We appeal then to all ; What do we, or what can we, ask of you more than this ? And if these high attainments be not necessary, why do you ask of God for Christ's sake to give them to you? If, on the other hand, they are necessary, why are we deemed enthusiastic and over-righteous for requiring them at your hands ? If in your prayers you mean what you say, you justify us ; and, if you do not mean what you say, you condemn yourselves ; you confess yourselves to be hypocrites and dissemblers with God.
f Rom. xii. 1. e 2 Cor. v. 15. ^ 1 Cor. x. 31.
We have now finished our consideration of that truly scriptural prayer : and we will conclude with commending it to you as a test in a two-fold view.
First ; Take it as a test whereby to try the discourses which you hear. As members of the Church of Eng- land, we have a right to expect that the discourses of ministers shall correspond with the Liturgy of our Church. Certainly, in the first instance, the Holy Scriptures are to be our guide : but, as all profess to have the Scriptures on their side, let us bring to our aid that excellent compendium of religion which we have been considering.
Are there any who descant upon the dignity of our nature, the goodness of our hearts, and the rectitude of our lives ? What appearance do such sentiments make when brought to the touchstone of this prayer? Are they not as opposite as darkness is to hght? and should we not regard such statements as the effusions of pride and ignorance ? should we not tremble for those who hear them, lest, being " bhnd followers of the blind, they all together should fall into the ditch' ?"
Are there others who tell us that we are to be saved by our works, and who would thereby lull us asleep in impenitence, and divert our attention from the Saviour of the world? Let us not be deluded by the syren song. Let us turn to our own confes- sions, to refute such anti-christian doctrines : let us learn from them the necessity of humiliation and contrition, and of " fleeing to Christ, as to the refuge that is set before us." As for the idea, that the founding of our hopes upon Christ, and upon the promises made to us in him, will lead to a neglect of good works, let us see what the compilers of our Liturgy thought of that, and what they have put in the mouths of all believing penitents. Do not the very same persons who seek for mercy through Christ, entreat of God that they may be enabled to ** live a godly, righteous, and sober life, to the glory of his holy name ?" And is it not notorious, that
i Matt. XV. 14.
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the very persons who maintain most steadfastly the doctrines of faith, are uniformly condemned for the excessive and unnecessary strictness of their lives ?
In the same manner, if there be any who plead for a conformity to the world, and decry all vital godli- ness as enthusiasm, we may see what judgment is to be formed of them also. They may call themselves Christians ; but they have nothing of Christianity, except the name.
Lastly ; If there be any who separate the different parts of rehgion, inculcating some to the neglect of others ; magnifying works to the exclusion of faith, or establishing faith to the destruction of good works ; or confounding faith and works, instead of distin- guishing them as the fruit from the root ; if such, I say, there be, let their statements be contrasted with the order, the fulness, and the harmony of this prayer; and the erroneousness of them will in- stantly appear. We do not wish to produce critical hearers ; but it is the duty of every man to " prove all things, and to hold fast that which is good"" ;" and as we have the advantage of an authorized standard of divine truth, we invite all to search that, as well as the Holy Scriptures : and we do not hesitate to say of this prayer in particular, what the prophet speaks of the inspired volume, " To the law, and to the testimony ; if ministers speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them^"