UC-NRLF 135 , ;_/ $* OS PQ w w u 05 O CHRISTIAN PROGRESS: A SEQUEL ANXIOUS INQUIRER AFTER SALVATION, BY REV. JOHN ANGELL JAMES, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND. . Forgetting the things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before. PHIL. 3 : 13. Then shall we know, if we follow on, to know the Lord. HOSEA 6 : 3. PUBLISHEITBY THE AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY, 150 NASSAU-STREET, NEW YORB. ?i i. CONTENTS. PAGE Introduction ... . , . 5 CHAPTER I. The Necessity of Progress 21 CHAPTER II. Nature of Progress 47 CHAPTER III. The Means of Progress 105 CHAPTER IV. Mistakes concerning Progress 147 CHAPTER V. Hinder ances to Progress 184 CHAPTER VI. Motives to Progress 216 CHAPTER VII. Encouragements to Progress 25 2? INTRODUCTION. THE DESCRIPTION OF PERSONS FOR WHOSE BENEFIT THIS WORK IS INTENDED AND TO WHOM IT IS ADDRESSED. "!F there be one word," says a writer in one of the ablest of our evangelical periodicals, "which more than another now commands the ear of the public, that word is * PROGRESS. It has fallen like a spark among the inflammable mass of the working and thinking classes. This mighty watchword of the newest and most potential eras has run through the mighty chain of hearts and minds with electric in tensity." This is true of science, of literature, of arts, of commerce, of jurisprudence, and of politics. It would be strange if religion, con sidered as a practical system, could be justly exempted from this law of progress. We are to expect no new revelations, and cannot look for any new doctrines to be brought out of th3 old ones. That these however have yet to develope themselves still more clearly ; that new treasures are to be brought out of this 6 INTRODUCTION. inexhaustible mine, and a new power to be exerted by this mighty instrument for the world s regeneration, who can doubt ? It is not, however, of the progress of theo logical science, as it is found in the systems of divines, and as it shall clear away the clouds and mists which hang over men s minds, and hide the glory of the great luminary of the world, that I now write, but of the progress of truth in the individual mind and heart and character ; of that blessed growth in spiritual life which is to be the supreme object of every one who has passed through a state of religious solicitude, and which carries forward the soul of "the anxious inquirer" to the condition of the established believer. This work takes it for granted that the reader has decided, in his own opinion at any rate, in the great business of religion, to look for salvation by faith in Christ alone. I am supposing that he has been led to this by the blessing of God upon my former work, or upon some other means. It is not my design now to urge him to surrender at the foot of the cross to God. I consider this as done. He INTRODUCTION. 7 has also become the professor of the faith he has exercised. His difficulties have been re moved, his mistakes rectified, and seeing his only way of salvation to be by trust in Christ, he is now to be led forward in the ways of the Lord. It is the confession and lamentation of the horticulturist that many of the most promis ing and beautiful blossoms of his trees do not set in fruit ; and that many which do, never ripen to maturity. Precisely similar cases occur to the spiritual husbandmen in the garden of the Lord. "Where is the faithful minister of Jesus Christ who has not often in sadness and disappointment, to adopt the language, and to sympathize in the feelings of surprise, grief, and disappointment of the apostle Paul, where he said, "I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain. ("My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you, I desire to be present with you now, and to change my voice ; for I stand in doubt of you. Ye did run well ; who did hinder you, that ye should not obey the truth ?" Gal. 4 : 11, 19, 20 ; 5 : 7. How often, 8 INTRODUCTION. when through (rod s grace we fondly hoped we had led the penitent to the cross, directed the eye of faith to the Lamb of Grod, assisted him in the exercise of a "good hope," and left him in possession of a quiet consciousness of the great change, have we seen him leave his " first love," and instead of advancing into a fuller development of Christian character, relinquish ing the solicitude he once possessed, and sink ing into a state of lukewarm indifference. Often do faithful ministers perceive that religious concern is awakened in the minds of some of their hearers. Conviction of sin by the law is produced, and the great question with its accompanying solicitude is awakened, ""What shall I do to be saved ?" The anxious inquirer is instructed in the way of salvation. He professes to understand and receive "the truth as it is in Jesus." His solicitude sub sides into peace. He becomes a professor of religion ; is received into the fellowship of the church ; and considers himself, and is con sidered by others, a Christian. It might be expected that he would now grow in grace ; that he would be continually advancing in the INTRODUCTION. 9 divine life ; that his attainments would "be always increasing ; that progression would be the law of his new existence. But is not the contrary to this the case with many of those who make a profession ? Do they look like learners in the school of Christ who are mak ing great proficiency in divine knowledge ? On the contrary, does it not appear too evident that in many cases the young disciple, instead of remaining the anxious believer and pro gressive Christian, has subsided into the care less professor ? As if his solicitude was to -make a profession, not to maintain it; to be called a Christian, rather than be one ; to enjoy church privileges, rather than to feel individual obligations. It might seem strange that when a false profession is so awfully denounced, and the Lord s table guarded as if by the flaming sword of a cherub in that woe pronounced by the apostle upon the unworthy receiver, any one should be so rash and reckless as to expose his soul to the perilous stroke of that fearful weapon. Yet many do, by partaking in an unmeet state of mind of the sacred supper. 10 INTRODUCTION. It will perhaps be asked, Why do the minis ters of religion permit it ? We reply, Can they search the heart ? Can they discern between the sincere and the self-deceived communicant ? Is not a credible profession a sufficient warrant to any minister to admit a person to the com munion ? In an age like ours, when evangelical religion bears no stigma, and its professors are called to endure no persecution, it is natural to suppose that some, yea, many, will say, " Lord, Lord," who do not the will of our Father in heaven. Many there are who feel the obligation to make a profession of religion, who have no just sense of what it includes and requires. The persua sion of friends and their own wish to be associat ed with them, may also lead to this ; and thus the conscience is appeased, a sense of religious decorum indulged, and pious relatives pleased, while at the same time there is no adequate idea of the obligation which the assumption of the Christian name involves. With many persons there seems to be a radi cal mistake as to the true nature of the Chris tian life. It is regarded too much in the light INTRODUCTION. 11 of a mere profession, rather than a practice a state, rather than a habit a fixed point, rather than a continuous line a resting place, rather than a field of labor the goal, rather than the starting point. A profession has been looked forward to with anxiety, as a something which is to fix and determine the character to give a religious status, to secure certain immunities. The mind in prospect is perhaps somewhat seri ous, agitated, and solicitous. The table of the Lord is approached, and perhaps with some so lemnity and self-surrender. And it is now regard ed as a thing done. The Christian character is formed. The mind is at ease. The inward con sciousness is, " I am a professor." In too many cases, solicitude is from that hour at an end. Instead of a trembling anxiety to be all that they profess ; to do all that is required of them ; to develope all that is contained in the Christian character ; to supply all the defects in know ledge, faith, and holiness, which might be sup posed to exist in one so young in religion ; to demonstrate to all around the reality, by the growth, of their piety ; they settle down at ease upon their profession, and in many cases are 12 INTRODUCTION. never more in earnest, and in not a few less so, than when they began to seek the Lord. But without supposing such extreme cases as these of self-satisfaction in the first stages of religion, there are others of a somewhat more hopeful character, but which still require the cautions, directions, and admonitions of such a work as this. And to put these more clearly before the reader, I may observe there are four successive states of mind in reference to relig ion : absolute indifference concern, attended by conviction of sin faith in Christ, bringing relief to the burdened and troubled conscience and then the work of faith in its continuous in fluence on the Christian life and character. I am supposing now the case of one who has reached the third stage. His indifference has given place to solicitude, his solicitude has obtained relief by faith. The young disciple has discovered, to his delight, the way of pardon, peace, and eternal life, through the atonement of Christ. There he is, lying down in peace at the foot of the cross. The oppressive burden of his guilt is lost. The tormenting fear which it produced has been cast out by love. He is now ready to say, INTRODUCTION. 13 "Sweet the moments, rich in blessing, Which before the cross I spend, Life, and health, and peace possessing / From the sinner s dying Friend. "Here I 11 sit, with transport viewing Mercy s streams, in streams of blood : Precious drops my soul bedewing, Plead and claim my peace with God." All this is well, good, happy but it is not enough. Even he, this relieved soul, is but too apt to forget that he has " not yet attained, and is not yet perfect." Even he is but too apt to consider that the great transition from a state of nature to a state of grace that the mighty bound from impenitence to conversion that the wondrous translation from the power of dark ness to the kingdom of (rod s dear son, is, if not all that is required, yet all that need make him anxious. He is so taken up with his jus tification through faith, and the peace with God which it brings with it, that his sanctification is too little thought of. He is ready to say of Calvary what Peter did of Tabor, "It is good to be here ;" not considering how much yet remains to be done. It is indeed a blessed thing to be pardoned : who can deny it ? To look up 14 INTRODUCTION. and see the brow of Deity not clothed with a frown, but radiant with a smile to see the heavens all serene and cloudless, and to feel the bright beams of mercy diffusing warmth as well as light over the conscience. " Oh, the blessed ness of the man whose transgressions are for given, whose sin is covered, to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity." But this is not the whole of religion nor the end of it nor the highest glory of it. There is the purpose for which this very pardon is granted, to be accom plished. There is all the subsequent work of grace, of which this is only the commencement, to be carried on and completed. Oh, thou blessed penitent, thou relieved anxious inquirer, thou rejoicing young believ er, I would not dash the cup of consolation from thy lips, nor drop into it wormwood and gall. I would not affirm thy joy is premature. On the contrary, I would say, " Rejoice in the Lord, rejoice in the Lord always." " The joy of the Lord is thy. strength." " Go on thy way rejoicing." Yes, but then, Go on. Carry thy joy with thee, even joy and peace in believing. But still I say, Go on. Onward, onward INTRODUCTION. 15 is the Christian s watchword. How blessed a night was it to the children of Israel when they celebrated the paschal feast on the eve of their flight from the house of bondage. Yes, but they were to eat it with their staves in their hands, and with other emblems of progress. How jubilant were their feelings when they found themselves safe on the farther shore of the Red sea. Yes, but there they were not to linger, but must move onward. All the length of the wilderness stretched between them and the promised land. Privations were to be en dured, enemies to be encountered, difficulties to be surmounted, and dangers to be escaped, ere they could set their foot on Canaan. So is it with the Christian his conversion is but his flight from Egypt ; and amidst all the joy of his first faith and first love, he must be remind ed of the journey through the wilderness, and be prepared to make it. The journey is in fact to the latter what it was to the former, the great test of charac ter. Of all those six hundred thousand who started so joyfully from Egypt, only two crossed the Jordan. All the rest found graves in the 16 INTRODUCTION. wilderness. Of those who now seem so hope fully to set out for heaven, and make a good profession before many witnesses, how many are satisfied with merely beginning well. In them the Christian character is never developed. They make no progress. Not going forward, they turn backward. They are like ever greens transplanted in the spring, which for a while look as vigorous and fresh as the other shrubs all around them ; but they send out no shoots, though retaining for a while their ver dure. The gardener as he looks upon the plant has his fears, and shakes his head ; till, as the season advances, the signs of decay are but too apparent, and the leafless skeleton proclaims the work of death. So is it with some who make a profession of religion in youth. The design of this volume, then, will now be clearly seen, and the persons for whom it is in tended be correctly understood. It is a sequel to " The Anxious Inquirer after Salvation," and takes up the traveller to heaven where that leaves him, and offers to guide him onward in his perilous and eventful course. To change the illustration from the flight of Israel out of INTRODUCTION. . 17 Egypt to that of Lot from Sodom, and to con nect it with, the work above alluded to, I may say, that if the intent and effect of that little work, in every case where it is successful, is, to pluck the sinner from the condemnation of the law, as the angel brought the patriarch out of the city doomed to destruction ; the purpose of this is, to say to the rescued fugitive, "Escape for thy life : look not behind thee, neither stay thou in all the plain ; escape to the mountain, lest thou be consumed." ADDRESS TO THE READER. Before you proceed to read another page, pause, ponder, and examine. Solemnly, as in the presence of Grod seriously, as taking up the most momentous subject in the universe hon estly, as wishing to know your real state, ask yourself the question, "Am I stopping in a mere profession ? Have not I hastily taken up the Cliristian name without duly considering what it is to be^ a Christian; what strictness and earnestness it implies; what obligations it im poses ; what duties it requires ; and what pro gressive improvements it demands ? Have I Chr. Pro ff . 2 18 . INTRODUCTION. really studied the word of Grod to obtain a cor- rect idea of the nature of religion ; of its holi ness, spirituality, heavenliness ? Do I under stand it to be a growing meetness for, and a steady advance towards celestial glory ? Have I not concluded I am a Christian too hastily ? Or, have I not settled down into a state of care lessness, while I ought to "be still in a state of anxiety and effort ? Or, supposing I have ex perienced a change, have I not taken up the idea that religion is a state rather than a progress ?" Reader, put these questions to yourself. Be honest. "Wish, long, be intensely anxious to be right. Tremble to your very soul s centre at the idea of self-deception on so momentous an affair. Before you read another chapter, put down the volume, fall upon your knees and ag onize in prayer that the perusal may be blessed to your soul. Take the book with you into your closet. Read it in your most serious hours, in your greatest privacy, and in the most solemn manner. I would recommend these and some such other directions for its perusal as are found in " The Anxious Inquirer." In books for spir itual edification, much depends upon the man- INTRODUCTION. . 19 ner in which, they are read. If taken up care lessly and read in a light mood, or in the com pany of others, they are likely to do little good. The attention will not be fixed, nor the heart engaged, nor the conscience awakened. You must be somewhere alone with God ; where you can have leisure and opportunity to commune with your own heart and with him ; where you can pause, reflect, and pray, unobserved by a single fellow-creature ; where you can stop, ex amine, ejaculate, and it may be, weep. You must read this work, if you would get any good jrom it, in some such serious manner as this. I have been very serious in writing it. It has lain with great weight upon my spirit, and has been the subject of much earnest prayer to God. I have seen much of the evils it is in tended to remove, and felt much of the need of some such work. And as every page has been written in the spirit and exercise of prayer more or less, so I feel anxious that every page should be read in the spirit of prayer. Offer, there fore, some such supplication as this : " Father of mercies and God of all grace, since thou hast put it into the heart of thy ser- 20 INTRODUCTION. vant to write this little work for my edification, grant me, through Jesus Christ my only Medi ator and Advocate, the teaching and help of thy Holy Spirit, that I may derive spiritual advan tage from the perusal of it. Rouse my too dull and flagging soul to consider the importance of the subject. I give thee sincere and hearty thanks that thou hast awakened in me an anx iety about salvation, and enabled me to look for the mercy of God, through Jesus Christ, unto eternal life. But as the work of grace is only just begun in me, I earnestly pray that I may be deeply impressed with the indispensable need of progressive improvement. Make me desirous to grow in grace : and may this book, through thy blessing, greatly conduce to that end. Help me to fix my attention upon what I read; to understand what I attend to ; to treasure up what I understand in my memory ; and to prac tise what I remember, so that I may have cause to bless thee that ever this work came into my hand. Thus, while I am thankful for the in strument, thine shall be the glory, through our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen." CHAPTER I. THE NECESSITY OF PROG-RESS. ALL spiritual good things tend to improve ment. A right principle must, from its very nature, push outward and onward as long as there is in contact with it any thing that is wrong, for there is an expansive power in all truth and virtue. It would be strange if this were not the case with religion. It is with goodness as with money, the possession aug ments the desire to possess more. So that they who are contented with such a measure of piety as they already suppose they possess, give fear ful evidence that they have none. And this ought to sound alarm at once in the ears of a very large number of persons. "Is it true," they should say, " that a self-satisfied condition 22 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. is proof of little or no religion ; that a quiet, easy, contented mind, without any anxiety to advance, is an evidence that the soul is not in a good and safe state ? Then ought I not to fear that I am deluding myself, since certainly I know very little about such a solicitude as this ? Have I not, since I made a profession, seemed to reach the summit of my hopes, and settled down, into a state of religious competency upon a supposition that I am rich enough already ?" It may be well for the fears of some to be thus excited ; and that they should ask such ques tions about their real condition. An uninquis- itive state of mind cannot be a safe one. It is too momentous an affair to be treated in this " free and easy" sort of manner. It would be far more rational for a young tradesman lately started in life to be careless and questionless about his advance or retrogression, than for a young Christian lately set out on the journey to heaven. " Am I making progress ?" should be his inquiry. Just for this reason, progress is the law of true religion. This appears, First, from Scripture COMMANDS. "We shall select only a few of the most prominent. NECESSITY OF PROG-RESS. 23 How impressive is such language as the follow ing: " That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to "be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man ; that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith ; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all saints* what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height ; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth know ledge, that ye might be filled with all the ful ness of God." Ephes. 3 : 16-19. " That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doc trine, by the sleight of men, and cunning crafti ness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive ; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ : from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint sup- plieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." Eph. 4:14-16. Read also Phil. 1:9-11; Col. 1:9-11 ; Heb. 6:1-3; 13:20,21; 1 Pet. 2 : 1 ; 2 Pet. 1:5; and especially 2 Pet. 3 : 18 : " Grow in 24: CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." May I request you to lay down this volume, open your Bible, and read these passages, remembering that it is God who speaks to you in every one of them, and commands you to go forward. Secondly, consider the scriptural ILLUSTRA TIONS of the nature of true religion. "We take one first from the Old Testament, and a beau tiful one it is the rise and progress of the SUN. " The path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Proverbs 4 : 18. It is not the glimmei of the glow-worm, nor the transient blaze oi the meteor, nor the wasting ray of the taper, but the grand luminary of heaven " coining out of his chamber and rejoicing as a strong man to run a race." And a very beautiful sight it is, to see a soul rising out of darkness, not stopping on the verge of the horizon, but ascending higher and higher not merely be ginning its course and remaining amidst fogs, clouds, and mists, but shining brighter and brighter at every step with increasing know ledge, faith, and love. But is this shining light NECESSITY OF PROG-RESS. 25 the picture of our path? There is no such command given as, " Sun, stand thou still ;" therefore it rebukes a stationary profession. It is a rising and advancing, not a declining sun ; therefore it rebukes a backsliding state. There may be an occasional cloud, or even in some cases, as of David and Peter, a temporary eclipse. But when did the sun fail of carrying on its early dawn to a perfect day ? Be thank ful, then, for " the day of small things ;" despise it not. But be not satisfied with it. Religion must be a shining and a progressive light. Among these scriptural illustrations there is none more frequent or better known than LIFE. It is scarcely necessary to quote passages, they are so numerous and so familiar. " He that belie veth hath everlasting life." " By this we know that we have passed from death unto life." " He came that we might have life, and that we might have it more abundantly." " Your life is hid with Christ in G-od." " When Christ who is our life shall appear." Religion is a new, a spiritual, a divine, a heavenly life; the life of Grod in the soul of man. Now, it is the law of all life to progress. It is so with veget- 26 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. able and animal vitality, and it must of neces sity be so with that which is spiritual. Mark the new-born babe : there is a spark of life, always very feeble, sometimes scarcely distin guishable from death. Yet, there is life. The babe becomes a child, the child a youth, the youth a man. Life is progressive. Is not this, I say, the selected, the frequent emblem of the Christian? In support of this illustration of progress in religion, we may refer to one of the passages already quoted : " As new-born babes, desire the sincere milk of the word,that ye may grow thereby." Newly converted persons are babes lately born, little infants, feeble in every thing that pertains to spiritual life, yet there is life. They are not like still-born children, that cannot grow, but are quickened from a death of sin to a life of righteousness. "What is dead cannot grow ; as what is wholly perfect does not need to grow. An unregenerated sin ner can never grow in spiritual life ; he must first be made alive : and when he is alive he must grow. This constitutes the difference between "living" in the Spirit, and " ivalk- ing" in the Spirit. There is first the principle NECESSITY OF PROGRESS. 27 ot life, then its manifestation in activity. So, young Christians are very far from being what they are yet to be, even on earth ; as all Chris tians are very far from being what they are to be in heaven. The child of Grod is born to grow as well as to live ; and G-od, who has ordained the growth, has provided for it in the milk of the word. The representation of Arch bishop Leighton in his exquisitely beautiful exposition of this passage is so striking that I shall introduce a long quotation from it, which no one will deem too long : " The whole estate and course of the Chris tian s spiritual life here is called their infancy, not only as opposed to the corruption and wickedness of their previous state, but like wise as signifying the weakness and imper fection of it at the best in this life, compared with the perfection of the life to come ; for the weakest beginnings of grace are by no means so far below the highest degree of it possible in this life, as the highest degree falls short of the state of glory : so that, if one measure of grace is called infancy in respect to another, much more is all grace infancy in 28 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. respect to glory. And surely, as for duration, the time of our present life is far less to eter nity than the time of our natural infancy is to the rest of our life ; so that we may stil] he called hut new or lately horn. Our hest pace and strongest walking in ohedience here, is hut the stepping of children when they hegin to go hy hold, in comparison with the perfect ohedience in glory, the stately, grace ful steps with which, on the heights of Zion, we shall walk in the light of the Lord ; when * we shall follow the Lamh whithersoever he goeth. All our knowledge here is hut the ignorance of infants, and all our expressions of Grod and of his praises, are hut as the first stammerings of children which are, however, very pleasant hoth to child and parent in comparison with the knowledge we shall have of him hereafter, * when we shall know as we are known ; and with those praises we shall offer him, when that new song shall he taught us, which is sung hefore the throne, and hefore the four living creatures, and which none can learn hut those who are redeemed from the earth. Rev. 14 : 3. A child hath in NECESSITY OF PROG-RESS. 29 it a reasonable soul ; and yet, "by the indis- posedness of the body, and abundance of moisture, it is so bound up, that its difference from the beasts, and its partaking of a rational nature, is not so apparent as afterwards ; and thus the spiritual life that is from above in fused into a Christian, though it doth act and work in some degree, yet it is so clogged with natural corruption still remaining in him, that the excellency of it is much clouded and obscured ; but in the life to come it shall have nothing at all encumbering and indisposing it. And this is the apostle Paul s doctrine : For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child ; but when I became a man, I put away child ish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly ; but then face to face : now I know in part;, but then shall I know even also as I am known. 1 Cor. 13 : 9-12. " And this is the wonder of divine grace, that brings so small beginnings to that height 30 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. of perfection that we are not able to conceive of; that a little spark of true grace, that is not only undiseernible to others, but often to the Christian himself, should yet be the begin ning of that condition wherein they shall shino brighter than the sun in the firmament. The difference is great in our natural life, in some persons especially, that they who in infancy were so feeble and wrapped up like others in swaddling clothes, yet afterwards come to excel in wisdom and in the knowledge of the sci ences, to be commanders of great armies, or to be kings ; but the distance is far greater and more admirable, between the weakness of these new-born babes, the small beginnings of grace, and their after perfection, that fulness of knowledge that we look for, and that crown of immortality that all are born to who are born of God. But as in the faces and actions of some children, characters and presages of their after greatness have appeared as a sin gular beauty in Moses countenance, as they write of him, and as Cyrus was made king among the shepherd s children with whom he was brought up so also certainly in these NECESSITY OF rROQRESS. 31 children of God there be some characters and evidences that they are born for heaven by their new birth. That holiness and meekness, that patience and faith, that shine in the actions and sufferings of the saints, are char acters of their Father s image, and show their high original, and foretell their glory to come ; such a glory as doth not only surpass the world s thoughts, but the thoughts of the chil dren of G-od themselves. * It doth not yet appear what we shall be ; but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like him ; for we shall see him as he is. 1 John, 3:2." We now, in prosecution of the scriptural illustrations of religious progress, take up the idea of a SPRING. " Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever shall drink of this water shall thirst again ; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." John 4 : 13, 14. Permit me to direct your fixed attention to the beauties of this passage. While the pleasures of the world, " the lust of the flesh, the pride of life, and the lust of the eyes," are but as drops which excite rather 32 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. than allay the thirst of the natural man after true happiness, or at best leave him unsat isfied ; the grace of Christ, in renewing and sanctifying the soul, leads it to the true foun tain of bliss, and compels it in the fulness of satisfaction to exclaim, "I have found it, I have found it." And this source of happiness is not far off, for it is within and not without its possessor. "It shall be in him a well of water." He carries the spring about with him. Hence it is said, " The good man shall be satisfied from himself." And it is also abundant, an unfailing source, a constant supply, a well ever accessible and never -dry. But it is not merely the satisfying, but the pro gressive nature of true religion which is here represented. It is a beautiful image not a stagnant pool, nor a well so deep as that its waters cannot rise ; but a spring whose spark ling and gushing ebullitions shall be ever bubbling up, and forming an ever-living foun tain that flows at all seasons of the year, in heat or cold, and in all the circumstances of the weather, whether foul or fair, wet or dry. Religion always lives, always shows its beau- NECESSITY OF PROGRESS. 33 ties, and amidst all changes of external cir cumstances. But this inward spring of grace in the soul is represented as rising higher and higher and never stopping till it reaches eternal life ; swelling into a stream which refreshes others in its course to eternity, making all around it fruitful and pleasant; just like a river flowing through a country, which irri gates the land and covers it on every hand with fertility and beauty. I ask, Is this descriptive of our religion ? Do we know any thing of this indwelling of the Spirit of G-od ; this inward supply from a di vine source of sanctity and bliss ; these holy ebullitions of sanctified feeling ; this rising up of an inward principle to a divine source, an element of life issuing from the parent fountain, and returning to its primitive source a some thing godlike, which aspires to God heavenly, which aspires to heaven eternal, which rests not till it has reached the eternal ? "What of all this is in us ? Is it mystery, or plainness to us? It is immensely important that we give ourselves time and leisure to inquire into this matter. 34 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. The next illustration I borrow is that which we find in our Lord s language, " The earth bringeth forth fruit of herself: first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear." Mark 4 : 28. This language is rather a descrip tion of the growth of grace in the heart, than, like the grain of mustard-seed, of the advance ment of the kingdom of Christ in the world. It is an allusion to one of the beautiful develop ments and slow processes of nature in regard to vegetable life. How gradually does the princi ple of vitality evolve, its first germinating being imperceptible to the most observant eye. Yet from that invisible germ, there grows up at length the strong and verdant blade. Then the ear gently and gradually comes forth from its envelopments. This, under the genial influence of the heavens and the fertilizing power of the earth, swells into the plump, ripe corn, ready for the reaper s sickle. Instructive and beautiful emblem of that more precious seed of the word of God which is sown in the heart of man by Grod s regenerating work ! It is at first small, feeble, tender, scarcely perceptible, like the first shoots of the grain in the earth. It may be the NECESSITY OF PROG-RESS. 35 early impressions upon a child s mind listening to his mother s gentle admonition and familiar instruction. Or it may be a conviction lodged in the soul under some melting or alarming sermon. Or it may be a serious reflection oc casioned by some painful visitation of Provi dence. God has various methods of entering by his grace into the soul of the unconverted sin ner. The seed may lie long like the grain in the earth before any sign of vegetable life is per ceptible, yet all this while the vital process may be going on. At length it rises above the ground and growth is visible, which continues till the result already described is apparent. But like that, in its earlier stages it needs the greatest watchfulness and care, for it is peculiarly sus ceptible of injury and destruction. The last illustration I take up is that of a RACE. " The most splendid solemnities which ancient history hath transmitted to us were the Olympic games. Historians, orators, and poets abound with references to them, and their sub- limest imagery is borrowed from these renowned exercises. The games were solemnized every fifth year by an infinite concourse of people from 36 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. almost all parts of the world. They were observed with the greatest pomp and magnifi cence ; hecatombs of victims were slain in hon or of the heathen deities, and Elis was a scene of universal festivity and joy. "We find that the most formidable and opulent sovereigns of those times were competitors for the Olympic crown. Even the lords of imperial Rome and emperors of the world entered their names among the candidates, and contended for the envied palm ; judging their felicity completed, and the career of all human glory and greatness happily ter minated, if they could but interweave the Olym pic garland with the laurels they had purchased in the fields of war." Alas for the littleness of earthly ambition and the narrow range of hu man vanity ! It is not to be wondered at that an institute so celebrated should be employed by the sacred writers to illustrate the sublimer objects which they had to propose, and to stim ulate the desires which they were anxious to awaken. Hence the impressive language of the apostle : " Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize ? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man NECESSITY OF PROGRESS. 37 that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corrupt ible crown ; but we an incorruptible." 1 Cor. 9 : 24, 25. No subject could be more familiar than this to the minds of the Corinthians, who were often spectators of similar games celebrat ed upon the isthmus on which their city was situated, and hence denominated the Isthmian. Among these games the foot-race sustained a distinguished place. To this, express allusion is made by the apostle in writing to the He brews, among whom these national festivi ties had been introduced by Herod the Great. " "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith." Heb. 12 : 1, 2. Every expression in these two pas sages is allusive and instructive. The enrolled competitor underwent for several months like the men who engage in those disgraceful feats, our prize fights a rigid system of physical training. Hence the expression, " He that striv 38 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. eth for the mastery is temperate in all things" The candidates \vere obliged to keep in the course marked out, and to observe all the rules prescribed; wherefore it is said, "If a man strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned ex cept he strive- lawfully^ 2 Tim. 2 : 5. The racers laid aside their garments and ran nearly naked. Hence the exhortation, "Let us lay aside every weight " every unnecessary care, every lust both of the flesh and of the mind "and the sin which doth so easily beset us." The race was carried on amidst an immense crowd of spectators ; hence the language, "We also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses." The prize was merely honorary, consisting only of a chaplet of leaves, which withered ere it was worn ; hence it is said, "They do it to obtain a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible" How finely does this illustrate that sublime passage in the epistle to the Philippians : " Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect ; but I fol low after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Jesus Christ. Breth ren, I count not myself to have apprehended ; NECESSITY OF PROGRESS. 