In my first letter, I spoke of the importance of growth in grace, and
enumerated some of the fruits of the Spirit. I revert to the same
subject again, for the purpose of showing the importance of cultivating
the several Christian graces in due proportion, so as to attain to a
uniform consistency of character.
Nothing delights the senses like harmony. The eye rests with pleasure on
the edifice which is complete in all its parts, according to the laws of
architecture; and the sensation of delight is still more exquisite, on
viewing the harmonious combination of colors, as exhibited in the
rainbow, or the flowers of the field. The ear, also, is ravished with
the harmony of musical sounds, and the palate is delighted with savory
dishes. But take away the cornice, or remove a column from the house, or
abstract one of the colors of the rainbow, and the eye is offended;
remove from the scale one of the musical sounds, and give undue
prominence to another, and harmony will become discord; and what could
be more insipid than a savory dish without salt?
So it is with the Christian character. Its beauty and loveliness depend
on the harmonious culture of all the Christian graces. If one is
deficient, and another too prominent, the idea of deformity strikes the
mind with painful sensations, somewhat similar to those produced by
harsh, discordant musical sounds, or by the disproportionate exhibition
of colors.
It was, probably, with an eye to this, that the apostle gave the
exhortation above quoted. He was exhorting to growth in grace; and he
would have the new man grow up with symmetrical proportions, so as to
form the "stature of a perfect man in Christ Jesus," not having all the
energies concentrated in one member, but having the body complete in all
its parts, giving a due proportion of comeliness, activity, and strength
to each. Thus, he says, _Add to your faith virtue_. By faith, I suppose
we are to understand the elementary principle of the Christian
character, as exhibited in regeneration; or the act which takes hold of
Christ. But we are not to rest in this. We are to add _virtue_, or
strength and courage, to carry out our new principle of action. But this
is not all that is needed. We may be full of courage and zeal; yet, if
we are ignorant of truth and duty, we shall make sad work of it, running
headlong, first into this extravagance, and then into that, disturbing
the plans of others, and defeating our own, by a rash and heedless
course of conduct.
Young Christians are in danger of making religion consist too
exclusively in emotion, which leads them to undervalue knowledge. But
while emotion is inseparable from spiritual religion, knowledge is no
less essential to intelligent emotion. Ignorance is not the mother of
devotion; and though a person may be sincerely and truly pious, with
only the knowledge of a few simple principles, yet, without a thorough
and comprehensive knowledge of religious truth, the Christian character
will be weak and unstable, easily led astray, and carried about by every
wind of doctrine. Knowledge is also essential to a high degree of
usefulness. It expands and invigorates the mind, and enables us, with
divine aid, to devise and execute plans of usefulness, with prudence and
energy.
But knowledge alone is not sufficient; nor even knowledge added to
faith. Temperance must be added, as a regulator, both of soul and body.
All our appetites and passions, desires and emotions, must be brought
within the bounds of moderation. And to temperance must be added
patience, that we may be enabled to endure the trials of this life, and
not to faint under the chastening hand of our heavenly Father. As it is
through much tribulation that we are to enter into the kingdom of
heaven, we have need of patience, both for our own comfort, and for the
honor of religion. Indeed, no grace is more needful, in the ordinary
affairs of life. It is the little, every-day occurrences that try the
Christian character: and it is in regard to these that patience works
experience. Many of these things are more difficult to be borne than the
greater trials of life, because the hand of God is less strikingly
visible in them. But patience enables us to endure those things which
cross the temper, with a calm, unruffled spirit; to encounter
contradictions, little vexations, and disappointments, without fretting,
or repining; and saves us from sinking under severe and protracted
afflictions.
To patience must be added godliness, "which is profitable unto all
things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to
come." To be _godly_, is to be, in a measure, _like God_. It is to be
"renewed in knowledge, after the image of him that created us," and to
have the same mind in us that was in Christ Jesus. This is the fruit of
that patience which works experience, and results in hope, which maketh
not ashamed.
To godliness must be added brotherly kindness; which is but acting out
the state of heart expressed by _godliness_, which indicates a partaking
of divine benevolence.
Then comes the crowning grace of CHARITY, "which is the bond of
perfectness," comprehending the whole circle of the social virtues.
