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He says, 'God's dear Son.'" I reply, first, this does not reach the case: for the word which we render dear, is not here addressed to Christ at all, but only spoken of him. Therefore it is no precedent for, or justification of, our addressing it to him. I reply, secondly, it is not the same word. Translated literally, the sentence runs, not his dear Son, but the Son of his love, or his beloved Son. Therefore I still doubt, whether any of the inspired writers ever address the word either to the Father or the Son. Hence I cannot but advise all lovers of the Bible, if they use the expression at all, to use it very sparingly, seeing the Scripture affords neither command nor precedent for it. And surely, "if any man speak," either in preaching or prayer, he should “ speak as the oracles of God."

10. Do we not frequently use this unscriptural expression, concerning our blessed Lord, in private conversation also? And are we not then especially apt to speak of him as a mere man? Particularly when we are describing his sufferings, how easily do we slide into this? We do well to be cautious in this matter. Here is not room for indulging a warm imagination. I have sometimes almost scrupled singing, (even in the midst of my brother's excellent hymn,) "That dear disfigured face;" or that glowing expression, "Drop thy warm blood upon my heart;" lest it should seem to imply the forgetting, I am speaking of "the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts." Although he so "humbled himself as to take upon him the form of a servant, to be found in fashion as a man ;" yea, though he "was obedient unto death, even the death of the cross;" yet, let it ever be remembered, that "he thought it not robbery to be equal with God:" And let our hearts sull cry out, "Thou art exceedingly glorious; thou art clothed with majesty and honour."

11. Perhaps some may be afraid, lest the refraining from these warm expressions, or even gently checking them, should check the fervour of our devotion. It is very possible it may check, or even prevent, some kind of fervour which has passed for devotion. Possibly it may prevent loud shouting, horrid, unnatural screaming, repeating the same words twenty or thirty times, jumping two or three feet high, and throwing about the arms or legs, both of men and women, in a manner shocking not only to religion, but to common decency:-But it will never check, much less prevent, true, scriptural devotion. It will rather enliven the prayer that is properly addressed to Him, who, though he was very man, yet was very God: who, though he was born of a woman, to redeem man; yet was God from everlasting, and world without end.

12. And let it not be thought, that the " knowing Christ after the flesh," the considering him as a mere man, and, in consequence, using such language in public as well as private, as is suitable to those conceptions of him, is a thing of a purely indifferent nature, or, however, of no great moment. On the contrary, the using this improper familiarity with God our Creator, our Redeemer, our Governor, is naturally productive of very evil fruits. And that not only in those that speak, but also to those that hear them. It has a direct tendency to abate that tender reverence due to the Lord their Governor. It insensibly damps

"That speechless awe which dares not move,
And all the silent heaven of love."

It is impossible we should accustom ourselves to this odious and indecent familiarity with our Maker, while we preserve in our minds a lively sense of what is painted so strongly in those solemn lines: "Dark, with excessive bright, his skirts appear,

Yet dazzle heaven, that brightest seraphim

Approach not, but with both wings veil their eyes."

13. Now, would not every sober Christian sincerely desire, constantly to experience such a love to his Redeemer, (seeing he is God as well as man,) as is mixed with angelic fear? Is it not this very temper which good Dr. Watts so well expresses in those lines:

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Thy mercy never shall remove

From men of heart sincere :

Thou sav'st the souls, whose humble love
Is join'd with holy fear."

14. Not that I would recommend a cold, dead, formal prayer, out of which both love and desire, hope and fear, are excluded. Such seems to have been " the calm and undisturbed method of prayer," so strongly recommended by the late bishop Hoadly, which occasioned for some years so violent a contest in the religious world. Is it not probable, that the well meaning bishop had met with some of the Mystics or Quietists; (such as Madam Guion, or the archbishop of Cambray ;) and that, having no experience of these things, he patched together a theory of his own, as nearly resembling theirs as he could? But it is certain, nothing is farther from apathy than real scriptural devotion. It excites, exercises, and gives full scope to all our nobler passions; and excludes none but those that are wild, irrational, and beneath the dignity of man. 15. But how then can we account for this, that so many holy men, men of truly elevated affections, not excepting pious Kempis himself, have so frequently used this manner of speaking, these fondling kinds of expression; since we cannot doubt out they are truly pious men? It is allowed they were; but we do not allow that their judgment was equal to their piety. And hence it was that their really good affections a little exceeded the bounds of reason, and led them into a manner of speaking, not authorized by the oracles of God. And surely these are the true standard, both of our affections and our language. But did ever any of the holy men of old speak thus, either in the Old or in the New Testament? Did Daniel, the "man greatly beloved," ever thus express himself to God? Or did "the disciple whom Jesus loved," and who doubtless loved his Master with the strongest affection, leave us an example of addressing him thus? Even when he was on the verge of glory? Even then his concluding words were not fond, but solemn, "Come, Lord Jesus!"

