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THE

CHRISTIAN OBSERVER.

No. 185.]

THE

.

MAY, 1817. [No. 5. Vol. XVI.

RELIGIOUS COMMUNICATIONS.

To the Editor of the Christian Observer. HE following letter from a father to his son, on the important subject of worldly conformity, appears to be so well adapted to promote the design of your miscellany, that I submit it to your consideration, in the confidence of its early insertion.

My dear R-,

S.

I told you I meditated a letter of some importance. Your years of education are over--you have entered into life as your own master-and it is now my intention to bring under your view the considerations which bear upon the choice of such a plan and course of action on setting out in life, as may be most conducive to your own welfare, and that of your connexions, both here and hereafter. Mistakes in this point are not only attended by present danger, but are productive of future difficulties, and threaten wide spreading mischief.

First, then, the great objectthat object compared with which all others so shrink into insignificance, that in Scripture it is emphatically called "the one thing needful" is to be a Christian, and to lead a life befitting a Christian. The latter of these duties was contemplated by the Apostle, in his call on all who bore the Christian name to consider what manner of persons they ought to be in all holy conversation (meaning, by that term, our conduct in social life,) and godliness. The two obligations are most intimately connected. The former is the naCHRIST. OBSERV. No. 185.

tural fruit of the latter; and the latter cannot be maintained without the former. But there are degrees in most things; and both points, therefore, may be often substantially attained where there is a mixture of much imperfection. To sit down, however, satisfied with imperfection is incompatible with the very essence of Christianity; which requires us constantly to aim at the highest standard, and to make it our unremitting endeavour to be perfect, even as our Father which is in heaven is perfect. If we thus act with the devout spirit, humility, earnestness, simplicity, and sincerity of true followers of our blessed Saviour, he will mercifully pardon our de fects, and lead us on towards higher attainments; neither of which have we any scriptural right to expect while our aim and desire are bounded by any thing short of Christian perfection.

You will, I fear, think this exordium long, but I must make it still longer: for, in order to see what "conversation" becomes a Christian, we must call to mind what is his " calling"-how exalted, how far removed from the low and mean standard of those who are Christians in name only, or who, if Christians indeed, are of so equivocal a character, that at best they build only with hay, straw, stubble; and if saved at all, must be saved "so as by fire." A Christian is called "out of the world" to have fellowship with God; while the world, notwithstanding all specious appearances, is represented as under the power 20

of Satan. The change thus wrought in him is described as a change "from darkness to light;" and the strongest images are every where used in Scripture to set forth his happiness, and the misery and criminality of those who have not, like him, escaped from the suares and the pollutions which abound among the great body of mankind. He is spoken of as "an heir of Heaven," and as sitting even now "in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." They, on the contrary, are represented as under the Divine wrath; and, while living "according to the course of this world," are said to live under the immediate influence of "the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." (Eph. ii. 2.)

We cannot, then, be surprised that a just and holy God should make so wide a difference between these two classes, when we reflect that, however they may often agree in inferior points, yet in their leading and paramount principles, and in the great features of their character, they are directly opposed to each other. They are opposed in no less a degree than as his servants and his enemies. This view of things is strikingly exhibited in Mr. Wilberforce's work on vital Christianity-a work which is more familiar to you than to me, and for which I know your just partiality. One passage to which I particularly allude, is that respecting "good hearted young men," and "innocent young

women."

The very great difference between the two classes which I have mentioned is not the only thing to be noticed; but also the great danger lest that class which has escaped from the general wickedness and peril should be drawn again into the vortex by its intercourse with the other. The temptations presented by the world are described in Scripture as most alluring; and our own hearts as most prone to yield to them; while

the devil and his angels are represented as full of wiles, and as exerting them all to give to those temptations the victory over us.

Let us consider these points more distinctly.

The world is engaged, as far at least as common prudence will permit, in indulging the propensities and appetites natural to man; and its familiar maxims, and expressions of taste and feeling, bear the stamp of this its course. Now, the great effort of Christians is to emancipate themselves from the dominion of those appetites and propensities; to "keep the body under, and bring it into subjection;" and "to crucify the flesh with its affections and lusts." Surely, therefore, such persons should avoid those who pursue the opposite course, as far, at least, as is consistent with the business and the charities of life. If they do not, they will almost infallibly wander from God; all that is good in them will fade: and instead of "abhorring that which is evil, and cleaving to that which is good"-instead of delighting in spirituality of character and holiness of conversationinstead of dreading and shunning the reverse, and feeling a dissatisfying void wherever, though decorum is sustained, these holy and heavenly qualities are wanting- they will find the distinction between good and evil less and less strongly marked in their affections, and, through the influence of their affections, by degrees, less strongly marked in their judgments; till both affection and judgment, but especially the former, will be in imminent danger of passing over from God's side to the side of the enemy. Then will creep upon them the degeneracy of the church of Ephesus, in leaving its "first love;" of Laodicea, in being "lukewarm;" and finally of Sardis, whose Christian attainments were all "ready to die," and which had a name that it lived while it was dead. Thus, instead of being ren

