The gospel promotive of true happiness

CHAPTER I. The Love of God, 15 — 38

The object of the work — Idolatrous love; unsatisfying — The love of God; perfectly satisfying — Illustrated by earthly affections — The Gospel scheme — The happiness that flows from loving the Saviour — Exhortation to those who feel this divine love.

CHAPTER II. The Service of God, 39—50

A service of love — Obligations to the Redeemer — Obedience to God's commandments — Love sweetens service — The Missionary — St. Paul — A question answered.

CHAPTER III. The Service of God, 50 — 67

Its intrinsic grandeur — A laudable seeking for glory and honour — Consistent with humility — Different objects of human pursuit — The Christian Minister — George the Third — Wilberforce — Sir Matthew Hale — Retrospective view.

IV CONTENTS.

CHAPTER IV. The Christian's Hope, 67 — 79

Superiority of the Christian's happiness in glorifying God — The dignity imparted to soul and body by the service of God — Interest imparted to every occupation — The insufficiency of earthly hope — Always disappointing — The Christian's hope "contrasted — Glorious; sure; full of immortality.

Chapter V. . 79—95

Various causes of anxiety — Insecurity of earthly happiness — A domestic scene — Selfish solicitude — The Gospel antidote — Trust in God- Cheerful confidingness in His love— Satisfied with all his appointments — Earthly desires moderated — Chief happiness secure — The Holy Spirit, the Comforter.

CHAPTER VI. The Fear or Death, 95—106

Haunts the worldling — Cannot be always banished — Domestic visitations — The Christian's triumph — Confidence in the Saviour — A specific for true enjoyment — The world viewed in its proper light — Heaven the Christian's home — Contrast between the Christian and the worldling in the prospect of eternity.

CHAPTER VII. The Christian Character, . . ... 106 — 123

Character essential to happiness — The character of God ; manifested in the Saviour — Conformity to it indispensable — The Holy Spirit's office—

CONTENTS. V

The Beatitudes— Humility — exemplified in the Redeemer — The Gospel provision for its cultivation — Promotes happiness by exciting gratitude to God ; and meekness under provocation from man — Contrasted effects of pride — Exhortation to cultivate Christian humility.

Chapter VIII

Covetousness — Ambition — Haman — Solomon — Contentment under every providential disappointment — The Saviour's example.

Chapter IX

Resentment — The misery it inflicts— Duelling — Its sinfulness — Opposed to the precepts and example of the Saviour — The Lord's prayer — Wilberforce — Eternal consequences of this sin — A Court of Honour — Petitions — Forgivingness — Stephen — The Saviour — Devotional enjoyments —Prayer— The Scriptures— The Sabbath— The Sacramental Table.

Chapter X

Love; the essence of the Saviour's character — Redemption — Creation — Proper self-love — Selfishness — Kindred passions — Contrast of Christian love — Howard — Wilberforce — The salvation of souls — Missionary labours; abroad; at home — Multiplied channels of happiness — The animal creation — Other features of the Saviour's character — Tts divine love recommended for imitation — Satan's influence — The Holy Spirit.

VI CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XL

Christian Cheerfulness, . . . . 176 — 192

Indulgences forbidden — Sinful pleasures — Sources of innocent enjoyment — Self-denial and temperance required — Christian cheerfulness ; becomes the believer; recommends the gospel; glorifies God — The world's mistaken estimate of true happiness — Its distinguishing characteristics — The pleasures which flow through the channel of the senses — The Christian's advantage over the worldling.

CHAPTER XI L Intellectual Enjoyments, .... 192 — 203

The intellect employed on religious subjects — Astronomy — the Christian astronomer — Other scientific pursuits — Caution as to classical studies — Beautiful scenery — Creation a type of Christ — Cowper — Address to the Saviour — Music — Its legitimate use — Public worship — Family worship.

CHAPTER XIII. Pleasures of the Imagination, . . . 204—231

The influence of the imagination — Power of poetry — Its abuse — The guilt of making it the minister of sin — Its consecration to the service of God — Milton — The imagination employed on Scriptural subjects — Retrospectively — Old Testament History — The Saviour — Prospectively — The Millennium — Heaven — Beneficial results- Novel reading — Pernicious effects — Religious fiction — Cautions — Religions works recommended—The Bible.

