AN EMBLEM

OF

PROPOSED

BY THE PILGRIM.

SECOND EDITION.

      THE Christian Religion was instituted to destroy national and individual prejudices, to unite all mankind in one general society of friendship and love, and to fit and prepare the soul for eternal happiness, peace and union in the mansions above. Our great enquiry, therefore, should be how we are to become christians; and as christians, what our duty is toward God, toward each other, and toward all men?

      There are three particulars which are essential to constitute a christian; namely, faith, hope, charity, and the greatest of these is charity. [323]

      Unless we are possessed of these, and especially charity, we are nothing, however loud our profession may be. In this chapter the Apostle particularly recommends charity to his brethren. He first tells them what they are without it--that they are as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal, which, though they make a noise, convey no meaning, so is a profession of religion without charity--that they are nothing and all they could do without it, would not profit them; and then tells them how charity is exercised, and what those shall be enabled to do who are influenced by it; they shall bear all things, believe all things, hope all things, endure all things.

      The three great particulars which constitute us christians are mentioned in the above verse, which we shall attend to in their proper order.

      I. Faith.

      II. Hope.

      III. Charity; and in this place shew how charity is the greatest of these three.

      I. We shall attend to the particular of faith.

      The words faith, believe and believeth signify the same thing in scripture. "Have faith in God." "According to thy faith be it unto thee." "Thy faith hath made thee whole." "Ye believe in God, believe also in me." "Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in me." "Believe me for the very works sake." "He that believeth on the son of God hath everlasting life." "He that believeth and is baptised shall be saved." These, and the like passages, I say mean the same thing, and [324] clearly evince the faith or belief in the true God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, to the saving of the soul, which is eternal life.

      By this it appears that Faith is the exercise of the mind upon the nature and strength of evidence which we hear related. It is impossible to believe or have faith in an object, or in any circumstance of which we can conceive no idea, or of which we have never heard. "How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed--and how shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard. Faith then comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." And even when we hear we cannot believe unless the evidence is clear; but when we are convinced the report is true, the truth forces itself to the mind, the mind then assents and believes.

      In believing any thing important whether of a temporal or spiritual nature, we are always bound to consult two things--the probability of the thing testified, and the character or veracity of the testifier. If we hear of a place, circumstance or event, tho' it may be probable, related to a loose, false character, we cannot believe it on his authority alone; and on the other hand, if a man of the best veracity informs us of something which our judgment determines is utterly impossible, we cannot believe him, that is, we cannot have faith in the report; but when we hear any thing probable, related by a man of truth or a character of veracity, and when that testimony is substantiated by collateral evidence, then conviction [325] forces itself upon the mind, and we are irresistibly led to believe, or have faith in the report.

      We shall first consider the probability of the object that demands our faith, which is Christ Jesus the Lord. When we look at the deplorable and helpless situation of mankind, then contemplate the nature of God as revealed in the Scriptures, we find it altogether probable that the kind beneficent author of the human race should send us a being, a Saviour who should be able to save them to the uttermost who come to God by him.

      It would be incompatible with every correct idea of the true God to suppose that he, after creating man but a little lower than the Angels--crowning him with glory and honor, and setting him over the works of his hands; when he was deceived, betrayed into sin, plunged into ruin and immersed in misery, should leave him without hope, without assistance, without an object of faith and without mercy. The very argument that proves "God is love," proves that he would pity man, that he would compassionate him in his lost condition and that he would determine to send him a deliverer, who should be for "Salvation to the ends of the earth." Every one who believes "God is good to all, and his tender mercies are over all his works," must believe it probable, yea, expedient that he should send one "who should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not." Upon the nature and Character of God then we ground the probability, yea, the certainty, of his having sent his son Christ Jesus into the world to save sinners, [326] "even as many as believe on his name." "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life." "O fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken, ought not Christ to have suffered--to die the just, for the unjust to bring us back to God."

      By searching the scriptures, we shall understand all that is there said of Christ is probable, and nothing more than is perfectly consistent with the nature of that "God who is rich unto all that call upon him."

      To further elucidate the subject in hand and to heighten the probability of the object of our Christian faith, we will observe the following passages of scripture which speak of JESUS CHRIST, the SAVIOUR.

