CHAP. XX. On the Inconfiftency of Chriftians with Chrif tianity. WE have, in two former chapters *, ven tured to addrefs a class of Christians whofe lives are decorous, and whofe manners are amiable; but who, from the want of having imbibed the vital fpirit of Chiftianity, and having, therefore, formed their principles on imperfect models, feem to have fallen fhort of that excellence of which their characters are fufceptible. We presume now to address a very different class; perfons acknowledging, indeed, the great truths of Christianity, but living either in the neglect of the principles they profefs, or in practical oppofition to the theory they maintain; yielding to the tyranny of paf * An Enquiry why fome Good Sort of People are not better. fion or of pleasure, governed by the appetite or the caprice of the moment, and going on in a careless inattention to the duties inculcated by an authority they recognize. The lives of the perfons previously confidered are commonly better than their profeffion, the lives of thofe now under contemplation are worse. These feem to have more faults, the other more prejudices. The others are fatisfied to be stationary; these are not aware that they are retrograde. The former are in a far better ftate; but there is hope that the latter may find out that they are in a bad one. The one reft in their performances, with little doubt of their fafety; the other, with a blind fecurity, rest in the promises, without putting themselves in the way to profit by them. If the whole indivisible scheme of Chriftianity could be split into two portions, and either half were left to the option of thefe claffes; those formerly noticed would adopt the commandments from an affurance of being faved by their obeying them; these under under present confideration, would choose the creed, from a notion that its mere adoption would go near to exonerate them from perfonal obedience. The others intend to earn heaven by their defective works; these, overlooking the neceffity of holiness, flatter themselves, when they think at all, with the cheap falvation of a mental affent. Yet we all defire to be finally faved. There is but one opinion about the end; we only differ about the means. Many fly to the merits of the Redeemer to obtain happiness for themselves hereafter, who do not defire his spirit to govern their lives now, though he has fo repeatedly declared, that he will not fave us without renovating us. To suppose that we shall poffefs hereafter what we do not defire here, that we fhall complete then, what we do not think of beginning now, is among the inconfiftencies of many who pass mufter under the generic title of Christians. The contest between heaven and earth feems to be reduced to one point, which hall poffefs the heart of man. The bent of H 6 our our affections decides on the object of our purfuit. When they are rightly turned by his powerful hand, God has the predominance. It is the grand design of his word, of his spirit, of all his difpenfations, whether providential or fpiritual, to restore us to himself, to recover the heart which fin has eftranged from him. Where these inftruments fail, the original bias governs, and the world has the entire poffeffion. Prospective prudence is esteemed a mark of wisdom by the world, and he who poffeffed the wifdom which is from above, obferves, that "the prudent man forefeeth." Here the Bible and the world appear at first fight to be in ftrict accordance; but they differ materially, both as to the distance and the object of their forecast. How prudent do we reckon that man who denies himself prefent expences, and waves prefent enjoyments, that he may more effectually secure to himself future fortune! We obferve that his discreet felf-denial will be amply rewarded by the increasing means of after-indulgence. gence. But if this very man were to extend his views still further, and look for the remuneration of his abftinence, not to a future day, but to a future life, he would not, with his worldly friends, advance his character for wifdom. While he looks to a distant point of time he is commended, but he forfeits the commendation, if he overlooks all time, and defers the fruition of his hope, till time shall be no more. It is indeed this partial looking forward, this fixing the eye on fome point of aggran dizement, or wealth, or some other diftinction, which obstructs our view of the final profpect; or it is the excefs of immediate gratification, the delights of fenfe, the blan difhments of the world, which prevent us even from thinking of it. While the fenfualift inclofes himself in a narrow circle, beyond which his eye does not penetrate, the Christian, like the warrior, fteers his course not by his fight but his compass. In any imminent distress, indeed, men almost natu rally fly to their Maker. It is rather an impulse |