VII.

Pure religion, and undefiled, before God and the Father, is this: To vifit the fatherless and widows, in their affliction; and to keep himfelf unfpotted in the world. — James, i. 27.

THIS is certainly not a compleat definition of religion. Of the three parts of our duty to God, our neighbour, and ourselves, the first is wholly omitted; and neither of the others is derived, as we know they ought both to be, from faith in Chrift. All therefore which St. James

meant to fhew in this paffage was, the great value he put on practical religion; which is indeed one of his chief topics through this whole epistle. -In obedience, therefore, to his doctrine, we fhould be very careful never to depreciate good works; nor to preach any doctrine, which may tend to make the common people think lightly of them; as we are here affured, that pure and undefiled religion confifts fo much in them. Our hearers, however, cannot be cautioned too

much, not to prefume on thefe works; nor to trust our falvation on any thing, but the merits of Chrift. What merit of any kind our good works may have, is not for us to affign. That must be left entirely to God.

VIII.

Charity fhall cover a multitude of fins.--- 1. Pet. iv. 8.

THE meaning of this paffage is rather obfcure. Some contend, that charity covers, or blots out, our own fins; others, that it covers, or conceals, the fins of our neighbours. At prefent however, I mean not to enter into the obscurities of the text; but only to take occafion from it to point out the various covers for fin, which men are commonly accustomed to plead.

The hardened profligate rufhes headlong into wickedness; and though he must know, that hell and deftruction follow hard behind, he goes madly on, without endeavouring to procure the leaft cover for his fins.

There are others, again, who have fome little remains of confcience left-who would wish to go to heaven; but they are wary traders, and unwilling to pay too great a price. To give up all the pleasures of the world, and lead a strict, religious life; is too much: but they are very ready to barter with God Almighty.

Some of them will afk, what almfgiving to the poor will do for them? They are willing to cover their fins by great bounty in this way; but thefe traders must be informed, that, as far as themselves are concerned, they might as well keep their alms in their pockets. Theirs is juft the old popifh practice of indulgences. In both cafes, money is paid for a liberty to commit fin.

In the fame manner, others endeavour to cover their fins with what they call their virtues. Their honesty--- their temperance --- their veracity, or fome other virtue which they think they poffels, they fet in oppofition to fome favourite fins; and hope, under fuch cover, to efcape.But these men muft not be furprised to hear, that virtues arifing from fuch motives are no virtues at all; and, instead of atoning for fins, are in fact themselves only fins in disguise.

Others again will endeavour to cover their fins, by pleading the bounty of heaven. The earth is full of good things; why may I not use them? What were they given me for? - You may use them with gratitude to God, you may ufe them; but in gratitude to God, be content with the ufe. All beyond is finful abuse.

Another cover for fin is fometimes drawn from the infirmities of human nature: they are fuch

that

that fin is unavoidable, and therefore excufeable. That fin is unavoidable, is certain; and hence arifes the neceffity of a Saviour. But how far we are to make this a cover for fuch fins as we wilfully continue in, is a point whịch, it is to be feared, will be fettled at the last day much to our confufion.

Their circumstances, and fituation in life, are confidered with many as making a good cover for fin. While we live in the world, they cry, we must in some degree follow the ways of the world. The ways of the world are not always confonant with ftrict duty; but we must now and then temporize, or we are nothing. But perhaps our situation in life is not so commonly feductive as we are apt to suppose. No honest profeffion, I believe, has any thing in it oppofite to the duties of religion. If, however, we have unhappily chosen a profeffion which avowedly leads us into fin, we have our option: we may take either the broad or narrow way; and ferve either God; or Mammon.

There are others again, who feek to cover their fins under the mercies of God; which they fay are infinite, and cannot be exhausted. But

thefe