39 "but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." Phil. 3 : 12, 14. Every term here employed refers to the ancient foot-race, and the whole passage beautifully represents the ardor which fired the competitors when engaged in the contest. Such, and so impressive is the description given us by the Holy Spirit in the Scriptures, of the nature of religion of the Christian life ; and it is sufficient to make all somewhat anxious about their own state, and to reveal the utter worthlessness and hollo wness of the pretensions of many to the possession of true piety. Does not this illustrative figure set forth more forcibly and vividly than any mere language could do, that the Christian life is a state of self-denial, intense desire, deep so licitude ; of strenuous, unr emitted, unwearied action ; and of constant progress ? How was the soul of the racer filled and fired with the hope of success ; how patiently were the necessary privations borne ; how was every 40 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. muscle strained, and the speed quickened to the uttermost, "by the fear of defeat and the prospect of victory. Reader, whosoever you are whose eye shall wander over these pages, pause, I beseech you, and ponder this subject. This is the inspired description of religion, and must therefore be the correct one. Does your religion answer to this ? Know you aught of such solicitude for the salvation of your soul, such labor to attain it, as are implied in this representation ? Is your religion really a race ? Does your eye often gaze upon the crown of life, and your bosom swell with the mighty aspiration after glory, honor, and immortality ? Oh, do not deceive yourself. Look at this, there is something more than profession here ; something more than the easy and careless bearing of the Christian name which many exhibit. But it is PROGRESS that the subject leads us now especially to contemplate. The racer was not only in action, but in progress. It was with him not merely bounding off with a vigorous start, nor exerting himself to the uttermost of his strength for a part of tho NECESSITY OF PHOG-RESS. 41 course, but a continual going onwards. Hence the beautiful language of the apostle, " For getting the things that are behind, and reach ing forth unto those which are before." One who was running in the ancient race would not stop to look back to see how much ground he had run over, or which of his companions had fallen or lingered on the way. He would keep his eye fixed on the goal and the prize, and strain every nerve to reach them.- If his attention were diverted for a single moment, it might hinder his speed and might be the means of his losing the crown. Onward, on ward, was the mighty impulse which stimu lated him in his course. So was it with the apostle. He fixed his eye intently on the prize and allowed no past attainments as a Christian, or success as a minister, to make him linger on the way. So must it be with us. No measure of knowledge, of faith, or holiness, must satisfy us, but we must be ever making advances in the divine life. Thirdly, if any thing more be necessary to convince us of the necessity of progress, con sider scriptural REBUKES. How often did our 42 CHRISTIAN PROG-RESS. Lord reprove his disciples for the infantine- feebleness of their faith ; and with what just severity did the apostle reproach the believing Hebrews for their want of progress. " When," said he, "for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of Grod ; and have become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat." Heb. 5 : 12. Could any thing be more reproachful of their culpable negligence, their shameful indolence, their voluntary backwardness in seeking after divine knowledge ? They were babes when they ought to have been, and might have been, of full and matured strength. They were con tent with the very rudiments of Christianity, the alphabet of religion. It satisfied them just to have light enough .to grope after salvation, and to walk on in dim twilight. Alas, alas, how many are like them. How many are con tent with the veriest elements of knowledge and experience. Talk with them, observe them years after they have made a profession of relig ion, and you will find them possessed of only the crudest notions and the most unsettled NECESSITY OF PROGRESS. 43 feelings. They are no -further on in the divine life than they were ,* yea, they have gone back. Read also the pungent rebukes of our Lord to the churches in the Apocalypse. He thus addresses the church at Ephesus. "I know thy works, and thy labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil ; and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles and are not, and hast found them liars : and hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name s sake hast labored, and hast not fainted." How exalted a character ; how rich a piety ; how fine an eulogium ! Surely there is nothing here to condemn. Yes, there is. Mark what follows. " Nevertheless, I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love." See that. Dwell upon it. No attainments, no eminence can compensate for a decline of " first love." Christ will allow no plea of extenuation to be put in ; much less any defence to be set up. Hence what follows, " Remember, therefore, from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do thy first works ; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except 44 CHRISTIAN PROG-RESS. thou repent." Rev. 2 : 5. But perhaps it will be said, all that Christ required in this case was that they should only recover lost ground, return to their former state, and continue as they were. Ah, hut what must have been their first love, when their diminished affection was so great ? "What must have been their first works, when their secondary ones were so signal? And moreover the rebuke did not necessarily imply that they were to be satisfied with even this. They had declined just be cause they had neglected to advance, and it was therefore strongly implied that they must advance in order that they might not again recede. If these things do not prove the necessity of progress, it is hopeless to prove any thing. "We should give to them their due weight and act under their influence. ADDRESS TO THE READER. You have now learnt from the word of God the necessity of progress ? "What think you of it ? Has it ever thus occurred to you before ? Does it strike you now? Can you deny or NECESSITY OF PROGRESS. 45 doubt this necessity ? Can you be indifferent to it, or trifle with it ? Perhaps you have over looked it. You have never entered into the subject ; but have had all your attention directed, and all your solicitude awakened to make a good beginning, a public profession, a favorable start. But is this all that is neces sary ? Does this answer to the description of religion, as a race, a spring, a growing child, or tree ? Can you really satisfy yourself that your religion is real, if it be unattended with a conviction that it should be progressive ? Do, do study afresh, I beseech you, the representa tions given in this chapter. Ask yourself the one question, " Am I laying aside every weight, and the sin that does so easily beset me, and so running the race that is set before me as to obtain the prize of eternal glory ?" Are you ? Is there that intense desire after the crown, that vigorous effort to obtain it, that eager hope to receive it, which shall impel you onward with the speed of the ancient racer ? Oh, are you convinced that it is not a faint endeavor, but a mighty conflict, that must gain eternal life ? Are you saying to yourself, "I 46 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. must forget the things that are behind, and press toward the mark for the prize of my high calling? I cannot be satisfied to bo always as I am. I pant to be holier." Again, I say, pause and pray. Read no more till you have entered your closet and have put up the prayer of faith for a deeper conviction of the necessity of progress. NATURE OF PROGRESS. 47 CHAPTER II. NATURE OF PROGRESS. WHAT is it to make progress in religion? Progress is not only action, but moving onward. A door turning upon its hinges is in a state of motion, but it never advances. A chariot moving upon wheels is not only in action, but goes onward. The conduct of some persons in religion resembles the former there is action, but no advancement ; they move, but it is on hinges, not on wheels. They go through, perhaps, even with regularity, the exercises of devotion, both public and private. They may be mechanically exact and punc tual, still they do not go forward. There are two ways of setting forth the nature of progress. First, by representing the young convert retaining his first views, feelings, and conduct with consistency after his profession has been made, and then carry ing them with him into future life and all its various conditions, scenes, duties, and rela- 48 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. tions. Life itself is progressive and ever changing. Imagine the case of a youth who receives his first religious impressions, and assumes the religious character while at home with his parents. To prepare for future life, ho leaves his father s house either as an apprentice or a shopman. In too many cases, a change of scene produces a change of char acter ; and religion, under the influence of the unfavorable circumstances in which he may now "be placed, or by the power of temptation, declines, if it be not altogether abandoned. But in the case I am supposing, the youth holds fast his integrity, and amidst irreligious and scoffing companions maintains his stead fastness and consistency. He bears opposition and insult with firmness, fortitude, and meek- \ness. Here is progress. There may be no great increase of knowledge or of holiness, but what he had has been exposed to hard trials and has surmounted them, and this itself is growth, and great growth too. So of a daughter who remains at home : her profes sion may have been assumed when very young, before her heart was susceptible of NATURE OF PROGRESS. 49 the corrupting influence of the world. The time arrives when the child passes into the girl and the girl into the young woman. In this transition, when she feels the desire of companionship, when her society is courted, and she is invited to parties and amusements, we often see sad instances of declension. Seriousness is gone, and little else than a mere profession is left. But in the case of real progress, the purpose to serve the Lord is unmoved, the resolve to come out from the world and be separate is unshaken. There is the same earnestness, seriousness, and decision as ever. Company, flattery, publicity, produce no alteration of conduct or character. There is a solicitude, not how nearly she can come to the world and yet not be of it, but how far she may recede from it without affected singularity, unnecessary precision, or a viola tion of the courtesies of life. She is the same simple-minded Christian, the same decided follower of the Lamb, amidst the development of womanhood as she was in her teens. This is progress, great progress. To retain her first love amidst this change of circumstances is an Chr Prog. 4 50 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. advance, because it has been put to a new test, and has honorably passed the ordeal. A similar remark may be made in reference to the influence of our religion on the different relations of life. When young people who have parents living, are converted to Grod, it is of course their duty to let their religion influ ence them as children. Religion is not only to make us better towards God, but better towards man ; and he who is really made better towards God, will infallibly be made better towards man ; and if we are not im proved in our conduct towards our fellow- creatures, there is a moral certainty we are not improved towards our Creator. There is progress when the great change is proved by persons being made better husbands or wives, better parents or children, better masters or servants. It is a beautiful growth of godli ness, when social excellence and all its blessed fruits are seen springing out of the stem of piety. Oh, to see the prodigal son brought back by religion to his father s arms and home ; or the unkind and unfaithful husband won back by his piety to the woman whom he had NATURE OF PROORESS. 51 oppressed and insulted ; or the faithless ser vant, like Onesimus, reclaimed by his conver sion from dishonesty and injustice. Show me the professing Christian whose social character is as unlovely after profession as it was before, and though there may be an increase of knowledge and of some other things connected with religion, there is no progress. Then, when the youth arrives at manhood, and carries his religion with him also into business, and amidst all its cares, temptations, and perplexities, holds fast his personal godli ness and unites the Christian tradesman with the Christian professor, letting his light so shine before men that they seeing his good works glorify God, there is progress ; for alas, alas, how many who, while in the capacity of a servant, maintain a conscience void of offence both towards (rod and man, and keep up a regard to the one thing needful, lose nearly all the power of religion, either as a principle or a taste, when plunged into the anxieties and snares of trade. Have not many women who, while young and unmarried, and unencumbered with do- 52 CHRISTIAN PROCURESS. mestic cares, were earnest in piety, become careless, lukewarm, and indifferent, when sur rounded with the scenes and occupied with the solicitudes of a wife, a mother, and a mistress ? This, however, is not always the case, as our biography of pious women can amply testify. It is a beautiful sight to behold a young wife and mother retaining her attention to religion in all its earnestness and spirituality, and thus qualifying herself for her new situation by all the power of that godliness which she gained in single life. Here is eminent progress. Then what vicissitudes affect us in this world. Some are raised to prosperity from low circum stances, and lose their religion by little and little in the ascension, till it is all gone by the time they reach the summit. Rarely has it happened that men have not been the worse for prosperity ; rarer still, that they have been the better for it. "What an advance in godliness has he made, who retains his decision, his earnest ness, his spirituality, his humility, amidst the rising tide of wealth, and who is the same man in spirit after his success as he was before it. And so with adversity : to bear it with meek NATURE OF pmjSpCESS. II ^ 5 T 1> submission to the will of dSod ; to endure chas tisement with all long-suffering and joy fulness ; to appear cheerful amidst surrounding gloom, hopeful amidst desponding circumstances, hap py in God when there is nothing else to make us happy : he who does this has indeed made great advances in the divine life. But perhaps what we have hitherto con sidered does not so completely bring out the idea of progress as another method of repre sentation, since it is rather the progress of the Christian with religion, than in it the reten tion and manifestation of piety in various situ ations, rather than the increase of piety itself. Still it is a necessary and most important part of the subject. "We now therefore take up this latter view of the subject. There ought to be a growth in every thing that constitutes personal godliness. And as all true religion is based on KNOWLEDGE, there should be an increase of this. Defects here, as we have already shown, were the occasion of the apostle s rebuke to the Hebrews. The in crease of knowledge was much in the apostle s prayers for the churches. Ephes. 1 : 17-23 ; 54 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. 3 : 18, 19 ; Phil. 1:9; Col. 1:9. In all these passages, to which it is hoped you will turn, you will see how earnest St. Paul was that his converts should advance in knowledge. Apart from, or without this, there can be but slow advances in any thing else. This is clear from the apostle s exhortation, " Grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Je sus Christ." Thus you see growth in grace and growth in knowledge are inseparably connected. Light is essentially necessary to natural vege tation ; so it is to that which is spiritual. Young converts are sometimes so taken up with re ligious feeling and doing , as to forget the im portance, even in reference to these, of knowing. By a growth in knowledge, then, we mean an increasing understanding of the contents, and their true meaning, of the word of God ; a real advance in acquaintance with biblical truth. Not only an acquaintance with systems of relig ious opinion, but with the design and meaning of the books and chapters and texts of Scrip ture ; an ever-growing disposition and ability to read the sacred word with intelligence, discrim ination, and self-application. NATURE OF PROORESS. 55 There are three or four matters which may be considered the very substance of the Bible, and with which every Christian should make himself as familiar as his time and circumstan ces will allow. The Person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ, as (rod, man, Mediator, or " Grod in Christ reconciling the world to him self," is the grand peculiarity of the Bible. It was dimly shadowed forth under the Old Tes tament, and is clearly revealed in the New. Christ is the alpha and omega of revelation ; you cannot understand the Bible if you are ig norant of this. The true and proper divinity ot Christ s person is the corner-stone of Christian doctrine. Compare Psalm 102 : 25-27, with Heb. 1 : 10 ; Psalm 45 : 6, with Heb. 1:8; Isa iah 6, with John 12 : 37-41 ; Isaiah 45 : 23, 24, with Rom. 14 : 9-11. Read also, Matt. 18 : 20 ; John 1 : 1, 10-14 ; 8 : 56-58 ; 10 : 30 ; 14 : 8-10 ; 17:5; 20:28; Rom. 9:5; Phil. 2:5-11; Col. 1 : 16 ; 2 : 9 ; 1 Tim. 3:16; Heb. 1 ; 1 John, 5 : 20 ; Rev. 1. These are only a portion of the scriptures that testify the true and proper di vinity of our Lord. Do give yourselves time and leisure to turn to them, to study them, to 56 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. treasure them up in your mind. But it is Christ as Mediator, also you are to consider, uniting in a way we cannot comprehend the divine and human nature in his one glorious person. As Mediator, he died in the sinner s stead as his substitute, and by his death upon the cross made an atonement for the sinner s transgres sion. How clearly, how gloriously, how unan swerably does the doctrine of atonement shine forth in that wonderful passage, Rom. 3 : 24-26. There, propitiation, which is the same in mean ing as atonement, is declared to be the very end of Christ s incarnation and death. Three times, in the compass of two verses, is it de clared, that the demonstration of God s justice is the end of Christ s sufferings unto death. The whole gospel scheme is a manifestation of mercy in a way of righteousness. In redemp tion, God shows love to us in a way that eclipses neither the glory of his character, his laws, nor his government. Understand well the design of Christ s death, of that mysterious economy of a vicarious sacrifice that it was to harmonize the salvation of the sinner with the honor of God, and this could only be done by an atonement. NATURE OF PROGRESS. 57 At the same time understand well the doctrine of atonement. This means, that Jesus Christ having died in the place and stead of guilty man, it is for the sake and out of regard to his death as the meritorious consideration that God pardons the sinner ; and that by this scheme of divine wisdom and mercy, the same purpose in regard to justice and to the maintenance of the principles of moral government will be ac complished, as the punishment of the sinner would have done. And it is in this view that we see the connection between the divinity of Christ and the doctrine of atonemorit. The sac rifice of one who was a mere ma.j, or a creature however highly exalted, could not be as clear a display of God s public justice as the punish ment of the whole multitude of pardoned sin ners would have been. There was required a sacrifice of a very peculiar nature. Here we have it, in Christ. He was truly and properly man that he might suffer and die, which God could not do ; he was God, and thus the suffer ings of the manhood acquired from his divinity a character of infinite merit and worth. For a proof of this doctrine we refer you to Isaiah 58 CHRISTIAN PROaRESS. 53 to the whole Levitical law as compared with the epistle to the Hebrews, especially to Leviticus 16, compared with Heb. 9, 10. Read also Matt. 20 : 28 ; Rom. 5 : 9 to end ; 1 Cor. 15 : 3 ; 2 Cor. 5 : 21 ; 1 Peter, 1 : 18, 20 ; 2 : 24 ; 1 John, 4 : 10 ; Rev. 1 : 5. These scriptures are only a few of what might be selected to set forth the doctrine of the atonement a doctrine not only momentous as an article of faith, but infinitely precious as a basis of hope. Another subject which it is immensely im portant for a young Christian to understand is, God s method of bestowing the blessings of salvation upon the sinner that is, the doctrine of justification by faith. Who are the per sons that will receive salvation, and what is the way in which they receive it ? This has been plainly set forth in the former treatise I mean " The Anxious Inquirer after Salvation." By the doctrine of justification by faith, we mean, that when a sinner is convinced of his transgression, is truly penitent, and believes in the testimony of the gospel that " God so Ibved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever belie veth in him should not NATURE OF PROGRESS. 59 perish, but have everlasting life," he is pardon ed, received to the divine favor, and entitled to eternal life, not on account of his own senti ments, feelings, actions, or any thing of his own, but entirely for the sake of the blood and righteousness of our Lord Jesus Christ, which are in such sense imputed to him that he re ceives the full benefit o them as if they were his own. Justification by faith is the answer to that momentous question, " How shall man be just with God ?" And the reply is, not by works of his own, but by faith in the work of another, that is, Christ. He must have a right eousness in which to stand before a righteous and a holy, as well as a merciful God. He has no such righteousness of his own. " Christ is the end of the law for righteousness unto him." u He of God is made unto him righteousness." This is justification, the same in substance as pardon, with this difference, that the word pardon simply expresses only the blessing we receive, while the word justification includes the idea of the way in which it comes to us, that is, by righteousness. There is also this difference justification signifies our entrance 60 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. upon the state of pardon or adoption ; pardon may be often repeated towards one who is in this condition of acceptance. It is of much consequence to a right under- standing of divine truth, and to the proper growth in knowledge and in grace, to observe and ever maintain the distinction between jus tification and sanctifioation. The fall brought in two evils upon man : guilt upon his con science, whereby he lost God s favor, and be came obnoxious to his wrath ; and depravity into his nature, whereby he lost (rod s image, and became earthly, sensual, and devilish. To be restored to bliss, in other words to be saved, he needs to have his guilt pardoned and his nature renewed. This is provided for in the gospel scheme of redemption. By the blood and righteousness of Christ, our sins are pardoned ; and by the work of the Holy Spirit our hearts are renewed, our nature changed, and our lives sanctified. The work of the Spirit begins in regeneration, and is carried on in progressive sanctification. The difference, therefore, be tween justification and sanctification is very great and obvious, and must ever be maintained NATURE OF PROGRESS. 61 in our views. Justification is the work of Christ for us ; sanctification the work of the Spirit in us : justification is perfect at once ; sanctifica tion is progressive : justification is before sancti fication, and sanctification is the fruit of justi fication ; consequently the evidence of our justi fication is in our sanctification. The first joy and peace of the sinner come to him by justi fication ; his peace, joy, and bliss as a believer flow in great measure from his sanctification : justification is in order to sanctification, rather than sanctification in order to justification. These remarks may seem to some to be mere theological technicalities. But they are not so. They enter into the very vitalities of personal godliness. For the study of the doctrine of jus tification and it ought to be a subject of study, deep study and progressive intelligence the following portions of Scripture should be de voutly perused : Isaiah 43 ; Jer. 33 : 15, 16 ; Rom. 3, 4, 5, 10 ; 1 Cor. 1 : 30, 31 ; 2 Cor. 5:21] Gal. 2, 3, 4 ; Phil. 3. These are the chief matters to be investigat ed in perusing the word of Grod. Not that the attention is to be exclusively confined to -these G2 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. subjects. Nothing in the Bible is unworthy the attention of a Christian. The ancient and interesting histories of the hooks of Moses, and the subsequent chronicles of the Jewish nation ; the lofty devotions of the Psalmist ; the Prov erbs of Solomon ; and the sublime and beauti ful books of the Prophets, should also be studi ed ; for " all Scripture," and this expression refers to the Old Testament, " is given by inspiration of Grod, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness ; that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works."* It is not, however, in the doctrinal or his torical parts of the word of God only, that the young Christian is to increase his knowledge. In religion there is nothing purely scientific : all, all is practical. Every part is " a doctrine according to godliness." It is declared, in the passage just quoted, to be the design of the * I know of no volume more excellent for a knowledge of the general contents of the Bible, and the history of the texts, than " Nicholl s Help to the Reading of the Bible ;" except it be Home s noble work. But the former is only one small volume, whereas the latter is too large and expensive, except for students or wealthy Christians. NATURE OF PROGRESS. 63 Bible "that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." Truth is but a means to an end, and that end is holiness. Every one of us ought to study our Bibles with that prayer upon our lips, " Sanctify me by thy truth ; thy word is truth." We should grow in our knowledge of the char acter of Grod, that we may resemble it in the perfection of the law, that we may be con formed to it in the example of Jesus, that we may be more like it. There should be a con viction that we are not yet as perfect in what we do know as we should be, as well as that there is much yet that we do not know. A de sire to know merely to know, is curiosity ; but a desire to know in order to do, is sanctity. There ought, then, to be progress in know ledge. No Christian should be satisfied with mere rudiments. And yet the great bulk seek for nothing more. It is really humiliating and painful to preachers to find how little, in the way of imparting knowledge, is effected by all their sermons. No students seem satisfied with so little increase of ideas as those who profess to be in the school of Christ. Useful- 64 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. ness, happiness, and true religious dignity are thus hindered. And not only so, hut religion itself is stunted and starved, and its lustre diminished. And even they who do read and think, peruse only, or chiefly, the works of men. Never was there an age when Bihles were more widely circulated, and never an age when by many who possess them they were less read. Magazines, periodicals, and "books of all kinds have come in upon us like a flood, which in many cases has almost swept away the Bible. After all, it is Bible truth from its own source that is the concentrated nutriment of the divine life ; and it will be found that they are usually the strongest, healthiest, and most rapidly growing of the children of God, who live most upon the sincere, that is, the pure and " unadulterated " milk of the word of God. The works of men are very useful in their place when they lead us to the word of G-od, but too many persons allow themselves to be kept away by them from the fountains of pure truth. For the growth of the church of God generally, it needs to be led back more to the sacred Scriptures. NATURE OF PROGRESS. 65 DECISION OF CHARACTER must be strengthened. At first many a true Christian is a little hesi tating and halting. His opinions are fluctuat ing. His purposes are irresolute. His steps are faltering. He is timid ; afraid of the laughter of some, and the frowns of others. He is fearful of being made the subject of remark, and especially of critical and cynical remark. He cannot encounter reproach ; and is not yet bold enough to say, " Laugh on; none of these things move me ; my mind is made up." Sometimes he is too regardful of his worldly interests. He is a little too flexible and compliant. He makes concessions which consistency of principle forbids. Companion ship has too much power over him. He has not acquired grace yet to assert manfully his independence. Hence he is in great danger. This state of mind is perilous in the extreme. If he do not grow out of it, it will grow upon him. He is likely to draw back, and to give up all. See, then, the importance of his immediately seeking to grow in firmness, reso luteness, determinateness. This was the first thing which the apostle enjoined next to belief: Chr. Trog. 5 66 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. "Add to your faith virtue," or as the word signifies, "courage" courage to assert and maintain your principles before all observation, and against all opposition. Put on at once the courage of a hero, and the constancy of a vnartyr. Prove that piety, though contrary to ambition after military heroism, is itself the most heroic spirit in the world. Acquire more and more of the courage which dares to be singular in goodness. Be more insensible to the world s favor, frown, or smile. Religion does not encourage or foster a haughty spirit of independence or a total disregard of the world s opinion, but it does teach us so to re spect the testimony of the Bible and the dictates of conscience as to disregard all censures or remarks that are opposite to these. The tree in its growth strikes its roots deeper and deeper into the earth, and thus strengthens the hold it has upon the soil, so that it is far less likely to be blown down by the raging winds. In like manner let your conviction strike deeper and deeper into the truth, so that you shall not be thrown down by the conflicting opinions or the stormy passions of men. NATURE OF PROCURESS. 67 FAITH is susceptible of growth.. It was the prayer of the apostles, "Lord, increase our faith." And we read continually in the Bible of " strong" and " weak faith." Faith may be considered either as general, believing the whole word of God, which is the faith spoken of in the eleventh chapter of the Hebrews ; or particular, as having respect to the person and work of Christ. As regards the former, there is ample room in most minds for growth. Difficulties, after the first impressions and con victions are over, soon arise and present them selves to the young and inexperienced Chris tian, and often multiply in his path. He^is perplexed and knows not how to get rid of them. He is sometimes staggered. His mind is uncomfortable. Now, it is obviously his duty and equally his privilege to put aside these obstacles. Of course he should pray for divine grace, and, in the language already quoted, should say, "Lord, increase my faith." But this is-- not all he should do. He should read as well as pray. His mind should grow in acquaintance with the evidence of divine revelation. He should ponder upon the miracles 68 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. of Christ and his apostles the accomplishment of prophecy in the person and work of the Saviour the history of the Jews -the success of the gospel in its first ages by fishermen, not only without, hut against the powers of the earth the sublime doctrine and pure morality of the Bible the lofty views it gives of Grod, and its correct representations of human nature the power it has in not only changing the aspects of society, but doing this by the renovation of the individual man the miserable condition of humanity beyond the range and influence of Christianity, showing the need men have of a revelation with the pretensions of false religions, proving the expectation they entertain that a revelation will be given. Now all these should become the subject of deep thought and reflection, by which the opposing difficulties will appear light and little. Such studies are too much neglected by many per sons, who are contented to take their religion upon trust, or to go on their way perplexed by the flippant cavils of infidelity which are so common in this age of scepticism and unbelief. True it is. that their own conversion ever will NATURE OF PROaRESS. 69 be the strongest evidence of the truth of reve lation to the great mass of the people ; yet an acquaintance with these, its historic proofs, will be of great service, and yield great pleas ure in their religious course. But there must be a deep solicitude to grow in that special faith which has direct reference to the Saviour and his work. Christ is the chief object proposed to the sinner in the New Testament. The eye that sweeps round the whole circle of divine truth must rest in him as the centre. Faith is confidence, and con fidence may be weak, partial, and wavering ; . or it may be undivided, firm, and settled. The young Christian, though convinced that Christ is the only ground of hope and the only source of salvation, though upon the whole resting upon him and expecting all things from him, is not yet brought, perhaps, to that full and entire turning away from every thing else, and that full and entire resting on the Lord Jesus which an intelligent and strong faith requires. He looks much to his frames and feelings, and his various experiences ; as a consequence, his peace rises and falls on this 70 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. thermometer. A little more freedom in prayer, or enjoyment under a sermon, or elasticity of feeling in his ordinary course, raises him to the mount ; while a little less sinks him to the valley. His opinion of his state is as variable as his emotions, and to a considerable extent is decided by them. Thus, his course is an alternation of gloom and gladness. What does all this indicate, but that the eye is not upon Christ, but upon self? What does it prove, but that faith in Jesus is weak and wavering that the mind does not yet see so clearly His finished work as the ground of hope and source of joy as it should do ? The soul is not yet weaned from self-righteousness, but is almost unconsciously to itself going about "to establish its own righteousness," if not of works, yet of feelings. Now, faith will as certainly take us off from dependence upon the latter as upon the former. Nor is this all, for the soul weak in faith is looking about to many other things for strength and holiness, instead of Jesus. It does not yet see so clearly as it should do, that "He is made of God unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemp- KATUB.E OF PROCURESS. 71 tion." 1 Cor. 1 : 31. Friends, ordinances, self- imposed rules of conduct, are all appealed to with this petition, u Help me ;" and in proper measure and season, it is quite right to use these helps, but not to the neglect of faith in Jesus. A Christian who has grown in faith lias risen above this, and is enabled to say, and to rejoice as he says it, "I now see that all ful ness of blessing is in Christ, and that it is from that fulness I am to receive, and grace for grace. I am now weaned from self, and am no longer looking to it for any thing but conviction and condemnation, but am looking wholly and always to Jesus. My justification, sanctification, consolation, stability, and per severance, are all from him, just as all the sap which supports the life and promotes the fruit- fulness of the branch is derived from its vital union with the tree. Being safely built upon him as my foundation, I mingle nothing with his work, and find continual matter of rejoic ing. Whatever view I take of his person and work, whether I think of his divinity or per feet humanity, his atonement, intercession, or example, comfort presents itself. Grace has 72 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. made me willing to live out of myself, upon the fulness of Jesus. In him I have what I want, all I want." This is strong faith, and what an advance from that feeble, fluctuating confidence which marked the first stages of religious experience. This is true evangel ical confidence, to look for joy, holiness, and strength; and to look for all from Christ. Then is faith settled and strong when we are brought to say, "For me to live is Christ," or as it might be rendered, Christ is my life. HOLINESS is an essential part, yea, the very essence of personal godliness. This was the image of God in the soul of man at his creation, which man lost by the fall, and which it is the design of the work of redemption to restore. Gen. 1 : 26, 27, compared with Ephes. 