ect 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 t