove him? It will only provoke a quarrel, without any good resulting
to anybody. Therefore God makes such a character an exception to
the rule.

2. Jesus Christ says, "Cast not your pearls before swine, least they
trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you."

Whatever else this passage means, it appears to me to mean this, that
sometimes men are in such a state of mind that to talk to them about
religion would be at once irrational and dangerous, like casting pearls
before swine. They have such a contempt for religion, and such a
stupid, sensual, swinish heart, that they will trample all your reproofs
under their feet, and turn upon you in anger besides. It is lawful to let
such men go on; and your not meddling with them will be greater
wisdom than to attack them. But great charity should be used, not to
suppose those of your neighbors to be swine, who do not deserve it,
and who might be benefited by suitable reproof.

3. Men who are in a settled state of self-righteousness, it is best to let
alone.

Christ said of the Scribes and Pharisees, "Let them alone, they be
blind leaders of the blind." That is, they were so full of pride and
conceit, so satisfied of their own wisdom and goodness, that they
cannot be reached by any reproof, and it seems best to let them
alone; for if you begin to reprove them, you might as well face a
northwester as think of making an impression on them. 
They will face you down, and are so full of arguments, and cavils, and
bullyings, that you gain nothing.

IV. The manner in which this duty is to be performed.

1. It should be done always in the name of the Lord.

It is important when you reprove your neighbor for sin, always to make
him feel it is not a personal controversy with you, not a matter of
selfishness on your part, or claiming any right of superiority, or to lord
it over him, but that you reprove him in the name of the Lord, for the
honor of God, because he has broken his law. If, by your manner, you
in any way make the impression on his mind that it is a personal
controversy, or done for any private motive with you, he will invariably
rise up against you, and resist, and perhaps retort upon you. But if you
make the impression on his mind that it is done in the name of God,
and bring him right up before God as an offender, he will find it
exceedingly difficult to get away from you without at least confessing
that he is wrong.

2. It should always be done with great solemnity.

Above all things, do not make him think that it is just a little thing that
you hint to him, but make him feel that it is for a sin against God you
are reproving him, and that it is what in your view ought to be looked
upon as an awful thing.

3. You should use more or less severity, according to the nature of the
case, and the circumstances under which the sin was committed.

(1.) The relation of the parties.

Your relation to the person who has been guilty of sin, should be
properly regarded.

If a child is going to reprove a parent, he should do it in a manner
suited to the relation he stands in. If a man is going to reprove a
magistrate, or if an individual is about to rebuke an elder, the apostle
says it must be in that way, "entreat him as a father." This relation
should enter deeply into the manner of administering reproof. The
relation of parents and children, of husbands and wives, of brothers
and sisters, should all be regarded. So the ages of the parties, their
relative circumstances in life. For servants to reprove their masters in
the same manner as their equals is improper. This direction should
never be overlooked or forgotten, for if it is, the good effect of reproof
will be all lost. But remember, that no relations in life, or relative
circumstances of the parties, take away the obligation of this duty.
Whatever be the relation, you are to reprove sin, and are bound to do
it in the name of the Lord. Do it, not as if you were complaining or
finding fault for a personal injury committed against yourself, but as a
sin against God. Thus, when a child reproves a parent for sin, he is not
to do it as if he was expostulating with him for any injury done to
himself, but with an eye to the fact that the parent has sinned against
God, and therefore, with all that plainness, and faithfulness, and
pungency that sin calls for.

(2.) Reproof should be regulated by the knowledge which the offender
has of his duty.

If the individual is ignorant, reproof should be more in the form of
instruction, rather than of severe rebuke. How do you do with your little
child? You instruct him and strive to enlighten his mind respecting his
duty. You proceed, of course, very differently from what you would do
with a hardened offender.

(3.) With reference also to the frequency of the offense.

You would reprove a first offense in a very different manner from what
you would use towards an habitual transgressor. If a person is
accustomed to sin, and knows that it is wrong, you use more severity.
If it is the first time, perhaps a mere allusion to it may be sufficient to
prevent a repetition.

(4.) So, also, you are to consider whether he has been frequently
reproved for the sin.

If he has not only often committed the sin, but been often reproved,
and yet has hardened his neck, there is the greater necessity for using
sharpness. The hardening influence of former reproofs resisted,
shows that no common expostulations will take hold. He needs to
have the terrors of the Lord poured upon him like a storm of hail.

4. Always show that your temper is not ruffled.

Never manifest any displeasure at the transgressor, which he can
possibly construe into personal displeasure at himself. It is often
important to show your strong displeasure at what he is doing.
Otherwise he will think you are not in earnest. Suppose you reprove
a man for murder, in a manner not expressing any abhorrence of his
crime, you would not expect to produce an effect. The manner should
be suited to the nature of the crime, yet so as not to lead him to think
you have any personal feeling. Here is the grand defect in the manner
of reproving crime, both in the pulpit and out of it. For fear of giving
offense, men do not express their abhorrence of the sin, and therefore
transgressors are so seldom reclaimed.

5. Always reprove in the Spirit of God.

You should always have so much of the Holy Ghost with you, that
when you reprove a man for sin, he will feel as if it came from God. I
have known cases, where reproof from a Christian in that state has cut
the transgressor to the heart, and stung like the arrow of the Almighty,
and he could not get rid of it till he repented.

6. There are many different ways of giving reproof so as to reach the
individual reproved.

Sometimes it can be done best by sending a letter, especially if the
person be at a distance. And there are cases where it can be done so,
even in your own neighborhood. I knew an individual who chose this
way of reprimanding a sea-captain for intemperance in crossing the
Atlantic. The captain drank hard, especially in bad weather, and when
his services were most wanted. The individual was in great agony, for
the captain was not only intemperate, but when he drank he was
ill-natured, and endangered the lives of all on board. He made it a
subject of prayer. It was a difficult case. He did not know how to
approach the captain so as to make it probable he should do good and
not hurt; for a captain at sea, you know, is a perfect despot, and has
the most absolute power on earth. After a while he sat down and wrote
a letter, and gave it to the captain with his own hand, in which he
plainly and affectionately, but faithfully and most pointedly, set forth his
conduct, and the sin he was committing against God and man. He
accompanied it with much prayer to God. The captain read it, and it
completely cured him; he made an apology to the individual, and never
drank another drop of anything stronger than coffee or tea on the
whole passage.

7. Sometimes it is necessary to reprove sin by forming societies, and
getting up newspapers, and forming a public sentiment against a
particular sin, that shall be a continued and overwhelming rebuke. 
The Temperance Societies, Moral Reform Societies, Anti-Slavery
Societies, etc., are designed for this end.

V. I will mention now some of the cases in which the principles are
applicable.

They are peculiarly applicable to those crimes which are calculated to
undermine the institutions of society, and to exert a wide-spread
influence. Such sins can only be held in check and put down by
faithfulness in reproof.

1. Sabbath-breaking.

If Christians would universally mark transgressors, and rebuke them
that trample on the Sabbath, they would do more to put a stop to
Sabbath-breaking than by all other means. If Christians were united in
this, how long do you suppose it would be before this sin would be put
down? If only a few were faithful, and constant and persevering, they
might do much. If only a few do it, and these only now and then, it
might not have much effect. But I believe if all professors of religion
were to do it, every grocery and grog shop, and oyster cellar, and fruit
stand, would be shut up. At all events, they are bound to do it,
whatever may be the result; and so long as they neglect their duty,
they are chargeable before God with all the Sabbath breaking in the
city. If all the churches and ecclesiastical bodies in the land were
united to remonstrate with the government, and would continue to do
it, firmly, and in the name of the Lord, do you suppose government
would continue to violate the Sabbath with their mail? I tell you, no.
The church can do this, I believe, in one year, if all were united
throughout the country, and could speak out fully, in the fear of God,
and without any fear of man. No man who ever expected to be elected
to office again, would ever again advise the breaking of the Sabbath.
But now, while the church is divided, and not half in earnest, there are
so few speak out, that government despises them, and pays no
attention. Thus it is that the church connive at Sabbath-breaking, and
they are without excuse, till they speak out and rebuke their rulers, in
the name of Jehovah, for breaking his holy law.

2. Intemperance and rum-selling.

Suppose every man in this city that sells rum was continually subject
to the rebukes which God requires; suppose every man that passed
by were to reprove him for his sin; how long could he sell rum? If only
the church were to do it; if that deacon and that elder would do it, and
every Christian would follow him with rebukes in the name of the Lord
for poisoning men to death with rum, he could not go on and do it.
Such a strong and decided testimony would soon drive him from his
trade of death. In self-defense he would have to yield to the pressure
of solemn rebuke.

3. Lewdness.

This is a wide-spreading evil, that ought to be universally rebuked.

It should be rebuked unsparingly, not only from the pulpit, but by the
press, and in the street, till it be driven from its strong holds, and made
to hide itself in the chambers of hell.

4. Slavery.

What! shall men be suffered to commit one of the most God-dishonoring and most
heaven-daring sins on earth, and not be reproved? 

It is a sin against which all men should bear testimony, and lift up their
voice like a trumpet, till this giant iniquity is banished from the land and
from the world.

VI. I shall consider some of the difficulties which are sometimes raised
in the way of the performance of this duty.

1. It is often asked, Is it a duty to reprove my neighbor when there is
no prospect of doing any good?

I answer, it may be very essential to reprove sin in many cases where
there is no prospect that the individual whom you reprove will be
benefited. As in cases where your silence would be taken for
connivance in his sin. Or where the very fact of his being reproved
may prevent others from falling into the like crime. Where the offender
comes properly under the description of a scorned or a swine, there
God has made an exception, and you are not bound to reprove. But
in other cases, duty is yours, consequences God's.

2. It is asked, Should I reprove strangers? Why not? Is not the
stranger your neighbor? You are not to reprove a stranger in the same
way that you would a familiar acquaintance; but the fact of his being
a stranger is not a reason why he should not be reproved, if he break
the command of God. If a man swear profanely, or break the Sabbath,
in your presence, his being a stranger does not excuse you from the
duty and the responsibility of administering reproof, or trying to bring
him to repentance and save his soul.

3. It is asked, Should we reprove a person when he is drunk?
Generally not: for when a person is drunk he is deranged. There may
be cases where it is proper, for the purpose of warning others. But so
far as the drunkard himself is concerned, as a general rule, it is not
expedient. Yet there are many cases where reproof to a man even
when drunk, has taken such a hold on his mind as to sober him, and
turn him from his beastly sin.

4. Shall we reprove great men, and those who are above us in society,
and who may look down on us and on our reproofs with contempt?

That does not alter your duty. "Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy
neighbor, and not bear sin for him." You should bear in mind the
relation in which he stands, and treat him accordingly. But still, if he sin
against God, it is your duty to reprove him in an appropriate manner.

REMARKS

1. Do not talk about people's sins, but go and reprove them.

It is very common to talk about people's sins behind their backs, but
this is great wickedness. If you want to folk about any person's sins,
go and talk to him about whom, and try to get him to repent and
forsake them. Do not go and talk to others against him behind his
back, and leave him to go on in his sins, unwarned to hell.

2. How few professors of religion are sufficiently conscientious to
practice this duty.

I suppose there are thousands in this city, who never think of doing it.
Yes; professors of religion live in habitual disobedience to this plain,
and strongly expressed command of God. And then they wonder why
they do not have the spirit of prayer, and why there are not more
revivals! Wonder!

3. See why so few persons enjoy religion.

They live in habitual neglect of this command, making excuses, when
God has said there shall be no excuse. And how can they enjoy
religion? What would the universe think of God, if he should grant the
joys of religion to such unfaithful professors?

4. We see that the great mass of the professors of religion have more
regard to their own reputation than to the requirements of God.

The proof is, that sooner than run the risk of being called censorious,
or of getting enemies by rebuking sin, they will let men go on in sin
unrebuked, notwithstanding God says, "Thou shalt in any wise rebuke
thy neighbor." But I shall offend him if I reprove his sin. "In any wise
rebuke him," says Jehovah. It shows that they have a greater fear of
men than of God. For fear at offending man, they run the risk of
offending God. Yea, they absolutely disobey God, in one of his
plainest and strongest commandments, rather than incur the
displeasure of men by rebuking their sins.

5. No man has a right to say to us, when we reprove him for his sin,
that it is none of our business to meddle with him.

How often do transgressors tell faithful reprovers, they had better mind
their own business and not meddle with what does not concern them.
And they are called meddlers and busybodies, for interfering in other
people's concerns. At the south, they have got themselves into a great
rage because we at the north are trying to convince them of the
wickedness of slavery. And they say it is none of our business, that
slavery is a matter peculiarly their own, and they will not suffer
anybody else to interfere with them, and they require us to let them
alone, and will not even allow us to talk about the subject. And they
want our northern legislatures to pass laws forbidding us to rebuke our
southern neighbors for their sin in holding men in slavery. God forbid
that we should be silent. Jehovah himself has commanded us to
rebuke our neighbor in any wise, let the consequences be as they
may. And we will rebuke them, though all hell should rise up against
it.

Are we to hold our peace and be partakers in the sin of slavery, by
connivance, as we have been? God forbid. We will speak of it, and
bear our testimony against it, and pray over it, and complain of it to
God and man. Heaven shall know, and the world shall know, and hell
shall know, that ye protest against the sin, and will continue to rebuke
it, till it is broken up. God Almighty says, "Thou shalt in any wise
rebuke thy neighbor," and we must do it.

So the rum-dealer is all the while pleading, "It is none of your concern
what I do; please to mind your own business, and let me alone." But
it is our business to reprove him when he dispenses his poison, and
it is everybody's concern, and every man is bound to rebuke his crime
till he gives it up, and ceases to destroy the lives and souls of his
neighbors.

6. We see the importance of consistency in religion.

If a man professes to love God, he ought to have consistency enough
to reprove those that oppose God. If Christians were only consistent
in this duty, many would be converted by it, a right public sentiment
would be formed, and sin would be rebuked and forced to retire before
the majesty of Christian rebuke. If Christians were not such cowards,
and absolutely disobedient to this plain command of God, one thing
would certainly come of it either they would be murdered in the
streets as martyrs, because men could not bear the intolerable
presence of truth, or they would be speedily converted to God.

What shall we say, then, to such professors of religion? Afraid to
reprove sinners! When God commands, not prepared to obey? How
will they answer it to God?

Now, beloved, will you practice this duty? Will you reprove sin
faithfully, so as not to bear sin for your neighbors? Will you make your
whole life a testimony against sin? Will you clear your souls, or will you
hold your peace and be weighed down with the guilt of all the
transgressors around you and within the sphere of your influence?
God says, "Thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not bear
sin for him."

Chapter 5

TRUE SAINTS.

Who is on the Lord's side?   Exodus 32:26.

The question was addressed by Moses to the professed people of
God, immediately after their great departure from God while Moses
was on the Mount, when they went and worshiped a golden calf which
had been cast for them by Aaron. After expostulating with the guilty
nation, he called out, "Who is on the Lord's side?" It is not my intention
to dwell on the history of this case particularly, but to come at once to
the main design I have in view this evening, which is to show that
there are

THREE CLASSES OF PROFESSING CHRISTIANS

I. The true friends of God and man. II. Those who are actuated by
hope and fear, or in other words by self-love, or by selfishness. III.
Those who are actuated by public opinion.