4 : 22-24. Are we predestinated, it is that we might be holy. Ephes. 1 : 4. Are we called, it is with a " holy calling." 1 Thes. 4:7; 2 Tim. 1 : 9. Are we justified freely by God s grace, it is that we might be holy. Titus 3:7, 8. Are we afflicted, it is that we might be partakers of God s holiness. Heb. 12 : 10. The whole work of Christ has its end in holiness. He NATURE OF PROORESS. 73 " loved the church, and gave himself for it ; that he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious church, not hav ing spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing ; but that it should be holy and without blemish." Ephes. 5 : 26, 27 ; Titus 2 : 11-14. It is a very low and unworthy idea of the design of Christ s death, to conceive of it as only intended to save men from hell to consider it as only designed to save them from becoming prisoners and felons, or from the ignominy of a public execution. His gracious purpose, in addition to this, was to make them sons of God, and bright and glorious resemblances of their divine Parent. Holiness was the bliss of paradise before Adam fell : holiness will constitute the bliss of heaven. All the inhabitants of that state are holy ; all its occupations are holy ; all its influence is holy. Hence the indispensable necessity of holiness in the Christian character, and the growth of holiness in the Christian life. But what is holiness ? The purification of the heart by the Spirit of Grod from the love of sin, and the life from the practice of it. But this is onb} 74 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. a negative view of it, there is also a positive one. Holiness is the love of God, for his own sake ; and of man, for God s sake. It is the separation of the soul from the works of the flesh, and the substitution in their place of the fruits of the Spirit. Gal. 5 : 19-26. It is that blessed work by w T hich the wilderness of an unrenewed heart, where grow the briar and the bramble, the thorn and the nettle, is chang ed into the garden of the Lord, which bears the fruits of righteousness. Isaiah 55 : 13. It is obvious that this is susceptible of all degrees, and therefore of continued increase. One man may be holier than another, and the same man may be holier at one time than another. Take, for example, any one single lust either of the flesh or of the mind, any one besetting sin ; and the gradual mortification of that is a growth in grace. If a man have less pride, or covetous- ness, or malice, or impurity of imagination, than he had at one time, and more of the op posite disposition, there is progress. Now, there is great need to say to the recent convert, " Fol low after holiness," for he is so likely to be taken up with the joy of pardon and the peace NATURE OF PB.OG-B.ESS. 75 of faith as somewhat to forget the necessity of sanctification. At first his views of sin are both defective and superficial. Many things in prac tice are wrong which he does not at first think to be so ; and of the depravity of his heart he has very faint notions at all ; while also he sees but little of the exceeding sinfulness of sin in general. He must therefore seek to increase in the love of God, the hatred of all sin, and the entire consecration of his heart and life to the service of God. "While God is calling to him out of heaven, and saying, " Be ye holy, for I am holy," he must reply by sincere and earnest prayer, " Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean : wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Create in me a clean heart, and renew a right spirit within me." Psa. 41 : 7, 11. Be not satisfied then without a growth in holiness of which you shall yourself possess the most entire consciousness, and which shall be equally evident to others. Holiness is hap piness, and the more you have of the former the more you will undoubtedly enjoy of the latter. Enter more and more fully into the bliss of finding the life of God in the soul con- 76 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. tinually increasing in vigor and in operatiui. It is a sign of growth in holiness when the mind is not only more enlightened in the na ture, evil, and existence of sin in general, but when we become more aware of little sins which did not formerly strike us ; when the eye of the mind is more microscopic, and can detect sins which we formerly did not see, and especially when we are more affected by them. When also we are more solicitous to find out such unknown sins ; when we search for them ourselves, taking the candle of the Lord, and going down into the depths of our own heart to bring to light what we did not before discover ; and when not being satisfied with our own searching, we carry the matter to Grod, and in the language of David pray thus, " Search me, Grod, and know my thoughts ; try me, and know my ways, and see if there be any wick ed way in me." When we are afraid of little sins sins of ignorance, of inadvertence, and of carelessness ; when the soul is so anxious to be holy that it would not have even secret faults kept within it ; when the conscience, like the apple of the eye, becomes so tender NATURE OF PROGRESS. 77 that it cannot tear the slightest touch this, this is growth in holiness. Blessed is that soul which is thus assimilating more and more closely to the image of G-od. Spirituality of mind and heavenliness of affection are essential elements in true piety : " to be spiritually-minded is life and peace." And it is also the state and character of the Christian to live with his thoughts, affections, and aspirations centering in G-od and heaven. How strong an expression is that of the apostle, and how little is it known by the generality of professors : " If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of G-od. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God." Col. 3 : 1-3. Pause, reader, and ponder upon this impressive lan guage. This is the mind of a real Christian ; this is the experience of a child of God. It is to this that renewing grace is designed to bring us. "What know you of this spiritual renovation, this strange mixture of death and life in the same soul ; this holy paradox ? Ah, 78 CHRISTIAN PROG-RESS. what ! Know and understand that vital piety is something more than an abstinence from crimes, vices, and sins ; yes, and something more than the practice of the conventional virtues, not only of the world, but of the church. It is a spiritual, heavenly mind an unearthly disposition. The thoughts and af fections, by a holy spontaneity, rise up and flow to Grod, like the ebullition of a spring, without external force or instrumentality. Divine things possess attractions which of themselves draw the soul towards them. There needs not sermons, or books, or places, or occasions, to engage the mind and heart that way. There is an inward taste which, like any other taste, is itself a predisposition for them. The soul, of its own accord, self-moved, self-drawn, goes to Christ, to God, to heaven. This is growing in grace, and increasing with all the increase of (rod ; this is walking more and more by faith, when spiritual, divine, invisible objects acquire a greater power over the soul ; when there needs but the slightest touch to set the mind in spiritual motion, and the Chris tian feels increasingly that his element is NATURE OF PROGRESS. 79 devotion and his native air the atmosphere , of piety. The Christian temper is one great part 01 true religion ; and by this, as distinguished from what has gone before, I mean the passive virtues and amiable affections of the heart, or what is called " the meekness and gentleness of Christ." Or to refer to another term so often employed by the apostle, I mean the charity so beautifully described in the thirteenth chap ter of the first epistle to the Corinthians. It is of immense importance that every one be ginning the divine life should study both that chapter and our Lord s sermon upon the mount. These portions of holy writ fully and inten tionally describe and set forth the Christian temper. Young professors, and indeed old ones too, sadly forget that LOVE is the very essence of the Christian spirit : it is the very soul of practical religion a love that represses the strong passions of the heart and the boisterous conduct of the life a love that makes us cau tious against giving offence, and backward to receive it a love that renders us forbearing and forgiving a love that produces a calm, 80 CHRISTIAN PROG-RESS. equable mind, and which speaks in soft, kind, and gentle speech a love that dreads the in fliction of pain and covets the communication of happiness. " Oh divine and heavenly char ity, thou offspring of that glorious Being of whom it is said, GOD is LOVE ; thou of whom the Lord Jesus Christ was hut an impersona tion and embodiment ; thou that art another name for the gospel, and the very end and ful ness of the law ; thou benign and gentle spirit, how little is thy nature understood and thy claims admitted, not only in the world, but in the church : when shall thy sway be felt by all who profess to bow to thy sceptre, but who withhold from thee their allegiance, and exhibit so little of thy rule ?" How peaceful and ami able ; how courteous and affable ; how tender and sympathetic ; how kind and obliging, would this love make us to all around. "What lovely specimens of christianized humanity, and what attractive recommendations of it, would this make us. Here, here is the spirit in which to make progress. Too many have no idea of the subjection of their temper to the influence of religion. And yet what is changed, NATURE OF PROGRESS. 81 if the temper be not ; or of what use is any other change ? If a man is as passionate, ma licious, resentful, sullen, moody, or morose, after his conversion as before it, what is he con verted from or to ? "Let the mind of Jesus be in you," said the apostle ; and in another place, " If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his." Now, the mind of Jesus was loving, kind, meek, gentle, and forgiving ; and unless we have these virtues we have not, cannot have, the mind of Jesus. We must not take up the idea that temper is so constitutional, a thing so unconquerable, that we may as well think to alter the shape and complexion of our body, as to attempt to change the natural tem per of the mind. It can be improved it has been in millions of instances it must be. "We must all of us grow more and more in the "whatsoever things are lovely." We must set out in the Christian career with the deter mination, through grace, to eradicate the briar and bramble, the thorn and the nettle those lacerating and stinging shrubs and to plant in their room the ornamental fir, the odoriferous myrtle, and the fruitful vine. Chr. Pro S . 6 82 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. There is perhaps no sign of growth more de cisive, nor any thing more desirable in itself, than the union of increasing holiness with a wider view of Christian liberty. These two are sometimes dissociated, and we see, on the one hand, liberty degenerating into licentious ness, and on the other, righteousness sinking into bondage. The freedom of the one is privi lege in opposition to duty ; the thraldom of the other is duty to the neglect of privilege. Many an old, but corrupt, professor has abjured the obligations of the moral law, that he might en joy, as he supposes, " the liberty wherewith Christ makes his people free ;" while many a young one has placed himself in spirit under the yoke of the ceremonial code, and brought himself into a slavery repugnant to the free and generous spirit of the gospel. It is as un doubted a fact that " where the spirit of the Lord is there is liberty," as that there is holi ness. Both passages in the same context are equally true, where it is said, " There is nc condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus ;" but then "they walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." " For the law of the Spirit of NATURE OF PROGRESS. 83 life in Christ Jesus hath made them free from the law of sin and death." This is in order "that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." Rom. 8 : 1-4. How beauti fully liberty and holiness are balanced in this passage. And how important is the exhorta tion of the apostle, " Brethren, ye have been called to liberty ; only use not liberty for an oc casion to the flesh." Gral. 5 : 13. By liberty, then, we understand, not only a freedom from the yoke, but also from the spirit, of the cere monial law : the spirit of a child in opposition to that of a slave. In other words, serving God in a spirit of love, which casts out tormenting fears. Young Christians, who are not yet so enlightened and so settled in what are called the doctrines of grace, or of free justification through the righteousness of Christ, are a long time troubled with a legal spirit. There is a kind of superstitious punctiliousness in little things-^-things which are prescribed by human authority, or invented by human ingenuity, or borrowed from human examples, but not pre scribed by the word of God. In the early 84 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. stages of religious experience there is often an unenlightened and sickly tenderness of con science, an excessive and shrinking sensibility, which not only subjects its possessor to a dep rivation of lawful comforts and a large amount of very unnecessary pain, but which also in capacitates him for the vigorous and efficient discharge of duty. A man always hesitating, and fearing and trembling lest he has failed to execute in some minute particular the will of God, even when his intentions were the most pure and his efforts the most diligent and faith ful, is but ill prepared either to enjoy his privi leges as a child of God, or for encountering the various events and changes of the Christian life. He will experience little of that " joy of the Lord which is our strength," and go on his way in heaviness. He is the last to whom we should look for an illustration of that scrip ture, " Great peace have they that love thy law, and nothing shall offend them." "We should cultivate a filial spirit that shall enable us, amidst our numberless imperfections and failings, all of which must be mourned and resisted, still cheerfully to enjoy our Christian NATURE OF PROGRESS. 85 privileges, and to persevere in the way of duty, not doubting that \ve shall be sustained with power from on high to lead a holy life, and thai through the grace of God, and the merits oJ Christ, all our deficiencies and errors will be mercifully forgiven, and we shall find accep tance at the last. I know very well that the tendency of many is, in these days, to extend too widely, rather than to contract too narrow ly, the circle of Christian liberty ; but in theso cases, there is a proportionate diminution of holiness. The conduct is as little scrupulous in neglecting the weightier matters of the law, as it is in overlooking the lesser matters of hu man imposition. There cannot be a darker sign for any person than to be for ever com plaining of the strictness of religion, and endeav oring to relax the bonds of spiritual obliga tion under the notion of enjoying Christian liberty. It is a striking mark of progress in the divine life when we are brought to adopt, in intelligence and good faith, the apostle s rule of conduct for himself: " All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient ; all things are lawful for me, but I will not be 86 CHRISTIAN PROG-EESS. brought under the power of any." 1 Cor. 6 : 12. Instead of claiming, as many do, indulgence for acts in themselves unlawful because they are supposed to be beneficial in their effects, Paul was not content even with the positive lawfulness of actions, unless to this was super- added a manifest tendency to the production of good, setting in no case these two qualities of morality and expediency in opposition to each other, much less making the inferior to overbalance that which is of greater force and value, but refusing to take a step when they did not coincide. He did not resolve, " I will perform those things that are expedient, though they be not lawful ;" but, " I will not venture even upon lawful actions, if they be not expedi ent." Here is progress indeed, when with en larged views of Christian liberty, there is at the same time an increasing disposition to make that liberty subservient to our own holiness, and also the well-being of others. Christian activity is essential to Christian consistency. The injunctions to this are so numerous as to be interwoven with the whole texture of Scripture. This is set forth by two NATURE OF PROG-RESS. 87 very striking metaphors, where Christ told his disciples they were to be "the light of the world," and " the salt of the earth ;" than which nothing can be more instructive or impressive. They are to illuminate the moral darkness, and purify the corruption by which they are sur rounded. It is one end of their conversion, for no man is converted only for himself. Hence said Christ to Peter, " And when thou art con verted strengthen thy brethren/ 5 Every truly regenerated person is, and should consider him self, another chosen, appointed, and prepared in strument for the world s conversion. God works by means and instruments, and these .are not exclusively confined to the ministers of relig ion. There are many ways in which every real Christian can, without invading the ministerial office, or stepping out of his place, do good to others. This is required by the law which commands us to love (rod ; for can we love him and not desire that others should do so too? Equally also by that other great command ment which requires us to love our neighbor as ourselves ; for can we really love him and not seek to do him all the good we can? Bead 88 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. the following scriptures with great care and attention : Matt. 5 : 42-48 ; Rom. 10 : 6-13 ; 14 : 7, 9 ; Gal. 6 : 6-10 ; Phil. 2 : 4, 15, 16, 21 ; Heb. 13: 16 ; 1 John, 4: 10, 11. Young converts should have a clear under standing, a deep conviction, and a very pow erful impression of this, that they are called not only to holiness and happiness, but also to usefulness; and should also perceive that no small pari of the two first depends upon carry ing out the last. Yet they are not always so disposed ; they are sometimes so much taken up with the enjoyment of their own personal religion and Christian privileges, as to sit down in luxurious ease, and indolently enjoy the hap piness to which they are brought. But let them know and remember, that one of the strongest evidences of our own salvation, is a deep concern and a vigorous activity for the salvation of others. Every true believer should begin his religious course with an intelligent purpose to lay himself out for usefulness, ac cording to his abilities, his means, his situation, his resources, and his opportunities. He cannot be a Christian who in the spirit of the first NATURE OF PROG-RESS. 89 murderer asks, " Am I my brother s keeper ?" Benevolence must enter very largely into the constitution of every real Christian ; and like every other part of the Christian character, it must be ever growing. He must be useful, and do good as a young man, with even limited means and opportunities : he must first be ac tive in that way to which he is most adapted ; then he must look out for something else, for nothing is so suggestive and inventive as benev olence. His sphere of activity must continu ally widen as his experience becomes estab lished, his knowledge increases, his observation extends, and his resources accumulate. Noth ing progresses more rapidly in a heart set upon doing good, than an ability to be useful. They who at first are timid, shy, awkward, in such efforts, soon acquire courage, expertness, and efficiency. It is a sad sight to see the heart contracting, the hand growing slack, and the foot heavy and slow, as the means and oppor tunities for doing good are multiplied. On the other hand, how beautiful a scene is it to wit ness the professor becoming more and more both of the Christian and of the philanthropist 90 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. as years roll on, till he realizes the description of the Psalmist where he says, the righteous " shall bring forth fruit in old age ; they shall be fat and flourishing." Psalm 92 : 14. And what is the crowning grace, the finish ing stroke of beauty, and the brightest ray of glory in the Christian character? HUMILITY. " It is this among other things, and high among them too, which distinguishes Christianity from all the wisdom of the world both ancient and modern, not having been taught by the wise men of the Grentiles, but first put into a disci pline and made part of religion by our Lord Jesus Christ ; and who chiefly proposes himself as our example by exhibiting in his own per fect character the twin sisters of meekness and humility. Every thing our ignorance, our weakness, our sins, and our follies, prescribe to as that our proper dwelling-place is low in the deep valley of humility. We have only to compare our present spiritual condition, I will not say with the holy God, the holy Jesus, or the holy angels, but with holy Adam before his fall, to see how low we have sunk, and how entirely by the fall we have lost all ground and NATURE OF PROGRESS. 9] all excuse for pride, ^e have only to look at human nature in general, all corrupt as it is, or study it in our own selves as its epitome ; we have only to look back at what we were before conversion, or to look in and see how imperfect even in our converted state we still are ; we have only to consider how strong are our reso lutions, and how feeble and broken have been their performance how many the temptations by which we have been assailed, and with what success against ourselves, to see most abundant cause for humility. You may read for injunctions to this virtue, Prov. 15 : 33 ; 18 : 12 ; 22 : 4 ; Mic. 6:8; Luke 14 : 11 ; Col. 3 : 12 ; 1 Peter, 5 : 5. But all these injunctions and all possible motives to this grace are bound up in the example of our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember that the blessed Saviour hath done more to prescribe and transmit and secure this grace, than any other ; his whole life being a great, continued descent from the glorious bosom of his Father to the womb of a poor maiden, to the form of a servant, to the like ness and miseries of sinful flesh, to a life of labor, to a state of poverty, to a death of mal- 92 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. efactors, to the grave of death, and to the in tolerable calamities which we deserved ; and it were a good design, and yet but reasonable, that we should be as humble in the midst of our greatest imperfections and basest sins, as Christ was in the midst of his fulness of the Spirit, great wisdom, perfect life, and most ad mirable virtues."* The same author has given us the following signs of humility. " If you would try how your soul grows, you shall know that humil ity, like the root of a goodly tree, is thrust very far into the ground, by these goodly fruits which appear above ground. 1. The humble man trusts not to his own discretion, but in matters of concernment relies rather upon the judgment of his friends, counsellors, or spiritual guides. 2. He does not pertinaciously pursue the choice of his own will, but in all things lets God choose for him, and his superiors in those things which concern them. 3. He does not murmur against commands. 4. He is not in quisitive into the reasonableness of indifferent and innocent commands, but believes their * Bishop Jeremy Taylor. NATURE OF PROG-RESS. 93 command to be reason enough in such cases to exact his obedience. 5. He lives according to a rule, and with compliance to public customs, without any affectation or singularity 6. He is meek and indifferent in all accidents and chances. 7. He patiently bears injuries. 8. He is always unsatisfied in his own conduct, resolutions, and counsels. 9. He is a great lover of good men, and a praiser of wise men, and a censurer of no man. 10. He is modest in his speech, and reserved in his laughter. 11. He fears, when he hears himself commend ed, lest God make another judgment concern ing his actions, than men do. 12. He gives no pert or saucy answers when he is reproved, w r hether justly or unjustly. 13. He loves to sit down in private, and, if he may, he refuses the temptation of offices and new honors. 14. He is ingenuous, free, and open in his actions and discourses. 15. He mends his fault, and gives thanks, when he is admonished. 16. He is ready to do good offices to the murderers of his fame, to his slanderers, backbiters, and de tractors, as Christ washed the feet of Judas. 17. And is contented to be suspected of indis- 94 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. cretion, so before God he may be really inno cent, and not offensive to his neighbor, nor wanting to his just and prudent interest." Such is the grace, and such its signs, in winch it is the duty of every Christian to be continu ally progressing. It is not unfrequently the case that young converts in the ardor of theii first love are self-confident, and sometimes a little high-minded. They are unduly exalted in their own estimation by the strength of theii feelings and the liveliness of their frames, and are almost ready to wonder at, and to censure, the lovely confessions of others far older in the divine life than themselves. They seem al ready to realize, in their own estimation, the beautiful language of the prophet, and mount up with wings as eagles ; they run and are not weary, and walk and are not faint. Thus spir itual pride, like the fly or the worm striking the young germination, eats into the heart of the young believer, and where it does not destroy the principle of life, sadly impairs its growth. Let, therefore, the early professor be duly aware of this tendency and watch against it. Let him recollect that as humility may be com- NATURE OF PROG-RESS. 95 pared to the roots of the tree, while other gra ces are its fruits, the latter must be expected in abundance only as the former strike down wards deeper and deeper into the earth. Surely it might be supposed there is no one grace in which the soul would be more disposed or find it easier to grow than this, since every day as - it passes gives us greater and greater know ledge of ourselves and shows us how little cause there is for pride. " If we need any new in centives to the practice of this grace, I can say no more, but that humility is truth, and pride is a lie that the one glorifies G-od, the other dishonors him : humility makes men like angels, pride makes angels to become devils ; that pride is folly, humility is the temper of a holy spirit and excellent wisdom ; that humility is the way to glory, pride to ruin and confusion : hu mility makes saints on earth, pride undoes them ; humility beautifies the saints in heaven, and * the elders throw their crowns at the foot of the throne; pride disgraces a man among all the societies of the earth : G-od loves one, and Satan solicits the cause of the other, and promotes his own interest in it most of all 96 CHRISTIAN .PROGRESS. And there is not onejh:ace in which Christ pro pounded himself inmable so signally as in this of meekness and humility, for the enforcing of which he undertook the condition of a servant, and a life of poverty, and a death of disgrace ; and washed the feet of his disciples, and even of Judas himself, that his action might be turn ed into a sermon to preach this duty, and to make it as eternal as his own story." And can we present for ourselves a more appropriate and beautiful prayer than that with which Bishop Taylor closes his " Considerations upon Christ s Humility :" " holy and eternal Jesus, who wert pleased to lay aside the glories and incomprehensible majesty which clothed thy infinity from before the beginning of creatures, and didst put on a cloud upon thy brightness, and wert invested with the impure and imperfect broken robe of human nature, and didst abate those splendors which broke through the veil, commanding devils not to publish thee, and men not to pro claim thy excellences, and the apostles not to reveal those glories of thine, which they dis covered encircling thee, upon mount Tabor, in NATURE OF thy transfiguration, and ;&idst ; by peipettf$l T homilies and symbolical mysterious actions, as with deep characters engrave humility into the spirits of thy disciples and the discipline of Christianity, teach us to approach near to these thy glories, which thou hast so covered with a cloud that we might without amaze ment behold thy excellences ; make us to imitate thy gracious condescensions ; take from us all vanity and fantastic complacencies in our own persons or actions ; and when there arises a reputation consequent to the perform ance of any part of our duty, make us to re flect the glory upon thee, suffering nothing to adhere to our own spirits but shame at our own imperfection and thankfulness to thee for all thy assistances ; let us never seek the praise of men from unhandsome actions, from flatter ies and unworthy discourses, nor entertain the praise with delight though it proceed from better principles ; but fear and tremble, lest we deserve punishment, or lose a reward which thou hast deposited for all them that seek thy glory and despise their own, that they may imitate the example of their Lord. 98 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. Thou, Lord, didst triumph over sin and death ; subdue also my proud understanding, and my prouder affections, and bring me under thy yoke, that I may do thy work, and obey my superiors, and be a servant of all my brethren in their necessities, and esteem myself inferior to all men by a deep sense of my own unworthiness, and in all things may obey thy laws, and conform to thy precedents, and enter into thine inheritance, holy and eternal Jesus. Amen." And now we may ask, Are there not certain points of resemblance between natural growth and progressive holiness which deserve notice ? We apprehend there are, and principally the following : 1. It is the order of the natural world for all life, whether in vegetables, brutes, or human beings, to grow. Growth, as we have said, is the law of healthful life. 2. Growth is dependent upon means used to promote it. The child grows in strength and stature by his mother s milk ; animals in much the same way ; and trees and vegetables by all the processes and supplies of agriculture NATURE OF PROGRESS. 99 and the influences of the heavens and the soil. So is it with religion in the soul : there cannot be advance without the appropriate means, both in kind and measure. These will be the subject of the next chapter. 3. Growth in other things is proportionate in all the parts which belong to them. If of a tree, the roots, stem, and branches all grow together, if the tree be in a sound state. If it be a child, all the limbs grow proportionately, and the body, and also mind, keep pace with each other. Disproportion produces monstrosi ties. If, for instance, the head be larger than the body, or the limbs smaller ; or if the mind is childish while the body is advancing to the period of youth or manhood, in either of these cases there is deformity. So it is in religion. The Christian grows in knowledge, faith, and holiness together. There is, or should be, no spiritual deformity or monstrosity. 4. Growth is very gradual in all life, not excepting the Christian. No plant becomes a tree, no child a man, all at once : so is it with the Christian. 5 Growth is perceptible, not indeed in its 100 CHlUbTIAN PROGRESS. principles, but in its effects. In the case of a tree or shrub, he who sees it when first planted, and looks at it some years afterwards, will perceive progress. So of a new-born babe, growing into a child of two years old. So of a young convert : he who converses with him at his first awaking, and a year or two after his conversion, will perceive an increase of knowledge and decision and . comfort and holiness. This, however, will sometimes be more clearly perceived by those who stand by, than by the Christian himself. The child is not at the time sensible of his own growth ; and it often, yea, generally, requires to look back and compare what he is now with what he recollects himself to have been, to convince him of his growth. And so it is with the spiritual babe. " A healthy child," says Dr. John Brown in his admirable exposition of the epistle of Peter, to which I am indebted for several of the preceding remarks, " grows without think ing much about its growth. It takes its food and exercise, and finds that it is growing in the increase of its strength and its capacity NATURE OF PROGRESS. 101 for exertion. And an analogous state is, I believe, the healthiest state of the spiritual new-born babe. "While self-examination, right ly managed, is very useful, a morbid desire of the satisfaction of knowing that we are im proving, is in danger of drawing the mind away from the constant employment of the means of spiritual nourishment and health. The best state of things is where, in the healthy vigor ous state of the spiritual constitution, ready for every good work, we have the evidence in ourselves that we are growing ; and when that is wanting, application to the sincere milk of the word will do a great deal more than poring into ourselves to find either proof that we are growing or not growing." This is very true, very judicious, and very important ; but then it must not be abused and allowed to degenerate into an utter care lessness about our spiritual state, nor abate that holy jealousy over ourselves, and that just anxiety to grow in grace, without which declension and not progress will be our con dition. It is quite true that our chief solici tude should be not to neglect, but diligently to 102 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. use, all the means of progress, rather than an attempt, as by a spiritual pedometer, to be perpetually measuring the ground over which we have passed. A child who does not grow, who finds his years rolling on and adding nothing to his stature, soon becomes anxious about it, and inquires into the cause of his re maining in his dwarfish littleness. And when, therefore, the child of (rod, or one that pro fesses to be such, makes no advance percepti ble either to himself or others, it is quite time for him to begin to be anxious, to inquire what has stopped his progress, and to apply afresh to all the appointed means for his spiritual advancement. ADDRESS TO THE READER. You now see what is meant by progressive religion. You cannot be ignorant of this im portant subject, nor plead ignorance for the neglect of it. You see clearly it is not merely an uninterrupted round of ceremonial observ ances, nor merely an acquisition of knowledge, though these things may comport with it, but that it is an advance in faith and holiness. Do NATURE OF PROGRESS. 103 you understand this matter, and apprehend clearly its nature as well as its necessity ? Doss that one impressive word growth, growth, stand out clearly defined, luminously seen, im pressively felt, before you ? If so, immediately enter upon a course of self-scrutiny diligent, impartial, close examination, to ascertain if there be this progress in you. Again enter into your closet, shut the door, and commune both with your own heart and with God, and say, as in his sight, Am I as really in earnest as I once was ? I have changed my situation, do I retain my religion, and have I carried into new circum stances and relations my former earnestness ? Am I advancing in my knowledge of the Scriptures and the great truths of religion, gaining clearer and more distinct apprehensions of spiritual things ? Am I more decided and resolute and set tled in all my religious convictions and pious habits, than I was at first ? Is my faith stronger and more influential, and am I less troubled with doubts and fears, than I was ? 104 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. Am I really holier than I was? Have I gained greater power over my corruptions ? Am I more spiritual and heavenly, more full of devout thoughts and affections ? Do I improve in my temper by becoming more meek, gentle, forgiving, and kind ? Have I learned to combine more of the gen erous and free spirit of Christian liberty with an equal advance in holiness ? Am I more anxious about universal and un varying consistency of conduct ? Is it more and more my concern to be active and useful ? Withal, do I increase in humility ? Have I a deeper and deeper sense of my own short comings, and a growing disposition to think better of others and lowlier of myself ? Test yourself, very searchingly, by such questions as these. MEANS OF PROGRESS. 105 CHAPTER III. THE MEANS OF PROGRESS. THIS is of unspeakable importance. I will suppose that some by the reading of the fore going pages begin to see this subject in a light in which they never saw it before. I will sup pose that a new anxiety has come up in the mind now the old one is allayed, and that the great question at present is not, " What shall I do to be saved?" but, " What shall I do to be sanctified ?" We have already said that means must be used. But what means ? 1. There must be a deep conviction of the necessity and importance of progress, and an intense desire to attain it. The subject must lay hold of the mind and possess the heart. Will a man increase in knowledge, in wealth, in influence, who has no desire after it ? What object ever was or can be obtained^ without a conviction of its value or a wish to secure it ? Is it not the desire that originates the effort, and will not exertion ever be in proportion to the intensity of desire ? 