*Ah poor, dull round! I do not wonder that Colonel M—— (or any man of reflection) should prefer death itself, even in the midst of his years, to such a life as this! And should frankly declare, “that he chose to go out of the world, because he found nothing in it worth living for.”
44. Yet it is certain there is business to be done: and many we find in all places (not to speak of the vulgar, the drudges of the earth) who are continually employed therein. Are you of that number? Are you engaged in trade, or some other reputable employment? I suppose, profitable too; for you would not spend your time, and labour, and thought, for nothing. You are then making your fortune; you are getting money. True: but money is not your ultimate end. The treasuring up gold and silver, for its own sake, all men own, is as foolish and absurd, as grosly unreasonable, as the treasuring up spiders, or the wings of butterflies. You consider this but as a means to some farther end. And what is that? Why, the enjoying yourself, the being at ease, the taking your pleasure, the living like a gentleman. That is plainly, either the whole, or some part of, the happiness above described.
*Supposing then your end to be actually attained, suppose you have your wish, before you drop into eternity: go and sit down with Thleeanowhee and his companions, on the river side.—After you have toiled for fifty years, you are just as happy as they.
45. Are you, can you, or any reasonable man, be satisfied with this? You are not. It is not possible you should. But what else can you do? You would have something better to employ your time; but you know not where to find it upon earth.
*And indeed it is obvious, that the earth, as it is now constituted, even with the help of all European arts, does not find sufficient employment, to take up half the waking hours of half its inhabitants.
*What then can you do? How can you employ the time that lies so heavy upon your hands? This very thing which you seek, declare we unto you. The thing you want, is the religion we preach. That alone leaves no time upon our hands. It fills up all the blank spaces of life. It exactly takes up all the time we have to spare, be it more or less: so that he that hath much, hath nothing over, and he that has little, has no lack.
46. Once more. Can you (or any man of reason) think, you was made for the life you now lead? You cannot possibly think so, at least, not till you tread the bible under foot. The oracles of God bear thee witness in every page, (and thine own heart agreeth thereto) that thou wast made in the image of God, an incorruptible picture of the God of glory. And what art thou even in thy present state? An everlasting spirit, going to God. For what end then did he create thee, but to dwell with him, above this perishable world, to know him, to love him, to do his will, to enjoy him for ever and ever! O look more deeply into thyself! And into that scripture, which thou professest to receive as the word of God, as right concerning all things. There thou wilt find a nobler, happier state described, than it ever yet entered into thy heart to conceive. But God hath now revealed it to all those who rejoice evermore, and pray without ceasing, and in every thing give thanks, and do his will on earth as it is done in heaven. For this thou wast made. Hereunto also thou art called. O be not disobedient to the heavenly calling! At least, be not angry with those who would fain bring thee to be a living witness of that religion, whose ways are indeed ways of pleasantness, and all her paths peace.
47. Do you say in your heart, “I know all this already. I am not barely a man of reason. I am a religious man; for I not only avoid evil and do good, but use all the means of grace. I am constantly at church, and at the sacrament too. I say my prayers every day. I read many good books. I fast——every thirtieth of January, and Good-friday.” Do you indeed? Do you do all this! This you may do; you may go thus far, and yet have no religion at all; no such religion as avails before God: nay, much farther than this, than you have ever gone yet, or so much as thought of going. For you may give all your goods to feed the poor, yea, your body to be burned, and yet very possibly, if St. Paul be a judge, have no charity, no true religion.
48. This religion, which alone is of value before God, is the very thing you want. You want (and in wanting this, you want all) the religion of love. You do not love your neighbour as yourself, no more than you love God with all your heart. Ask your own heart now, if it be not so? ’Tis plain you do not love God. If you did, you would be happy in him. But you know, you are not happy. Your formal religion no more makes you happy, than your neighbour’s gay religion does him. O how much have you suffered for want of plain-dealing! Can you now bear to hear the naked truth? You have the form of godliness, but not the power. You are a mere whited wall. Before the Lord your God I ask you, are you not? Too sure. For your inward parts are very wickedness. You love the creature more than the Creator. You are a lover of pleasure more than a lover of God. A lover of God! You do not love God at all, no more than you love a stone. You love the world; therefore the love of the Father is not in you.
49. You are on the brink of the pit, ready to be plunged into everlasting perdition. Indeed you have a zeal for God: but not according to knowledge. O how terribly have you been deceived! Posting to hell, and fancying it was heaven. See, at length, that outward religion without inward, is nothing; is far worse than nothing, being indeed no other than a solemn mockery of God. And inward religion you have not. You have not the faith that worketh by love. Your faith (so called) is no living, saving principle. It is not the apostle’s faith, the substance (or subsistence) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. So far from it, that this faith is the very thing which you call enthusiasm. You are not content with being without it, unless you blaspheme it too. You even revile that life which is hid with Christ in God; all seeing, tasting, hearing, feeling God. These things are foolishness unto you. No marvel; for they are spiritually discerned.