ed Jews, but great numbers of these who had received the Faith of Christ, were notwithstanding zealous of the law, Acts xxi. 20. even the ceremonial law of Moses. Whatsoever therefore they found written therein, either concerning meat and drink-offerings, or the distinction between clean and unclean meats, they not only observed themselves, but vehemently pressed the same, even on those among the Gentiles (or Heathens) who were turned to God. Yea, to such a degree, that some of them taught, wheresoever they came among them, Except ye be circumcised, and keep the Law (the whole ritual law) ye cannot be saved, Acts xv. 1, 24. 3. In opposition to these, the apostle declares, both here and in many other places, That true religion does not consist in meat and drink, or in any ritual observances : Nor indeed in any outward thing whatever, in any thing exterior to the heart; the whole substance thereof lying in righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. 4. Not in any outward thing; such as forms or ceremonies, even of the most excellent kind. Supposing these to be ever so decent and significant, ever so expressive of inward things: supposing them ever so helpful, not only to the vulgar, whose thought reaches little farther than their sight but even to men of understanding, men of stronger capacities, as doubtless they may sometimes be: Yea, supposing them, as in the case of the Jews, to be appointed by God himself; yet even during the period of time wherein that appointment remains in force, true religion does not principally consist therein; nay, strictly speaking, not at all. How much more must this hold concerning such rites and forms, as are only of human appointment? The religion of Christ rises infinitely higher, and lies immensely deeper than all these. These are good in their place; just so far as they are, in fact, subservient to true religion. And it were superstition to object against them, while they are applied only as occasional helps to human weakness. But let no man carry them farther. Let no man dream, that they have any intrinsic worth; or that religion cannot subsist without them. This were to make them an abomination to the Lord. 5. The nature of religion is so far from consisting in these, in forms of worship, or rites and ceremonies, that it does not properly consist in any outward actions, of what kind soever. It is true, a man cannot have any religion, No. II. L who it not. t who is guilty of vicious, immoral actions; or who does to others, what he would not they should do to him, if he were in the same circumstance. And it is also true, that he can have no real religion, who knows to do good, and doth Yet may a man both abstain from outward evil, and do good, and still have no religion. Yea, two pers sons may do the same outward work, suppose, feeding the hungry, or cloathing the naked: and, in the mean time, one of these may be truly religious, and the other have no religion at all: for the one may act from the love of God, and the other from the love of praise. So manifest it is, that although true religion naturally leads to every good word and work, yet the real nature thereof lies deeper still, even in the hidden man of the heart. 36. I say of the heart. For neither does religion consist in orthodoxy, or right opinions, which although they are not properly outward things, are not in the heart, but the understanding. A man may be orthodox in every point; he may not only espouse right opinions, but zealously defend them against all opposers: He may think justly concerning the incarnation of our Lord, concerning the ever bles sed Trinity, and every other doctrine, contained in the oracles of God: He may assent to all the three creeds; that called The Apostles', The Nicene, and The Athana2 sian: And yet it is possible, he may have no religion at all, no more than a Jew, Turk, or Pagan. He may be almost as orthodox as the devil: (though indeed not altogether. For every man errs in something; whereas we cannot well conceive him to hold any erroneous opinion) and may all the while be as great a stranger as he to the religion of the heart. 7. This alone is religion, truly so called: This alone is in the sight of God, of great price. The apostle sums it all up in three particulars, righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. And first, righteousness. We cannot be at a loss concerning this, if we remember the words. of our Lord describing the two grand branches thereof, on which bang all the law and the prophets. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy mind, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength. This is the first and great commandment, the first and great branch of Chris *Mark xii. 30. tian righteousness. Thou shalt delight thyself in the Lord thy God; thou shalt seek and find all happiness in him. He shall be thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward, in time and in eternity. All thy bones shall say, Whom have 1 in heaven but thee? And there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee! Thou shalt hear, and fulfil his word, who saith, My son, give me thy heart. And having given him thy heart, thy inmost soul, to reign there without a rival, thou mayst well cry out, in the fulness of thy heart, I will love thee, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my strong rock, and my defence: My Saviour, my God, and my might, in whom I will trust; my buckler, the horn also of my salvation, and my refuge. 