These three classes may be known by attending to the characteristic
developments which show what is the leading design in their religion.
It needs not be proved, that persons may set out in religion from very
different motives, some from real love to religion, and some from other
motives. The differences may be arranged in these three classes, and
by attending to the development of their real design in becoming
religions, you learn their characters. They all profess to be servants of
God, and yet by observing the lives of many, it becomes manifest that
instead of their being God's servants they are only trying to make God
their servant. Their leading aim and object is to secure their own
salvation, or some other advantage for themselves, through the
medium of the favor of God. They are seeking to make God their
friend, that they may make use of him to serve their own turn.

I. There is a class of professed Christians who are the true friends of
God and man.

If you attend to those things which develop the true design and aim of
their religion, you will see it to be such. They are truly and sincerely
benevolent.

1. They will make it manifest that this is their character, by their
carefulness in avoiding sin.

They will show that they hate it in themselves, and that they hate it in
others. They will not justify it in themselves, and they will not justify it
in others. They will not seek to cover up or to excuse their own sins,
neither will they try to cover up or to excuse the sins of others. In short
they aim at perfect holiness. This course of conduct makes it evident
that they are the true friends of God. I do not mean to say that every
true friend of God is perfect, no more than I would say that every truly
affectionate and obedient child is perfect, or never fails in duty to his
parent. But if he is an affectionate and obedient child, his aim is to
obey always, and if he fails in any respect, he by no means justifies it,
or pleads for it, or aims to cover it up, but as soon as he comes to
think of the matter, is dissatisfied with himself, and condemns his
conduct.

So these persons who are the true friends of God and man, are ever
ready to complain of themselves, and to blame and condemn
themselves for what is wrong. But you never see them finding fault
with God. You never hear them excusing themselves and throwing off
the blame upon their Maker, by telling of their inability to obey God, or
speaking as if God had required impossibilities of his creatures. They
always speak as if they felt that what God has required is right and
reasonable, and themselves only to blame for their disobedience.

2. They manifest a deep abhorrence of the sins of other people.

They do not cover up the sins of others, or plead for them and excuse
them, or smooth them over by "perhaps this," or "perhaps that." You
never hear them apologizing for sin. As they are indignant at sin in
themselves, they are just as much so when they see it in others. They
know its horrible nature, and abhor it always.

3. Another thing in which this spirit manifests itself, is zeal for the
honor and glory of God.

They show the same ardor to promote God's honor and interest, that
the true patriot does to promote the honor and interest of his country.
If he greatly loves his country, its government, and its interest, he sets
his heart upon promoting its advancement and benefit. He is never so
happy as when he is doing something for the honor and advancement
of his country. So a child that truly loves his father, is never so happy
as when he is advancing his father's honor and interest. And he never
feels more indignant grief, than when he sees his father abused or
injured. If he sees his father disobeyed or abused by those who ought
to obey, and love, and honor him, his heart breaks forth with indignant
grief.

There are multitudes of professing Christians, and even ministers, who
are very zealous to defend their own character and their own honor.
But this one class feel more engaged, and their hearts beat higher,
when defending or advancing God's honor. These are the friends of
God and man.

4. They show that they sympathize with God in his feelings towards
man.

They have the same kind of friendship for souls that God feels. I do
not mean that they feel in the same degree, but that they have the
same kind of feelings. There is such a thing as loving the souls of men
and hating their conduct too. There is such a thing as constitutional
sympathy, which persons feel for those who are in distress. This is
natural. You always feel this for a person in distress, unless you have
some selfish reason for feeling malevolent. If you saw a murderer
hung, you would feel compassion for him. The wicked have this
natural sympathy for those that suffer.

There is another peculiar kind of sympathy which the real child of God
feels, and manifests towards sinners. It is a mingled feeling of
abhorrence and compassion, of indignation against his sins, and pity
for his person. It is possible to feel this deep abhorrence of sin mingled
with deep compassion for souls capable of such endless happiness,
and yet bound to eternal misery.

I will explain myself. There are two kinds of love: one is the love of
benevolence. This has no respect to the character of the person loved,
but merely views the individual as exposed to suffering and misery.
This God feels towards all men. The other kind includes esteem or
approbation of character. God feels this only towards the righteous. He
never feels this love towards sinners. He infinitely abhors them. He
has an infinitely strong exercise of compassion and abhorrence at the
same time. Christians have the same feelings, only not in the same
degree, but they have them at the same time. Probably they never feel
right unless they have both these feelings in exercise at the same
time. The Christian does not feel as God feels towards individuals nor
feel according to the true character of the individuals, unless both
these feelings exist in his mind at the same time. You see this by one
striking characteristic. The Christian will rebuke most pointedly and
frequently those for whom he feels the deepest compassion. Did you
never see this? 

Did you never see a parent yearning with compassion over a child,
and reprove him with tears, and yet with a pungency that would make
the little offender quail under his rebuke. Jesus Christ often manifested
strongly these two emotions. He wept over Jerusalem, and yet he tells
the reason in a manner that shows his burning indignation against
their conduct. "O Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets and stonest
them that are sent unto thee!" Ah, what a full view he had of their
wickedness, at the moment that he wept with compassion for the
doom that hung over them.

It is just so with this class of Christians. You never find one of them
addressing a sinner so as merely to make him weep because
somebody is weeping for him. But his tender appeals are
accompanied with strong rebuke for sin.

I wish you to remember this point that the true friend of God and
man never takes the sinner's part, because he never acts through
mere compassion. And at the same time, he is never seen to
denounce the sinner, without at the same time manifesting
compassion for his soul and a strong desire to save him from death.

5. It is a prominent object with such Christians, in all their intercourse
with men, to make them friends of God.

Whether they converse, or pray, or attend to the duties of life, it is their
prominent object to recommend religion and to lead every body to
glorify God. It is very natural they should do this, if they are true friends
of God. A true friend of the government wishes everybody to be a
friend of the government. A true and affectionate child wishes
everybody to love and respect his father. And if only one is at enmity,
it is his constant aim and effort to bring him to reconciliation. The same
you would expect from a true friend of God, as a leading feature of his
character, that he would make it a prominent object of his life to
reconcile sinners to God.

Now mark me! If this is not the leading feature of your character, if it
is not the absorbing topic of thought and effort to reconcile men to
God, you have not the root of the matter in you. Whatever appearance
of religion you may have, you lack the leading and fundamental
characteristic of true piety. It wants the leading feature of the character
and aims of Jesus Christ, and of his apostles and prophets. Look at
them, and see how this feature stands out in strong and eternal relief,
as the leading characteristic, the prominent design and object, of their
lives, Now let me ask you, what is the leading object of your life, as it
appears in your daily walk? Is it to bring all God's enemies to submit
to him? If not, away with your pretensions to religion. Whatever else
you may have, you have not the true love of God in you.

6. Where there are persons of this class, you will see them
scrupulously avoid everything that in their estimation is calculated to
defeat their great end.

They always wish to avoid every thing calculated to prevent the
salvation of souls, everything calculated to divert attention or in any
way to hinder the conversion of souls. It is not the natural question
with them, when any thing is proposed which is doubtful, to ask, "Is
this something which God expressly forbids?" The first question that
naturally suggests itself to their minds is, "What will be the bearing of
this upon religion? Will it have a tendency to prevent the conversion
of sinners, to hinder the progress of revivals, to roll back the wheels of
salvation?" If so, they do not need the thunders of Sinai to be pealed
in their ears, to forbid their doing it. If they see it contrary to the spirit
of holiness, and contrary to the main object they have in view, that is
enough.

Look at the temperance reformation for an illustration of this. Here let
me say, that it was the influence of intemperance, in hindering the
conversion and salvation of sinners, that first turned the attention of
the benevolent men who commenced the reformation, to inquire on
the subject. And the same class of persons are still carrying it on.
Such men do not stand and cavil at every step of the way, and say,
"Drinking rum is no where prohibited in the Bible, and I do not feel
bound to give it up." They find that it hinders the great object for which
they live, and that is enough for them   they give it up of course. They
avoid whatever they see would hinder a revival, as a matter of course,
just as a merchant would avoid anything that had a tendency to impair
his credit, and defeat his object of making money by his business.
Suppose a merchant was about to do something that you knew would
injuriously affect his credit, and you go to him in the spirit of friendship
and advise him not to do it, would he turn round and say, "Show me
the passage in the Bible where God has prohibited this?" No. He
would not ask you to show him anything more than this, that it is
inconsistent with his main design.

Mark this, all of you: A person who is strongly desirous of the
conversion of sinners does not need an express prohibition to prevent
his doing that which he sees is calculated to prevent this. There is no
danger of his doing that which will defeat the very object of his life.

7. This class of professing Christians are always distressed unless
they see the work of converting sinner going on.

They call it a lamentable state of things in the church, if no sinners are
converted. No matter what else is true, no matter how rich the
congregation grows, nor how popular their minister, nor how many
come to hear him, their panting hearts are uneasy unless they see the
work of conversion actually going on. They see that all the rest is
nothing without this   yea, that even the means of grace are doing
more hurt than good, unless sinners are converted.

Such professors as these are a great trouble to those who are
religious from other motives, and who therefore wish to keep all quiet,
and have everything go on regularly in the "good old way." They are
often called "uneasy spirits in the church." And mark it! if a church has
a few such spirits in it, the minister will be made uneasy unless his
preaching is such as to convert sinners. You sometimes hear of these
men reproving the church, and pouring out their expostulations for
living so coldly and worldly, and the church reply, "O, we are doing
well enough, do you not see how we foolish, it is only because you are
always uneasy." When in fact their hearts are grieved and their souls
in agony because sinners are not converted and souls are pressing
down to hell.

8. You will see them when manifesting a spirit of prayer, praying not
for themselves but for sinners.

If you know the habitual tenor of people's prayers, it will show which
way the tide of their feelings sets. If a man is actuated in religion
mainly by desire to save himself, you will hear him praying chiefly for
himself that he may have his sins pardoned and "enjoy" much of the
Spirit of God, and the like. But if he is truly the friend of God and man,
you will find that the burden of his prayers is for the glory of God in the
salvation of sinners; and he is never so copious and powerful in prayer
as when he gets upon his favorite topic the conversion of sinners.
Go into the prayer meeting where such Christians pray, and instead
of seeing them all shut up in the nut shell of their own interests,
spending their whole prayer on themselves, and just closing with a
flourish about the kingdom of Christ, you will hear them pouring out
their souls in prayer for the salvation of sinners. I believe there have
been cases of such Christians who were so much absorbed in their
desires for the salvation of sinners, that for weeks together they did
not even pray for their own salvation.

Or if they pray for themselves at all, it is that they may be clothed with
the Spirit of God, so that they can go out and be mighty through God
in pulling souls out of the fire.

You that are here can tell how it is with your prayers, whether you feel
most and pray most for yourselves or for sinners. If you know nothing
about the spirit of prayer for sinners, you are not the true friend of God
and man. What! no heart to feel when sinners are going to hell by your
side! No sympathy with the Son of God, who gave his life to save
sinners! Away with all such professions of religion. "If any man have
not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His." Do not tell me men are truly
pious, when their prayers are droned over, as much a matter of form
as when the poor popish priest counts over his beads. Such a man
deceives himself, if he talk about being the true friend of God and
man.

9. These persons do not want to ask what are the things they are
"required" to do for the conversion of sinners.

When anything is presented to them that promises success in
converting sinners, they do not wait to be commanded to do it, on
pains and penalties if they do not. They only want the evidence that it
is calculated to advance the object on which their hearts are set, and
they will engage in it with all their soul. The question is not with them
all the while, "What am I expressly commanded to do?" but, "In what
way can I do most for the salvation of souls, and the conversion of the
world to God?" They do not wait for an express command in the Bible,
before they engage in the work of missions, or Sabbath schooled or
any other enterprise that promises to save souls; but they are ready
to every good word and work.

10. Another characteristic of such Christians is a disposition to deny
themselves to do good to others.

God has established throughout all the universe the principle of
GIVING. Even in the natural world, the river, the ocean, the clouds, all
give. It is so throughout the whole kingdom of nature and of grace.
This diffusive principle is every where recognized. This is the very
spirit of Christ. He sought not to please himself, but to do good to
others. He found his highest happiness in denying himself to do good
to others. So it is with this class of persons they are ever ready to
deny themselves of enjoyments and comforts, and even of
necessaries, when by so doing they can do more good to others.

11. They are continually devising new means and new measures for
doing good.

This is what would be expected from their continual desire to do good.
Instead of being satisfied with what does not succeed, they are
continually devising new ways and means to effect their object. They
are not like those persons who make themselves satisfied with doing
what they call their duty. Where an individual is aiming mainly at his
own salvation, he may think if he does his duty he is discharged from
responsibility, and so he is satisfied he thinks he has escaped from
divine wrath and gained heaven for himself, by doing what God
required him to do, and he cannot help it, whether sinners are saved
or lost. But with the other class, it is not so much their object to gain
heaven and avoid wrath, but their leading object is to save souls and
to honor God. And if this object is not advanced, they are in pain. Such
a man in the one whose soul is all the while devising liberal things, and
trying new things, and if one fails, trying another and another, and
cannot rest till he has found something that will succeed in the
salvation of souls.

12. They always manifest great grief when they see the church asleep
and doing nothing for the salvation of sinners.

They know the difficulty the impossibility of doing anything
considerable for the salvation of sinners while the church is asleep. Go
into a church where the great mass are doing nothing for the
conversion of sinners, and floating along on the current of the world,
and you will find that the true friends of God and man are grieved at
such a state of things. Those who have other objects in view in being
religious, may think they are going on very well. They are not grieved
when they see the professed people of God going after show and folly.
But if there are any of this class, you will find them grieved and
distressed at heart, because the church is in such a state.

13. They are grieved if they see reason to think their minister
temporizes, or does not reprove the church pointedly and faithfully for
their sins.

The other classes of professors are willing to be rocked to sleep, and
willing their minister should preach smooth, flowery, and eloquent
sermons, and flattering sermons, with no point and no power. But
these are not satisfied unless he preaches powerfully and pointedly,
and boldly, and rebukes and entreats and exhorts, with all long-suffering
and doctrine. Their souls are not fed, or edified, or satisfied
with any thing that does not take hold, and do the work for which the
ministry was appointed by Jesus Christ.

14. This class of persons will always stand by a faithful minister, who
preaches the truth boldly and pointedly.

No matter if the truth he preaches hits them, they like it, and say, Let
the righteous smite me, and it shall be an excellent oil. When the truth
is poured forth with power, their souls are fed, and grow strong in
grace. They can pray for such a minister. They can weep in their
closet, and pour out their souls in prayer for him, that he may have the
Spirit of God always with him. While others scold and cavil at him and
talk about his being extravagant, and all that, you will find Christians
of this sort will stand by him, yea, and would go to the stake with him
for the testimony of Jesus. And this they do for the best of all reasons
such preaching falls in with the great design for which these
Christians live.

