THOUGHTS ON VITAL RELIGION. SECOND EDITION. PRINTED FOR THE American Unitarian Association. BOSTON, GRAY AND BOWEN 141 WASHINGTON STREET. 1830. Price 3 Cents. THE whole of this Tract is not now for the first time published. Several passages, by the same author, are here reprinted with revisions, from an article in answer to the inquiry, gion?' which appeared a few years since in the What is Vital Reli- PRINTED BY I. R. BUTTS....BOSTON. CHARACTERISTICS OF VITAL RELIGION. WE frequently hear the terms vital piety, vital Christianity, heart-religion; which, with similar expressions, are employed in the writings and conversation of Christians to denote the character of true religion. They are terms of comprehensive import; but they are sometimes misunderstood and not seldom perverted. We propose here a few remarks explanatory of these terms. We shall exhibit some of the characteristics of vital religion, particularly as it is to be distinguished from that, which is merely speculative; and shall show what we mean, or ought to mean, when we pray that it may be established in our hearts, or in the hearts of others. In doing this, we shall remark on the sentiments or affections, which it calls into exercise; and on the manner, in which we may expect to find them exhibited. I. Vital religion, that, which exerts a practical, sanctifying influence on the character, has unquestionably much to do with the heart and the affections. It imparts its own spirit, and gives its law to these. But that they may be properly exercised, it lays its foundation, first of all, in clear and just conceptions of the truth of religion. It supposes the mind to be enlightened, that it may distinguish the objects, evidence, and province of truth. In this, however, is not implied freedom from all error. There may be what the apostle denominates the 'spirit of faith,' a strong and habitual conviction of truth, mingled with much speculative error. At the same time, true faith lays its foundation in knowledge; and if we would experience the best influences of vital Christianity, our minds must be enlightened—' we must know the mind of Christ,' we must understand the doctrines, objects, and spirit of his religion. This must be too obvious to require illustration. It will, we presume, be at once admitted, that the understanding must be the controlling principle. For on the views which men entertain of God, his perfections, government and law, will depend what service they render him, and with what spirit they worship him. If they imagine that God is a tyrant, they will serve him as slaves; or if, unmindful of the sanctions of his law, they allow themselves in an unwarrantable confidence in his mercy, as if that were the only attribute exercised in the government of his creatures — they will not serve him at all. If they believe, that religion consists in the reception of certain dogmas, or in compliance with certain forms, they will busy themselves to embrace these dogmas, and will make an easy exchange of substance for form. If, for example, they imagine, that salvation depends, not on conditions, which they are able and required to perform, but on certain decrees of arbitrary election, with which they have no concern but as the passive subjects of such decrees, their error must - 5 exert an injurious influence upon their practice; and,instead of the humble, cheerful performance of duty, in the hope of divine acceptance, instead of the filial spirit of prayer, in the confidence, that we serve a Father, who hears, and a God, who will help us,-there is danger, that there be found either the arrogance of presumption, or the wretchedness of despair. Let the understanding, therefore, be informed and established in religious truth, if we would obtain the best influences of pure Christianity. For there is a connexion, as we have seen, inseparable between faith and practice; between speculative truth and vital godliness. If it be objected to this, that we often find pious and excellent persons, with very little knowledge and a great deal of error; the answer is, besides what has already been conceded upon this point, that, defective as may be their knowledge, and numerous as may be their errors, there will be found amidst all their ignorance and mistakes a few plain, indisputable truths, which possess a controlling power over their minds and hearts, and are able to make them wise unto salvation. It is essential also to vital Christianity, that it interest and engage the affections. The throne of religion is in the heart. The affections, it has been said, are the springs of action; and we are never prompted to any earnest pursuit, but when these are enlisted. There cannot be a question, that to make religion an effectual principle, and to give it a controlling power, our hearts must be engaged. They must feel, and feel deeply, the transcendent grandeur, solemnity, and importance of its truths, and the invaluable interests of the immortal soul. They |