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ent children dwelt in safety. The blessing of God visibly attended them, securing such temporal prosperity, as would be for their real advantage. Such persons live in honour and peace. They fhall come to their grave in a full age, as a shock of corn cometh in its season. The heathen encouraged obedience to parents by the same argument. Euripides says, that children, who honour their parents, are dear to the gods, both living and dead. Senarius is mentioned by Stephanius as saying; "Thou shalt live as long as thou canst desire, if thou nourish thy aged parents." Hence Xenophon's description of children who deserve praise; thofe who nourish the aged. The daughter, whose breasts supplied nourishment to an aged father, arbitrarily condemned to die by hunger, has acquired fame which ages shall listen to, and respect. Such actions perpetuate the name, and give a kind of immortality on earth.

PHILOLOGOS.

ON RELIGIOUS SINCERITY.

THE insincerity of many, who profess to be Christians, is to be deeply lamented, as the bane of their own salvation, as well as the cause of exposing religion to frequent though unmerited reproach. It is of the last importance, therefore, for all who have the form of godliness, to ascertain to their own conviction, whether they have sincerely embraced the gospel, or have only a name to live, while they are still dead in trespasses and sin. With out this conviction, it is impossiVol. II. No. 2.

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ble they can enjoy either solid comfort or joyful hope, as creatures formed for eternity, and hereafter to be judged according to the gospel. To assist them in this interesting inquiry, their at tention is earnestly requested to the following observations.

1. Sincerity in the profession of Christianity is inseparable from just and impressive views of Christian truth.

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The whole value of Christianity to men ultimately rests on the truth of this principle. If sincerity, unconnected with any particular views of religious truth, be all that is necessary, of what use is the gospel, as the means of salvation? We may with impunity believe any thing we please, and our final happiness not be endan gered, though we know not whom nor what we adore. Sincerity considered in itself, ine deed, is perfectly compatible with the most pernicious errors, both in religion and in morals; with the rejection of the most essential doctrines and precepts of Christianity; nay, with the disbelief of the existence of God. It has been combined with ignorance and idolatry; and the history of the world loudly attests the atrocity of the deeds, which its spirit dictates, and its authority sanctions. It erected the stake, and lighted up the faggot of persecution in popish countries. It unsheathed the sword of exterminating violence, and brutal sensuality, where the crescent of Mahomet was raised. And still, it kindles the fire that consumes the widow on the plains of Hindostan; raises the knife that is plunged in the trem. bling victim, and gives vigour to the unrelenting arm that sac

rifices a son or a daughter on the bloodstained altars of frantic superstition. Separated from the principles of truth, sincerity, therefore, instead of being valuabłe, is dangerous in the highest degree. It fosters the spirit of superstition, and is the parent of the most enormous crimes.

But what is truth? or where is it to be found? To men, who acknowledge the inspiration and authority of Scripture, the answer is obvious. That God is holy and just; that men are depraved and guilty, and therefore obnoxious to punishment; but that God sent his Son, and he voluntarily came into the world, by his obedience and sufferings as a propitiation for sin, to reconcile. men unto God by his own blood; that repentance and faith, both communicated to individual sinners by the influence and energy of the Holy Spirit, are the only effectual means of being interested in the redemption proclaimed through the Saviour; and that holiness, or a transformation of the heart and character into the resemblance of the divine image, is the only sure preparation for the heavenly state. These are the few simple truths, which the gospel reveals, as the object of a sinner's knowledge and belief. These, known and believed, are the foundation of Christian sincerity so essential to its exist ence, that whoever disbelieves and rejects them, practically pronounces against himself a sentence of exclusion from the blessings of the gospel.