15. This sort of Christians are especially distressed when ministers
preach sermons not adapted to convert sinners.

I mean when the sermon is not especially addressed to the church, to
stir them up. Others may approve the sermon, and praise it, and tell
what a great sermon it is, or how eloquent, or lucid, or grand, or
sublime, but it does not suit them if it lacks this one characteristic  
a tendency to convert sinners. You will find some people that are great
sticklers for the doctrine of election, and they will not believe it is a
gospel sermon unless it has the doctrine of election in it, but if the
doctrine of election is in it they are suited whether it is adapted to
convert sinners or not. But where a man has his heart set on the
conversion of sinners, if he hears a sermon not calculated to do this,
he feels as if it lacked the "great thing" that constitutes a gospel
sermon. But if they hear a sermon calculated to save souls, then they
are fed, and their souls rejoice.

Hence you see the ground for the astonishing difference you often find
in the judgment which people pass upon preaching. There is in fact no
better test of character than this. It is easy to see who they are that are
filled with the love of God and of souls, by the judgment which they
pass upon preaching. The true friends of God and man, when they
hear a sermon that is not particularly designed to probe and rouse the
church and bring them to action, if it is not such as to bear down on
sinners and does not tend to convert sinners, it is not the sermon for
them.

You will always find this class of persons speaking in terms of
dissatisfaction with themselves, that they do no more for the
conversion of sinners.

However much they may really "do" for this object, it seems that the
more they do the more they long to do. They are never satisfied.
Instead of being satisfied with the present degree of their success,
there is no end of their longing for the conversion of sinners. I recollect
a good man, who used to pray till he was exhausted with praying for
individuals, and for places, and for the world's conversion. Once when
he was quite exhausted with praying, he exclaimed "Oh! my longing,
aching heart! There is no such thing as satisfying my unutterable
desires for the conversion of sinners. My soul breaketh for the longing
that it hath." That man, though he had been useful beyond almost any
other man of his age, yet he saw so much to do, and he so longed to
see the work go forward and sinners saved, that his mortal frame
could not sustain it. "I find," said he, one day, "that I am dying for want
of strength to do more to save the souls of men. Oh, how much I want
strength, that I may save souls."

17. If you wish to move this class of persons, you must make use of
motives drawn from their great and leading object.

If you wish to move them, you must hold up the situation of sinners,
and show how they dishonor God, and you will find this will move their
souls and set them on fire sooner than any appeal to their hopes and
fears. Roll on them this great object. Show them how they can convert
sinners, and their longing hearts beat and wrestle with God in prayer,
and travail for souls, until they see them converted, and Christ formed
in them the hope of glory.

I might mention many other characteristics which belong to this class
of professing Christians the true friends of God and man, did time
and strength permit. But I must stop here, and postpone the
consideration of the other two classes till next Friday evening, if we are
spared, and the Lord permit.

Now, do you belong to this class, or not? I have mentioned certain
great fundamental facts, which, when they exist, indicate the true
character of individuals, by showing what is their main design and
object in life. You can tell whether this is your character. When I come
to the other part of the subject, I shall endeavor to describe those
classes of professing Christians, whose religious zeal, prayers, and
efforts, have another design, and show their character, and how this
design is carried out.

And now, beloved, I asked you before God, have you these
characteristics of a child of God? Do you know they belong to you?
Can you say, "O Lord, thou knowest all things, thou knowest that I love
thee, and that these are the features of my character!"

Chapter 6.

LEGAL RELIGION.

Who is on the Lord's side?   Exodus 32:26.

Last Friday evening, you will remember, that in discoursing from this
text, I mentioned three classes of professors of religion: those who
truly love God and man, those who are actuated solely by selfishness
(or at most self-love) in their religious duties, and those who are
actuated only by a regard for public opinion. I also mentioned several
characteristics of the first class, by which they may be known. This
evening I intend to mention several characteristics of the second class,

Those professors who are actuated by self-love or by selfishness.

I design to show how their leading or main design in religion develops
itself in their conduct. The conduct of men invariably shows what is
their true and main design. A man's character is as his supreme object
is. And if you can learn by his conduct what that leading object is, then
you can know with certainty what his character is. And I suppose this
may generally be known by us with great certainty, if we would
candidly and thoroughly observe their conduct.

These three classes of professors agree in many things, and it would
be impossible to discriminate between them by an observation of
these things only. But there are certain things in which they differ, and
by close observation the difference will be seen in their conduct, from
which we infer a difference in their character. And those points in
which they differ belong to the very fundamental of religion.

II. I will now proceed to mention some of the characteristics of the
second class

  those who are actuated by self love, or by selfishness, in whom
hope and fear are the main springs of all they do in religion. And the
things that I shall mention are such as, when they are seen, make it
evident that the individual is actuated by a supreme regard to his own
good, and that the fear of evil, or the hope of advantage to himself, is
the foundation of all his conduct.

1. They make religion a subordinate concern.

They show by their conduct that they do not regard religion as the
principal business of life, but as subordinate to other things. They
consider religion as something that ought to come in by the by, as
something that ought to come in and find a place among other things,
as a sort of Sabbath-day business, or something to be confined to the
closet and the hour of family prayer, and the Sabbath, but not as the
grand business of life. They make a distinction between religious duty
and business, and consider them as entirely separate concerns.
Whereas, if they had right views of the matter, they would consider
religion as the only business of life, and nothing else either lawful or
worth pursuing, any further than as it promotes or subserves religion.
If they had the right feeling, religion would characterize all that they do,
and it would be manifest that everything they do is an act of obedience
to God, or an act of irreligion.

2. Their religious duties are performed as a task, and are not the result
of the constraining love of God that burns within them.

Such a one does not delight in the exercise of religious affections; and
as to communion with God, he knows nothing of it. He performs prayer
as a task. 

He betakes himself to religious duties as sick persons take medicine,
not because they love it, but because they hope to derive some benefit
from it.

And here let me ask those who are present tonight, Do you enjoy
religious exercises, or do you perform them because you hope to
receive benefit by them? Be honest, now, and answer this question,
just according to the truth, and see where you stand.

3. They manifestly possess a legal spirit, and not a gospel spirit.

They do rather what they are obliged to do, in religion, and not what
they love to do. They have an eye to the commands of God, and yield
obedience to his requirements, in performing religious duties, but do
not engage in those things because they love them. They are always
ready to inquire, in regard to duty, not so much how they can do good,
as how they can be saved. There is just the difference between them,
that there is between a convinced sinner and a true convert. The
convinced sinner asks "What must I do to be saved?" The true convert
asks "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" So this class of professors
are constantly asking, "What must I do to get to heaven?" and not
"What can I do to get other people there?" The principal object of such
a professor of religion is not to save the world, but to save himself.

4. They are actuated by fear much more than by hope.

They perform their religious duties chiefly because they dare not omit
them. They go to the communion, not because they love to meet
Christ, or because they love to commune with their brethren, but
because they dare not stay away. They fear the censures of the
church, or they are afraid they shall be damned if they neglect it. They
perform their closet duties not because they enjoy communion with
God, but because they dare not neglect them. They have the spirit of
slaves, and go about the service of God, as slaves go about the
service of their master, feeling that they are obliged to do about so
much, or be beaten with many stripes. So these professors feel as if
they were obliged to have about so much religion, and perform about
so many religious duties, or be lashed by conscience and lose their
hopes. And therefore they go through, painfully and laboriously
enough, with about so many religious duties in a year, and that they
call religion!

5. Their religion is not only produced by the fear of disgrace or the fear
of hell, but it is mostly of a negative character.

They satisfy themselves, mostly, with doing nothing that is very bad.
Having no spiritual views, they regard the law of God chiefly as a
system of prohibitions, just to guard men from certain sins, and not as
a system of benevolence fulfilled by love. And so, if they are moral in
their conduct, and tolerably serious and decent in their general
deportment, and perform the required amount of religious exercises,
this satisfies them. Their conscience harasses them, not so much
about sins of omission as sins of commission. They make a distinction
between neglecting to do what God positively requires, and doing what
he positively forbids. The most you can say of them is that they are not
very bad. They seem to think little or nothing of being useful to the
cause of Christ, so long as they cannot be convicted of any positive
transgression.

6. This class of persons are more or less strict in religious duties,
according to the light they have and the sharpness with which
conscience pursues them.

Where they have enlightened minds and tender consciences, you
often find them the most rigid of all professors. They tithe even to mint
and anise. They are stiff even to moroseness. They are perfect
pharisees, and carry everything to the greatest extremes, so far as
outward strictness is concerned.

7. They are more or less miserable in proportion to the tenderness of
their conscience.

With all their strictness, they cannot be sensible that they are great
sinners after all: and having no just sense of the gospel justification,
this leaves them very unhappy. And the more enlightened and tender
their conscience, the more they are unhappy. Notwithstanding their
strictness, they feel that they come short of their duty, and not having
any gospel faith, nor any of that holy anointing of the Holy Spirit that
brings peace to the soul, they are unsatisfied, and uneasy, and
miserable.

Perhaps many of you have seen such persons. Perhaps some of you
are such, and you never knew what it was to feel justified before God,
through the blood of Jesus Christ, and you know not what it is to feel
that Jesus Christ has accepted and owned you as his. You never felt
in your minds what that is which is spoken of in the text, "There is now
no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after
the flesh, but after the Spirit." Does such language bring home any
warm and practical idea to you, that it is a reality because you
experience it in your soul? Or do you, after all, still feel condemned
and guilty, and have no sense of pardoned sin, and no experimental
peace with God, or confidence in Jesus Christ.

8. This class of persons are encouraged and cheered by reading the
accounts of ancient saints who fell into great sins.

They feel wonderfully instructed and edified when they hear the sins
of Gods people set forth in a strong light. Then they are comforted and
their hopes are wonderfully strengthened. Instead of feeling humbled
and distressed, and feeling that such conduct is so contrary to all
religion that they could hardly believe they were saints if it had not
been found in the Bible, and that they could not believe at all that
persons who should do such things under the light of the Christian
dispensation, could be saints; they feel gratified and strengthened, and
their hopes confirmed, by all these things. I once knew a man, an elder
too, brought before the session of a church for the crime of adultery,
and he actually excused himself by this plea: He did not know, he said,
why he should be expected to be better than David, the man after
God's own heart.

9. They are always much better pleased, by how much the lower the
standard of piety is held out from the pulpit.

If the minister adopts a low standard, and is ready charitably to hope
that almost every body is a Christian, they are pleased, and
compliment him for his expansive charity, and praise him as such an
excellent man, so charitable, etc. It is easy to see why this class of
persons are pleased with such an exhibition of Christianity. It
subserves their main design. It helps them to maintain what they call
a "comfortable hope," notwithstanding they do so little for God. Right
over against this, you will see, is the conduct of the man whose main
design is to rid the world of sin. He wants all men to be holy, and
therefore he wants to have the true standard of holiness held up. He
wants all men to be saved, but he knows they cannot be saved unless
they are truly holy. And he would as soon think of Satan's going to
heaven as of getting a man there by frittering away the Bible standard
of holiness by "charity."

10. They are fond of having "comfortable" doctrines preached.

Such persons are apt to be fond of having the doctrine of saints'
perseverance much dwelt on, and the doctrine of election. Often, they
want nothing else but what they call the doctrines of grace. And if they
can be preached in such an abstract way, as to afford them comfort
without galling their consciences too much, they are fed.

11. They love to have their ministers preach sermons "to feed
Christians."

Their main object is not to save sinners, but to be saved themselves,
and therefore they always choose a minister, not for his ability in
preaching for the confession of sinners, but for his talents in feeding
the church with mere abstractions.

12. They lay great stress on having "a comfortable hope."

You will hear them talking very solemnly about the importance of
having a comfortable hope. If they can only enjoy their minds, they
show very little solicitude whether anybody else around them is saved
or not. If they can have only their fears silenced and their hopes
cherished they have religion enough to satisfy them.

Right over against this, you will find the true friends of God and man
are thinking mainly of something else: they are trying to pull sinners
out of the fire, and do not spend their energy in sustaining a
comfortable hope to themselves.

In their prayers, you will find the class I am now speaking of, are
praying mainly that their evidences may be brightened, and that they
may feel assured that they are going to heaven, and know that they
are accepted of God. Their great object is to secure their hopes, and
so they pray that their evidences may be brightened, instead of
praying that their faith may be strengthened, and their souls full
of the Holy Ghost to pull sinners out of the fire.

13. They live very much on their own frames of mind.

They lay great stress on the particular emotions which they have from
time to time. If at any time they have some high-wrought feelings of a
religious nature, they dwell on them, and make this evidence last a
great while. One such season of excitement will prop up their hopes
as long as they can distinctly call it up to remembrance. No matter if
they are not doing anything now, and are conscious they have no
exercises of love to God now, they recollect the time when they had
such and such feelings, and that answers to keep alive their hopes. If
there has been a revival, and they mingled in its scenes until their
imagination has been wrought up so that they could weep and pray
and exhort with feeling during a revival, that will last them a long time,
and they will have a comfortable hope for years on the strength of it.
Although, after the revival is over, they do nothing to promote religion,
and their hearts are as hard as adamant, they have a very comfortable
hope all the while, patiently waiting for a revival to come and give them
another move.

Are any of you who are here now, propping yourselves up by your past
frames and feelings, leaning on evidences, not from what you are NOW doing
but something that you felt last year, or years ago? Let me tell you, that
if you are thus living on past experience, you will find it will fail when
you come to need it.

14. They pray almost exclusively for themselves.

If you could listen at the door of their closets, you would hear eight-tenths
of all their petitions going up for themselves.

It shows how they value their own salvation in comparison with the
salvation of others. It is as eight to two. And if they pray in meetings,
very often it will be just the same, and you would not suppose, from
their prayers, that they knew there was a sinner on earth traveling the
road to hell. They pray for themselves just as they do in the closet,
only they couple the rest of the church with them so as to say "we."

15. Such persons pray to be fitted for death much more than they pray
to be fitted to live a useful life.

They are more anxious to be prepared to die, than to be prepared to
save sinners around them. If they ask for the Spirit of God, they want
it to prepare them to die, more than as the Psalmist prayed, "Then will
I teach transgressors thy ways, and sinners shall be converted unto
thee." How many of you are of this character? How many are there
here, whose prayers are described exactly? An individual who made
it his great absorbing object to do good and save sinners, would not
be apt to think so much about when, or where, or how he shall die, as
how he may do the most good while he lives. And as to his death, he
leaves that all to God, and he is not afraid to leave it all with him. He
has long ago given his soul up to him, and now the great question with
him is not, When shall I die? but, how shall I live so as to honor God?

16. They are more afraid of punishment than they are of sin.

Precisely over against this, you will find the true friends of God and
man more afraid of sin than of punishment. It is not the question with
them, "If I do this shall I be punished?" or, "If I do this, will God forgive
me:" But the question is that which Joseph asked, "How can I do this
great wickedness, and sin against God?" There was the spirit of a
child of God, afraid of sin more than punishment, and so much afraid
of sin that he had no thought of punishment.