CONTENTS. Vll

CHAPTER XIV. Theatrical Amusements, .... 231 — 240

Their anti-scriptural character — Injurious consequences — Testimonies — Wilberforce — Hannah More — Gisborne — Doctor Bennet — Angel James — Rev. Peter Roe.

CHAPTER XV. Social Intercourse, *, 240 — 262

Worldly society — Atmosphere of selfishness — Christian society — Atmosphere of love — Worldly amusements — Gambling — Their essential sinfulness — To be happy without God — Contrast of Christian intercourse — Danger of worldly companionship — Blessings of Christian friendship — Admonitory hints to Christians — Topics of conversation — Superiority of the Christian's — A word of warning to the professing Church — Suitable style of religious conversation — Its beneficial results.

Chapter XVI

The Domestic Affections, .... 263 — 284 Love the element of the Christian character — The domestic affections purified and elevated by religion — Preserved from idolatrous excess — Assimilated to Christ's love — Contrast of worldly affections — Expostulation with worldly parents — Dr. Chalmers — A Christian home — Its devotions; occupations; enjoyments; trials; consolations; separation by death; re-union in heaven — Address to Christian parents ; and children — Christendom composed of Christian families — Missionary cause — Outpouring of the Holy Spirit — Glorious results.

Vlll CONTENTS.

CHAPTER XVir.

Concluding Address, . . . . . 284 — 309

Reader addressed as an inquirer after happiness- Retrospective view of the work — The pledge redeemed — Appeal to the reader — The understanding but not the heart convinced — Expostulation — Toplady's hymn — Dwight on Regeneration — True pleasure — A foolish choice — Objections answered — Causes of apparent or real melancholy in religious professors — Infallible testimony; human; angelic; divine — The young — The middle-aged — The old — Reader addressed as a professing Christian — The Cross — The almost-Christian — Affliction— Death — Day of Judgment — Eternity — Hell— Heaven — Concluding appeal.

Preface

It may be desirable, to prevent mistake or disappointment, to state briefly the design of the following work.

I have been, in some measure, led to the subject I have chosen, and the light in which I have represented it,* by what I have witnessed, since last I appeared before the public, of the power of the Gospel, understood and embraced as I have described. I have seen its power gloriously exhibited in enabling a sufferer of years to endure intense and protracted agony with a patiencej I should say, a cheerfulness of resignation, that was never ruffled with a passing murmur of discontent; and to enjoy with uninterrupted thankfulness of peace that was undarkened by a passing cloud of doubt or fear — an humble holy peace — resting exclusively on the merits of that Redeemer in whom she trusted with undivided dependence; and stamped by the Holy Spirit with the authenticating impress of His seal — "the image and superscription of God" — traced, with beautiful clearness, in every feature of her character, and every action of her life — a peace which sorrow^ served only to deepen, and death itself had no power to dis- 2

X PREFACE.

turb; for beside the dying bed a Voice was heard— a Voice that never speaks in vain — whispering — "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee!" — and, listening to the comforting assurances of that well-known Voice, and leaning on the almighty arm of Him whose love it revealed, she walked with calm composure through the dark valley of the shadow of death — exclaiming, in the meek confidence of unconquerable faith — "I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me !"

And I have also seen the power of the Gospel to impart such deep serenity of soul — such unfailing cheerfulness— such holy joy, to one arrested by the hand of disease in the bright morning of youth, as diffused through her sick chamber an atmosphere of sunshine, so unclouded that Christian friends delighted to come there, to be refreshed by witnessing the Saviour's faithfulness and tenderness to one of His flock; and the peculiar loveliness of the Christian character, when the heart, in all the freshness of its young affections, is given to God — displayed in the sweet smile which told that the peace of God dwelt within — the gentle voice which delighted to speak of a Saviour's love, and on whose lips the law of kindness continually dwelt — "the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which, in the sight of God, is of great price" — her delight in the Sabbath and the Scriptures — the deep devoted ness of her love to Him who died for us, which enabled her to rejoice in the prospect of death, not from an impatient desire to escape from suffering, but from a holy de-

PREFACE. XI

sire to "depart and be with Christ" — an unwavering faith that trusted triumphantly in the Redeemer's righteousness, combined with an unaffected humility that entirely renounced all reliance on her own— and an uncomplaining submission, sweetened by a spirit of thankful contentment, which, in the most affecting language, spoke the inmost feelings of her heart under all her sufferings — "Father! not my will, but Thine be done !"

