more entitled to be called a righteous man in the Scriptural, which is the etymological and only just sense, than a room may be said to be illuminated with two or three farthing candles in its remote corners. The central light is wanting. Faith in God, leading to all the issues of a practical piety, such as reverence, trust, worship, and steadfast obedience, is therefore indispensable to the character which is found in them whose experience sustains the words of our text.

Im

To man also does this word point, indicating the duties of philanthropy. For how can one encompassed by the relations which bind him to his fellow-creatures be right, while he neglects the offices of kindness, good-will, and various service which arise out of these relations? possible. Let him be ever so strict in his self-government and ever so constant in his prayers, he is manifestly wrong in not embracing every opportunity of conferring benefit on others. He a needy, frail creature, is a type to himself of the necessities and frailties of universal humanity. His consciousness, therefore, is a perpetual intimation to him of his duty. He, too, if he be a Christian, acknowledges the will of God as the standard of right; and this will, whether he read it in the lessons of Providence or in the instructions of Christ, requires him to love and serve his fellow-men. His own soul tells him that it is wrong not to care for them and do for them all that he can, to make himself a friend, a benefactor, a brother to all within his reach. Life reiterates the commandment, "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," through the thousand echoes which experience throws back upon his heart. And Christianity taking up the same inculcation gives it a breadth and depth of meaning, that makes the

individual's neighborhood as large as the world, and calls up his love from the very bottom of his heart. The experience likewise of the blessedness of that character which we are contemplating, springing out of the conviction that it is the highest good of man, compels one by whom it is realized to exert himself to the utmost to communicate to others the same satisfaction. He wishes to serve them, that he may stand right with himself. How can he serve them best? His own experience shows him, in no way so well as in bringing them to righteousness. Therefore does he make it his purpose and endeavor to convert men from the error of their ways, that they may keep the straight and narrow way which leadeth unto life. Thus we see that the faith and the experience of the true Christian, if we admit that he is described in the text, concur in kindling up in his soul the flame of philanthropy, of that philanthropy which studies man's highest interests and aims to promote his spiritual welfare. I know it has been said that this doctrine of righteousness is cold and narrow, and that if preached alone it will make men think only of themselves. What a gross misapprehension of its import! Just recur to the original force of the expression. Can a man be right, can he feel himself to be right, while he neglects any means of bringing others to experience the blessedness with which his own soul is full through harmony between all its exercises and the Divine will? No. Perfect righteousness is perfect love, love to God, and love to man, love flowing out in sentiment, in speech, in act, even as the sun pours down its beams, freely, continually, and without diminution.

What we have now found to be true in regard to the great divisions of the religious life, is equally true in

respect to every branch of Christian doctrine or duty. Righteousness includes them all. Is it repentance, for example, on which any one insists as the commencement of salvation? The necessity of repentance is of course a part of that doctrine of righteousness, which requires the soul to be conformed in its temper and habits to the known will of God. A rightly disposed mind must regard its former deviation from rectitude with sorrow and shame; nor can one who has done wrong put himself in a right state, except by repenting of his evil courses, as he ceases to do evil and learns to do well. Is it regeneration, which is made the essential part of Christian experience? He who becomes righteous must not only turn from sin with abhorrence, but must loathe the corrupt tastes and bad practices of his former life; and what is this but regeneration, when instead of coveting sinful indulgence he hungers and thirsts for that which is its opposite. Is it faith in Christ, which is demanded as the basis of a new life? The righteousness of which we are treating is that which Christ enjoined, to the establishment of which in the world he consecrated all the influences of his life and death, and which has had its only full exhibition in his character; which therefore cannot exist, except in a very imperfec: degree, where faith in Christ is not cherished, but where this is maintained grows into complete manifestation. Is it spirituality of character, which is represented as the end and effect of the Gospel? If by the spiritual life be understood the culture of all the powers which belong to our nature, under a just sense of their relative importance and with an habitual regard to God as their source and the termination of the successive stages of their development, it is manifest that such cul

ture is identical with the growth of personal righteousness; and if any thing else be meant, it is not less clear that the language is used as the symbol of a mysticism which needs to be enlightened, or of an enthusiasm which needs to be restrained. Whatever be the view taken of Christianity in its relations to the individual or to the world, I am confident that, if it be a view sanctioned by the teaching of Christ and his Apostles, it will come within the survey obtained from this central position of the righteousness of which I speak, of which Christ spoke when he said, "Blessed are they who who do hunger and thirst after it, for they shall be filled." A righteousness covering, filling, controlling, and where there has been past negligence, transforming the whole man, this is the one thing needful. This is indispensable, this is sufficient. With this a man is a Christian; without it he is not a Christian. With this he is a child of God, whose inheritance is heaven; without he is a child and an heir of hell.

This doctrine should be believed, heartily and practically believed. Then should we see, were such belief general, - what has never yet been seen, a nation, a world consecrated to God. Then should we see, in this land, throughout Christendom, over the face of the globe, a revival of religion that would make the heavens bend over us in rejoicing at the full establishment of that kingdom of righteousness and peace and holy joy, of which Christ laid the foundations when by pass ng through the regions of death he justified the faith of men in him as the Prince of life. To gain for this doctrine the reception which it is worthy to receive, did he take upon himself the form of a servant, and exchanging the glories of the Father's face for the ignominy of the cross en

counter what wrung from him a prayer, that, if it were possible, the Divine counsels might release him from the fearful task he had undertaken. To quicken in men the desire, that so they might secure the fruition, of righteousness, was that wonderful chapter ofinspiration and martyr. dom written in the world's history, to which for eighteen centuries believing hearts have looked back with a gratitude too big for words. And surely it is time that this doctrine was acknowledged, and its place of authority and primacy allowed it. But still are men incredulous; and Christian people merit the rebuke which Jesus ad. dressed to his immediate followe s in that sharp though softened reproof, "Oh, ye of little faith" Faith is needed in the supreme importance and the sufficiency of righteousness. Few are thoroughly persuaded concerning its obligation, and a still smaller number devote themselves to it as the great want, and interest, and glory of a human being. Oh, when shall the generation of the righteous occupy the earth! Then shall be the millennial period. Then shall the Gospel have accomplished its office, and Christ shall reign king of nations as he is king of saints. We want righteous men. This is the great want of We want not dogmatists, nor religionists, nor visionaries; but righteous men. We want not criticism, nor philosophy, nor Orthodoxy, nor zeal, there is enough of all these; but righteousness, of which there is very little. We want righteous men in public life, and in private life, -righteous statesmen, and righteous husbandmen, — righteous merchants, and righteous mechanics, students who shall study righteousness, and practise what they study, rich men who shall make a right use of their riches, and poor men who shall make a right use of their

the time.