the Editor belongs, has been either defensive in its nature, or relative to measures which it was believed that denomination ought to adopt, for the benefit of its own members. The Editor has avowed himself to be the decided friend of the order taken, after a prolonged and ardent debate, by the last General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, for conducting Missions, both Foreign and Domestick, by a Board appointed by that judicatory and responsible to it. He does firmly believe, after a careful and he hopes a candid inquiry, that it belongs to the church, in its distinctive character, to evangelize the world. On this subject, he had intended to insert in this preface a particular exposition of his views. But in making preparation to execute his design, he found that, if pursued, it would lead him to exceed the proper bounds of a prefatory article. He therefore reserves the subject to be treated, at an early day, in the body of his work. In the mean time, he will only say, that while it is his purpose, if life and health permit, to advocate to the utmost of his ability, the opinion which he has now announced, that opinion nevertheless exists in his mind, and will he hopes hereafter appear in his work, with entire friendliness toward every evangelical mission now to be found on earth-That they may all enjoy the smiles and benediction of heaven, and be instrumental, as he thinks they are calculated to be, in extending the Redeemer's kingdom, till the knowledge and love of God shall cover the earth as the waters do the seas, is the subject of his constant and most earnest prayer. THE CHRISTIAN ADVOCATE. DECEMBER, 1828. Keligious Communications. LECTURES ON THE SHORTER CATECHISM OF THE WESTMINSTER ASSEMBLY OF DIVINES-ADDRESSED TO YOUTH. LECTURE XXXVI. (Continued from page 483.) We now proceed to the next Q. and A.-Q. What is the sum of the ten commandments? A. The sum of the ten commandments is, to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul, with all our strength, and with all our mind; and our neighbour as ourselves." Here you perceive, as I have already intimated, that the summary of the moral law contained in the decalogue, is itself epitomized. This, you will recollect, was done by our Saviour himself; and it is done by reducing the law to its principle, namely, love. If we have suitable love to God and man, all that we can need farther is, to be informed in regard to the most acceptable ways of expressing it. On the contrary, if we have not this love, we render no acceptable, no real obedience, whatsover. In regard to God, who searcheth the heart, it must be obvious at once, that any external conformity to his laws which is not cordially rendered-which is yielded from the servile principle of fear, or from any motive which leaves the heart really alienated from God and his law, is VOL. VI.-Ch. Adv. no obedience at all. In all such cases, the external conformity itself would be withheld, but from some selfish regard. This is perfectly known to God, and he would sanction falsehood, which he can never do, if he should accept as done out of regard to him, what is really done only out of regard to self. Love, therefore, is manifestly essential to the existence of any thing that can be called obedience to God-There can be none without it. The truth is, God's first demand is on our hearts-"My son give me thy heart," is his indispensable requisition: And till we comply with this, we can never obey him at all-He requires the obedience, not of slaves, but of affectionate children. In like manner, even in regard to man, there is no real duty performed without love. Man cannot always discern the motives or springs of action, in his fellow man: and what purports to be done from right motives, he ought so to accept. But let a man know, -as he sometimes may know,-that another is showing him much apparent respect, without the least real regard; and what is his estimate of this apparent respect? Is he pleased with it? No, he regards him who renders it only as a hollow hearted hypocrite, who seeks to serve himself by appearing to show respect which 3 X he does not feel. Now, this too, in all cases in which it takes place, is perfectly known to the heartsearching and rein-trying God: and, of course, he knows that we never truly perform a duty to our fellow men, till we love them as his law requires. I have been thus particular in showing that love is absolutely essential to all real obedience, because men are extremely apt to satisfy themselves with some fair outward appearances, when they know nothing of real love to God-and it is infinitely important to take away from them this deceitful opiate of their consciences, and to show them that they have never yet rendered one single act of obedience to God; and because also it is love which is distinctly and precisely meant, in the answer before us, by the sum of the ten commandments. He that possesses genuine love to God, possesses a principle which includes in its bosom all other duties-Hence, said the apostle"Love is the fulfilling of the