16. The sum of all is, We are to "honour the Son even as we honour the Father." We are to pay him the same worship as we pay to the Father. We are to love him with all our heart and soul; and to consecrate all we have and are, all we think, speak, and do, to the threeone God, Father, Son, and Spirit, world without end!

Plymouth Dock, August 15, 1789.

SERMON CXXII.—On a single eye, &c.

"If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. Therefore, if the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" Matt. vi, 22, 23.

1. "SIMPLICITY and purity," says a devout man," are the two wings that lift the soul up to heaven: simplicity, which is in the intention, and purity, which is in the affections." The former of these, that great and good man, bishop Taylor, recommends with much earnestness, in the beginning of his excellent book, "Rules of Holy Living and Dying." He sets out with insisting upon this, as the very first point in true religion, and warns us, that without this, all our endeavours after it will be vain and ineffectual. The same truth, that strong and elegant writer, Mr. Law, earnestly presses in his "Serious Call to a Devout Life:" a treatise which will hardly be excelled, if it be equalled, in the English tongue, either for beauty of expression, or for justness and depth of thought. And who can censure any follower of Christ, for laying ever so great stress on this point, that considers the manner wherein our Master recommends it, in the words above recited? 2. Let us attentively consider this whole passage, as it may be literally translated. "The eye is the lamp of the body:" And what the eye is to the body, the intention is to the soul. We may observe, with what exact propriety our Lord places simplicity of intention, between worldly desires, and worldly cares; either of which directly tend to destroy it. It follows, "If thine eye be single," singly fixed upon God, "thy whole body," that is, all thy soul," shall be full of light;" shall be filled with holiness and happiness. "But if thine eye be evil,"not single, aiming at any other object, seeking any thing beneath the sun," thy whole body shall be full of darkness. And if the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!" How remote, not only from all real knowledge, but from all real holiness and happiness.

3. Considering these things, we may well cry out, how great a thing is it to be a Christian; to be a real, inward, scriptural Christian, conformed in heart and life to the will of God! Who is sufficient for these things? None, unless he be born of God. I do not wonder, that one of the most sensible deists should say, "I think the Bible is the finest book I ever read in my life; yet I have an insuperable objection to it: it is too good. It lays down such a plan of life, such a scheme of doctrine and practice, as is far too excellent for weak silly men to aim at, or attempt to copy after." All this is most true, upon any other than the scriptural hypothesis. But this being allowed, all the difficulty vanishes into air. For, if "all things are possible with God; then all things are possible to him that believeth."

4. But let us consider, first, The former part of our Lord's declaration: "If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light :" secondly, The latter part: "If thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness:" and, thirdly, The dreadful state of those whose eye is not single: "If the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!"

I. 1. And first, "If thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light." If thine eye be single; if God be in all thy thoughts; if thou art constantly aiming at him that is invisible; if it be thy intention in all things, small and great, in all thy conversation to please God, to do, not thy own will, but the will of him that sent thee into the world; if thou canst say not to any creature, but to him that made thee for himself," I view thee, Lord and end of my desires ;"-then the promise will certainly take place: "Thy whole body shall be full of light:" thy whole soul shall be filled with the light of heaven; with the glory of the Lord resting upon thee. In all thy actions and conversation, thou shalt have not only the testimony of a good conscience towards God, but likewise of his Spirit, bearing witness with thy spirit, that all thy ways are acceptable to him.

2. When thy soul is full of this light, thou wilt be able (according to St. Paul's direction to the Thessalonians) to " rejoice evermore, to pray without ceasing, and in every thing to give thanks." For who can be constantly sensible of the loving presence of God, without "rejoicing ever more?" Who can have the loving eye of his soul perpetually fixed upon God, but he will " pray without ceasing?" For his "heart is unto God without a voice, and his silence speaketh unto him." Who can be sensible that this loving Father is well pleased with all he does and suffers, but he will be constrained, " in every thing to give thanks?" knowing that all things "work together for good."

