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ON

RELIGIOUS RETIREMENT.

IT is T is difficult to speak on the subject of RELIGIOUS RETIREMENT. I am fully persuaded that most religious tradesmen are defective in this duty, those especially in this great city. I tell every one of them so with whom I am intimately acquainted, and they all contest the point with

me.

Yet there are some considerations, which, in my own private judgment concerning the thing, lead me to think that the religion of a great city is to be viewed in an aspect of its own. I say not this to those men whom I see endangered by the spirit of such a place. Give them an inch, and they will take an ell. But I learn from it to aim at possibilities, and not to bend the bow till it breaks.

I say, every where and to all-" You must hold intercourse with God, or your soul will die. You must walk with God, or Satan will walk with you. You must grow in grace, or you will lose it and you cannot do this, but by appropriating

to this object a due portion of your time, and diligently employing suitable means." But, having said this, I leave it. I cannot limit and define to such men the exact way in which they must apply these principles, but the principles themselves I insist on. What I ought to do myself under my circumstances, I know; and what I ought to do were I in trade, I seem now to know: but what I really should do were I in trade, I know not; and, because I know it not, I am afraid, in telling another man precisely how he ought to apply this principle, that I should act hypocritically and pharisaically. Stated seasons of retirement ought to be appointed and religiously observed, but the time and the measure of this retirement must be left to a man's own judgment and conscience.

I am restrained from dogmatizing on this subject, by reflecting on the sort of religion which seems in fact to be best suited to human nature itself; and especially to human nature harassed, worried, loaded, and urged as it is in this great city.

But I am restrained also by another consideration.--Difference of character seems to stamp a holy variety on the operation of religious principle. Some men live in a spirit of prayer, who are scarcely able to fix themselves steadily to the solemn act of prayer. Our characters are so much our own, that if a man were to come into my family in order to form himself on my model,

and to imitate me for a month, it might seriously injure him. I have a favourite walk of twenty steps in my study and chamber: that walk is my oratory but if another man were obliged to walk as he prayed, it is very probable he could not pray at all.

In defining the operation of religious principle, I am afraid of becoming an Albert Durer. Albert Durer gave rules for forming the perfect figure of a man. He marked and defined all the relations and proportions. Albert Durer's man became the model of perfection in every Academy in Europe; and now every Academy in Europe has abandoned it, because no such figure was ever found in nature. I am afraid of reducing the variety, which, to a certain degree, may be of God's own forming, to my notion of perfection. "You must maintain and cultivate a spirit of devotion"-I say to all: "but be ye judges, as conscientious men, of the particular means suited to your circumstances."

The SPIRIT of devotion should be our great aim. We are, indeed, buried in sense, and cannot possibly attain or improve this spirit, but by proper means; yet these means are to be adapted and varied to character and situation.

"I MUST walk with God. In some way or other, whatever be my character or profession, I MUST acquire the holy habit of connecting every thing that passes in my house and affairs, with God. If sickness or health visit my family, my

eye must see and my heart must acknowledge the hand of God therein. Whether my affairs move on smoothly or ruggedly, God must be acknowledged in them. If I go out of my house or come into it, I must go out and come in as under the eye of God. If I am occupied in business all day long, I must still have the glory of God in my view. If I have any affair to transact with another, I must pray that God would be with us in that affair, lest we should blunder, and injure and ruin each other."

This is the language of a real Christian. But, instead of such a spirit as this among the great body of tradesmen professing themselves religious ---what do we see but a driving, impetuous pursuit of the world!—and, in this pursuit, not seldom— mean, low, suspicious, yea immoral practices!

Yet I once went to a friend for the express purpose of calling him out into the world. I said to him" It is your duty to accept the loan of ten thousand pounds, and to push yourself forward into an ampler sphere." But he was a rare character: and his case was rare. His employers had said, "We are ashamed you should remain so long a servant in our house, with the whole weight of affairs on you. We wish you to enter as a principal with us, and will advance you ten thousand pounds. It is the custom of the city it is your due-we are dissatisfied to see you in your present sphere." I assured him that

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it appeared to me to be his duty to accede to the proposal. But I did not prevail. He said

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Sir, I have often heard from you that it is no easy thing to get to heaven. I have often heard from you that it is no easy thing to master the world. I have every thing I wish. More would encumber me-increase my difficulties-and endanger me."

SOLITUDE Shews us what we should be: Society shews us what we are. Yet, in the theory, Solitude shews us our true character better than Society. A man in his closet will find Nature putting herself forth in actings, which the presence of others would restrain him from bringing into real effect. She schemes and she wishes, here, without reserve. She is pure nature. An enlightened and vigilant self-observer is surprised and alarmed. He puts himself on his guard. He goes forth armed into the world. But Society shews him that nature is practically evil. The circumstances of the day as they arise carry him away. If he could abstract himself, and follow the actings of his own mind with an impartial eye, he could not believe himself to be the man who had entered into the world with such holy resolutions.

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