106 CHRISTIAN PROG-RESS. What prodigious and wonderful efforts have men put forth after an object upon which their hearts were set. Look at the tradesman : how will he toil, rising up early and sitting up late, and eating the bread of carefulness, to increase his trade. Look at the student panting after knowledge : how will he consume his days and trim his midnight lamp to increase his scientific stores. Look at the hero : braving all the dangers of the field, and the hardships of the campaign, to increase his fame and to acquire glory which is but the name vanity turned into an idol. Why, why all this intense ener gy ? Because they have a deep, but mistaken sense of the importance of the object of pursuit, and an absorbing and overheated desire to pos sess it. And on the contrary, why is it that so many professing Christians do not make progress, and indeed make no efforts to obtain it ? Why, because they care nothing about it. To take up a profession is all they desire ; but to pro ceed from one degree of piety to another, to grow in grace, to go on unto perfection, is no part of their ambition. How many are there to whom if wo were to say, " Well, now you MEANS OF PROGRESS. 107 call yourself a Christian, and wish others to consider you as such, and you are of course- eagerly desirous of making continual advances in knowledge, faith, and holiness ; and we shall see you evidently becoming more and more like Christ" who, I say, if we should thus address them, would look wonderingly in our face, as if they did not comprehend our meaning ; or re proachfully, as if we questioned their sincerity ; or contemptuously, as if we were indulging in enthusiasm or mysticism, and wished them to be as visionary as ourselves. Of course such a frame of mind, and such views as these, are adverse to all progress. There must then be concern about the matter. And shall there be none? What, no solicitude to have more of the knowledge of truth, of faith in Christ, of likeness to God, of meetness for heaven? No desire to advance in such things ? Is it possible to be a Christian, and yet destitute of this ? No, it is not. I tell you, it is not. If you have 110 concern to grow, there is no life in you. You are a piece of dead wood, and not a living branch a spiritual corpse, and not a livinsf man. In this state there can be no 108 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. growth, for dead things never grow ; while on the other hand, the very desire will insure the possession of its object. 2. You must enter deeply into that "beati tude of our Lord, which says, "Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after right eousness ; for they shall be filled." Matt. 5 : 6. This is a passage too much overlooked and forgotten by most professing Christians. Its terms are exceedingly strong, its sentiment amazingly important. Among all the appetites of our animal nature none is so strong, none so imperiously demands supply, none so con stantly returns, none inflicts such suffering when not supplied, as this of hunger and thirst. And this is the appetite which, in the figura tive language of Scripture, is selected to ex press the vehement desire we should feel after righteousness or holiness ; and it is not only one of our natural instincts of this kind, but both hunger and thirst, that are spoken of. It is not the faint and feeble desire which by one filled almost to repletion is felt after some luxury, which, if it be not obtained, the person can do very well without. Oh, no ; but the MEANS OF PROG-HESS. 109 insatiable, unappeasable desire of the empty, hungry stomach, after necessary food, that is employed. Such should be the longing of every renewed soul after holiness. Righteous ness should be to it that which bread is to the body, and in reference to which we should say, " Evermore- give us this bread." Instead of those longings after earthly blessings which characterize the worldly mind those pantings after wealth, honor, and pleasure, which excite such energies and call forth such activities, the mind of the believer should be intent on spirit ual blessings. No measure of holiness to which he has already attained should satisfy him. There are sins yet to be mortified, and he must not be content till they are dead. There are heights of moral excellence above him which IIQ has not reached, and he should long to climb up%to them. What he has yet attained to, are but as crumbs to a hungry man who longs for the full meal, or drops of water to a thirsty one who pants for the copious draught. It is astonishing and affecting to see with what low degress of righteousness some professors are satisfied. How little they seem to have of 110 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. the spirit of holiness. How very little is there of forgetting the things that are behind, and pressing forward to greater things yet. How many are there who are contented with the average piety of the church and the age, and seem only anxious to stand well in the estima tion of their fellow- Christians who are no better than themselves. How few are there whom nothing can satisfy but an ever-growing con formity to the divine image. Perhaps there is in some persons a sad dis position to pervert and abuse a passage of most instructive and encouraging and cautionary import : I mean the question which was asked concerning the small beginnings in the erection of the second temple at Jerusalem, " Who hath despised the day of small things ?" Zech, 4:10. This has been applied also in a spiritual way to the commencement of religion in the toul ; and we are told that little grace is better than none at all that faith is still faith though it be weak, just as diamonds are diamonds and gold is gold, though it be in small pieces. Or, to return to the idea already dwelt upon, life is life though it be but that of a babe, and MEANS OF PROCURESS. Ill therefore is not to bo despised. We know it and admit it. Bat then if little things are not to be despised, ought great ones to be so treated ? And is not satisfaction with little things, when great ones may be obtained, to despise the latter ? Be it so, that fragments of gold and diamonds are not to be rejected ; yet who are contented with the dust of either when they might have ingots of the one, or large and costly jewels of the fther ? No ; the least measure of holiness is not to be despised. It contains a powerful principle of expansion and enlargement. Does the gardener despise the germ of the flower, or the seed of a plant, or the acorn of the oak ? Or does the parent despise the day of small things in the life of his babe ? No ; but then neither the gardener nor the parent is satisfied with the day of small things. So neither should the Christian. It is well therefore to consider, as Barnes the commentator remarks, that there is no piety in the world which is not the result of cultiva tion, and which cannot be increased by the degree of care and attention bestowed upon it. No one becomes eminently pious, any more 112 CHRISTIAN PROG-RESS. than any one becomes eminently rich, or learn ed, who does not intend it ; and ordinarily men are, in religion, what they intend to be. They have about as much religion as they wish, and possess about the characters which they design to possess. "When men reach ex traordinary elevations in religion, like Baxter, Pay son, and Edwards, they have gained only what they meant to gain ; and the gay and worldly professors of religion, who have little comfort and peace, have in fact the characters which they designed to have. 3. Great attention to self -cultivation, spir itually considered, is a means of growth. By this I mean what is expressed in one or two passages of Scripture ; such, for instance, as the exhortation, "Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." Prov. 4 : 23. It is the heart, the great vital spring of the soul, the fountain of actions, the centre of principle, the seat of motives the heart, where are the thoughts and feelings out of which conduct comes. It is this that must be the first, chief, constant object of solicitude to the Christian. It is this which MEANS OF PROGRESS. 113 God sees, and as God sees it, and because God principally looks at it, that must "be ever upper most in our concern. To keep the heart must mean exerting ourselves with great earnest ness, in dependence upon divine grace, to pre serve it in a good state ; laboring to preserve its vitality, vigor, and purity. "We must often ask the question, " In what state is my heart ? Are my thoughts and affections in a good spir itual condition ?" It is, in another view of it, the citadel of the soul : if this be neglected, the enemy at the gates will soon be in and take possession. Set a watch, therefore, upon the heart. Let the sentinel be never off duty, nor sleeping at his post. Keep out evil thoughts, and unholy affections, and vile imaginations. "Without great vigilance they will elude obser vation. As soon as an enemy of this kind is detected, he must be seized and made captive, till every thought is brought into subjection to Christ. As the state of the heart is, so is the man in reality, and before God. Discipline the heart then * * See an admirable volume lately published, entitled "Heart Discipline," by my friend the Rev. James Cooper. Chr. Prog. 8 114 ;- CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. But there is a second passage well worthy the attention of all young converts ; . I mean where Paul exhorts Timothy thus: " Exercise thyself unto godliness." 1 Tim. 4 : 7. The word in the original is very strong, and might be rendered by a free translation, " practise gymnastic exercises in religion," like the an cient competitors in the Olympic games. "We say also of soldiers in the early stage of their training, " They are practising their exercise" They are being trained in what they do not previously know, and cannot perform without being taught ; and to learn which, and do it well, requires a great deal of labor. So it is with the Christian ; he must in all that concerns true godliness, learn his exercise, and be often thus engaged. Religion and religious progress cannot be acquired without great pains. As a man cannot be at once a good soldier, while he is, a young recruit and before he has been drilled upon the parade-ground, so no one can be an eminent Christian as soon as he is con- verted, and before he has been at his drilling. Self-improvement in knowledge by the student, and in business by the tradesman, are the re- MEANS OF PROGRESS. 115 suit of great painstaking. No one can expect advancement without labor. It is astonishing and affecting to see how little anxiety there is among many to improve themselves in religion. 4. One great means of progress is a constant, earnest, and spiritual attendance upon all the appointed means of growth. Private prayer is essentially necessary. " And thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret ; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." Matt. 6:6. A spirit of prayer is so essential to personal religion, that it may as certainly be said that it is a dead soul in which there is not this spirit, as it may of the body that it is a corpse in which there is no breath. Prayer is the most secret intercourse of the soul with (rod the converse of one heart with another. Prayer requires retirement : a real Christian must be often alone with God. No one can make progress without much prayer. Religion is a plant that for growth must be often remov ed into the shade. It will be scorched and wither if it be always kept in the broad sun- 116 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. shine of publicity. It is the private intercourse of friends that increases their friendship. None can progress in love to God without this pri vate communion. There must be time found and fixed for prayer, and the time fixed must be kept. That which is left to be done at any time, is likely to be done at no time. There is nothing about which a young Christian should be more anxious than maintaining the spirit, the love, the practice of private prayer ; and nothing which should more seriously alarm him, than any disposition to neglect this. He who makes any excuse for omitting the appointed hour of visiting a friend, must be in a fair way to lose all regard for him. But there are also public as well as private means to be observed. You must " Remember the Sabbath-day to keep it liohj." How neces sary a right, though not a gloomy or supersti tious observance of this day is to the preserva tion and strengthening of our piety, is attested by the experience of others, and not less so by our own. It is true it is a feast, and not a fast day, and should be kept in the spirit of the new and not of the old covenant; that is, MEANS OF PROGRESS. 117 with joy and freedom, and not with gloom and bondage. Still it must be serious joy. He who passes his Sabbaths in frivolous conversa tion and levity of spirit; who is not devout in his attendance upon the means of grace ; who does not make the best of the precious opportu nity to improve his religious condition ; who conducts himself much as on other days, ex cept that he does not buy and sell, and goes once or twice to the house of (rod, cannot .expect to get on in religion. Tell me how a professor spends his Sabbaths, and I will tell you in what state his soul is, spiritually considered. A Christian ought to be, and I am supposing he is, a communicant at the table of the Lord. If he is not, he ought to be. It is by way of eminence the ordinance. Apart from any su perstitious notion of it, it is a solemn and im pressive solemnity. As creatures formed to be moved, as well as instructed, through the me dium of the senses, we are likely to be affected by those symbols of the body and blood of Christ which, with such awful, though silent eloquence, speak to the ear of faith of Him who is thus set forth crucified before us. Perhaps 118 CHRISTIAN PK.OG-RESS. there is no ordinance of God which, when ob served in a proper frame of mind, speaks so forcibly to our hearts and operates so power fully upon our whole souls as this. There, believer, there renew your faith in the crucified Saviour ; there increase your love, as you see his love so strikingly exhibited ; and there, by the mercies of God, present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable, and well-pleasing to God. There consecrate yourself afresh each time to his service, as his faithful devoted ser vant. What progress can you expect to make if you neglect this institute so expressly set up, that through feeding by faith on the great sac rifice offered for you upon the cross, you might be " strengthened with all might by the Spirit in the inner man." Connected with this, is an attendance upon the solemnities of public worship. None who make any pretensions to religion can altogether neglect these. All such persons are there some part of the. Sabbath. But is it not too obvious to be denied, that modern habits of suburban residence in large towns are introducing a most injurious partial neglect of public worship. MEANS OF PROGRESS. 119 Once on the Sabbath-day, and never in the week, is all the attendance some give at the house of God. Can there he progress where this is the case ? Can the soul he strong and healthy upon such scanty fare as one meal a week ? They who would grow in grace, must love the habitation of God s house ; must have the one desire of David to see God s power and glory in the sanctuary ; must know something at least of what he felt when he said, " As the heart panteth after the water-brooks, so panteth my soul after thee, God. My soul thirsteth for G-od, for the living God ; when shall I come and appear before God ?" Psa. 42 : 1, 2. It is the man who loves the house of God, who will put himself to some little inconvenience, and will make some sacrifices of ease to be there, who is likely to profit by the appointed means. It is those that are planted in the courts of the Lord who shall flourish, and not those who are only occasionally there. And then how much depends upon the frame of mind in which, and the purpose for which, this attendance is carried on. There is a man ner of attending upon the means of grace, which 120 CHRISTIAN instead of benefiting the soul does it great harm. Gospel sermons and the richest devo tional services may harden the heart instead of sanctifying it, and be a savor of death unto death instead of life unto life. Let us never forget, that to be profited, that is, to be spirit ually improved in knowledge, faith, holiness, joy, and love, is the end of hearing sermons, and not merely to have our taste gratified by genius, eloquence, and oratory. I know scarce ly any thing of more importance to put before a young Christian, than the necessity, in order to a healthful state of religion, of a right end and object in hearing the word of God. "We live in an age when talent is idolized, and genius adored. This is " the image of jealousy which maketh jealous" in the temple of the Lord. With too many it is not the truth of God that is thought of, valued, and delighted in, but the talent of man with which it is set forth. Now we admit that it is almost impos sible not to admire and be affected by genius. Mind must admire the nobler exhibitions of mind ; and cultivated intellects cannot put up with the crude effusions of ignorance r dul- MEANS OF PROGRESS. 121 ness. To such persons, it is not only offensive to taste, but to piety, to hear such sublime and glorious themes as the gospel contains set forth in the mean and tattered habiliments of vulgar language and mean thought. Who would like to have the richest delicacies served up on the meanest or broken earthenware ? Even in regard to books, elegant typography and good paper add to the pleasure of reading, even where the matter is instructive and the sub ject of perusal is interesting. But it would argue an ill-regulated mind, in the one case to be fonder of the elegance of the dish than of the good food which it contains ; and in the other, of the type, paper, and binding of the book, than of the momentous subject on which it treats. It is scarcely possible to give a more important piece of advice to one setting out on the ways of G-od, than our Lord s words, " TAKE HEED HOW you hear." "We should hear sermons with something of the same state of mind, and for the same purpose, as we should directions from a physician concerning our health, or from a law yer how to a vert an impending sentence of death. Intimate converse with the word of God is 122 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. essential to progress. We must neither neglect nor idolize the preacher. The sermon in the house of Grod must not displace the Bible from our hand. To he contented with the public ministry without the private searching of the Bible, is virtually so far to turn Papists, or at any rate to act like them. It is painful to think how little use multitudes make of their Bibles. It is a question which might bring a blush, or ought to do so, upon many a professor s cheek, " How many chapters of God s holy word have you read the last week or month ?" Not that the Scriptures should be merely read for the sake of being read. Some no doubt prescribe to themselves the task of reading so many chapters every day; and perhaps with much the same motive as the Papist repeats his Ave Marias, or his Paternosters : as a kind of penance. This is not what we mean : and we would at once suggest, that as in eating it is not the quantity of food taken into the stomach, but the quantity that can be digested, which keeps up our strength and promotes our health ; so it is not the quantity of Scripture read, but the quantity studied, understood, and MEANS OF PROGRESS. 123 applied, that does us good. One verse pon dered upon, felt, applied, is better than a whole chapter or book read negligently, thoughtless ly, and without self- application. Not that a verse a day is enough spiritual food for any one. It may be feared that not a few have abused those little manuals of piety got up for the edification of persons who really cannot command time for much reading ; I mean the " text-a-day " books, which are now so com mon. Surely they who can command time, should hardly be satisfied with such a crumb of the bread of life as this. A real, devout, and intelligent study of the Scriptures, then, is essential to great progress in the life of Grod. " Man liveth not by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of Grod." To every young convert, therefore, we say, SEARCH the Scriptures daily. Meditate on the law of Grod day and night. Try how much of the word of God you can understand, and what is more, try how much you can practise. Study the word of Grod with prayer for divine teaching. Take up David s petition, " Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous 124 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. things out of thy law." Remember this also, there is much corruption in your heart gen erating a false bias, and beclouding your judg ment, and likely therefore to lead you to mis conception and error. Beseech of G-od to send forth his Spirit into your heart to purify it from depravity, that your understanding may be better preserved from error. Enter deeply into the meaning and spirit of that remarkable saying of our Lord, " If any man will do his," God s, " will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of (rod, or whether I speak of myself. " John 7:17. In this important passage we are taught that the disposition of the heart has much to do with the views and opinions of the intellect. In all moral questions it must be so. A sincere wish and purpose to do the -will of God, will be our best way to know the mind of God. An honest heart is the most likely means to gain a correct judg ment. True it is, that we must in some degree know the mind of God in order to do his will ; but a desire to do his will is also the way to know it more perfectly. We must have know ledge to produce holiness, but holiness will MEANS OF PROGRESS. 125 prepare us for more knowledge. And the knowledge we acquire in this way will be of a spiritual and experimental kind. We must give up all preconceived ideas, all prejudices, all pride of intellect, and go in humility to the Scriptures as learners. 5. A deep conviction and ever-present sense of the need of the Holy Spirit, accompanied by a constant dependence upon him, is indis pensable to progress in the divine life. "With out this the soul can no more grow in grace, than the produce of the earth can be brought forth without the genial influences of the heavens. "Whatever means are used, and all covenanted and appropriate ones must be used, still our dependence for their efficiency must be upon (rod s blessing. Hence says the apos tle, " If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit." Gal. 5 : 25. First, as in the body, there must be the principle of life, then the activities of that principle. And in both natural and spiritual existence, it may be said, in God we live and move and have our being. Agreeably also to this, is the other exhortation of the same apostle, " Work out your salvation 126 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. with fear and trembling, for it is God which, worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Phil. 2 : 13. This is one of the most instructive and important passages of the New Testament. Now, it must he observed that this was addressed to those who were sup posed to be Christians, who were already saved, though not formally and finally possessed of salvation ; and yet they are commanded to work out their salvation. Of course, therefore, it did not mean works for justification, for this was already completed. It means, " Go on working in your sanctification, with a view to the end of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Go on earnestly in the way of holy walking, even to the close of life, for though you cannot be saved by and for your works, you cannot be saved without them ; nor can you be saved unless you continue in them to the end." This is also to be done " with fear and trembling," that is, with all that deep solicitude which he might be supposed to feel, who knows he has so important an interest at stake as an immor tal soul. The most confident hope that we are in a state of salvation should not, in the smallest MEANS OF PROORESS. 127 degree, abate our solicitude about our salvation. But now observe the motive : "For it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do" God s working is not mentioned as a reason why we should not work ourselves, but as an inducement to engage us in an earnest and diligent cooperation with him. The meaning is, Grod exerts a certain influence upon our minds to produce a certain effect on us ; that effect is " to will," that is, to " choose" to be holy ; " to do," that is, to perform holy actions. This effect in us is the end and purpose of his influence upon us. It is not Grod who wills and acts for us, but we who will and act our selves under his influence. The mode of thi? divine influence we cannot explain. It is not a physical force, such as is exerted on passive unintelligent matter ; nor is it the mere moral force of persuasion, such as one man exerts upon another by mere argument and entreaty ; but it is an influence of a peculiar kind, and peculiar to this subject, the operation of the divine Spirit upon the human mind, causing it to understand and yield to the power of truth as set forth in the gospel, and addressed 128 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. to man s intellect. "We see in this passage, then, what every young convert should very distinctly notice and constantly remember, the union of human activity and divine agency. "We can do nothing good for ourselves without (rod s grace working in us, and God s grace never works in us but to lead us to do that which is good ourselves. "We are not to sit down in indolent inactivity waiting for God s grace to set us upon working ; but are without delay to begin working in a spirit of dependence upon God s grace. The husbandman sows his seed in expectation of the cooperation of the influences of the heavens ; and so must the Christian go to his work. God s grace comes not upon the idle, but upon the diligent. Christians in the early stage of their religious experience are but too apt to fall into one or other of the extremes of leaving God to do all, or attempting to do all themselves. The most common error is the latter. Full of the ardor of first love, they make resolutions, lay down plans, enter upon a course of action, too often in their own strength. They soon meet with checks and defeats. Their resolutions are MEANS OF r&OG-RESS. 129 broken, their plans frustrated, and their course impeded by unsuspected difficulties or success ful temptations. Disheartened and discourag ed, they are ready to give all up, and walk the ways of G-od no more. Let them rather learn the lesson of the great apostle who said, " When I am weak, then am I strong ;" or that other lesson, "Yet not I, but the grace of God in me." " Be strong in the Lord and in the power of his might" You cannot be too active as regards your own efforts ; you cannot be too dependent as regards divine grace. Do every thing as if God did nothing: depend upon God as if he did every thing. Hence, do all in a spirit of prayer. Go to every sermon, every book, especially the Bible, every effort in a spirit of prayer. This is to pervade every thing. Prayer is the golden thread that is to run through all our actions, stringing them all together, and suspending them all upon the hand of God. 6. The company, conversation, and fellow ship of established and earnest Christians, will be of great service to the young disciple. " As iron sharpeneth iron, so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend." Prov. 27 : 17. Chr. Prog. 9 130 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS: The allusion is familiar, but it is very illustra tive. The knife whetted upon the steel acquires a sharper edge. By the intercourse of friends of congenial minds, knowledge is communicat ed from the more to the less intelligent ; ani mation, encouragement, and courage from the lively and the sanguine to the dull, the timid, and the gloomy ; caution, wisdom, and modes ty from the more to the less prudent and dis creet ; and exhilaration from the joyful to the sad. Thus the sympathies of friendship are made conducive to the advantage of those who enjoy them. Sharpening indeed must have been the intercourse with Christ on the way to Emmaus, when the hearts of the disciples burned within them as he opened their under standings to know the Scriptures. Even tho apostle Paul himself, great and illustrious as he was, did not feel himself lifted above these sympathies of Christian friendship ; even he was so cheered by the conference and coun tenance of friends, that he longed to be "some what filled with their company ;" and when, in a moment of dejection, on his way to Rome, he saw the three brethren who had " come to MEANS OF PROGRESS. 131 meet him as far as Appii Forum and the Three Taverns," he recovered from his depression, * thanked (rod, and took courage." Hence, then, the necessity and advantage of Christian fellowship and religious friendship, and I seri ously and earnestly advise all young converts to cultivate it. They should not remain in solitude, having none with whom to exchange their thoughts, feelings, and solicitudes on those momentous topics which have lately possessed their minds. It is not good for them in this situation "to be alone." Solitary and seclud ed piety, like the fire of a single coal, burns feebly ; but like that, is more easily kept alive and kindled to a flame by contact with other coals. Great care, however, is necessary in the selection of companions. This is true in reference to all stages of our Christian history, but especially to the first. Those wlio are established in the divine life can bear with less injury the influence of persons whose taste, habits, and conversation are uncongenial with the spirit of true piety, than can the young , convert. It is therefore important he should choose for his associates not only those who. are 132 CHRISTIAN PROG-RESS. truly, but tliose who are eminently pious. There is among those whom we may hope to be sincere in their profession a very great dif ference as regards the degree of their personal godliness. As there are those who are only almost Christians, there are others of whom it may be said, they are only just Christians. While the former seem only just without the line of demarcation between the converted and unconverted, the latter only just within it. Their attainments are so slender, their religion is so feeble, their conversation and spirit are so worldly and trifling, that it is difficult to determine their real spiritual character. These are not the associates which will help on the young believer. They will damp his zeal and cool his first love. It will be like plunging his knife into earth, which instead of sharpening it, will take off its edge ; or like bearing his newly lighted taper into foul air, which will cause it to burn dimly, if it does not extinguish it. Instead of this, the inquirer after holiness and higher sanctification should associate with those who are as earnest as himself, or even more so : whose intelligence will instruct hi -a ; MEANS OF PROGRESS. 133 whose example will guide him ; whose con versation will inspire him ; whose cautions will warn him. Let him seek companions whose society will be as a prop round which his own young plant can entwine itself for support and growth, and by whose friendly aid his yet feeble tendrils shall be well sustained. 7. Religious reading is of great service to all, whether old or young in the Christian life The Bible I know is the book of books, and should be supplanted by no other. But we would not imitate the conduct of the Caliph Omar, who committed the library of Alexan dria to the flames, under the absurd idea that if the books contained only what was approved by the Koran, they were useless ; if what was contrary to it, they were pernicious. Our religious literature is as valuable as it is extensive. If it contains no other religious truth than that which is in the Bible, which if it be orthodox of course it cannot, it is still immensely valuable as explaining and enforc ing that which is in the Bible. It is one part of the creed of Popery that the Bible does not contain the whole word of God, for tradition 134 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. is a part of it ; and we scruple not to aver that their oral law is in many things opposed to the written one. "We reject all such un authorized and wicked attempts to corrupt the divine testimony, and abide close to the writ ten law or holy Scripture. But though we deny authority to the works of men, we attach great importance to them as eminently useful in helping you to understand the word of Grod, and therefore earnestly recommend the perusal of them. To pretend to select from the flood of publications which is flowing in upon us in this extraordinary age any works that might be recommended would be difficult and un necessary, and had better be left to the coun sel of those ministers with whom all young disciples are connected, and who, from a know ledge of their state of mind or advance in religious subjects, might be supposed better to understand what is suitable for them. They who are really anxious for progress in the di vine life, will not content themselves with the parlor reading of whatever religious books cr periodicals may happen to bo thrown in their way, but will have some biographical or devo- MEANS OF PROGRESS. 