      "By myself have I sworn saith the Lord (speaking to Abraham) for because thou hast done this thing and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed," Gen. 22, chap. 16, 17, 18. Here God first gave Abraham a promise of a Saviour who should bless all the nations of the earth. "The scripture foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the Gospel unto Abraham, saying, in thee shall all nations be blessed" Gal. 3. 8. "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith [327] not, and to seeds, as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed which is Christ," Here Christ was promised and God swore that he should be of the seed of Abraham. "Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgments to the Gentiles. He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he has set judgment in the earth; the isles shall wait for his laws; I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand and will keep thee and will give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light to the Gentiles. To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners of the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house. Isa. 42, 1, 4, 6, 7. "A Virgin shall conceive and bear a son and thou shall call him Immanuel. Isa. None, I think, will deny that these passages allude to Christ, neither may any deny that it is probable that the author of heaven and earth should ordain and send one into the world, to bear the character here related; enable him to do what is here specified, and make him both Lord and Christ," yea, the Saviour of the world. He is here called the seed of Abraham, to partake of flesh and blood; that he might suffer and die; a servant, that he might do the will of his father--that he may be obedient to death, even the death of the cross. God's elect--he was found able, therefore was chosen--elected, who verily was before ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you; who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead, [328] and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God. 1. Pet. 1. 20. 21. He was called to be set forth for the "propitiation for the sins of the whole world," and to be "God's salvation to the ends of the earth." The Lord called him, in righteousness and was to hold his hand and keep him and give him for a covenant to the people, a light for the Gentiles--to open the eyes of the blind, to bring the prisoners out of the prison house and them that set in darkness.

      A son, as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth--to be called IMMANUEL which is God, or Saviour of his people.

      When the fulness of the time of those promises had come, "The Angel said unto her, fear not Mary, for thou hast found favor with God and behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son and shall call his name JESUS. He shall be great and shall be called the son of the highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David. The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee, therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the son of God." Luke 1, 31, 32, 33, 35. "And thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins." Mat. 1, 21, "For unto you is born this day in the City of David, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord," Luke 2, 11. "To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death; to guide our feet into the way of peace." Luke 1, 79, "That was the true light which lighteth [329] every man that cometh into the world." John 1, 9. "When the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, "Gal. 4, 4, 5.

      "But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the Angels, for the sufferings of death, crowned with glory and honor, that he, by the grace of God, should taste death for every man." Heb. 2, 9. "For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same, that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels but the seed of Abraham." Heb. 2, 14, 16. Thus Christ was manifested, displaying the full "image of the invisible God. "For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell.' Col. 1, 15, 19. God "hath in these last days spoken unto us by his son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the world; who being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power," &c. Heb. 1, 2, 3.

      It would be tedious to quote all the passages of scripture relating to Christ as being the son, the beloved son, and the only begotten son of God, the Saviour of the world, specially of them that believe in him. These may suffice to convince all reasonable men that it is as probable God should cause Mary to conceive his only begotten son, that holy child, by the power of the Holy Ghost, as to cause the [330] generation of mankind through their own agency; at least it is probable that that supernatural power can effect in one instance, what the natural power of man produces every day; and if so, it must be confessed, that the divine production must have been as immaculate as the power was omnipotent; of course then it is more than probable that the conception of the Saviour was as heavenly, as miraculous and as HOLY through that generation as man's generation is SINFUL. It is equally probable that it should please the father that in his son should all fullness dwell. To give him all power in heaven and earth--that he should have power to lay down his life and power to take it again. And that he should be betrayed into the hands of sinful men to be crucified--to die for sins, and the third day to raise him up from the dead for justification of life, and sit him down on his own right hand, there ever to make intercession for us. If man generates man, it is still more probable and reasonable to conceive that Jesus Christ proceeded forth and came from the father; "and we beheld his glory, as the glory of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth."

      These things are testified in the Scriptures which demand our faith; and on which our Salvation depends.

