The Young Gentleman and Lady's Monitor, and English Teacher's Assistant Part 34

50. The other books of the Apocrypha, though not admitted as of sacred authority, have many things well worth your attention; particularly the admirable book called Ecclesiasticus, and the book of Wisdom. But, in the course of reading which I advise, these must be omitted till after you have gone through the Gospels and Acts, that you may not lose the historical thread.

_Of the New Testament, which is constantly to be referred to as the Rule and Direction of our moral Conduct._

51. We come now to that part of scripture, which is the most important of all, and which you must make your constant study, not only till you are thoroughly acquainted with but all your life long; because, how often soever repeated, it is impossible to read the life and death of our blessed Saviour, without renewing and increasing in our hearts that love and reverence, and grat.i.tude towards him, which is so justly due for all he did and suffered for us! Every word that fell from his lips is more precious than all the treasures of the earth; for his "are the words of eternal life!" They must therefore be laid up in your heart, and constantly referred to on all occasions, as the rule and directions of all your actions; particularly those very comprehensive moral precepts he has graciously left with us, which can never fail to direct us aright, if fairly and honestly applied: such as, "whatsoever you would that men should do unto you, even so do unto them." There is no occasion, great or small, on which you may not safely apply this rule for the direction of your conduct; and, whilst your heart honestly adheres to it, you can never be guilty of any sort of injustice or unkindness.

52. The two great commandments, which contain the summary of our duty to G.o.d and man, are no less easily retained, and made a standard by which to judge our own hearts--"To love the Lord our G.o.d, with all our own hearts, with all our minds, with all our strength; and our neighbour (or fellow-creature) as ourselves."--"Love worketh no ill to his neighbour."

Therefore, if you have true benevolence, you will never do any thing injurious to individuals, or to society.

53. Now, all crimes whatever, are (in their remoter consequences at least, if not immediately and apparently) injurious to the society in which we live. It is impossible to love G.o.d without desiring to please him, and, as far as we are able, to resemble him: therefore the love of G.o.d must lead to every virtue in the highest degree; and, we may be sure we do not truly love him, if we content ourselves with avoiding flagrant sins, and do not strive, in good earnest, to reach the greatest degree of perfection we are capable of. Thus do these few words direct as to the highest Christian virtue. Indeed; the whole tenor of the Gospel, is to offer us every help, direction, and motive, that can enable us to attain that degree of perfection on which depends our eternal good.

_Of the Example set by our Saviour, and his Character._

54. What an example is set before us in our blessed master! How is his whole life, from earliest youth, dedicated to the pursuits of true wisdom, and to the practice of the most exalted virtue! When you see him, at twelve years of age, in the temple amongst the doctors, hearing them, and asking them questions on the subject of religion, and astonis.h.i.+ng them all with his understanding and answers--you will say, perhaps, "Well might the Son of G.o.d, even at those years, be far wiser than the aged; but, can a mortal child emulate such heavenly wisdom! Can such a pattern be proposed to my imitation?"--Yes, certainly;--remember that he has bequeathed to you his heavenly wisdom, as far as concerns your own good. He has left you such declarations of his will, and of the consequences of your actions, as you are, even now, fully able to understand, if you will but attend to them. If, then, you will imitate his zeal for knowledge, if you will delight in gaining information and improvement, you may even now become "wise unto salvation."

55. Unmoved by the praise he acquired amongst these learned men, you see him meekly return to the subjection of a child, under those who appeared to be his parents, though he was in reality their Lord; you see him return to live with them, to work for them, and to be the joy and solace of their lives; till the time came, when he was to enter on that scene of public action, for which his heavenly Father had sent him from his own right hand, to take upon him the form of a poor carpenter's son.

56. What a lesson of humility is this, and of obedience to parents!--When, having received the glorious testimony from heaven, of his being the beloved Son of the most High, he enters on his public ministry, what an example does he give us, of the most extensive and constant benevolence!--how are all his hours spent in doing good to the souls and bodies of men!--not the meanest sinner is below his notice:--To reclaim and save them, he condescends to converse familiarly with the most corrupt as well as the most abject. All his miracles are wrought to benefit mankind; not one to punish and afflict them. Instead of using the almighty power which accompanied him, to the purpose of exalting himself, and treading down his enemies, he makes no other use of it than to heal and to save.