135 tional work as a closet companion, the pages of which will be prayerfully read in those seasons of retirement when the soul secludes herself from all human society to converse with God. 8. Occasional seasons of extraordinary de votion^ self-examination, and humiliation, will he found eminently conducive to progress. I am of course supposing, for I have already prescribed it, that a regular course of private prayer is kept up. But we all know that regularity is apt to degenerate into formality ; and what is customary, into mere routine. There may be the most exact order, and the most constant observance of religious exercises, and yet there may be nothing better than a dull round of observances. Hence it is indis pensable that there should be occasional sea sons of unusual devotion, when the soul shall take as exact account as it can of its state and condition. What has been already said on the subject of an excessive anxiety about our growth leading to almost a neglect of the means of progress, in an inquiry into the reality of progress, should be borne in mind. But still occasional examination into the state 136 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. of our profession cannot be wrong, but must be right. A tradesman who is always taking stock, under a fidgety anxiety about his trade, would only divert his attention from that industry and persevering effort which are essential to success. Still, he ought occasion ally to do this, for how else can he know how he is going on, or whether he is not going back. So also a nervous person always fear ful about his health, and ever inquisitive into symptoms and poring into books to see how ill he is, instead of using all the means of obtain ing and preserving health, is not very likely ever to be well. Yet sometimes, provided it does not occur too often or hinder him from present duties, he may inquire whether some chronic complaints are giving way, and whether his constitution is strengthening. We surely ought not to be less anxious about our soul s health than we are about that of our body ; and though a religious nervousness about theii soul, which really does distress some good people, should not be fostered, still an occasional examination into our spiritual condition ought to be instituted, and is really essential to prog- MEANS OF PROG-RESS. 137 ress. I do not see how we are to know what corruptions exist and are to he mortified, or what graces languish and need to be revived, without occasional more minute inspection than we give to the subject in our ordinary conduct. In this age when secular matters are so pressing, I may say, so engrossing and absorbing ; when business so encroaches on devotion, and the time formerly given to the closet is taken away to be given to the shop ; when all men are living in a hurry, and life itself is one constant bustle ; surely, I say, at such a time as this, it is necessary sometimes to step out of the circle, and to enter the closet for pressing home upon the conscience the momentous question, "How am I going on in my heavenly course ?" Such seasons may be found, and if it can be at no other time, and in no other way, it is worth while to give up occasionally a sermon, and to spend the hour or two which would be otherwise devoted to that exercise in solitary communion with our own heart, with our Bible, and with our God. 9. This enumeration would be incomplete were I to leave out from it, as a means of prog- 138 CHRISTIAN PROORESS. ress, those various afflictive events with, which it pleases God sometimes to try, to shake, and ultimately to settle and strengthen the faith of his people. Plants and trees not unfrequently, in very dry seasons, require watering at the time of or soon after their planting ; and indeed all vegetable life depends much on the rain and the dew for its growth. Hence God said to the Jews, "I will be as the dew unto Israel." Constant sunshine, especially for youthful vegetation, is unfriendly to prosperity. Hence God sometimes sees it necessary to darken the soul with cloud shadows, and cause the clouds themselves to pour down their contents on the young convert. Disappointed hopes of a worldly nature, frustrated schemes of happi ness, and bodily sickness, even thus early come on some persons, all the more painful and depressing because occurring at the outset of life. "What," says the early sufferer, "must I so soon prove how treacherous are the smiles of the world ; so soon learn by expe rience that man is born to sorrow as the sparks fly upward ? Must my very morning of life be overcast, and the first stage of my journey MEANS OF PROG-RESS. 139 be amidst storms? Is my destiny so soon developed to be one of grief and lamentation ?" Hush those complaints, dry those tears, dis miss this foreboding, my young friend. It is wisdom, though you cannot understand it ; and mercy, though you cannot at present see it. Have you ne^er read what is said by the weeping prophet, "It is good for a man that he bear the yoke in his youth." Lam. 3 : 24. Observe, it is not said, it is "pleasant," but "good." At the very outset of life take up the conviction that every thing is good for us that is good for our souls ; and that G-od is the best judge of what is good for them. That very disappointment or other kind of affliction which cost you so many tears, such sleepless nights, such distress by days, was just the thing which your heavenly Father saw to be necessary at that time for your spiritual benefit. You were concerned about religion, and seemed in earnest ; but you were in danger of being too much taken up with the world which had come out to meet you on your way with smil ing face and open arms. The syren song had sent its music into your ears, and you were 140 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. all but ravished and ruined "by the strain. And then God, by the affliction he sent upon you, warned you of your danger, and plucked you from its jaws. Many in your situation have been treated in the same manner, and have at length been compelled to say, " Foolish and vain, I went astray Ere I had felt thy scourges, Lord ; I left my guide and lost my way, But now I love and keep thy word." You recollect, perhaps, what God said to the Jews, "1 spake unto thee in thy prosperity ; but thou saidst, I will not hear. This hath been thy manner from thy youth, that thou obeyedst not my voice." Jer. 22 : 21. It required a change of circumstances to bring them to a right mind, and that change came and effected its own gracious purpose. Perhaps this may have been the case with you. Full of the buoyancy and eager expectation of youth, it was not likely religion could flourish in such a state of mind as that, and as God had purposes of mercy towards you he sent trials that he might effect his gracious designs. How strikingly is it said of Israel, "I will go and return to my place till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my MEANS OF PROG-RESS. 141 face ; in their affliction they will seek me early." Hos. o : 15. Yes, many, very many, will have cause through eternity to say, " Oh, hadst them left me unchastised, Thy precepts I had still despised ; And still the snare, in secret laid, Had my unwary feet betrayed." I entreat you, therefore, to enter into Grod s gracious purpose, and thus gather grapes as it were from thorns, and figs from thistles, by ren dering all your sorrows a means of progress in tha divine life. Turn all these painful events to a good purpose to check your vanity, to curb your levity, and to establish you in the ways of the Lord. Let them show you the need of religion as a source cf consolation amidst the vicissitudes of life, the power of religion to support you under them, and its ineffable sweet ness to console as well as to support. I just now compared affliction to water, for so is it often represented in the word of God ; but not less frequently is it compared also to the action of fire. Perhaps you know that in enamel painting upon china this agent is employed. The colors are laid on, and then the article is 142 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. put into a small furnace, and subjected to con siderable heat, which at once brings out some of the colors more vividly, and gives fixedness and perpetuity to them all in the painting. In delineating the divine image upon your soul, something like this method of painting may by the divine hand be adopted, and the spiritual coloring may be burnt in and perpetuated by the furnace of affliction. Consider it a mercy to have the work of grace carried on, though it be by a process so painful as this. It will be very clearly, and it may be hoped impressively seen by these particulars, that real religion is a very great thing, a matter of immense importance, and requiring great exer tion. No doubt many who have made a pro fession of it have formed very inadequate ideas of it, and are fearfully deceiving themselves, and it becomes all who shall read these pages to inquire what they know of these things. Religion, as we have shown you, is a battle which requires complete armor, and the busy use of weapons, in order to secure a doubtful victory a race in which many run, but in which few will gain the prize a narrow path MEANS OF PHOG-RESS. 14.3 by which many shall seek to pass through the gate of life, and by which the few only who strive shall make good their entrance into the paradise of God. It is only by dint of painful and assiduous striving that salvation is at length secured ; and just as the racer may be said scarcely to have won, who with the utmost power and fleetness makes good his dis tance by a hair s breadth of space, or within a moment of time, so is it said of the righteous by the apostle, that they are but " scarcely saved." 1 Pet. 4 : 18. This is a tremendous passage, and is enough to awaken " fear and trembling" in us all. The righteous are scarcely saved! They escape from the fire into safety, but as by a hair s breadth. How great is the difficulty of bringing them first to be in ear nest about salvation ; how great the difficulty of keeping them from turning back and away amidst the temptations to sin, and the allure ments of the world, by which they are sur rounded ; how difficult to rescue them from the power of the great adversary of souls. Through the internal struggles of the mind, and outward conflicts of life, it often seems a matter of doubt 144 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. whether, with all their efforts, they will be saved ; and \vhen they are saved they will appear to themselves as mariners who have been rescued from shipwreck, who are amazed to see how near they seemed to destruction, and how unlikely to all human appearance it seemed at one time they should be saved at all. Oh, is this true ? then how few comparatively are in the way to be saved. Where, we ask, are those who are comporting themselves in a way answerable to such a representation : eagerly, anxiously as for their lives, striving to flee from the wrath to come, and conscious that if they are saved, it will be so as by fire ? Amidst the multitudes who in this day are making a pro fession of religion, how rarely are they to be seen who are diligently plying at the taskwork of Christianity ; who are making a real busi ness of their growing sanctification ; who are laboring for heaven as if pursued by a convic tion that without effort they will never reach it, and that even after their utmost labors they will but save their distance, and scarcely reach the goal to which they are tending. Is it not time to sound the alarm, and especially in the MEANS OF PROGRESS. 145 case of those who are just, according to their own declaration, setting out in the pursuit of eternal life? If any on reading this should say, as did the apostles, " Who then can be saved ?" I adopt our Lord s reply, " With man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible." To every earnest soul Jesus says, " My grace is sufficient for thee." ADDRESS TO THE READER. Now turn back your attention upon the con tents of this chapter, with even more solicitude, because of the greater importance of the sub ject, than you would in a time of bodily weak ness upon some directions which had been given you concerning your health. First of all, however, .ask with serious and earnest concern the questions, Am I really so anxious to grow in grace as to be using all the necessary means for that purpose ? Am I serving my soul as I do my body, that is, by being careful about my spirit ual health, and adopting all proper measures, and diligently employing them to promote it? Chr. Pro-. 1 146 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. Have I solicitude enough, about this matter to be active and earnest in the use of means ? Do I really want to grow ? Do I hunger and thirst after righteousness ? Do I take pains for this self-cultivation? Do I most constantly and seriously attend all the means of grace, public as well as private, and week-days as well as Sabbath-days ? Do I constantly, devoutly, read and study the holy Scriptures, not allowing other books to supplant the Bible ? And do I search them to be made more holy ? Do I feel my need of the Holy Spirit s in fluence, and am I constantly wrestling with God to bestow it upon me ? Do I court the society of the more establish ed and spiritual members of the family of God ? Do I set apart special times for self-exami nation, humiliation, and prayer ? Am I improved and made more holy and spiritual by my afflictions, disappointments, and vexations ? Reader, I beseech you, bring yourself to this touchstone. You cannot progress unless you are anxious to do so, and use the means. MISTAKES AS TO rHOG-RESS. 147 CHAPTER IV. MISTAKES CONCERNING- PROGRESS. SUPPOSE a man were on a journey which was of considerable importance to all his temporal interests, on which it was every way desirable he should be going forward with all convenient speed. Imagine also that through some igno rance of the country, or through his want of acquaintance with his rate of speed, he should conclude that he was advancing towards his destined point, while at the same time, though in constant activity, he was making no progress, but only wandering about in by-lanes and cross roads, and still remaining near the spot from which he started. In such a case, he might lose the end and purpose of his journey. Now, there is something not unlike this in the course of some persons in regard to religion. They are in motion, but not in progress. The mis takes on this subject are very numerous, and require great pains in those who have to teach, 148 CHRISTIAN PROG-RESS. to point them out; and also attention on the part of all who have any solicitude about their spiritual welfare, in order to be acquainted with them. The temptations of the father of lies, aided by the deceitfulness of the human heart, originate many very injurious errors concerning our spiritual condition, and lull us into a state of complacency, where we ought to be deeply solicitous and somewhat alarmed. 1. It is not an unfrequent case for persons to conclude they are advancing, because they are not, in their own view of their case, actu ally receding. They do not see any outward and visible signs of backsliding. They have fallen into no grievous sin, and have brought no blot upon their character, nor discredit upon their profession. They are not conscious of any known departure from the way of rectitude, and have not fallen from their steadfastness. Their usual round of duties is performed, and they have not subjected themselves, by any part of their conduct, to rebuke or censure. All this may be so, and yet there may be no prog ress. Is it enough to stand still on our path ? "Would it satisfy the man on the journey just MISTAKES AS TO PROGRESS. 149 alluded to, if he could merely say, " I am not going back ?" "Would this prove he was advanc ing ? It may be said, and we have already said it, that in one sense not to advance is to recede. But were it not so, surely to stand still is not to go forward. Have you more knowledge, more holiness, more love, more spirituality, than you had ? Is your growth at all perceptible, though it be in ever so small a degree ? Do not compare yourselves with some who are rapidly going back, and imagine that in relation to them you are going forward, while you are standing still. Have you ever, when travelling in a steam-carriage, while your own railway train was stopping at the station, and another was passing slowly in a contrary direction, imagined that it was you that were in prog ress ? So is it in this case. You may be quite at rest, while compared with others going back you seem to be in motion forwards. 2. Some estimate progress by the time thty have been in motion. Suppose a person unac quainted with the rate of speed of a ship at sea, and not understanding the influence of contrary winds, and the process of getting slowly on by 150 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. tacking, were to calculate thus, ""We have been so many hours or days at sea, and we must therefore be so far on our voyage." Suppose the man on the journey to have fallen asleep, or loitered away his time, and then, taking out his watch, were to calculate that because he left home so many hours since, he must be get ting on very well. Is there nothing like this in some professing Christians ? It is so many months or years since they took up their stand ing as religious persons. They have been all this while regular attendants on public worship, and communicants at the Lord s supper. They have heard already innumerable sermons, and read many good books. They have outlived the novelties of a religious life, and the ways of God are now familiar to them. How can it be doubted, they say, that they who have been so long on the road are advancing? Ah, this is just calculating progress by time, rather than by distance. Be it known to you, that a pro fessed Christian may be long, very long, in standing ; yes, and after all, it is but standing without going. A dead stick, however long it may be in the ground, will not grow. Finger- MISTAKES AS TO TROaRESS. 151 posts stand for ages, and measure distances for travellers, but never advance an inch. Do not conclude, then, that "because your conversion is supposed to have taken place long since, that therefore your sanctification must be far ad vanced. It is a pitiable sound, and argues an imbecile mind, as well as a diminutive body, to hear a poor dwarf cripple say, " I must be growing, for I am ten years old." It may be, but every body else sees that the poor child s stature never increases an inch. Let the Chris tian not think of the years he has lived, but the attainment he has made. The length of his profession ought to be attended by an advance in all that constitutes vital godliness, proportion ate to the advantages he has enjoyed and the time he has had them ; but alas, alas, how rarely is this the case. In the orchard or vine yard, young trees may be growing when they bear no fruit, and a stranger may be ready to say they make no progress ; but the skilful gardener says, " Give them time, and they will exhibit produce." And when they do bear fruit, it is in proportion to their age. In the garden of the Lord, young plants ought to fructify im- 152 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. mediately, and the fruits of righteousness should be also in proportion to their age. But is it so ? How many whose eye shall read these pages will Hush, if they have any holy shame, to compare the date of their planting in the courts of the Lord, and the produce they yield. 3. There may be an increase of theoretic knowledge, and of ability to talk with fluency upon the subjects of religion, and to defend the truth against gainsay ers, without any corre sponding advance in spiritual feeling and holy conduct. There is a great deal of very interesting matter in the Bible, apart from its spiritual and vital power as God s instrument of sanctification. Its history, its poetry, its sub limity, its chronology, its eloquence, its proph ecies, its pathos, all may become subjects of study, and even of delightful study, without faith in its doctrines or obedience to its pre cepts. Thousands and thousands of volumes have been written on religion by men whose hearts were never under its power. Some of the noblest productions of sacred science have issued from the pens of those to whom, it is to be feared, it was all mere theory. Like bril MISTAKES AS TO PROGRESS. 153 liant lamps, they lighted others on their way to heaven, hut never moved themselves ; or to raise still higher the metaphor, they were like lighthouses, which directed ships on their course, hut were stationary themselves. In more private life, and less important attain ments, how many have made themselves ac quainted with the theory of divine truth, as taught in hooks, sermons, articles, creeds, and catechisms, so as to Be ahle to explain the or thodox system of doctrine, and to argue for it, whose hearts have never been sanctified by the truth. And even where it may be hoped the great change has been wrought, and a start made for salvation and eternal life, there may be a growth in knowledge without a proportion ate growth in grace. Many young persons are now happily engaged in Sunday-school teach ing, the distribution of religious tracts, and various other operations of religious zeal, which give them of necessity a growing acquaintance with the system of religious truth. They can talk with more fluency and correctness on di vine things. History, doctrine, and precept, are all more familiar to them, and at the same 154 CHRISTIAN PROORESS. time their thoughts are more drawn to the sub ject of religion generally as the matter of their teaching. Hence, there may seem to be to themselves a perceptible progress. And so there is in theory. But if at the same time there is no advance in holiness, Christian charity, con scientiousness, self-denial, and humility, these signs of advance may be, and are, all deceptive. Their knowledge has been collected, not as the materials of personal sanctity, but of activity. Such acquisitions may be only the " knowledge which puffeth up," but not " the love that edi- fieth." There are persons whose acquaintance with Scripture is surprising, and yet who, though they could quote most aptly from nearly all parts of the Bible, give too convincing proof that their knowledge is of the letter only, and not of the spirit. I knew a person who was so intimately acquainted with the Scriptures, that if you gave him any chapter or verse in most of the books of either the Old Testament or New, he would immediately repeat the words ; and yet he was altogether an unconverted man. And I was acquainted with another who was MISTAKES AS TO ntOG-RESS. 155 so fond of the study of prophecy that he "became more conversant with the predictions of the books of Daniel and of the Apocalypse than any one I ever knew, who was at the same time entirely a man of the world. Yet there are many who regard this increasing acquaintance with the text of the Bible as an evidence of growth in grace. "While, therefore, we would urge every young convert to make a longer and larger acquaintance with the word of God, assuring them that there can be no growth in grace without some advance in knowledge, and that the more knowledge of it they have the more they are prepared to be useful, happy, and holy, provided they couple with it other things, yet that at the same time there may be large increase of knowledge without any growth in grace. Ask yourselves then the solemn ques tion, and ask it solemnly too, whether in pro portion as you store your minds with biblical texts and biblical ideas, you all the while are seeking to have your heart filled with biblical feelings, and your life with biblical actions. Is your advancing light attended with increasing warmth? As you grow in acquaintance with 156 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. the character of God, do you reverence him more ? As your ideas brighten on the person of Christ, do you love him more ? As you "be come more acquainted with the perfection and spirituality of God s law, do you delight in it more and more after the inward man ? As you see more clearly the evil of sin, do you hate it with a more intense hatred ? As your horizon widens, do you become more profoundly humble, more tenderly conscientious, more gentle, more spiritual ? Unless this be the case you are in a fatal mistake by supposing you are making progress in the divine life, merely because you are advancing in biblical science. 4. In some persons there is a growing know ledge of their corruptions, and perhaps an increase of lamentation over them, unattended by any disposition or effort to mortify them ; and yet this growing light into the depravity of their nature, and this real vexation, for so it may be called, rather than godly sorrow, leads to no proportionate mortification of sin. There can be little doubt that many do know more and more of the plague of their own hearts, and are made continually more sorrowful by it, MISTAKES AS TO PROGRESS. 157 who content themselves with venting their unavailing regrets, and make no progress in removing the evils they deplore, and yet con clude that this growing self-knowledge is an evidence of growing piety. So it would be if it were followed up by amendment. " Godly sorrow worketh repentance," that is, reforma tion. And that sorrow is not godly, however pungent it may be, and however miserable it may make the man, which does not produce reformation. Many a holy Christian is made more and more holy, with less of misery on account of sin, just because his grief, whether greater or less, leads to amendment, than he who, whatever may be his mortification of feeling, does not carry it on to a mortification of sin. "What should we say of a housewife who made herself continually miserable about the disorder and uncle anliness of her house, but who took no pains to rectify the confusion and to expurgate the filth? It is to be greatly feared that very many professors of religion satisfy themselves with being made unhappy by the knowledge and experience of their sins. They are loud in their lamentations, ample in 158 CHRISTIAN rROG-RESS. their confessions, and seemingly profound in their humiliations. But there the matter ends. They who heard their self-abasing acknow ledgments yesterday, see them no better to day. They are like some valetudinarians, whose diseases arise, in great measure, from their own indulgence, who are ever complain ing of their ailments, and ever lamenting as well as continuing their imprudence, but who will never exercise that self-denial which is the only way to restoration, and who yet imagine it is a sign of growing attention to their health, because there is an increasing disposition to lament their sickness and to confess their im prudence. 5. A very common error is to mistake a growth of sectarianism for an increase of grace Perhaps there is no delusion more common than this. Ecclesiastical polity and sacramental ob servances, as matters of divine revelation, are both of some importance ; yet it is perfectly clear, from the testimony of Scripture, that they are of less consequence in the divine life, than faith, hope, and love. " The kingdom of G-od is not meat and drink ; but righteousness, and MISTAKES AS TO moaRESS. 159 peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." Rom. 14 : 17. " In Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision ; "but FAITH WHIQH WORKETH BY LOVE." Gal. 5 I 6. If these passages mean any thing, they teach us the entire subordination of what is ceremo nial to what is spiritual. To see a person more interested in, and more zealous for some ritual observance than the cultivation of charity- attaching more importance, both as matter of experience and controversy, to baptism and the external form of the church, than to the doctrines of justification, regeneration, and sanc- tincation, marks a state of mind very different from that which is inculcated by the precepts, and manifested in the conduct of the sacred writers. The great object of the apostles was to cherish in their converts the spirit of faith and the practice of holiness. Yet we very often see a different line of conduct, both in the teachers and professors of religion in the present day, by many of whom an extraordinary zeal is manifested for either established or unestab- 1 lished churches, as the case might be, and for a more elaborate or a more simple ceremonial ; 160 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. while little concern is felt or expressed to incul cate "the fruits of the Spirit, which are love, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance." Gra.1. o : 22. We not unfrequently see young professors, when their first concern about religion is over, taking up with the ardor of eager novices these secondary matters, and becoming zealots for supporting, defending, and propagating them. This is sometimes especially apparent in those who have lately transferred themselves from one section of the universal church to another. Proselytes, as if to prove the sincerity of their conviction, and recommend themselves to their new party, usually, in supporting their novel opinions, excel in zeal those by whom these notions have been long held. A change of this kind has, in some cases, effected a complete transformation of character, and they who were before all torpor,, are now all activity and energy ; not, indeed, for the great fundamental truths on which all Christians agree, but for those minor matters on which they differ. Church men, that as such were dull and lethargic, have, * on becoming dissenters, been all life and energy, MISTAKES AS TO PROGRESS. 161 not so much for faith, love, and holiness, but for non-conformity ; while on the other hand dis senters, who while such were supine and inert, on entering the establishment, have become the zealous advocates and propagators of perhaps even high-church principles. Let not persons of this description mistake such sectarianism for advancement in the divine life. This holy vitality has reference rather to the principles on which all are agreed, than to those minor mat ters on which they differ. A mighty furor about non- conformity, or a most impassioned zeal for religious establishments, may comport with very little vital godliness ; yea, the former may go far to enfeeble the latter. Instead therefore of such a state of mind indicating progress, it manifests a retrogression. The man has become more of a dissenter or churchman, but perhaps less of a spiritual, humble, and simple-minded Christian. It is the human element in their religion, not the divine, that has strengthened ; ihe shell that has thickened, not the kernel that has enlarged. There has been motion, but it is a lateral one from the straight line, not a progress in the right direction. It is a going Chr. Prog 1 1 162 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. down and going back from primary to secondary matters. An excrescence has grown upon the tree, but the tree itself has been hindered and not helped in its advance. 6. Much the same remark will apply to a growing attachment to some particular preacher, which is not always of itself a proof of progress in religion. We are allowed our preference even in this matter ; for though it is the message rather than the messenger, the truth rather than the preacher, that is to be the ground of our attachment, yet it cannot in the nature of things be otherwise than that we should prefer one minister to another. He may have been the instrument of our conver sion, or the means of our establishment ; or independently of these matters he may more clearly explain, and more powerfully enforce God s truth ; or even without this his natural abilities with equal orthodoxy and piety may be more to our taste ; and on all these grounds preference, within certain limits, is allowed. But nothing in a young convert requires greater care and effort to keep down excess, than ministerial attachment, lest it should MISTAKES AS TO PROGRESS. 103 degenerate into exclusiveness and spiritual idolatry. This is a danger into which multi tudes run. They make this pulpit favorite not only the standard of all excellence but its monopolist. They think meanly of every one else. They can hear, or at any rate relish no other. When he preaches elsewhere they follow him; or if they cannot do this, they make up their mind not to profit by his sub stitute. This actually grows upon them till he is every thing, and all other ministers noth ing. Now this very attachment is by some supposed to be a proof of progress ; especially in the case of those who formerly cared noth ing about this minister or any other. They now feel pleasure in hearing him, but then it is confined to him, and this preference, instead of leading them to love him for the sake of the truth he preaches, leads them rather to love the truth for the sake of the preacher. If with their preference for him, they united a delight in hearing all who preach the same truths; and his preaching had formed in them a taste for evangelical doctrines, instead of for one man who preached them, this would be a blessed 134 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. result, and one that would prove advance in religion. Perhaps there are few evidences more conclusive of progress than such a state of mind as is described in the following reflections : " At my first setting out in the ways of religion, I felt a preference for my minister so strong, that I could hear with pleasure no other. I was disappointed and discontented if I saw any one else in the pulpit, and thought the sermon scarcely worth listening to. I now see it was more an attachment to the preacher himself than to his message. True, I was pleased with his doctrine, hut still more with his manner of setting it forth. As my knowledge of divine truth increased, and I "become more and more in love with this, I found my delight more and more drawn off from the preacher to his doc trine. Till now, with my preference for him above all others still remaining, I am so much taken up with the truth as it is in Jesus, and feel so much more the importance of the matter than the manner, that I can hear any one with pleasure who, with tolerable ability, explains and enforces the glorious gospel of the blessed G-od. It is the man who opens most clearly to MISTAKES AS TO PROGRESS. IGo my judgment the truth, of God s word, and enforces it most powerfully upon my heart and conscience, and carries on my growth in know ledge, peace, and holiness that is the preacher I love most." There is no mistake here. 7. Somewhat analogous to this, some mis take a growing delight in some particular theory, or some particular parts, aspects, and subjects of the Bible, for progress in the divine life. "All Scripture," to quote this passage again, "is given by inspiration of Grod, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of G-od may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works." But all Scripture is not equally adapted to foster the strength and pro- mote the health of the soul. Now it is clear to any one who will attentively study the New Testament, that the truth by which we are to be sanctified, the doctrine which is according to godliness, the "perfection" which is distin guished from first principles, is the mediatorial character and work of Christ. This seems to be plain from our Lord s words, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, except ye eat the .flesh of the 166 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. "Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my Hood, hath eternal life ; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed." John 6 : 53-55. This is a most momentous passage, and deserves the very serious attention of all, and especially of young converts. It is of vast consequence, in corporeal dietetics, to know what is the most nourishing food, and what will sustain the strength and increase the stat ure of the body. Can it be less so in the die tetics of the soul ? Here then, by Him who came to give life, by the Physician of the soul, WQ are told, upon what food the growing Chris tian must live. In these words our Lord did not, could not, mean to be understood literally. By his flesh and blood, he meant his body offered up in sacrifice, and his blood shed as an atonement for sin ; and by eating his flesh and drinking his blood, he intended nourishing the divine life by the knowledge, the faith, the contemplation of his death as it is set forth in the Scriptures. The study of every thing that stands connected with the death of Christ, MISTAKES AS TO PR00EJSSS. 167 whether it be in the types of the ceremonial law, the predictions of the prophets, the nar ratives of the gospels, the doctrines of the epistles, or the sublime visions of the Apoca lypse, this is the food of the soul, the manna from heaven, the bread of life. This is "meat indeed," and " drink indeed" Whosoever with hungry appetite feeds upon this, will grow ; and whosoever neglects this, will become lean and weak. Now, there is a proneness in some to neglect this, and endeavor to support their spiritual strength by something else. It is not the study of the natural history, or chronology, or historical facts, or beautiful poetry, or pathet ic narratives, or sublime compositions of the Bible, that will best sustain our strength, and yet some are thus attempting it. They see many beauties in the Bible to which they were formerly blind. They are enamoured with the sublimities, for instance, of the book of Job or Isaiah. They admire the wondrous wisdom of the book of Proverbs. They luxuriate amidst the, pathos of the history of Joseph, or the morality of the sermon upon the mount. Their attachment to those parts of revelation 163 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. is rather growing than declining, and in proper measure all this is highly commendable. Such books as Kitto s " Daily Readings" should be read, and cannot be read without admiration, and exquisite delight, and valuable informa tion. And many do read them with these feelings, and hence they imagine they are pro gressing in religion, although they have little relish, perhaps, for the doctrines of the gospel, the mediation of Christ, the salvation into which the prophets inquired diligently, and the angels desired to look. They do not feed on the flesh and blood of the great sacrifice. 8. There may be a mistake made, by the mortification of some ONE sin, while others are left unsubdued. It is so far an advance if one enemy of our soul, from right motives and by right means, be destroyed. And in the work of spiritual improvement it is wise and well, instead of losing our time and wasting our ener gies in mere general and unsystematic mortifi cation, to select occasionally some on c sin to begin with in the way of more direct and con centrated attack ; and no doubt the crucifixion of that corruption, the cutting off of that right MISTAKES AS 10 PROGRESS. 169 hand, or the plucking oat of that right eye, is a gain in sanctification, a step in advance, and a means of gaining other victories. But what I am anxious to guard you against is, the supposi tion that because some one evil to which you may be more strongly tempted is abandoned, or some practice which may militate against your health, or interest, or comfort, is given up, you are going on. Sin may be discontinued for va rious reasons. A drunkard may give up his inebriety, not because it is sinful, but hurtful. Another may discontinue some fraudulent prac tice, not because it is forbidden by God, but is disgraceful in the estimation of man. A young professor may give up some ensnaring worldly amusements, not because he is afraid of their influence upon his spiritual welfare, but because they make too great inroads upon his purse, it is not therefore the abstract ^abandonment of a sin, but the motive which leads to it, which is a proof of the work of grace. "How shall I do this great wickedness, and sin against G-od T " This must lie as the motive at the base of all mortification of sin. And then moreover, the destruction of any one sin must be viewed and 170 CHRISTIAN PB.OG-RESS. carried on as a part of the purpose and the act for the destruction of all sin. I now proceed to enumerate and to correct some mistakes of a contrary nature to those just considered. I mean such as are committed by those who are making progress, and yet are somewhat anxious and distressed under suppo sition that they are not; and even fearing that they are declining. The cases are perhaps not numerous of persons deeply concerned about salvation, really earnest in religion, and yet harassed with the apprehen sion that they are at a stand still, or even going back. There is a sincere desire to advance in ho liness, and to increase in spirituality ; and they are even diligent in the use of means to accom plish that end. In reference to them, I do not hesitate to say that their very state of mind is itself an evidence of progression. This solicitude is itself advancement. The very desire of im provement, the will to go on, the longing after greater attainment, is improvement. It is itself an impulse a forgetting the things that are be hind, and a reaching forward unto those things that are before. There cannot be a more convinc- MISTAKES AS TO PROGRESS. 171 ing proof of halting or retrograding, than com placency in ourselves. While, on the other hand , a growing disposition to find fault with our selves, and humble ourselves, and really improve ourselves, is one of the brightest indications of our going forward, provided there is all diligence in the use of the means of self-improvement. Some are fearful that they are not making progress because their feelings are not so viv idly excited in religious matters as they for merly lucre. They are not as easily and pow erfully wrought upon either in the way of joy and sorrow, hope and fear, as they once w r ere. They have not those lively and ecstatic states of mind which they formerly experienced when they began the divine life. Here we must just glance at the constitution of our nature. Religion exerts its influence over all the faculties of the soul ; it calls into exercise the understanding, engages the deter mination of the will, moves the affections, and quickens the conscience. The same differences of natural constitution will be observable in some degree in the new or spiritual nature as existed in the old or physical one. A person of 172 CHRISTIAN great sensibility in ordinary things will, after conversion, be so in spiritual ones ; while they of little emotion in the former, will exhibit the same phase of mind in the latter. The sensi bility or emotional state of the mind depends very much, therefore, on our physical organiza tion. Now it is a very wrong criterion of the reality and degree of our religion to judge of it only by the exercise of the affections. Some persons of excitable natures are easily moved to joy and sorrow, hope and fear. The power of poetry or eloquence, of sights of distress or rapture, over their feelings is irresistible, while at the same time their judgments are not propor tionately employed, their wills not in the same measure engaged, and their conscience but little moved. Take, for instance, the sentimental readers of novels, how by fits they are melted to tears or excited to ecstasies. Yet how idle and unemployed are all the other faculties of the soul. There is no virtue in all this. It is mere sympathetic emotion. Now look at the philanthropist. He may not be a man of tears, or of strong 1 and vivid emotions of any kind, but he is a man of principle. His understand- MISTAKES AS TO PROGRESS. 