      We shall now attend to the character or veracity of the testifier. When a man relates any thing in common, we may believe him or we may not; but when he testifies it on oath and his testimony is probable he forces our belief, and it is dangerous to deny what he has [331] said. In this testimony God and a number of holy men have spoken. "God is not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should repent." Neither will holy men speak falsely when they are under the influence of the true spirit, as Moses, Jeremiah, Isaiah, David and many other ofttimes were. To make the evidence strong and indisputable, God sware by himself, as he could swear by none greater, that he would in Abraham's seed bless all the nations of the earth with a Saviour. He also made a promise to Eve "that the seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head, which is thought to have a particular reference to Christ, and was a promise of him. This evidence is corroborated by all the holy Prophets who succeeded each other and pronounced at large, and still more explicitly, the same glad promise of this great blessing to our fathers. "In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established." But here are many declaring the very same truth. And the fact of a Saviour's birth and life in this world--of his being the true Messiah and of his divine mission is no less established by a new train of incontestable evidence, while he made his appearance in the flesh. The appearance of this Saviour in the world was attended by an Angel and a multitude of the heavenly host--By shepherds and wise men of the east. In the days of his flesh both good and bad men, and even devils were convinced, and said he was the son of God. The many miracles which he wrought are strong evidences of his divine power. "No man could do those [332] things except God be with him." Of his protracted, shameful and excruciating death, the sun gave witness, by shrouding himself in obscurity, together with the bursting of the ponderous rocks, the awful and universal agitation of the great globe itself, the rending of the veil of the temple from the top to the bottom and the opening of the graves from whence the sleeping saints arose to witness the last struggles of our great redemption. Of his resurrection Angels declared it--Mary, Peter and many others who saw him after he left the tomb and knew him well. The guard that watched the sepulchre confessed that his body was missed, and that an earthquake shook the place and rolled the stone away from the mouth of the grave; that he was a Saviour, many proved and gave their record, whose record is true. Hundreds felt his grace and knew he had power on earth to forgive sins, "who sang glory to God in the highest, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.' This train of evidence which is of the best authority, all speak one truth, which truth is altogether probable, supported by indubitable fact. This demands our faith and he that believeth not shall be damned. Is not this evidence sufficient to force conviction and belief on every understanding mind? Yes. Why then are there so many unbelievers? Why do not all believe and be saved? "Ye will not come unto me that ye might have life." They will not fairly examine the evidence, they will not hearken to the testimony; They deafen their ears, they harden their hearts, they stiffen their necks, [333] and by not giving necessary attention to the evidence, they are ignorant of the subject and therefore remain in unbelief.

      When we believe this evidence which is the only foundation for our faith, we immediately feel the effect upon the heart. According to the nature of the circumstance or object or the truth which we believe, we feel the emotions of joy or grief. If we hear and believe our house is burnt, our child, or friend is dead, we feel the involuntary force of grief and sorrow. If we hear and believe our family and friends are in good health and prosperous circumstances, or that a friend has left us an immense fortune, we feel the force of joy and gladness. The sinner believes that Jesus can pardon; he feels the forcible effect. He is "translated from the power of darkness into the kingdom of the son of God in which he finds redemption thro' his blood even the forgiveness of sins;" he feels joy and gladness running thro' his soul "inexpressible and full of glory!" As faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, the mind gives way to the power of truth, then lays hold on the promises and receives the blessing which his faith necessarily brings home to him. "By Grace are ye saved through (or by) faith, that (grace) not of yourselves, it (grace) is the gift of God." Grace is favor, and Christ is the gift, favor or grace of God offered to the world, through whom, by faith or believing in him, we are saved.

      The reason why all men do not believe and rejoice in Christ is, they do not search and [334] hear the evidence in a plain impartial manner, for, to suppose we cannot believe till endowed with, superior faculties, or irresistibly forced by some uncontrollable power which does not equally operate upon all, is to deny that we are men supersedes all evidence. "These things are written that ye might believe, and believing ye might have life through his name.' The greatest number of mankind in this christian land to believe the things written in the scriptures, but the Apostle says they lie and do not tell the truth; for all who believe, or have faith in Christ are renewed in the spirit of their minds. If so be that ye have heared him and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, that ye put off concerning the former conversation, the old man which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that ye put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Eph. 4, 21, 22, 23, 24. By faith we receive the 'washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.' 'Our sins as a cloud and our transgressions as a thick cloud are blotted out, By this faith we are united to Christ and grow and live in him, as the branch is united and grows in the vine. By faith 'I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me and the life which now I live in the flesh, I live by faith of the son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Gal. 2, 20. If faith abideth it purifies the heart. Christ dwelleth in the heart by faith, being rooted and grounded in love. Which [335] enables us to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledge, that ye may be filled with all the fullness of God." Faith makes us count all things but dross for the excellency that is in Christ Jesus--We die daily to the world and live daily by faith in him. By faith we are taught, fully to depend upon him for the blessings of this life, and to confide in his precious promises, which are our only comfort. By faith we trust that he will never leave nor forsake us, and that where he is we may be also. Faith opens an enrapturing prospect of the celestial world, ass wings to our feet, give patience to the heart and enables us to bear the difficulties of this wearisome pilgrimage, till we arrive in the New Jerusalem, the City of the living God.