I have seen these unanswerable proofs of the truth of that touching testimony of Cowper's, to the consolatory and gladdening influence of the Gospel — that, whatever be the sorrows of the Christian,

''The soul, reposing on assured relief, Feels herself happy amidst all her grief, Forgets her labour as she toils along, Weeps tears of joy, and bursts into a song!"

And having witnessed such triumphant displays of the power of the Gospel, I felt that, debarred, as I am, by my state of health, from the privilege I once enjoyed, of " preaching the unsearchable riches of Christ," I could not better employ the leisure time which seclusion from the active duties of the ministry afforded me, than in endeavouring to recommend, to my fellow-travellers through the vale of tears, that Gospel whose blessed influences I had thus witnessed, that it might prove to them, also, a ministering spirit of consolation, peace, and joy, in the season of sorrow, in the chamber of sickness, and on the bed of death!

But there is another aspect of the Gospel, which

Xll PREFACE.

I have been desirous to exhibit ; more especially for the sake of those (in whose happiness I feel deeply interested) who are entering, with all the ardent feelings and high-raised hopes of youth, on the journey of life.

I wish to prove to them, that there is not a source of earthly enjoyment, which, even as rational beings, they could consistently desire, that the Gospel forbids ; — yea, more than this — not merely that it does not frown upon, but even explicitly sanctions — ay, and by sanctifying, exalts, and additionally sweetens them all ! This aspect of the Gospel I cannot, perhaps, better illustrate, than by alluding to a circumstance which occurred during my visit to England last year.

I was spending a morning with a devoted servant of God, in the immediate neighbourhood of Keswick. While gazing on the exquisite beauties of the surrounding scenery, eneircling that loveliest of the English lakes, a splendid burst of sunshine suddenly broke over the landscape, and lit up all its beauties with surpassing glory! It seemed as if a smile of joy was kindled on creation's cheek by the presence of her God. As I was looking on the scene with intense admiration and delight, the domestics of my Christian host entered the room to assemble for family worship. He immediately sat down to a fine-toned organ ; and, while sweet strains of sacred melody rose upon the ear, many voices were blended together in a sublime song of thanksgiving and praise, to the Author of all the beauties that sur-

PREFACE. Xlll

rounded us — the God of creation, providence, and grace. Now such (I could not but think) is the influence of the Gospel on every purer pleasure that this world supplies. By pouring on them the sunshine of a Saviour's smile, it brightens with celestial splendour every fair scene of earthly enjoyment — and mingles with that enjoyment feelings of adoration, and songs of praise ! Thus it heightens while it hallows all earthly happiness — and by purifying makes more precious every sweet source of earthly bliss.

I have, therefore, endeavoured, in this volume, to prove that the search after happiness — that universal search which keeps so many thousands of the children of men in constant restlessness, chasing vain shadows, and disquieting themselves in vain, and which with such multitudes ends in disappointment and everlasting despair — will be successfully pursued only by the individual who has experienced the feelings, and is acting on the resolution, imbodied in the pious Doddridge's beautiful paraphrase of his family motto —

"Live while you live, the epicure would say, And seize the pleasures of the present day ! Live while you live, the sacred preacher cries, And give to God each moment as it flies ! Lord, in my views let both united be-~ I live in pleasure, when I live to Thee !' ;

Should this volume be honoured as the instrument of inducing a single inquirer who has hitherto been

2*

XIV PREFACE.

unsuccessful in his search, to try the only path which conducts to true happiness in this world, or the eternal one heyond the grave, the path that is brightened by a Saviour's smile, and bounded by the vista-view of heaven — I will, indeed, most thankfully rejoice at having been permitted to glorify God, by the addition of even this mite to the sum of human happiness; while giving undividedly the praise to that blessed Spirit, who can alone, by His almighty power, persuade any of Adam's fallen race to lay down, at the foot of the cross, the arms of his rebellion against God; and, with a Saviour's love enthroned in his heart, and the light of His counte. nance lifted up on his soul — reposing with confidence on His finished work, and rejoicing in hope of "His glorious appearing," to seek for happiness in the exercises and enjoyments, the pursuits and prospects, of that "godliness which has the promise of the life that now is, as well as of that which is to come."

