DISCOURSE ÍïT: L+ferences from the Usefulness of the Passions. THE last discourse has informed us, that the Passions are not useless things, even in the important affairs of religion and god- liness. We have seen howmany and glorious are the advan- tages that we may dérive from the right use pf the affections in the christian life. Let us not suffer so momentous a theme to pass away, without drawing some inferences or remarks from it. Remark I. May the passions of our nature be made so ser- viceable tatthe interests of our religion, then " surelythedoctrine of the stoics is a very unreasonable opinion, for it teaches.us to suppress, all our passions entirely, and if possible, to root theta out of our natures." It is evident, from what we have heard, that our pursuit ofthe important things of religion, in this present state, would be wry faint and cold, and feeble, if it were not animated by some of these vigorous principles, these affectionate powers and sensations : And shall we abandon and destroy all these assistants to piety and goodness, which are wrought into the very frame of our beings ? It is granted, that our passions in this fallen staté have their unhappy share of the general corruption of our nature: It is granted they are sometimes made the mischievous incentives to vice, and lead us astray from the path of holiness; and, if they Could never be reformed, they ought to be rooted 'out. But when they are once sanctified by a touch of the finger of God, and tinctured with á savour of piety, they become very pleasant and powerful springs of duty, both to God and man. A holy fear of the great God our Creator, and a solicitous concern what shall become of us when we die, is the first and most general spring of religion : This wakens us to enquire " what we must do to please the God that made us." When we arrive at some comfortable hope of our acceptance with God, then divine love promotes our piety and virtue: Then religion works withinus' by nobler principles, and it is advanced to higher degrees, than a mere principle of fear could raise it.: All the passions of the man are subject to the government of holy love, and are employed by it for heavenly purposes. When we love God supremely, we shall love men also, who are made after the image of God: From a due benevolence to men, spring a thou- sand words and deeds of charity and pity, and godlike goodness.
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