This class of persons I am speaking of, often indulge in sin if they can
persuade themselves that God will for give them, or when they think
they can repent of it afterwards. They often reason in this way: "Such
a minister does this;" or "Such an elder or professor does this, and
why may not I do the same?" There was a member of this church had
a class in the Sabbath school; but seeing that others did not take a
class, the individual reasoned in this way: "Why should I do it any
more than they?" and so gave up the class. Here is the spirit of this
whole description of professors "Others get along without doing
such and such things, and why should I trouble myself to be better
than they?" It is not sin that they fear, but punishment. They sin, they
know, but they hope to escape punishment. Who cannot see that this
in contrary to the spirit of the true friends of God, whose absorbing
object it is to get sin, and all sin, out of the world? Such persons are
not half so much afraid of hell us they are of committing sin.

17. They feel and manifest greater anxiety about being saved
themselves, than if all the world was going to hell.

Such a professor, if his hope begins to fail, wants to have everybody
engaged, to pray for HIM, and make a great ado, and move all the
church, when he never thinks of doing anything for the sinners around
him, who are certainly on the road to hell. He shows that his mind is
absorbed in himself, and that his main design is not to see how much
good he can do.

18. They are more fond of receiving good than of doing good.

You may know such persons have not the spirit of the gospel. They
have never entered into the spirit of Jesus Christ, when he said, "It is
more blessed to give than to receive." 

A person actuated by true love to God and man enjoys what he does
to benefit others, far more than they do who receive good at his hand.
He is really benevolent, and it is a gratification to him to show
kindness, because his heart is set upon it, and when he can do it, a
holy joy is shed over his mind, and he enjoys it exquisitely.

The other class are more eager to receive than to impart. They want
to receive instruction more than to impart it. They want to receive
comfort, but are never ready to deny themselves to give the comforts
of the gospel to others. How directly contrary this is to the diffusive
spirit of the gospel, any one can see at a glance. That spirit ends its
supreme happiness in communicating happiness to others. But this
class of persons want to lay everybody under contribution to impart
happiness to themselves, instead of laying themselves out to bless
others.

Who does not know these two classes of professor? One always
seeking out objects to do good to, the other always trying to gain good
themselves. One anxious to communicate, the other to receive. One
to do good, the other to get good. These two classes of character are
just as opposite as light and darkness.

19. If this class of professors are led to pray for the conversion and
salvation of others, you may observe that they are actuated by the
same kind of considerations as they are when they pray for
themselves.

They are chiefly afraid of hell themselves, and when they are strongly
convicted, they are afraid others will go there too. They are seeking
happiness for themselves, and when self is not in the way, they seek
the same for others. They pray for sinners, not because they have
such a sense of the evil of sin which sinners are committing, as
because they have such a sense of the terrors of hell to which sinners
are going. It is not because sinners dishonor God that they want them
converted, but because they are in danger. Their great object in
praying is to secure the safety of those they pray for, as it is their great
object in religion to secure their own safety. They pity themselves and
they pity others. If there was no danger, they would have no motive to
pray either for themselves or others.

The true friends of God and man feel compassion for winners too, but
they feel much more for the honor of God. They are more distressed
to see God abused and dishonored than to see sinners go to hell. And
if God must be for ever dishonored or men go to hell just as
certainly as they love God supremely, they will decide that sinners
shall sink to endless torments sooner than God fail of his due honor.
And they manifest their true feelings in their prayers. You hear them
praying for sinners as rebels against God, as guilty criminals deserving
of eternal wrath, as the enemies of God and the universe; and while
they are full of compassion for sinners, they feel also the enkindlings
of holy indignation against them for their conduct towards the blessed
God.

20. The class of professors I am speaking of are very apt to be
distressed with doubts.

They are apt to talk a great deal about their doubts. This makes up a
great part of their history the detail of their doubts. The great thing
with them being the enjoyment of a comfortable hope, as soon as they
begin to doubt, it is all over with them, and so they make a great ado
with their doubts, and then they are not prepared to do anything for
religion because they have these doubts. The true friends of God and
man being engaged in doing good, if the devil at any time suggests
that they are going to hell, the first answer they think of is, "What if I
should? Only let me pull sinners out of the fire while I can." I suppose
real Christians may have doubts.

But they are much less apt to have them, by how much the more they
are fully bent on saving sinners. It will be very hard work for Satan to
get a church who is fully engaged in the work to be much troubled with
doubts. Their attention is not on that, but on something else, and he
cannot get the advantage over them.

21. They manifest great uneasiness at the increasing calls for self
denial to do good.

Said an individual, "What will this temperance reformation come to? At
first they only went against ardent spirit, and I gave up that, and did
very well without it. Then they called on us to give up wine; and now
they are calling on us to give up our tea and coffee, and tobacco;  
where will it end?" This class of persons are in constant distress at
being called on to give up so much. The good that is to be done does
not enter into their thoughts, because they are all the while dwelling on
what they have to give up.

It is easily seen why it is that these aggressive movements on the
kingdom of darkness distress such person. Their object never was to
search out and banish from this world everything that is dishonorable
to God or injurious to man. They never entered upon religion with the
determination to clear out every such thing from the earth, as far as
they had power, and as fast as they were convinced that it was
injurious to themselves or others, in soul or body. And therefore they
are distressed by the movements of those who are truly engaged to
search out and clear away every evil.

These persons are annoyed by the continually increasing calls to give
for missions, Bibles, tracts, and the like. The time was, when a rich
man gave twenty-five dollars a year to such things, he was thought to
be doing pretty well. But now there are so many calls for subscriptions
and contributions, that they are in torment all the time. "I don't like
these contributions, I am opposed to having contributions taken up in
the congregation, I think they do hurt." They feel specially sole at these
agents. "I don't know about these beggars that are going about." They
are obliged to keep giving all the time, in order to keep up their
character, or to have any hope, but they are much distressed about it,
and do not know what the world is coming to, things are in such a
strange pass.

As you raise the general standard of living in the church, this class of
professors find they have to come up too, lest their hopes should be
shaken. And the common standard of professors has been raised
already so much, that I have no doubt it costs this class of persons
new four times as much of what they call religion, to keep up a hope,
as it did twenty years ago. And what will become of them if there are
to be so many new movements and new measures, and so much
done to save the world? The Lord help them, for they are in great
distress!

22. When they are called upon to exercise self-denial for the sake of
doing good, instead of being a pleasant thing, it gives them unmingled
pain.

Such a one does not know anything about enjoying self-denial. He
cannot understand how self-denial is pleasant, nor how anybody can
take pleasure in it, or have joy of heart in denying himself for the sake
of doing good to others. That, he thinks, is a height in religion to which
he has not attained. Yet the true friend of God and man, whose heart
is fully set to do good, never enjoys any money he expends so well as
that which he gives to promote Christ's kingdom. If he is really pious,
he knows that is the best disposition he can make of his money. Nay,
he is sorry to be obliged to use money for anything else, when there
are so many opportunities to do good with it.

I want you who are here to look at this. It is easy to see that if an
individual has his heart very much set upon anything, all the money he
can save for that object is most pleasing to him, and the more he can
save from other objects for this that his heart is set on, the better he
is pleased. If an individual find it hard for him to give money for
religious objects, it is easy to see that his heart is not set on it. If it
were, he would have given his money with joy. What would you think
of a man who should set himself against giving money for the
advancement of religion, and get up an excitement in the church,
about the missionary cause, and having so many calls for money,
when he had never given five dollars? It would be absolute
demonstration that his heart was not truly set on the cause of Christ;
if it were, he would give his money for it, as free as water; and the
more he could spare for it, the better he would be pleased.

23. This class of persons are not forward in promoting revivals.

This is not their great object. They always have to be dragged into the
work. When a revival has begun, and gone on, and the excitement is
great, then they come in and appear to be engaged in it. But you
never see them taking the lead, or striking out a-head of the rest, and
saying to the rest of the brethren, Come on and let us do something
for the Lord.

24. As a matter of fact, they do not convert sinners to God.

They may be instrumental of good, in various ways, and so may Satan
be instrumental of good. 

But as a general thing, they do not pull sinners out of the fire. And the
reason is, that this is not their great object. How is it with you? Do you
absolutely succeed in converting sinners? Is there any one who will
look to yon as the instrument of his conversion? If you were truly
engaged for this, you could not rest satisfied without doing it, and you
would go about it so much in earnest, and with such agonizing prayer
that you would do it.

25. They do not manifest much distress when they behold sin.

They do not rebuke it. They love to mingle in scenes where sin is
committed. They love to be where they can hear vain conversation,
and even to join in it. They love worldly company and worldly books.
Their spirit is worldly. Instead of hating even the garment spotted with
the flesh, they love to hang around the confines of sin, as if they had
complacency in it.

26. They take but very little interest in published accounts of revivals,
missions, etc.

If any of the missions are tried severely, they neither know nor feel it.
If missions prosper, they never know it, they take no interest in it. Very
likely they do not take any religious paper whatever. Or if they do,
when they sit down to read it, if they come to a revival, they pass it
over, to read the secular news, or the controversy, or something else.
The other class, the true friends of God and man, on the contrary, love
to learn the progress of revivals. They love to read a religious paper,
and when they take it up, the first thing they do is to run their eye over
it to find where there are revivals, and there they feast their souls, and
give glory to God. And so with missions: their heart goes forth with the
missionaries, and when they hear that the Lord has poured forth his
Spirit on a mission, they feel a glow of holy joy thrill through them.

27. They do not aim at any thing higher than a legal, painful, negative
religion.

The love of Christ does not constrain them to a constant warfare
against sin, and a constant watch to do all the good in their power. But
what they do is done only because they think they must. And they
maintain a kind of piety that is formal, heartless, worthless.

28. They come reluctantly into all the special movements of the church
for doing good.

If a protracted meeting is proposed, you will generally find this class
of persons hanging back, and making objections, and raising
difficulties as long as they can. If any other special effort is proposed,
they come reluctantly, and prefer the good old way. They feel sore at
being obliged to add so much every year to their religion in order to
maintain their hope.

29. They do not enjoy secret prayer.

They do not pray in their closets because they LOVE to pray but
because they think it is their duty, and they dare not neglect it.

30. They do not enjoy the Bible.

They do not read the Bible because it is sweet to their souls, sweeter
than honey or the honey-comb. They do not "enjoy" the reading, as a
person enjoys the most exquisite delights. They read it because it is
their duty to read it; and it would not do to profess to be a Christian
and not read the Bible: but in fact they find it a dry book.

31. They do not enjoy prayer meetings.

Slight excuses keep them away. They never go unless they find it
necessary for the sake of keeping up appearances, or to maintain their
hope. And when they do go, instead of having their souls melted and
fired with love, they are cold, listless, dull, and glad when it is over.

32. They are very much put to it to understand what is meant by
disinterestedness.

To serve God because they love him, and not for the sake of the
reward, is what they do not understand.

33. Their thoughts are not anxiously fixed upon the question, When
shall the world be converted to God?

Their hearts are not agonized with such thoughts as this, on, how long
shall wickedness prevail? Oh, when shall this wretched world be rid of
sin and death? Oh, when shall men cease to sin against God? They
think much more of the question, When shall I die and go to heaven,
and get rid of all my trials and cares?

But I find I am again obliged to omit the examination of the last class
of professors till next Friday evening, when, with the leave of
Providence, it will be attended to.

REMARKS

1. I believe you will not think me extravagant, when I say that the
religion I have described, appears to be the religion of a very large
mass in the church.

To say the least, it is greatly to be feared that a majority of professing
Christians are of this description. To say this, is neither uncharitable
nor censorious.

2. This religion is radically defective.

There is nothing of true Christianity in it. It differs from Christianity as
much as the Pharisees differed from Christ as much as gospel
religion differs from legal religion.

Now, let me ask you, to which of these classes do you belong? Or are
you in neither? It may be that because you are conscious you do not
belong to the second class, you may think you belong to the first,
when in fact, you will find, when I come to describe the third class of
professors, that I describe your true character.

How important it is that you know for a certainty what is your true
character whether you are actuated in religion by true love to God
and man, or whether you are religious only out of regard to yourself.
O, what a solemn thought, if this church, of which I have been the
pastor, have never come to an intelligent decision of the question,
whether they are the true friends of God and man or not. Do settle it,
beloved. Now is the time. Settle this, and then go to work for God.
Chapter 7.

RELIGION OF PUBLIC OPINION.

For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.   John
12:48.

These words were spoken of certain individuals who refused to
confess that Jesus was the Christ, because he was extremely
unpopular with the scribes and pharisees, and principal people of
Jerusalem.

There is a plain distinction between self-love, or the simple desire of
happiness, and selfishness. Self-love, the desire of happiness and
dread of misery, is constitutional; it is a part of our frame as God made
us, and as he intended us to be; and its indulgence within the limits of
the law of God, is not sinful. Whenever it is indulged contrary to the
law of God, it becomes sinful. When the desire of happiness or the
dread of misery becomes the controlling principle, and we prefer our
own gratification to some other greater interest, it becomes
selfishness. When, to avoid pain or procure happiness, we sacrifice
other greater interests, we violate the great law of disinterested
benevolence, it is no longer self-love, acting within lawful bounds, but
selfishness.

In my last Friday evening lecture, I described a class of professors of
religion, who are moved to perform religious exercises by hope and
fear. They are moved sometimes by self-love, and sometimes by
selfishness. Their supreme object is not to glorify God, but to secure
their own salvation. You will recollect that this class, and the class I
had described before as the real friends of God and man, agree in
many things, and if you look only at the things in which they agree, you
cannot distinguish between them. It is only by a close observation of
those things in which they differ, that you can see that the main design
of the latter class is not to glorify God, but to secure their own
salvation. In that way we can see their supreme object developed, and
see that when they do the same things, outwardly, which those do
whose supreme object is to glorify God, they do them from entirely
different motives, and consequently the acts themselves are, in the
sight of God, of an entirely different character.

III. Tonight, I design to point out the characteristics of the third class
of professing Christians, who "love the praise of men more than the
praise of God."

I would not be understood to imply that a mere regard for reputation
has led this class to profess religion. Religion has always been too
unpopular with the great mass of mankind to render it a general thing
to become professing Christians from a mere regard to reputation. But
I mean, that where it is not generally unpopular to become a professor
of religion, and will not diminish popularity, but will increase it with
many, a complex motive operates the hope of securing happiness
in a future world, and that it may increase reputation here. And thus
many are led to profess religion, when after all, on a close
examination, it will be seen that the leading object, which is prized
beyond anything else, is the good opinion of their fellow men. Sooner
than forfeit this utterly, they would not profess religion. Their
profession turns on this. And although they do profess to be sincere
Christians, you may see by their conduct, on close examination, that
they will do nothing that will forfeit this good opinion of men. They will
not encounter the odium that they must, if they were to give
themselves up to root sin out of the world.

Observe, that impenitent sinners are always influenced by one of two
things, in all that they do that appears like religion. Either they do them
out of regard to mere natural principles as compassion or self-love  
principles that are constitutional in them or from selfishness. 

