el J2 TOE AFFECTIONATE CIIRSSTFAN vINDICAT'ED. "their pater-nosters" and as ave-marias" by tale, and drop their beads, to count their prayers right, and to secure themselves from mistaking the number. All these sorts of worshippers may join in the same opinion, and renounce their affections in their religion, and that for this reason, because they have not religion enough to employ them. Butwhere a constant and supreme love to God is the real spring that moves us to our duties, the rest or the natural passions will have seine correspondent share in the work. And it is a very false way ofjudging for these kinds of people to compare all men with themselves, and make their cold indifference, and their lazy practice'the standingmodel of the re- ligion ofall mankind. Let us suppose for once, that we were confined to the mere religion of nature hath it not been sufficiently proved, that rea- son and the light of nature provide for the passions some share of employment, even in natural religion ? And it is to be feared, that it is not merely the unbelief of christianity, but thewant of serious inward religion of any kind, that inclines the infidels of our age, to oppose and ridicule the exercise of devout affection. Is not the book of Psalms a noble and sublime collection of lyric poesy ? Are not several parts of these sacred odes con- fined to such notions and practices in religion, as the light of nature and reason dictates ? Now if these persons had true piety at heart, one would think they should rejoice in these sprightly and pious composures, and use them as a help to raise their souls to God, their Creator, in love and praise. Will they make this excuse, that the language is too warm, too much ani- mated and pathetic, that there is too much . of the beauty of metaphor, too 'many bright images that strike powerfully upon the passions, whereas the religion of_nature, in their opinion, is amore calm and sedate thing ? Surely it is much to be feared and suspected, that their prayers and their praises, and all their pretences to piety, will go but a littleway to raise their souls to heaven, when their modes of worship cannot bear the lan- guageof such devout affection, and admit of no elevations above calm ideas and sedate indolence. But I return to my vindica. tion ofthe affectionate christian, inhiswarmest exercisesof devout passion.- I might proceed much farther on this point, and say, when the affections are impressed and awakened to a powerful exer. cise, by divine truths, will not these lively powers havea farther and a reflexive influence on the mind and the will ? Do they not sensibly impress the ideas of divine things with much stronger °force on the mind ? Do they not set all the affairs of religion in a more lovely and attractive light ? Do they not confirm the will in all its holy resolutions for God and heaven ? Have they not oftenbeen found to stamp divine timings on the memory and
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