tal mind, which even in its earthly prison swells with desires and aspirations absolutely boundless, will break from its confinement. This little spark, which here burns often so dimly and always feebly, will burst into a flame; and gathering strength in its ascent will rise higher and higher until it mingles with those pure flames, which burn with unquenchable splendor before the throne of God. The spacious heavens are open before it. There at last it will find its native country and its eternal home. Let us thank God then that he has given us existence, that he has made us men. Let us seek to prove ourselves worthy of the inspiration which has imparted understanding and infused into the human soul the breath of immortal life.

SERMON VII.

HOW FAR OUR PERSUASIONS

AND CON

VICTIONS MAY BE RELIED UPON.

PROVERBS xxili. 7.

FOR AS HE THINKETH IN HIS HEART SO IS HE.

FEW

Few passages of scripture are more frequently quoted than the one just read, and no one is more frequently improperly applied. In their loose speculations men are prone to believe that what they think is right must be right, at least for them; that the conviction or persuasion of their own minds is always a safe rule of conduct; and that they are justified in following it out to any extremity. They think it enough to be, as they term it, sincere; not duly considering, that men are as sincere in what is criminal as in what is virtuous; in error, superstition, folly and violence, as in that which is true, and wise, and good. There are no extravagancies more wild, no outrages more violent, no crimes more enormous than some which have been perpetrated under the pretension of sincerity.

There are, however, few of the notions or establish

ed maxims prevailing among men but what have some foundation in truth, however otherwise erroneous they may be; as there are few crimes for which those who commit them have not some apology to offer, or do not find some excuse in their own minds; as it is true, likewise of the most extraordinary phenomena in nature, or rather the most extraordinary sensible delusions under which men have labored, that they may be traced to some natural cause; they are not pure and unmixed falsehood and deception; but have some foundation in fact or truth. So it is with the text; as a man thinketh in his heart so is he; there is a sense in which this is to be received without qualification; but this should only render us more solicitous to understand the abuses to which it is liable, or to which the folly or depravity of men have subjected it.

I. To take the strong persuasions of our own minds as a rule of conduct would be to establish a very unsettled rule. Men are far from being agreed. The convictions and persuasions of different men in relation to the same subjects are oftentimes as different as the talents, character and circumstances of the individuals themselves. They differ in different countries and different periods of the world; and the same individual at different times will be found in relation to the same subjects at variance with himself; and all this without any just charge of insincerity or want of entire self-confidence. What in one country has been deemed immoral has in other countries been sanctioned and encouraged. What we ourselves have in some cases approved and practised, at another time we have seen occasion to regret and condemn. There have been countries in which theft has been regarded as a virtue; falsehood

and treachery justified; persecution and intolerance practised and commended. There are countries in which polygamy is legalised, and human sacrifices are offered up in the name of religion. There are Christian countries in which offensive war and slavery are maintained, encouraged, and practised, not only without compunction but with that complacency and approbation, which evince a conviction of their rectitude. The history of St. Paul in its application to this case, is familiar to us. His honest avowal, when summoned to answer for his conduct, was, that in the midst of his persecutions of the unoffending and defenceless Christians, when breathing out only threatening and slaughter against the disciples, and haling men and women to prison and to death; he believed with himself that he ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth, and that by these bloody outrages and atrocities he was only doing God service. By such pleas as these, under pretences as ill-founded, and yet entirely sincere, the most dreadful acts, which have stained the history of mankind, have been perpetrated.

Let us look, likewise, at the variety of forms among ourselves, which the profession of religion assumes. The varieties of religious opinion are almost infinite. The different forms, under which religion is professed, are as various. The sects among us characterized by different names, opinions, ceremonies, persuasions and practices are innumerable. They each believe that there is but one right way; one right way of belief; of worship; of serving God; and so of entering into eternal life. In the profession of true Christianity they include themselves and their own party; and they exclude all others. These are selfish, narrow, uncharitable views. Yet we have no reason to impute a want