57. When you come to read of his sufferings and death, the ignominy and reproach, the sorrow of mind, and torment of body, which he submitted to--when you consider, that it was all for our sakes--"that by his stripes we are healed,"--and by his death we are raised from destruction to everlasting life--what can I say that can add any thing to the sensations you must then feel? No power of language can make the scene more touching than it appears in the plain and simple narrations of the Evangelists. The heart that is unmoved by it, can be scarcely human; but the emotions of tenderness and compunction; which almost every one feels in reading this account, will be of no avail, unless applied to the true end--unless it inspires you with a sincere and warm affection towards your blessed Lord--with a firm resolution to obey his commands--to be his faithful disciple--and ever renounce and abhor those sins, which brought mankind under divine condemnation, and from which we have been redeemed at so clear a rate.

58. Remember that the t.i.tle of Christian, or follower of Christ, implies a more than ordinary degree of holiness and goodness. As our motives to virtue are stronger than those which are afforded to the rest of mankind, our guilt will be proportionally greater if we depart from it.

59. Our Saviour appears to have had three great purposes in descending from his glory, and dwelling amongst men. The first, to teach them true virtue, both by his example and precepts: the second, to give them the most forcible motives to the practice of it, by "bringing life and immortality to light;" by shewing them the certainty of a resurrection and judgment, and the absolute necessity of obedience to G.o.d's laws. The third, to sacrifice himself for us, to obtain by his death the remission of our sins, upon our repentance and reformation, and the power of bestowing on his sincere followers, the inestimable gift of immortal happiness.

_A Comparative View of the Blessed and Cursed at the Last Day, and the Inference to be drawn from it._

60. What a tremendous scene of the last day does the gospel place before our eyes!--of that day, when you and every one of us shall awake from the grave, and behold the Son of G.o.d, on his glorious tribunal, attended by millions of celestial beings, of whose superior excellence we can now form no adequate idea--When, in presence of all mankind, of those holy angels, and of the great Judge himself, you must give an account of your past life, and hear your final doom, from which there can be no appeal, and which must determine your fate to all eternity: then think--if for a moment you can hear the thought--what will be the desolation, shame, and anguish of those wretched souls, who shall hear these dreadful words--"Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels."--Oh!--I cannot support even the idea of your becoming one of those undone, lost creatures! I trust in G.o.d's mercy, that you will make a better use of that knowledge of his will, which he has vouchsafed you, and of those amiable dispositions he has given you.

61. Let us, therefore, turn from this horrid, this insupportable view--and rather endeavour to imagine, as far as is possible, what will be the sensations of your soul, if you shall hear our heavenly Judge address you in these transporting words--"Come thou blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world."--Think, what it must be, to become an object of the esteem and applause--not only of all mankind a.s.sembled together--but of all the host of heaven, of our blessed Lord himself--nay, of his and our Almighty Father:--to find your frail flesh changed in a moment into a glorious celestial body, endowed with perfect beauty, health, and agility;--to find your soul cleansed from all its faults and infirmities; exalted to the purest and n.o.blest affections; overflowing with divine love and rapturous grat.i.tude!--to have your understanding enlightened and refined; your heart enlarged and purified; and every power, and disposition of mind and body, adapted to the highest relish of virtue and happiness!--Thus accomplished, to be admitted into the society of amiable and happy beings, all united in the most perfect peace and friends.h.i.+p, all breathing nothing but love to G.o.d, and to each other;--with them to dwell in scenes more delightful than the richest imagination can paint--free from every pain and care, and from all possibility of change or satiety:--but, above all, to enjoy the more immediate presence of G.o.d himself--to be able to comprehend and admire his adorable perfections in a high degree, though still far short of their infinity--to be conscious, of his love and favour, and to rejoice in the light of his countenance!

62. But here all imagination fails:--we can form no idea of that bliss which may be communicated to us by such a near approach to the source of all beauty and all good:--we must content ourselves with believing, "that it is what mortal eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath it entered into the heart of man to conceive." The crown of all our joys will be, to know that we are secure of possessing them for ever--what a transporting idea!

63. Can you reflect on all these things, and not feel the most earnest longings after immortality? Do not all other views and desires seem mean and trifling, when compared with this?--And does not your inmost heart resolve, that this shall be the chief and constant object of its wishes and pursuit, through the whole course of your life?

