SERMON X.

ON INSTABILITY IN RELIGION.

Gen. xlix. 4.

Unstable as Water.

THESE words are part of the description given of Reuben's character by his father Jacob, when, upon his death bed, he called his sons around him to bequeath them his blessing, Reuben was his first born, and therefore to him, of right, belonged the superiority over his brethren: to him also was the priesthood, in the patriarchal dispensation, allotted;-the chief honour in the worship of God, as well as the chief dominion in point of temporal authority. But though Reuben was thus entitled to be considered as the excellency of dignity and the excellency of power, he forfeited his right to these distinctions, partly by his character and partly by his misconduct. His character is comprised in the words of the text-he was "unstable as water." This natural instability of disposition, if it was not the direct cause of his sin, might at least unfit him for resistance to temptation, and would naturally be followed by the effect of diminishing his authority and con

sequence: and thus, though the first-born, he became inferior to his brethren, and lost the rank and title which God and nature had assigned him. We are not sufficiently acquainted with the character of Reuben to state distinctly in what respects this instability of temper manifested itself: nor is it material: our business is with modern characters; and it is not merely an unstable disposition, as it shews itself in the common affairs of life, but as it respects religion, concerning which

we treat.

There are many persons, who appear to set out well in a religious course, but who afterwards turn back and renounce all pretensions to piety. Such are described by our Saviour under the image of corn planted on stony ground: their religion, flourishing for a time, totally dies away, like the withered corn which has no soil to support it.-But these are not the persons who answer to the character of unstable. This term supposes them to continue their religious profession to the last, but with great irregularity and repeated interruptions. Sometimes they are deeply affected with the importance of spiritual things: they lament, in the humblest strains, their departure from God: they set out afresh with redoubled earnestness and zeal; they impose upon themselves the strictest rules; and you would imagine they would soon arrive at the greatest heights in piety. But, alas! all this goodness passes away like the morning dew. You soon see them relapsing into their former state, or even committing acts of profligacy of which you deemed them incapable. Then, again, you hear them bewailing their folly: repenting, and returning to God, with the same earnestness, perhaps, as before. Their whole life is thus a succession of inconsistencies; a conflict of opposite principles and inclinations; their better judgment directing them to religion, but their passions prompting them to sin. If particular seasons or remarkable providences excite their repentance and the renewal of their vows, when the impression of these ceases, their

repentance declines, and their vows are forgotten. Through the same fickleness, they are led, even without any intention of deceiving, to adopt the complexion of their society: with the pure they appear pure, and with the worldly they manifest a spirit of worldliness. Such conduct cannot be thought consistent either with a good conscience or with utility. In fact, such persons are self-condemned. They are themselves convinced, that with such undsteadiness of principle, they must not expect to be good or happy. Their life, therefore, is useless, their feelings painful. Often do they desire a better state, and often do they seriously attempt to attain it; but, with a mind never long intent upon one object, their wishes and endeavours gradually expire.

Now it is true, that such characters may be rare, in the extent to which I have described them; but a degree of this inconsistency is very common. The causes which produce it are but too generally prevalent, and they deserve to be known, in order that we may guard against them.

1. The first cause which may be assigned for this instability, is natural constitution.-There are undoubtedly some who inherit from nature a degree of fickleness and inconstancy. Even in childhood may be traced a perpetual fluctuation of inclination; an insatiable eagerness after something new; an ardency in every new undertaking, and a hasty dissatisfaction with it. I need not however dwell upon this head, except to warn parents and instructors of the necessity of using every endeavour to check such an unhappy disposition in their infant charge. Let them beware how they cherish or indulge it; for it is a disposition incapable of bringing any thing great or good to perfection: which entails disappointment, disgrace, and misery upon its professor. No obligation can be greater than what is due to an instructor, who has carefully laboured to give steadiness and perseverance to such a natural disposition.

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2. But I proceed to assign a second cause, often indeed nearly connected with the former: viz. the force of habit. Not to know the power of habit, is to be ignorant of the very first rudiments of self-knowledge. We are very much what we have accustomed ourselves to be. Suppose, then, that a person, in the common business of life, has given full licence to an inconstant disposition; has allowed himself to be earnest or to trifle in business as the inclination of the moment prompted, has been accustomed, even in his amusements, to be guided by caprice and love of novelty: there is great danger, should this person become impressed with a sense of religion, of his carrying his inconstancy into his religious pursuits. Unstableness will be his besetting sin, the sin against which he will need to watch and pray with the utmost earnestness and perseverance. Let him consider that here is his danger; and that as grace in the heart is intended to form a new character, so it must be his object that religion shall overcome his inconstancy in all things. Inconstancy should be considered by him as a great crime: for, in his case it is not only a sin but the parent of every other sin: it stifles and destroys every laudable and useful quality.

3. But we must search deeper into the cause of inconstancy than the force of habit, and inquire in what sources the habit itself originates. This I consider to to be a want of self government.

There is in all men a desire of present enjoyment, a love of self-indulgence, which it is the office of reason, conscience, and religion, to restrain. I say, a desire of present enjoyment-for it is the enjoyment of the moment which prevails with an inconstant temper; and, for the sake of this, it is often willing to sacrifice any future good. In others, we perceive the exercise of self-denial; but in those who are inconstant, the reins are given to self-indulgence; the power of self-government is in a great measure abandoned. Hence they yield to the first temptation. In the ab

sence of temptation they judge rightly, they see clearly, they resolve excellently; but the moment self-denial is required, their power departs, like that of Samson when his locks were shorn, and they appear destitute of every religious feeling.

Let such men learn, therefore, to consider their inordinate desire of present ease or indulgence as their bane and crime. Let them remember, that self-denial must be exercised to attain any thing excellent or desirable; that for them, especially, it is one of the most essential attainments; that to the Christian it is as necessary as fortitude to the soldier; that our Lord has expressly enjoined it upon his disciples,-"If any man will come after me, let him take up his cross and follow me;" and that his true disciples have faithfully obeyed this injunction:-"I keep under my body," says St. Paul: "and bring it into subjection; lest, after having preached to others; I myself should become a castaway." Oh! let them reflect, that the pain of self-dedenial is pleasure, compared with the pain they now suffer from the predominance of sense over reason, and the violence they perpetually do to conscience. Let them consider the example of Christ. Did he live to please himself? Did not he set the example of self-denial? Were his sufferings so acute, and shall we be afraid of the least resistance to our appetites? Let them look at the noble army of martyrs, who "resisted even to blood;" the goodly company of confessors, who "took joyfully the spoiling of their goods, and rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer for Christ's sake." Oh! let them, at length, learn to “endure hardness, as good soldiers of Jesus Christ."

4. If we trace this disposition still further to its source, we shall find it originates in a want of those first principles which are essential to constitute a Christian Character.-Such persons have not, for instance, a due sense of the sinfulness of their own conduct. However they may occasionally blame themselves, they do not regard, as they ought, their frequent de