The danger of mistake on this point is so imminent, that some illustration of it may not be unnecessary. If then religion consist in worshipping God, and per

forming the duties, which he has enjoined, this religion cannot be sincerely embraced if we regard God in any other light, than that in which he has been pleased to make himself known to us; or neglect the performance of these duties. For instance, though we should succeed in persuading ourselves, that God is altogether such as we are, indifferent to the principles and conduct of his worshippers: we may be perfectly sincere in this persuasion, and under its influence be guilty of the most aggravated sins. But if we have received from himself an unequivocal assurance that he looketh on the heart and trieth the reins of the children of men, and that whosoever committeth sin is worthy of death, though we should forget or despise this truth, or not feel its influence, if it has been made known to us, our sincerity in a contrary conviction will never be sustained as a satisfactory apology for our disobedience. Or, if we should believe that our supposed good works will procure the pardon of sin and acceptance with God, while he has made a diametrically opposite declaration, that "by the deeds of the law no flesh living can be justified," though we should maintain our own opinion, ever so firmly or sincerely, we must be regarded as real, though perhaps not avowed enemies of the cross of Christ, and as such, be justly chargeable with neglecting the great salvation. In a word, if we have received the revelation of truth and duty, if we acknowledge its authority, and have access to know and read it for ourselves, or to hear it explained by others; unless we sincerely

believe and cordially obey it, however much we may deceive ourselves or impose on others, we are only almost, not altogether Christians. The truth is not in us, and our sincerity in error, when we have the means of being undeceived, instead of excusing us, must aggravate our condemnation before God.

2. Sincerity in the profession of Christianity is inseparable from ardor and diligence in discovering what is truth and duty.

The situation of some men is unquestionably much more favourable than that of others, for acquiring Christian knowledge. But if the mind is at all capable of reflection, and interested in inquiring after truth, even in the most unfavourable situation, sin-. cerity will lead to the most earnest desires, and issue in the attainment of considerable knowledge on religious subjects. Sincerity in what is known, is all that is or can be required; yet, it will not allow a man to be satisfied with a low degree of knowledge, but will powerfully incite him to seriousness and diligence in examining what is revealed, that he may be thoroughly furnished unto every good word and work. Ig. norance is often the source of error in opinion, corruption in morals, and ruin to the soul. And if the opportunity and means of knowledge be deliberately and wilfully neglected, it is impossible that the plea of sincerity can be of any avail.

Sincerity, therefore, is directly opposed to indifference. It is indeed altogether incompatible with such a spirit. To him, who submits to the influence of religious insensibility, the most alarming

prospects of approaching misery, and the most alluring invitations of promised mercy, are presented in vain. The profession of religion may be made, the conduct may be free from open ungodliness; but a lifeless form is all that exists. But he, who desires in sincerity and truth to serve the Lord Christ, is all ardor and alacrity. Constitutional temper may incline him to sloth, but if he feels the importance of relig ion, he will shake off this disposition so unfavourable to every dignified pursuit, and make sal vation his chief concern. Unacquainted with arts and sciences he may be; but he will study the word of God, and derive from it a knowledge and a wisdom, as much more excellent and valua ble than that, which earthly learning can afford, as the soul is than the body, and the glories of heaven than the pleasures of the world. He is anxious to know the will of God concerning all his faith and duty, that he may cordially embrace the one, and diligently perform the oth er. Having an object of everlasting importance before him, he pursues it with ardor, and is daily advancing toward its possession. His heart is engaged; his affections seek a reconciled God in Christ, as their supreme good; and by this he is distin guished both from the hypocrite, and from the formalist.

His mind being thus under the power of the truth as it is in Jesus, opened to discern the importance not only of acting conscientiously in what is alrea dy known to be right, but of acquiring more extensive and accurate knowledge concerning the

path of duty, surveys every object, from which this knowledge may be derived, with a look of earnest desire, and animating hope. The Scriptures are examined, and both the precepts, which it inculcates, and the characters, which it describes, are seriously and attentively studied. The conduct of Providence to himself and others; the privileges, which he enjoys; the talents, which he possesses, and which he ought to cultivate; and the situation into which he has brought himself, or has been unintentionally, or unexpectedly led, are reviewed, and the duties, which all of them require, deliberately and devoutly considered. He may have acted improperly in the past, and may see abundant cause for the deepest contrition; and the course, which is now marked out for him, may be painful to natural feeling and beset with numerous difficulties or dangers; but sincerity will impel him, neither to revolt from the one, nor to shrink at the other. He will not be deterred from inquiry, by the fear of having his prejudices shocked, his sentiments altered, or his habits reproved, for he is willing to renounce every thing that he has maintained most ob. stinately, or cherished most fondly, if convinced that it has not been the will of God.