      Hope is a common word with almost every one but improperly applied to express our wish or want of any thing. We often say we hope so when when we have no right to expect it will be so, of course the word in such case is futile and does not convey its proper signification. There are two kinds of hope mentioned in the scriptures, the hypocrite's hope and the hope of the christian. The hypocrite's hope is only founded upon the mere desire of that happiness of which he knows he is unworthy [336] therefore that hope shall perish, Job. 8, 13. The christian's hope is founded upon the assured expectation of all the promised blessings, for the life that now is and for that which is to come. Desire and expectation united, constitute a rational hope; when we therefore desire and expect some future, or absent good which we cannot see, we then hope for it. The christian's desire is honor, glory, immortality, eternal life. He sometimes desires to be absent from the body, to be present with the Lord. He desires to die the death of the righteous and for his last end to be like his. He desires to be received where the wicked cease to trouble the weary be at rest. He desires to dwell in the presence of God where there is fulness of joy, and at his right hand where are pleasures for evermore. Where all his sorrow shall be turned into joy and that joy no man shall take from him--Where there is no more pain, neither death--the tears to be wiped away from his eyes and all his troubles and griefs subside forever--where songs and everlasting joys shall be upon his head and sorrow and sighing flee away. All this he expects, from two considerations; from the promises of God and the faithfulness of his perseverance on which the promises are immutable.

      The command is repent and the promise, your sins shall be blotted out. This promise inspires a hope in the person while a sinner, that if he repents God will be merciful to his unrighteousness, and his sins and iniquities will be remembered no more; he both desires and [337] expects and therefore confidently hopes, that by repenting he will be justified by faith and have peace with God through the Lord Jesus Christ. The mystery that has been hid from ages and generations is now made know to the saints which is Christ in you. The hope of glory, Col. 1, 27, This is called a lively hope. Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which, according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again to a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Pet. 1, 3. We now hope for an inheritance, incorruptible and undefiled and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. By faith we engage God on our side, for ye are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation, which gives us a strong expectation, or hope, that the grace of God will be sufficient for us, and that he will at last give us that great reward which we so ardently desire. This hope is the helmet of salvation.

      Of ourselves we can do nothing, but we hope. Thes 4, 8, that is, we desire and expect that God will help us, and through Christ's strengthening us we can do all things We are told "that in the world we shall have tribulation, but we hope upon God's word that in Christ we shall have peace. If we live Godly in Christ Jesus we shall suffer persecution, but upon the promise we hope that it will all turn to our joy; for we are to "rejoice inasmuch as we are partakers of Christ's sufferings, for which his glory shall be revealed we hope to be glad with exceeding joy." "In a strange [338] land we travel in hope of a better country that is an heavenly." While we are in this wilderness unknown to an unbelieving world "we are threatened, tempted, persecuted, afflicted, tormented; and if only in this life we had hope, of all men we should be the most miserable;" but our hope goes beyond the grave and is full of immortality. We look for that blessed hope, that is the glorious appearing of the great God, and our Saviour Jesus Christ. We hope he will change our vile bodies and fashion them like unto his own glorious body. We hope that the body sown in corruption shall be raised in incorruption, that which is sown in dishonor shall be raised in glory, that which is sown in weakness shall be raised in power, and that our natural bodies shall be raised spiritual bodies. And we hope that the saying which is written shall be brought to pass, death is swallowed up in victory. God has confirmed the immutability of those promises by an oath, by which it is impossible for God to lie, that we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us; which hope we have as an anchor to the soul both sure and steadfast and which entereth into that within the veil, whether for us the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus.

      You who have this lively hope abiding shall inherit the promises and reign with Christ forever.

      III. I am to speak of Charity; and here I am to shew how charity is the greatest of these three. [339]

      The word charity is generally understood by some as being confined to giving of alms and distributing necessaries to the poor, but in this place we are to understand it in a more particular sense; emphatically meaning the love of God shed abroad in our hearts, which lead us to love the Lord with all the heart, and with all the soul, and with all the mind and with all the strength, and our neighbor as ourself. Above all other qualifications in a Christian that of charity is the most amiable, the most important and the most necessary. Faith my give confidence in God; hope may give us assurance and a certain steadfastness in the promises of God, but charity is that uniting principle which gives us sweet communion and fellowship with God and his Christ, and with each other. Charity is so highly and justly esteemed and recommended in scripture to all the followers of Christ that it is said, 'Though I speak with the tongues of men and Angels;' that is, tho' I were versed in all literature, though I were acquainted with all tongues and languages, with all the arts and sciences of ancient and modern times, and in speech could excel the style of Greece and Rome, year, though I could speak with the mighty voice of the tallest seraphim or flaming Angel, and astonish the world with the profoundest eloquence, 'without charity I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.' And tho' I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, though I could by the gift of [340] prophecy tell the world of all future events to the most remote period of time, if I could comprehend and reveal all mysteries to a mathematical demonstrations, and though I was gifted with all faith, so that I could say to yon mountain be ye removed and be ye planted in the midst of the sea, and it obeyed me; though I could cure all manner of sickness, heal all maladies, unstop the ears of the deaf, open the eyes of the blind, could make the dumb to speak, the lame to walk, and say to the dead arise and they should come forth, and have not charity I am nothing, "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned," yea, if I industriously seek the poor and distressed of all descriptions, and lavish out all my goods to meet their wants, if I do it for any selfish or ostentatious motive, if I am not actuated by a pure uninterested view of doing my duty, that is without charity without the love of God influencing me, and even, if with any other view I voluntarily and in the most courageous and undaunted manner give my body to be burned and freely brave all the fury of the flaming stake, without charity it profiteth me nothing; I have no reward, no crown of rejoicing.

