themselves any present enjoyment for the sake of a possible future good.

But the motives to action presented to us in Scripture, are of the most binding and influential nature. They are the fear and love of God. The Bible declares, that the law of righteousness is the law of the moral Governor of the universe, who made us, who has a right to dispose of us as he pleases, and who will render to every one of us according to our deeds. We are therefore prepared to understand the full force of the precept, "Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man."1 But the Being whom we are thus taught to fear, is presented to us in Scripture, as the object of our love, partly because he is in himself perfectly lovely-the spring and centre of all goodness, -but chiefly because he has so abundantly displayed his love and bounty towards ourselves.

Hence the first and great commandment of the law is this: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."2 Christianity represents this commandment, as lying at the foundation of all true morality, because while it points out our first duty, it supplies us with a motive, which leads to the right performance of every other duty.

And here we may briefly remark, that the unfolding of the law of God keeps pace, in Scripture, with the revelation of his love.

1 Eccles. xii, 13.

2 Matt. xxii, 37.

For many ages before the birth of Moses, the traces of that great scheme of redemption, by which the love of God to man is chiefly displayed, were probably faint, and the known requirements of his law appear to have been limited. Under the Mosaic dispensation, the fore-shadows and prophecies of Christ became clearer and more abundant, and the moral law was strengthened and defined in proportion. Under the gospel, the love of God in Christ Jesus is explicitly revealed to us, and our gratitude thereby called into full action; and at the same time, the law is developed in all its spirituality, and all its comprehensiveness. The extent of obedience required has been adapted, in every stage of the progress of truth, to the strength of the motive supplied. Yet that motive is always the same-the love of God, who "first loved us."

Now I conceive that the infinite superiority of the sacred writers to all uninspired moralists, with respect to these main points--a fixed standard and adequate motives--affords a plain evidence that they wrote by inspiration -that theirs and theirs only, is the religion of God.

But we shall come to the same conclusion, if we examine the morality of Scripture in some of its details. Let the literary sceptic peruse our Saviour's sermon on the mount; and let him carefully reflect on its principles and its precepts.

Where shall he look, among the heathen, for a moral code like this? Where shall he lay

his finger on any similar display of the nature of virtue? Where for example can he find any thing in the pages of Plato or Cicero, on the same level with the declaration, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God?" What would the Greek and Roman moralists furnish in the room of those nicely balanced sayings, each so important in its place, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven," and "When thou doest thine alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth?" Or what would they enable us to substitute for the golden rule, "all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them?"

What mean the praises of meekness and patience, of submission and resignation, with which the Scripture abounds? what, the unceasing calls to communion with God,-to prayer and supplication? These are articles in the code of Christianity which are greatly opposed to the natural pride of man, and which vary, in the same degree, from the dictates of uninspired wisdom. Yet every one knows that they work well in practice; every one ought to acknowledge that they come from God.

There is no virtue on which the Scriptures more frequently insist than humility. The sacrifices of God," said David, “are a broken spirit; a broken and a contrite heart, O God thou wilt not despise," 3—a confession which 3 Psalm li, 17.

4

remarkably agrees with the words of our Lord, "Blessed are the poor in spirit; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven;" and again, “Whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted." 5' The heathen moralists, who prided themselves on the excellence and dignity of their nature, would have been at a loss to comprehend these sayings. Such precepts are in fact directly opposed to their systems of philosophy. Yet what Christian is not aware that lowliness of mind and a broken spirit lie at the very root of moral excellence, and are useful beyond almost every other grace, in promoting the order and happiness of our species?

Lastly, the charity enjoined upon us in the New Testament is very different from that arbitrary and uncertain benevolence, which is dictated by our natural feelings. Christian charity is indeed a virtue of heavenly birth and efficacy. It springs immediately from love for God, and having thus a right origin, it spreads towards the whole family of man, embraces enemies as well as friends, extends to thoughts as well as actions, and is steadily directed to the spiritual as well as temporal good of our neighbour. Were that second great commandment, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," allowed to take the range assigned to it in the gospel, it would soon put an end to all malice, oppression, and bloodshed, and would convert this contentious 4 Matt. v, 3. 5 Luke xiv, 11.

world into one unvarying scene of harmony

and peace.

In drawing a comparison between the ethics of the ancient philosophers, and the moral law contained in Scripture, we again address ourselves to the scholar. But in making our appeal to the man who reads his Bible only, we may inquire of him whether that law does not meet the best feelings of his mind, and coincide in all its parts with the decisions of his conscience; whether it is not marvellously clear and comprehensive; whether he does not find it, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, a safe guide in all the exigencies of life; and lastly, whether he is not happy and at rest, precisely in the degree in which he conforms himself to its rules. If he be a person of integrity and reflection, he will be sure to answer these questions in the affirmative; and in doing so, he will furnish himself and others with a satisfactory evidence that the law of Christianity, is the LAW OF GOD.

SECTION V.

ON THE EXAMPLE OF CHRIST.

THE harmonious view presented to us in Scripture of the moral attributes of God, and of the law by which he governs mankind, is truly philosophical; for the ethical virtues, such as holiness, justice, truth, and benevolence, can never change their tendencies.