They are done either out of regard to their own reputation or
happiness, or the gratification of some natural principle in them, that
has no moral character; and not from the love of God in them. They
love "the praise of men more than the praise of God."

I will now mention several things by which you may detect the true
character of the class of persons of whom I have been speaking; who
make the praise of men their idol, notwithstanding they profess to love
God supremely. And they are things by which you can detect your own
true characters, if there are any present who properly belong to this
class.

1. They do what the apostle Paul says certain persons did in his day,
and for that reason they remained ignorant of the true doctrine; they
"measure themselves by themselves, and compare themselves among
themselves."

There are a vast many individuals, who, instead of making Jesus
Christ their standard of comparison, and the Bible their rule of life,
manifestly aim at no such thing. They show that they never seriously
dreamed of making the bible their standard. The great question with
whom is, whether they do about as many things in religion, and are
about as pious as other people, or as the churches around them. Their
object is to maintain a respectable profession of religion. Instead of
seriously inquiring for themselves, what the Bible really requires, and
asking how Jesus Christ would act in such and such cases, they are
looking simply at the common run of professing Christians, and are
satisfied with doing what is commendable in their estimation. They
prove to a demonstration, that their object is not so much to do what
the Bible lays down as duty, as to do what the great mass of
professing Christians do   to do what is respectable, rather than what
is right.

2. This class of persons do not trouble themselves about elevating the
standard of piety around them.

They are not troubled at the fact, that the general standard of piety is
so low in the church, that it is impossible to bring the great mass of
sinners to repentance. They think the standard at the present time is
high enough. Whatever be the standard at the time it satisfies them.
While the real friends of God and man are complaining of the church,
because the standard of piety is so low, and trying to wake up the
church to elevate the tone of religion, it all seems to this class of
persons like censoriousness, and a meddlesome, uneasy disposition,
and as denoting a bad spirit in them. Just as when Jesus Christ
denounced the scribes and pharisees, and leading professors of his
day, they said, "He hath a devil." "Why, he is denouncing sour doctors
of divinity, and all our best men, and even dares to call the scribes and
pharisees hypocrites, and he tells us that except our righteousness
shall exceed theirs, we can in no case enter the kingdom of heaven.
What a bad spirit he has."

A large part of the church at the present day have the same spirit, and
every effort to open the eyes of the church and to make Christians see
that they live so low, so worldly, so much like hypocrites, that it is
impossible the work of the Lord should go on, only excites ill will and
occasions reproach. "O," they say, "what a bad spirit he shows, so
censorious, and so unkind, surely that is anything but the meek, and
kind, and loving spirit of the Son of God." They forget how Jesus Christ
poured out his anathemas, enough to make the hills of Judea shake,
against those that had the reputation of being the most pious people
in that day. Just as if Jesus Christ never said anything severe to
anybody, but just fawned over them, and soothed them into his
kingdom. Who does not know that it was the hypocritical spirit
exhibited by professors of religion, that roused his soul and moved his
indignation, and called forth his burning torrents of denunciation. 

He was always complaining of the very people who were set up as
patterns of piety, and called them hypocrites, and thundered over their
heads the terrible words, "How can ye escape the damnation of hell!"

It is not wonderful, when so many love the praise of men more than
the praise of God, that there should be excitement when the truth is
told. They are very well satisfied with the standard of piety as it is, and
think that while the people are doing so much for Sabbath schools,
and missions, and tracts, that is doing pretty well, and they wonder
what the man would have. Alas! alas! for their blindness! They do not
seem to know that with all this the lives of the generality of professing
Christians are almost as different from the standard of Jesus Christ as
light is from darkness.

3. They make a distinction between those requirements of God that
are strongly enforced by public sentiment and those that are not thus
guarded.

They are very scrupulous in observing such requirements as public
sentiment distinctly favors, while they easily set at naught those which
public sentiment does not enforce. You have illustrations of this on
every side. I might mention the temperance reformation. How many
there are who yield to public sentiment in this matter what they never
would yield to God or man. At first they waited to see how it would
turn. They resisted giving up ardent spirits. But when that became
popular, and they found they could do very well with other alcoholic
stimulants, they gave it up. But they are determined to yield no farther
than public sentiment drives them. They show that it is not their object,
in joining the temperance society, to carry out the reform, so as to slay
the monster Intemperance; but their object is to maintain a good
character. They love "the praise of men more than the praise of God."

See how many individuals there are, who keep the Sabbath, not
because they love God, but because it is respectable. This is manifest,
because they keep it while they are among their acquaintances, or
where they are known. But when they get where they are not known,
or where it will not be a public disgrace, you will find them traveling on
the Sabbath.

All those sins that are reprobated by public opinion this class of
persons abstain from, but they do other things just as bad which are
not thus frowned on. They do those duties which are enforced by
public opinion, but not those that are less enforced. They will not stay
away from public worship on the Sabbath, because they could not
maintain any reputation for religion at all if they did. But they neglect
things that are just as peremptorily enjoined in the word of God.

 Where an individual habitually disobeys any command of God,
knowing it to be such, it is just as certain as his soul lives, that the
obedience he appears to render, is not from a regard to God's
authority, or love to God, but from other motives. He does not, in fact,
obey any command of God. The Apostle has settled this question.
"Whosoever," says he, "shall keep the whole law, and offend in one
point, is guilty of all;" that is, does not truly keep any one precept of the
law. Obedience to God's commands implies an obedient state of heart,
and therefore nothing is obedience that does not imply a supreme
regard to the authority of God. 

Now, if a man's heart be right, then whatever God enjoins he regards
as of more importance than anything else. And if a man regard any
thing else of superior weight to God's authority, that is his idol.
Whatever we supremely regard   that is our god; whether it be
reputation, or comfort, or riches, or honor, or whatever it is that we
regard supremely, that is the god of our hearts. Whatever a man's
reason may be for habitually neglecting anything which he knows to
be the command of God, or that he sees to be required to promote the
kingdom of Christ, there is demonstration absolute that he regards that
as supreme. 

There is nothing acceptable to God in any of his services. Rest
assured, all his religion is the religion of public sentiment. If he
neglects any thing required by the law of God, because he can pass
along in neglect, and public sentiment does not enjoin it; or if he does
other things inconsistent with the law of God, merely because public
opinion does require it, it is a simple matter of fact, that it is public
sentiment to which he yields obedience, in all his conduct, and not a
regard to the glory of God.

How is it with you beloved? Do you habitually neglect any requirement
of God, because it is not sustained and enforced by public sentiment?
If you are a professor of religion, it is to be presumed you do not
neglect any requirement that is strongly urged by public sentiment.
But, how is it with others? Do you not habitually neglect some duties?
Do you not live in some practices reputable among men, that you
know to be contrary to the law of God? If you do, it is demonstration
absolute that you regard the opinions of men more than the judgment
of God. Write down your name, hypocrite.

4. This class of professors are apt to indulge in some sins when they
are away from home, that they would not commit at home.

Many a man who is temperate at home, when he gets to a distance,
will toss off his glass of brandy and water at the table, or step up to the
bar of a steam-boat and call for liquor without shame; or if they are in
Europe, they will go to the theater. When I was in the Mediterranean,
at Messina, a gentlemen asked me if I would go to the theater with
him. "What! I go to the theater? A minister go to the theater?" "Why,"
said he, "you are away from home, and no one would know it." "But
would not God know it?" It was plain that he thought, although I was
a minister, I could go to the theater when I was away from home. No
matter if God knew it, so long as men did not know it. And how should
he get that idea, but by seeing ministers who would do just such
things?

5. Another development of the character of these individuals is, that
they indulge themselves in secret sin.

I am now speaking of something, by which you may know yourselves.
If you allow yourselves in any sins secretly, when you can get along
without having any human being know it, know that God sees it, and
that he has already written down your name, hypocrite. You are more
afraid of disgrace in the eye of mortals, than of disgrace in the eye of
God. If you loved God supremely, it would be a small thing to you that
any and every body else knew your sins, in comparison with having
them known to God. If tempted to any such thing, you would exclaim,
"What! shall I commit sin under the eye of God?"

6. They indulge in secret omissions of duty, which they would not dare
to have known to others.

They may not practice any secret sins, or indulge in those secret
pollutions that are spoken of, but they neglect those duties, that if they
were known to neglect, it would so called disreputable to their
Christian character. Such as secret prayer for instance. They will go
to the communion   yes, to the communion!   and appear to be very
pious on the Sabbath, and yet, as to private piety, they know nothing
of it. Their closet for prayer is unknown to God or man. It is easy to
see that reputation is their idol. They dread to lose their reputation
more than to offend God.

How is it with you? Is it a fact, that you habitually omit those secret
duties, and are more careful to perform your public duties than private
ones? Then what is your character? 

Do you need to be told? "They loved the praise of men more than the
praise of God."

7. The conscience of this class of persons seems to be formed on
other principles than those of the gospel.

They seem to have a conscience in those things that are popular, and
no conscience at all on those things that are not required by public
sentiment. You may preach to them ever so plainly, their duty, and
prove it ever so clearly, and even make them confess that it is their
duty, and yet so long as public sentiment does not require it, and it is
not a matter of reputation, they will continue on in the same way as
before. Show them a "Thus saith the Lord," and make them see that
their course is palpably inconsistent with Christian perfection, and
contrary to the interests of the kingdom of Christ, and yet they will not
alter. They make it manifest that it is not the requirement of God they
regard, but the requirement of public opinion. They love the praise of
men more than the praise of God.

8. This class of persons generally dread, very much, the thought of
being considered fanatical.

They are ignorant, practically, of a first principle in religion, that all the
world is wrong! That the public sentiment of the world is all against
God, and that every one who intends to serve God must in the first
instance set his face against the public sentiment of the world. They
are to take it for granted, that in a world of rebels, public sentiment is
as certainly wrong as that there is a controversy with God. They have
never had their eyes open to this fundamental truth, that the world is
wrong, and that God's ways are directly over against their ways.
Consequently, it is true, and always has been true, that "all that will
live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." They shall be called
fanatical, superstitious, ultras, and the like. They always have been,
and they always will be, as long as the world is wrong.

But this class of persons will never go further than is consistent with
the opinions of worldly men. They say they must do this and that in
order to have influence over such men. Right over against this is the
course of the true friends of God and man. Their leading aim is to
reverse the order of the world, and turn the world upside down, to
bring all men to obey God, and all the opinions of men to conform to
the word of God, and all the usages and institutions of the world to
accord with the spirit of the gospel.

9. They are very intent on making friends on both sides.

They take the middle course always. They avoid the reputation of
being righteous over-much, on the one hand, and on the other hand,
of being has or irreligious. It has been so for centuries, that a person
could maintain a reputable profession of religion, without ever being
called fanatical. And the standard is still so without ever being called
fanatical. And the standard is still so low, that probably the great mass
of the Protestant churches are trying to occupy this middle ground.
They mean to have friends on both sides. They are not set down as
reprobates on the one hand, nor as fanatics or bigots on the other.
They are "fashionable Christians!" They may be called fashionable
Christians for two reasons. One is, that their style of religion is popular
and fashionable; and the other is, that they generally follow worldly
fashions. Their aim in religion is not to do anything that will disgust the
world. No matter what God requires, they are determined to be so
prudent as not to bring on them the censures of the world, nor offend
the enemies of God. They have manifestly more regard to men than
to God. And if they are ever so circumstance that they must do that
which will displease their friends and neighbors, or offend God, they
will offend God. If public sentiment clashes with the commands of
God, they will yield to public sentiment.

10. They will do more to gain the applause of men than to gain the
applause of God.

This is evident from the fact, that they will yield obedience only to
those requirements of God which are sustained by public opinion.
Although they will not exercise self-denial to gain the applause of God,
yet they will exercise great self-denial to gain the applause of men.
The men that gave up ardent spirits, because public sentiment
rendered it necessary, will give up wine also, whenever a public
sentiment sufficiently powerful shall demand it; and not till then.

11. They are more anxious to know what are the opinions of men
about them, than to know what is God's opinion of them.

If one of this class is a minister, and preaches a sermon, he is more
anxious to know what the people thought of it, than to know what God
thought of it. And if he make anything like a failure, the disgrace of it
with men cuts him ten times more than the thought that he has
dishonored God, or hindered the salvation of souls. Just so with an
elder, or a member of the church, of this class. If he pray in a meeting,
or exhort, he is more concerned to know what is thought of it, than to
know how God is pleased.

If such a one has some secret sin found out, he is vastly more
distressed about it because he is disgraced than because God is
dishonored. Or if he fall into open sin, when he comes to be met with
it, he cares as much again about the disgrace as about the sin of it.

They are more anxious about their appearance in the eyes of the
world, than in the eyes of God. Females of this character are vastly
more anxious, when they go to church, how the body shall appear in
the eyes of men, than how the heart shall appear in the eyes of God.
Such a one will be all the week engaged in getting everything in order,
so as to make her person appear to advantage, and perhaps will not
spend half an hour in her closet, to prepare her heart to appear before
God in his courts. Every body can see, at a glance, what this religion
is, the moment it is held up to view. Nobody is at a loss to say what
that man's or that woman's name is   it is hypocrite. They will go into
the house of God with their hearts dark as midnight, while every thing
in their external appearance is comely and decent. They must appear
well in the eyes of men, no matter how that part is on which God fixes
his eye. The heart may be dark, and disordered, and polluted, and
they care not, so long as the eye of man detects no blemish.

12. They refuse to confess their sins in the manner which the law of
God requires, lest they should lose their reputation among men.

If they are ever required to make confession of more than they think
consistent with their reputation, they are more anxious as to how it will
affect their character, than to know whether God is satisfied.

Search your hearts, you that have made confessions, and see which
most affects your minds, the question what God thought of it, or what
men thought of it. Have you refused to confess what you knew God
required, because it would hurt your reputation among men? Will not
God judge your hearts? Only be honest now, and let it be answered.

13. They will yield to custom what they know to be injurious to the
cause of religion, and to the welfare of mankind.

A striking instance of this is found in the manner of keeping new year's
day. Who does not know that the customary manner of keeping new
year's day, setting out their wine and their rich cake and costly
entertainments, and spending the day as they do, is a waste of money,
hurtful to health, and injurious to their own souls and to the interests
of religion? 

And yet they do it. Shall we be told that persons who will do this when
they know it is injurious, supremely love God? I care not who attempts
to defend such a custom, it is wrong, and every Christian must know
it to be so. And those who persist in it when they know better,
demonstrate that a supreme regard to God is not their rule of life.

14. They will do things of doubtful character, or things the lawfulness
of which they strongly doubt, in obedience to public sentiment.

You will recollect that on the evening of the first day of the year I took
up this subject, and showed that those who do things of doubtful
character, of the lawfulness of which they are not satisfied, are
condemned for it in the sight of God.