      Charity is LOVE, but not that love which mankind in communion feel one to another; it is a superior and a divine principle which enraptures all the soul, unites and firmly binds us to our God, and moves us with delightful obedience to do his commandments. A person that has this love shed abroad in his heart by the Holy Ghost is born again, not of blood [341] nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man but of God. He is born again, not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible, by the word of God which liveth and abideth forever. Being risen with Christ he seeks those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. He sets his thoughts, his heart and his affections on things above, not on the vain delusive things of this world. This love is not only directed toward God but to all God's ways and particularly to his people. This love, or Charity conquers all their inordinate and unruly passions, subdues their prejudices and gives them a heart of forgiveness, to look over the frailties, faults and imperfections of their fellow servants. They let nothing to be done through strife or vain glory but in lowliness of mind esteem each other better than themselves. They are humbled under the mighty hand of God--they abase and esteem themselves unworthy of the pomps, vanities, glory or honors of this present world. "Charity suffereth long and is kind." He that is favored with the inestimable blessing of charity is taught and enabled to suffer long, that is he bears patiently and much for the sake of Christ and his religion. When he sustains injuries done either to his property, person or character he bears it patiently. He will not seek revenge by retaliation, nor wish to have his enemy punished by law or any other measure, for crimes committed against him. Though these aggressions may be repeated against him after time by the same person or persons, in the most virulent and notorious [342] manner, and be perpetuated for months and years, he suffereth long. "He recompences to no man evil for evil." He provides things honest in the sight of all men. 'If it is possible, as much as in him lieth he liveth peaceably with all men;' He avengeth not himself, but rather giveth place to wrath. 'When he is reviled he revileth not again. When he is persecuted he threateneth not.' He prays for his enemies, blesses those who curse him, loves them who hate him; he not only merely regards them above the beasts of the field because they are men, but though they are known enemies to him and have ofttimes injured him, he loves them sincerely, he desires their welfare, he rejoiceth in their prosperity; they still feel near, dear and precious to his soul, and from a gracious heart he blesses them; and though they continue their transgressions against him, not only till seven times, but until seventy times seven, he bears long with them and forgives them freely. He not only bears long but is kind. If he knows his enemy to be hungry if it is in his power, he will feed him, if he is thirsty he will give him drink, if he becomes destitute and is naked and needs a friend to administer, he finds a friend in him. He will distribute to his necessities, compassionate his miseries, and in his misfortunes, to him will be kind.

      'Charity envieth not' There are many stations and situations in life, which, as temptations, appear very desirable to the Christians as well as to others, but the man possessing charity envieth them not. He wishes other no [343] worse in any sense, in the world than they really are, neither does he impatiently desire to be better situated himself than he really is. He finds 'godliness with contentment is great gain,' and has learned in whatever situation he is therewith to be content. He rejoiceth in adversity, he is humble in prosperity, resigned in sickness, and thankful in health; in all circumstances and situations his heart is set on God, and therefore faileth not, neither is he discouraged. When he sees a fellow creature prospering and flourishing in the world, rising in fame, credit and honor, he envies him not. He will make no endeavor, nor take advantage to check his prosperity, he will make not unfavorable reflection on his rising character; he seeks not to hush the sound of his fame, he envieth him not, so far from it that if it is in his province he will promote all his righteous endeavors; he fears nor cares not to be transcended.

      'Charity vaunteth not itself; is not puffed up.' That is, this man does not boast of, and proclaim his own good actions. When he is found in his duty, either in his devotional or charitable exercises, he wishes rather to conceal them, than to sound a trumpet to his own praise. If he fasts oft, if he prays long, if he gives much tythes, if he feeds the poor and takes the stranger in, he does it not to be seen of men; he praiseth, boasteth, vaunteth not himself, otherwise he knows he has no reward in heaven. Neither does he vaunt or boast himself of his person, or of his intellectual abilities; if he excels another in speaking, or in any christian performance, he vaunteth not in that. He is [344] not high minded, but condescends to men of low degree, feeling that he himself is nothing. He views mankind, and especially his fellow servants with an impartial and favorable eye, and generally esteems better than himself.