HUGH WHITE.

THE GOSPEL

PROMOTIVE OF TRUE HAPPINESS

Chapter I. The Love Of Cod

Among the erroneous impressions, which are so fatally prevalent in the world, on those subjects that are most intimately connected with our true welfare, both for time and for eternity, there is not one, perhaps, which more unequivocally proclaims that man's understanding has been darkened by the fall, or which exercises a more injurious influence on human happiness, than the belief that the religion of the Gospel is unfriendly to present enjoyment; that it requires the sacrifice of every thing which can conduce to render our journey through life a pleasant pilgrimage; and that its distinguishing characteristics are a clouded countenance, a gloomy spirit, and a heavy heart. In order to expose the absurdity, as well as impiety, of this belief, it might be deemed sufficient to appeal to reason, (however fallen from its primeval dignity, and perverted by those depraved passions, by which sin obscures its vision and biases its judgment,) and to abide by its verdict or the decision of the question, whether it is, a priori, a reasonable anticipation, that the service of that Being who is love, essential love, and the fountain of all true felicity, should be a gloomy service — that the consecration of our lives to Him whose loving-kindness is better than life itself, should be calculated to cloud the spirit with melancholy, and the countenance with sadness — and that a wellgrounded hope of everlasting happiness in heaven should tend to deprive us of heartfelt happiness during our sojourn on earth ! Surely such sentiments are so self-evidently absurd, that to state them is to confute them. And it might appear a work of supererogation — indeed a very waste of words — to use any lengthened argument to prove their impious fallacy, were it not that the practical influence of this erroneous impression (however manifestly it may outrage the plainest dictates of reason, as well as revelation) is so extensively, and, as far as man's real welfare is concerned, so destructively prevalent. There is, however, one class of individuals, for whom it is impossible not to feel the deepest, the liveliest interest, and to whom this erroneous opinion, as to the influence of religion on present happiness, is peculiarly prejudicial, as it tends so directly and powerfully to dissuade them from entering on the only career in which true and satisfying happiness can be found — I mean those who are commencing the journey of life, at that most interesting and critical period when, in all the enthusiasm of youthful feeling, the desire for enjoyment beats high in the human breast— when the passions are strong, the imagination ardent, and the thirst for pleasure so intense, that whatever promises to delight the heart, or to gladden the senses, is but too extravagantly prized, and too eagerly pursued. Oh! of what infinite importance is it to their temporal and eternal welfare, that religion should not appear to

OF TRUE HAPPINESS. I 7

them invested with a repulsive aspect, hut arrayed in all her native loveliness, with that heavenly smile irradiating her countenance, which irresistibly carries to the heart the conviction, that "all her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace !"

For the sake, then, more especially of the young, I would desire to endeavour to expose the utter falsehood of this libel against the religion of the Gospel, which Satan, in his malignant hatred of the human race, so peculiarly delights to persuade his blinded victims to believe. I would desire to exhibit the service of "God our Saviour" in its true, its scriptural character, as the source of the purest, sweetest happiness that can be enjoyed on earth, as well as the only guide to eternal happiness in heaven. I would fain persuade those, who, in life's morning prime, are sjtting out, buoyant w T ith hope, in search of enjoyment, not to rest satisfied in this matter with the opinion of the world, but to make the trial for themselves, that so, by their own experience, they may ascertain, whether the smile of God will indeed shed a gloom over their pathway through life, and whether the hope of heaven will cloud all the happiness of earth.

In proof of the position I am desirous to establish, I shall endeavour to demonstrate, that true religion is promotive of true happiness. I. Because true religion supplies the only object that can entirely fill and satisfy the boundless affections of the human heart.

It requires but a slight acquaintance with the constitution of our nature, and the phenomena that on every side present themselves to our notice, in connexion with the sources of the happiness of our fellow-creatures, to be impressed with the conviction, that the affections exercise the most important influence on the happiness of mankind. Nor can it be overlooked or controverted, that the misplacing of those affections, the idolatrous lavishing of them, in all their strength and sweetness, on created objects, (however deserving of them, or entitled to them, in a subordinate degree,) has been, ever since the fall, one of the most fruitful sources of that sorrow which has deluged our world, and rendered its history but too like the Prophet's roll, " written within and without, full of lamentation, and mourning, and wo."

