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38 THE XABKEST CBBISTIAN AKD OOLDEM EULE.
the vray the Bible disposes of sin. It who is very fervent in prayer, is not
does not go at it piece-meal, but exterminates
it altogether. It doea not lop tjon of heU, if he is at the same time
any the less in danger of the damna-
off the more unseemly branches, but covetous. He who gives liberally of
lays the axe at the root ofthe tree.— his substance for a good cause, must
The body of sin is destroyed that we' not dream of Heaven, if be is wanting
should not Jienceforth serve sin. It in that love which beareth all things,
forbids even the look that leads to sin. and endureth all things. Zeal is no
Prov. xxiii. 31. Mat. v. 28.
substitute for humility; nor correctness
of faith for irregularities of life.—
No amount of religious profession can
compensate for slanderous lips, and an
unbridled tongue. For whosoever shaU -
keep the whole law, and yet offend in
one point, he is guilty of all. Jas. ii. 10.
If these things are true, and there is
no room for doubt, vre see the importance
of onr being entirely, and continuously
devoted to the serviee of God.
There is no place for trimmers among
Again, the radicalism of the Bible is
seen in the requirements which it makes.
It imposes its commands alike upon all.
Many appear to think, that because
tbey make no profession of religion,
they are not under the same obligation
to obey God that those are who stand
connected •with the visible chureh.—
This is a great mistake. The Bible
makes no sueh distinction. God commandeth
all men everywhere to repent.
Acts xvii. 30. None is excused. There
are no exempt cases. Thou shalt not
steal is just as binding upon the professional
thief as upon the saint. So
the requirement; Thou shalt love the
Lord thy God with all thy heart, and
with all thy soul, and with all thy
mind, Mat. xxii. 37, is made in its full
force upon every human being. The
most devoted minister of the Gospel
can do no more : the most flagrant sinner
is required to do no less. God's
law is universal. It covers all his
creatures.
But the Bible not only makes its requirements
of all; but it demands of
each individual tbefiiU exercise of every
k. Christian virtue. A large degree of
one good quality carmot supply the lack
of another. If a soldier is brave, his
profismity is winked at by his commanders.
Not so with God. Moses
was faithfiil, but that did not excuse
him for the passionate words he once
uttered under great provocation. He
the disciples of Christ. Ye cannot
serve God and Mammon. Mat vi. 84.
It is said of Andrew Jackson that he
never made a compromise;—he always
went in for a clean victory, or a clean
defeat. It is so with every true Christian.
He never occupies middle groutid.
He always stands his whole bigness on
the side of the Lord. Iii_be_£_halfhearted
saint is to be altogether a-sipner.
To serveGod moderately is to
serve the devil fnlly. To keep bSa
part of the price is to ensure eternal
destruction. Lukewarmness is as dangerous
as idolatry. Respectable, formal
piety is ruinous to its possessor, andt»
be shunned as a contagious pestilence
by others. 2 Tim. iii. 5. As President
Edwards says, "Slothfulness in
the cause of God is as damning «*
open rebellion." Dr. Olin deelarra,
that "Whoever chooses his creed, or
his church with any, the slightest reference
to the honor, or the ease, or tlie
emolument it may give or withholfl)