      He is not puffed up. When his good deeds and great performances are much talked about, and highly praised afar off, he is not swelled and puffed up with his own greatness. Pride, vanity and self importance have no room in his heart. 'He has put off the old man with all his deeds and lusts.' No lust of worldly honor or vain show can puff or swell him up greater than the least of his master's disciples. He wishes rather to be looked upon as an humble christian than as a great or an honorable man in the world. If he is considered to be, by the most who know him, a man of uprightness, great usefulness, truth and integrity; in a word, if he is loaded with the praises and loud acclamations of his friend, he is not puffed up; these please him but little, for he knows it is not he but 'God who worketh in him both to will and to do of his own good pleasure.'

      Charity doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not provoked, thinketh no evil.' Charity doth not behave itself unseemly, with the works of the flesh, fornication, uncleanness, covetousness, filthiness; nor with foolish unprofitable talking and jesting; nor with backbiting, telling over from house to house, the faults and failings of others, finding faults and giving even their good actions, a false and unfavorable colouring, the charitable [345] man, or man of God, behaveth not himself in these things which are not convenient, but rather in giving of thanks. He seeketh not his own, by any unscriptural, or ungodly measures. If his character is detracted and shamefully slandered, if he is defrauded, or an unjust advantage taken of him, in his honest dealings, he seeketh not his own by flying to the law, nor by wasting his time in contending in his own favor, for he knows, if he is wronged, God will recompence him at the resurrection of the just, he is not easily provoked. The slanders, abuses and persecutions of the wicked, the backbitings and evil surmisings of the hypocrite, nor all the oppositions of those who profess to be his brethren do not provoke or discourage him. When he is traduced from city to city, when he is reviled with gross insults and violent abuses, he still retains the nature of the Lamb and is not provoked to revenge on his adversaries. He thinketh no evil. The vain pleasures, the sinful practices and the common evil of the present world, he thinketh not on. Against his opposers he thinketh no evil, he meditates no mischief against them, his thoughts are engaged on better things. He rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. All this man's joy is in the Holy Ghost; he cannot then rejoice in iniquity. When he sees the love of many waxing cold, iniquity abounding, and all manner of wickedness prevailing, he does not, he cannot, rejoice at the prospect. But when he sees the Gospel have succes, truth conquering error, his fellow creatures coming from darkness to light and [346] walking in the way of life, in this he rejoiceth; moreover, all his joy is in Christ Jesus, who is the way, the truth and the life; he rejoiceth that Christ died for sinners, of whom he once was Chief.

      Charity is that forbearing, forgiving disposition of mind which few are sufficiently blessed with. This Charity leads us to view our brethren, who compose the different societies and professions of religion, with the most favorable eye, and though we may be convinced that they hold to traditions, customs, ordinances and opinions quite contrary to our own views, and to some which we think cannot be substantiated by scripture, yet we are bound to love them. We have no authority to reject them the common privileges of our fellowship, or to pronounce them heretics or unbelievers because they only differ from us in modes and sentiments. Our friendship should be as cordial, and our union as free to them as to those of our own stamp. Preachers in particular should be full of this amiable spirit. The great aim and object of all their endeavors should be to silence reproaches, oppositions and differences among the different professions and to unite them together, or at least it should be their great business to inculcate a spirit of love and friendship amongst them. They should not indulge nor suffer their brethren to detail the faults, the superstitions and the gross errors, as they would make it appear, all hold to, and of course they must think are in the way to ruin, who are not of [347] the same profession, or called by the same name with themselves.

      They should not hear their brethren, without a reproof, make their unfavorable remarks, their railings and their uncharitable censures against an opposite part, or a person who differs in some particulars from their own opinions. But alas! how seldom is such a preacher found. We are often led to believe that we should find more charity and more christian union amongst professors, had they no preachers to teach them how to oppose and withstand those who differ from them. Alas! how often do we find the preachers instructing, advising and sometimes commanding their brethren to beware of, not to hear, to shut their house and their heart against a certain man or men, and for no other reason than that he or they do not belong to their party. How often do we see them mount the pulpit, that holy place from whence repentance, faith, love and pure instructions to a holy life alone should proceed; and there in the most unprovoked and violent manner rail out against certain sects and societies which are not of their own way of thinking! He uses the utmost of his talents and ingenuity to detract from public esteem a person, a sentiment or society, who, he, in his great zeal for God, thinks and perhaps pronounces, are on the borders of eternal perdition, because they cannot see with his eyes, hear with his ears and believe all things as he does. How dwelleth the love of God in him.