In truth, to centre our supreme affections on any creature, even though the object of our idolatrous attachment were possessed of every exalted and engaging attribute of character, and entitled, by the claims of the closest relationship, to the fondest love w T hich a creature has a right to demand, is to run counter to God's design in bestowing those affections. It is to erect an idol in the temple, — yea, on the very altar of the living God! It is to place a usurper on Jehovah's throne! It is to abuse one of His most precious gifts into a means of offering to the gracious Giver one of the most provoking affronts by which His majesty can be insulted, His name dishonoured, and His loving-kindness despised. And can this be supposed to be the path that will conduct the soul to true happiness? Can real, can satisfying felicity be consistently hoped for in such an insulting defiance of the divine majesty, — in such an ungrateful contempt of the divine love?

God created man for Himself, to find in his love, in conformity of His character, congeniality with His will, communion with His Spirit, and devotedness to His service, the only satisfying happiness of which his nature is susceptible. God is therefore, Himself, the only object that is worthy of the supreme affections of the human heart, or is capable of filling their vast capacities with a fulness of bliss commensurate with their infinite desires! In truth, there is in the heart of man, however debased or depraved by the fall, a yearning after some object more deserving of its entire homage, confidingness, and love, than the best or dearest objects that this world can supply. This instinctive yearning, which nothing earthly can ever satisfy, testifies to man's original destination and dignity. It is like a magnificent pillar of a ruined temple, which proclaims how noble an edifice that temple must have been in its primeval glory. It is, as it were, a spark of that celestial fire, which glowed with such brightness and warmth in man's bosom, in the morning of his innocence; and which even sin itself seems not to have entirely a^ienched, but left it still smouldering amidst the ruins of man's nature, as a witness to testify of God, and, by pointing to Him as man's rightful Sovereign, and only satisfying portion, to call back the wanderer to the forsaken path of primeval bliss. Yes! and since Jehovah formed man's heart as a throne for Himself, can it be supposed, that as long as man permits any idol, however attractive, to usurp that throne, he can enjoy true happiness, in time or in eternity? If he can, must it not be in spite of God? Must it not be by defeating God's design ? Or, to state the question in a different form, since it will be at once and universally admitted, that no individual can be happy, in any worthy sense of the word, contrary to God's will, does it not necessarily follow, that if man can attain to true happiness, by lavishing on an earthly idol that supreme love which is God's exclusive prerogative and right, God must be Himself considered a consenting party to this arrangement, and thus be supposed to sanction that very usurpation of His prerogative, which, as a jealous God, He is uniformly represented in Scripture as resenting with peculiar indignation and wrath?

Nor need we fear to leave the decision of this question to the experience of the most enthusiastic and successful votary of earthly love. Let him honestly declare the result of his experiment of endeavouring to find satisfying happiness in an earthly object's love, and let that object be as worthy of his affections, and requite them with a love as deep and as devoted as his idolatrous heart can desire.

Now we do not deny, that such love will be a source of enjoyment altogether superior, in purity and sweetness, to that which flows from any other earthly source. For such is the happiness linked, by the appointment of that God who Himself is love, with the indulgence of every pure and tender affection which He has implanted in our hearts, that, though he who makes an idol of any earthly object will assuredly pay the penalty of his guilt and ingratitude of God, in the intense anxieties and apprehensions inseparable from all idolatrous attachment, yet will he enjoy, we freely confess, in the sympathizing affection and endearing converse of the object of his heart's fondest love, a happiness to which no other, which any earthly source can supply, can for one moment be compared.

Yet even to him, in the moment of his heart's deepest bliss, would we fearlessly appeal, and ask him, does he feel perfectly satisfied ? Is there no aching void within his heart? Is there no ungratified desire, which still torments him with a thirst, that all the enjoyments of the most devoted earthly love are utterly unable to quench ? Does he not, after having reached the summit of his earthly wishes, as he fondly hoped it would prove, experience a sensation of disappointment, similar to that which is frequently felt by the traveller who is scaling a lofty mountain? How often does he find, that when he has reached the point, which, as he gazed on it from below, appeared to him the summit of the mountain, he has been most painfully deceived ; that still the object of all his ambition and exertions is far, far above him ; and he must either toil on in fainting weariness, or rest where he is in bitter disappointment and despair!

