who contend strenuously for the faith once delivered to the saints, and are full of zeal for the truth-but contend with an unchristian spirit, and with gross errors in their practice.

3. Another error into which Christians early fell was, in making religion a thing separate from the usual occupations of life. Indeed, in times near the apostles, we learn that Christians were remarked for mingling it with their common duties. Pliny, who was no friend to their principles, attests to the purity of their lives, and the prevalence of exalted virtue in their characters. "They bind themselves," says he, "by an oath not to the commission of any wickedness-not to be guilty of theft, or robbery, or adultery-never to falsify their word, or to deny a pledge committed to them when called upon to return it." They carried their religion with them wherever they went, and its power was felt in whatever they were engaged. But, soon, men grew weary of seeking to please their Maker by fulfilling their common duties with fidelity.— This was too hard a task, and something must be substituted by which it might be rendered easier. You find religion then retiring from the common affairs of life. It was deemed too severe and too obtrusive a guest amidst the gay pleasures and the wanton amusements in which men loved to indulge-too strict and unbending to be endured amidst the business and relations of man with man. And, accordingly, the opinion grew that it was something apart from living well-something which had little to do with the connexions of human life-something which was too sacred for the fireside, and the workshop, and the fields, and the intercourse of men. It was supposed to dwell only in the retired and solitary cave, in the lonely cell of the cloister, and about the consecrated altar. And men thought it was to be sought and could

be maintained only there. It was deemed a separate thing, and was supposed to have no existence but in consecrated places.

And, now, we are ready to think the improvements of the age and the advance of intelligence have done away this ancient error. But, my friends, is it so? Are there no remnants of it even at the present day? What shall we say of that no very inconsiderable class of men, who devote one day in the week to devotion, and six days to the worldwho seem to imagine religion consists in duties in which God is the object, and not also those in which our fellow men are concerned-who indeed are strict in the forms of religion, but carry not its principles into their daily practice-who measure their Christianity more by the hours they spend in religious services, than by the strength of purpose which they acquire from them? It is the same principle that led the monk to linger out an useless existence in his cell, and the anchorite to waste in his cave.

But there is still further proof that men view religion as a thing separate from the state of the mind and character. Why else do you hear so often the plea of those who say, I have no time at present to attend to it-my family and my business so engage my attention, that I have really no time to bestow upon the subject. No time for the practice of religion! What is this but a virtual confession on your part, that you cherish the same principle which in days of old led crowds on a pilgrimage to the holy land, or the retreat of some favorite saint? What is this but confessing, as they did that in the daily experience of unnumbered blessings from your God, you have no time for the sentiments of gratitude and love-that amidst the doubts and darkness and difficulties which hang over the path of us all, you have no time for a

religious trust-that in the station and amid the multiplied relations in which God has placed you, you have no time for the exercise of justice and integrity and mercy. My friends, we have little to boast of over ancient errors, while we indulge in such pleas as this. We know, or we ought to know, that there is not a duty which we are called on to perform, which may not be a religious duty. We are not to go out of the world in order to be Christians. We may maintain that character by living as we ought to live in it. Daily and hourly and momentarily, we may cherish religious principles, and daily and hourly and momentarily we may do something in aid of our eternal peace.

4. I will insist upon but one more instance of the substitute for worth of character. This last stands out from all others for its absurdity. I refer to that strange system of indulgences which once filled the world with sin, and made it easy in its sin. Men paid of their wealth, and supposed their sins were pardoned. They endowed churches at their death, and supposed in consequence their errors would be blotted out. Now, if I mistake not, this system of indulgences has not altogether disappeared. Men practice it although they will not acknowledge it-they still rely on its efficiency, as devoutly as ever did the ancient Catholic, though they are loth perhaps to confess it. And would you know how this is? Ask the bad man why he does not reform? and he will try to convince you his case is not so hopeless as you may suppose-he has some good deeds in store on which he most devoutly relies for his salvation. Ask the man who loves his money better than he loves his God, what are his hopes and prospects? and, if I mistake not, he has a store of indulgences laid up for the hour of his need. Why, he has never been guilty of extravagance, or improvidence, or luxury-And besides this, he

hopes his treasures will do good when he is gone. Take the man of pleasure. He too has his good deeds which will serve to purchase his pardon. He is not mean and sordid-he has not wrung from the widow and orphan their scanty means-he is charitable and kind hearted-he injures no man.-And so it is with many sinners that might be named. They rely on some favorite virtue-some service which they have paid, or expect to pay to the Lord, and suppose in consideration of this service he will overlook their deficiencies. They yield themselves to their besetting sin, and expect forgiveness for not indulging in another, which costs them no efforts to avoid. But, my friends, need we dwell longer on this trafficking in the concerns of the soul? Are there not follies and weaknesses and imperfections enough to account for, without sinning from habit and system? Let us have done with all these substitutes for purity of heart and integrity of life. They will not avail us in the hour of our need. They will not weigh a scruple with him to whom the whole service of our lives is due. They will be worth nothing-absolutely nothing-in that day when the secrets of all hearts shall be revealed, and all deeds shall be examined, and every thing shall be brought into judgment.

II. I have now mentioned some of those secret apologies which men make to themselves for their sins; and by which they evade that great truth, that without holiness no man shall see the Lord. I now proceed, as I proposed, to point out the test by which men may judge of their holiness. What are the outward marks and signs of that principle of virtue which it is the design of Christianity to create?

The answer of this question I have already more than implied. You ask, how do we judge whether a man is a Christian? I mean a Christian in the highest sense of the term-a true follower of the

blessed Saviour? I answer in the words of Scripture-Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this: To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world. I answer by repeating the inquiry of the prophet-What doth the Lord thy God require, but to deal justly, and love mercy, and walk humbly with thy God. I answer in the words of the blessed Saviour-By their fruits ye shall know them; and the richest fruits of the inward principle are faithfulness in all the duties of life. This is the test, and the only one on which I could rely. Shew me the man faithful in all his dutiesmaintaining a reverence towards God, a benevolence towards man, and a government over himself, and, you may be assured without any inquiry into his experiences, he possesses that holiness by which he shall be accepted of God.

1. And that our Creator meant this to be a true test, may, I think, be shewn in the fact that few have the opportunity of exhibiting it in any other way. Suppose it depended upon engaging in some great scheme of benevolence, or in displaying some striking act of self-denial, how few could prove themselves Christians? Great opportunities and occasions are not offered to the mass of men.Their duties lie among ordinary events and daily occurrences. And, they are fulfilled by little unnoticed acts, which claim no attention, excite no applause, each of which is inconsiderable in itself, and scarcely to be noticed, and yet all of which make up the record from which shall be read their future destiny. Do you not see then, that if God has confined men in their sphere of exertion, he has made the performance of their duty in that sphere the test of their obedience-that the daily acts of the humble Christian in the common walks of life may attest his faithfulness to his master as clearly and