dered, by the powerful influence of Christian society and example operating in aid of the other means of grace," meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light," there is reason to fear that, by too free communication with the world, and by an attendant and consequent love of the world, they may find in the fearful day of account that they have been gradually prepared for the society and inheritance of the wicked.

You will perceive that I do not present you with this picture, in order to convince you that we ought not to commit ourselves to the full stream of the world, in its society, its habits, and amusements. You, my dear R., are yourself perfectly ready to say in that sense, "Be not conformed to this world." My object is rather to impress on your mind how little we should join in its course; how far we should stand aloof from it. The question is, doubtless, one of degree; but it nevertheless may be a question of the highest importance for in many cases, of which this is one, all depends upon degree. With men of the world we must of course join in business: we also owe to them all courtesy and kindness: we must, therefore, have with them some measure of social intercourse. These circumstances, aided by the propensity of our own natures, and the artifices of Satan, will infallibly draw us on to too large a measure of it, if we are not very strictly on our guard. We shall be in great danger of improper compliances, and in still greater of losing a portion of the genuine Christian spirit, and of gradually imbibing a spirit opposed to it. And then what must follow? Do we hope that in such case we shall advance in the divine life? Do we even hope that we can maintain the ground already acquired? How can we expect to advance up the arduous ascent, when we are setting our faces the other way, by undue intercourse

with those who are either in the vale below or are descending towards it? And yet to stand still in the divine life is impossible. Unless we advance, we must go back. Some fair appearances may still be kept up, and our indulgent friends may still retain their hopes: but all is likely soon to become hollow and unsound, and we shall be apt to lose the very life and soul of true religion. I will not dilate farther on any of these topics: but they seem to me to furnish irresistible arguments for fighting manfully against the seductions of the world; for prescribing to ourselves a course of conduct, so opposed to its course, as with God's help to preserve us from those seductions; and for maintaining in all our intercourse with society a holy jealousy of worldly influence, and a holy distrust of ourselves.

The circumstance which most tends to lull well-disposed persons into practical forgetfulness of these truths, or at least into a very inadequate attention to them, is the agreement of religious and of decent worldly characters in so many inferior points, that the vast dif ference between them in essentials may not at first strike the view. Both are obliging, attentive to truth and honesty, and to their domestic, social, and public duties: both abstain from gross vice, and acknowledge the obligations of morality. But on a close inspection, it will appear that the one class serve God, mainly, sincerely, and unreservedly, and make his will their practical standard of duty; and that the other act on different principles-such as those of honour, worldly estimation, deference to the opinions and example of relations-to all which, religion, even if it have any sensible influence, is made subordinate. And although the religious man will be found very far superior to the worldly class, in resisting temptations to deviate from the right course, as well as in the serenity

and elevation of his soul under trials; yet the best of the latter class exhibit so much that is amiable in conduct, especially when we endeavour, as we ought, to view them with candour, that we shall be in the greatest danger, if we be not on our guard, of losing sight of the immense distance between them and the true Christian. And yet, let it never be forgotten, in the sight of God the one class lives, and the other is dead while it appears to live and we shall die too, if we become conformed to it.

Our temptation to overlook this mighty interval between these two classes is often much increased by the defects and imperfections, in many points, of the true Christians we associate with, when compared with the worldly characters • to whom we have access. The comparatively small number of the former frequently affords us very little room for selection; while, among the latter, we have a very extensive choice, and may suit our taste by fixing on those who are possessed of qualities which we na turally admire. And while we thus gratify ourselves by selecting pleasing associates, we shall be very apt to give them credit for much more of good, and much less of evil, than they really possess; and consequently to multiply and magnify to our imaginations the defects of our less fascinating religious acquaintance.