15. They are often "ashamed" to do their duty, and so much ashamed
that they will not do it.

Now when a person is so much ashamed to do what God requires as
not to do it, it is plain that his own reputation is his idol. How many do
you find who are ashamed to acknowledge Jesus Christ, ashamed to
reprove sin in high places or low places, and ashamed to speak out
when religion is assailed! If they supremely regarded God, could they
ever be ashamed of doing their duty? Suppose a man's wife were
calumniated, would he be ashamed to defend his wife? By no means.
If his children were abused, would he be ashamed to take their part?
Not if he loved them; it would not be shame that would deter him from
defending his wife or children. If a man was friendly to the
administration of the government of his country, and heard it
calumniated, would he be ashamed to defend it? He might not think it
expedient to speak, for other reasons; but if he was a true friend to the
government, he would not be "ashamed" to speak in its behalf,
anywhere.

Now such persons as I am speaking of, will not take decided ground
when they are among the enemies of truth, where they would be
subject to reproach for doing it. They are very bold for the truth when
among its friends, and will make a great display of their courage. But
when put to the trial, they will sell the Lord Jesus Christ, or deny him
before his enemies, and put him to open shame, rather than rebuke
wickedness, or speak out in his cause among his enemies.

16. They are opposed to all encroachments on their self-indulgence,
by advancing light on practical subjects.

They are much disturbed by every new proposal that draws on their
purses, or breaks in upon their habitual self-indulgence. And you may
talk as much, and preach as much in favor of it as you please, there
is only one way to reach this kind of people, and that is by creating a
new public sentiment. When you have brought over, by the power of
benevolence and of conscience, a sufficient number in the community
to create a public sentiment in its favor, then they will adopt your new
proposals, and not before.

17. They are always distressed at what they call the "ultraism" of the
day.

They are much afraid the ultraism of the present day will destroy the
church. They say we are carrying things too far, and we shall produce
a reaction. Take, for instance, the Temperance Reformation. The true
friends of temperance now know, that alcohol is the same thing,
wherever it is found, and that to save the world and banish
intemperance, it is necessary to banish alcohol in all its forms. The
pinch of the Temperance Reformation has never yet been decided.
The mass of the community have never been called to any self-denial
in the cause. The place where it will pinch is, when it comes to the
question, whether men will exercise SELF-DENIAL, to crush the evil. 
If they may continue to drink wine and beer, it is no self-denial; to give
up ardent spirits. It is only changing the form in which alcohol is taken,
and they can drink as freely as before.

Many friends of the cause, when they saw what multitudes were
rushing into it, were ready to shout a triumph. But the real question is
not yet tried. And multitudes will never yield, until the friends of God
and man can form a public sentiment so strong as to crush the
character of every man who will not give it up. You will find many
doctors of divinity and pillars of the church, who are able to drink their
wine, that will stand their ground, and no command of God, no
requirement of benevolence, no desire to save souls, no pity for
bleeding humanity, will move such persons, until you can form a public
sentiment so powerful as to force them to it, on penalty of loss of
reputation. For they love the praise of men.

And it is a query now in my mind, a matter of solemn and anxious
doubt, whether in the present low state of piety and decline of revivals
of religion in the church, a public sentiment can be formed, so powerful
as to do this. If not, we shall be driven back. The Temperance
Reformation, like a dam of sand, will be swept away, the floodgates
will be opened again, and the world will go reeling   down to hell. And
yet thousands of professors of religion, who want to enjoy public
respect and at the same time enjoy themselves in their own way, are
crying out as if they were in distress at the ultraism of the times!

18. They are often opposed to men, and measures, and things, while
they are unpopular and subject to reproach; and when they become
popular, fall in with them.

Let an individual go through the churches in any section, and wake
them up to a revival of religion, and while he is little known, these
persons are not backward to speak against him. But let him go on, and
gain influence, and they will fall in and commend him and profess to
be his warmest friends. It was just so with Jesus Christ. Before his
death, he had a certain degree of popularity. Multitudes would follow
him, as he went through the streets, and cry "Hosanna, Hosanna!" But
observe, they never would follow him an atom farther than his
popularity followed him. As soon as he was arrested as a criminal,
they all turned round and began to cry, "Crucify him, crucify him!"

This class of persons, as they set with the tide one way, when a man
is reproached, so they will set with the tide the other way when he
comes to be honored. There is only one exception. And that is, when
they have become so far committed to the opposition, that they cannot
come round without disgrace. And then they will be silent, until another
opportunity comes up for letting out the burning fires that are rankling
within them.

Very often a revival in a church, when it first begins, is opposed by
certain members of the church. They do not like to have such things
carried on, they are afraid there is too much animal excitement, and
the like. But the work goes on; and by-and-by they seem to fall in and
go with the multitude. At length the revival is over, and the church
grows cold again, and before long you will find this class of persons
renewing their opposition to the work, and as the church declines they
press their opposition, and perhaps, in the end, induce the church
itself to take ground against the very revival which they had so much
enjoyed. This is the very way in which individuals have acted in regard
to revivals in this country. There are many such cases. They were
awed by public sentiment and made to bow down to the revival, while
it was in its power, but by-and-by, as the revival declines, they begin
to let out the opposition that is in their hearts, and which was
suppressed for a time because the revival was popular.

It has been just so in regard to the cause of missions, in a degree, and
if anything should turn up, unfavorable to missions, so as to break the
present power of public sentiment in their favor, you would find plenty
of these fair weather supporters turning to the opposition.

19. If any measure is proposed to promote religion they are very
sensitive and scrupulous not to have anything done that is unpopular.

If they live in a city, they ask what will the other churches think of such
a measure? And if it is likely to bring reproach on their church or their
minister, in view of the ungodly, or in view of the other churches, they
are distressed about it. No matter how much good it will do, or how
many souls it will save, they do not want to have anything done to
injure the respectability of their church.

20. This class of persons never aim at forming a public sentiment in
favor of perfect godliness.

The true friends of God and man are always aiming at forming public
sentiment, and correcting public sentiment, on all points where it is
wrong. They are set, with all their hearts, to search out all the evils in
the world, and to reform the world, and drive out iniquity from the
earth. The other class are always following public sentiment as it is,
and feeling after the course of the tide, to go that way, shrinking back
from everything that goes in the face of public sentiment. And they are
ready to brand as imprudent, or rash, any man or anything, that goes
to stem the tide of public sentiment and turn it the other way.

REMARKS.

1. It is easy for persons to take credit for their sins, and make
themselves believe certain things are acts of piety, which are in fact
only acts of hypocrisy.

They do the things that outwardly pertain to piety, and they give
themselves credit for being pious, when their motives are all corrupt
and hollow, and not one of them drawn from a supreme regard to
God's authority. This is manifest from the fact that they do nothing
except where God's requirements are backed up by public sentiment.
Unless you aim to do all your duty, and yield obedience in every thing,
the piety for which you claim credit is mere hypocrisy, and is in fact sin
against God.

2. There is a great deal more apparent piety in the church than there
is real piety.

There are many things which sinners suppose are good but which are
abominable in the sight of God.

4. But for the love of reputation and the fear of disgrace, how many
there are in the church, who would break out into open apostasy.

How many are there here, who know you would break Out into open
vice, were it not for the restraints of public sentiment, the fear of
disgrace, and the desire to gain the credit of virtue? Where a person
is virtuous from a regard to the authority of God, whether public
sentiment favor it or frown upon it, that is true piety. If otherwise, they
have their reward. They do it for the sake of gaining credit in the eyes
of men, and they gain it. But if they expect any favor at the hand of
God, they will assuredly be disappointed. The only reward which he
will bestow upon such selfish hypocrites is, that they may be damned.

And now I wish to know how many of you will determine to do your
duty, and all your duty, according to the will of God, let public
sentiment be as it may? Who of you will agree to take the Bible for
your rule, Jesus Christ for your pattern, and do what is right, in all
cases, whatever man may say or think? Every one that is not willing
to take this ground must regard himself as a stranger to the grace of
God. He is by no means in a state of justification. 

If he is not resolved upon doing what he knows to be right, let public
sentiment be as it may, it in proof positive that he loves the praise of
men more than the praise of God.

And let me say to the impenitent sinners present. You see what it is to
be a Christian. It is to be governed by the authority of God IN ALL
THINGS, and not by public sentiment, to live not by hopes and fears,
but by supreme consecration of yourself unto God. You see that if you
mean to be religious, you must count the cost. I will not flatter you. I
will never try to coax you to become religious, by keeping back the
truth. If you mean to be Christians, you must give yourselves wholly up
to Christ. You cannot float along to heaven on the waves of public
sentiment. I will not deceive you on this point.

Do you ask, sinner, what is to become of all these professors of
religion, who are conformed to the world, and who love the praise of
men more than the praise of God? I answer   They will go to hell,
with you, and with all other hypocrites. Just as certain as that the
friendship of the world is enmity with God.

Wherefore, come out from among them, my people, and be ye
separate, and I will receive you saith the Lord, I will be a Father to you,
and ye shall be my sons and daughters. And now, who will do it? In
the church and among sinners, who will do it? Who? Who is on the
Lord's side? Who is willing to say, "We will no longer go with the
multitude to do evil, but are determined to do the will of God, in all
things whatsoever, and let the world think or say of us as it may." As
many of you as are now willing to do this, will signify it by rising in your
places before the congregation, and will then kneel down, while prayer
is offered, that God would accept and seal your solemn covenant to
obey God henceforth in every thing, through evil report and through
good report.

Chapter 8.

CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD.

Be not conformed to this world.   Romans 12:2.

It will be recollected by some who are present, that sometime since I
made use of this text in preaching in this place, but the object of this
evening's discourse is so far different that it is not improper to employ
the same text again. The following is the order in which I design to
discuss the subject of

CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD

I. To show what is not meant by the command of the text. II. Show
what is meant by the command, "Be not conformed to this world." III.
To mention some of the reasons why this requirement is made upon
all who will live a godly life. IV. To answer some objections that are
made to the principles laid down.

I. I am to show what is not meant by the requirement, "Be not
conformed to this world."

I suppose it is not meant, that Christians should refuse to benefit by
the useful arts, improvements, and discoveries of the world. It is not
only the privilege but the duty of the friends of God to avail themselves
of these, and to use for God all the really useful arts and
improvements that arise among mankind.

II. I am to show what is meant by the requirement.

It is meant that Christians are bound not to conform to the world in the
three following things. I mention only these three, not because there
are not many other things in which conformity to the world is forbidden,
but because these three classes are all that I have had time to
examine tonight, and further, because these three are peculiarly
necessary to be discussed at the present time. The three things are
three departments of life, in which it is required that you be not
conformed to this world. 

They are BUSINESS, FASHION, POLITICS.

In all these departments it is required that Christians should not do as
the world do, they should neither receive the maxims, nor adopt the
principles, nor follow the practices of the world.

III. I am to mention some reasons for the command, "Be not
conformed to this world."

You are by no means to act on the same principles, nor from the same
motives, nor pursue your object in the same manner that the world do,
either in the pursuits of business, or of fashion, or of politics. I shall
examine these several departments separate.

First Of Business. 1. The first reason why we are not to be
conformed to this world in business, is, that the principle of the worlds
that of supreme selfishness. This is true universally, in the pursuit of
business. The whole course of business in the world is governed and
regulated by the maxims of supreme and unmixed selfishness. It is
regulated without the least regard to the commands of God, or the
glory of God, or the welfare of their fellow men. The maxims of
business generally current among business men, and the habits and
usages of business men, are all based upon supreme selfishness. 

Who does not know, that in making bargains, the business men of the
world consult their own interest, and seek their own benefit, and not
the benefit of those they deal with? Who has ever heard of a worldly
man of business making bargains, and doing business for the benefit
of those he dealt with? No, it is always for their own benefit. And are
Christians to do so? They are required to act on the very opposite
principle to this: "Let no man seek his own, but every man another's
wealth." They are required to copy the example of Jesus Christ. Did he
ever make bargains for his own advantage? And may his followers
adopt the principle of the world   a principle that contains in it the
seeds of hell! If Christians are to do this, is it not the most visionary
thing on earth to suppose the world is ever going to be converted to
the gospel.

2. They are required not to conform to the world, because conformity
to the world is totally inconsistent with the love of God or man.

The whole system recognizes only the love of self. Go through all the
ranks of business men, from the man that sells candy on the sidewalk
at the corner of the street, to the greatest wholesale merchant or
importer in the United States, and you will find that one maxim runs
through the whole, to "buy as cheap as you can, and sell as dear as
you can, to look out for number one," and to do always, as far as the
rules of honesty will allow, all that will advance your own interests, let
what will become of the interest of others. Ungodly men will not deny
that these are the maxims on which business is done in the world. The
man who pursues this course is universally regarded as doing
business on business principles. Now, are these maxims consistent
with holiness, with the love of God or the love of man, with the spirit of
the gospel or the example of Jesus Christ? Can a man conform to the
world in these principles, and yet love God? Impossible! No two things
can be more unlike. Then Christians are by no means to conform to
the business maxims of the world.

3. These maxims, and the rules by which business is done in the
world, are directly opposite to the gospel of Jesus Christ and the spirit
he exhibited, and the maxima he inculcated, and the rules which he
enjoined that all his followers should obey, on pain of hell.

What was the spirit Jesus Christ exemplified on earth? It was the spirit
of self-denial, of benevolence, of sacrificing himself to do good to
others. He exhibited the same spirit that God does, who enjoys his
infinite happiness in going out of himself to gratify his benevolent heart
in doing good to others. This is the religion of the gospel, to be like
God, not only doing good, but enjoying it, joyfully going out of self to
do good. This is the gospel maxim: "it is more blessed to give than to
receive." And again, "Look not every man on his own things, but every
man also on the things of others." What says the business man of the
world? "Look out for number one." These very maxims were made by
men who knew and cared no more for the gospel, than the heathen
do. Why should Christians conform to such maxims as these?

4. To conform to the world in the pursuits of business is a flat
contradiction of the engagements that Christians make when they
enter the church.

What is the engagement that you make when you enter the church?
Is it not, to renounce the world and live for God, and to be actuated by
the Spirit of Jesus Christ, and to possess supreme love to God, and
to renounce self, and to give yourself to glorify God, and do good to
men? You profess not to love the world, its honors, or its riches.
Around the communion table, with your hand on the broken body of
your Savior, you avouch these to be your principles, and pledge
yourself to live by these maxims. And then what do you do? Go away,
and follow maxims and rules gotten up by men, whose avowed
principle is the love of the world, and whose avowed object is to get
the world? Is this your way? Then, unless you repent, let me tell you,
you will be damned. 

It is no more certain, that any infidel, or any profligate wretch, will go
to hell, than that all such professing Christians will go there, which
conform to the world. They have double guilt. They are sworn before
God to a different course, and when they pursue the business
principles of the world, they show that they are perjured wretches.

5. Conformity to the world is such a manifest contradiction of the
principles of the gospel, that sinners when they see it, do not and
cannot understand from it the true nature and object of the gospel
itself.

How can they understand that the object of the gospel is to raise men
above the love of the world, and above the influence of the world, and
place them on higher ground, to live on totally different principles?
When they see professing Christians acting on the same principles
with other men, how can they understand the true principles of the
gospel, or know what it means by heavenly-mindedness, self-denial,
benevolence, and so on?

