August 7

"For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." 1 Corinthians 4:20.

LET us not abuse, but improve the important decision. It may be abused in two instances.

First, when it leads us to undervalue the outward institutions of piety and the ordinary means of grace. Some would so refine religion as to make it unsuited to human beings. We have bodies as well as souls, and we are required to glorify God in the one as well as in the other. Our devotion is indeed nothing unless we "lift up our hearts with our hands;" but bodily exercise need not be excluded in order to our worshipping in spirit and in truth. There may be the form of godliness without the power; but while we are here, the power cannot be displayed or maintained without the form. Enthusiasts may tell us they never had so much religion as since they have given up what are called its ordinances, for now every day is a Sabbath, and every place a temple, and every voice a preacher. But they are not to be believed. Even all the private and practical duties of life are most fully and regularly discharged by those who wait upon God in his appointments. It is a dangerous delusion that leads people to the neglect of those means of grace which God, who knoweth our frame, has enjoined us to use, and to the use of which he has promised his blessing. In the new Jerusalem John saw "no temple there;" but the experience of every Christian leads him, while he is here, to love the habitation of God's house, and to acknowledge that it is good for him to be there. The streams that will be needless when we reach the fountain-head, are valuable in the way. Our present aliments will be unnecessary hereafter; but what pretender would be so ethereal as to dispense with them now?

Secondly, when we are heedless of regulating the energy of our religion by the rule of the word. It is desirable to enlist the feelings on the side of truth and excellence. Impulse is useful and even necessary to exertion and success; but in proportion to its force, it requires guidance, if not restraint. It is good to be always zealously affected in a good thing; but, without knowledge, zeal may even in a good cause carry us astray; so that our good may be evil spoken of, and even produce evil. Something must be allowed for persons wanting in judgment, and for young converts, especially if they have been suddenly awakened. The novelty and the vividness of their views and impressions of eternal things may occasion some mistakes and improprieties in harmonizing religion properly with secular and relative life. But what we excuse we are not to commend. If one duty defrauds or kills another, it is a robber or a murderer. The wise man tells us, every thing is beautiful in its season; and Paul enjoins us to do every thing decently and in order. But under the sanction of such a supposed authority as our text, we have known religious servants who have risen above their masters, and lectured and reproved them; we have known men who have left their callings, and rushed into offices for which they were not designed; we have known females who, instead of being keepers at home, have neglected their husbands and children to gad about after favorite preachers; we have known orthodox professors who have broken out into every kind of rudeness and rancor, under a notion of being faithful, and valiant for the truth. Disputants have contended earnestly for the faith with pens dipped in gall, and tongues set on fire of hell; persecutors have killed others to do God service; and the priest with the crucifix has urged the dragoon not to do the work of the Lord deceitfully, or keep back his sword from shedding of blood.

The decision may be improved by applying it in two cases. First, in judging ourselves. And here the leaning should be to the side of severity. Let us be satisfied with nothing short of the real power of religion. Whatever we depend upon while we are strangers to this, will be more than useless; it will issue in the most dreadful disappointment. It is better to err on the side of caution than of self-security. According to our Saviour, the delusion accompanies some to the very door of heaven; they knock with confidence that they shall be admitted, and are surprised and confounded when they hear from within, I know ye not whence ye are. Do not place your religion in attending on divine ordinances, or in a mere belief of the truth, or in some outward reformation, or in some particular course of duty to which you may have inducements that render it easy. Search and try your ways. See whether you have given God your whole heart, and can sacrifice every bosom-lust. See whether your religion has any thing in it above the efficiency of natural principles—whether it is flesh, or spirit; whether you are under the law, or under grace. Examine yourselves. If believers, does your faith work by love? And do you love in word and in tongue, or in deed and in truth? If penitents, have you said, with Ephraim, What have I any more to do with idols? If worshippers, do you only draw nigh to him with the month, and honor him with your lips, while your heart is far from him? If hearers, has the gospel come to you, not in word only, but in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance?

Secondly, in judging others. And here the leaning should be to candor. We should beware how we deny this power to a fellow-professor, without just evidence. It is always a difficult thing to decide the degree of another man's religion. Men differ exceedingly, even in their natural temperament. How sanguine is one; how phlegmatical is another. Some are constitutionally bold and forward; others are equally timid and retreating. Is it to be supposed that all these will show their piety precisely in the same manner? We often ascribe to a religious ardor what is the effect of a liveliness and volubility of temper. Hence when we meet with an individual who is always speaking on religious topics, we are apt to consider him a zealous soul, and to suppose that all his talkativeness proceeds from pious principle; whereas it is more than probable, if we followed him through life, we should find him as eager on secular occasions as on religious. On the other hand, when we meet with a man who shrinks from notice, and is backward to speak of divine things, and especially of his own experience, we frequently set him down as one who is not fervent in spirit, serving the Lord. But may not this man be very much the same in all other cases? And if so, should we not do him injustice by judging of his state in religion by the slowness of his speech, and the hesitation of his temper, and the tardiness of his conduct, which constitute a caret in his whole life? Judge not after the outward appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

Again, if you have reason to conclude that a fellow-Christian has this divine reality, let it satisfy you. Love and esteem him, though he differs from your opinions, and walks not with you in the outward order of the gospel. What is the chaff to the wheat? I love those scriptures which inspire us with a zeal, not to make proselytes to a party, but converts to the Saviour; which tend to unite the truly pious to each other, and embattle them against the common foe; which diminish those inferior things that bigots are always magnifying, and attach supreme importance to those that infinitely deserve it. "For the kingdom of God is not in word, but in power." "For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost." "For in Christ Jesus, neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God."