them know that this love is their best sign, but that it ought to be exercised for a higher reason, than as a sign of our own hopes; for that motive alone will not produce true love to God. As the Antinomians too much exclude humiliation and signs of grace, so many of late have made their religion too much to consist in the seeking of these signs out of their proper time and place, without referring them to that obedience, love, and joy, in which true religion doth principally consist." r

These very judicious observations show that Baxter was not only a most careful observer of the phenomena of human nature, with which he was so largely conversant, but that in dealing with men he was guided by the soundest principles of philosophy and religion. He justly considered many of the mental or spiritual diseases respecting which he was consulted, to arise from a diseased state of the animal frame, and that the assistance of the physician and the laboratory was required as well as the divine. He prescribed for the body as well as for the soul, though not always in either case with effect.

His views of the proper method of obtaining Christian comfort, and arriving at full satisfaction respecting a personal interest in the salvation of Christ, were sound and highly important. He did not consider these enjoyments, desirable as they are, as what ought to be directly sought, or pursued for themselves. He regarded them as effects or results rather than objects of direct pursuit. Neither health nor happiness will generally be secured by seeking them for their own sake; and will seldom fail to be enjoyed if sought for in a proper manner. This is no less true respecting the health and happiness of the soul; men can never attain them by their being made the grand or exclusive objects of attention.

Baxter produced the right kind of Christian experience, by presenting continually before the mind a great object of attraction, whose holy influence could not fail to accomplish the most delightful and salutary effects, if steadily contemplated. To produce love to God, which is the grand design of all true religion, and the spring of all purifying joy, he spoke of His love in all its fulness, and freeness, and splendour. He aimed at pro

* Life, part iii. pp. 85, 86. Among the Baxter MSS. preserved in the Redcross-street library, are numerous letters addressed to him by persons in distress of mind, and copies of letters sent by him in reply. Both while he was at Kidderminster, and after his removal from it, especially about the time of his preparing the above discourse, he seems to have had a great deal to do in this way.

ducing an overwhelming sense of gratitude and obligation, by thus exhibiting the infinite riches of the divine generosity. He knew that this would necessarily take the mind off from itself, and engage the exercise of all its faculties on an object at once worthy of their most active and enlarged exercise, and capable of affording the purest and sublimest satisfaction. He knew that the principle of love to God, being once sufficiently roused, would exert itself in doing all the will of God, and in that very exertion happiness would be experienced. The signs and evidences of the Christian character would multiply and abound, and thus those doubts and perplexities would be removed that haunt the soul which is directed chiefly to itself, for reasons of comfort and confidence before God.

His own experience is a happy illustration of the beneficial tendency of these views, and of the conduct which he pursued towards others. From his habit of body, and peculiarities of mind, it might be supposed that he would himself be the subject of much morbid feeling. But this was not the case. He tells us that he never was the subject of melancholy, or that species of mental depression arising from doubts and fears respecting the enjoyment of the divine favour, after he was properly enlightened by the Gospel. He had penetrating views of sin, deep and solemn impressions of death and eternity; but they were all founded on his clear perceptions of the character of God, and the declarations of his word; and were always connected with the enjoyment of calm satisfaction and holy tranquillity of mind. He feared always, but he also loved; he trembled, but he also rejoiced. Religion was his life; its discoveries both elevated and purified his mind; and in the discharge of its duties he found full employment for all his active and energetic powers. In the time of suffering, he fled to it for relief and repose; and he never fled in vain. It was to him a constant, as he ever found it a welcome and a sure, refuge. When in any measure free from personal and outward suffering, and capable of labour, his work left him no time for melancholy musings, or harassing fears respecting his personal safety. It was his meat and his drink to do the will of God, and in doing that will he found a continual feast. Let Christianity be but thus treated, and it will never fail to produce the same practical effects, and to afford the same heavenly joy.

CHAPTER V.

WORKS ON CHRISTIAN ETHICS.

Introductory Observations-Systematic Theology-The Fathers-Schoolmen -Casuists-Reformers-Calvin's Institutions-Works of Perkins-Archbishop Usher's System-Leigh's Body of Divinity-Baxter's Christian Directory'-Intended as the Second Part of his Methodus '-His own Account of it-Remarks on the Arrangement-Opposed to the Politics of Hooker-Progress of the Doctrine of Passive Obedience in EnglandCharacter of the 'Directory '--Compared with the Ductor Dubitantium' of Taylor- The Reformed Pastor' Reasons for Ministerial Plainness' -Poor Man's Family Book 'The Catechising of Families'-' The Mother's Catechism'-' Sheets for the Poor and the Afflicted' Directions to Justices of the Peace' How to do Good to Many'-' Counsels to Young Men'—'The Divine Appointment of the Lord's Day '-Concluding Remarks.

