The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-05-19

From the English Baptist Miscellany
THE RELIGION OF THE GOSPEL is
PURELY SPIRITUAL.
The whole history of the blessed Re-
deemer clearly demonstrates that the pur-
port Of his mission to onr earth was to es-
tablish system of religion which consists
not in q punctilious observance of ceremo-
MES, but in spirituality of mind which
owes its acceptibility, not to the correctness
and number of its ritual prescriptions, but
to the efficacy of that faith which its doc
trines exact, end to the internal purity
which its agency produces on the heart. If
its reception is not accompanied by an ha-
bituai abstraction of the affections and the
desires from the world, and careful avoid
ance of whatever is opposed to the holiness
of the Divine attributes, If will never be
stamped with the signet of His appreciation,
who expects to find in the characters of his
worshippers q reflection of his own image,
and an open avowal of obedience to his
commandments. That is most mistaken
and misguided zeal which derives its exis-
tence from bigotted attachment to human
traditions and formalities, which glitters on
every side by the pomp Of its exterior wor-
ship, but which borrows none Of its feryors
from contemplation of Calvary's tragic
scenes and that is most erroneous and
delusive faith which, instead of erecting
an altar of devotion on the tablet of the
heart, places all its hopes in the periodical
repetition of its own creed, in the punctuali
ty with which il hastens to the earthly
sanctuary, and in the supposed merit of ut
tering petitions which have not been inspir-
ed by penitence, or animated by devotion.
The religion of the New Testament is pure
ly spiritual in its origin, effects, and opera
tlons; it is conversant with objects and
scenes of which the representation can only
be rendered real and definite to the mind
through the instrumeItality of faith. 1t d.
reefs the current of the desires towards
heaven, establishing, as the fruits of its
power, "a connection and relationship between
saints and angels. 1t prepares in the hu-
man breast habltation for the indwelling
of the Holy Spirit, who, by his influences,
so moulds and transforms the faculties of
the soul, that the individual acquires strong
and habitual relish for those enjoyments
which spring from intimate and secret COM
munion with the majesty of heaven. Sure
ly, the bare conviction that God is a spirit,
might teach US that he cannot survey with
complacency that species of worship which
is called forth by sensible objects only, and
which never scars from things visible to
those which are lodged within the confines
of eternity. The most scrupulous observ-
ance of ceremonies is but solemn mockery,
so long as the will remains unsubdued, and
the affections unsanctifsd. No assumed
gravity in our worship, no studied and sane
for -
substituted for that fame of inward devotion
which is lit up by the finger of God, and
which burns with more impassioned ardor
the nearer it approaches the foot of the cross
He, then, who attempts to propltiate Deity
by few indevout wishes, and barren formal
tiles, has yet to learn the first rudiments of
revealed religion, and must be pronounced
devoid of all enlightened and saving views
of the Divine attributes.
A mans religion, be it remembered, is to
be estimated from its effects on the life,
rather than from the allowed orthodoxy of
his principles. "Herein," says our Divine
Master, is my father glori6ed, that We
bear much fruit" To build our hope of
salvation upon doctrines which, though bear
ing the seal and sanction Of heaven, are ut
terly barren of fruit, is to suppose that the
ttulhs vi the gospet WeI0 designed 10 occu-
py the regions of speculation merely, and
not to descend into the recesses of the heart,
that it may be renovated by their energy,
and guided by their illuminations. In the
closet, in the family, and in the world, God
must be served in spirit and in truth.
REFoRMING A ScoLD. In the early period
Of Methodism, some Of Wesloys opponents
in the excess of their zeal against enthusiasm,
took up whole wagon load Of Methodists, and
carried them before justice. When they were
asked what these persons had done, there was
an awkward silence at last one Of the accusers
said sWby they pretended TO BIO better than
other people and besides, they prayed from
morning TO night" The magistrate asked If
they had done any thing else ? g Yes, Sir said
an old man, "an't please your worship they
converted my wife Till she went among
them, she had such tongue and now she is as
quiet as a lamb" "Carry them back" said
tho magistrate, and let them convert all the
acolds in the town."
A youth, who had not long been emerged
from scholastic trammels, having been smitten
with pretty FACE, consulted his former precep-
tor whether he would advise him TO c0Rjngate ?