Where all these qualities exist, in due proportion, they will form a
lovely character, harmonious and beautiful as the seven colors of the
rainbow; yea, with the addition of an eighth, of crowning lustre. But,
if any one suffers his religious feelings to concentrate on one point,
as though the whole of religion consisted in zeal, or devotional
feeling, or sympathy, or the promotion of some favorite scheme of
benevolence, you will find an exhibition of character as unlovely and
repulsive as though the seven colors of the rainbow should concentrate
in one, of livid hue, or pale blue, or sombre gray; as disagreeable as
though the sweet melody of a harmonious choir were changed into a dull,
monotonous bass; and as unsavory as a dish of meats seasoned only with
bitter herbs.
This disproportionate development of Christian character is more
frequently seen in young converts: especially such as have not received
a thorough Christian education, and are, consequently, deficient in
religious knowledge. They find themselves in a new world, and become so
much absorbed in the contemplation of the new objects that present
themselves to their admiring gaze, that they seem almost to forget that
they have any other duties to perform than those which consist in
devotional exercises. If these are interrupted, they will fret and worry
their minds, and wish for some employment entirely of a religious
nature. They wonder how it is possible for Christians to be _so cold_,
as to pursue their worldly employments as diligently as they do who take
this world for their portion; and often you will hear them breaking out
in expressions of great severity against older Christians, because they
do not sympathize with them in these feelings. Their daily employments
become irksome; and they are tempted even to neglect the interests of
their employers, with the plea, that the service of God has the first
claim upon them. But they forget that the service of God consists in the
faithful performance of every social and relative duty, "_as unto the
Lord, and not to men_," as well as the more direct devotional exercises;
and that the one is as essential to the Christian character as the
other. The Bible requires us to be "diligent in business," as well as
"fervent in spirit;" and the religion of the Bible makes us better in
all the relations of this life, as well as in our relations with God.
Young Christians are also prone to undervalue _little things_. The
greater things of religion take such strong possession of their souls,
that they overlook many minor things of essential importance. In seasons
of special religious awakening, this mistake is very common; in
consequence of which, many important interests suffer, and the
derangement which follows, makes an unfavorable impression as to the
influence of revivals. The spirit of the Christian religion requires
that every duty should be discharged in its proper time. The beauty of
the Christian character greatly depends on its symmetrical proportions.
A person may be very zealous in some things, and yet quite defective in
his Christian character. And the probability is, that he has no more
religion than shows itself in its consistent proportions. The new energy
imparted by the regenerating grace of God may unite itself with the
strong points of his character, and produce a very prominent
development; while, in regard to those traits of character which are
naturally weak, in his constitutional temperament, grace may be scarcely
perceptible. For instance, a person who is naturally bold and resolute,
will be remarkable, when converted, for his _moral courage_; while,
perhaps, he may be very deficient in _meekness_. And the one who is
naturally weak and irresolute, will perhaps be remarkable for the mild
virtues, but very deficient in strength and energy of character. Now,
the error lies in cultivating almost exclusively those Christian graces
which fall in with our prominent traits of character. We should rather
bend our energies, by the grace of God, chiefly to the development of
those points of character which are naturally weak, while we discipline,
repress, and bring under control, those which are too prominent. This
will prevent deformity, and develop a uniform consistency of character.
There is, perhaps, a peculiar tendency to this _one-sided_ religion in
this age of excitement and activity; and the young convert, whose
Christian character is not matured, is peculiarly liable to fall into
this error. The mind becomes absorbed with one object. The more
exclusively this object is contemplated, the more its importance is
magnified. It becomes, to his mind, the _main thing_. It is identified
with his ideas of religion. He makes it a _test of piety_. Then he is
prepared to regard and treat all who do not come up to his views on this
point as destitute of true religion; though they may exhibit a
consistency of character, in other respects, to which he is a stranger.
This leads to denunciation, alienation of feeling, bitterness, and
strife. But one of God's commands is as dear to him as another; and we
cannot excuse ourselves before him, for disobeying one, on the ground
that we practise another. The perfection of Christian character consists
in the harmonious development of the Christian graces. This is what I
understand by the "stature of a perfect man in Christ Jesus;" a man who
has no deformity; who is complete in all his members and all his
faculties. That you may attain to this, is the sincere prayer of
Your affectionate Brother.