3. Thus shall "his whole body be full of light." The light of knowledge is doubtless one thing here intended; arising from "the unction of the Holy One, which abideth with him, and teacheth him of all things :" all the things which it is now necessary for him to know, in order to please God. Hereby he will have a clear knowledge of the divine will in every circumstance of life. Not without the means, but in the use of all those means, which God has furnished him with. And, walking in this light, he cannot but "grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." He will continually advance in all holiness, and in the whole image of God.

II. 1. Our Lord observes, secondly, "If thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness." If it be evil, that is, not single, (for the eye which is not single, is evil,) "thy whole body shall be full of darkness." It is certain there can be no medium between a single eye, and an evil eye: for whenever we are not aiming at God, we are seeking happiness in some creature. And this, whatever that creature may be, is no less than idolatry. It is all one, whether we aim at the pleasures of sense, the pleasures of the imagination, the praise of men, or riches; all which St. John comprises under that general expression, "the love of the world." The eye is evil, if we aim at any of these, or indeed, at any thing under the sun. So far as you aim at any of these, indeed, at any thing beneath God, your whole soul and the whole course of your life, will be full of darkness. Ignorance of yourselves, ignorance of your real interest, ignorance of your relation to God, will surround you with impenetrable clouds, with darkness that may be felt. And so long as the eye of your soul rests upon all or any of these, those will continue to surround your soul, and cover it with utter darkness. 2. With how many instances of this melancholy truth, that those whose eye is not single are totally ignorant of the nature of true religion,

are we surrounded on every side! How many, even of good sort of people, of them whose lives are innocent, are as ignorant of themselves, of God, and of worshipping him in spirit and in truth, as either Mohammedans or heathens! And yet they are not any way defective in natural understanding. And some of them have improved their natural abilities by a liberal education, whereby they have laid in a considerable stock of deep and various learning. Yet how totally ignorant are they of God, and of the things of God! How unacquainted both with the invisible and the eternal world! Oh why do they continue in this deplorable ignorance? It is the plain effect of this, their eye is not single. They do not aim at God: he is not in all their thoughts. They do not desire or think of heaven; therefore they sink deep as hell.

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3. For this reason they are as far from holiness, as they are from valuable knowledge. It is because their eye is not single that they are such strangers to vital religion. Let them be ever so accomplished in other respects; let them be ever so learned, ever so well versed in every branch of polite literature; yea, ever so courteous, so humane; yet if their eye be not singly fixed on God, they can know nothing of scriptural religion. They do not even know what Christian holiness means; what is the entrance of it, the new birth, with all the circumstances attending it: they know no more of this, than do the beasts of the field. Do they repent and believe the gospel? How much less are they "renewed in the spirit of their minds," in the image of him that created them? As they have not the least experience of this, so they have not the least conception of it. Were you to name such a thing, you might expect to hear, "Much religion hath made thee mad :" so destitute are they, whatever accomplishments they have beside, of the only religion which avails with God.

4. And till their eye is single, they are as far remote from happiness as from holiness. They may now and then have agreeable dreams, from

"Wealth, honour, pleasure, or what else

This short-enduring world can give :"

But none of these can satisfy the appetite of an immortal soul. Nay, all of them together cannot give rest, which is the lowest ingredient of happiness, to a never dying spirit, which God created for the enjoyment of himself. The hungry soul, like the busy bee, wanders from flower to flower; but it goes off from each, with an abortive hope, and a deluded expectation. Every creature cries, (some with a loud and others with a secret voice,)" happiness is not in me." The height and the depth, proclaim to an attentive ear, "the Creator hath not implanted in me a capacity of giving happiness: therefore, with all thy skill and pains, thou canst not extract it from me.' And indeed the more pains any of the children of men take, to extract it from any earthly object, the greater will their chagrin be,--the more secure their disappointment.

5. But although the vulgar herd of mankind can find no happiness; although it cannot be found in the empty pleasures of the world; may it not be found in learning, even by him that has not a single eye? Surely

"Content of spirit must from science flow;

For 'tis a god-like attribute to know."

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