With this guard distinctly kept in view, we venture, with all humility, to repeat, that there is an extreme on both fides: the one may be abstractedly confidered as all propofitions, the other as all conclufions. The one fails of effect by not depending on juft premises; in the other, well established premises produce inferior good, because the conclufions are not fufficiently brought to bear on the actual demands of life. The one, while he powerfully fhews the reader that he is a finner, limits both his proof and his instruction to one or two prominent doctrines he names, indeed, with unwearied iteration, that only name by which we can be faved, faithfully dwells on the efficacy of the divine remedy, but without clearly pointing out its application to practical purposes. The other prefumes his readers to be so wife, as to be able to fupply their own deficiencies, or fo good, as to ftand in little need of fupernatural affiftance. Is it not mocking human helplessness, to tell men they must be holy, good, and juft, without directing them to

the

the principle from whence " all holy thoughts, all good counfels, and all just works, do proceed"— to direct the stream of action, and keep out of fight the spring from which it must flow-to expect they will renounce fin if they do not renounce felf to fend them vagrant in search of fome ftray virtue, without fhewing them where to apply for direction to find it?

The combination of the oppofite but indifpenfable requifites is moft happily exemplified in all our best divines, living and dead; and, bleffed be God, very numerous is the catalogue in both inftances. They have, with a large and liberal construction, followed that moft perfect exemplification of this union which is fo generally exhibited in Scripture, more particularly in that express model, the third chapter of the Epistle to the Coloffians. There, every thing that is excellent in practice is made to proceed from Him" in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." There, every act has its infpiring motive,

motive, every virtue its radical principle; falfehood is not only prohibited to the converts, but the prohibition is accounted for, "because ye have put on the new man." The obedience of wives, the affection of husbands, the fubmiffion of children, all is to be done "in the name of the Lord Jefus."- Servants are enjoined to fidelity as

fearing God." "Mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meeknefs, long-fuffering," are recommended, because the converts “are the elect of God." Every inhibition of every wrong practice has its reference to Christ, every act of goodness its evangelical principle. Contentions are forbidden, forgiveness is enjoined, on the fame high ground the example of "Him in whom dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily." This is practical preaching-This is evangelical preaching.

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CHAP. XVIII.

Thoughts refpectfully fuggefted to Good Sort of People.

IN perusing the foregoing chapter, it may be, as it has been, with unwearied iteration, objected, that it is equally prepofterous and unjust, to hold out a standard of religion and morals fo high, as to defeat, in the reader, all hope of attaining to it. It may be urged, that it would be more prudent, as well as more useful, to propose a more moderate standard, and to fuggest a more temperate measure, which would not, as in the prefent cafe, by difcouraging, render attainment hopeless. For an answer, we must send them to the Redeemer's own mouth, to the excision of the right hand, the plucking out the right eye. This, it will be justly infifted, is not a command, but a metaphor. Granted.We know we

are not commanded to lop off our limbs, but our corruptions. But, would He who is not only true, but THE TRUTн, adopt a ftrong metaphor to express a feeble obligation? Is any tone, then, may we not ask, too high, if not higher than that uniformly employed in the Bible? What do we mean, when we say, that we receive the Gospel as a rule of faith and practice, if, having made the declaration, we instantly go, and, without fcruple, lower the rule and depress the practice?

High and low are indefinite terms: their just use depends on the greatness or littleness of the objects to which they refer. When we confider, that the object in question is eternal life, fhould the standard which God has made the measure of our attaining to it, be fo depreffed as to prevent that attainment? Do not the Apostles and their Mafter, the Saints and the King of Saints, every where fuggeft a rule, not only of excellence, but perfection; a rule to which no hopeleffnefs

VOL. II.

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