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 Genefis, in which the history of the fall is recorded, to the Revelations of St. John, in which the new Jerufalem is described) -that the gofpel was intended to make up the deficiencies of the fall-to restore mankind, by purifying his affections, to that ftate of holiness, which he had loft-and to qualify him to have his conversation in heaven. To this end good works are every where infifted on in fcripture. Without holiness we are affured, no man fhall fee God: and that the end of the commandment is charity. But now in order to obtain. this holiness, different means are pursued. One man afferts, that as faith is the fource of all christian virtues, no other doctrine fhould be insisted on; which is carrying the conclufion too far. Many, who have no notion of faith, may at first 5 first be wrought on by the moral rectitude of actions. From thence they may be led to acknowledge the chriftian religion as the best fyftem of morals-and from thence, by God's affifting their pious endeavours, to acknowledge their faith in its founder and doctrines. Had unqualified faith been the first doctrine preached to fuch people, it would probably have had little effect. Others again, who have fine affections, and feelings, refolve 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 ftill, if they practife religious duties from a fenfe of pleafing God;" and avoid fin from a fear of offending him, wel 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 the commandment. 1 Whoever is acquainted with the blunt, and low conceptions of the vulgar, must tremble for the falvation of men, if they cannot be faved 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 fave fome. In the mean time, with regard to his own private cafe, 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 fay, that the end of the command ment can be obtained by no means, but thofe, which we ourselves feel the most effectual. I cannot here be misunderstood to fuppofe,. that any christian virtue can be exercised without chriftian faith. What I contend for, is, that men are drawn to embrace the christian faith by various means.-There are different degrees alfo of faith; and the vulgar unlettered chriftian, 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 fecure to 1 him the favour of God; though he may not have that exalted faith, which fome religionists require from all without distinction *. : * This fentiment was fuggefted to me by the following circumftance I had been converfing with a very worthy perfon, who was rigorous in maintaining a rigid zeal for faith in oppofition to works. In the midst of our converfation I occafionally 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 faved 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 foreft. He was near eighty years of age; but ftill 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 fuddenly, I have found him in fome religious exercife. He was conftant alfo at church, and generally at the facrament. He was very 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 refignation; and would talk of death with as much cafe, and indifference as of going to bed. To me this old man appeared to fill his ftation with great religious propriety. But upon my mentioning him to my friend, in a favourable manner, though he was as well acquainted with all thefe circumstances, as I was, he directly replied, That he did not think he was in the way of falvation. On my enquir ing with furprize into the reafon of what appeared to me fo uncharitable an opinion, I found that in some late converfation the old man had been speaking of his own fobriety; and saying, 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 felf-righteousness. XXV. And thefe fhall go away into everlasting punishment.-Matthew, xxv. 46. THE eternity of future punishments hath occafioned much controverfy among divines, and hath often given great offence. Many, therefore, have been inclined to controvert it. But perhaps it might be beft never to bring the question at all into difcuffion. In the first place, as enquiries of this kind muft end, as they began, in uncertainty, it is ufelefs to difcufs them. We can know nothing on the subject but from fcripture; and we fee fcripture is not fo decisive, as to prevent disputes. Secondly, enquiries of this kind argue fome degree of distrust in Providence. God Almighty has declared himself in numberlefs paffages of fcripture, to be a righteous judge-a juft rewarder; and a just punisher of all our actions. What need we enquire farther? Do we distrust his word?—When a man makes me a promise, if I believe him to be an honest man, I fimply take his word. But if I have any doubt, I be gin |