law." Having seen the necessity and importance of the principle, let us now consider the rule or measure of its operation, both toward God and toward man. Toward God, this principle is to operate in such manner and degree that we may truly be said- to love him with all the heart, with all the soul, with all the mind, and with all the strength." This is called by our Saviour the first and great commandment. And it is so called, because God, the object of it, is the first, and greatest, and most excellent of all beings, who plainly ought to have our supreme love, a love to which our affection to every creature should be subordinate and subservient. Nay, our love to the creature is to flow from love to God, as its proper spring and fountain. Love to God, therefore, may well be called the first and great commandment. And in loving him, let it be observed, we are to recognise him as our God; our right ful Lord and sovereign; our creator, our father, our preserver, our benefactor, our redeemer, and our judge-our GOD, by every obligation of equity and of gratitudethe fountain of our being, our enjoyments, and our hopes. When it is said that we are to love him with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, I do not know that it is practicable or necessary, to distinguish the exercises of love, as they separately flow from each of those powers, or principles of our nature, which are here enumerated. Such a distinction, I apprehend, it would be difficult, or perhaps impossible, to make with accuracy. The expression appears to me to have been chosen, as it is admirably adapted, to show that all our faculties, with all their energies, are to be exerted to the utmost, in the love of God: That there is no power, or principle of our nature, which this love is not to pervade, animate, and command, at all times, and in a supreme degree. "We are to prize nothing in comparison with him, in our mind and judgment; we are to cleave to nothing in competition with him, in our will; we are to desire nothing in comparison with him, in our af fections; we are to pursue nothing but with relation to his glory, and in subordination to his sacred will." Our love to our neighbour is measured by the rule-" that we love him as ourselves." Here it is fairly implied and supposed, that there is a lawful love of ourselves; because this is made the example and pattern, according to which we should love others. A just distinction may be stated between selfishness and self-love. Selfishness is always criminal. It is seeking our own gratification, or emolument, at the expense of the just claims or expectations of others; than which nothing can be more opposite to that law of love to our neighbour, which we are now considering. But self-love is that reasonable and just attachment, which a man has to his own rights and happiness; grounded on the equal claims which he possesses, as an individual of the species. It is the dictate of nature, is necessary to self-preservation, and is the standard by which our love to our neighbour is to be measured. I shall not at present take up your time with discussing a question on which many subtile things might be said; namely, are we bound to love our neighbour as much as ourselves? One point is clear-place your neighbour and yourself, or his property and yours, in equal danger, and suppose it impossible that you should preserve both, you are certainly right to take care of yourself and property, before you take care of him and his. The general practical rule is also clear-do to him as you might reasonably desire that, in similar circumstances, he should do to you. Consult his happiness and his interest, with the same sincerity and fidelity that you do your own; and as you would wish he should consult yours, in an exchange of situa tions. The law of love to our neighbour requires that we forgive our enemies; that we exercise unfeigned benevolence to all men; and that we possess and cherish a sincere complacency and delight in those who bear the image of our Heavenly Father. The forgiveness of enemies is a grand peculiarity of the gospel system. It is expressly, repeatedly, and most pointedly enjoined by our Lord, as essential to our obtaining forgiveness from God, or having any claim to be regarded as his disciples. It forms the subject of one of six petitions, in which he has comprehended the subjects of prayer. He who cherishes a vindictive spirit, therefore, cannot be a real Christian. No principle of religion indeed does, or can enjoin us, to believe what is not true; and therefore we are certainly not re quired to believe that a man has not injured us, when he has actually and evidently done so. But the very notion of forgiveness implies injury; and the Christian duty, as laid down in the gospel, may be briefly stated thus. We are never, on any occasion, or be the injury or provocation what it may, to cherish or yield to a desire of revenge. If the offending party manifest repentance and seek reconciliation, we are to be cordially reconciled, and to treat him, and feel toward him, as if the offence