      Now the end of the commandments is charity [348] out of a pure heart and of a good conscience and of faith unfeigned, 1 Tim. 1, 5. Christ gave a new commandment to his disciples which was to love one another. If we fulfil the royal law according to the scriptures, and find the end of meaning of the commandment, we must love our neighbor, or one another as we love ourselves. If their wants, necessities or poverty require assistance, we should not withhold but administer to them freely. Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and the widow in their distress, &c. If we fulfil this law we shall also be as backward to report slanders, falsehoods or any thing that might militate against another, as any thing of this nature relative to our character. "Above all things have fervent charity among yourselves; for charity shall cover the multitude of sins." Without charity, without fervent, constant, sincere and undissembled love, our sins shall not be covered or forgiven.

      Many professors appear full of friendship, love and union while we are with them, but when we are absent, if they do not plainly revile and speak evil of us, they will not talk favorably of us, but in an indirect way of expression try to abuse and lessen our esteem. Those modest professors, if they find no enormous faults themselves, will not forget to tell the faults and objections which others find of us, and will rather suspect from what they have heard, that we are neither so good nor so great, as some, who do not know us so well, think we are; and for their own part would [349] wish the people not to be led astray. There are others who speak, if not unchristian, very unfavorably of some who differ from them they try to detract from their character, or lessen their favor by some unjust hint which leaves a wrong impression on the mind; thus they try to pull them down that they themselves may rise. How contrary this and the like, to the spirit of Christ, let an unbeliever judge. "Let your love be without dissimulation." We are not to appear more friendly than we really are, we are not to dissemble nor deceive with any false or impure intention, neither let us be worse, nor better than we ought to be; let us "do unto others as we would they should do unto us." Let us have the spirit of Christ, "for except ye have the spirit of Christ ye are none of his." "Be kindly affectionate one to another with brotherly love in honor preferring one another." Rom. 12, 9, 10. Let your love be perfect, let it be sincere, not in word nor in tongue but in deed and in truth. "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." "No man hath seen God at any time; then if you say you love God Whom you have not seen and hate your brother whom you have seen, you are a liar and the truth is not in you." If we love one another God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. He that loveth not, or has not charity, is not of God, for God is love. They who have tasted of the good word of God and have felt the powers of the world to come, remember well that they then loved God and all his people, and that all hatred, prejudice [350] animosity and oppositions were banished from their hearts, and they felt a union and a one-ness with all God's people of every denomination. "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk ye in him." "Let brotherly love continue.

      Have charity toward all men." We ask, if it is shewing charity to all men, when one society prepares the Lord's table, to partake of the Lord's supper, to debar and shut out all other christians from that privilege, but those of that party? There are some others, surely they would wish to meet and dwell with in heaven; then, not eat together here? why not commence and shew that love and friendship here, which, there, shall never be interrupted. Perhaps some may say that would be violating the rules of their society. But we ask, would it be violating the rules of the New Testament, or that law of love given by the great Saviour of mankind? If not, 'whether is it better to obey God than men judge ye?' Why will one society keep their meeting house doors shut against those of another name? Why do those spacious and convenient rooms remain inaccessible and in silence, while a preacher of the gospel must either take the open street, a private house, or pass on without being admitted to preach a sermon, because he belongs to no party, or to a different one from themselves? Is it because the party to which they belong, will polute or pull down their house if he is admitted into it; or is it because they themselves "profess to know God and in works deny him?" [351]

      "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart, fervently. 1 P 1 22. "If we walk in the light, as he (God) is in the light, we have fellowship one with another; and the blood of Jesus Christ, his son, cleanseth us from all sin." 1 John, 1, 7.

      "He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.--He that loveth his brother, abideth in the light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he hateth his brother, is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes. In this the children of God, are manifest, and the children of the devil, whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. For this is the message that ye have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother, is a murderer."

      These, with many other passages of scripture, declare the necessity of our loving one another and living in fellowship as christians, and as children of the same parent tho' we, at the same time, may differ from each other in some formalities and sentiments.

      My dear brethren, charity is the greatest of all blessing and qualifications that we can possibly enjoy, or possess here. The power of faith saved a man, in the lion's den, from being [352] devoured; faith saved three men from the consuming rage of the fiery furnace. By faith the Israelites passed thro' the Red Sea, on dry land. By faith the walls of Jerico fell. By faith they subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises; stopped the mouth of lions; quenched the violence of fire; escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong; waxed valiant in fight; turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again; and others were tortured not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. And others had trial of cruel mocking and scourgings, yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonments. They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword; they wandered about in sheep skins, and goat-skins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented (of whom the world was not worthy) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens, and in caves of the earth. And these all obtained a good report through faith, but received not the promise, they received not that charity, that love of God shed abroad in the heart, promised through Jesus Christ, which was to unite Jew and Gentile, Barbarian and Scythian, bond and free together. The hope of immortality enabled the primitive christians to endure all their troubles, oppositions and difficulties and to wade through great tribulations with patience and triumph. In the patience of hope they endured the cross, despised the same and triumphantly rejoiced in the pangs of the most cruel death inflicted on them! Hope made them [353] patient in persecutions, patient in trials, mockings, scourgings, in afflictions, in distresses, in necessities, patient in life and patient in death; even until they received the just recompence of reward. These are the great things which faith and hope have done in the world as recorded in the scriptures, but charity has performed still greater things. The greatest of these is charity.