64. If you are not insensible to that desire of happiness which seems woven into our nature, you cannot surely be unmoved by the prospect of such a transcendant degree of it; and that--continued to all eternity--perhaps continually increasing. You cannot but dread the forfeiture of such an inheritance as the most insupportable evil!--Remember then--remember the conditions on which alone it can be obtained. G.o.d will not give to vice, to carelessness, or sloth, the prize he has proposed to virtue. You have every help that can animate your endeavours: You have written laws to direct you--the example of Christ and his disciples to encourage you--the most awakening motives to engage you--and you have, besides, the comfortable promise of constant a.s.sistance from the Holy Spirit, if you diligently and sincerely pray for it. O! let not all this mercy be lost upon you--but give your attention to this your only important concern, and accept, with profound grat.i.tude, the inestimable advantages that are thus affectionately offered you.

65. Though the four Gospels are each of them a narration of the life, sayings, and death of Christ; yet as they are not exactly alike, but some circ.u.mstances and sayings omitted in one, are recorded in another, you must make yourself perfectly master of them all.

66. The Acts of the Holy Apostles, endowed with the Holy Ghost, and authorised by their Divine Master, come next in order to be read.

Nothing can be more interesting and edifying, than the history of their actions--of the piety, zeal, and courage, with which they preached the glad tidings of salvation, and of the various exertions of the wonderful powers conferred on them by the Holy Spirit for the confirmation of their mission.

_Character of St. Paul._

67. The character of St. Paul, and his miraculous conversion, demand your particular attention: most of the Apostles were men of low birth and education; but St. Paul was a Roman citizen; that is, he possessed the privileges annexed to the freedom of the city of Rome, which was considered as a high distinction in those countries that had been conquered by the Romans. He was educated amongst the most learned sect of the Jews, and by one of their princ.i.p.al doctors. He was a man of extraordinary eloquence, as appears not only in his writings, but in several speeches in his own defence, p.r.o.nounced before governors and courts of justice, when he was called to account for the doctrines he taught.

68. He seems to have been of an uncommonly warm temper, and zealous in whatever religion he professed: his zeal, before his conversion, shewed itself in the most unjustifiable actions, by furiously persecuting the innocent Christians: but, though his actions were bad, we may be sure his intentions were good; otherwise we should not have seen a miracle employed to convince him of his mistake, and to bring him into the right way.

69. This example may a.s.sure us of the mercy of G.o.d towards mistaken consciences, and ought to inspire us with the most enlarged charity and good will towards those whose erroneous principles mislead their conduct: instead of resentment and hatred against their persons, we ought only to feel an active wish of a.s.sisting them to find the truth, since we know not whether, if convinced, they might not prove, like St.

Paul, chosen vessels to promote the honour of G.o.d, and of true religion.

70. It is not now my intention to enter with you into any of the arguments for the truth of Christianity, otherwise it would be impossible wholly to pa.s.s over that which arises from this remarkable conversion, and which has been so admirably ill.u.s.trated by a n.o.bler writer, whose tract on this subject is in everybody's hands.

_Of the Epistles._

71. Next follow the Epistles, which make a very important part of the New Testament; and you cannot be too much employed in reading them. They contain the most excellent precepts and admonitions; and are of particular use in explaining more at large several doctrines of Christianity, which we could not so fully comprehend without them.

72. There are indeed, in the Epistles of St. Paul, many pa.s.sages hard to be understood: such in particular are the first eleven chapters to the Romans; the greater part of his Epistles to the Corinthians and Galatians; and several chapters of that to the Hebrews. Instead of perplexing yourself with these more obscure pa.s.sages of scripture, I would wish you to employ your attention chiefly on those that are plain; and to judge of the doctrines taught in the other parts, by comparing them with what you find in these. It is through the neglect of this rule, that many have been led to draw the most absurd doctrines from the Holy Scriptures.

73. Let me particularly recommend to your careful perusal, the xii, xiii, xiv, and xv chapters of the Epistle to the Romans. In the xiv chapter, St. Paul has in view the difference between the Jewish and Gentile (or Heathen) converts at that time; the former were disposed to look with horror on the latter, for their impiety in not paying the same regard to the distinctions of days and meats that they did; and the latter, on the contrary, were inclined to look with contempt on the former, for their weakness and superst.i.tion.