6. It is this spirit of conformity to the world, that has already eaten out
the love of God from the church.

Show me a young convert, while his heart is warm, and the love of
God glows out from his lips. What does he care for the world? Call up
his attention to it, point him to its riches, its pleasures, or its honors,
and try to engage him in their pursuit, and he loathes the thought. But
let him now go into business, and do business on the principles of the
world one year, and you no longer find the love of God glowing in his
heart, and his religion has become the religion of conscience, dry,
meager, uninfluential anything but the glowing love of God, moving
him to acts of benevolence. I appeal to every man in this house, and
if my voice was loud enough I would appeal to every professor of
religion in this city, if it is not. And if any one should say, "No, it is not
so," I should regard it as proof that he never knew what it was to feel
she glow of a convert's first love.

7. This conformity to the world in business is one of the greatest
stumbling-blocks in the way of the conversion of sinners.

What do wicked men think, when they see professing Christians, with
such professions on their lips, and pretending to believe what the Bible
teaches, and yet driving after the world, as eager as anybody, making
the best bargains, and dealing as hard as the most worldly? What do
they think? I can tell you what they say. They say "I do not see but
these Christians do just as the rest of us do, they act on the same
principles, look out as sharp for number one, drive as hard bargains,
and get as high interest as anybody." And it must be said that these
are not things of which the world accuse Christians slanderously. It is
a notorious fact that most of the members of the church pursue the
world, as far as appears, in the same spirit, by the same maxims, and
to the same degree, that the ungodly do who maintain a character for
uprightness and humanity. The world say, "Look at the church, I don't
see as they are any better than I am; they go to the full length that I do
after the world." If professing Christians act on the same principles
with worldly men, as the Lord liveth, they shall have the same reward.
They are set down in God's book of remembrance as black hypocrites,
pretending to be the friends of God while they love the world. For
whoso loveth the world is the enemy of God. They profess to be
governed by principles directly opposite to the world, and if they do the
same things with the world, they are hypocrites.

8. Another reason for the requirement, "Be not conformed to this
world," is the immense, salutary and instantaneous influence it would
have if everybody would do business on the principles of the gospel.
Just turn the tables over, and let Christians do business one year on
gospel principles. It would shake the world. It would ring louder than
thunder. Let the ungodly see professing Christians, in every bargain,
consulting the good of the person they are trading with seeking not
their own wealth, but every man another's wealth living above the
world setting no value on the world any farther than it can be a
means of glorifying God. What do you think would be the effect? What
effect DID it have in Jerusalem, when the whole body of Christians
gave up their business, and turned out in a body to pursue the
salvation of the world? They were only a few ignorant fishermen, and
a few humble women, but they turned the world upside down. Let the
church live so now, and it would cover the world with confusion of
face, and overwhelm them with convictions of sin. Only let them see
the church living above the world, and doing business on gospel
principles, seeking not their own interests but the interests of their
fellow men, and infidelity would hide its head, heresy would be driven
from church, and this charming, blessed spirit of love, would go over
the world like the waves of the sea.

Secondly.   Of Fashions.

Why are Christians required not to follow the fashions of the world?

1. Because it is directly at war with the spirit of the gospel, and is
minding earthly things.

What is minding earthly things, if it is not to follow the fashions of the
world, that like a tide are continually setting to and fro, and fluctuating
in their forms, and keeping the world continually changing? There are
many men of large business in the world, and men of wealth, who
think they care nothing for the fashions. They are occupied with
something else, and they trust the fashions altogether with their tailor,
taking it for granted that he will make all right. But mind, if he should
make a garment unfashionable, you would see that they do care about
the fashions, and they never would employ that tailor again. Still, at
present their thoughts are not much on the fashions. They have a
higher object in view. And they think it beneath the dignity of a minister
to preach about fashions. They overlook the fact, that with the greater
part of mankind fashion is everything. The greater part of the
community are not rich, and never expect to be, but they look to the
world to enable them to make a "respectable" appearance, and to
bring up their families in a "respectable" manner; that is, to "follow the
fashions." Nine-tenths of the population never look at any thing higher,
than to do as the world does, or to follow the fashions. For this they
strain every nerve. And this is what they set their hearts on, and what
they live for.

The merchant and the rich man deceives himself, therefore, if he
supposes that fashion is a little thing. The great body of the people
mind this, their minds are set upon it, the thing which they look for in
life is to have their dress, equipage, furniture, and so on, like other
people, in the fashion, or "respectable" as they call it.

2. To conform to the world is contrary to their profession.

When people join the church, they profess to give up the spirit that
gives rise to the fashions. They profess to renounce the pomps and
vanities of the world, to repent of their pride, to follow the meek and
lowly Savior, to live for God. And now, what do they do? You often see
professors of religion go to the extreme of the fashion. Nothing will
satisfy them that is not in the height of fashion. And a Christian female
dress-maker who is conscientiously opposed to the following of
fashions, cannot get her bread. She cannot get employment even
among professing Christian ladies, unless she follows the fashions in
all their countless changes. God knows it is so, and they must give up
their business if their conscience will not permit them to follow the
changes of fashion.

3. This conformity is a broad and complete approval of the spirit of the
world.

What is it that lies at the bottom of all this shifting scenery? What is the
cause that produces all this gaudy show and dash, and display? It is
the love of applause. And when Christians follow the changes of
fashion, they pronounce all this innocent. All this waste of money and
time and thought, all this feeding and cherishing of vanity and the love
of applause, the church sets her seal to, when he conforms to the
world.

4. Nay, further, another reason is, that following the fashions of the
world, professing Christians show that they do in fact love the world.

They show it by their conduct, just as the ungodly show it by the same
conduct. As they act alike they give evidence that they are actuated by
one principle, the love of fashion.

5. When Christian professors do this, they show most clearly that they
love the praise of men.

It is evident that they love admiration and Italy, just as sinners do. Is
not this inconsistent with Christian principle, to go right into the very
things that are set up by the pride and fashion and lust of the ungodly?

6. Conforming to the world in fashion, you show that you do not hold
yourself accountable to God for the manner in which you lay out
money.

You practically disown your stewardship of the money that is in your
possession. By laying out money to gratify your own vanity and lust,
you take off the keen edge of that truth, which ought to cut that sinner
in two, who is living to himself. It is practically denying that the earth
is the Lord's, with the cattle on a thousand hills, and all to be employed
for his glory.

7. You show that reputation is your idol.

When the cry comes to your ears on every wind, from the ignorant and
the lost of all nations, "Come over and help us, come over and help
us," and every week brings some call to send the gospel, to send
tracts, and Bibles, and missionaries, to those who are perishing for
lack of knowledge, if you choose to expend money in following the
fashions, it is demonstration that reputation is your idol. Suppose now,
for the sake of argument that it is not prohibited in the word of God, to
follow the fashions, and that professing Christians, if they will, may
innocently follow the fashions: (I deny that it is innocent, but suppose
it were,) does not the fact that they do follow them when there are
such calls for money, and time, and thought, and labor to save souls,
prove conclusively that they do not love God nor the souls of men?

Take the case of a woman, whose husband is in slavery, and she is
trying to raise money enough for his redemption. There she is, toiling
and saving, rising up early and sitting up late, and eating the bread of
carefulness, because her husband, the father of her children, the
friend of her youth, is in slavery. Now go to that woman and tell her
that it is innocent for her to follow the fashions, and dress, and display
like her neighbors   will she do it? Why not? She does not desire to
do it. She will scarcely buy a pair of shoes for her feet; she grudges
almost the bread she eats   so intent is she on her great object.

Now suppose a person loved God, and the souls of men, and the
kingdom of Christ, does he need an express prohibition from God to
prevent him from spending his money and his life in following the
fashion? No, indeed, he will rather need a positive injunction to take
what is needful for his own comfort and the support of his own life.
Take the case of Timothy. 

Did he need a prohibition to prevent him from indulging in the use of
wine? So far from it, he was so cautious that it required an express
injunction from God to make him drink a little as a medicine. Although
he was sick, he would not drink it till he had the word of God for it, he
saw the evils of it so clearly. Now, show me a man or woman, I care
not what their professions are, that follows the fashions of the world,
and I will show you what spirit they are of.

When the cry comes to your ears on every wind, from the ignorant and
the lost of all nations, "Come over and help us, come over and help
us," and every week brings some call to send the gospel, to send
tracts, and Bibles, and missionaries, to those who are perishing for
lack of knowledge, if you choose to expend money in following the
fashions, it is demonstration that reputation is your idol. Suppose now,
for the sake of argument that it is not prohibited in the word of God, to
follow the fashions, and that professing Christians, if they will, may
innocently follow the fashions: (I deny that it is innocent, but suppose
it were,) does not the fact that they do follow them when there are
such calls for money, and time, and thought, and labor to save souls,
prove conclusively that they do not love God nor the souls of men?

Take the case of a woman, whose husband is in slavery, and she is
trying to raise money enough for his redemption. There she is, toiling
and saving, rising up early and sitting up late, and eating the bread of
carefulness, because her husband, the father of her children, the
friend of her youth, is in slavery. Now go to that woman and tell her
that it is innocent for her to follow the fashions, and dress, and display
like her neighbors will she do it? Why not? She does not desire to
do it. She will scarcely buy a pair of shoes for her feet; she grudges
almost the bread she eats so intent is she on her great object.

Now suppose a person loved God, and the souls of men, and the
kingdom of Christ, does he need an express prohibition from God to
prevent him from spending his money and his life in following the
fashion? No, indeed, he will rather need a positive injunction to take
what is needful for his own comfort and the support of his own life.
Take the case of Timothy. Did he need a prohibition to prevent him
from indulging in the use of wine? So far from it, he was so cautious
that it required an express injunction from God to make him drink a
little as a medicine. Although he was sick, he would not drink it till he
had the word of God for it, he saw the evils of it so clearly. Now, show
me a man or woman, I care not what their professions are, that follows
the fashions of the world, and I will show you what spirit they are of.

You tempt yourself to pride and folly and a worldly spirit.

Suppose a man that had been intemperate and was reformed, should
go and surround himself with wine and brandy and every seductive
liquor, keeping the provocative of appetite always under his eye, and
from time to time tasting a little; does he not tempt himself? Now see
that woman that has been brought up in the spirit of pride and show,
and that has been reformed, and has professed to abandon them all;
let her keep these trappings, and continue to follow the fashions, and
pride will drag her backwards as sure as she lives. She tempts herself
to sin and folly.

12. You are tempting the world.

You are setting the world into a more fierce and hot pursuit of these
things. The very things that the world love, and that they are sure to
have scruples about their being right, professing Christians fall in with
and follow, and thus tempt the world to continue in the pursuit of what
will destroy their souls in hell.

13. By following the fashions, you are tempting the devil to tempt you.

When you follow the fashions, you open your heart to him. You keep
it for him, empty, swept, and garnished. Every woman that suffers
herself to follow the fashions may rely upon it, she is helping Satan to
tempt her to pride and sin.

14. You lay a great stumbling block before the greatest part of
mankind.

There are a few persons who are pursuing greater objects than
fashion. They are engaged in the scramble for political power, or they
are eager for literary distinction, or they are striving for wealth. And
they do not know that their hearts are set on fashion at all. They are
following selfishness on a larger scale. But the great mass of the
community are influenced mostly by these fluctuating fashions. To this
class of persons it is a great and sore stumbling block, when they see
professing Christians just as prompt and as eager to follow the
changing of fashion as themselves. They see, and say, "What does
their profession amount to, when they follow the fashions as much as
anybody?" or "Certainly it is right to follow the fashions, for see the
professing Christians do it as much as we."

15. Another reason why professing Christians are required not to be
conformed to the world in fashion is, the great influence their
disregarding fashion would have on the world.

If professing Christians would show their contempt for these things,
and not pretend to follow them, or regard them, how it would shame
the world, and convince the world that they were living for another
object, for God and for eternity! How irresistible it would be! What an
overwhelming testimony in favor of our religion! Even the apparent
renunciation of the world, by many orders of monks, has doubtless
done more than anything else to put down the opposition to their
religion, and give it currency and influence in the world. Now suppose
all this was hearty and sincere, and coupled with all that is consistent
and lovely in Christian character, and all that is zealous and bold in
labors for the conversion of the world from sin to holiness. What an
influence it would have! What thunders it would pour into the ears of
the world, to wake them up to follow after God!

Thirdly.   In Politics.

I will show why professing Christians are required not to be conformed
to the world in politics.

1. Because the politics of the world are perfectly dishonest.

Who does not know this? Who does not know that it is the proposed
policy of every party to cover up the defects of their own candidate,
and the good qualities of the opposing candidate? And is not this
dishonest? Every party holds up its candidate as a piece of perfection,
and then aims to ride himself into office by any means, fair or foul. No
man can be an honest man, that is committed to a party, to go with
them, let them do what they may. And can a Christian do it, and keep
a conscience void of offense?

2. To conform to the world in politics is to tempt God.

By falling in with the world in politics, Christians are guilty of setting up
rulers over them by their own vote, who do not fear nor love God, and
who set the law of God at defiance, break the Sabbath, and gamble,
and commit adultery, and fight duels, and swear profanely, and leave
the laws unexecuted at their pleasure, and that care not for the weal
or woe of their country, so long as they can keep their office. I say
Christians do this. "For it is plain that where parties are divided, as
they are in this country, there are Christians enough to turn the scale
in any election.

" Now let Christians take the ground that they will not vote for a
dishonest man, or a Sabbath breaker, or gambler, or whoremonger,
or duelist, for any office, and no party could ever nominate such a
character with any hope of success. But on the present system, where
men will let the laws go unexecuted, and give full swing to mobs, or
lynch murders, or robbing the mails, or anything else, so they can run
in their own candidate who will give them the offices, any man is a
dishonest man that will do it, be he professor or non-professor. And
can a Christian do this and be blameless?

3. By engaging with the world in politics, Christians grieve the Spirit of
God.

Ask any Christian politician if he ever carried the Spirit of God with him
into a political campaign? Never. I would by no means be understood
to say that Christians should refuse to vote, and to exercise their lawful
influence in public affairs. But they ought not to follow a party.

4. By following the present course of politics, you are contributing your
aid to undermine all government and order in the land.

Who does not know that this great nation now rocks and reels,
because the laws are broken and trampled under foot, and the
executive power refuses or dare not act? Either the magistrate does
not wish to put down disorder, or he temporizes and lets the devil rule.
And so it is in all parts of the country, and all parties. And can a
Christian be consistent with his profession, and vote for such men to
office?

5. You lay a stumbling-block in the way of sinners.

What do sinners think, when they see professing Christians acting with
them in their political measures, which they themselves know to be
dishonest and corrupt? They say, "We understand what we are about,
we are after office, we are determined to carry our party into power,
we are pursuing our own interest; but these Christians profess to live
for another and a higher end, and yet here they come, and join with
us, as eager for the loaves and fishes as the rest of us." What greater
stumbling-block can they have?

6. You prove to the ungodly that professing Christians are actuated by
the same spirit as themselves.

Who can wonder that the world is incredulous as to the reality of
religion? If they do not look for themselves into the scriptures, and
there learn what religion is, if they are governed by the rules of
evidence from what they see in the lives of professing Christians, they
ought to be incredulous. They ought to infer, so far as this evidence
goes, that professors of religion do not themselves believe in it. It is
the fact. I doubt, myself, whether the great mass of professors believe
the Bible.