had never existed. If he manifests no repentance or regret, but continues to seek to injure us, we may lawfully guard ourselves against him, repel his assaults, and make use of all proper means to obtain suitable redress. Yet we are still not only to forbear vindictive acts, but really to wish him well, to endeavour, if we have opportunity, to melt him into love, by returning good for evil; and we are to pray unfeignedly that he may be brought to repentance, and obtain forgiveness of God. It ought also to be added here, that the genuine temper of the gospel will dispose him who possesses it, to throw the mantle of charity over a multitude of minor faults in his neighbour, so as not only to forgive, but literally to forget them too. On benevolence, or good will, to all mankind, it is not necessary to dwell long. It consists in regarding as brethren, all who partake of our common nature; in cherishing a sincere desire to relieve all their sufferings, and to promote all their interests, both temporal and spiritual. It seems to me that no one who possesses this essential characteristick of a Christian, can think of the ignorance, and vice, and misery, which he witnesses around him, or reflect on the awful state of the heathen world, without being ready to contribute of his substance, and to use his best exertions, to remove this moral wretchedness, and to save the subjects of it from the more fearful misery to which they are exposed in the world to come. Complacency and delight in the people of God, and because they are his people and bear his image, is at once the duty which we owe to them, and the evidence of our own piety. If we love God, it will certainly follow that we shall love his image or likeness, wherever we behold it; and so, inversely, if we love his image, we certainly love him whose image it is. Hence the apostle John declares-"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren." The people of God are all children of the same family, and must and will regard each other as brethren. There is a mournful degree of bigotry even among pious people. Be it our care, my children, to avoid it, as much as we can. Let us be careful to hold the truth, and to hold it fast. But wherever we see the evidence of a true Christian temper and practice, there let us always see a Christian brother-and let us feel toward him as such, and treat him as such, however he may differ from us in name, or in some of the circumstantials and forms of religion. In making some practical improvement of the doctrine, taught in the answers of the catechism which have at this time been under consideration, I would particularly advert to what has been said on the perfection of obedience which the moral law requires; and on its extent and spirituality, as reaching to all our thoughts, feelings, and words, as well as to all the actions of our lives. Consider that in every instance in which you have come short of a perfect obedience to this law, as well as in every instance in which you have altogether and in an aggravated manner transgressed it-you have been chargeable with sin. Consider, too, that in no one thought, word, or action, has your obedience been entirely perfect You will then see, that either by im perfection or actual transgression, guilt has been contracted in every act of your whole existence. It is of great practical importance to have a clear view of this matter, humbling and awful as it certainly is; because in this way it is, that the law becomes "our schoolmas ter to bring us to Christ." When we see, as if truly enlightened we shall see, that we are, throughout and altogether, polluted and vile, "that the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint; that from the sole of the foot, even unto the head, there is no soundness in us, but wounds and bruises, and putrifying sores"-O! then it is, that we see and feel that we must have a Saviour; an almighty and all sufficient Saviour; a Saviour whose merits are infinite; a Saviour to take our law place, and answer completely to the violated law of God, for all our innumerable transgressions and our unutterable guilt. Then with a listening ear is heard the precious offer of the gospel, presenting the Lord Jesus Christ to us, as exactly such a Saviour as our ruined and helpless condition demands; and inviting, yea commanding us, to come unto him, that he may be made of God unto us all that we need-" wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption." And when, under the blessed influence of the Holy Spirit, the soul is sweetly and entirely drawn to Christ, and with great delight commits itself entirely to him, to be to it, and do for it, all that it needsthen ensues peace of conscience. It is seen that all the demands of God's violated law are completely answered in behalf of the soul, by its dear and adored Redeemer; and that, for his sake, God is well pleased to be reconciled to the penitent and believing sinner-Yea that the divine glory will be made to shine most illustriously and to all eternity, in this very wayby these very acts of pardoning |