173 ing comprehends the circumstances of somo case of deep distress, and he judges it is right to pity and relieve it. His heart, though not wrought up to extreme anguish, so as to fill his eyes with tears and his mouth with loud lam entation, feels for the miserable object ; his will resolutely determines at once to help the suf ferer ; and his conscience, which would con demn him if he did not, approves the deter mination. You will particularly notice what constituted the virtue of the good man : not wholly the emotional excitement, for there was very little, but the dictates of the judgment, the determination of the will, and the action which was performed under these conjoint pow ers. So it is in religion, which consists partly of the exercise of all the faculties, but chiefly of the judgment, will, and conscience. The heart is of course engaged, for we must love God and hate sin ; we must delight in Christ and fear the wrath to come ; but the amount of vivid emotion is of little consequence, compared with an enlightened judgment, showing us clearly what is right and wrong ; a determined will to avoid the evil and perform the good ; 174 ciiRisiiAX PUOG-EESS. and a tender conscience shrinking from the least sin. Emotion is, to a certain extent, instinctive, involuntary, and irrepressible. Not so with judgment, will, and conscience. It is not, therefore, the amount of feeling, but of willing and doing, and approving or condemn ing, that determines the state of religion. There is such a thing, I know and alas, it is a very common one as losing " first love," and it is marked by our Lord with his disapprobation in his address to the church at Ephesus ; but many distress themselves on this account who have no need to do so. Their ardor perhaps, at first, was in some measure the excitement of animal feeling, which will soon die away of course, though their real practical love may not be diminished, but may be growing stronger. "When a son returns home after a long ab sence, especially if he be a reclaimed prodigal, and meets his parents, brothers, and sisters, there is a glow of feeling, a joyousness of emo tion, which cannot be expected to continue always, and which he may never be able to re call again, though he may be ever growing in real attachment to his friends and his home. MISTAKES A3 TO PROGRESS. 175 From all these it will be seen that the emo tional part of religion may be, and is, by many, overestimated. The question is not merely what we can feet, but what we can do, for Christ ; not how many tears we can shed, but how many sins we can mortify ; not what rap tures we can experience, but what self-denial we can practise ; not what happy frames we can enjoy, but what holy duties we can per form ; not simply how much we can luxuriate at sermon or at sacrament, but how much we can exhibit of the mind of Jesus in our inter course with our fellow-men ; not only how far above earth we can rise to the bliss of heaven, but how much of the love and purity of heaven we can bring down to earth ; in short, not how much of rapt feeling we can indulge, but how much of religious principle we can bring to bear on our whole conduct. It is evident, therefore, there may be prog ress where there is a fear that there has been declension. The vividness of feeling may havo subsided, but if the firmness of principle has been strengthened, it is only like the decadence of the blossom when the fruit has set. The 170 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. joy might not "be so great, but it may "be more intelligent, more solid, and more sober. Just as the exuberant delight of the child, when it passes off, leaves the pleasure of the youth less noisy, but more rational. The frames and feelings may be less rapturous, but they may at the same time be less idolized, less depended upon, less put in the place of Christ. The young Christian is less pleased with self, but sees more of the glory of the Saviour ; his own righteousness appears more imperfect and de filed, and is therefore less loved, but the right eousness of the Saviour comes out before him more beautiful, glorious, and necessary. Distress is sometimes felt in consequence of mistaking a clearer view and deeper sense of depravity for an actual increase of it. This is by no means an uncommon case. The young Christian seems sometimes to himself to be growing worse, when in fact it is only that he sees more clearly what in fact he really is. In the early stages of religion we have usually but a slender acquaintance with the evil of sin or the depravity of the heart. The mind is so much taken up with pardon and eternal MISTAKES AS TO PROGRESS. 177 life, and even, indeed, with transition from death to life, that it is but imperfectly ac quainted with those depths of deceit and wick edness which lie hid in itself. And the young convert is almost surprised to hear older and more experienced Christians talk of the corrup tions of their nature. It is almost one of the first things one should suppose they would feel, yet it is one of the last they effectually learn, that religion is a constant conflict in man s heart upon earth, between sin and holiness. At first they seem to feel as if the serpent were killed, but they soon find that he was only scotched, for by the warmth of some fiery temptation, he is revived and hisses at them again, so as to require renewed blows for his destruction. Nothing astonishes an inexperi enced believer more than the discoveries he is continually making of the evils of his heart. Corruptions which he never dreamt to be in him, are brought out by some new circum stances into which he is brought. It is like turning up the soil, which brings out worms and insects that did not appear upon the sur face. Or to vary the illustration, his increasing Chr.Frojf. 12 178 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. knowledge of God s holy nature, of the per fect law, and the example of Christ, is like opening the shutters, and letting light into a dark room, the filth of which the inhabitant did not see till the sunbeams disclosed it to him. Sometimes the young convert is discour aged because he does not increase as fast as lie expected ; and supposes, because he does not accomplish all, and as speedily as he looked for, that he does not advance at all. The ex pectations of young Christians are sometimes as irrational as the child s who sowed his seed in the morning, and went out in the evening to see if it was above ground. The recent convert sometimes imagines that sanctification is easy to work, and advance, for a regenerated soul, a thing to be accomplished by a succes sion of strides, if not indeed by one bound after another. But the remains of old Adam within him soon prove too str ,ng to allow this unimpeded course of Christian progression. He knew he had difficulties to surmount, but he calculated on getting over them with ease that he had enemies to conflict with, but then MISTAKES AS TO PROGRESS. 179 he hoped to go on by rapid victories from con quering to conquer. He is disappointed ; and now imagines he makes no way at all. But why should he so hastily decide against him self ? All growth is slow, and that is slowest of all which is to last the longest. The mush room springs up in a night : so did Jonah s gourd ; and in a night it perished. The oak requires centuries for its coming to perfection. Some mistake by supposing they do not ad vance at all because they do not get on so fast as some others. We would by no means en courage neglect, indifference, or contentment with small measures of grace. On the contrary, we urge the greatest diligence. We say, go on unto perfection. They who are contented with what grace they suppose they have, give fear ful evidence that they have none at all. To be self-satisfied is to be self-deceived. Still, as in nature so in grace, all do not grow with equal rapidity, or advance to equal strength and stature. It is so with flowers in a garden, trees in a plantation, children in a family, boys at school, ships at sea, or travellers upon the land. There is progress in all, but in dif- 180 CHRISTIAN PROG-RESS. ferent degrees. Yet of which of all these can it be said, they make no advance, because they de not advance as fast as the foremost. The use we should make of the superior attain ments of the more eminent of (rod s servants is, neither to envy them, nor to discourage our hearts, but to find in them a stimulus and an encouragement to seek larger measures of faith and holiness for ourselves. ADDRESS TO THE READER. . Reader, this is an unspeakably important chapter for you to ponder. You must not pass from it in haste, but linger, and muse longer and deeper. You must now take up the candle of the Lord, as I have said, and go clown into the very depths of the soul, to search its hidden recesses. Nor should you trust to your own inspection and scrutiny. Like David, you should earnestly pray to God to search you, and reveal your real state to you. Psalm 139:23, 24. He knew how prone we are to self-love and self-deception ; how sin lies hidden in the folds of the heart s deceit, and therefore he begged the trial and scrutiny of eyes more MISTAKES A3 TO PROGRESS. 181 piercing and less partial than his own. So must you. "We are all liable to judge too favor ably of our own case. Do, do consider the fatal, the dreadful, the eternal consequences of a mistake on this subject. Oh, the idea of imagining we are going en to heaven, when step by step we are advancing to hell. Is this possible ? It is ; and the very possibility should awakon our alarm. Is it probable ? It is ; and this should increase our alarm. Is it cer tain ? It is ; and this should raise still higher our anxiety. Is it common ? It is ; and this -should carry our solicitude to the highest pitch. "What said Christ ? Read with awe and trem bling, Matt. 7 : 21-23. Read, I say, this pas sage in which our Lord with his own hand rings the tocsin and sounds alarm through the whole church. Ought you not to examine ? Is not there need of it ? Is it not all but madness to go on without it ? Mistake ! What, in such a matter as salvation ? Mistake ! What, in a matter in which an error will require, as I have often said, an eternity to understand, and an eternity to deplore it ? Are you quite sure this is not your case ? 182 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. Take up the subject, then, and put the follow ing questions to your soul. Am I right, and have I good evidence that I am truly converted to God a real Christian ? If I am a true Christian, am I really an advancing one, or am I mistaking a declining state for an advancing one ? Am I mistaking a lengthened term of pro fession for a genuine improvement ? Am I putting an increase of knowledge, and of ability to talk about religion, in place of an increase of holiness ? Does it satisfy me to grow in knowledge- and lamentation of my corruptions without mortifying them ? Am I confounding sectarianism with true piety ; attachment to some preacher with love to the truth ; and zoal for some favorite theory with real regard for the gospel ? Is my mortification of sin confined to some one corruption, which interest, ease, or reputa tion may require me to surrender ; or is it directed against all sin? Is my religion a mere excitement of the emotions, and my growth only a greater exci- MISTAKES AS TO PHOailESS. 183 tability ; or is my will more and more deter mined for God, my conscience more tender, and my life more holy ? Inquire, I beseech you, into these things. Be determined, by Grod s grace, to know the real state of the case, and to be under no mis take. Be this your prayer, "0 Grod of truth, thou that searchest the hearts and triest the reins of the children of men, thou knowest I would not for ten thousand worlds be deceived about my spiritual state. Do thou, who know est me altogether, make known to me what I really am in thy sight. Painful as it would be to find out that I have been deceiving myself, this were infinitely better than for me to go on in error till the mistake is past being rectified. [ want to know my real state. Even if I am a Christian, and yet mistaking declension for progress, I wish to know this also. Let my spiritual insight be clear, my self-acquaintance ba accurate. Suffer me on no account to de ceive myself, even as regards my progress or decline." 184 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. CHAPTER V. HINDERANCES TO PROGRESS. IT is indeed a melancholy thing for the growth of grace to be stopped ; and to see the spiritual child remaining a dwarf. But it need not be so, unless the child chooses it. 1. There is indifference to growth. This has been in some measure anticipated where we have said that earnest concern and desiro are among the means of progress. If so, then indifference must be an impediment to growth. It is not so in nature. A child in health will grow, and does grow without a thought or a care about the matter* He may never have one idea about it ; may be as indifferent as a lamb or a young dove, a tree or a flower ; yet his indifference will not affect his growth. But it is not so with a young Christian. In difference here is fatal to all progress. Look at this. Indifferent ! What, about progress to heaven and a fitness for it ? Indifferent ! What, about increasing knowledge of eternal truth ? HINDERANCES TO PROGRESS. 185 Indifferent ! What, to increase in holiness, which is the image of God in the soul of man ? Indifferent ! What, about the development of that character which is formed by a divine hand, of heavenly materials, and for eternal ages ? Young professor, can you endure the thought ; does it not astound you, alarm you, distress you, to think of being hindered by in difference ? Oh, cast it away at once, and kindle into solicitude and concern. Be indifferent to anything, or everything else, rather than to this. 2. Of course we must not leave out of con sideration, but place distinctly before you the remaining corruption of human nature, and its imperfect sanctification ; and this must be viewed in connection with the temptations of Satan. This view of the case has come out incidentally, and may yet come out in other parts of the volume, but on account of its im portance it must have a separate place assigned to it here. It is well for the young convert to have a very clear and vivid perception of his condition, of what he really is, what he has to contend with, and what exertion therefore is necessary to overcome the resistance he meets 386 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. with in his course. What then is the real condition, and what are the true circumstances of the person whose case I am now meeting ? He is supposed to he truly regenerated, "but at the same time only partially sanctified. Sin is- dethroned, tut not destroyed. His predomi nant taste and disposition are holy, but his principles have not yet struck their roots very deep into his soul. His purposes are somewhat irresolute, and his inclinations to evil sometimes strong, just because, to use a scripture expres sion, "the flesh lusteth against the spirit, and these are contrary the one to the other." Satan knows all this, and by methods which we can not understand, plies the soul with his various machinations and subtle temptations. We need not, for it is useless, attempt to explain the mystery of Satanic influence. It is nowhere laid open to us. One thing, however, beyond the fact that he does so tempt us, is certain, that he always assails us through the medium of our own thoughts, imaginations, and feel ings. Somehow or other he has the power of exciting these. So that our resistance of evil in ourselves is properly the resistance of the HINDERANCES TO PROG-RESS. 167 devil without us. No perplexity, therefore, need trouble us about meeting the temptations of Satan, for to vanquish our own evil hearts is to vanquish him. It is well to know, to con sider, to ponder the fact that there is still the danger of an evil heart of unbelief, aided by the power of Satan, hindering us on our way, and attempting to turn us out of it. "We are not only like Bunyan s pilgrim, when we first become anxious, setting out with a burden of guilt upon our back ; but when, like him, we have lost that at the cross, we have still an other burden of imperfections and corruptions to carry, which without great labor and effort will sadly retard us. It must be understood well, that though all external circumstances of situation and helps and advantages were as favorable as they could be, we still have a sad drawback within. We are like a traveller who is on a smooth road, has fine weather, is inti mately acquainted with the way, has agreeable and helpful companions, but who at the same time is very lame, or has a load to carry. His lameness or his load will be a great delay to him. His attention must be directed to these 188 CHRISTIAN rE-OG-RESS. things. He must cure the one or lighten the other, or he will make slow progress. 3. Besetting sins are powerful hinderances. "Lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth easily beset you," said the apostlo. In the case of most persons, there is some one sin to which, either from their situation, constitu tion, taste, or other circumstances, they are more powerfully tempted than to others. Satan knows very well what in every case this is, and skilfully adapts his temptations to it. He is an expert angler, and never takes his bait, or throws his line, at random. Independently, however, of him, the very tendency of the heart is in that direction. That one sin, what ever it be, while indulged, will hold you back ; you cannot get on till it is mortified. Even its partial indulgence, though it may be con siderably weakened, will hinder you. Study then your situation, circumstances, and con stitution. You cannot be so ignorant of your past history, your present situation, your con stitutional tendencies, your experience, your failures, your resolutions, as not to know what it is which, in the way of temptation and sin, HINDERANCES TO PROGRESS. 169 you are most exposed to. You must, you do know in what you have most frequently wounded your conscience, and occasioned to yourself shame and sorrow. Is it an unsanc- tified temper ? An impure imagination ? A proud heart ? A vain mind ? A taste for worldly company ? A proneness to envy and jealousy ? A love of money ? A tendency to exaggeration in speech ? A fondness for pleasure ? A disposition to censoriousness, de traction, and backbiting? Study yourselves. Examine your own heart. You must find out this matter, and it requires no great pains in order to know it. It floats upon the surface of the heart, and does not lie hidden in its depths. There, there is your danger. As long as that sin, he it what it may, is indulged, you can not advance. Other sins are as unnecessary garments to the ancient racer; this, like a chain round his ancle, or a clog to his feet. 4. The mistakes mentioned in the last chapter are a very considerable hinderance to progress. These should be well studied and minutely examined. On an ordinary journey errors of this kind will have great influence in 190 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. keeping back the traveller. He who supposes he is advancing when the contrary is the case, cannot of course get on. We therefore recom mend a very close study of that chapter with especial reference to the subject of this. 5. There are some situations in life very unfriendly to growth in grace. Plants, if they flourish, require adaptation of soil, atmosphere, and treatment. So do animals. So do young children. So do young Christians. In all these cases, however, except where the situation is so uncongenial as to be certain death, and cer tain destruction to the subject of care, much may be accomplished by extraordinary atten tion and culture. Corn, by great skill, labor, and expense, may be made to grow in unfavor able soils. Animals accustomed to a warm climate may by very great care be kept alive, and even in tolerable health, in colder regions. Children do grow in the absence of many things conducive to health. So it is with the plants of grace, the lambs of Christ s flock, the children of G-od. Religion has to exist some times in situations most inauspicious to its growth, yea, to its very existence. A servant HINDERANCES TO PROGRESS. 191 girl, for instance, may "be awakened to a seri ous concern about the salvation of her soul, while engaged in a large family, incessantly occupied, and associated with other servants who are not only destitute of all religion them- selves, hut who ridicule and oppose hdrs ; while the heads of the family are also utterly irrelig ious ; so that in all that house there is nothing to cherish, hut every thing to wither the blos som of piety in this poor girl s soul. Or a young man may be led in earnest to remember his Creator in the days of his youth, and at the time when this new solicitude is awakened in his soul, he is engaged as shopman in some large establishment, where he is surrounded by a number of scoffing, dissolute, and infidel asso ciates, and .the master is as ungodly as his servants. Or a young lady may start in the divine life, in the midst of a gay, worldly, fashionable family. Or a wife may become seriously concerned about divine and eternal realities, whose husband is entirely a man of the world, and requires her to be of one taste with him in all his amusements and pursuits. Now, can we conceive of any thing more un- 192 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. friendly to earnest, consistent, advancing re ligion, than these and many other situations which may be easily imagined ; and yet growth is required even here. " Growth !" exclaim some, " why, life is scarcely possible here. You may as soon expect pineapples to grow on the summit of Mont Blanc, or roses and myrtles to flourish amidst the polar ices, as think of re ligion thriving in such situations as these." This is to miscalculate its own vital strength, and also the mighty power of God. I have known, and many more have known it to flourish in all these circumstances. I remember the case of a lady who, within the first month of her mar riage with an ungodly husband, was brought under concern about religion, to which, till that time, she had been a total stranger. And while engaged in all the round of those festive parties and amusements which are customary in fash ionable circles on such occasions, had to strug gle with this new anxiety recently awakened in her heart, and subsequently with the oppo sition of her husband and of her nearest rela tives. Yet, by the grace of God, her piety not only lived, but flourished. HINDEHANCES TO PP.OC-RESS. 193 Still, it shall be conceded that the situations supposed are, for experience and observation prove it, uncongenial with the growth of grace. It is difficult to keep a standing- there, much more to advance. But it is possible ; and the very possibility is encouraging. Consider how much is at stake the soul, salvation, heaven, eternity. Consider how much greater your condemnation will be, if having once been awakened, you relapse again into a deadly slumber. Be duly aware, then, of the diffi culty of your situation, and even alarmed at it. Say to yourselves, " How can I stand firm ?" If you can alter your situation, it may be well to do so ; I advise it. You should not be self- confident, and say, "I can trust myself. My mountain stands strong, I shall never be mov ed. I fear nothing." Then I fear for you. Such a spirit is the precursor of a fall. " Be not high-minded, but fear." " Let. him that thinketh he standeth take heed. lest he fall." Flee, I say, flee if you can ; that is, if your present situation be not one of obvious duty, which leaves you no choice. Some of the cases I have mentioned answer to this description, Clir. Pies. \ 3 194 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. and do leave you no option. The daughter can not in many instances quit her father s house ; nor can the wife, the home of her husband. Where this occurs, let there "be the most earnest prayer to God for divine grace, and full un wavering faith in the divine promise. Let such persons lay their case hefore the Lord, and remind him of their peculiar need of his most gracious assistance. Let them open the ear of faith, and hearken to his voice. " Fear thou not, for I am with thee ; "be not dismayed, for I am thy Grod : I will strengthen thee ; yea, I will help thee ; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness." Isa. 41 : 10. 6. Among the hinder ances to progress in religion must he mentioned companionship. "He that walketh with wise men shall be wise," says Solomon, " but a companion of fools shall be destroyed." Prov. 13 : 20. "We take the tinge of our character from those with whom we associate, and in return give back in brighter hue the color of our own to them. We arc all the communicants and recipients of unconscious influence ; just as healthy or diseased subjects are supposed to keep the atmosphere around HINDERANCES TO PROG-RESS. 195 them salubrious or infectious. As, therefore, we would preserve our spiritual health and pro mote our increase of strength, let us avoid the society of those whose company and conversa tion are unfriendly to piety. The strength of our convictions, the fixedness of our habits, the clearness and settledness of our principles, and the firmness of our resolutions, must in a great measure depend upon our associates. David said, " I am a companion of all those that fear Thee and keeep thy precepts." As to the choice of good and suitable companions as a means of progress, I have already written in a former chapter ; but I now speak of the avoidance of un suitable ones, of such as would be a hinderance to it. And I would, with all the emphasis it is possible to give to written language, conjure the young professor to be most anxiously and trem blingly concerned about this matter. It may happen that now, when first brought under con cern about salvation, you may have companions congenial with your former tastes ; and some to whom you were much attached, but who are still as regardless of religion as you once were. This is indeed a painful and perplexing situa- 196 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. tion, and will expose you to considerable dan- ger. You will find it difficult either to dissolve the ties of friendship, or to maintain them without peril to your infantine religion. To withdraw from those in whose society you have spent so many cheerful hours, will "be like cut ting off a right hand, or plucking out a right eye. "Well, and are not these the terms of Christian discipleship ? Why, in the times of persecution, the saints were often called to sur render husbands or wives, parents or children, for Christ s sake ; and can you not give up a friend ? Will you risk your religion and jeop ard your soul at the shrine of friendship ? Do you know that your religious character must be distasteful to your former friends, and that their pursuits and conversation are now dis tasteful and actually injurious to you ? Do you not come from their society with religious ardor damped, the spiritual taste lowered, the devo tional spirit impaired, and the conscience of fended and wounded by your sinking too deeply into the current of their conversation ? Is it not felt by you that there is one subject, and that the most momentous of all, in reference to HINDERANCES TO PROGRESS. 197 which you can have no sympathies and no con versation in common? You must withdraw. It is come to this, that you must sacrifice your friends or your souls ; which shall it he ? We do not say that this should he ahruptly, much less, rudely or sanctimoniously done. There must he nothing at all approaching to the " Stand "by, I am holier than thou." It might he well, first of all, by letter or personal inter course, to endeavor to influence your friends to adopt similar views to your own ; to use all the gentle and unassuming arts of affectionate per suasion to induce them to go with you in the ways of wisdom and the paths of peace. If you prevail not, then, after a full and fair trial to engage them in the bonds of a sacred fellow ship, with tenderness, and frankly stating your reasons, withdraw from them. It may he a costly sacrifice, "but it is a necessary one. How much more forcibly does this apply to that one friend^ who, above all others, is dear est to the heart, and likely, on that account to be more influential over the character. "Where this tender engagement has been formed before the religious feeling was excited in either of the 198 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. parties, it should be only a very hostile attitude against religion in one of them that should in duce the other to dissolve the bond. In such a case there is sometimes little trouble, for enmity against God goes far to extinguish love towards man, and the pious party is released by the other from vows always solemn, and never to be broken without justifiable reasons. But where no engagement of this nature has been formed, and the young professor is free to choose or to receive, surely, surely a due regard to the happiness of both parties, the safety of the soul, the pursuit of salvation, the commands of Scripture, and the glory of God, should lead to a determination never to form a connection unfriendly to the interests of personal religion. It is impossible to conceive of any thing more likely to exert a deleterious and destructive influence over incipient piety, than a cherished regard for, and an avowed engagement to a person who is a stranger to vital godliness. Even they who have long been in the bands of matrimony, and who, after they have entered them, are brought under the power of godli ness, find it difficult to maintain it, in its vigor HINDERANCES TO PROGRESS. 199 and consistency, against the hostile or even neutral influence of a husband or a wife that has no sympathy with them in this most mo mentous of all concerns. How much more unlikely is it that they who are in all the solici tudes, the emotions, and the agitations of court ship, and that in connection with an individual who has no religious sensibilities, can hold on their way and wax stronger and stronger. It is by no means favorable to the cultivation of true godliness, in its earliest stages, to have the mind occupied by a subject so engrossing and so interesting to the hearts of the persons con cerned as courtship, even where it is between persons both of whom are partakers of true religion. How much more, then, where this does not enter into the character and pursuits of one of the parties concerned. 7. The inconsistencies, short-comings, or sta tionary condition of those who already make, and perhaps have long made a profession of religion, are a great impediment to the advance of those who are just beginning the Christian life. There is a proneness on all hands, in judging of religion, to look at the conduct of 200 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. those who profess it, rather than to its own in spired records. Infidels do this, and also those who wish to be freed from its obligation, and who for that end bring against it the incon sistencies of its professors. Something like this operates also on the minds of those who are beginning the Christian course. Instead of studying their obligations in the word of God, and taking all their ideas from thence, and finding there the proper models of character, they look around upon those Christians with whom they are acquainted, with a kind of tacit idea that if they themselves are as holy and earnest and spiritual as these, it is all that can be expected from them. Yea, they imagine that they who are so young in piety can hardly be expected to be as holy, spiritual, and ear nest as they who have been long in the way And what do they see in these older Christians, in whom at one time perhaps they looked for an almost perfect exhibition of spiritual excel lence, as the natural result of long experience and rich advantages ? Ah, what indeed ? Of tentimes low attainments, prevailing worldly- mindedness, unsanctified tempers, and general HINDERANCES TO PROGRESS. 201 unlovelinesS of character. Instead of resem* bling trees in the meridian of their age, lofty in stature, spreading out their tranches, rich in foliage, and laden with fruit, they see stunted, almost branchless, leafless, and fruitless stocks, calling for the gardener s interdict, " Cut them down ; why cumber they the ground ?" Others perhaps are not in so bad a condition as this, but still far from what our Lord describes as bearing "much fruit," and so glorifying G-od. Here and there they discover some one in an eminent degree growing like a cedar in Leb anon, or flourishing like the palm-tree. But these are the exceptions, rather than the rule. The young inquirer therefore, instead of looking at the exceptions, too often turns to the general rule, and secretly thinks that he can hardly expect to be among the rarer instances of god liness, and contents himself with possessing the average amount of it. There may be no actual, formal, deliberate making up his mind in this way, after general observation ; but an uncon scious and unintentional influence of this kind comes over his mind. It was only the day before this was written, that a friend informed me of a 202. CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. case he knew of a young female servant who was brought under the power of religion, and wish ing to he in a situation favorable to the growth of her piety, she went into a family professing godliness, where she hoped to find every thing to foster her early impressions. Perhaps, as is commonly the case, she expected too much all but perfection ; but she saw so little like true religion in either master or mistress, so much worldliness, and such an absence of every thing to encourage her in her recent impres sions, that she found herself in almost as much danger there as in the place she left. It had nearly proved too much for her w r eak faith, and she had well-nigh returned again to her for mer state of careless unconcern. However, by Grod s grace, she was preserved from falling, and afterwards recovered her standing and progress, though certainly not by any help she gained from tin s worldly-minded couple whom she served. Against the pernicious influence of example, we must earnestly caution the young disciples. They must not allow themselves to be rendered slow in their pace, because others before them HINDERANCES TO PROGRESS. 203 - are so ; nor to "be checked in Mieif speed, either.* by a false modesty which would lead them to conclude it would be presumption to pass their seniors, nor by an indolence which would but too easily lead them to be satisfied with keep ing a little behind them. No doubt it has sometimes happened that Satan has puffed up the mind of some young ardent minds, when in all the fervor of their first love, with vanity and conceit, so that they have become some what proud of their own ardor, and still more censorious upon the lukewarmness of others. There cannot be either a more unlovely or a more injurious disposition than for a person lately brought under the power of religion set ting up for a public censor, and dealing out w r ith unsparing hand his reflections and re proaches upon the character and conduct of his neighbors. It is sufficiently offensive in ordinary life to hear one who is little beyond a beardless youth becoming " Sir Oracle," and presuming to scan and censure men old enough to be his fathers; but it is still more disgust ing to see this in reference to religion : and we > ould most seriously warn all young disciple 204 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. against such a temper, and admonish them to cultivate, .among other virtues, the charity that "doth not hehave itself unseemly/ * 8. There is another hinderance to progress, which, in some periods of history, and some * There is a very affecting and impressive illustration of the influence of professors, in the way of giving advice to a young convert, in the history of Roger Miller, that extraordinary city missionary, who was killed by a railway accident at Wol- verton in the year 1847; a most interesting memorial of whom has been published by Mr. Orme. Soon after he became awakened to a sense of religion and had entered into church- fellowship, he opened a shop as a barber, and like the rest of the trade, served his customers on the Sabbath. At length he considered that this was a violation of the sanctity of the Lord s day, and he determined to close the shop and trust Providence for his support. His faith in God, however, at that time was weak, and as his business fell off, he was, as might have been expected, reduced to considerable straits in his circumstances. He sustained the trial for some months, when a fellow-professor and member of the same religious community persuaded him to be less scrupulous. Unhappily he listened to this advice. And now mark the consequence. "In a short time after/ he says, impressively and instruc tively, " all my real enjoyment in religion, and all my desire to attend the means of grace, was gone." " To what appall ing circumstances," says his biographer, "does one false step give rise. In his case many dark years of open apostasy and extreme irreligion and vice ensued, and innumerable troubles, both temporal and spiritual, all ensued from this single act." A-.d all must be traced up to that fatal advice of a professing Christian. Oh, professors, take hsed what counsel you give, as well as what examples you set r to young converts. HINDERANCES TO PROGRESS. <?05 external states of the church of Christ, lias "been found fatally successful in the case of thousands I mean persecution. Persecution has not ceased, and never will as long as society is composed of the righteous and the wicked. The apostle s words will be found to "be quite true: "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." 