Page images
PDF
EPUB

factor flowed from any other motive than a supreme regard to the divine law, it was utterly unsound in principle.

Much of the morality we see around us every day is equally defective. Some are honest; others are restrained from licentious practices; a third class abandon the use of ardent spirits; a fourth relinquish profane swearing; a fifth the habit of gambling; and a sixth, Sabbath-breaking, through the influence of these vicious motives. The leaven of selfishness impregnates and vitiates them all. Indeed, there is nothing which is virtuous but may be performed, and very often is performed under the influence of no higher, purer motive than a mere regard to one's own interest. This is the fountain-head, from which issue all the streams of worldly morality. Such morality is therefore totally unsound in principle; and all, who at death rely upon it for salvation, will find that they have built on the sand, and tremendous will be the destruction of their hopes.

3. The strictest morality of the world is insufficient to save, because it does not amount to a change of the heart. "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." The morality of the young man in the gospel was, according to the judgment of this world, without a blemish; but "except your righteousness exceed the righteousness" of that amiable, upright youth, "you can, in no case, enter into the kingdom of heaven." Moral as he was, he was not regenerate; and, rather than transfer his supreme affections from his possessions to Christ, "he went away sorrowful " and we hear of him no more.

[ocr errors]

Your morals, too, may be much purer than the average morality which exists around you; you may be amiable, and temperate, and veraciousyou may be punctual in meeting your pecuniary engagements-you may be upright in buying and selling-you may possess, in a very high degree, the mercantile virtues-and your eye, even turned on empty space, may beam keen with honor;" and yet you need something more, you need much more, you need a renovation of the heart. Youth and others, whose moral habits are generally correct, are extremely prone to depend on them for salvation; but never was dependence more misplaced or more dangerous. You would not think of erecting a dwelling-house for yourself on the waves of the Atlantic, but such folly would be wisdom, compared with building a hope of heaven on your moral life. This is the danger to which you are pre-eminently exposed. You may deem yourselves quite safe, because your general charac

ter for morals so often receives the meed of praise. I shall be the last to call in question the correctness of your habits according to the common judgment of mankind, but fidelity to your immortal interests requires me to say, that, according to the law of God, you all stand guilty of soul-destroying immoralities. Your vaunted morals are seriously deficient in extent, defective in principle, and inadequate as a substitute for a renovation of the heart. There is within you hostility to God, which the most beautiful exterior can never hide from his sight-which no self-flattery can charm into love -and which can never be satisfied while he is on the throne. That hostility must be annihilated by the Holy Spirit, and repented of by yourselves, or your salvation is hopeless.

My young friends, let your whole solicitude be concentrated on this point. You probably have serious moments, when your hopes, built on your fancied goodness, totter, like the most stable edifices by the rockings of an earthquake. You shudder, as if the bottomless pit were opening her mouth to receive you. Yield yourselves up to the influence of such impressions. Feel your need of an entire transformation of your moral temper. You are guilty. You need an Almighty Saviour. You need to be washed in his blood. You need a heart of supreme attachment to his person and his cause.

"Talk they of morals? O thou Bleeding Love,
Thou maker of new morals to mankind,
The grand morality is LOVE OF THEE."

LECTURE VII.

PERSONAL PIETY.

PROVERBS XXI11. 26. My son, give me thy heart.

In the last lecture, it was, I trust, conclusively shown, that the strictest morality of the world is insufficient to salvation. The conclusion to which we were then conducted was, that an entire renovation of the heart is an indispensable prerequisite to entrance into life. The vast importance of this last topic demands your most serious consideration. Wisdom, personating the Lord Jesus Christ, presents it distinctly before you all as individuals ;"My son, give me thy heart."

It is a matter of devout satisfaction, that I address not a few, who have already "given their hearts" to the Redeemer. Their views of themselves, of God, of his government, his law, his gospel, and of "the chief end of man are so altered as to prove, that the " eyes of their under

[ocr errors]
« EelmineJätka »