      Understanding charity to be the love of God, let us first for a moment reflect what charity has done for the redemption of mankind.

      "When we were yet sinners, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." In this instance charity broke the bars of death, dispersed the power of darkness, brought life and immortality to light, opened the fountains of salvation to flow freely to a lost world, led captivity, captive and made promises, universally for all to be saved that would believe. Faith, not hope, never did this The second instance of the excellent greatness of charity is that of uniting that Jews and Gentile nations, of making Barbarian, Scythian, bond and free, and those of all tongues, and languages, of all claims and generations one in Christ Jesus, which faith and hope alone never did, nor can do. In our own breasts if we have charity, we know it is the greatest. Faith without love is dead; and if it be dead it cannot make us happy in God nor unite us together. Charity is the [354] mainspring of all the good actions and good feelings of the soul. It conquers our prejudices, melts down the hard unforgiving heart, triumphs over all our raging passions, and causes all our jars, discords and contentions to cease. Charity move our faith, warms our hope, and sets the whole soul in proper action. As a being at all times and in all places loves its own appearance, so charity, discovering itself, in different hearts immediately embraces, unites and joins in the indissoluble cords of divine and everlasting union. Charity expands the soul, opens the avenues of friendship, and enriches the heart with all the extensive privileges of the gospel.

      The third instance where Charity is the greatest, is in its perpetual duration. The triumphant faith of the primitive Christians has long ago ended in the sight of those glorious things in which they believed. Their hope is swallowed up in the possession and full fruition of their beloved objects, but their charity, their love remaineth, it increaseth and shall continue to increase commensurate even with the existence of God. Brethren, our faith will end when we close our eyes in death, our hope will cease when we fly to heaven, but if we have charity, if we have love it shall continue, it shall receive vast improvement in the [355] enjoyment of God and in sight of each other; and shall continue to grow and increase forever and ever. There our love shall meet with no obstruction, and by having free intercourse with all the heirs of bliss, it shall complete our happiness and compose our heaven. Love shall tune our songs, shall crown our joys and exalt us to all the heights of eternal glory. Charity is the greatest. It is our pleasure in pain, our comfort in trouble, our heaven on earth, and heaven above--our union below, and our union above--it is Christ in the soul, it is God, even God, in heaven.

      And is all this true? Is charity so good, so great, so heavenly, so eternal; and is it RELIGION? And will you not preach it, will you not sing and talk about it, as you go out, and as you come in--by day and by night? Will you not pray for it as you lie down, and as you rise up? will it not be in your private devotions and in your public petitions? Will it not be the topic of your private converse, and the subject of your pulpit declamations? Without faith, if we believe not we shall be damned; yet charity is the greatest. If we, then, be damned without faith, we certainly shall be damned if we have not charity. Brethren pray for charity. Pray for it to increase in our own hearts, and for it to be manifested in the conduct and demeanor of all professors of religion.

      O! Charity, thou sweet and heavenly Nymph, thou long despised and much neglected stranger, where shall I find thee? I have seen thy all-enrapturing and captivating [356] portrait. I have had a distant glimpse of thy soul transporting features. Thy celestial image before mine eyes, O now exhibit. Methinks I see thee, and they dress behold. Once I thought thee a fugitive, disappointed wanderer of the wild, but with the gods, I now know thy residence has been. Thy visitations to this vale of tears are only for consolation to the broken hearted and the saving the lost ones in wo. Thy countenance is familiar and with all the complacency of delight and benevolence of love is flushed. Thy features comely as heaven, displaying symmetry in perfection. Thy person completely perfect, without spot, a semblance of thy own immaculate purity, enwrapping thee about. My heart glows, and as it flames, I hail thee. May the entries of a traveller forlorn in this frowning waste address thee excellent in worth. Can one who this world forsakes, and all its pleasures, and its fascinating allurements denies, demand thy attention?

      O for more love, more of the spirit of Christ, for more Christian union Let us increase that union here which we wish to be complete in Heaven. So prays

THE PILGRIM, J. T. [357]

[LPJT 323-357]