8. And the second commandment is like unto this; the second great branch of Christian righteousness is closely and inseparably connected therewith, even, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. Thou shalt love-Thou shalt embrace with the most tender good-will, the most earnest and cordial affection, the most inflamed desires of preventing or removing all evil, and of procuring for him every possible good, Thy neighbour-that is, not only thy friend, thy kinsman, or thy acquaintance; not only the virtuous, the friendly, him that loves thee, that prevents or returns thy kindness; but every child of man, every human creature, every soul which God hath made: Not excepting him whom thou never hast seen in the flesh, whom thou knowest not either by face or name: Not excepting him whom thou knowest to be evil and unthankful, him that still despitefully uses and persecutes thee. Him thou shalt love as thyself; with the same invariable thirst after his happiness in every kind: the same unwearied care to screen him from whatever might grieve or hurt either his soul or body. 9. Now is not this love the fulfilling of the law? The sum of all Christian righteousness? Of all inward righteousness; for it necessarily implies bowels of mercies, humbleness of mind (seeing love is not puffed up) gentleness, meekness, longsuffering, (for love is not provoked but believeth, hopeth, endureth all things) and of all outward righteousness; for love worketh no evil to his neighbour, either by word or deed. It cannot willingly either hurt or grieve any one. And it is zealous of good works. Every lover of mankind, as he hath opportunity, doth good unto all men, being (without partiality and without hypocrisy) full of mercy and good fruits. 10. But true religion, or a heart right toward God and man, implies happiness as well as holiness. For it is not only righteousness, but also peace and joy in the Holy Ghost. What peace? The peace of God, which God only can give, and the world cannot take away: The peace which passeth all understanding, all (barely) rational conception; being a supernatural sensation, a divine taste of the powers of the world to come: Such as the natural man knoweth not, how wise soever in the things of this world; nor indeed can he know it, in his present state, because it is spiritually discerned. It is a peace that banishes all doubt, all painful uncertainty; the Spirit of God bearing witness with the spirit of a Christian, that he is a child of God. And it banishes fear, all such fear as hath torment; the fear of the wrath of God, the fear of hell, the fear of the devil, and in particular, the fear of death: he that hath the peace of God, desiring (if it were the will of God) to depart and to be with Christ. 11. With this peace of God, wherever it is fixed in the soul, there is also joy in the Holy Ghost: Joy wrought in the heart by the Holy Ghost, by the ever blessed Spirit of God. He it is, that worketh in us that calm, humble rejoicing in God, through Christ Jesus, by whom we have now received the atonement, xalarnayny, the reconciliation with God; and that enables us boldly to confirm the truth of the Royal Psalmist's declaration, Blessed is the man (or rather happy ys whose unrighteousness is forgiven, and whose sin is covered. He it is that inspires the Christian soul, with that even, solid joy, which arises from the testimony of the Spirit, that he is a child of God: And that gives him to rejoice with joy unspeakable, in hope of the glory of God. Hope, both of the glorious image of God, which is in part and shall be fully revealed in him; and of that crown of glory, which fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for him. 12. This holiness and happiness joined in one, are sometimes stiled, in the inspired writings, The kingdom of God (as by our Lord in the text) and sometimes, The kingdom of heaven. It is termed the kingdom of God, because it is the immediate fruit of God's reigning in the soul. So soon as ever he takes upon himself his mighty power, and sets up his throne in our hearts, they are instantly filled with this righteousness righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. It is called the kingdom of heaven, because it is (in a degree) heaven opened in the soul. For whosoever they are that experience this, they can aver before angels and men, "Everlasting Life is won: Glory is on earth begun," According to the constant tenor of scripture, which every where bears record, God hath given unto us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son (reigning in his heart) hath life, even life everlasting, John v. 11, 12.For this is life eternal, to know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent, John xvii. 3. And they to whom this is given, may confidently address God, though they were in the midst of a fiery furnace, "Thee-Lord, safe shielded by thy pow'r, Praise, as in heaven, thy throne, we offer here; 13. And this kingdom of God or of Heaven is at hand. As these words were originally spoken, they implied, that the time was then fulfilled, God being made manifest in the flesh, when he would set up his kingdom among men, and reign in the hearts of his people. And is not the time now fulfilled? For lo! saith he, I am with you always, you who preach remission of sins in my name, even unto the end of the world, (Matt. xxviii. 20.) Wheresoever therefore the gospel of Christ is preached, this his kingdom is nigh at hand. It is not far from every one of you. Ye may this hour enter thereinto, if so be ye hearken to his voice, Repent ye, and believe the gospel. II. 1. This is the way. Walk ye in it. And first, Repent, that is, Know yourselves. This is the first repentance, previous to faith; even conviction, or self-knowledge. Awake then thou that sleepest. Know thyself to be a sinner, and what manner of sinner thou art. Know that corruption of thy inmost nature, whereby thou art very far gone from original righteousness, whereby the |