2 Tim. 3 : 12. The essence of persecution lies in subjecting a person to injury, pain of body or mind, or some inconvenience, on account of his religious opinions or conduct, whether this be done by public unjust laws, or by private ill-treatment. If a person be made the butt of ridicule or scorn by his companions or others for his religion, he is persecuted, and is called tj endure cruel mockings and reproaches. Per haps there is nothing more hard to bear than this no test of steadfastness more severe. A young man who becomes pious, if in a large establishment, is sure to be the object of all kinds of unhallowed mirth and sport, and if amidst all he remains firm, inflexible, and con stant, he is as truly a confessor as he who goes to prison. It is scarcely possible to conceive 206 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. of a harder trial of constancy than this. Many have given way. They could not stand it ; and have escaped the pitiless storm of ridicule by taking shelter in apostasy. And where they have not altogether abandoned their relig ion, have "put the candle under a bushel," ana concealed their opinions and feelings, so that to others they appeared to have given them up. This is as truly denying Christ as open apos tasy ; and is the very case to which he alludes when he says, ""Whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed when he cometh in the glory of his Father with his holy angels." Mark 8 : 38. Christ will have no secret disciples. Pie that has faith must confess it before men. Rom. 10 : 9-11. In many cases it may be well, where the opposition is too hard to be borne, to quit the situation, though it is a noble instance of moral heroism to endure it bravely, "strong jn the Lord and in the power of his might." But there are other cases, in some respects more trying than even this : I mean where a young person, especially a female, becomes HINDERANCES TO PROGRESS. 207 decided in spiritual religion in the midst of an ungodly family ; where not one is found to countenance her, and all oppose her. She can not do many things she once did without scruple or hesitation. Some of their amuse ments offend her conscience, and she declines them. She is now considered by her strict ness as condemning all the rest, and is re proached as an accuser and reprover of the family, not excepting her parents. She is charged with being a divider of the household, and as having introduced discord and strife. It is a most trying situation for the object of persecution to endure the anger and meet the frowns of father and mother, brothers and sisters to be considered and reproached as the disturber of the peace of a once happy and united family : what firmness of principle, what inflexibility of purpose, what martyr-like con stancy, what a power of divine grace does this require. And even where the opposition is not so fierce as in either of these cases, it may be so consid erable as to be a great trial of constancy and a powerful hinclerance to progress. There may 208 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. be the threatened withdrawment of patronage, favor, friendship, or custom ; and the mild ex postulation and the gentle entreaty, which are a persecution of love. How difficult to put aside all this and go on. Instead of this, many are themselves turned aside and go back. Their courage fails, their love of ease gains the as cendency, and they surrender their convictions their hopes, their prospects in short, their religion. Let those who are thus tempted consider the consequences of giving up their profession. Let them read with solemn awe the passages of Scripture already quoted. Foj their encour agement, let them take up their Bibles and read our Lord s w r ords in his sermon on the mount, Mat. 5 : 10-18. Let them also peruse the beau tiful language of the apostle, 1 Pet. 2 : 19-24 ; 4 : 12-19 ; 2 Tim. 2 : 11-13 ; Heb. 12 : 1-13. Let them wrestle with God for his grace to assist them, and cast themselves upon his prom ised aid, expecting that he will uphold them. It should be accounted by them an honor and a glory to suffer for Christ. They should bear all with patience, meekness, and forgiveness. HINDERANCES TO PROG-RESS. 209 A. quiet and gentle sufferer will in most cases subdue even the hard-hearted oppressor. There is a wondrous power in consistent and unvary ing meekness. Let not opposition then hinder you. Let your courage rise with your circum stances, your self-denial keep pace with both, and your humility and sense of dependence upon Grod deepen with the pressure of opposi tion upon your strength. 9. A taste for worldly amusements will inevitably prove, wherever it is indulged, a powerful obstacle to growth in grace. Man is unquestionably made for enjoyment. He has a capacity for bliss, an instinctive appetite for gratification, and for this (rod has made ample provision of a healthful and lawful kind. " A taste for pleasure" means something different from this ; or at any rate, it means this directed to wrong sources, or carried to an excess. Now there are some amusements which in their very nature are so utterly incompatible with true religion, that a liking for them and a hanker ing after them, and especially an indulgence in them, cannot comport with real, earnest, and serious piety. The convivial parties of the glut- Chr. Prog. I 4 210 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. ton and the drunkard, the passion for tho gambling-table, the pleasures of the race course, and the performances of the theatre, are all of this kind. A taste for them is utterly uncongenial with a spirit of godliness. So is a love for the gay and fashionable entertainments of the hall-room, and the routs and parties of genteel life. These are all unfriendly to re ligion, and are usually renounced by persons intent upon the momentous concerns of eternity. A love for them dies out from the soul agitated and made anxious by the great question, " "What shall I do to be saved ?" "We would not doom to perdition all who are at any time found in this round of worldly pleasure ; but we un hesitatingly say, that a taste for them is entire ly opposed to the whole genius of Christianity. They are all included in that "world" which is overcome by faith and the new birth. Re ligion is, though a happy, a very serious thing, and can no more live and flourish in the heated atmosphere of those parties, than could a plant brought from the frigid or temperate zone under the burning rays of a tropical sun. But in this pleasure-loving, pleasure-seeking, and pleasure- HINDERAHCES TO PP,OG-RESS. 211 inventing age, there is a great variety of amuse ments perpetually rising up -which it would be impossible to say are sinful, and therefore un lawful. Yet the supposition of their lawfulness viewed in connection with their abundance, variety, and constant repetition, is the very thing that makes them dangerous to the spirit of true religion. A taste for even lawful world ly amusements, which leads its possessor to be fond of them, seeking them, and longing for them, shows a mind that is in a very doubtful state as to vital piety. It looks as if he had not yet entered into the Saviour s words to the woman of Samaria, " Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again : but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst ; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water, spring ing up into everlasting life." John 4 : 13, 14. Now this thirsting after worldly pleasure of any kind would seem as if the subject of it had not yet drank of the living water from the well of salvation. This anxiety after even innocent re or Idly gratification seems to indicate that the peace which passeth all understanding had 212 CHRISTIAN PK.OG-UESS. not yet taken possession of the soul ; and this inquiry, " Who will show us any good ?" hard ly comports with a mind that had said to Grod, " Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and their wine increased." Psalm 4:6, 7. I do not like to be asked, as I sometimes am, the question, "whether such and such amuse ments are compatible with religion." That is, I do not like it when it evidently proceeds from a prevailing wish to enjoy them, and a desire to get ministerial sanction for indulging in them. It ought not to be necessary to prove that many of these are unlawful, they should be found unnecessary.* * I am aware that it is sometimes pleaded on behalf of worldly amusements by young people, that abstinence from them represents piety as clothed with austerity, and as a spe cies of penance, and that religious people should go as far as they can in these things to disprove the calumny. There is something perhaps in this, but it requires to be very narrowly watched; for, without caution, see how far it would carry us. They who indulge in pleasures which no religious person could ever engage in, may say that all persons must have a very melancholy religion who debar themselves of their pleas ures. So that an excessive repugnance to all amusements, and the repugnance may, I concede, be excessive and almost HINDERANCES TO PROGRESS. 215 After all, it is freely admitted that religion is not hostile to any thing which is not hostile to it ; that many things which are not religion, though not opposed to it, may be lawfully en joyed by the Christian ; that what he has to do in this matter is, not to practise total absti nence, but moderation : yet he should remem ber how elastic a term " moderation" is, and to be vigilant lest his moderation should contin ually increase its latitude till it has swelled into the imperial tyranny of an appetite which acknowledges no authority, and submits to no restraint. ridiculous, should not be so beaten down as to make way for a latitude which would be dangerous to personal godliness. A Christian is not to partake of the pleasures of the world to prove that his religion does not debar him from enjoyment; but he is to let it be seen by his "peace that passeth under standing," and his "joy unspeakable and full of glory," that his religion gives far more enjoyment than it takes away that in fact it gives him the truest happiness. The way to win a worldly person to religion is not to go and partake of his amusements, but to prove to him that we are happier with our pleasures than he is with his ; that we bask in sun shine, while he has only a smoking taper ; that we have found the "river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and the Lamb," while he is drinking of tha muddy streams which issue from the earth. 214 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. ADDRESS TO THE READER. If in an important mission, journey, or under taking of any kind, you were impeded in refer ence to the object contemplated, you would in quisitively and anxiously search for the cause of delay, and never rest satisfied till you had found and removed it. I am now supposing there is a hinderance of one or more kinds to your progress towards heaven, to your increase of faith and holiness. There are stones in the way to be gathered out. It is a fearful idea to think of hinderances to heaven, impediments to holiness. If there were any thing that hinder ed your health, or prosperity in business, or the success of any earthly scheme whatever, how earnestly you would ask the question, " What is it ; what is it ?" How thankful you would be to the friend who pointed it out, and how diligently you would set to work to take it out of the way. "Well, there are impediments in your way to Zion. You are hindered. You do not perhaps make progress. How is this ? I say to you what the apostle did to the Grala- tians, " Who did hinder you ?" or what ? Look HINDERANCE3 TO .PROGRESS. 215 back througli this chapter ; take up every par ticular ; say of each, Is it this, or this, that stops my progress ? I ask you, and I implore you to ask yourself, Is it indifference to the subject ? Is it the unsubdued corruption of your na ture, left to itself, unresisted, unmortified ? Is it an easily besetting sin ? Is it one of the mistakes mentioned in the last chapter ? Is it the peculiarity of your situation being unfriendly to a life of piety ? Is it unsuitable companionship ? Is it the inconsistencies of professing Chris tians ? Is it a taste for worldly amusements ? Is it persecution ? Examine, I beseech you, examine what it is that arrests you in your course, and take it away. Again I say, " Gather out the stones." 216 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. CHAPTER VI. MOTIVES TO PROGRESS. IT might be supposed it would be its own motive. "Who need to be admonished to pro ceed in a course on which they have entered, which leads to wealth ? Do the men who have gone to the gold fields, and who have begun to find the precious metal, need to be stimulated to go forward ? And yet we do find that even in relation to some earthly objects of pursuit, and valuable ones too, where self-denial, sacri fice, and surrender of present gratification for future benefit is required, much persuasion is sometimes necessary to keep the person in con tinuous exertion for the attainment of the de sired good. If he has lost his health by excess in the indulgence of appetite, either in the way of eating, drinking, or any other lust of the flesh, and by medicine and moderate diet, and other restraints, he is beginning to recover, how necessary in some cases is perpetual exhorta tion, to induce him to refrain from excess, and MOTIVES TO PROGRESS. 217 to persevere in the denial of his appetite. How earnest we must be in setting before him all the motives which ought to have weight with him in leading him to abstain from whatever is injurious to his health. So is it in religion. A person just commencing his attention to this momentous concern has so many hinderances both from within and without to stop his prog ress, that he needs to be urged forward by the voice of affectionate entreaty. He must be appealed to by all that can be brought to bear upon his judgment, heart, and conscience. He is like a man just awaking out of a deep and heavy slumber, about whom the drowsiness still hangs, and who is strongly inclined to fall back again upon his pillow and relapse into stupor. You must speak loudly to him, and even shake him with some degree of violence, and compel him to rouse himself and keep himself awake. Such is really the condition of a recently awak ened sinner. I now therefore present the motives which apply to his case for making progress. 1. And the first I bring forward is the jne just suggested, the danger of declension. I 218 CHRISTIAN PROCURESS. may even add to this the proneness to declen sion. The progress of the sinner is like that of a stone rolling down hill, which has a con tinual tendency to go of itself, and by every revolution to increase its speed and momen tum : that of a believer is the progress of a stone up hill, which has not only a considerable vis inert-ice to be overcome by great effort, but which when this effort is suspended tends to roll back again. The stone in either case does not, cannot stand still, but by the laws of mat ter and motion must keep going backward, unless prevented by actual effort. This is im pressive, and deserves very serious considera tion. If the young disciple does not advance, he will in all probability retrograde. Declension after we have once made a pro fession, or have been awakened to solicitude, is really a very fearful thing. It is most af fecting and alarming to see a person once deeply convinced of sin, seriously anxious about sal vation, professedly obtaining peace through faith in Christ and commencing a course of practical godliness, either falling again into sin or sinking into predominant worldliness. Has MOTIVES TO PROGRESS. 219 not this sad spectacle been often witnessed ? Have we not seen this in persons who at one time seemed to have such love to Christ that it might have been fitly called the love of their espousals ? They scarcely wished for any other pleasure than that which was enjoyed in com munion with himself and with his saints ; his name was as ointment poured forth, and they loved his very image. The exercises of private prayer, the perusal of the holy Scriptures, and the public ordinances of the sanctuary were waited for with eager expectation. The com pany of those only who were like-minded was selected, and the promotion of the cause of (rod was the enterprise which most interested them. They had often made solemn resolutions before the Lord, and had often said, " Thy vows, O God, are upon me." And what, and where were they afterwards ? Alas, how changed ! All their former resolutions were broken, and all their habits changed. Their first love sub sided into lukewarmness, and at last into ab solute coldness and indifference. Prayer was restrained ; public worship neglected ; the Bible never opened ; the company of the saints for- 220 CHRISTIAN PROG-RESS. saken ; the love of pleasure gained the ascen dency ; and in some cases, open sins that had teen forsaken, were again practised. The poor backslider himself sometimes has conscience enough left to be made miserable by its reproaches and stings; while they who had known him in his better days lament over his change, and exclaim in bitterness of heart, " Alas, how fallen !" The sins of such a person have peculiar aggravations. They are com mitted after the most solemn vows and engage ments, and against clearer light. They are without any provocation on the part of G-od. "What iniquity," said God to the Jews, "have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me ?" Jer. 2:5. A question which is addressed also to every backslider, and which ought to cut him to the very soul, and stir every spring of sensibility and self- abhorrence. Did the backslider find him a hard Master ? Was the way of obedience a rugged path, through a barren wilderness and a land of drought ? Sins after profession are attended with circumstances of peculiar and horrid in gratitude. After G-od has poured out upon us MOTIVES TO PROaRESS. 221 his Spirit, taken us by the hand, and led us to repentance and the beginning of a religious course, then to turn away from him, and refuse any longer to be under his guidance, how base ly thankless is all this ! Such departures from (rod are expressive of the most extreme and singular folly as well as wickedness. They who commit them, once professed to be happy in serving the Lord. They seemed to have found rest in Christ. They were no longer run ning up and down in the world, saying, ""Who will show us any good ?" but had found happi ness in religion. Their judgment was convinc ed ; their heart was satisfied ; their conscience was quiet ; their whole soul was at peace. But now, by turning back again to sin or to the world, they cast all this away. And they can not now enjoy the pleasures of sin or the world as they once did. They sometimes feel that they have made a foolish bargain, and have exchanged liberty for drudgery and slavery, peace of conscience for bitter remorse, joyful- ness of heart for sorrow and anguish. It is a being weary of the government of the Prince of peace, whose yoke is easy and whose burden 222 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. is light, and putting their necks under the iron yoke of Satan, which crushes them to destruction. Such conduct also causes the ways of godli ness to be spoken ill of. It has the same effect upon many as the ill report of the spies who were sent to survey the land of Canaan, which discouraged the people, caused them to mur mur and rebel, and was the occasion of their perishing in the wilderness. The backslider thus perpetrates a double mischief, his conduct is infectious and tends to corrupt those who already believe, while it discourages those who do not. It says to them, " I have tried the paths of wisdom, and do not find her paths as I was told and expected, to be paths of pleasant ness and peace." This is a fearful contradic tion of Grod s word, an awful calumny upon religion, and in effect an impious blasphemy against Grod. Such is the sin of declension and backsliding ; and if it go on to apostasy, then how fearful ! Read what the apostle has said on this subject, Heb. 6 : 5-9. Let every young disciple turn to the passage, read the words, and tremble. And no less solemn is MOTIVES TO PHOORESS. 223 the language of the apostle Peter, 2 Peter, 2 : 21-22. It is not only possible, but probable, that some who shall read this work, will be found by it in various stages of declension already ; some who have consciousness enough of their situation and even occasional regret enough to borrow the poet s lament : " Where is the blessedness I knew When first I saw the Lord ; Where is the soul -refreshing view Of Jesus and his word ? " What peaceful hours I once enjoyed, How sweet their memory still ; But they have left an aching void The world can never fill." To such I would say, instantly take alarm and tremble at your danger. Let the words of God sound like thunder in your ears, " If any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him." He will be a man whom God ceases to regard with approbation. His displeasure, instead of his complacency, rests upon him. He marks every footstep backward with re proach and disgust. Can you bear to think of this? " Can your heart endure and your hands be strong" in such a situation? Perhaps the 224 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. declension is yet slight, only like a speck of disease, like the beginning of consumption, curable if taken in time, but fatal if suffered to go on to after-stages. But in whatever degree the declension may have taken place, it should excite solicitude and lead to immediate efforts for recovery. The counsel delivered by our Lord to the church at Ephesus should be hearkened to with solemnity, and followed with out delay : " Remember from whence thou art fallen, and repent and do thy first works." It is not enough to know that you are declining, nor merely to lament it ; complaining alone will not effect a cure. We may sigh and go backward to the last period of our lives. Our chief solicitude must be to recover lost ground. In order to this, there must be deep contrition and profound humiliation before God. In such a state we must begin as we did originally, with conviction of sin. The backslider must return through the valley of humiliation. There is no other way back for the wanderer. It will be well to inquire diligently after the cause of the declension. "What was it that led you astray? Here begin in the way of return. MOTIVES TO PUOG-RESS. 225 The point where you left the road is of course the point at which you must return to it. If it were a sin of neglect, instantly take up the omitted duty. If it were a sin of practice, immediately put it away. It will perhaps be somewhat difficult to recover your standing ; for as we have said, declension is a down-hill progress, but the way of return is all up hill. You will perhaps be ashamed, afraid, and somewhat reluctant to go back. He who un gratefully and ungenerously quits a friend, feels some shyness and backwardness to return, and say, " I have sinned ; forgive me." So is it with the backslider towards God. But mark his love, where, even to backsliding Israel, who had so often gone away from him, he said, " Israel, return unto the Lord thy God ; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. Take with you words, and turn to the Lord : say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously : so will we render the cialves," offer ings, "of our lips. I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely ; for mine anger is turned away from him." Hosea 14 : 1, 2, 4. And to convince you how ready Grod is to re cur. Prog. ] 5 226 CHRISTIAN PE.OaE.ESS. ceive you, let me refer you to that wonderfully pathetic passage, where (rod is represented as a loving father, overhearing the confession and lamentation of his penitent child, and lavishing upon him the fondness of his paternal heart, Jer. 31 : 18-20. "What heart can stand out against the melting pathos of this wonderful passage ? What backslider need now fear to return to the Lord ? 2. It should "be most impressively felt that progression is commanded and expected by God. We now refer you back to the commands which are given in the second chapter ; and would especially fix your attention on those which enjoin you to seek after perfection. This is a subject which a young Christian should thor oughly understand, but which few do either understand or consider. Misconceptions on this subject are fatal to growth. The verb, " be perfect," and the noun, " perfection," are of such frequent occurrence in the New Testa ment, that the subject to which they refer ought to engage the close and serious attention of every professing Christian. There can be no doubt that these terms are sometimes em- MOTIVES TO PROGRESS. 227 ployed by the sacred writers in a comparative sense, as signifying high degrees, eminence, completeness of parts. In Hebrews 6 : 1, per fection signifies the more sublime, enlarged, spiritual, and complete views of Christian doc trine, as opposed to first principles. In 1 Cor. 2:6, Phil. 3:15, "to be perfect," means to be far advanced in knowledge. But there are other places where it is unquestionably to be understood in its unqualified sense, as intending absolute and sinless perfection ; such are 2 Cor. 7:1: " Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthi- ness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." So again, Heb. 13 : 21, " Make you perfect in every good work." There can be no doubt that in these passages the apostle means entire freedom from sin, an absolutely spotless holiness. " The apostle does not say," to quote the comment of Barnes, "that this perfection has ever been attained, or is attainable, in this world ; nor does he say that it has not been. He only urges the obligation to make an effort to be entirely holy ; jjrid this obligation is not 228 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. affected by llie inquiry whether any one has beenj or has not been, perfect. It is an obliga tion which results from the nature of the law of God, and his unchangeable claims upon the soul. The fact that no one has been perfect, does not relax the claim ; the fact that no one will be perfect in this life, does not weaken the obligation ; it proves only the deep and dreadful depravity of the human heart, and should humble us under the stubbornness of guilt. The obligation to be perfect is one that is eternal and unchangeable. The unceasing and steady aim of every Christian should be perfection, perfection in all things in the love of G-od, of Christ, of man ; perfection of feeling, words, and plans, and dealings with man; perfection in prayers and submission to the will of God. No man can be a Christian w r ho does not sincerely desire it, and who does not constantly aim at it. No man is a friend of God who can acquiesce in a state of sin, and who is satisfied and contented that he is not as holy as God is holy. And any man who has no desire to be perfect as God is, and who does not make it his daily study and constant MOTIVES TO PKOG-E.ESS. 229 aim to be perfect as Grod is perfect, may set it down as demonstratively certain that he has no true religion. How can a man ho a Christian who is willing to acquiesce in a state of sin, and who does not desire to he just like his Master and Lord ?" This is strong and impressive language, and requires the very devout, serious, and solemn consideration of all who are beginning the divine life, as showing them what is to be their aim, their study, and their endeavor even to be perfect in every good work. Young con verts see no perfection in others ; they hear it said by Christians there is no perfection ; they feel none in themselves ; and therefore never dream that it is their duty to seek after it ; and thus reconciling themselves to all kinds and degrees of imperfections, begin and con tinue with a very low state of religion. I believe that infinite mischief is done to the souls of men, that the profession of godliness is much disparaged and dishonored, and the lustre of the church dimmed, by a prevalent forgetfulness, and in some quarters a denial, that it is our duty to go on unto perfection, 230 CHRISTIAN PROQRESS. Many are tolerating all kinds and degrees of imperfection, under the plea that none are absolutely perfect. Young disciples have teen taught as one of their first lessons in theology, that as absolute perfection is not attained in this life, it is useless to seek after it, and that they may be very good Christians, even while not only possessing but indulging many known corruptions. I would not for the world be misunderstood ; I would not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax. I would not say any thing to cast a stumbling-block in the way of the feeblest lamb in all the flock of Christ ; and yet I would be equally solicitous to guard them against self-deception. "What I say then, is this, not that all imperfections are evidence of an unconverted state, but that the intentional indulgence of them, knowing them to be such, under the notion that a great amount of imperfection is compatible with a state of grace, is so. Not that the possession of perfection is essential as an evidence of sin cerity, but a desire and pursuit after it. 3. Progress is a bright evidence of sincerity. Growth, as we have already remarked, is the MOTIVES TO PROGRESS. 231 proof of life. Dead things do not grow. There are few minds among professors of religion in which the question does not, and none in which it ought not, with deep anxiety, sometimes to arise, " Am I, or am I not, a child of (rod ?" Now, surely the transition from death to life ; the change from an unregenerate to a converted state ; the ceasing to be an enemy to (rod by wicked works, and becoming his child by filial love and obedience, cannot be a change of so trivial, superficial, and undistinguishable a nature as not to be ascertained without great difficulty. It might be supposed to be easily recognized where it really exists. True it is, that the change is in some cases more marked than in others. Where the conversion is sudden, and is a turning from actual vice, or awful infidelity, or even from flagrant heresy, it is more apparent, and more easily determined by consciousness, than where it is the gradual formation of religious character in persons pre viously correct in their general conduct, and brought up under religious instruction. It is in these latter cases, that doubts and fears about sincerity must be expected more fre- 232 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. quently and painfully to occur. It is, there fore, in these cases that progress is indispensable as an evidence of sincerity. For it must be recollected, that even in these, growth is as essential to life as in the others. Grace never finds in nature a subject for which there is need of little to be done. There may be very beautiful wild flowers blooming, or very good fruits growing in the wilderness, yet even these can be carried on to much higher beauty and much richer flavor by the culture of the greenhouse and the hothouse. "When tho young disciple can say, " True, I have not to compare, as the effect of Grod s converting grace, a virtuous with a vicious life. I have not to contrast a present pious belief with a former blaspheming infidelity. But I find an increasing loosening from many of my former tastes. The love of worldly pleasure, which even at my commencement of a religious life was strong in me, is evidently weakened, and I find piety more and more the source of my happiness. If a growing conscientiousness to avoid little sins, and to practise small duties, be a proof of sincerity, I rejoice to say I have MOTIVES TO PROaRESS. 233 this. As regards besetting sins, I have reason to believe these are far more mortified than they were, and temptations to them have less power over me. My temper, once so irritable and impetuous, is subdued ; and I find it more easy to govern my tongue. My prejudices towards those who differ from me in religious opinions have been softened by the influence of Christian charity. If these things be evidence of sincerity, I am no self-deceiver ; for I can certainly perceive in myself these marks of progress." Here I will present a passage of holy Scrip ture, which it is of importance every young disciple should " read, mark, learn, and inward ly digest." The apostle Peter thus exhorts: " Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure." 2 Pe ter, 1 : 10. The things to be made sure are our " calling and election," G-od s choice of us, manifested by his converting us ; in other words, our spiritual character and spiritual safety. To make this sure, or certain, cannot have reference to Grod, for no act of ours can make more certain any thing he does. Nor can 234 CHRISTIAN PP,OG-RESS. it refer to the things themselves, for if a man be really chosen and called of G-od, nothing that he can do can make these more certain. It must therefore refer to ourselves. God treats us as rational and moral agents, and what may be absolutely certain in his mind from his mere purpose that it shall be so, is to be proved to us only by evidence and the free exercise of our own powers. The meaning therefore of this passage is, that we are to obtain evidence that this is our condition. And how are we to obtain it ? The celebrated Cud worth, in his sermon on the text, " Hereby do we know that we know him, if we keep his commandments," has the following remarks upon the passage from St. Peter which I am now considering: " He that builds all his comfort upon an un grounded persuasion that G-od from all eternity hath loved him, and absolutely decreed him to life and happiness, and seeketh not for God really dwelling in his soul, builds his house upon a quicksand, and it shall suddenly sink and be swallowed up. "We are nowhere com manded to pry into these secrets, but the wholesome counsel and advice given us is this, MOTIVES TO PROG-RESS. 235 1 to make our calling and election sure? We have no warrant in Scripture to peep into these hidden rolls and volumes of eternity, and to make it the first thing we do, when we come to Christ, to spell out our names in the stars, and to persuade ourselves that we are certainly elected to everlasting happiness, before we see the image of God in righteousness and true holiness shaped in our hearts. God s everlast ing decree is too dazzling and bright an object for us at first to set our eyes upon. It is far easier and safer for us to look upon the rays of his goodness and holiness, as they are reflected in our hearts, and there to read the mild and gentle characters of God s love to us, in our love to him, and our hearty compliance with Heaven s will ; as it is safer for us, if we would S38 the sun, to look upon it here below in a pail of water, than to cast up our daring eyes to the body of the sun itself which is too radi ant and scorching for us. The best assurance any one can have of his interest in God, is doubtless the conformity of his soul to Him. When our heart is once turned into a conformity with the mind of God, when we feel our will 236 CHRISTIAN PROaRESS. conformed to his will, we shall then presently perceive a spirit of adoption within ourselves, teaching us to say, Abba, Father. We shall not then care for peeping into those hidden rec ords of eternity, to see whether our names are written there in golden characters ; no, we shall find a copy of God s thoughts concerning us written in our own breasts. There we may read the character of his favor towards us there we may feel an inward sense of his love to us, flowing out of our hearty and unfeigned love to him. And we shall be more undoubt edly persuaded of it, than if any of those wing ed watchers above, that are prying into heaven s secrets, should come and tell us that they saw our names enrolled in those volumes of eternity." 4. Progress is its own reward. From what infelicity is the advancing Christian protected. He has not the unhappiness which in many, if not in most cases, declension brings upon its subject. But as pain is still a sign of life, though a suffering one, even this is better than the insensibility of death. In the case jus 4 mentioned, the individual still retains sorn* considerable tenderness of conscience, some re- MOTIVES TO PR,OOB.ESS. 237 ligious sensibility, without being supposed to be hankering after the amusements of the world ; but I am now speaking of those who are almost entirely dead to religious feeling and strongly inclined to gayety, yet in some measure held in check by the last lingering remains of religion. They are still professors, but find their profes sion only a clog and a hinderance to their pleasures. They see its inconsistency with their tastes and occasional enjoyments, and find it as a drop of bitter in their cup of gratifi cation. Sometimes they wish they had never made a profession of religion. They are morose and ill-tempered with themselves for ever think ing of being a Christian, and till they are led to abandon it altogether, which at length they are brought to do, they are checked by it, much to their annoyance, in their course. This is a wretched state of mind ; it spoils its possessor both for the world and for religion. But these are only the negative side of the pleasure of growth ; we turn therefore to the positive. And here we would remark, that progress in any thing on which we have set our hearts, is always agreeable; and this applies 238 CHRISTIAN PROG-RESS. especially to religion. Viewed in its true na ture, it unites the highest dignity with the purest pleasure. Her ways are ways not only of pleasure and paths of peace, but of honor and renown. Can any thing he loftier, nobler, sublimer, than a growing conformity to the image of God ; to see a stronger and a stronger resemblance to God in our soul ; to behold the moral attributes of the divine nature fixed with a deeper and a deeper coloring on the character ? What to this is the pleasure of the artist in seeing the correct likeness of some great monarch, or some wonderful genius, grow ing under his hand upon the canvas ? How exalted is the pleasure of religion ; it is the bliss of angels, the happiness of spirits made perfect, yea, the joy of God s own heart. It is enjoyed under the smile of conscience, and conscience is undoubtedly the great repository and maga zine of all those pleasures that can afford any solid refreshment to the soul. "When this is calm, serene, and smiling, then the man per fectly enjoys all things, and what is more, him self, for that he must do before he can enjoy any thing else. It is a pleasure that never MOTIVES TO PRUORESS. 