Then hope comes in to assist the delusion. We cannot think that persons so pleasing will not improve, and in the end, perhaps in a short time, add true religion to their other attainments. We even flatter ourselves that this most desirable event will be promoted by our own attentions; and in this way almost persuade ourselves that it is our duty to give them a large share of our society, and perhaps of our friendship; nay, possibly, we smooth, by our acquiescence, their unhallowed path, and connive at their faultiness, the better to win them over to religion, The

result of such a course, or of any course analagous to it, is far more likely to be prejudicial to the Christian than beneficial to the other party. The firmness of Christian principle is weakened, its elevation is sunk, its purity soiled, its brightness dimmed, and its influence in the soul lessened, perhaps lost, before the unhappy adventurer-who is thus trying (for, however shocking, so it is!) what fellowship there can be betwixt Christ and Belial-is aware of his situation. Associations formed on such principles will admit of a variety of shades and gradations in describing their progress; but the practical result, I fear, is likely to be, for the most part, of the same dark complexion.

After all, when we have a propensity to indulge in worldly society, does not the evil lie deeper than in an error of judgment, as to what is the best Christian course? May it not be traced to the absence of a sound Christian taste; to the want of a due approval of "the things which are excellent?" If we are in any adequate measure sensible not only of the value, but of the beauty of holiness; if we enter deeply into the loveliness of the character of our blessed Redeemer; if we are in a disposition to have listened, like the converts at Corinth, with interest and delight to the discourses of the humble Paul, rather than to the polished harangues of the philosophers, and to have taken the Tentmaker and his friends for our companions, instead of those admired sages; then surely we shall not suffer refined manners, mental ability, talents for conversation, and other similar endowments, to outweigh in our esteem and affections those qualities of our religious friends which have the praise, not of man, but of God, and possess an intrin sic loveliness, as well as a sterling excellence, far outweighing all that the world can boast. To be alive to this loveliness, and to respond

to it in the tenor of our affections, was made by our Saviour a distinguishing mark of his disciples. (John xiii. 34, 35; xv. 12, 17; 1 John iii. 14.) And corresponding habits of intercourse and union are insisted upon very frequently in the New Testament. (John xvii. 20. 23; Acts iv. 32, &c.) Lucian, at a later period, bears testimony to this character in true be lievers: "See how these Christians love one another." If, then, we discover in ourselves a want of this characteristic, nay, if even we discover (and this discovery we may all make in a considerable degree) that it falls short of the life and energy with which it shone forth in the first disciples of Christ; let us be earnest in our prayers and diligent in our endeavours to attain it, and to cherish in ourselves so important an evidence of our religious cha

racter.

I have stated, that a wish to win others to religion is sometimes urged as a motive for improper compliances with the world. This motive is in itself so amiable and excellent; it is so often brought forward as an extenuation by those who err in this particular respect; and is so much held out by the world itself as an inducement for religious persons to relax in strictness, and to join, more than is consistent, in worldly society and amusements, that it requires a particular and distinct consideration.

Christians ought to adorn the doctrine of God their Saviour in all things. His doctrine, like himself, is" altogether lovely;" and grievously deficient must that disciple be in the spirit of his Lord, if not also in his views of Christian duty, who disfigures the Gospel by gloomy austerity, or by a want of cordial kindness and courtesy to wards those from whom, by the unmerited grace of God, he has been made to differ. But as an English man must never forget, when surrounded by foreigners with whose nation his own is at war, that he is an Englishman; as a good subject

must never forget his principles and character when thrown among those who are adverse to the constitution of his country; and as, in both these cases, kindness and courtesy must be accompanied by much caution and prudent reserve, and by a studied care not to join in any thing wrong, not to omit any duty to his country, not even to subject himself to the suspicion of so doing; so likewise must the Christian conduct himself in the midst of the world. He professes to be a stranger and sojourner in it; he professes to stand aloof from its principles, its habits, its spirit; he has renounced the usurper that rules in it, "the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience." Surely then he must dread its influence, and shun all approaches to familiarity with it and while he endeavours to "abound in love and in good works" towards all men, he must not fail to guard against lowering the pure and elevated standard of true religion in their eyes; against injury to his own principles and spirit, or even the subjecting them to suspicion; and also against giving any countenance to principles and a spirit opposed to those which he is bound by every tie of Christian allegiance, and Christian gratitude, to cultivate. Even therefore if he could make the Gospel of his Saviour amiable in the eyes of others, at the expense of any of these objects, he would be bound not to attempt to do so. By detracting from its character, and from his own, he might possibly render it more palatable to those who cannot "abide its purity," or relish that which should adorn the lives of all who embrace it. But though it would be thus less revolting to their natural appe tites and passions, it would also be less an object of their esteem and admiration. It would fose, I think, more than it would gain in their eyes, and they would perhaps be farther from embracing it than

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