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PRELIMINARY PRINCIPLES

a profession of ihe Christian religion. “ Bring forth, therefore,fruits meet for repentance.” * Again, “ Ye shall know themby their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs ofthistles ? Even so, every good tree bringeth forth good fruit ;but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannotbring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth goodfruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewndown, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shallknow them.”f Again, comparing faith and works, St. Jamessays, “ What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say hehath faith, and have not works ? Can faith save him ? If abrother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and oneof you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed andfilled ; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which areneedful to the body ; what doth it profit ? Even so faith, if ithath not works, is dead, being alone. By works a man is justi-fied, and not by faith only. For, as the body without the spiritis dead, so faith without works is dead also.” And the samesacred writer declares, that mere belief in one God without acorresponding moral effect, is no better than the belief of devils,who, while they believe, tremble at the vengeance of the Most

High.*

We have seen that mere profession, and even zeal, howeverimpassioned, without corresponding practical virtue, will not beacceptable ; and it may be added, that neither are actions, donefrom motives of ostentation and desire of fame, virtuous in theeye of Christianity. Still it is the selfish desire of fame, to beused for purposes of self-gratification only, or chiefly, and not tobe turned to the benefit of mankind, on which Christianityfrowns. We may aim, and ought to aim, to acquire reputation,which we propose to ourselves to use rightfully and beneficially.“ Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen ofthem, otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is inheaven. When thou prayest, enter into thy closet; and, whenthou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret;and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” §

Mat. iii. 8. t Mat. vii. 16-20. t James ii. 14-26. § Mat. vi. 1 -6.