239 satiates nor wearies. Can the lover of worldly pleasure say this ? With him how short is the interval between a pleasure and a burden. But we may descend to a few details. How delightful is it to grow in knowledge. "With what a passion for this are some minds possess ed. And if such be the value of secular know ledge, how much greater the worth of that which is divine. Can any thing be more de lightful, than to be ever finding out some new meanings, some fresh beauties in the word of (rod ; for the spiritual astronomer to discover some new star in the firmament of inspiration ; or for the spiritual botanist to light on some new flower in the fields of revelation ? But take also the trio of graces set forth by the apostle FAITH, HOPE, CHARITY ; and here again we say, to grow in each and all of these is to advance in happiness. FAITH is the first source of all true joy to the Christian. " In whom believing," says the apostle, " we re joice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." Faith looks abroad upon the whole field of revelation, in all of whose facts, doctrines, pre cepts, invitations, and promises, it finds so 240 CHRISTIAN PROG-BESS. many separate objects of delight. But it con centrates its attention on Christ and heaven. It looks with wonder, gratitude, and love, on the cross, and then passes on with similar feelings to the crown of glory. To grow in faith is therefore to grow in bliss ; and to put up the prayer, " Lord, increase our faith," is only in other words to say, " Lord, increase our happiness." Here we see the reason why so many professing Christians go mourning all their days their faith is so weak ; and it is of momentous consequence for every young Chris tian at his very outset in the divine life to understand that faith is the branch, of which joy is the blossom, and holiness the fruit. Much the same strain of remark may be made in reference to HOPE. It is easy to see that all hope must be pleasant from its very nature. This is the case with even worldly expecta tions. Poets have sung "the pleasures of hope," and experience has justified and echoed the strain. The apostle in describing the Christian state of mind in reference to this object, speaks of it as "rejoicing in hope," Romans 12 : 12, which is but a repetition of MOTIVES TO PllOaRESS. 241 what he had said before, " And rejoice in hope of the glory of God." Rom. 5 : 2. CHARITY, or LOVE, is another of the compo nent parts of religion mentioned by the apostle, to advance in which is to advance in happiness. GOD is LOVE, and he is also the blessed God ; and he is the blessed God, because ho is love. It is impossible it should be otherwise. All the malevolent feelings are productive of misery to the subject of them. For this reason, Satan, whose nature is unmixed malignity, must be the subject of unmixed misery. No happiness can dwell in that bosom from which all benevo lence is expelled ; while no misery can be found in that breast from which all malevolence is cast out. Perfect love casteth out not only fear, but wretchedness. Let any one read the description of love in the epistle to the Corin thians, and say if the grace there described must not contain the very elements of bliss. And is not growth in holiness equally delight ful ? Holiness is our spiritual health, as sin is our disaaso. How beautiful and how well worthy our attention and adoption for ourselves was the prayer of the apostle for Gaius : " Be- Chr. Prog. 1 G 242 CHRISTIAN PROaRESS. loved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and he in health, even as thy soul prospereth." 3 John, 2. Health, and especially growing health, is one of the most delightful sensations we can experience. To feel the tide of energy flow back to its forsaken channel, and the depressed frame become, amidst the beauties of nature and the breezes of heaven, more and more buoyant, the step more elastic, the appetite more keen, and the power of exertion more vigorous : this is to experi ence in some cases almost a type of the resur rection. But even this does not equal the joy of growing in grace, of returning and increasing spiritual health. 5. It adds to the credit and redounds to the honor of religion generally. It is given out to the world, and the world knows it, that in crease is one part of the Christian s duty and profession. Our phraseology and the language of Scripture are well known to those who are not pious, and who make no pretensions to be so. They hear us preach and pray and talk about growth in grace ; about our light shining more and more unto the perfect day ; about MOTIVES TO PROG-RESS. 243 our running the Christian race, and other matters of a like kind : they very naturally take us at our word, and knowing that all these figures of speech import progress, they look for it, and expect to see it, and are disap pointed if they do not see it ; and when they observe those inconsistencies which prove that we are either not going forward, but ever going back, they taunt us with the sarcasm, " Where is your advancement ?" " Is this your growth ?" " Is it thus you improve ?" In all other mat ters, or most others, they do see it in this world s affairs, and ought to see it in religion. It adds to the credit of any system of medical practice, or of any individual practitioner, when under their treatment the health of the patient is restored ; so also it redounds to the honor of a schoolmaster or a teacher of any kind when his pupils make great and rapid advance in what they are taught ; while on the contrary, it discredits either or both of these, when there is no improvement. And must it not be the same with religion ? Yet, is there no occasion given by the conduct of many for some such reflections on the part of worldly people as 244 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. tliese ? " Every system which, professes to lead onward those who are under it, proves its excellence for this purpose "by its results. And in most we do see a manifest advance in those who place themselves under it. We see boys growing in knowledge at school, apprentices advancing in acquaintance with their business, and young tradesmen becoming more and more clever in secular affairs. It ought, of course, to be so in religion. The people who profess it have the Bible in their own hands ; they go to church every Sunday with great regularity ; they take the sacrament ; and in many other things make great -ado about their religion. Now, with all these means, opportunities, and advantages for personal improvement and spiritual culture, what manner of persons ought they to be ? These people tell us that it is one of their principles to grow in grace. What evident, conspicuous improvement ought therefore to be seen in them. And yet really religion seems to be almost the only thing in which men do not make progress, if we may judge by their conduct. What increase of knowledge may take place in their minds we MOTIVES TO PROGRESS. 245 cannot tell, nor how often they pray in their families or in their closets ; but forming our opinions by their outward conduct and visible character, the light of holiness does not shine brighter and brighter before men. We have known some of them many years, and have watched them closely, though not unfairly, much less malignantly, but we must confess we see very little, if any improvement in them. Nay, in some things, they have even gone back, and are worse than they were when they first made a profession of religion." Dreadful reproach! Alas, alas, how just in application to some, as well as dreadful ! Let it be the deep solicitude of every one who has the least regard for the honor and credit of the gospel to roll this reproach away, by present ing a character in which all the beauties of holiness shall be continually coming out in bolder and more striking relief. How would it raise not only the gospel, but the church of Christ, in public estimation, if men looked up to it as a school where the pupils were ever studying how to advance in all that can make them acceptable to Grod, and useful to man. 246 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. What reverence would it secure for the minis ter of the gospel} and what respect for his min istrations, i&by<him and by others, it were seen that all who profess to have been convert ed by his preaching, were beheld engaged in an arduous struggle against all that is evil, and continually making attainments in all that is good. 6. And is it not a powerful motive to grow in grace, to consider that our present attain ments in true religion have a connection with, and will have an influence upon our heaven ly and eternal stale? There is a much closer relation between our present selves in this world, and our future selves in the next, than most persons are aware of. " What a man soweth, that shall he also reap," both in quali ty and quantity. It is not possible to set out in the Christian profession with a more in structive or impressive idea than this life is the seed-time for eternity. It is a common way to think of heaven and hell as if they were two states where all are alike happy in the one, or miserable in the other, whatever may have been their attainments in holiness, MOTIVES TO or their deeds of righteous will be in heaVen, and that all will be perfectly happy there, is quite true. As regards the general sources of heavenly felicity, these will be open alike to all ; but this does not suppose that in many particulars, there will not be an endless variety. We know too little of the future state to specify these mat ters ; we walk by faith. " It doth not yet ap pear what we shall be." There are, no doubt, innumerable sources of delight, and varieties of employment, of which we can now form no more conception than we can of the exercises and pleasures of a sixth sense. There may, and in all probability will be social gradations of rank, diversities of post, place, and service, and higher and lower degrees of honorable dis tinction. For these a proportionate and di versified fitness may be required. One man may be more qualified for some high place and honorable service in the heavenly world than another ; and that which constitutes the quali fication for this higher place may be, not so much great intellectual powers in our earthly state, but more eminent piety. It is not the 248 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. man of large yet unsanctified understanding, that is qualified for heaven, hut the man of sanctified heart. It is moral and spiritual excel lence that is the meetness for the inheritance of the saints in light. And whatever may be the measure of his intellectual capacity, he is the most meet for it who is most holy. If this be true, many an eminently holy peasant or artisan, will he higher in glory than the less holy philosopher or scholar ; and many a youth ful Christian cut off in the morning of his days, but carried away in the full blossom of dis tinguished piety, be found more qualified to serve Grod in some high place above, than the aged professor of low and small degrees of personal godliness. Is it to be conceived Grod will deal out as much commendation upon even <in eminent Christian, as upon a martyr or an apostle ? Or to take a more ordinary case, upon the very feeble and too worldly-minded profes sor, who may be after all a sincere Christian, as upon the spiritually-minded, heavenly, self- denying, and consistent one? But the sources of our heavenly bliss will not be all from without, but also from within. MOTIVES TO PROG-RESS. 249 Even on earth, " a good man is satisfied from himself. 5 He carries, in his holy dispositions, the springs of his own felicity about with him. And so will it he in heaven. It is not only ivhere, and with whom we shall he, hut what we shall he, that will make us happy. And eminent piety here will, in all likelihood, pre pare us for a larger capacity of holiness and happiness there. The holiness and happiness of the least saint hi heaven will he as perfect as that of the highest archangel, or the chief of the apostles ; but the capacity for this per fection may, and must be immeasurably larger in the one case than the other. A tea-cup may be as full to overflowing as a cistern, yet how much greater is the fulness in the one case than in the other. Here then is the connection not only of a state of grace, but of the actings of grace with a state of glory. It is not only that one leads to the other, not only that one pre pares for the other, but that one is proportion ate is the other. It is probable that there i? not one holy act, or motive, or desire, or volition of our whole lives, that has not some bearing upon our eternal character and happiness. God 250 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. deals with us as regards another world, not only according to our state, whether we are righteous or wicked, but according to our actings in that state. ADDRESS TO THE READER. Is your heart susceptible of the power of a motive to any thing ? Is there aught below or above the skies that can move you ? Do you really know what a motive means ? If so, sure ly, surely you must feel the force of these I have now presented. Must not the stone of an unrenewed heart remain in your soul unchanged to flesh, if you are insensible to the power and attractions of these inducements ? If these things fail to impress you and impel you, you would remain stationary and indifferent beneath a voice or a vision from heaven, or a messenger from the burning pit. If these things do not stimulate you, I should despair of the power of an angel s harp or a demon s groan. Are you on reading these pages at all excited to de sire to advance ? Say, does the fire kindle, does the glow diffuse throughout your soul at the idea of what is here presented ? If not, let me MOTIVES TO PE.OG-HESS. 251 try again, not by new motives, but by recalling those which are here enumerated. Does not the dread of declension, backslid ing, apostasy, terrify you ? Shall not the command of God impel you ? Will not the hope of gaining a sweet and blessed evidence of sincerity, lead you to seek after progress ? Does not the experience you have already had, though it may be in a small degree, of the reward which advancement yields, induce you to go forward ? And then what shall be said of the fact that our degrees of grace will regulate our degrees of glory ? Has this no motive power for your soul ? "What, so dull, so earthly, so insensible to the felicities, honors, and distinctions of heaven, as to feel little holy ambition to have some high place there ? 252 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. CHAPTER VII. ENCOURAGEMENTS TO PROGRESS. THERE is, perhaps, no greater hinder ance on the part of some, than a desponding fear of ever getting forward in the divine life. They see so much in themselves that is imperfect such ignorance, such corruption, such luke- warmness ; so much in their situation and circumstances that is opposed to their advance ment ; so much of stagnancy or declension in others, that seems to render it unlikely that they shall succeed better than their friends and acquaintances ; so much that renders it un necessary, as they suppose, for them ever to wish for it, that they give it up in hopeless depression. " Ah," they say, "it is indeed a desirable thing to grow in grace. Happy are they who can realize so covetable a condition of soul. I often long for it, but it is with the wishes of one who sees the object of his desire ENCOURAGEMENTS TO PROGRESS. 253 immeasurably above his reach. I sometimes sigh amidst my low attainments in knowledge, faith, joy, and holiness, and pant for better things ; but I end as I began, in desponding lamentations, I seem forbidden to hope for im provement." Forbidden ! By whom ? Cer tainly not by God. Discouraged ! Why ? Let your despondency yield to the following con siderations. To those who are really anxious about this matter, the Scripture is full of encouragement. How confident is the language of Job amidst all his sorrows. " The righteous shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall wax stronger and stronger." Job 17 : 9. Here is not only continuance but progress. " Clean hands" are designed to denote a holy life. Among the ancients they were regarded as / indicative of purity of heart. Porphyry re marks that in the heathen " mysteries," those who were initiated were accustomed to wash their hands with honey instead of water^ as a pledge that they would preserve themselves from every impure and unholy thing. So that the language of Job is an assurance that a holy 254 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. man should become still more holy. His very practice of righteousness tends to establish him in his way, to confirm his principles, and make that easy by habit which is enjoined as duty. Piety, like every thing else, strengthens by exercise. How beautiful is the language of the Psalm ist : " The righteous shall flourish like the palm- tree ; he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those that be planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our (rod. They shall still bring forth fruit in old age ; they shall be fat and flourishing." Psalm 92 : 12-14. The palm is indigenous to tropical and other warm climates. It grows to a considerable height and size, and presents a beautiful appear ance. Its fruits, which are called dates, are much valued and are eaten both fresh and pre served, and are also pressed for syrup and wine. But it is not for its fruit alone that the palm is so valuable. From the boughs, which are yearly lopped off from the lower parts of the stem, are made baskets, bird-cages, ropes, and sacks; from the leaves, mattresses, sandals, etc. It is an evergreen, and lives to an extreme old age : ENCOURAG-E^IEHTS TO PROGRESS. 255 the wood is durable and much. used. How striking an emblem of a good man. He shall flourish like the palm-tree. The cedar was considered by the Hebrews as the monarch of the vegetable world, on account of its magni tude, majesty, the number and extent of its boughs, and the durability of its wood, which was so remarkable that some supposed it to be incorruptible. Moreover every thing about the oriental cedar has a strong balsamic odor, and hence the whole forest is so perfumed with fragrance that a walk through it is delightful. Mount Lebanon was in ancient times covered with forests of cedars, of which however there are now only few remains. Again we say to the Christian, Behold your emblem. " He shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon." Similar to this representation is the extra ordinarily picturesque language which we find in the book of Hosea : " I will be as the dew unto Israel ; he shall grow as the lily, and cast forth his roots as Lebanon. His branches shall spread, and his beauty shall be as the olive-tree, and his smell as Lebanon. They that dwell under his shadow shall return ; they 256 CHRISTIAN PROORESS. shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine : the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Leb anon/ Hos. 14 : 5-7. These verses contain gracious promises of Grod s favor and blessings upon Israel s conversion. In the fifth verse it is described by that refreshment which copious dews give to the grass in summer. If we con sider the nature of the climate and the necessity of dews in so hot a country, not only to refresh but likewise to preserve life ; if we consider also the beauty of the oriental lilies, the fra grance of the cedars which grow upon Lebanon, the beauteous appearance which the surround ing olive-trees afford, the exhilarating coolness caused by the shade of such trees, and the aromatic smell exhaled by the cedars ; if we add to this the reviving of the corn with all the verdure of spring, and the blushing grapes pendant from the vine, we shall then partly understand the force of the metaphors hero employed by the prophet ; but their full energy no one can conceive till he feels both the want and enjoys the advantage of the particulars referred to in that climate where the prophet wrote. " What a glorious prophecy ! How ENCOURAGEMENTS TO PROGRESS. 257 sublime, how energetic, how just! and this description is not for Israel merely after the flesh, but for the Israel of Grod. It may be there is a national reference, but we have lot and portion hi the matter. Grod sets his love upon us ; pours down his grace upon us ; and fulfils all this to those who have faith in the promise of his Spirit." It is not merely the poetic beauty of this passage that we hold up to notice, though this is surpassingly great, and it is one of those gems of composition which so profusely stud the Bible and commend it to taste as well as to piety, but it is the promises of grace and growth which it contains for the encouragement and consolation of all Grod s people to the end of time. How full of encouragement is also the lan guage of the prophet, Isaiah 40: 31. "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength ; they shall mount up with wings as eagles ; they shall run, and not be weary ; and they shall walk, and not faint." This beautiful passage refers primarily, though not exclusive ly, to the captive Jews in Babylon, and en couraged the pious among them to exercise Chr. Prf.fc 1 7 258 CHRISTIAN PROG-RESS. confidence in God s ability and willingness to accomplish his promises, and to wait with patience for his gracious appearance on their behalf. But it contains a general promise of continued supplies of grace and strength to all who really desire to serve the Lord with integrity and simplicity. The image of the eagle is a very fine one, and this is not the only place where it is employed. The prophet alludes to the strength of pinion and of vision possessed by this noble bird, whereby it ascends to a lofty height, untired and undazzled, soaring even above the fogs and mists of the lower regions of the air, mounting above the very clouds, undeterred by the lightning, and floating in the pure azure above. Thus shall all who wait upon the Lord rise higher and higher, upon the mighty pinions of strong devotion and with the unblinking eye of faith, into the regions of heavenly-mindedness ; and shall approach nearer and nearer to Grod, the sun of our spiritual day. Then the other expressions, if less figurative, are not less encouraging : " They shall run" in the heavenly race, for the crown of immor- ENCOUE.AG-EMENTS TO PROaRESS. 259 tal glory, " and not be weary" Their strength, instead of being exhausted, shall, contrary to what occurs in bodily effort, be increased by exertion. No length nor greatness of labor shall be too much for them. Grod shall pour into their souls fresh energy for every fresh effort. They shall thus be enabled to press along the mark towards the prize of their high calling in Christ Jesus. " They shall walk, and not faint" Their wayfare may be ardu ous ; the road may be long and rugged ; often up steep ascents, and down into deep and rocky denies, where every step is a labor, but they shall not lose heart or hope ; they shall not swoon, nor halt, nor turn back, but go forwards, sustained by a power greater than their own. But perhaps a plain didactic and unpoetic quotation from the New Testament, will, after all, have more weight with some minds than this profusion of gorgeous oriental imagery. What then can be more consolatory than the apos tle s words to the Philippian church? " Being confident of this very thing, that He which hath begun a good work in you will perform it 260 CHRISTIAN PROG-RESS. until the day of Christ." Phil. 1:6. He will have respect to and delight in the work of his hands. He is honored and glorified by the perseverance of his people in faith and holi ness, and will give all the supplies of grace necessary for the work. He loves to see his children grow in all that is excellent, even as does a wise and good earthly parent, and far more readily will contribute all that is neces sary for this purpose. 2. Dwell upon the love and tenderness of our Lord Jesus Christ. Let me direct your attention first of all to that wonderfully beau tiful and tender representation where it is said, "He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and shall carry them in his bosom." Isaiah 40 : 11. Now you will notice who are here represented as the objects of his care, " the lambs ;" which means not only those of tender age, but of recent standing in religion, they who are young in Christian experience ; and also they whose spirits are withal naturally timid, whose strength is feeble, and whose danger is great. You, you, recently brought to Christ by re- ENCOURAGEMENTS TO PROGRESS. 261 pentance and faith, you are the objects of Christ s special attention, care, and solicitude. You are they whom he takes up in the arms of his power, and lays on the "bosom of his love. He knows your weakness, your timidity, your dangers. He directs towards you his tenderest sympathy, and will exert for you his greatest vigilance and his mightiest power. This ex pression however not .only conveys the idea of great care of the weak, but the exercise of that care with a view to their preservation and growth ; it means not only that he cordially receives them, will provide for their safety, consult their comfort, and will accommodate his conduct to their wants, but that he will nourish them through their infant existence, and rear them up to maturity and strength. You should dwell upon the exquisite tenderness of the passage but not only upon this, but upon its intimation that he will assist you in your growth. The good Shepherd does not wish or intend that his lambs should be always lambs ; his aim is that they should be full-grown sheep, and he will leave nothing undone that this might be accomplished ; and it is for this 262 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. reason, as well as from pity and kindness, that he takes such care of them. So it is with our Lord Jesus in reference to the young convert Let every lamb of the flock of Christ therefore go to him by faith and prayer, and say, " Blessed Jesus, I come to thee a poor weak and trembling creature, doubtful of my own continuance, and alarmed at my numerous difficulties and ene mies. I am but a lamb, and often fear I shall never be any thing better, but perish as I am. But was it not in regard to such weakness that thou hast been pleased to utter these gracious and tender words ? I believe what thou hast spoken, and will venture my soul upon it. I flee to thee as the helpless lamb to its shepherd when hungry to feed it, when pursued by wild beasts that he may defend it. Lord, take me in the arms of thy power and lay me on the bosom of thy love, though I am so poor and inconsiderable a creature. I will hope in thy pastoral power and love, that I shall not only continue but grow, and that thou wilt one day rejoice in me as one of the flock which thou hast purchased with thy own blood." 3. But perhaps you may find some en- ENCOURAGEMENTS TO PROGRESS. 263 couragement even in your own experience, without looking to others. You are sometimes disheartened and oast down. You make little or no progress in religion. You are no wiser, holier, or happier than you were. And you fear you never shall be. You begin to be heartless and desponding. Deeply sensible of your deficiencies, you fear they will never be supplied ; you feel your remaining corruptions, and have faint hopes of subduing them. You see heights above your head, which you fear you shall never reach. In the race you are no nearer the goal, and in the conflict gain few advantages over your foes. To be as you are is your utmost hope, and not to go back your strongest effort. For you, progress is out of the question. Again I ask, Why ? Only because you think so. I have referred you to the promises of God to the grace and intercession of Christ to the examples of others ; but now let me refer you to your own history and ex perience. I am supposing that you have expe rienced the converting grace of Grod ; that you have really and in earnest commenced the great work of salvation ; that, in short, you are 264 CHRISTIAN PROOJ-RESS. not what you were. Old things have passed away and all things have become new. And if this be the case, is it for you to doubt whether you can advance ? Is continuance to be de spaired of by him who has been enabled to begin ; or advancement by him who has been enabled to continue ? Have you by grace taken the mighty step, stride, bound, for it is all this, from an unconverted to a converted state, and do you doubt whether you shall go on step by step afterwards ? Have you pressed through the strait gate, and shall you not be able to press forward also in the narrow path? Is progressive sanctification more difficult, either to you or to Grod, than regeneration ? Oh, think of all the difficulties that stood in the way when you first entered the road to glory. Recollect what you had to encounter from within and without. Have you forgotten the trembling apprehensions with which, when the decision wa*s to be made for Christ, salvation, and eternity, you doubted if it ever would be made ? The anguish with which, on a survey of all you had to encounter, you exclaimed, " Who is sufficient for these things ?" Yet it ENCOURAGEMENTS TO PROG-RESS. 265 ivas made. Grod s grace was sufficient for you in this tremendous crisis of your spiritual and eternal history. And now, can you doubt whether the grace that converted you can carry you forward ? What, planted and not be able to thrive? Born, and not be able to grow? Started, and not be able to run? Victorious, and not be able to conquer ? Will you so much disparage the grace that has been given as to doubt its continuance, and the work it has wrought as to fear its going forward ? Have you learned no more from God s past wisdom and power and love, than to question whether they will help you onward in that course to which they have introduced you ? Why, one should be ready to suppose you would be ever full of joyful expectation and exultation too, exclaiming, " To what measure of knowledge, faith, holiness, joy, and usefulness, may I not hope to reach, since I have been translated by the power of Grod from darkness to light, and from the kingdom of Satan unto Gfod ?" You yourself, in what Grod has done for you, are a proof of what he can and will do for yon if you will ask him, and trust him. Cast away then, 266 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. all your desponding fears, your low expecta tions, your unworthy doubts ; they dishonor G-od as well as distress yourself. You are yourself the strongest proof that you can ad vance, for you have advanced. " He that has begun the good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ." Remember the words, and enter into the argument, of the apostle, " Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if when we were enemies, we were reconciled to Grod by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life." Rom. o : 9, 10. CONCLUDING- ADDRESS TO THE READER. The subject, the ineffably, infinitely, eter nally momentous subject, is now before you, compared with which all other matters, even the most valuable of them, dwindle into insig nificance, shrink into nothing, and fade into darkness. I have been speaking about prog ress ; but progress in what? Not in science, literature, wealth, power, fame. No. These are important ; but what are they to religion ? ENCOURAGEMENTS TO PROGRESS. 267 They relate to earth, this to heaven ; they be long to time, this to eternity. Their value will cease at death ; the value of this will then be perpetuated for ever and ever. Every step you take in this course is a step to glory, honor, and immortality ; consequences hang on each step which no mind can comprehend but that which grasps infinity and eternity. You are fearfully and wonderfully placed, for you are passing through a probation which must issue in torment or in bliss which eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, nor has ever entered into the imagination of the human mind. I have laid before you the necessity of that progress its nature, its means, its hinderances, its mistakes, v its motives, and its encouragements, which be long to true religion. By the perusal of this book you have incurred a new responsibility, and are under a more solemn weight of obliga tion than you were before. If you should turn back in your course, you had better never have read it ; or having read it, would find it a mercy could you blot from your memory its contents. But this you cannot do. No water of oblivion can help you to cast into forgetfulness what 268 CHRISTIAN PROGRESS. you have read. Its coming into your hands will form a new fact in your existence of no small moment to you ; for it will be a new ag gravation of the sin and condemnation of hack- sliding, or a new means of growth in grace. It may he neglected and for a while lost sight of, hut it will rise up again and again, if you recede, and will meet you like a frowning . spectre in your retrograde path. It will follow you into eternity, to give sharpness and venom to the tooth of the never-dying worm, and fierceness to the fire that never shall he quench ed. But " I hope hetter things of you, and things that accompany salvation, though I thus speak." The motives I have suggested will, I hope, prevail to urge, and the encouragements I have suggested to excite you to advance. Every thing you can desire or imagine, that would he helpful, is with you and for you. The attributes of the eternal Grod, the character and offices of Christ, the influences and operations of the Holy Spirit, the ministration of angels, the labors of Christian ministers, the religious literature of the age, the prayers of all good men, are with you, to aid and encourage you ENCOURAG-EMENTS TO PROG-RESS. 269 in your progress. Is this nothing ? Is it little ? On the contrary, is it not much ? Is it not every thing ? What more can you need, or can you have? And now then let me conjure you to seek to advance in the divine life. You must not, you dare not, and I hope, by the grace of Gfod, will not, be satisfied to be always what you are, with no more knowledge, faith, holiness, or peace than you* now have. What Grod com manded to be said to the children of Israel, that they should GO FORWARD, is said to you : GO FORWARD. By all the authority, the com mands, the promises of Grod by all the love, power, grace, and intercession of Christ by all the work of the Holy Spirit, so sufficient for your need, I conjure you, GO FORWARD. By all the value of your immortal soul and all the blessings included in its salvation, I conjure you, GO FORWARD. By all the pleasures of real religion now, and all the meetness it furnishes for eternal bliss hereafter, I conjure you, GO FORWARD. By all the regard you have to the credit of the Christian profession and the wel fare of other men s souls, I conjure you, GO FOR- 270 CHRISTIAN PROG-RESS. WARD. By all the solemnities of judgment, all the glories of heaven, all the torments of hell, all the ages of eternity, I conjure you, GO FORWARD. To all these arguments and entrea ties, so urgent as well as so numerous, let judg ment, heart, will, conscience, respond. " On ward, onward in the path to holiness, happi ness, and heaven ; and then onward, onward, through the progression of eternal ages. Now lay down the book anct present in sin cerity, faith, and fervor, the following prayer : Almighty and most merciful Father, thou delightest not in the death of a sinner, much less in the destruction of a believer ; grant me, through Jesus Christ, the power of thy Holy Spirit, to follow the directions laid down in this book. Impress me more and more deeply with the necessity of progress in the divine life. Enlighten me to understand its true nature. Preserve me from all mistakes on this moment ous subject. Bless to me the use of appropri ate means for growth in grace. Enable me to avoid and put aside all hinderances to progress. Stimulate me by the application to my con science and heart of all the motives here sug- ENCOURAG-EMENTS TO PROORESS. 271 gested, and cheer me by the encouragements which have been held out to me. Of thine in finite mercy never suffer me to draw back unto perdition, but number me with those who be lieve to the saving of the soul. Help me like thy holy and blessed apostle Paul to forget the things that are behind and press towards the mark for the prize of our high calling in Christ Jesus ; and after continual increase of grace here, bring me to the eternal progression of thy saints in glory everlasting. Grant this accord ing to the riches of thy grace through Christ Jesus. Amen. PUBLICATIONS OF THE AMERICAN TRACT SOCIETY. D Aubigne s History of Memoir of Dr. Payson. Dibble s Thoughts on the Reformation, a Memoir of Mrs. H. L. Missions new translation, re Winslow. Mori son s Counsels to vised by the Author, Memoir of J. B. Taylor. Young Men. 4 vols., each 450 pp., Memoir of Rev. Dr. Bu Songs of Zion. cloth extra, $1 75. chanan. James Anx. Inquirer. Family Testament.with Elegant Narratives, se Mason s Self- Know Notes. lect Tracts illustrated. ledge. 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