If a Judge had fine skill in painting, architecture, and music, but at the same time had gross and confused notions of equity, and a poor, dull apprehension of the value of justice, who would scruple to reckon him a poor ignorant Judge? If a Bishop should be a man of great address and skill in the art of preferment, and of a quick understanding how to raise and enrich his family in the world, but should have no taste or sense of the maxims and principles of the saints and fathers of the church; if he did not conceive the holy nature, and great obligations of his calling, and judge it better to be crucified to the world, than to live idly in pomp and splendor; who would scruple to charge such a Bishop with want of understanding?
But now, if a Judge is to be reckoned ignorant, nay shamefully so, if he does not feel and perceive the value and worth of justice; if a Bishop is to be looked upon as void of understanding, if he is more experienced in other things, than in the exalted virtues of his apostolical calling; then all common christians are to be looked upon as more or less shamefully ignorant, as they are more or less ignorant of those great things, which are the common, and ought to be the greatest concern of all christians.
If a man had eyes that could see beyond the stars, or pierce into the heart of the earth, but could not see the things that were before him, or discern any thing that was serviceable to him, we should reckon that he had but a very bad sight. And if another had ears that received sounds from the world in the moon, but could hear nothing that was said or done upon earth, we should look upon him to be as bad as deaf. In like manner, if a man has a memory that can retain a great many things; if he has a wit that is sharp and acute in arts and sciences, or an imagination that can wander agreeably in fictions; but has a dull, poor apprehension of his duty and relation to GOD, of the value of piety, or the worth of an interest in the righteousness of JESUS CHRIST, he may very justly be reckoned to have a very bad understanding. He is but like the man that can only see or hear such things as are of no benefit to him.
If an human spirit should imagine some mighty Prince to be greater than GOD, we should take it for a poor, ignorant creature; all people would acknowledge such an imagination to be the height of stupidity: But if this same human spirit should think it better to be devoted to some mighty Prince, than to be devoted to GOD, would not this be a greater proof of a poor, ignorant, and blinded nature?
Yet this is what all people do, who think any thing greater, better, or wiser, than a devout life. So that which way soever we consider this matter, it plainly appears, that devotion is an instance of great judgment, and of an elevated nature; and the want of devotion is a certain proof of the most shameful ignorance, and want of understanding.
Would you therefore not incur the imputation of the highest folly, and most shameful ignorance; would you be possessed of the noblest and most exalted judgment; would you avoid the senseless and vexatious miseries that attend a vain, sensual, and indevout life; would you act like a rational and redeemed creature; would you enjoy solid peace and happiness here, and have a well grounded hope and assurance of being invested with eternal joy and comfort in the blissful fruition of the glorious and ever-blessed GOD hereafter; let it be your highest concern henceforward, to ask, seek, and knock at the door of divine grace, till you obtain a true living faith in the righteousness of the once humbled but now exalted Redeemer, and as a proof of that, to devote yourself entirely, without reserve, to his honour, and do all the good you possibly can to all your fellow-creatures, for his great name’s sake.