IF obedience to the will of God be the end and design of all religion, it ought to occupy a chief part of our attention in every discussion of its nature. However difficult it may be to teach men some of the doctrines of religion, the most formidable difficulties really belong to its practice. This arises not from the obscurity which attaches to what God requires, but from the backwardness of man to comply with the requisition. His natural inclinations are all enlisted on the side of disobedience, or, at least, of aversion to a full conformity of disposition to the mind of God. Hence if the vestige of a doubt rests on any divine precept, or inhibition, to which it may be felt inconvenient or undesirable to render positive compliance, advantage is sure to be taken of that doubt. Every subterfuge or excuse which ingenuity can devise, will be resorted to in order to quiet conscience, or to justify to others the conduct which is pursued.

The opportunities and means of practising this species of evasion are very considerable. The unavoidable imperfection and ambiguity of human language, of which even a divine revelation in that language is not altogether divested; the

necessary exceptions belonging to many of the general laws of God, with the great variety of circumstances into which men are thrown, presenting temptations to avail themselves of supposed exceptions in their favour; these, together with the deceitfulness of the human heart, are among the things which create difficulty to the Christian moralist, and have furnished abundant employment to the casuistical divine.

Were it not for the mistake which extensively prevails among mankind, that their interests and those of the law of God are not the same, the difficulty of communicating instruction on religion would not be very formidable. This fatal error, however, is mixed up with all our natural reasonings, and gives a wrong direction or bias to our every thought and feeling. The Creator of the universe is regarded with jealousy and suspicion by his own creature. The principles of his moral administration are supposed to concern rather his own glory, than the happiness of the universe. His laws are pronounced alike arbitrary and severe, if not positively unjust. If the reason of some of them is not fully stated, that concealment is regarded as a sufficient apology for neglect or noncompliance: where the reason is stated, it is not always approved; being perhaps regarded as proceeding from arbitrary power, rather than arising from justice and goodness.

Where such a state of mind prevails, it is at once obvious that we have to do, not with the understanding so much as with the disposition. The darkness of the mind is not mere intellectual ignorance; which an adequate process of instruction could remove. The understanding is indeed dark, but it arises from "an alienation of the life from God." There is ignorance, it is true, but it consists in what the Scriptures emphatically call "blindness of heart." Hence the influence which Christ himself ascribes to inclination in the reception of the will of God: "If any man be inclined to do the will of God, he shall know of the doctrine whether it be of God;" and hence arises the absolute necessity of that divine teaching which the Scriptures invariably represent as lying at the foundation of all enlightened and acceptable obedienee to the Most High.

The inspired writers, accordingly, never confine their instructions to the understanding, or regard the reception and influence of Christianity as if they merely resulted from an intellectual process. They do not record their doctrines in creeds, or deliver their precepts in formal summaries. They communicate

both chiefly in the form of addresses to the conscience and to the heart, or in reasonings which, while they are powerfully calculated to enlighten and convince the understanding, are no less fitted to engage the warmest feelings of the soul in favour of obedience to Him, whose highest moral glory is summed up in the attribute of LOVE.

This plan has not been followed by the generality of writers on systematic theology. The theory and practice of religion have been unwisely separated from each other to the injury of both. Thus, what may be regarded as speculative, has been deprived of its most powerful recommendation; and what is practical, has been divested of its living principle. The one is presented as soul without body, the other as body without spirit. In the former, religion is generalised into abstract principles; in the latter, it is shrivelled into outward forms, and reduced to a joyless submission.

It cannot be denied, however, that there are some advantages connected with the separate discussion of these subjects, when properly conducted. This more especially belongs to the press than to the pulpit. In the latter, they ought never to be disjoined. It is not the place for abstract, philosophical disquisition; but for the evangelical enforcement of the truths and duties of Christianity. It is easier to guard against misapprehensions in a written work than in oral discourse: many things can be conveniently and appropriately discussed in books, which would be altogether unsuitable as topics for public preaching.

It would be vain to look for much of systematic theology in the fathers or early writers of the Christian church. They lived too near the period of the Apostles, to feel the necessity or importance of this kind of writing. Nor were their circumstances at all favourable to it. Most of them were incapable of any thing very profound; the body of the people were of the same description; and both teachers and taught were so much conversant with a state of suffering, as to have scarcely either time or inclination for any thing but what bore immediately on the practice or the consolations of the Gospel. Origen and Cyril of Jerusalem were the first among the Greeks who did any thing in this way. The former, in his work, repì ápxv,-or Four Books concerning Principles, while he gives some information, astounds us with allegories and absurdities; the latter, in his Catechetical Discourses,' which were written in his youth, conveys