And is not such the experience of the most successful votary of earthly love ? Is it not even thus, that, after having reached the very point, in his pursuit of happiness, which he fondly fancied would prove the summit of his wishes, he is doomed to find that his flattering hopes have been disappointed — that he has indeed gained a point of considerable elevation, raised far above the gross atmosphere of debasing sensuality or sordid covetousness, from which he can command an extensive prospect of the beauteous scenery stretched out beneath him, and where he breathes a purer and serener air ; but has not gained the point on which his desires and hopes were so fondly fixed — for that still heart-satisfying happiness is beyond his reach ? And further, we must, in order to exhibit more adequately the insufficiency of this purest source of earthly enjoyment, advert to its insecurity, a consciousness of which, even if it does not continually haunt the idolater of earthly love, must, in spite of all his efforts to banish the fearful recollection, flash frequently on his startled soul the terrifying conviction, that the object of his idolatry is mortal; and that, therefore, a single moment may tear it from his arms, and dash his cup of earthly bliss from his lips for ever !

Oh ! how must this dreadful apprehension come, at times, like a ghastly spectre, flinging the shadow of death over the scenes of brightest enjoyment, and 3 chilling the warm life-blood of happiness in the heart!

Now contrast with all this the happiness of the heart whose supreme affections are centred on the blessed God! But here, beyond all other themes, the utter inadequacy of human language to express the deeper or loftier emotions of the soul, when flowing from a divine source, is most painfully felt ! For, what language of earth can convey the faintest conception of the blessedness of that man who has been enabled, by the divine power of the Holy Spirit, to choose as the object of his supreme affections the ever-blessed triune God ; and (as far as such a blissful state is attainable on this side heaven) to love Him with the whole heart, and soul, and mind and strength! Still, however injured such a theme must be by every attempt to unfold its blessedness, I would desire, in humble dependence on divine grace, to point out some of the more prominent characteristics, which exalt the happiness flowing from the love of God so immeasurably above the happiness which flows from the sweetest earthly source.

If the happiness which pure love imparts be proportioned to the excellence of the object on whom it is fixed, must not the happiness which the love of the blessed God supplies be infinite as the perfections of its divine Object, and as superior to what the purest earthly love supplies as He is superior to the most excellent of the children of men ? How exalted, then, above all earthly bliss must be the enjoyment which springs up in a Christian's soul, from the consciousness of having bestowed his heart's first and fullest affections on the only Being in the universe who is deserving of them! — the uncreated Author and Original of all excellence — the Object of the adoration of all the host of heaven — the

Fountain of all felicity — in whom all conceivable perfections, in infinite degree and concentrated glory, are combined ! Oh ! is not this an object, indeed, worthy of the heart's supremest love? And must it not be unbounded bliss to centre it on Him ? Must it not bring with it an elevating consciousness of our affections being ennobled, by being bestowed on Him who is the source of all real glory ? Does not His infinite greatness invest them with a dignity, which exalts them immeasurably above the most exalted earthly love — and His infinite goodness impart to them a sweetness, which as much transcends the sweetest earthly love ? To love God! — to love Him who is himself essential love ! essential goodness! essential glory! — to love Him whom cherubim and seraphim adore and love ! oh, what ineffable bliss ! How does it touch on the bliss of angels! How does it shed round the soul the atmosphere of heaven ! What is the bliss of angels? Is it not to love God? Is not this the essence of their perfect joy? And what is the atmosphere of heaven?. Is it not the love of God? And is not, therefore, the loving God supremely, even as the angels love Him — is not this to breathe even on earth the atmosphere of heaven ? Yes, to love Him who is altogether lovely — to love Him for His own sake, because of His infinite perfections, entitling Him to our supremest adoration and love — thus to love him, independently of the love of gratitude due to Him, as our all-bountiful Benefactor, to whom we are indebted for every blessing we either have or hope for, — this is indeed to come as near the bliss of celestial intelligences, and the spirits of the just made perfect, as in this world of clouded vision and crushing infirmity the child of God can hope to attain, as long as he is imprisoned in a vile body of sin and death !