on a level. To solve a difficulty of such magnitude, application was made by the church to the great apostle of the Gentiles; who in his admirable reply, meets the objection, and reasons on it in a manner that reflects honour on his conduct and his character. If," says he," any brother have a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away; and the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him." For if the grace of God, in this case, dissolve the bonds of marriage, the children born while the parents were both in a state of nature, would be, as the apostle expresses it, unclean; but now are they holy; or, in modern language, legitimate-born in lawful wedlock. It is therefore plain that he was far from supposing such marriages void by any alteration in religious sentiments; and it is equally evident from the context that, while he maintains them to be legal, he is by this decision far from countenancing the believer in forming a connexion with one of an opposite description; for in the same chapter he expressly prohibits such intermarriages, by saying, "The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; ONLY IN THE LORD." By the phrase, IN THE LORD, as applied to the person who might afterwards solicit the widow's hand in marriage, we are undoubtedly to understand a true believer in Christ, in opposition, not only to heathens, but to nominal Christians. Should it be urged, that between the heathen and the nominal ༣ Christian there is a wide difference, it will perhaps be difficult to say where, in a religious view, that difference lies, because whatever exterior advantages the nominal Christian may enjoy more than the other, either as they respect Christianity, the re finements of literature, or the polite arts, these advantages, simply considered, form no part of the Christian character. This appellation is peculiar to him that shall experience a change, not of extrinsic circumstances, but of the heart; and of such change an heathen is as susceptible as the most enlightened philosopher of modern times. The carnal minds of both, by nature, are enmity against God; they are not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be; nor can the one say with propriety to the other, in reference to this awful fact, Stand by thyself; come not near to me; for I am holier than thou! It is the Christian name, and the profession of something called Christianity, by which numbers are deceived. Many imagine, because they were born in a country denominated Christian, and educated in the doctrines of Christ, that they are, of course, real Christians; but nothing is further from the truth. To be a Christian in this sense," which is popular and fashionable, is neither difficult nor excellent. It is to be baptized, to profess the Christian religion, to believe, like our neighbour, that Christ is the Messiah; to attend public worship once a week. In this sense, a man may be a Christian, and yet habitually careless about eternal things; a Christian, and yet fall short of the morality of many of the heathens; a Christian, and yet a drunkard, a swearer, or a slave to some vice or other; a Christian, and yet a wilful impenitent offender against God and man! "Were an heathen to make a tour through EngLand to learn the religion of the inhabitants, might he not conclude from their general conduct, that it consisted principally in a few Sunday formalities, and that the rest of the week they had nothing to do with God, or any religion, but were at liberty to live as they pleased? And were he told that these were the followers of one Christ, and of his religion, would he not conclude that Christ was certainly an impostor and the minister of sin! But when he came to find that notwithstanding all this licentiousness, they professed the pure and holy religion of the Bible, how would he be astonished, and pronounce them the most inconsistent barefaced hypocrites! "A beggar that fancies himself a king, and trails his rags with the gait of majesty as though they were real robes, is not so ridiculous as one that usurps the Christian name without a Christian practice." It is reported that Alexander had a soldier in his army of his own name, but a mere coward. Either be like me, says the general, or lay aside my name. And it has been said by a greater than Alexander, If ye love me, keep my commandments: herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit. But he that saith I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is equally preposterous with the man "that shall ridicule learning, and yet glory in the character of a scholar; or with him that shall laugh at bravery, and yet celebrate the praises of heroes." That the remarkable words, IN THE LORD, before THE GUIDE ΤΟ DOMESTIC HAPPINESS. LETTER I. True bliss, if man may reach it, is composed Those hearts should be reclaim'd, renew'd, upright. Cowper. Or all the tasks enjoined by duty or imposed by friendship, few, Melissa, are more difficult to perform, or, when performed, more likely to prove unsuccessful, than that of giving advice. Advice, which the sincerest friends are sometimes compelled by the purest motives of benevolence to communicate unasked, is seldom gratefully acknowledged, or even received with the decent ceremony of respect. The very attempt is frequently considered as an impeachment of the understanding and the heart of him to whom it is offered: and though he may not be so vain as to believe himself beyond the reach of instruction, yet he feels so much of his own importance, as to think the interposition officious; that attention to the common rules of decorum should at least have imposed silence; and that his monitor B |