Having obtained information, he will not consult with flesh and blood, but resolutely obey the call of duty, and "follow on" with increasing ardor "to know the Lord." He wishes to be guided by a conscience enlightened in the mind of God, and is therefore open to conviction, though the truth, which produees it, should be learned from an

enemy, or obtained from a source, to which he had formerly the strongest aversion. Points of difficulty he will bring before the Lord; and though he does not neglect the ordinary means of direction, he will look upward to Him, whose wisdom can guide in the most perplexing path, whose power can remove or overcome the most alarming difficulties. "Lord, what wilt thou have me to do! Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth? It is as my meat and drink to do thy will." These are the expressions of a mind, where relig ious sincerity reigns; and mark a spirit essentially opposite to that self satisfaction and confidence, which formalists feel; and to that constant struggle between their real and their assumed character, which hypocrites expe rience.

3. Sincerity in the profession of Christianity is uniformly connected with a minute and universal regard to duty..

There may be little external difference between the religious conduct of the sincere and that of the hypocritical Christian. Both are punctual in attending the house of God, in performing the private exercises of devotion, in reading the Scriptures, and offering up the forms of prayer and praise. They both profess an attachment to the doctrines of godliness, and seem to be equally circumspect in their moral conduct. Yet, on attentively examining their characters, we discover many unequivocal marks of an important and essential difference.

The hypocrite or the formalist is satisfied with observing the stated solemnities of religious worship i

with a general conformity of conduct to the divine law; and with external decency of manners; even while his heart is filled with the most ungodly principles, and unsanctified desires. His chief anxiety is to secure himself from the charge of that very hypocrisy of which he is inwardly conscious; to enjoy the reputation of a saint, while he is in truth a determined sinner; to reconcile God and Mammon, religion and the world. If this can be partially attained, he does not hesitate in secret to commit the most flagrant sins. Like an actor on the stage, his character is assumed, and he labours to support it; but behind the scenes, he is destitute of all that excellence and dignity, which in the eye of the public, he so successfully imi

tates.

Not so the man, who sincerely and from the heart, engages in the service of God. His public character is indeed externally the same; but this character is not assumed for a season only, or to attain some worldly end. It is real, and therefore continues when he retires to his private walk. He knows that the dispositions ought to be pure, as well as the actions blameless; that to feel no solicitude to have the heart sanctified, is to cleanse only "the outside of the cup and platter," to substitute appearance for reality, and shew for worth; to have a greater regard to the opinion of the world than to the judgment of God. It will, therefore, be his anxious desire and habitual study to have the principles of godliness strengthened within him, that when he presents to the Lord the sacrifice of Christian conduct, it may

indeed be a reasonable, a living, and a holy offering. He will deeply lament, and ingenuously confess in his secret devotions, those plain omissions of duty, those open acts of sin, those compliances with what he perceives to have been inconsistent with his character, those ebullitions of passion, and those intemperances of language of which he is conscious; nay, even those unholy thoughts and impure desires, which, though unknown to the world, are not concealed from the eye of Him, who searcheth the hearts and trieth the reins of the children of men. These, the hypocrite never thinks of, and to their criminality the formalist is insensible; but the truly sin cere Christian views them in the light of the gospel, as the remaining members of the old man, which is corrupt with his deceitful lusts, which must be resisted and crucified, to enable him to serve God in spirit and in truth. He therefore labours to maintain a conscience void of of fence towards God as well as to wards men; guards against sins of the heart; watches and res sists those risings of unbelief by which the Holy Spirit is griev ed; and which are the begin nings of desires and resolutions, which, if carried into action, would destroy his comfort and disgrace his profession. He de sires to love God more and serve him better; and mourns on account of the coldness of his love and the imperfections of his service.

It is evident that this tender

ness of conscience must influence his conduct in his private retire. ment and domestic intercourse, when secluded from the compa

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