74. Excellent is the advice which the Apostle gives to both parties: he exhorts the Jewish converts not to judge and the Gentiles not to despise; remembering that the kingdom of Heaven is not meat and drink, but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

75. Endeavour to conform yourself to this advice; to acquire a temper of universal candour and benevolence; and learn neither to despise nor condemn any persons on account of their particular modes of faith and wors.h.i.+p: remembering always, that goodness is confined to no party, that there are wise and worthy men among all the sects of Christians, and that to his own master every one must stand or fall.

76. I will enter no farther into the several points discussed by St.

Paul in his various epistles; most of them are too intricate for your understanding at present, and many of them beyond my abilities to state clearly. I will only again recommend to you, to read those pa.s.sages frequently, which, with, so much fervor and energy, excite you to the practice of the most exalted piety and benevolence. If the effusions of a heart, warmed with the tenderest affection for the whole human race; if precept, warning, encouragement, example, urged by an eloquence which such affection only could inspire, are capable of influencing your mind; you cannot fail to find, in such parts of his epistles as are adapted to your understanding, the strongest persuasives to every virtue that can adorn and improve your nature.

_The Epistle of St. James._

77. The Epistle of St. James is entirely practical, and exceedingly fine; you cannot study it too much. It seems particularly designed to guard Christians against misunderstanding some things in St. Paul's writings, which have been fatally perverted to the encouragement of a dependence on faith alone, without good works. But, the more rational commentators will tell you, that by the works of the law, which the Apostle a.s.serts to be incapable of justifying us, he means not the works of moral righteousness, but the ceremonial works of the Mosaic law; on which the Jews laid the greatest stress as necessary to salvation. But, St. James tells us, "that if any man among us seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, that man's religion is vain;"--and that "pure religion, and undefiled before G.o.d and the Father, is this, to visit the fatherless and widow in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world." Faith in Christ, if it produce not these effects, he declareth is dead, or of no power.

_Epistles of St. Peter, and the first of St. John._

78. The Epistles of St. Peter are also full of the best instructions and admonitions, concerning the relative duties of life; amongst which are set forth the duties of women in general, and of wives in particular.

Some part of his second Epistle is prophetical; warning the church of false teachers and false doctrines, which undermine morality, and disgrace the cause of Christianity.

79. The first of St. John is written in a highly figurative stile, which makes it in some parts hard to be understood: but the spirit of divine love which it so fervently expresses, renders it highly edifying and delightful.--That love of G.o.d and of Man, which this beloved apostle so pathetically recommends, is in truth the essence of religion as our Saviour himself informs us.

_Of the Revelations._

80. The book of Revelations contains a prophetical account of most of the greater events relating to the Christian church, which were to happen from the time of the writer, St. John, to the end of the world.

Many learned men have taken a great deal of pains to explain it; and they have done this in many instances very successfully; but, I think, it is yet too soon for you to study this part of scripture: some years hence, perhaps, there may be no objection to your attempting it, and taking into your hands the best Expositions to a.s.sist you in reading such of the most difficult parts of the New Testament as you cannot now be supposed to understand.--May heaven direct you in studying this sacred volume, and render it the means of making you wise unto salvation!---May you love and reverence, as it deserves, this blessed and valuable book, which contains the best rule of life, the clearest declaration of the will and laws of the Deity, the reviving a.s.surance of favour to true penitants, and the unspeakable joyful tidings of eternal life and happiness to all the truly virtuous, through Jesus Christ, the Saviour and Deliverer of the world.

_True Devotion productive of the truest Pleasure_.

1. You see that true devotion is not a melancholy sentiment, that depresses the spirits and excludes the ideas, of pleasure, which youth is so fond of: on the contrary, there is nothing so friendly to joy, so productive of true pleasure, so peculiarly suited to the warmth and innocence of a youthful heart. Do not, therefore, think it too soon to turn your mind to G.o.d; but offer him, the first fruits of your understanding and affections: and, be a.s.sured, that the more you increase in love to him, and delight in his laws, the more you will increase in happiness, in excellence, and honour:--that, in proportion as you improve in true piety, you will become dear and amiable to your fellow creatures; contented and peaceable in yourself, and qualified to enjoy the best blessings of this life, as well as to inherit the glorious promise of immortality.