wickedness. But when it acts upon a well-disposed mind, in general habituated to right action, but fearful of giving offence, it consists in the fear of displeasing God-of being removed from his presence and instead of enjoying the society of just men made perfect, of being removed to the company of the worst of beings. All these are just, rational, and religious motives of action.

XXIV.

The end of the commandment is charity.1 Timothy, i. 5.

IT is evident from the whole tenor of scripture (from the book of Genesis, in which the history of the fall is recorded, to the Revelations of St. John, in which the new Jerusalem is described) -that the gospel was intended to make up the deficiencies of the fall--to restore mankind, by purifying his affections, to that state of holiness, which he had lost-and to qualify him to have his conversation in heaven. To this end good works are every where insisted on in scripture. Without holiness we are assured, no man shall see God: and that the end of the commandment is charity. But now in order to obtain this holiness, different means are pursued.

One man asserts, that as faith is the source of all christian virtues, no other doctrine should be insisted on: which is carrying the conclusion too far. Many, who have no notion of faith, may at

first be wrought on by the moral rectitude of actions. From thence they may be led to acknowledge the christian religion as the best system of morals—and from thence, by God's assisting their pious endeavours, to acknowledge their faith in its founder and doctrines. Had unqualified faith been the first doctrine preached to such people, it would probably have had little effect.

Others again, who have fine affections and feelings, resolve all duty both to God and man into love. But many people of blunt affections can never raise in themselves those divine heights of love to God, or man; yet still, if they practise religious duties from a sense of pleasing God; and avoid sin from a fear of offending him, we cannot doubt of their obtaining the end of the commandment.

In short, so much stress should never be laid on faith, or any other motive of action, as to exclude other motives. Each of them may lead by

degrees to the end of

Each of them

the commandment.

Whoever is acquainted with the blunt and low conceptions of the vulgar, must tremble for the salvation of men, if they cannot be saved without exalted ideas of faith and love. St. Paul speaks of making himself all things to all

men,

men, that he might by all means save some. That is, I presume, he placed different motives before then, as he saw occasion. The scriptures certainly hold out different motives of action. They make charity indeed the end of the commandment; but they seem not to expect that every man should attain it on the same motive. They talk of faith, and hope, and fear, and love, and other motives, each of which may, by degrees, be the happy mean of drawing men to the end of the commandment.

In the mean time, with regard to his own private case, let every man practise on that motive, which, from his own feelings, he discovers to be most effectual. Only let us not judge one another, and say, that the end of the commandment can be obtained by no means, but those, which we ourselves feel the most effectual.

I cannot here be misunderstood to suppose, that any christian virtue can be exercised without christian faith. What I contend for, is, that men are drawn to embrace the christian faith by various means.-There are different degrees also of faith; and the vulgar unlettered christian, who works for his daily bread, may have that general belief in his bible, which may lead him to the end of the commandment; and secure to him the favour of God; though he may not have

that

that exalted faith, which some religionists require from all without distinction *.

*This sentiment was suggested to me by the following circumstance: I had been conversing with a very worthy person, who was rigorous in maintaining a rigid zeal for faith in opposition to works. In the midst of our conversation I occasionally mentioned an old man in the parish, who with great industry (for he was only a day-labourer) had brought up a large family, and had afterwards saved enough to keep him from the parish. His wife was dead; his family was grown up; and he lived alone in a little cottage, on the edge of the forest. He was near eighty years of age; but still continued his labour, as far as he was able; and spent the remainder of his day in reading his bible, and in prayers. Often, when I have opened his cottage-door suddenly, I have found him in some religious exercise. He was constant also at church, and generally at the sacrament. He was ready to give out of his little to his poor relations. I have known him give oftener than once five guineas at a time. He bore great infirmities with great resignation; and would talk of death with as much ease and indifference as of going to bed. To me this old man appeared to fill his station with great religious propriety. But upon my mentioning him to my friend, in a favourable manner, though he was as well acquainted with all these circumstances, as I was, he directly replied, That he did not think he was in the way of salvation. On my inquiring with surprise into the reason of what appeared to me so uncharitable an opinion, I found that in some late conversation the old man had been speaking of his own scbriety; and saying, that if he had spent his money at the alehouse, as many did, he should have been now in the poor-house. My friend called this self-righteousness!