7. They show, so far as their evidence can go, that there is no change
of heart.

What is it? Is it going to the communion table once in a month or two,
and sometimes to prayer meeting? In that a change of heart, when
they are just as eager in the scramble for office as any others? The
world must be fools to believe in a change of heart on such evidence.

8. Christians ought to cease from conformity to the world in politics,
from the influence which such a course would have on the world.
Suppose Christians were to act perfectly conscientious and consistent
in this matter, and to say, "We will not vote for any man to office,
unless he fears God, and will rule the people in righteousness."
Ungodly men would not set men as candidates, who themselves set
the laws at defiance. No.123

Every candidate would be obliged to show that he was prepared to act
from higher motives, and that he would lay himself out to make the
country prosperous, and to promote virtue, and to put down vice and
oppression and disorder, and to do all he can to make the people
happy and holy! It would shame the dishonest politicians, to show that
the love of God and man is the motive that Christians have in view.
And a blessed influence would go over the land like a wave.

IV. I am to answer some objections that are made against the
principles here advanced.

1. In regard to business.

Objection. "If we do not transact business on the same principles on
which ungodly men do it, we cannot compete with them, and all the
business of the world will fall into the hands of the ungodly. If we
pursue our business for the good of others, if we buy and sell on the
principle of not seeking our own wealth, but the wealth of those we do
business with, we cannot sustain a competition with worldly men, and
they will get all the business."

Let them have it, then. You can support yourself by your industry in
some humbler calling, and let worldly men do all the business.

"Objection." But then, how should we get money to spread the
gospel?"

A holy church that would act on the principles of the gospel, would
spread the gospel faster than all the money that ever was in New
York, or that ever will be. Give me a holy church, that would live above
the world, and the work of salvation would roll on faster than with all
the money in Christendom.

Objection. "But we must spend a great deal of money to bring forward
an educated ministry."

Ah! if we had a HOLY ministry, it would be far more important than an
educated ministry. If the ministry were holy enough, they would do
without so much education. God forbid that I should undervalue an
educated ministry. Let ministers be educated as well as they can, the
more the better, if they are only holy enough. But it is all a farce to
suppose that a literary ministry can convert the world. Let the ministry
have the spirit of prayer, let the baptism of the Holy Ghost be upon
them, and they will spread the gospel. Only let Christians live as they
ought, and the church would shake the world!. If Christians in New
York would do it, the report would soon fill every ship that leaves the
port, and waft the news on every wind, till the earth was full of
excitement and inquiry, and conversions would multiply like the drops
of morning dew.

Suppose you were to give up your business, and devote yourselves
entirely to the work of extending the gospel. The church once did so,
and you know what followed. When that little band in Jerusalem gave
up their business and spent their time in the work of God, salvation
spread like a wave. And I believe, if the whole Christian church were
to turn right out, and convert the world, it would be done in a very short
time.

And further, the fact is, that you would not be required to give up your
business. If Christians would do business in the spirit of the gospel,
they would soon engross the business of the world. 

Only let the world see, that if they go to a Christian to do business, he
will not only deal honestly, but benevolently, that he will actually
consult the interest of the person he deals with, as if it were his own
interest, and who would deal with anybody else? What merchant
would go to an ungodly man to trade, who he knew would try to get the
advantage of him, and cheat him, while he knew that there were
Christian merchants to deal with, that would consult his interests as
much as they do their own? Indeed, it is a known fact, that there are
now Christian merchants in this city, who regulate the prices of the
articles they deal in. Merchants come in from the country, and inquire
around to see how they can buy goods, and they go to these men to
know exactly what articles are worth at a fair price, and govern
themselves accordingly.

The advantage, then, is all on one side. The church can make it for the
interest of the ungodly to do business on right principles. The church
can regulate the business of the world, and woe to them if they do not.

2. In regard to fashion.

Objection. "Is it best for Christians to be singular?"

Certainly; Christians are bound to be singular. Then are called to be
a peculiar people, that is, a singular people, essentially different from
the rest of mankind. To maintain that we are not to be singular, is the
same as to maintain that we are to be conformed to the world. "Be not
singular," that is, be like the world. In other words, "Be ye conformed
to the world." This is the direct opposite to the command in the text.

But the question now regards fashion, in dress, equipage, and so on.
And here I will confess that I was formerly myself in error. I believed,
and I taught, that the best way for Christians to pursue, was to dress
so as not to be noticed, to follow the fashions and changes so as not
to appear singular, and that nobody would be led to think of their being
different from others in these particulars. But I have seen my error,
and now wonder greatly at my former blindness. It is your duty to
dress so plain as to show to the world, that you place no sort of
reliance in the things of fashion, and set no value at all on them, but
despise and neglect them altogether. But unless you are singular,
unless you separate yourselves from the fashions of the world, you
show that you do value them. There is no way in which you can hear
a proper testimony by your lives against the fashions of the work, but
by dressing plain. I do not mean that you should study singularity, but
that you should consult convenience and economy, although it may be
singular.

Objection. "But if we dress plain, the attention of people will be taken
with it."

The reason of it is this, so few do it that it is a novelty, and everybody
stares when they see a professing Christian so strict as to disregard
the fashions. Let them all do it, and the only thing you show by it is that
you are a Christian, and do not wish to be confounded with the
ungodly. Would it not tell on the pride of the world, if all the Christians
in it were united in bearing a practical testimony against its vain show.

Objection. "But in this way you carry religion too far away from the
multitude. It is better not to set up an artificial distinction between the
church and the world."

The direct reverse of this is true. The nearer you bring the church to
the world, the more you annihilate the reasons that ought to stand out
in view of the world, for their changing sides and coming over to the
church. 

Unless you go right out from them, and show that you are not of them
in any respect, and carry the church so far as to have a broad interval
between saints and sinners, how can you make the ungodly feel that
so great a change is necessary.

Objection. "But this change which is necessary is a change of heart."

True; but will not a change of heart produce a change of life?

Objection. "You will throw obstacles in the way of persons becoming
Christians. Many respectable people will become disgusted with
religion, and if they cannot be allowed to dress and be Christians, they
will take to the world altogether."

This is just about as reasonable as it would be for a temperance man
to think he must get drunk now and then, to avoid disgusting the
intemperate, and to retain his influence over them. The truth is, that
persons ought to know, and ought to see in the lives of professing
Christians, that if they embrace religion, they must be weaned from the
world, and must give up the love of the world, and its pride, and show,
and folly, and live a holy life, in watchfulness, and self-denial, and
active benevolence.

Objection. "Is it not better for us to disregard this altogether, and not
pay any attention to such little things, and let them take their course;
let the milliner and manta-maker do as they please, and follow the
usages of society in which we live, and the circle in which we move?"

Is this the way to show contempt for the fashions of the world? Do
people ordinarily take this course of showing contempt for a thing, to
practice it? Why, the way to show your abhorrence of the world is to
follow along in the customs and the fashions of the world! Precious
reasoning this.

Objection. "No matter how we dress, if our hearts are right?"

Your heart right! Then your heart may be right when your conduct is
all wrong. Just as well might the profane swearer say, "No matter what
words I speak, if my, heart is right." No, your heart is not right, unless
your conduct is right. What is outward conduct, but the acting out of
the heart? If your heart was right, you would not wish to follow the
fashions of the world.

Objection. "What is the standard of dress? I do not see the use of all
your preaching, and laying down rules about plain dress, unless you
give us a standard."

This is a mighty stumbling block with many. But to any mind the matter
is extremely simple. The whole can be comprised in two simple rules.
One is   Be sure, in all your equipage, and dress, and furniture, to
show that you have no fellowship with the designs and principles of
those who are aiming to set off themselves, and to gain the applause
of men. The other is let economy be first consulted, and then
convenience. Follow Christian economy; that is, save all you can for
Christ's service; and then, let things be as convenient as Christian
economy will admit.

Objection. "Would you have us all to turn Quakers, and put on their
plain dress?"

Who does not know, that the plain dress of the Quakers has won for
them the respect of all the thinking part of the ungodly in the
community? Now, if they had coupled with this, the zeal for God, and
the weanedness from the world, and the contempt for riches, and the
self-denying labor for the conversion of sinners to Christ, which the
gospel enjoins, and the clear views of the plan of salvation, 
which the gospel inculcates, they would long since have converted the
world. 

And if all Christians would imitate them in their plain dress, (I do not
mean the precise cut and fashion of their dress, but in a plain dress,
throwing contempt upon the fashions of the world,) who can doubt that
the conversion of the world would hasten on apace?

Objection. "Would you make us all into Methodists?"

Who does not know that the Methodists, when they were noted for
their plain dress, and for renouncing the; fashions and show of the
world, used to have power with God in prayer   and that they had the
universal respect of the world as sincere Christians. And who does not
know that since they have laid aside this peculiarity, and conformed to
the world in dress and other things, and seemed to be trying to lift
themselves up as a denomination, and gain influence with the world,
they are losing the power of prayer? Would to God they had never
thrown down this wall. It was one of the leading excellences of
Wesley's system, to have his followers distinguished from others by a
plain dress.

Objection. "We may be proud of a plain dress as well as of a
fashionable dress. The Quakers are as proud as we are."

So may any good thing be abused. But that is no reason why it should
not be used, if it can be shown to be good I put it back to the objector

Is that any reason why a Christian female, who fears God and loves
the souls of men, should neglect the means which may make an
impression that she is separated from the world, and pour contempt
on the fashions of the ungodly, in which they are dancing their way to
hell?

Objection. "This is a small thing, and ought not to take up so much of
a minister's time in the pulpit."

This is an objection often heard from worldly professors. But the
minister that fears God will not be deterred by it. He will pursue the
subject, until such professing Christians are cut off from their
conformity to the world, or cut off from the church. It is not merely the
dress, as dress but it is the conformity to the world in dress and
fashion, that is the great stumbling-block in the way of sinners. How
can the world be converted, while professing Christians are conformed
to the world? What good will it do to give money to send the gospel to
the heathen, when Christians live so at home? Well might the heathen
ask, "What profit will it be to become Christians, when those who are
Christians are pursuing the world with all the hot haste of the
ungodly?" The great thing necessary for the church is to break off from
conformity to the world, and then they will have power with God in
prayer, and the Holy Ghost will descend and bless their efforts, and
the world will be converted.

Objection. "But if we dress so, we shall be called fanatics."

Whatever the ungodly may call you, fanatics, Methodists, or anything,
you will be known as Christians, and in the secret consciences of men
will be acknowledged as such. It is not in the power of unbelievers to
pour contempt on a holy church, that are separated from the world.
How was it with the early Christians? They lived separate from the
world, and it made such an impression, that even infidel writers say of
them, "These men win the hearts of the mass of the people, because
they give themselves up to deeds of charity, and pour contempt on the
world." Depend upon it, if Christians would live so now, the last effort
of hell would soon be expended in vain to defeat the spread of the
gospel. Wave after wave would flow abroad, till the highest mountain
tops were covered with the waters of life.

3. In regard to politics.

Objection. "In this way, by acting on these principles and refusing to
unite with the world in politics, we could have no influence in
government and national affairs."

I answer, first, It is so now. Christians, as such, have no influence.
There is not a Christian principle adopted because it is Christian, or
because it is according to the law of God.

I answer, secondly, If there is no other way for Christians to have an
influence in the government, but by becoming conformed to the world
in their habitual principles and parties, then let the ungodly take the
government and manage it in their own way, and do you go and serve
God.

I answer, thirdly, No such result will follow. Directly the reverse of this
would be the fact. Only let it be known that Christian citizens will on no
account assist bad men into office; only let it be known that the church
will go only for men that will aim at the public good, and both parties
will be sure to set up such men. And in this way, the church could
legitimately exert an influence, by compelling all parties to bring
forward only men who are worthy of an honest man's support.

Objection. "In this way the church and the world will be arrayed against
each other."
The world is too selfish for this. You cannot make parties so. Such a
line can never be a permanent division. For one year the ungodly
might unite against the church, and leave Christians in a small
minority. But in the end, the others would form two parties, each
courting the suffrages of Christians, by offering candidates such as
Christians can conscientiously vote for.

REMARKS.

1. By non-conformity to the world, you may save much money for
doing good.

In one year a greater fund might be saved by the church than has ever
been raised for the spread of the gospel.

2. By non-conformity to the world, a great deal of time may be saved
for doing good, that is now consumed and wasted in following the
fashions, and obeying the maxims, and joining in the pursuits of the
world.

3. At the same time, Christians in this way would preserve their peace
of conscience, would enjoy communion with God, would have the spirit
of prayer, and would possess far greater usefulness.

Is it not time something was done? Is it not time that some church
struck out a path, that should not be conformed to the world, but
should be according to the example and Spirit of Christ?

You profess that you want to have sinners converted. But what avails
it, if they sink right back again into conformity with the world? Brethren,
I confess, I am filled with pain in view of the conduct of the church.
Where are the proper results of the glorious revivals we have had? I
believe they were genuine revivals of religion and outpourings of the
Holy Ghost, that the church has enjoyed the last ten years. I believe
the converts of the last ten years are among the best Christians in the
land. Yet after all, the great body of them are a disgrace to religion. 

Of what use would it be to have a thousand members added to the
church, to be just such as are now in it? Would religion be any more
honored by it, in the estimation of ungodly men? One holy church, that
are really crucified to the world, and the world to them, would do more
to recommend Christianity, than all the churches in the country, living
as they now do. O, if I had strength of body to go through the churches
again, instead of preaching to convert sinners, I would preach to bring
up the churches to the gospel standard of holy living. Of what use is
it to convert sinners, and make them such Christians as these? Of
what use is it to try to convert sinners, and make them feel there is
something in religion, and when they go to trade with you, or meet you
in the street, have you contradict it all, and tell them, by your
conformity to the world, that there is nothing in it?

Where shall I look, where shall the Lord look, for a church like the first
church, that will come out from the world, and be separate, and give
themselves up to serve God? O, if this church would do so. But it is of
little use to make Christians if they are not better. Do not understand
me as saying that the converts made in our revivals, are spurious. But
they live so as to be a disgrace to religion. They are so stumbled by
old professors that many of them do more hurt than good. The more
there are of them, the more occasion infidelity seems to find for her
jeers and scoffs.

Now, do you believe that God commands you not to be conformed to
the world? Do you believe it? And dare you obey it, let people say
what they will about you? Dare you now separate yourselves from the
world, and never again be controlled by its maxims, and never again
copy its practices, and never again will be whiffled here and there by
its fashions? I know a man that lives so, I could mention his name, he
pays no attention to the customs of the world in this respect, and what
is the result? Wherever that man goes, he leaves the impression
behind that he is a Christian. O, if one church would do so, and would
engage in it with all the energy that men of the world engage in their
business, they would turn the world upside down.

Will you do so? Will you break off from the world now, and enter into
covenant with God, and declare that you will dare to be singular
enough to be separate from the world, and from this time set your
faces as a flint to obey God, let the world say what they will? Dare you
do it? Will you do it?

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